The Hag's Blood Incident

Chapter 5

     I lurched sideways to get away from the tiny humanoid lizard that had popped into existence next to me and my feet got caught up with themselves. I tried to catch myself on the stone wall as I was going down, but I missed and fell on the concrete, banging my shoulder in the process. It was from this position that the four shaggy giant wolf-faced humanoids came out of the portal behind the rich industrialist, one at a time. All four stepped through the rift in space naked, on backward hinged legs. All of them were forced to duck under the top of the portal in order to cross through. When they had fully emerged each rose to their full seven foot postures. I flinched into a fetal stance as one of them stepped over the top of my supine body. His toenails clicked on the cement next to my head as his feet came down around me. He looked down at me cowering and growled menacingly as he passed, exposing a mouthful of wickedly sharp teeth. The other three moved in sync with the one that passed over me, taking up a position at the bottom of each of the stair stepped entrances to the gazebo, like some kind of lupine honor guard.

     "Sorry about that. Security, don't you know." Stanton said bending at the waist to peer at me. "Alexander, could you help Mr. Thomas up? He seems overwhelmed at our sudden appearance."

     The kobold clicked the base of his staff down to the floor and turned to me wordlessly, offering me a hand up.

     I turned my head in alarm. Resting quiescently at Stanton's feet sat the black vial. Apparently, it had rolled there during the ruckus. I reached out and slapped my fingers over it, using the tips of my nails as a cage to drag it back next to me. I left it on the floor and took the small man's hand and leveraged myself back up. I placed my foot on the vial and prayed that the rubber soles of my shoes would keep it out of my head. Looking embarrassed in front of Stanton was the least of my worries, right now.

     Stanton and his henchwizard watched me get myself back to my feet. "Is that the artifact, then?" The industrialist asked pointing to my foot.

     "It is." I said, trying to reassert my cool. I lifted my foot enough so that he could see it.

     "Where are your associates? I was under the impression I would be meeting the entire company today." He smiled genuinely. "Or at least someone else would be here to assist you with the transfer. I know an item like this can be...difficult to transport."

     I knew that I still looked rough from carrying around his prize. I ran my hands through my hair. "They were busy with other priorities today." I replied calmly, belaying my appearance. "Maybe you'll get to meet them the next time you have another job."

     "I had heard The Cauldron was a competent company for acquiring items of a magical nature and spell components needed for any type of ritual. I'm so glad that my source was proven, right. Alexander, here, didn't think much of the three of you after visiting your establishment. I told him that he was misjudging you and that all you needed were the right contacts in life to move your business up to the status it should be." He said slyly with a gleam in his eye.

     It was then that I knew that something was wrong. It was something about his posture or his body language. Stanton was making my intuition act up. I was nervous about him. Why? Was it the vial affecting me again? I felt around in my head the best I could, and it seemed like I was still alone up here. No, it was something else. It was the way he was standing still. He looked human, but his stance was a little to perfect, his body a little too still. His eyes didn't blink quite right either. The little time I had been in jail hadn't been good for much, but it had taught me how to spot a monster, and Stanton was one of them.

     He noticed me noticing and frowned a little.

     "Were you able to get the cash?" I asked trying to redirect the conversation back to business.