Aziza was sitting behind the counter at the Nightshade Inc. store as Diamond was dealing with a customer, a vampire who was needing to refill some real magical items. They had got to the store around eleven o’clock in the morning and Ophelia had left the two run the store to run some errands.

The vampire that Diamond was dealing with came out of the backroom with Diamond tailing behind, “Have a nice evening,” Aziza said as the vampire walked towards the door. The vampire nodded before leaving and Diamond tapped Aziza’s side to move. 

Aziza moved out of the way of Diamond to allow Diamond to open the register and put some money in it. “So did you pick what we are having for supper tonight?” Diamond asked as she closed the register drawer. 

“Burgers and fries.” Aziza said as she handed Diamond flier for burger joint. “I haven’t tried those yet.”

“Sounds like you are listing foods you haven’t tried,” Ophelia's voice said and both looked to the door to see Ophelia there. “Hope everything was fine while I was out.”

“Very slow and simple shift this time.” Diamond said and Ophelia smiled hearing that as walked to the counter. She pulled a set of keys out of her jacket pocket and held them to Aziza. 

“What are these for?” Aziza asked as she took keys to look them over and noticed a keychain with a number on it. “Number Thirty-two?”

“With Wild Hunt active for members of ‘Son of Sand’, I figured it was time for you to get your own apartment.” Ophelia said and glanced at Diamond. “Also I think the pull out bed isn’t that comfortable and Diamond would love to have her couch back.”

“It would be nice to have my cave back to being a single person occupied.” Diamond said as she glanced at the keys. “Though she’s not moving too far, I thought that room already had people living in it.”

“They did but I offered a bigger apartment to a different area.” Ophelia explained. “I was helping them move out and they needed a bigger apartment due to the little one on the way.” 

“Ophelia owns more than just the Nightshade Inc. shop, I also own a few apartment buildings.” Diamond said as she noticed Aziza’s mind turning with questions. 

“Why can’t I just go back to the dorms if Wild Hunt is active?” Aziza asked. “Also I don’t own any furniture to fill the apartment.”

“The apartments I own are furnished apartments,” Ophelia said and smirked, “Don’t worry I got some fresh furniture from storage for your apartment.” 

“Staying in the dorms is a bad idea in case you accidentally shift in your sleep again.” Diamond said as she pulled out her phone. “I can call up Quinn to help you get the rest of your stuff from your dorm.”

“That can be done tomorrow, and time for closing is happening.” Ophelia said with clapping her hands. “Aziza, restock the shelves, and Diamond, start mopping, while I take money to the safe.” 

Diamond stood up while putting her phone away and Aziza grabbed the clipboard with what was sold today. The two went to the back room where Aziza grabbed a cart and Diamond grabbed the mop and bucket on wheels.

“Diamond, there is something, actually a few things have been on my mind.” Aziza said as started to pick items she needed.

“I will try to answer your questions to the best of my ability.” Diamond said as she rolled the bucket to a sillcock faucet above a drain.

“Why do you need to stay away from the police apartment? Besides from not breaking that guy over your knee.” Aziza said as opened a box to grab fresh items.

“Actually with him being tied to a big case he’s being shipped to the CSIS moonflower division and that takes at least three days on good days.” Diamond said as she turned on the faucet to fill the bucket. “At worst a week and legal reasons I need to stay away until the CSIS has him back in their base.” Diamond stopped the water. “Also if he ends up dead beforehand then I can’t be blamed.”

“That makes sense,” Aziza said as she finished putting items on the cart. “Also, when should I tell Layla about me being a werejackal?”

“Nope,” Diamond said and Aziza tilted her head. “I’m not the one giving love advice, that is Ophelia's question.”

“What question should I answer?” Ophelia asked as the two rolled back onto the store floor. Ophelia was kneeling behind the counter and was closing the small safe there.

“When should I tell Layla about me being a werejackal?” Aziza repeated her question and Ophelia tilted her head. “Layla is a human that has been dating for three years and my best friend for fourteen years.”

“Can’t help you, sweetie, I’ve only dated vampires and therianthrope,” Ophelia said as stood up and walked over to Aziza. “And Diamond is going to be more useless in the love department.” 

“Ya, I don’t know what I was thinking when I asked her.” Aziza said as she started stocking the shelves. “Next one, has a Wild Hunt been called on Diamond?” 

There was very loud silence falling on everyone before Ophelia cleared her throat. “Yes, when she was fourteen years old, and the reason why there are only four big gangs in this city instead of twelve.”

Diamond was quiet with her back to them and started to mop the floors. “The hunt was set off after a very young and angry Diamond ‘interrogated’ a gang leader to death.” Ophelia started to help Aziza with stocking the shelves while Diamond stayed quiet. “That week to the public was called ‘Bloody Week’.” 

“I remember that week being taught in school.” Aziza said and looked at Diamond's back. “A lot of gang members were found dead and cops couldn’t pinpoint who was doing it.” 

“In our history, that week has a different name,” Ophelia said as she looked at Diamond. “The Warpath of the White Beast.” Diamond looked over her shoulder finally and her gaze was cold.

“At the end of that week the last four gang leaders were marked by me.” Diamond said with a cold and sharper tone. “And they called off the Wild Hunt.”

“Why did you…”Aziza’s words trailed off as the answer clicked in her mind. It must have been about Kek and any trail she could dig up on them. Diamond huffed before turning back to mopping the floor and there was uncomfortable silence in store.

The front door opened and Diamond was about to say the store was closing but stopped in seeing it was Chris. “Ah, hey Quinn, what brings you here this late?” Diamond asked. 

“I came to talk to Aziza,” Chris said as he carefully walked around where Diamond was already cleaned. “Hey Aziza, I came to tell you we found Henry’s murder already.”

“That was fast, who was it?” Aziza asked with her eyes locking on Chris’ eyes.

“Do you know Cleo Jones?” Chris asked. “She confessed when her alibi fell apart quickly and her state fell apart even faster.”

“Yes, she was an old friend of mine and Layla but we had fallen out when we entered college.” Aziza said. “Why did she do it?”

“She was tired of Henry’s cheating and thought she could get away with blaming another person.” Chris sighed as he rubbed the back of his head. “Unfortunately she blamed the wrong person.”

“Who did she try to frame?” Ophilea asked and Diamond had stopped mopping to listen as well. 

“She said she saw Layla fighting with him and claimed she was one of the women he was sleeping with.” Chris said and Diamond let out snicker. Everyone looked over to her from snicker. “Anyways that would be impossible as Layla was with you and Nix.”

“Guess she broke down the moment you mention that.” Aziza sighed and Chris blinked. “Cleo has always been bad when confronted with her lies. One of the reasons for falling out between us.” 

“She was confused when I hinted that you and Layla were dating,” Chris said as pulled out his wallet to pull out a ten dollar bill. Diamond spinned around to take the bill when Chris held it out to her and Ophilea chuckled from that.

“Makes sense, we’ve been keeping it on down low.” Aziza sighed. “It’s due to her parents. They are…not up to the times, and Layla is still staying with them while in college.” 

“Understood,” Chris said and Aziza noticed Diamond leaning on the mop and tapping her chin. “So don't worry about this case with Cleo coffessing and arrested.” 

“Hey Aziza, why don’t you let Layla move in with you.” Diamond said, making everyone look at her. “You’ve seen size of my apartment and one you going be move in is bit bigger.”

Everyone was quiet for a second before Ophilea cleared her throat, “That's a good idea and Chris would you be a dear and help Aziza move from Dorms to her apartment?” Ophilea asked.

“Sure, but I will have to stop at my home to switch out of my uniform.” Chris said. “It would be best not to make everyone worry if I show up in my uniform.”

“Good, that gives me and Diamond time to move her stuff from Diamond’s apartment to her apartment.” Ophilea said as she finished stocking the shelves. “Sounds like we have a plan, let’s do this!” 

Diamond was laying on her couch with an old book resting on her face and soft and peaceful Scottish music played in the background. Diamond had fallen asleep while reading an old book that she borrowed from her family library but she opened her eyes when she heard knocking at her door.

Diamond sat up to toss the book on the coffee table in front of the couch and grabbed the remote to turn off the music. She got up to answer the door and there loud popping from her bones. Diamond opened the door to see Chris, “We got a case apparently.” Chris said.

“Apparently?” Diamond asked as she grabbed her trench coat and slipped on shoes. “It’s been a month and you came to me with an ‘apparently’.”

“Nix was examining a body and deemed it to be a moonflower case and it was kicked me.” Chris said and Diamond grabbed her keys before exiting her apartment. “She said to bring you in and she’s waiting for us.”

“Well if Nix says we have a case, we have a case then.” Diamond grumbled as she locked her door.

“Did I wake you up?” Chris asked as noted her hair was slightly messy. “I thought you weren’t affected by winter.”

“I’m not, but a dry reading from an old book I took from the family library.” Diamond said as she turned and the two started to walk to the elevator. “I’m thinking I’m getting a story of a brave pirate but instead it was a slackjaw captain just complaining about his crew.” 

“Ah ya, that tracks, I get sleepy when I read dry reports.” Chris said and entered the elevator with Diamond. Diamond undid her low ponytail to fix it and put elastic in her mouth. “Which is often rare in this job, it is more likely to twist my stomach.”

“Good.” Diamond said as she finished fixing her hair. “The moment it starts to stop feeling that way, you should start to worry.” 

“Do you still get a twist in your guts from this job?” Chris asked and Diamond paused for a second.

“Some cases but most times it flares up my rage.” Diamond said and Chris nodded.

Chris and Diamond enter the morgue to see a body of a woman on a table and Nix standing beside it with a folder in hand. “So why is this one of the moonflower cases?” Chris asked as the two walked up to the body.

Diamond noticed the skin of the body had odd paleness to it and Nix handed the folder to Chris. “Trust me when I say this needs moonflower division on it.” Nix said. 

Diamond noticed a needle mark on the right side of the body’s neck and on her left arm similar needle mark. “This Kelly Dellwood, she was a B-positive human blood type but the blood you pulled from her veins was AB-negative vampire blood.” Chris said and Diamond perked up to look at body’s face.

“Her eyes, what color are her eyes.” Diamond asked and Nix moved the body’s eyelids to reveal her eyes. One eye was pure black and the other was a mix of red and blue. “Dealing with a mad man.”

“A very cruel and sick mad man.” Nix hissed and Chris looked confused as he raised his hand. “This young lady was slowly drained of her blood while being pumped with vampire blood, to try to make her a vampire.”

“As you know vampires and therianthrope are only born,” Diamond said and Chris nodded. “Well in the past some mad men tried different methods to transform a human into one of the other races.”

“These practices were outlawed in the first century,” Nix said as she closed the eyelids of the body. “But it didn’t always stop the sick and cruel mad men.”

“All failed, all but one…” Diamond trailed off. “In World War Two, a vampire used the war as cover to do his experiments and he was able to change a human into a vampire.”

“Peter Braun's lab was raided, he wasn’t there but his notes were missing and only his one success was still there.” Nix said as rubbed her temple. “Willow Levy was rescued, taken to London, and a week later she took her own life.”

“So we are looking for Peter Braun then?” Chris asked and Nix sighed with annonce. “Or not because he’s dead, isn’t he?”

“He was hunted down and killed by the Moonlight coven, but his notes are still missing.” Diamond said as gritted her teeth. “Some theorized his notes are still out there and others hope he burnt them to hide better.”

“Well be it his notes being found or a hidden partner, I know one thing.” Chris said and Diamond looked at him. “We have gone back to the body dumpsite as we have better context on the case.”

“It was Blackgroove Cemetery, there are pictures where the body was found.” Nix said and Chris closed the folder. “I hope you find them before I get another body on this table.”