Read Online Frost Moon by Anthony Francis - Free Book Online

local werehouse—”
    “Which warehouse?”
    “ Were-house,” Jinx said, pronouncing the first syllable distinctly. I still heard little or no difference, other than she was leaning on the were, but I got the gist.
    “Fine, fine,” I said. “I actually like werewolves, or were-whatevers—”
    “You’ve never been to an actual werehouse, though,” she said. “They’re homes for werekin who can’t ‘pass’. I’ve only been once, and I had the distinct sensation that I was tolerated only because I’m blind. Humans just aren’t wanted there, so you’ll have to be escorted in.”
    “Wonderful,” I said.
    “Oh, it gets better,” Jinx said. Now she was dancing around something, which wasn’t like her. “There’s a new wrinkle, so.”
    “So what? What’s the wrinkle?”
    “The werewolf clan has contracted with some… low-lifes… for protection.”
    “Oh hell,” I said. “Vampires. No, let me guess— rogue vampires. I’m going to need an escort to deal with my escorts!”
    “It’s not that bad,” she said. “They’re a vampire gang, yes, but they do abide by the protocols. So you can get protection from them… but, it’s just… as a Little Fiver…”
    “Oh, hell,” I repeated. “I have to ask for help from my ex-girlfriend.”

10. THE JUNIOR VAN HELSING DETECTIVE AGENCY
    If you follow Auburn Avenue east from Boulevard to Randolph Street, just where Auburn splits back off from Old Wheat, there’s a small, unassuming box of a building sitting at the narrowest of the five corners of the intersection. It’s shy on windows and has broad double doors pointing straight at the street, giving it a small-church feel; and indeed it was once a church, now deconsecrated. And inside, in the karmic convergence of holy ground built on a ley-line crossing near a five-pointed intersection (found by our very own Jinx), lived the vampire queen of Little Five Points.
    My ex-girlfriend, Savannah Winters.
    Back when I had my Festiva, you parked on Old Wheat; Auburn had some kind of city right of way and you’d quickly get towed. With the Vespa I expected to be able to putter right up and park on the sidewalk, but when I arrived, there was a new wrought-iron fence up around the whole main building. Finally I parked behind a small connected Victorian building that had once been the church school, next to a couple of unfamiliar cars. Had she moved?
    But the church buildings had been reworked too, now with a semi-formal entrance and several carved wooden signs, like a doctor’s office:
    L5P VAMPIRE CONSULATE
DARKROSE ENTERPRISES
JVH DETECTIVE AGENCY
    I scowled. Apparently Savannah was setting up her own little business empire trading on her vampirism. I wondered if she was ever going to get her Ph.D—not likely, at this rate.
    Once she’d dreamed of becoming the world’s very first vampire vampirologist, becoming a vampire herself to try to “study the vampire world from within.” I told her not to do it, the ‘vampire world’ would eat her alive. She went and got herself turned anyway. We split.
    I’m not bitter.
    As I predicted, the vampire world consumed more and more of her time and life, pushing everything else out. The careful planning she put into her change made her into an extremely powerful—and sought after—vampire. Soon, Savannah Winters became the head vampire of the Little Five Points district, helped by a little bit of vampire nepotism from the vampire who made her.
    She’d called to tell me she was now the Lady Saffron. I’d hung up.
    It was the last time we’d spoken.
    Now here I was, staring at the signs, nerving myself up for this. Finally I rang the doorbell and was buzzed in.
    Inside, the remodeled building felt even more like a doctor’s office. It was a small but brightly lit room, in earthtones, with padded chairs, magazines on coffee tables, and even a couple of potted plants. A reception desk served as gateway for three doors going left, back and right. Except for the