The Witch From Laramie Valley

Perry Clare knew, with no uncertainty, that there were things about the world he lived in which had yet to be told. Secrets lurked in every dark alleyway he passed on his way to work in the evenings, despite the fact that his kind – and all of the other supernaturals in the world – could live more openly now with humans than they did back in the Dark Ages. Well. Most of them. The thought didn't really phase him as he hopped up the stone steps to the police station, opening the wide glass double doors and coming in from the chilly night wearing black jeans, black leather boots, a black t-shirt, and a black leather jacket. It was a granted that there would be some races more private than others. The elves were hard to deal with sometimes, but they were at least peaceful. Perry himself was a vampire, and it was obvious. Pale skin that practically glowed in the dark, dark eyes that put a shiver down most spines when they met his gaze, dark brown hair kept a little longer than the current trend. He stood at about five foot ten, slim and wiry, like he was built more for speed than anything else. He was also a Special Detective with the 3rd Precinct police department in Orphelia, one of the larger mixed race cities in the world. Though the world had become more open and the unknown was brought to light ages ago, some of the fear and prejudice still shaped their day to day lives. Some people were just more at ease being around their own kind, and as far as Perry was concerned, that made sense. He was by far not the only vampire in the police force, but that didn't mean you saw too many of them keeping the peace on a day to day basis. The world still had plenty of humans in it, and it hadn't been too terribly long since the vampires held the belief that they owned the humans simply because they used them a food source. At first, the humans believed it too, but then a few fought back, urging technology forward, and before too much time passed it became overwhelmingly apparent that the vampires were the ones who needed the humans more than humans needed them. The tides turned quickly, and though the vampires were ostracized for a few decades, once the Otherworld Integration movement became worldwide, it didn't take long for the more diplomatic vampires to begin their species' assimilation into the new society that was taking over. Thankfully Perry had been with the 3rd Precinct so long, no one saw him as an unknown variable anymore, so his life had become comfortable – almost enjoyable. Almost. Sometimes, he couldn't help thinking as he made the familiar trek to his desk for the latest case file, everything had started to seem too comfortable. He was too good at his job, and other vampires had called him too agreeable before. Sometimes, he thought, it would be nice if something new happened. Perry Clare had no idea how much he would come to regret that small internal wish just hours later. Approaching his desk in the quiet central room of the 3rd Precinct, Perry slid the ever growing pile of manila folders off his desktop, careful not to bump the unused coffee mug one of his coworkers gave him a few years back as a joke. He flipped through the pile quickly, his keen eyesight and supernatural speed helping him locate the particular file he needed for tonight's assignment. The rest went into the left hand drawer, and he strode back out of the building with a vigor, offering the front desk sergeant a small wave as he headed out onto the dark streets of the city. Orphelia was a beautiful city, filled with interesting people and a diverse crowd of shops, restaurants, and first class facilities. The technology pushed forward so quickly by the humans meshed well with the already existing magic in the world, and some of the other races came up with new and innovative ways to use the tools humans had come up with. These days they were past using horse-drawn wagons and telegrams, like Perry had grown up with; now they had cars and jets and Faran, the high tech app on everyone's brand new smartphone that enabled them to call a high end car service no matter their race, location, or financial situation. There were neon billboards all over downtown, screens posted high on skyscrapers previewing the latest movies with the newest advances in special effects, using a combination of technology and magic to create a 4D experience. The regal elves made great high fashion models, while bands like Huldrefolk, an all-troll grunge metal band that had been sweeping through the media as of late, kept things more grounded with their hard vibes and even harder music. Sometimes this city was so beautiful it made its residents forget that there was a darker side. No matter what seemed to happen, there seemed to always be a harsh gap between the rich and the poor, and the ghetto of Orphelia was no exception. Lower income families and the occasional college student could be found on the outskirts of Veka, the neighborhood more formally known as District 16. Once you go into Veka further, however, it became apparent that this was not a place for the faint of heart. Drug dens, 24-hour underground casinos, and the seediest of brothels could be found down these streets, barely lit at night and speckled with muggers and malicious street kids who haven't eaten in days. There was a time where Perry had once felt a deep and uncontrollable horror whenever he walked into Veka, but after a decade of working its streets, his horror had ebbed away into sympathetic indifference. He had tried speaking out for the people here, tried to get some of the Orphelian politicians to do something, at least for the kids on the street here, but all his cries fell on deaf ears. Nobody cared. Perry himself still cared, but the idea of pushing anymore for something that obviously wasn't going to happen had begun to feel exhausting after a certain point, and he gave in. All he could do now was what he could do. So as he stepped out of the 3rd Precinct, the Faran he'd sent for earlier arrived right on time, and he slid into the backseat, directing the driver to head to the nearest Night Owls, a popular late night restaurant chain that catered to the less day-friendly crowd. The car took him through to the drive thru, where Perry ordered twenty deluxe meals and three jugs of tea, hoping that would be enough. With his bribes in hand, Perry gave the driver an address two blocks away from the entrance to Veka, ignoring the strange look he received in return. Once he was dropped off on the sidewalk with the three jugs resting beside his feet, four plastic bags filled with food clutched in his hands, the Faran disappeared from the street. Barely seconds later, four small faces popped out from around the corner, eyes wide as they gazed at the vampire.