"Coffee... I need coffee."

Groaning, my voice sounded like I spent the whole night singing karaoke with a group of friends till the wee hours of the morning. It would be something I would do if I had friends or karaoke bars were still a thing. I wanted Lila to bring them back but she was still resistant. Sisters, can't live with them but you can rent the flat above her coffee bar. Hardwood floors, a handy fire escape, and electricity from the panels on the roof. Pretty classy. Not to mention the aroma of coffee permeated the air. It might just be heaven.

"Meow."

I squinted.

"Luna." I croaked.

Luna a white fluffy bane of my existence. Prone to early morning wake up calls and knocking my meek possessions off my second hand -or is it third hand furniture?

"Meow." She answered running between my legs further testing my balance and early morning evasion skills.

She felt soft on my bare legs. My go to t-shirt and boxers sleeping attire making my legs easy access for the ball of fluff. I opened the can of cat food and fed her listening to her purring as my heart rate slowed.

"I need to find some work. Maybe I can put some ads in the paper? Something like Private Eye for hire. You lose it we find it-some exclusions may apply. It has a nice ring to it."

Cell phones were a thing of the past. Forget about social networking or texting. My sister said it was a major thing. At the ripe age of five, the Gates separating the multiverse fell  and joined into one chaotic magic cluster of mess. All the myths and legends, cultural stories, gods, and aliens you've dreamed about now live together. It's amazing humans didn't go extinct. The major power plants went down as well as most of the social structure we relied on.

I don't remember life before my sister found me in the alley clutching a bloody ring. I held the simple band between my fingers the metal stayed cool despite my heat. It never left the necklace around my shoulders. I'd wear it on my hand, but rings on fingers can be a hazard. Losing digits,  getting caught on stuff, or the worst of all symbolizing commitment. I shivered.

The  enchanted chain proved unbreakable by anything other than me. Not a bad deal if you asked me. Magic for technology seemed like a fair trade for the end of the known world. Well almost. Turns out when you join all the known realms together humans got the raw end of the stick. We didn't know how to use magic so we became an endangered species. Major science lasted for  little while before magic became too thick in the air and started making the laws of physics go all crazy. People turned to splicing their genes with animals, unknown and powerful magicks, or turning to the others for help as I like to call them. Pay phones made a huge comeback and global warming said goodbye.

"What do you say Luna? Should I go see if my sister's in the Hideout?"

Coolest name for a coffee shop ever. Luna's crystal blue eyes stared at me.

"What do you mean I should shower and brush my hair? That's asking a bit much don't you think?" I caught my reflection in the mirror haphazardly hung on the wall. My green eyes were so bright they almost glowed. Bless my unknown genes my skin looked like it sparkled with natural highlighter. My dyed purple and black locks resembled a hedgehog. I cut my hair myself. Made me look edgy and slightly deranged. Worked well when I was working.

Luna didn't blink.

I tossed my arms up and stuck out my lower lip. "Fine you win."

Pounding sounded at my door and before I could answer Lila burst through with the paper under her arm and coffee in her hand. Her silver hair falling in a long braid over her shoulder. Feminine features were accented with at button nose and unusually perfect skin.

"Dear Holy Brad, Please let that coffee be for me."

She stopped mouth open, her other hand falling to her hip as she took her big sister pose.

"Kat, you know not to invoke any Gods they might answer."

"I know, Holy Brad doesn't have any powers. At least not that I'm aware of."

She wagged her finger at me. "You keep praying to him and he just might."

Shrugging, I grabbed the coffee and sighed. I think my sister might be part coffee goddess or fairy or something. Pure heaven. I let the coffee soak into my cells turning me back into a contributing member of society.

"Why in the world did you burst in?"

"Oh right," she gave me the look only big sisters posses. "You haven't heard."

She held up the paper-the front page plastered with the title, Another Missing Human Woman. Remains Found.

"Who did they find Lila?"

Lila walked over to my window and threw open the sun blocking curtains. Blue and Red lights flashed outside. "It gets worse. The goons are in the alley they found the first victim near the shop. I heard the council cops talking. They said it looks like a sacrifice."

"A sacrifice? So early in the morning?"

"I'm sorry I'll make sure and contact the murders and let them know to commit crimes at a better time. 10:30 AM work for you?"

"You're right. I get I'm not that terrible I'm just not awake yet."

"There is no excuse."

"I know sis, I was just trying to lighten the mood."

"Yeah I know, but people wont understand that. Your humor is a little weird."

"I know isn't it grand?"