Drake Heartracer and the Fem Fatale Ch. 01-04

THERE was a knock at the door.

Drake (Drag'thar Heartracer) jerked up in his chair. He looked up at the door with tired eyes. There was a faint silhouette of a pair of ears he could see through the tinted glass on the door, and the words "HEARTRACER DETECTIVE AGENCY" printed backwards in heavy white lettering. Blinking rapidly, Drake rubbed at his eyes and wiped his chin of any potential drool and felt the coarse hair from a lack of proper shaving routine on his face. He made a small attempt to make his messy desk look presentable, and shoved a half-full bottle of a drink labelled "BEARD'S PRIDE" into his bottom drawer. He straightened his tie and sat up straight in the chair.

"Come in!" Drake said in a baritone voice, with a little more gravel than he expected. As the door opened, Drake cleared his throat to hide the rest of the evidence that he might have been sleeping at his desk. Drake watched the small woman enter his office with a hesitant step, which gave him plenty of time to look her up and down, which didn't take long considering her height.

Her pale blue eyes, reddened from crying, reflected the light from the crystalline object attached to the ceiling. Her hair was short and blonde, but had the glossy sheen of product in it to make it more dazzling. She was wearing a heavy fur coat, quite unsuited for the warm day it was outside. It covered up the rest of her body, but even through the coat Drake could see the outline of a pair of large breasts. Her ears, pointed straight up and almost eight inches long, wiggled slightly as the goblin walked up to the creaky chair in front of the desk and climbed up it. When she was situated, she turned back to Drake with a green face of primer and blush, but no other makeup. She must have interrupted her routine to come see me, Drake thought.

"I take it you're Detective Heartracer?" The goblin asked in slightly hoarse and breathy voice.

Drake grunted affirmatively. "Drake Heartracer, Private Eye," he said in his most professional voice. "The finest Orc detective in the city."

"Also the only Orc detective in the city, right?" The goblin replied with a halfhearted smile.

"Yes, but either way, I'm damn good at my job."

"Fair enough. I need help."

"Let me guess," Drake leaned back in his chair slightly. "You need me to find something. Or someone." He took his hand and rubbed one of his tusks with a smirk.

"How did you-" The goblin started with shock, but Drake raised his hand to stop her.

"People come to me to solve their problems," Drake said in a practiced tone. "If you're here, you have a problem. I don't think it's insurance fraud, as you're not wearing the ill-fitting suit those folks wear. If it was infidelity, you would have walked in angry. That means you need me to find something, or someone, dear to you." His face turned neutral. "Also, everyone comes to me for missing persons. I've got the most missing persons cases solved in the city." Mainly because everyone else knows that missing persons cases are poison, he thought to himself.

The goblin nodded. The speech seemed to have calmed her down. Whether it was because it eased her anxiety or was just an annoying distraction, Drake didn't know. He hoped it was the former.

"Then you'll take my case? The other detectives said it was a lost cause." The goblin looked hopeful.

Drake sighed. If other detectives had passed on the case, then it was definitely poison. He knew that trying to find anything in the city that has gone missing is a needle in a haystack. The client always wanted information that wasn't there, and when the results came up empty, the client always fought the bill. "I don't know. I've got to hear it first. Let's start with your name."

The goblin faltered for a moment. Bad sign. "I, umm-"

"Look miss," Drake interrupted again, but more seriously this time. "I only ask questions about the case. But I need your government name at the top of this document." He held up a document in his hands. "This is the only way of keeping myself safe in case the guard comes knockin' when I'm snoopin'. But as long as you're not wrapping me up in a criminal conspiracy, any secrets you have are safe with me."

The small lady took a moment, then sighed. "Zex Leafy."

"Well then, Ms. Leafy?" Drake paused for a moment for confirmation, and when Zex nodded, he continued. "Tell me why you're here."

"My part-- co-star went missing after our show last night. We had a big crowd, and that makes her tired, so she headed straight to her home while I stayed behind. That was normal. But when I got home, I called to make sure she made it home safe, but she didn't answer. I just assumed she went to bed, but I tried again the next morning, and still nothing. I headed over to make sure she was okay, but..."

Zex started to tear up. Drake sat impassively, waiting for her to continue. He has heard plenty of sob stories, and some of them were even true. He was taking her story down, and there was always time to poke holes at it later. After the first payment, in case the client didn't like where the investigation was taking him.

"Anyways, I didn't see her at her apartment," Zex continued. "I went straight to work, and told my boss about my worries. He told me it would be fine, that she would show up any minute, and sent me into the dressing room to get ready. I tried, but I knew something was wrong, I just knew it! So part way through my makeup prep, I decided to take things into my own hands. I left and started visiting detective agencies. And that brings me here to you."

Drake gave a curt nod. "And now you're here. If you think she's gone missing, why not submit a guard report?"

The goblin scoffed. "As if they would help. They don't exactly treat folks like me and Sela right." She looked right at Drake. "I thought someone like you would know better than to trust those pigs."

Another bad sign, Drake thought to himself. "I'm not saying I trust them. But having something in their system makes it easier for the rusty gears of justice to turn in case this gets out of my hands. Besides, I don't exactly have the same budget they do." Drake gestured to the rest of his office.

The office was small, dark, and dusty. There was Drake's desk in the center, with no room for another desk on either side. On the detective's right was a gray filing cabinet. One of the drawers was partially open, stuffed to the brim with documents. Another was jammed shut with the handle broken off. Still more papers were on top of the cabinet, not yet sorted. Across the way was a small table with a coffee decanter, covered in dust. A stack of disposable cups with almost as much dust stood next to it.

Above the decanter was two different framed papers. The first one read "This diploma awarded to DRAKE HEARTRACER for studies completed in NON-MAGICAL DIVINATION." The name DRAKE was on a handwritten note covering something else. The second paper was smaller and read, "This certification allows HEARTRACER DETECTIVE AGENCY to operate as a private investigation business in the city of Galder's Maw and surrounding area."

"They may not give your case the attention it deserves," Drake continued, "but if they stumble into something they might actually do something useful if they have a report on file." Drake flashed a soft smile, and Zex seemed to at least consider his advice. "Now, if you could write down the full name of Sela, a description, and any important addresses like her home and work. I'll get the contact ready."

The cramped office went quiet for a few minutes as both the people in it filled out their respective paperwork. Once Drake finished, he opened the top drawer of his desk and pulled out a small container. He opened the container carefully, and looked inside. The contract powder was running low, but there was enough for a few more uses. He took his left thumb, pressed it into the powder, and felt the telltale tingle of magic on his thumb. He then pressed the powdered digit onto the bottom of the contract, where the first remained, glowing slightly at first before fading into a black imprint. Drake offered the contact to Zex, who gave it a look over

"Three days of pay in advance?" Zex asked.

"Yes. If for whatever reason the case closes early, you will get your money back. It's a deposit, one you'd have to pay for any legitimate detective."

She looked at the paper for a moment, then stood up on the chair seat. "I don't have that much money on me right now, but... I can offer something else," and the coat fell away from the goblin.

Drake's final suspicion as to why the case was passed on was confirmed. Zex was a pro skirt, or at least in a similar job. Her clothes were skimpy; a black crop that barely held her chest up, and her nipples practically poked through the fabric. The black miniskirt was just as tantalizing; it must have been just a few inches long, as Drake got a clear view of the racy panties and the bulge that it held.

Drake tried to pull away his gaze in vain. He wasn't a virgin, a crazy school party had seen to that. But it had been a while since he had gotten any action, and Zex knew what she had was pure platinum. She saw Drake's mouth start to gape, and with a smirk, Zex gave her goods a shake. Drake looked on in awe as the clothes almost gave away their secrets, barely containing the goods inside. He could almost hear her breasts and dick begging to be free. A growl of desire began to grow within Drake. He felt his own package start to harden in his pants, and then...

The growl finally escaped, but not from Drake's mouth. His stomach rumbled loudly, and his lustful hunger was replaced with his actual hunger. He suddenly remembered that he hadn't eaten all day, mainly because he couldn't afford to. The growl caused both Drake and Zex to pause for a moment, before Drake cleared his throat.

"Do you, uh, have enough for one day?" Drake asked sheepishly. His cheeks grew a dark red, and he glanced away from the goblin's beautiful body. She closed up her coat and reached into her pocket, pulling out a handful of gold coins.

"Uh, yes, here." She set the coins in front of Drake quickly, giving him an apologetic smile.

"Yeah, yeah, that should work," Drake said while regaining his composure. He offered the contact again, and Zex accepted it this time. "I'll make an exception this time, and we can, uh, discuss further payment tomorrow? If you don't have the gold then, I can accept other forms of... payment." Drake gave the goblin a knowing smile, and she winked back.

"We'll see, big guy," Zex said as she handed over the contract with her print next to Drake's. "I get paid tomorrow, so I guess it depends on how well you do today." She hopped off the chair and began to walk out the door, shaking her ass in a way that Drake could see it wiggle even though the heavy coat. And then the door closed.

Drake glanced back at his desk, looking at the three new items in the desk. The finished contract, he tucked away into the filing cabinet where he could fit it. The coins, he tucked away in his pocket. The paper about Sela, he tucked away in his mind.

"Alright Sela, let's try to find you." Drake said to himself as he stood up. His stomach growled again. "After I find myself a sandwich."

CHAPTER TWO

DRAKE knocked on the door. He wasn't expecting an answer, as Sela Borthul was supposed to be missing, but after the case he had where he spent hours looking across the city before learning the "missing person" had never actually left their apartment, he didn't take chances. Still, minutes passed, and no more knocking summoned a missing goblin. Satisfied, he walked away and headed to the next door in the hallway. Sela lived in an apartment building that had been built years ago, and the age was starting to catch up to it. The floor creaked on almost every step Drake took, and the window at the end of the hall was cracked, and there was a small dark spot in the center of the damage.

Drake knocked again, and heard the barking of a dog before a masculine voice shouted it down. A few moments later, the door opened roughly, and a human man approximately in his 40s and looked like he hadn't showered in days stood in the frame expectantly. Drake took a breath through his nose, and learned the man smelled like he hadn't showered in days either.

"Whaddya want?" The unkempt man demanded. His words slurred, and it was apparent that he was already drunk. It was only four in the afternoon, but Drake decided to not pass judgement. He has, after all, been drinking earlier. He knew when someone was drinking to hide something.

"Hello, I'm Drake, a private detective, and I'm wondering if you know anything about a Sela Borthul?" Drake kept his tone polite, as it looked like anything could set the man off.

"Who?"

"She's a goblin that lives next door."

"Oh, the chippy? Don't really know her. She kept to herself, and apparently kept her work at work, as she didn't like it when I asked about her services." The man grinned to himself, but Drake kept his face impassive. The man, expecting Drake to smile, waited for a moment before he scoffed at the orc's lack of response. "Anyway, she lived here when I moved in last year. Always came home late. Why do you want to know?"

"She has a friend who's looking for her. Apparently she didn't return last night. You wouldn't know anything about it, would you?"

The man clicked his tongue. "Nah, I haven't interacted with her since a few weeks ago. One day, I hear some scuffling out in the hallway. I go out to check, and this big man and small elf are standing at the edge of the hallway. Sela's pushed up against the window, and I heard it crack. I shout at them, and the man turns around. He's got a look in his eye I don't like. He says something to the elf, and Sela drops to the ground. They head down the stairs in a hurry, but I hear the man yell out, 'Consider the offer, honey!'"

"And what did you do next?"

"Well, I went to go help her out but she rushed into her room and told me to go away when I knocked. As I left, she said not to tell anyone what happened. I told her I would if she gave me a handjob, but then she slammed her door, so I'm telling you now!" The man gave Drake a slick smile.

Drake rolled his eyes. "Can you give me a description of the man and elf?"

"It was pretty dark. The light up there don't work so well," he said, pointing to the light crystal. It seemed to flicker brightly for a moment out of spite before going dim once more. "But the man was big. Maybe about your size? And the elf was this small thing. At least a foot shorter than the man, and skinny. She never looked my way, but gave me the creeps, just the same."

Drake finished writing down everything the man had said. "If you didn't see her, how did you know it was a woman?"

"Oh that's easy," the man grinned. "She has this sexy black dress on that hugged her in all the right places. Not much meat, but had that otherworldly beauty elves can have."

----------

The rest of the building wasn't much help. It seemed like Sela didn't interact with her neighbors very often, and only one other person saw the people that the old man said had hurt her.

Drake began thinking as he finished off his sandwich in the lobby of the building. Why didn't Zex say anything about the incident? She must have known, right? And if she didn't, why would Sela keep it a secret? Drake shook his head. He didn't have enough information to answer those. Hopefully the incident has nothing to do with her going missing, but he kept it on the front of his mind as he stepped out into the city

Galder's Maw welcomed him the same way it always did: a gust of wind and the sounds of people. A dwarven couple passed by quickly, pulling along a set of kids shouting about missing the show. An elf on the corner, hawking both newspapers and packs of chips. An autocarriage passed by on the street, honking at another one pulling out of a parking spot. Drake looked up past the rising buildings of stone and brick and looked at the sky. He couldn't see the sun from his position, but he could see the carpet of clouds coming in from the coast that told him night was coming.

It rained almost every night in Galder's Maw. When the sun fully set, the sky would be fully covered by the clouds and the rain would begin. As soon as dawn broke, the rain would stop and the clouds would retreat from the glowing rays. Once a month, when the moons were both full, the clouds would stay away and allow the citizens of Galder's Maw to enjoy the night sky. The whole city would celebrate the end of another month throughout the night, with drink and companionship aplenty.

That was still two weeks away, however, and so Drake buttoned up his coat in case he would be caught in the rain. He started walking towards the address of Sela and Zex's work, keeping his eyes open for any sign of Sela along the way. It has been less than a day, but last night's rain would have washed away most traces that would be left behind from a scuffle, but some things couldn't be washed away.

Like a body.

Drake put the dreadful thought away. If he focused on the worst, he'd get nowhere. He walked down Carinel Street, checking every alley between Sela's apartment and the tram stop a few blocks down the road.

If she took the tram home, this is where she would have walked. Aside from an angry cat and lots of trash, Drake found nothing along the way. A convenience store that was open all night was on the route, but when Drake inquired about the night before, the clerk just told him that someone else was working the graveyard shift.

As Drake reached the stop, he saw the tram that would take him down Evering Street towards the Red Light district. He started to wait at the stop.

What if she walked? Drake thought to himself suddenly. He cursed at himself for thinking of the idea. Of course she wouldn't. Walking that far at night when it's raining? None of her ins would work. But still, if there's a chance... Drake let out a large sigh, and started walking down the road.

CHAPTER THREE

IT was well after sunset when Drake finally reached Green with Envy, the place Zex and Sela worked at. The rain had come down harder than usual for a summer night, and Drake's hat and overcoat were completely soaked through. His umbrella had broken mere moments after the rain started, and every alley he checked was more empty than the last.

Thankfully, there was no line outside the establishment, so Drake hurried in to escape the drudgery outside. The small entryway was drier and full of neon lights exclaiming the virtues of the ladies inside. A male orc and goblin were laying down on a small bench, snoring and smelling of booze. Pictures along the wall had various lady goblins in compromising positions, their nipples and genitals covered by stickers. A bored looking goblin was sitting at a counter behind glass, and had looked up when Drake entered.

"Hey buddy," the goblin said in a scratchy voice. "Main show's been cancelled, but we've still got dancers if you're interested." He pointed to a poster next to him with the words "ZEX AND SELA PERFORMING EXCLUSIVELY" before being cut off by a large piece of paper with the words "ON HAITUS" in big sloppy letters.

"Actually, I had a question about the performers of the main show," Drake said as he pulled away the paper with the poor spelling. The glue hadn't dried yet, allowing Drake to see the rest of the poster underneath.

"Hey, don't touch that!" The goblin raised his voice in protest, but Drake ignored him.

"I'm here to see her," and Drake pointed at the goblin on the right. "I believe that's Zex?"

The goblin looked at Drake with a confused look on his face, before going back to a frown. "All right, enough of that. I'll go let her know you're here, Mr..."

"Heartracer."

"Sure. I'll be right back. And don't you touch anything else!"

With that, the goblin jumped down from his chair and walked towards the main door, pulling it open with a huff. Once the door closed behind him, Drake was left alone with the dozing drunks.

Ignoring the goblin's simple instructions, Drake immediately leaned up against the glass to see what he could learn. Most of what he learned was that the goblin kept his workspace messy. There were newspapers, comic books, and even some nudie mags scattered around the cashbox and some paperwork about how to card guests.

Then something under a magazine labeled "Q&T&A" stuck out to the orc detective. A small stack of papers with the words "BANNED GUESTS" at the top. The first couple of pictures had tally marks above their heads. Either how many infractions they have or how often they try to get in, Drake concluded. What caught his eye was the third row of pictures obscured by the magazine, but above one of the pictures was dozens of tallies. Someone didn't get the message it seems.

Looking at the door the goblin had passed through moments before to make sure he wasn't back, Drake slipped his hand into the small space under the glass. He wouldn't describe himself as a strongman, but Drake still practiced boxing enough to get muscle on his arms. As he stained underneath the glass, getting stuck inches from the paper, Drake pulled his hand back and rolled up his sleeves. He reached in one more time, the bottom of the glass scratching his green skin. His fingers touched the top of the paper, but he couldn't quite get a grasp. He coaxed the paper closer, dragging it towards his palm with his fingertips. Almost... got it...

The door to the main lounge opened, and Drake pulled his arm back with enough force to rip the hairs off the top of his forearm. Attempting to conceal a wince as his arms slid behind his back, Drake turned to face whoever was coming through the door.

"Alright, here he is, get him out of my hair," the male goblin said to Zex, pointing to Drake. "He's distracting me from the actual customers."

"You mean your reading," Zex shot back. The male goblin shrugged and opened the door back to his booth, grabbing a newspaper and opening it back up. Zex turned to Drake. She was wearing more makeup than this morning, and had a few suggestive accessories around her neck and wrists. She also had a blossoming flower sticking out of her hair. "Thanks for coming here so late. I know it's outside usual business hours."

"Lady, in my line of work, every hour can be business hours."

Zex grinned back. "Yeah, well, right now is my business hours. But I can spare some time to talk."

"Good. Do you have somewhere private we can talk?"

"I've got an idea. Follow me," and Zex walked through the doors once more. Drake shoved the crumpled paper on his hand into his jacket pocket, and followed.

------

"I was hoping for a dressing room of sorts," Drake said as he looked around the faux bedroom. It was a sparse room, with only a bed, a chair, and a nightstand with a lamp and condoms on it. The bed didn't have any blankets, and didn't look very comfortable to sleep in, but Drake doubted that sleeping in it was the intended use.

"We've only got the one communal dressing room. This isn't your fancy theatre house. We have to have room for the important stuff here," and she flopped back first onto the bed. Her top finally gave up the goblin's mammaries, leaving them in full view for Drake to look away from as he sat down in the chair.

Zex laughed. "What's the matter, big man?" She teased as she sat up. "You act like you've never been to an 'adult entertainment center.' Don't you follow bad husbands into these?"

Drake turned to face her, and gave the goblin a calm glance. "I usually follow them to the clubs, but places like these usually have a 'no cameras allowed' sort of policy. I'd draw the ire of lots of people trying to hide their lustful desires from the public if I invited myself in." Drake couldn't help but glance down again at the goblin's large breasts.

Zex moved closer to the sitting detective. "So this is your first time? No wonder you're so nervous." She paused for a moment, then placed a hand on Drake's leg.

"No, I've been to a few gentlemen's clubs, It's just... been a while since I've had any action, is all. Also, I try to keep focused when I'm on the jo-hah!" Drake flinched slightly as Zex's hand inched up to his junk, and gave it a playful squeeze. Zex smiled mischievously. Both people knew who was in control here.

"Relax, Drake," she cooed, slowly tugging the zipper open. "I just want to give you a little incentive to do your best on this case. Also, the way you react is just so fun!" With a giggle, Zex finished opening her gift, and out popped Drake's hard cock.

Drake let out a soft moan as Zex wrapped her fingers around his shaft and gave it a little rub. "Hey, I haven't had a chance to wash-" a gasp cut off his sentence before he could finish. Zex had planted her lips on the top of his penis, and he could feel her tongue play with his tip.

"That just means this smell is proof of your hard work, right?" Zex said between kisses and licks up and down the shaft. "It's only fair that I take care of it, after all." With that, she slowly slid her hand up and down the shaft, dribbling saliva from her mouth to get it slick.

Drake gave a small shudder of pleasure, and finally relaxed. I might as well enjoy this. He leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes, reaching his hand out for Zex's ear, and gave it a little rub once he found it. She gave out a quick squeak of shock and excitement.

Zex pulled back for a moment and Drake opened his eyes. "Oh, sorry, I didn't-" but Zex put a finger up to his lips.

"You're fine darlin, you just surprised me is all." She grabbed a bottle of lube from somewhere and popped it open. "Besides, I've still got something I want to do for you." She poured some of the liquid between her breasts, and rubbed them together. Then she pulled down her top just enough to stop her breasts from bouncing around. "Now pull forward a little bit and spread your legs more. I gotta get in a good position for this."

Drake complied with the sexy goblin's instructions, and was rewarded with a squelching sound and the feeling of warmth surrounding his dick as Zex's plump tits plopped down on his groin. Zex didn't wait a moment as she bounced her boobs up and down on Drake's cock, pausing every few bounces to kiss and lick the tip of the dick when it popped out between her breasts.

Drake's toes curled in his boots. Damn she's good, he thought to himself as he squirmed under the goblin's bountiful chest. I should return the favor. He reached out with his hands, placing his left hand right above her right nipple, very obviously sticking out in the flimsy fabric. His right hand went back to her ear.

"Mind if I play a little?" Drake asked cheekily.

Zex nodded enthusiastically. "Be gentle, alright? They're sensitive. Little pulls are best." Then she shimmied her breasts around Drake's shaft to elicit a reaction, which she certainly got.

The room went quiet aside from the sounds of pleasure from Drake and Zex, and the slapping of flesh on flesh. The two of them continued this rhythm for a time, with Zex using one hand to tease her free nipple, and the other to pull down her panties and start stroking her own cock.

"Oh gods, you're so good at this. I'm about to cum!" Drake's voice strained as he started to clench. Hearing this, Zex stopped pumping up and down on Drake's dick and covered as much of his green member she could with her mouth. As she filled her mouth, Zex greedily started sucking to get the bounty of cum from the thick shaft.

Drake groaned out loud, all his breath leaving his lungs as the cum left his balls. As the spurts got weaker, he looked down at Zex and realized her hands were still working on her own body. Redoubling his efforts on Zex's sensitive spots, Drake stroked the inside of her ears where he could feel the small hairs that lined the inside of a goblin's ear. He started to rub along the sensitive edge on both ears now, enjoying the squirming goblin below moaning while she had his dick in her mouth.

With a schlurp, Zex pulled her mouth off of the dick she had worked so hard on, swallowing hard. "I'm almost there," she moaned, lines of cum trailing from her mouth. Both her hands were working hard, and Drake did his best to keep the rhythm. A few moments later Zex tensed up and let out a low moan, shook under Drake's hand, and splattered the floor under the chair with her own cum. At that point, Drake relaxed fully and fell back in the chair.

"That was amazing," Drake said between breaths. "With an advance like that, you can expect my very best."

Zex smiled, her lipstick smeared around her lips, and she licked the rest of the cum on her lips away. "You're pretty good with your hands, I know that much." She stood up and walked over to the nightstand, and pulled out some towels. She tossed one to Drake, and used another to dab her face and clean most of the mess. Then she pulled a small mirror from the drawer and looked at herself. "I can get this cleaned up pretty quickly."

Drake finished cleaning up his now flaccid dick and the surrounding area, then tossed the used towel in a small basket next to the door. "I really did mean that we should go somewhere private to talk you know," he said in a more serious tone.

"Oh I know honey," Zex replied back while snapping the mirror shut. "But this past day has been very stressful, and when I'm stressed I like to get someone off to relax. Me getting off helped too. Not many men tend to think about doing that."

"I was raised to think better than most men." Drake responded as he attempted to fix his clothing so no one would be the wiser that he just experienced some fantastic sex. Once his pants were back in place, he looked over Zex, who was sitting on the bed again. Most of the damage to get make-up was already fixed, and she did a good job of hiding the fact she had sucked Drake's soul through his shaft along with a load of sticky cum.

"So," Zex said. "Did you find anything?"