The precinct which Caleb works at is small, crowded, and underfunded. While it serves it’s district it also houses the division for vampire matters and as such the people working there are either the pariah of the police force or fresh out of the academy newbies. Sophie’s situation is not all together unique, other officers like Mathew who got in trouble by being too hotheaded and starting fights ended up being transferred here, and Lieutenant Andrew who was accused of using his family’s influence to climb the ranks to his current position was advised to take his current position at this precinct.

Caleb has been working at the precinct for twenty years and has seen the faces around him change on an almost monthly basis. Besides Captain Batting there is not a single officer who is the same as when he started. What has stayed the same though is the building and the equipment. Most of the desks and chairs are made from wood and date to before the restrictions on logging were created, modern desks and such will be made out of glass and cheap metals that are meant to be a more environmentally friendly substitute for wood. The electronics are out-of-date monitors with separate computers wired together and there isn’t a keyboard there that doesn’t have at least one missing key. The interior building design is open so as to cram as many desks in as possible with a single front desk standing as guard in front of the lobby doors and only a few offices one of which belongs to Captain Batting, two for important meetings, and three for interrogations. The basement has a small holding area for criminals and the second floor is where records are kept, more than half of which are pitifully still paper documents rather than electronic documents stored on hard drives.

On an average morning at the precinct there is a lot of hustle and bustle as officers fill out their reports, are coming and going for patrolling shifts, taking emergency phone calls, preparing

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documents for court cases, or are simply conversing with one another. Caleb on that morning after returning back from the crime scene watches with a decisive eye as Andrew attempts to write a report about the events that happened, but keeps coming up with blanks in his mind on certain aspects.

Sophie lingers near Caleb like a lost kitten unsure of what to do with herself. She is slowly coming to the realization that not only is she not privy to the work Caleb does because she is not a vampire she is also not privy to any of the usual work done by other officers because she’s Caleb’s partner. Captain Batting had explained to her when she returned and complained about being left out that it was to be expected.

Captain Fredrick Batting is the closest thing Caleb has to a friend and he knows better than anyone else that Caleb only likes to act cold and fickle. He’s so used to being scorn and treated like a leper that his trust in humans is nonexistent. Fredrick though hopes that Sophie’s honest nature will be a good influence on him, but so far she’s had no success in getting him to open up to her.

“Are we doing anything else for today…” She asks hesitantly trying to gauge her tasks.

Caleb doesn’t even bother looking at her as he continues to watch Andrew, “Interviewing a person of interest later.”

“Oh, who-” Caleb abruptly stands up and leaves her mid sentence causing a sigh to fall from her lips. She watches him as he makes a beeline to Lieutenant Motley’s desk and notices that everyone within vicinity immediately takes a step away from him as he comes close to them before moving back into place after he’s passed by. The effect is like he’s parted a sea and only after he’s on the other side does it close back in on itself.

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Caleb leans against Andrew’s desk and looks down at him as he tries to type.

“What are you doing?” Caleb asks.

“Writing my report over the events of this morning.”

“It’s my case so you don’t have to worry about writing a report, I’ll do it.”

“I was the senior officer on duty so I also have to write a report. I’m responsible for your actions.”

“And what actions are those?” Caleb tests him. He watches the other officers and detectives bustle about. It had taken him years to get use to the persistent din. The sound of chatter, phones ringing, keyboards clacking, the squeak of the shoes on the cheap off-white linoleum tiles, and more than all that the thumping thumping thumping of the multitude of beating hearts all crammed into one room.

Caleb prefers the silence. Most vampires do. Still fresh in his mind like it only happened days ago are the memories of his childhood. The large creaking wood house surrounded by fields of tall grass and wild flowers with only a few trees scattered across the property that had been perfect for climbing. Everything was always quiet and peaceful then. The only sounds he can remember from those days are the sounds of their laughter as they chased each other throughout the house, but now it’s all gone.

Andrew draws him out of his reverie by asking, “What was the sex of the baby?”

“How would I know? There wasn’t an ultrasound on hand.” Caleb evades efficiently.

Andrew glares for a second up at him before turning back to his monitor, “There were no bite marks, but the body was drained of blood…” he murmurs quietly to himself trying to puzzle out what he’s forgotten.

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Caleb sighs, “Lieutenant, I would appreciate it if you would just forget everything from this morning. If you persist on trying to look into matters that don’t concern you then you’ll find that there will be unpleasant consequences.”

“Now you’re threatening me?” Andrew snorts in disbelief at the poor attempt.

Caleb twists his body and leans down as to grab Andrew’s hands from the keyboard. “I am warning you. Forget everything that happened this morning.” He says quietly in Andrew’s ear as he takes one of his hands from Andrew’s and deletes the unfinished document.

Caleb backs away satisfied with his work and turns to leave ignoring the dark stare boring into his back after him.

“What was that about?” Sophie asks as he comes back around.

“Nothing for you to worry about, just the price of staying in the warehouse.” Caleb grabs his jacket and their working case file from the desk and turns to leave.

“Oh… okay.” She looks uncertainly back at her boss still drilling a burning hole in their direction.

“Come on.” Caleb ushers Sophie to follow behind him.

~

Caleb again sits in the passenger seat and lets Sophie do the driving. He does turn on their car’s GPS though so it can give her directions to their location.

“So I have a question.” Sophie says as they begin to start driving through the city proper.

“Of course you do.”

She cringes at his cold tone, “I was… I just wanted to know what it is exactly you expect me to be doing in this partnership.”