This is a work of gay-themed romantic fantasy fiction. If you do not wish to continue reading or if this material is illegal in your location please depart by the nearest exit!
AUTHOR'S NOTE
I begin this Chapter with an apology to Nifty and my faithful readers. Not sure how (other than complete gross stupidity and being in a hurry) I mis-labeled the next Chapter and submitted it not once, but twice as Chapter Fourteen. Hopefully changing the file name will correct the problem.
As always, thank you for reading the continuing adventures of The Detective and the Druid. Questions, comments, complaints and suggestions are always welcome. Drop me an e-Mail at HonableRonable@gmail.com. I love to hear from you and I respond to EVERYONE who writes me.
Some of you will notice this Chapter of The Detective and the Druid is somewhat different in format; rather than divide it into three shorter Chapters (two of which feature neither of the Dover Brothers) I am lumping them together into one Chapter divided into three scenes. You will also notice the Character List is missing--because there are some major surprises waiting for you in this Chapter.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Triptych
SCENE ONE
August was coming to a close and with it the Summer Quarter at Kings College. Teaching the two classes had been a most-interesting learning experience for former Police Captain Ben Dover but he found he rather enjoyed working with the students and helping to mold the next generation of Police Officers. Campus Politics and all the nonsense that went with it was quite another story; the Texan came upon a mob of (mostly) female students waving signs and chanting outside his door. "What--the--Hell!" he growled. "Ladies--excuse me..."
`Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Mr. Dover's got to go!
"Ho, ho! Hey, hey! Sexist Pigs must GO AWAY!"
Ben growled. "What--the--F..." He bit back the obscenity threatening to burst from his mouth. "LADIES!" he bellowed. "Excuse me! Y'r blockin' th' entrance t' m' classroom"
An overweight girl with stringy dishwater blonde hair who smelled of sweat and cigarettes spit in the man's face as she waved an uncomplimentary sign. "You're not getting in you Fascist Pig!" she screamed. "We're keeping you out!" The rest of the mob began making OINK! Noises. "Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Mr. Dover's got to go!"
The big Texan wiped the gob of foul-smelling spit off his face and pondered what to do next. Rhiannon Smith stepped up to confront the mob. She still had the red hair of a color never found in nature and still wore her "boho chic" but she stepped up like a boss. "Listen up you stupid cunts!" she bellowed loud enough to cut through the cacophony. "You stop us from taking our final and you know what happens?" None of the mob answered her but let the girl answer her own question. "We lose a whole quarter! We might not get our grades and you know the college isn't going to refund our money! You know who's fault that will be?"
"The Fascist Pig's!" the fat girl shot back.
"Wrong!" Rhiannon shouted back. "It'll be you and your dumb-ass girlfriends! Hell--some of you don't even go to this school!"
"Ladies," the big Texan rumbled, "you wanna protest? That's y'r Constitutional right! I won't stop ya! But y'r blockin' traffic an' that c'd be a problem! Take it outside where y'all will have all th' room anyone c'd want!"
"We don't have to do anything you say you dumbass hick!" The fat girl readied another loogie but Ben blocked it with his forearm. "Did you see that?" she screamed, "he tried to punch me!"
"Oh, for God's SAKE!" Rhiannon grabbed the girl's sign and slapped her with it. "You bitches are setting back the women's movement a hundred years with your stupid histrionics!"
"Move it outside!" Ben growled. "Nobody's gonna complain if you throw y'r shindig out there! Otherwise I'm calling th' Cops an' they c'n deal with ya! I s'pect some o' you don't want another arrest on your records!"
With the protesters moved out, Final Exams given and grades compiled Ben decided to hike over to Dedrick's Coffee to treat himself to one final Iced Chai Latte of the summer. For whatever reason the coffee shop wasn't nearly as crowded as usual--maybe due to finals or summer winding down--so the Texan was able to get his drink and favorite table without any hassle. He'd just sat down when a familiar voice said "excuse me, Mr. Dover..."
Ben looked up to see young Jim Burkhalter, handsome as ever (and even less-dressed than usual) standing close by his blind side. "Can I--um--talk to you?"
"Take a load off Son," the big man replied. "Boyo--ya look like ya got th' weight o' th' world on y'r shoulders..."
"I kind of do," the kid admitted. "My Dad wants me to do something that I know is wrong but I don't see a way out!"
"I'm listenin'..."
Jim flopped into the chair opposite Ben. "My Dad wants to use me as a bait dog!"
"What's that?" Ben had a sick feeling he knew but wanted confirmation.
"He wants me to take dirty pictures and post them on Gay Dating sites and apps!" he said (confirming Ben's worst fears). "Then when guys reply and text me to hook up, he'll have a bunch of Sons' there to put the fear of God' into them!"
"In other words--beat th' hell out o' some poor sap dumb enough to show up!" Ben growled. "Fuck! That's low!" Worst of all--the scheme would probably work like a charm! Young Burkhalter had a damn fine body that was sure to attract a lot of attention on line and if someone else was controlling the conversation it didn't matter what the victim looked like--they would find a way to sound intrigued! "Oh shit-damn-hell-FUCK!"
"I don't want to do it!" the young man said forlornly, "but I don't know how I can avoid it!"
"That why y'r dressed like some boy whore young Jim?" said another voice. The Texan turned to see Captain Don Kowalczk of the Kings Harbor PD. The cap was a big beefy man with buzz-cut thick brown hair and an impressive moustache. At the moment a lot of thickly-muscled well-tanned arms were showing off in a tight tank-top. So was a tattoo of a confederate rainbow flag which confused Ben just a bit. Off duty, the Cap was wearing very tight but soft, ripped and faded jeans and chunky motorcycle boots to further confuse the issue. "What's that asshole Dad of yours trying to make you do kid?"
Young Burkhalter glumly repeated the story. "You aren't remotely even CONSIDERING this dumbass plan, are you?" Kowalczk asked. "Do you have the slightest clue how this could wreck your life?"
"I know!" Jim shot back. "Like I told Mr. Dover--I don't have a choice!"
"You've always got a choice!" the man shot back. Ben simply sat in silence. "Are you ready to go to jail to make that crazy Motherfucker of a father of yours happy?"
"Watch th' language!" Ben cautioned. "Folks `r' payin' attention!"
"Sorry," the brown-haired bear replied. "I get passionate sometimes! But, really kid! Did you think this through? Let's assume you get away with beatin' up some fags! Those pix will be around for-fucking-EVER! Anybody who doesn't like you could find those and throw `em up all over the Internet and you'd never be able to track them all down! You could fuck up your whole life!"
"I know," the handsome young blond boy/man replied. "I told my Dad and he did this to me..." Jim pulled up his tank top and showed several fresh welts on his back. "He wouldn't let my Mom clean me up until I agreed to do it!"
"Have ya been avoidin' anythin' y'r Dad gives ya t' drink?" Ben asked. Jim nodded. "That's good! At least he can't compel you..."
"Yes Sir," young Burkhalter replied. "Ever since I saw my Dad dosing the recruits and you told me I had Lotus in my body I've been super-cautious about avoiding everything he gives me!"
Kowalczk gave Ben a curious look but then turned his attention back to the blond boy/man. "Let's go get your stuff kid!" he said gruffly. "If your Dad is trying to drug you, we've gotta get you out of that house! You can't stay with the Dovers so I guess you'll be coming with me!" He gave an odd chuckle. "Hey world! I'm a first-time Dad at 45!"
Jim looked to the big Texan who nodded. "You'll be safe with Cap'n Kowalczk!" he told the blond poster boy, "safer than y'd be at Seacliff. Y'r Dad `ud lose his mind if ya stayed with us. Kowalczk--just don't let Sgt. Burkhalter see that Tattoo!"
"What? Ya think I'm STUPID or somethin' here?" the big Cop replied with a wry grin, his Brooklyn accent coming out heavily. "Nobody at KHPD knows my deep dark secret and I don't intend to out myself--especially to the Blackshirts!" He gave Ben a speculative look. "You though--we're gonna have to have a talk! Ya know what I mean boychik?"
"We will!" Ben promised. "I'm gonna blow y'r mind--maybe a few other things as well..."
SCENE TWO
Seamus Kennedy entered the warehouse and heard agonized screams; Oberdorf and his cronies had caught themselves another Fey and were in the process of torturing her. The lone Druid rushed in to see a Dark Elf being slapped around by Oberdorf 3.0 while Senior, Junior and several other "Blackshirts" shouted encouragement. Kennedy quietly cursed himself for ever getting involved with these sadistic bastards. "I TOLD you they had to be PRISTINE for the spells to work!" be bellowed.
The "Blackshirts" turned their attention to the new arrival. "We were just having a little fun!" Oberdorf 3.0 whined. "It's not like I fucked her or anything--even though the bitch really wants a REAL man!"
"Never debase the Oberdorf seed by fornicating with a Demon!" Oberdorf Senior bellowed then punctuated his comment with a strong slap of his grandson. "Never!"
The young man hung his head, whether in anger or shame Kennedy couldn't tell. "Sorry Sir--I was just joking around..."
The trapped young Elf looked at Seamus with desperate, wounded eyes. "Please Druid--help me!" she begged. "I am Lounu, daughter of Aethylbryk of the Bloody Sun! Aid me and he will reward you! I swear on my Heart's Blood! Please--aid me! Save me from these swine!"
"You need to let her go!" Seamus told the Oberdorfs. "Trust me on this one--killing her is more trouble than she's worth!"
"Let me go--please! I beg you!" Lournu gave her sweetest innocent look to the men; she seemed to be barely in her teens. "I won't tell anyone--I promise!"
"I know who this girl is!" the Druid told the black-shirted men. "She's a Princess of Elfhame Bloody Sun--those are Dark Fey and you don't want to mess with them! I told you once and I'll tell you again--she's more trouble than she's worth!"
"Dark Fey," Oberdorf Junior said. "Didn't you tell us they were worse than their Seelie brethren? Killing one of them would be doing humanity a favor!"
"Killing THAT one will attract the attention of her Father you bloody fools!" Seamus bellowed over the laughter of the assembled men. "The Unseelie don't have the same scruples their Seelie brethren adhere to! They can, and WILL, unleash things so vile you dare not comprehend!"
"All the better!" Oberdorf Senior said with a contented smile. "Let the Unseelie vent their wrath on poor unsuspecting humans! If we get lucky, they'll `out' themselves and we'll start a Race War!"
"You're all idiots!" Seamus wondered why he'd allied himself with these men. "You will doom yourselves and the rest of humanity!"
"What do you care so long as you get control of the Henge?" Oberdorf Senior said with a derisive sneer. "Your heathen Gods favored that fag Cliff Dover and gave him a Site of Power then they touched his fag brother! You hate them as much as we do! Your help will take them down and get you everything you deserve!"
"Chant the spell!" Oberdorf Junior said. "Son--bring the Iron Sickle--you're going to kill your first Monster!"
Lournu screamed as the youngest Oberdorf sliced her tender flesh again and again with the iron sickle, irrevocably damming his soul forever. Seamus chanted a spell of blackest Magic to insure the transfer of life power from the dying girl. Little by little the Dark Elf Princess's life force drained away into waiting receptacles where it could later be turned into the powerful drug Lotus. Martin Oberdorf Senior just smiled; yes, once the Druid had shown them all his magic, he would get exactly what he deserved--death by fire!
SCENE THREE
Patrick Sullivan was utterly alone in a space so dark that the depths of interstellar space seemed bright by comparison. He tried manifesting something psychically but got nowhere no matter how carefully and thoroughly he visualized. The former Cop knew time was passing but with no way to measure he couldn't tell how long. Sully found himself wondering if this was Hell or simply what happened after death. Either way, he decided, he didn't like it one little bit!
Then suddenly he was no longer alone. Sully wasn't sure when he became aware of the presence of someone. Slowly and deliberately that sense of Presence expanded until it filled his entire being. Only then did he see who it really was. She was tall and skeletally thin (although somehow Sully knew that her form would change depending on the Aspect she chose to manifest). Her skin was chalk-white and her hair and eyes were black as raven's wings. Even her lips were pale and bloodless. She wore a gown and headdress of black feathers that made her look like some sort of personification of a crow. "Greetings Mortal!" she said in a horse rasping voice. "I am the Morrigan--triple Goddess of Fate!"
"Am I in Hell?" the ex-Cop asked.
"Is that where you wish to go Mortal?" she asked.
"No!" the man replied vehemently. "I just want to be gone from here!"
"Soon you will be. my lad!" the harsh voice croaked. "Negotiations have been completed and it has been decided! You will be given a choice few Mortals are offered!"
"Um..." Sully was confused but if it got him away from this place, he was ready to go for it! "What are my choices?"
"The White Christ offers you an entry to his Heaven!" she replied, "You were a believer in your life and so have earned entry if that is your choice!"
Sully wasn't sure he was ready for an eternity of white robes, harp music and the like. "What are my other options?" he finally asked.
"I like you Mortal!" the woman said after a creaking laugh. "Most of your kind would jump at the easy option but you want to hear all the choices! It speaks well of you!"
"Again Morrigan--what are my options?" The man was trying to be respectful but the Goddess was starting to piss him off a bit.
"Since you were a brave Warrior in the cause of Justice Odin has offered you a seat in Valhalla!" she announced. "Lastly, you may return to Earth as a Guardian to the one known as Benjamin God-touched!"
"Benjamin God-touched?" Sully was confused. "Do you mean Ben Dover? The guy who I met at the bar? The one who held me and tried to comfort me while I died?"
"That is his Mundane name!" the Morrigan agreed. "You have no time to think Mortal! Make your choice and make it now!"
"Fine!" he exclaimed. "I choose to go back to Earth!"
"As you have said it, so mote it be!" The Morrigan gave that creaking laugh one final time as something sucked him downward toward a fast-growing point of light. "I hope you like your new form mortal..." Sully wondered what that meant when everything changed around him and he suddenly found himself having to deal with an onslaught of new sensations...
END CHAPTER FOURTEEN