Bound In Secrets : A Death Kings Novel
Voodoo Killer

**Jensen**

"Sorry to call you on short notice again Mr. Meyer, but I could use the help. I'm not from here and have never seen anything like this until these past three cases."

"At this point detective, I think it's safe to say we have a serial killer who is targeting voodoo practitioners."

"That's what all this is?" He questions gesturing to the altar with precious stones laid out on a grid, melted candles, and figures surrounding it. On the shelf beside are homemade dolls and bottles sealed with wax. On the other side is an aquarium set up for a snake.

I move to get a closer look. I love snakes and wouldn't mind having one now that I can care for one. There is no snake that I can see. I flip over the log and look through the foliage in the cage. Still no snake. "Um detective have you seen..." I see a yellow snake about three feet long coil around Detective Porter's pants leg. He must not be able to feel it through his boots. "The snake is missing, but I just found him."

The man's eyes become as large as saucers. "What?! Where?!" His Boston accent became more pronounced with his anxiety. "I cannot stand snakes!" He shouts.

I ignore him, bending down in front of him. I'm quick to extract the beautiful dragonfly morph ball python, having it safely in my arms before he screams run away from me and the snake, and out the front door. "It's just a ball python! They have sharp needle teeth, but they're harmless." I laugh, careful not to touch anything surrounding the body until I can get my samples.

"No. You can keep that devil creature far from me, buddy," Detective Porter exclaims.

"I'll take him or her to the lab with me just in case the snake has any evidence. After I clear it, if the family members don't want it, then I'll keep it." I place the snake around my neck to get warm. He hangs around while I move around the crime scene. "He won't leave my body heat willingly. You're safe, Detective."

He comes back in, his dark eyes eying it warily. He glances back down at the victim on the floor whose dark skin now has a gray cast to it in death. "You southern boys are strange."

"If think I'm strange for loving snakes then you are going to love this next bit of information... I'm friends with the corner who is also the mortician." I inform of this with a peculiar sense of satisfaction. "We are childhood best friends." "I stand by my statement, yeah buddy." The older man replies.

"He isn't even in my top ten of weird. I've seen some stuff, man. Enough to believe just about anything."

"Ma'lob Ja'at kab kiin, Tyron." A man who dark skin that has a reddish undertone, long black hair, and Aztec/Incan/Mayan-type tattoos greets carefully walking toward us.

"Jericho. Good morning to you too. I appreciate you coming here."

"Interestingly enough when you called me yesterday about the case, I was already in town."

"Jericho is a mystic I've worked with before he knows all about the occult stuff like this," Detective Porter explains.

I reach a hand out to shake Jericho's. "I'm Jensen. I'm the lead forensic investigator."

"Jach ki'imak in wool in wilikech. In kaaba'e Jericho."

"What?"

"Sorry. I was back home for a spell. I said, 'It's nice to meet you. My name is Jericho'," he says with a Spanish accent.

"I've heard many languages, but don't recognize that one."

"It's Yucatec Maya."

"Okay, now I know your tattoos are Mayan. I couldn't tell if they were that, Aztec, or Incan."

"I see you are a kaan lover," Jericho says pointing to the snake around my neck.

"Yes, I do love snakes."

"Jensen is just as creepy as you. I thought you two would get along," Detective Porter interrupts our conversation. "Now, can we please get this wrapped up so we can call the corner's office to pick this victim up?" "There are many serpents in your life. You'll be all the happier for it. Like Romeo and Juliet only without stupidity." I give a confused look. "Wilik in túumben etail. You'll see my new friend."

With that, he begins to look around while I go back to taking my samples. He is an odd man, but I feel as though he is an important man to know. He knows things. He isn't human. I'm not sure how I know that. Maybe it has something with growing with Storm or training with the Furies. I honestly don't know, it's a gut feeling.

"Can join you at your lab?" Jericho asks me once we are done and have exited the crime scene.

"Sure, but only if we pick some drinks on the way. Otherwise, I'm going to be thinking about all the fun my girl is having without me."

"You're Serpent King is absolutely having fun without you. But that's not what I want to talk about. I want to pick your brain about Rory Beadu and Callix Lane." "How?"

"I'll explain when there aren't extra ears." I nod and he rides with me in my car to my lab.