The Blue Fang

The majority of just about every detective story unfolds at nighttime.  I guess it's the noir drama of it all that makes it so appealing to novelists: dark streets and alleyways where who knows what's hiding, apartment windows lit up raising questions of what people are doing, that sort of thing.

My story sticks to that rule as well, but not for exactly the same reason.

Returning to my office after a rather tiring night on the town, I closed the door gently behind myself.  The words "J. MARINA - THE BLUE FANG - P.I." were visible, printed backwards on the door's window.  Obviously, that was me, and this was my office.

Sitting down in my office chair, I mentally gave myself an incomprehensible command.  Instantly my body began to shrink and become less muscular.  My fur receded, my jaws returned to their normal shape, and my clothes magically mended themselves where they had torn.  After less than twenty seconds, I was a normal human being again.  Almost instantly I collapsed on my desk and fell asleep.  Like I just said, it'd been a rather tiring night.

I'm Janet Thunderbird Marina, private eye.  Alias, the Blue Fang.  And in case that didn't tip you off, I'm also a werewolf.

Now, don't believe all the stuff you read about werewolves in the media.  It's not all coleslaw, but they have a way of bending things out of shape.  First of all, we don't change only when there's a full moon.  We can do it anytime during the night when the moon is out, no matter what phase it's in.

Also, the transformation is completely voluntary.  I don't have to go werewolf during the night if I don't want to, and I can change back anytime.  And although your brain does go a little canine when you're a werewolf, you've still got your free will and everything.

The last thing is that just because you're a werewolf doesn't mean you can make someone else a werewolf by biting them.  There's a hierarchy system, you see; the more damage you do as a werewolf, the higher you climb on the totem pole, and only the higher-ups can convert others.  I'm a pacifist myself, so my rank's pretty low.

The media does get a few things right, though.  As a werewolf, I become a great deal stronger and more agile.  I can also communicate with dogs, wolves, or any other animal of the Canis genus.  It's a pretty useful skill for a P.I. to have; you wouldn't believe how many people let their house pets in on their secrets.

And you know those old stories about werewolves and vampires being enemies?  That's true, too.  We're not on good terms with each other at all, but I don't care about that too much.  Like I said, I'm a pacifist, and besides I don't know any vampires worth picking a bone with.

...At least, I didn't for the first six years I was a private investigator.  Then I learned that Clyde Knotts had moved into town.