Raving Moon, Lords of the Night Book One

Chapter 31: No Justice

Jacob backed into the parking space and cut the engine. New Bedford was a mixed bag of neighborhoods ranging from run down slums to suburbs on the very edge of Gorgon. Ty Brewster's parents lived in a quaint two floor home in an area that fit right in the middle. They called it The Cookies because a large number of the homes were built by the same developer who had a very specific vision. Everything they built looked exactly the same as if shaped by the same cookie cutter.

Due to city ordinance changes, the northern and southern half of The Cookies sat in two separate boroughs. This meant we parked in New Bedford, but the houses on the end of the block were in Stygia.

"I can't do this," Jamal said from the back row.

We all looked at him and he shrank into the leather of the backseat. He looked worse than the last time I saw him. The dark rings around his eyes spoke of lack of sleep. He smelled of alcohol when we picked him up, and desperately needed a shower and shave. This Jamal was far from the young man making his way through college.

"Tyson's parents won't speak to us," I explained. "We need you to make the introductions. You said you could help."

"I know. I know... but I can't. I can't see them again." He was on the verge of tears.

"Calm down, kid." Ariane said. "It's going to be okay. We're trying to help."

"Thrones are never trying to help. Ask Ty. Ask old Mrs. Jones."

"I am," Ariane said.

"I am too," I added. "I've always tried to help."

He met my eyes, anxiety and self pity clouding his vision. The kid was a wreck. It took me a moment to notice he was whispering words under his breath.

"Make me. Make me. Make me."

At first I thought he was riling himself up, maybe even trying to force the change. Then, looking into his miserable expression, I realized he wanted me to force him. Jamal wanted me to dominate him and command him to take us.

"Jamal," Ariane snapped, stopping me before I made a decision I'd later regret. "Look at me."

I could feel her otherworldly energy filling the van, a warmth building up until we were all buoyed by it. Jacob relaxed in the driver's seat. The tension in Jamal's face softened. Hers was the biggest animal in the car, and Ariane used it to sooth as easily as she could use it to inflame.

"We don't know if this will uncover new evidence or shed new light on the case, but we hope so. We want to try. Ty was your friend. Help us."

Jamal released a ragged breath I hadn't known he was holding and nodded.

"Thank you." Ariane hopped out of the van. She held the door and reluctantly Jamal followed her out.

"I don't know how long we'll be. Just hang around." I looked past Jacob to the black cat sitting in a nearby yard. "Keep an eye open. I'm starting to get a bad vibe."

"Is that a magic thing, sir?"

The cat licked itself and scurried away.

"Sometimes it's hard to be sure. Just be vigilant."

I joined Ariane and Jamal on the sidewalk. He led the way to the Brewster house, each step seeming to take him just a bit longer to make. I felt a twinge of regret. He'd been reluctant from the start, but I'd pushed him. My gut told me we were on the right track. We just needed Jamal to get us through the door.

The grass in the Brewster yard was tall and overgrown. The building paint was peeling, the windows were marred by caked on dirt, and the mailbox was stuffed with mail. Jamal hesitated before opening the gate. We walked up the narrow path between greenery and up a short flight of cracked steps.