Otherworld

Part 1 : A Bad Surprise

I knew I shouldn't have worn these boots. Damn it. The worn soles just barely gripped the slick pavement as I hustled down 6th avenue, keeping the dark figure of Derek Kim just in sight.

He was walking with purpose down the busy sidewalk, weaving gracefully in and out of foot traffic. A dark duffle bag slung over his shoulder.

How had he gotten so far ahead of me? Even with my horrible choice in footwear, I should have been keeping up with him easily. He was human and I was fae, I clearly had the advantage here.

I checked the street, then jogged across. I kept up the pace until I was only a few yards behind the elusive Mr. Kim.

I'd been keeping tabs on his last known address and all his known contacts with no luck. He'd been M.I.A. for two weeks before a contact, told me that he'd been seen skulking around the east side. Exactly where he shouldn't be. He was there, all right. Where Marcy said he would be. He left a boarded-up house on 56th, got into a car (not his), and now he was speed walking down 6th towards Division. Like seriously speed walking, it was ridiculous.

I started to get an uneasy feeling when he reached back and pulled the duffle bag around and held onto it tightly as he ducked into an alley.

Well, fuck.

I caught up and cautiously stepped into the alley.

And he was gone.

Well, double fuck. He knew I was tailing him. I took out my enchanted knife--fae-forged to be always sharp and always true--as I walked past the recycle bins and Dumpsters, looking for any sign of him.

Nothing.

I pushed out with my magic, willing him to show himself.

Still nothing.

Well, it was worth a try. I was just ready to give in and start Dumpster diving, when the sky opened up and started to rain in earnest. And that's when it happened.

Derek Kim ghosted out of a Dumpster, turning corporeal just as he punched me square in the gut.

I doubled over, gasping and dropped my trusty knife. "What the--," I wheezed. "I thought you were human!"

"Surprise."

Fuck. Fuck. Triple fuck.

Before I knew what was happening, Derek was on top of me. I was against a brick wall, his forearm pushed into my throat, his hand fumbling in my pockets. He reached around and pulled the slim wallet out of my back pocket.

"Gee Darek, we hardly know each other," I croaked.

"Shut up," he hissed, and push me harder into the wall. He flipped open my wallet. "Katherine Krum, private investigator." His dark eyes flicked back up to me. "You're not MCU?"

"Not MCU."

He tossed my wallet down, right into a dirty trash puddle.

"Aw, come on!"

Derek growled and his hands went for my throat. So, I did what any girl would do in this situation, I grabbed his head and slammed my forehead right into his stupid face. He reeled back.

"You bitch!" He said through the blood now gushing out of his nose.

I pushed off the wall, grabbed my back-up knife, and aimed a kick. Derek's reaction time caught me off guard. He grabbed my foot mid-kick and pushed me backwards.

"Gods, you're such a dick." I put a foot back to regain my balance, and even though I knew it wouldn't hurt him, I threw my knife at him. Fuck it, I was mad. It was a quick practiced move, my aim is pretty good, but this knife isn't made for vampires, which I was pretty sure this guy was.

He came at me, moving quickly to the side to avoid the knife. He wasn't quick enough, and the knife just grazed his arm. He growled, his face contorting into an ugly mask of rage. He tackled me and we fell to the ground.

"Just get out of my way, you don't understand" he screamed in my face. I forced myself to be calm, and grabbed his arms, forcing his hands off me. He was getting weaker, and more desperate. His eyes were wide, pupils dilated, a sheen of sweat on his forehead. I pushed him up and kept my hold onto his arms, touch always makes my influence stronger. My hands grew warm with my magic and I could feel some of his resistance ebb away.

"Derek," I said, "Look at me."

He did.

"Why don't you just give me the money. We can take it back to the Lucky Duck together, and this whole mess can be over. Wouldn't that be a relief?"

He nodded. "I'm so tired."

I pushed him into a sitting position and got on my knees in front of him, still holding his arms.

"I bet." I was trying hard to hold his gaze, but his eyes kept shifting like a nervous animal's.

"Derek?" I dipped my head to get his attention. I was pouring all my magic into my influence, but I was still losing him. How was he this strong? "Where were you taking the money? Are you working with someone?"

His attention snapped back to me and any hold I had on him broke. I dropped his hands like they were live wires and scrambled back onto my feet, ready to go on the defensive again. But Derek just looked up at me, a horrified look on his face. He looked...scared. Then he sprang up, and instead of coming at me, he ran for the nearest Dumpster, grabbing the side and heaved it forward. It rolled toward me, sliding on the rain-soaked concrete, dirty water spraying up. I maneuvered around it, but by the time I squeezed past, he was running like hell to the end of the alley, duffle bag bouncing at his hip. He turned and ghosted through a building and I lost him.

Well. That could have gone better. I turned back to the alley and walked back to where I had lost my good knife. I wasn't about to lose my target and my best knife.