“I take it you’re Fergal.”
“What’s it to you?”
“Come out where I can see you.” I didn’t dare take another step forward and irk the dog. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her. It wasn’t her fault she’d been misled into protecting a thief and a liar. Guys like Fergal often withheld food and water as part of the creature’s ‘training.’
“You’re not too bright coming down here alone,” Fergal said.
“You’re not too bright living down here alone.”
I took the opportunity to move closer for a better view of my mark. He was a bulky man in a plain white T-shirt and shredded jeans that hung low on his waist, emphasizing his swollen gut. His thick, knotted hair looked like it hadn’t been combed in decades.
“Except I’m not alone. As you can see, I’ve got Mongrel.”
“I’m not alone either. I have a team of knights with me.” The other end of the phone counted, right?
Fergal eyed me curiously. “They let women be knights now? What’s the world coming to?”
Because the world was in such a perfect state otherwise.
“Nobody let me. I don’t need permission.”
Okay, that wasn’t strictly true. I had to pass a series of stringent tests to become a knight, but our most notable feature was that we were an all-female organization.
“I obviously hit a sore point.”
“And I’m about to hit one of yours if you don’t cooperate. You have something that belongs to my client and I’m here to reclaim it.”
Fergal balled his hands into fists. “I won it fair and square.”
“You didn’t win anything. You drugged an entire table of players and stole it.”
According to my client, Fergal served them all from the same pitcher of ale. My client thought it tasted bitter but before he could comment, he blacked out. When he lifted his head off the table an hour later, Fergal was gone and so was my client’s jar of honey.
Fergal spat on the floor of the tunnel. “Prove it.”
“I don’t have to.”
Fergal smacked the dog’s backside. “Mongrel, take care of this girl.”
Three heads growled again. So far Mongrel was all bark and no bite, which suited me fine.
“Did you even bring a weapon? How stupid can you be?”
If I were Fergal, I’d be more concerned by a knight who felt confident enough to venture down here without one.
I reached out with my mind and tried to make contact with the dog.
There you are, little lady.
Interesting. I expected three minds, but I only detected one. It seemed I was right to focus on the middle head. That was the control center. I touched the dog’s mind and offered reassuring thoughts.
Little pig, little pig, let me come in.
The dog resisted.
I pushed a bit harder, prompting a snarl from all three heads.
“What are you doing, you lazy piece of shit? Attack!”
Fergal’s demand had the opposite effect. The dog’s mind squeaked opened and let me slither in.
Gotcha.
For her size, she wasn’t too hard to win over. Probably because Fergal mistreated her. Those creatures were always easier to convert. Any port in a storm, bless her.
I transmitted my request.
“Mongrel, I said attack!” Fergal had no idea what was happening. I almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
The left head turned first and growled at Fergal.
“Not me, you idiot,” Fergal shouted.
Yes, call the multi-headed, fanged beast an idiot. That will help you.
The creature swung around and snapped three sets of jaws at Fergal.
“What did you do?” Fergal demanded.
“Mongrel, stay.” The dog stilled and I held out my hand. “I’ll take that jar of honey now.”
Fergal’s eyes bulged. “Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t give it to you. I don’t have it.” He stumbled over his words, finally starting to comprehend the situation.
I clucked my tongue. “Fergal, aren’t you in enough trouble already? Let’s not drag this out.”
“I sold it.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Why, oh why did they insist on keeping up the charade when the jig was very clearly up?
I leaned down to address the creature. “Mongrel, when’s the last time you ate?”
Three mouths began to salivate at the same time. Acidic slobber dripped from the jowls, forcing Fergal to take another step backward.
“Hold on,” he said. “I’ll get it.”
I couldn’t see past Fergal to know what he was getting, but every fiber of my being told me it wasn’t what I came for.
Damn it, Fergal. I was trying to do this the easy way.
Metal flashed across the black backdrop.
Oh, well. I gave it my best shot. I would’ve preferred to handle this without help, but as I didn’t have a weapon, I commandeered one.
“Mongrel, charge,” I said.
The beast toppled Fergal. The sword flew to the right and clattered on the hard surface.
“Stay. No killing.”
Mongrel kept her former owner pinned to the floor while I skirted them both. Nudging the sword out of his reach with my boot, I sauntered deeper into Fergal’s lair. A few pots and pans. A canteen. A portable kerosene stove. A bedroll.
“Not much of a home,” I said. Not that I was one to talk. My flat’s most significant feature was indoor plumbing. Then again, we weren’t vampires nor did we work for them. We didn’t have the luxury of choice.
It was only when I shifted the bedroll that I found it. Jackpot. As the most valuable item in this mess, he’d wisely kept it hidden.
With the jar of honey in hand, I returned to the spot where Fergal was whimpering on the floor and rolling his head left to right to avoid the acidic spray of the beast’s slobber.
“My client would like me to pass along a message. If you ever show your face at poker night again, you’ll be leaving without your legs.”
Fergal glowered at the creature on top of him. “I’ll kill you for this, you worthless mutt.”
I cut a sideways glance at the dog. Apparently I’d be leaving with more than a jar of golden honey. When possible, I released a creature I’d won over to my side. I had no interest in becoming the Snow White of Britannia City. I couldn’t ignore Fergal’s threat though. It wasn’t fair to the dog.
I patted the creature’s right head. “Come on, cutie. I’ll get you a nice milk bone when we get out of here.”
The beast stayed put.
“Sorry. Three milk bones.”
The beast stepped off Fergal and trotted along beside me.
“Don’t even think about grabbing your sword,” I called without bothering to turn around.
I made my way to the exit with my new companion. “I have to ask—how do you maintain your balance with those heads?”
Three heads shifted to look at me. Impressive physiology happening there.
“I can’t call you Mongrel,” I said. “It’s a terrible word to call anyone.”
On the other hand, I didn’t have a right to name her and I couldn’t keep her. I felt torn. My flat wasn’t big enough to accommodate a creature of her size, but if I released her now, she’d likely return to the tunnel if only because she was accustomed to it. If that happened, Fergal would make good on his threat. I couldn’t risk it.