Messing Up Magic

by Winnie Winkle

  5

  “Whatcha doing?”

  Theo jumped, banging his head on a jutting metal storage cabinet, and turned towards the voice.

  “Why are you doing it naked?” Jonah sat on the ground, howling in laughter.

  Theo rubbed his head, annoyed. “I’m investigating.”

  “Want these?” Joseph asked waggling jeans and a shirt at Theo.

  Theo fixed an icy look at the boys that wilted them only a degree or two but resulted in Joseph tossing the clothes up to him. Theo pulled his jeans on, carrying the shirt and backing the twins down the ramp.

  “Zayn sent us,” Jonah offered. “He says the box is jumping, whatever that means.”

  “What does that mean?” Joseph asked. “Did you catch those guys? Can we see them? Do they have a cool ship? Can we see that?”

  “Maybe later,” Theo said, shooing the boys towards their bike. “Go tell Zayn I’m on my way. Go on, light a fire under your tails!”

  The boys jumped on their magic bike. Pedaling furiously, they lifted off the ground and turned towards town. Theo took one final look through the ship. With a sigh, exercising care so as not to split his jeans, Theo half transformed and welded the hatch closed once more. I’m not taking any chances. After pulling his shirt on, he started the jog back to his truck and, he hoped, breakfast.

  Zayn sat at Theo’s desk, feet up, with a lazy grin. The box in front of him jumped. “They’ve been at it for hours,” Zayn laughed. “Determined little moon brats, I’ll give them that.”

  Theo tossed a bag of ten ham and egg biscuits on the scratched desk in front of Zayn, set down two coffees, and pulled a chair up. As a rule, he wouldn’t give his chair up for anyone, but Zayn had been a big help, saved him a ton of trouble by boxing these two up, and Theo was too hungry to give a crap. After cramming a sandwich in his mouth, he pushed a coffee towards Zayn.

  “Obliged,” Zayn said. This feels weird. Djinns are God’s outcasts. We aren’t friends with humans. Well, Theo is a half-dragon, but still. It occurred to Zayn, as he munched, that last night had been fun with Theo, not despite him, almost as if they were friends.

  Zayn snorted. Theo raised an eyebrow, and Zayn shook his head as if to clear it, and stuffed another biscuit in his mouth. It’s Haseya. She’s changing me. I will find her and take her as my one. Her body played across his mind, his exploration, her response.

  “You’re drooling,” Theo said, pushing a wad of napkins at Zayn.

  Rock hard, too. He finished his last biscuit and chugged the coffee.

  “I gotta head home for a few. Send one of those boys to fetch me if you need help.”

  The only way he could get his big stiff cock past the lawman undetected was as smoke, so Zayn flowed home, determined to find Haseya and fill her with his reason, his seed, and his love.

  Zayn paced while he picked apart what he remembered about that night. How did she know someone hurt me? What called her to my rescue? He was certain finding that was the key to calling her to him again.

  Eyes closed, Zayn thought back to her hut, across the line of time. ‘I am Haseya, the Healer,’ she’d said. Healer. Healer of animals? Of humans? Of the earth…??

  “That’s it! Yeah. Connected to everything on earth. She sensed the change in me in my animal form and came to help me.”

  I could ask Theo to shoot me, but I doubt he’d do it. Uphold the law, blah, blah, blah. For a dragon, he’s got issues.

  An idea struck, and Zayn stopped pacing. “That’ll work! I can find her.”

  Zayn ran out his back door, flinging himself into the sky, catching the air beneath eagle wings, and heading for the desert to find a life to save and a woman to win.

  From his high vantage point, Zayn scanned the ground, looking for the damaged yet living. He floated in a lazy circle, eyeing a band of coyotes circling a small herd of pronghorn antelope. Startled, the antelope moved out. The coyotes selected one, coming at it from multiple directions, biting and tearing at its legs and throat.

  Dive bombing, Zayn beat off the band, driving them away from the staggering antelope. It was a female, limping and damaged, dragging herself into a thicket of New Mexican locust and lying down. Zayn landed in the tall shrubbery and looked at the deer. Bloody, but no longer bleeding, she had a chance of survival. Perhaps Haseya would sense her and heed the call.

  As the coyotes drew closer, and Zayn amused himself by driving his smoke up their noses to confuse them. The deer watched Zayn with soft liquid eyes as he shifted from smoke, to eagle, and to bear, swatting any coyote who came too close.

  The sun was setting, and Zayn readied for a busy night when he saw her smoke. In a flash, he shifted, flowing his smoke into the hide of the deer, inert as dust. Haseya examined the deer.

  “You are lucky to be here, friend. How odd that the coyotes left you alone. It must not be your time.” Haseya lifted the ailing antelope and stepped into her twirl, vanishing as the sun dipped.

  After placing the deer by the fire, Haseya twirled into a pronghorn.

  “How did you survive? Your wounds tell me you should not have.”

  “They protected me.”

  Haseya leaned forward. “Protected? Who?”

  “An eagle, a bear and a cloud kept me safe in the thicket.”

  Zayn could not understand a word but watched Haseya glance up into the corners. The antelope ratted me out.

  “The cloud, was it ever a man?”

  “No. I don’t understand why it saved me, but it drove the band off and stayed with me when they came back. I do not understand, but I am grateful.”

  Haseya returned to her fire, selecting and steeping herbs. “I am making a medicine of your healing plants. Rest for now. I will wake you when it’s ready.”

  The antelope lay its head down and slept, and Haseya returned to human form. Zayn watched her, letting her beauty fill him. He reveled in her air, fighting the urge to shift and grab her into his arms, he waited, patient. If he seized her, he’d land in the dust again.

  “Come out,” Haseya said, not looking up. “I know you came along.”

  6

  Zayn slipped off the sleeping antelope’s hide, careful not to disturb her. When did I become thoughtful? I’m changing into the world’s worst Djinn.

  He stood before Haseya, naked. Her beauty sang in his blood as he filled with his need for her physical body. Haseya looked up, gave him an unexpected smile, and flipped a cloth over his erect penis. He smiled back, tying the cloth around his hips, covering his one-eyed lust monster, for now.

  “I cannot hide my desire for you,” he murmured. “But why do you refuse me? No one ever has.”

  “I am a Skinwalker, a Navajo witch. The Nation is one of healing. Skinwalkers are destructive forces of anger, death, and damage. Despite my sincere effort to remain a healer, at night, something called me to the darkness. My Nation saw the conflict, understood my desire to be a healer, and banished me. The price of my life was to remain alone and barren. I accepted that then. I accept it now.” Haseya’s dark eyes filled with her sadness, the price had never felt as heavy as it did in this moment.

  Zayn rose and sat next to her, taking her hand. “I am a Djinn, a genie of smoke and wind. We are an old race, formed before humans, cast out by God for refusing to bow to man as the angels did. Djinns are everywhere, we are angry, and we create chaos and oppression amongst humans. It’s our way, forever, of showing God he erred. This anger fuels me, forms my thoughts, leads my choices, and has for thousands of years.”

  His tone shifted, and he held Haseya’s gaze. “Until you.”

  “I did not realize it damaged me, Haseya. Since I first found you, tasted you, craved you, everything changed. I’m saving creatures. I made a friend with a human. Well, he’s half-dragon, and there’s an alien in his woodpile too, but still!

  Zayn rubbed his temple. “Haseya, I’ve tormented tens of thousands of humans in my time. I focused my entire existence on adding to their misery. Your beauty and spirit hit
something so deep within me it’s unexplainable, but I have shifted in a way I cannot undo. I love you. My life is yours. If you reject me, I will die, for I have known love and there is nothing left to learn.”

  The soft scrape of a hoof drew their eyes, and they looked at the nervous antelope. Haseya moved a foot, becoming an antelope once more. Curious, Zayn followed suit and shifted to an antelope form.

  “Who is he," the injured antelope asked.

  “He is your protector,” Haseya replied, placing the pot next to her. “Drink this, it will help your wounds to seal and heal.”

  “Thank you,” the antelope said to Zayn, drinking Haseya’s broth. “I was prepared to cross but grateful to live. I carry a calf. It is good to create new circles for the world.”

  “It is our purpose,” Zayn replied to the antelope but looking at Haseya. “The call of our natures is stronger than any law of man.”

  “I hate most humans, they are cruel and do not kill to eat, but in play. It is not the true path," the antelope said, resting her head as the broth began its work. Sleep and healing tugged her eyes closed.

  “Not every human,” Zayn said. “Many are good, but some are dark. Dark is a choice.” Turning to face his love, he continued, “Haseya, you chose the light. Sometimes darkness is the right choice, but dwelling, embracing, enjoying evil, that is also a choice. It is not the one you made. You chose light and deserve love and a child of your own.”

  Haseya’s eyes washed over his heart. He was drowning. Zayn moved to her, catching her head and hip, lifting her to her sleeping pallet. Lust screamed through his veins, but the lessons learned before held his reins close. For the first time in his existence, he accepted this woman must choose him. He could not make her desire him, she was his equal, superior in many ways.

  His hands explored her skin, seeking only to lift her spirit to the point of ecstasy. His lips moved over her ears, breath gentle, then a sudden nip on her earlobes. Hands sliding through her glossy black hair, he kissed her, exulting in her tongue’s exploration of his own. One hand drifted to her full breast, pulling the taut nipple with little twists while she moaned through his kisses.

  Her hands, lost in his hair, pushed his head, and he untied her wrapped dress, moving his mouth to cover her nipple, first closing his lips on it with a hard squeeze, then holding it while teasing with a firm tongue. Haseya’s back arched, and Zayn closed his teeth, gentle at first, then with pressure, on her stiff nipple. As he repeated the cycle of firm tongue and greedy teeth, a groan from deep within shook Haseya.

  Zayn returned to her mouth, letting her kiss him, caught in her abandon, while he threw her leg up over his shoulder. Exposed, he explored her flower, sliding his fingers over her wet labia before settling on her clitoris. Holding himself back took every bit of control Zayn had, but his calloused fingertips rubbed her base, then began with firm little taps on her nerve center, watching her writhe, seeing his touch make her come in violent spasms, head thrown back, eyes sightless with pleasure.

  Zayn, starting again, kissed her, rougher this time, asking for her lust and her body’s need to respond to his touch. Haseya was fire; Zayn roasted in her heat. He was the reason, he was hers, her choice. He ran a slow hand down her body, his finger penetrated. Virgin. Her hips lifted and ground, urging him. Did she sense my pause? Of course she did. We are one.

  Zayn lifted her other leg, one on each shoulder, as Haseya’s hands clutched his chest, pulling him down. Unable to stop, Zayn grabbed his throbbing cock and entered, feeling her give, opening the way, taking, needing his thrusts. Mindless in his lust, Zayn’s hands sought the small of her back, pounding into her, then gripped her firm ass. Each thrust he strained with his need to go deeper, his finger slipped into her anus. Her soft cries of passion and want were in time with his own building, his cock, slick and huge, needed release, He was ready. They both were.

  Zayn’s seed exploded, his body collapsing on Haseya. I am complete. If I perish, I have lived.

  7

  Theo and Topper, her long hair a feisty orange with a white streak, stared at the box bouncing on Theo’s desk.

  “Whoever they are, Theo, I think you’ve pissed them off properly,” Topper laughed. “That box is emanating crankiness.”

  “We’re dealing with complete unknowns, Topper. I can’t reach Frost and I have little experience with aliens. Frost handled rogue aliens for a living for the Coalition as a Star Ranger. Sure could use him.”

  “Those babies need to visit their Grandparents, Theo, and check out their dad’s homeworld. If these two Aliens of yours misbehave once out of the box, I’ll make myself useful.”

  With a sigh, Theo pushed the release button on the box, which ejected an irritated Moku and Andok into the jail cell. Six eyes stared at Topper and Theo.

  “Are we still pretending we can’t understand them, Moku?”

  “Silence, Andok. You contained your Superior for a seventh of our mission with your gross incompetence. Say nothing. I will handle this.”

  “I didn’t cause this, Moku! Something moved the containment chamber as I activated it!”

  “Quiet!”

  “Soy Moku, rango de High Scientist, en una misión para estudiar formas de vida. ¿Por qué me has detenido?”

  Theo and Topper exchanged looks, and Theo sighed. “You are in NEW Mexico. En inglés, por favor?”

  Moku’s eyes shot daggers at Andok, who prepared the mission background, and tried again. “I am Moku, rank of High Scientist, on a mission to study life forms. Why have you detained me?”

  “I’m the law here. You understand that our planet, for the most part, is unaware of extraterrestrial life. This means you have no permission to be here according to Coalition rules. Where is your homeworld and what is your specific mission with this planet?”

  “We are scientists, searching to catalog life forms. Your region returned results that interested us. These readings are unlike most places on your planet, and we want to learn why. The rules allow no-contact scientific exploration.”

  “Nice job on the no-contact, since you are sitting here in my jail.” Theo reached behind his desk and pushed a package through the bars. “Here is your food. Do you require anything else for life?”

  Moku nodded to Andok, who opened the packet. “Three day supply,” Andok said in their language.

  “This will sustain us for today alone,” Moku replied in English. “Then we must return to our ship.”

  “We’ll see about that,” Theo remarked. “You fellows are in a heap of trouble.” Turning to Topper, he added, “I need a couple hours sleep. You game to watch these two?”

  “It’ll be fun!” Topper replied, slapping Theo lightly on the chest. Yummy. “Go on, rest.”

  “Do you have our cloaks?” Moku asked Topper. “We are uncomfortable without covering.”

  Topper’s violet eyes twinkled. “Oh, I doubt you’ll get those anytime soon, but I will find clothing for you.” Cocking her head to one side, she sized up the aliens. “Hmmm. Inelegant, but they’ll do.”

  With a little wave of her hand, a package appeared, out of sight, on Theo’s chair. Topper stood, picked up the package up and pushed it through the cell bars. Moku was fast, but Topper stepped away before he reached her.

  “Uh, uh, uh,” Topper chided. “That would have put you in the naughty camp.”

  The aliens opened the package, finding colorful neon yoga pants and hot-pink tank tops. With difficulty, they pulled the clingy pants up over their round butts and donned the shirts.

  “We look ridiculous,” Moku muttered, “but we’ll blend in wearing these earth clothes when we break out of here. Slodoon will check in, and when we don’t respond, he’ll enact Protocol A.”

  Turning, he glanced at Andok. “Tell me why I should believe you when you say you didn’t accidentally put us into the containing unit.”

  “I understand what it looked like, Moku. Within my cloak, a human hand appeared and turned the box. If we read the recorder for that
moment, we have the proof, of a vapor and solid energy occupying the same space, that Slodoon seeks.”

  Moku stared at Andok. “You are staking a lot on this wild tale, Andok. Are you sure this happened?”

  “I would not lie to you, Moku.”

  This was true. Moku trusted his Junior Scientist, knew he was logical and honest in his work. It was why he selected him for this mission even though there were more experienced candidates.

  “Good. I believe you. Slodoon will not. We must escape and we must retrieve the recorder.”

  Theo was about forty yards from the jail when the roof blew.

  “Topper!” Debris bounced off his hood as he slid sideways to a stop, leaping from the truck and racing towards the door that hung sideways off its frame.

  “I’m okay! Damn aliens,” Topper muttered, picking herself off the floor.

  “Where are they?”

  “Escaped, heading for their ship, I imagine.”

  “Tell me while we roll. Let’s go!”

  Theo’s truck bounced over the gravel roads. Topper sat crossed legged about six inches above the seat, floating to avoid the worst of the bumps and potholes, while adding a pillow to the roof of the truck to cushion Theo’s head.

  “The littler one, that was so listless, began flopping on the floor; I tried to help him. I sealed the doors so the larger one couldn’t leave, but the skunk shot me into the container box. I’d forgotten about it! Theo, I’m sorry about your roof, but the whole jail blew when I exploded out of that box. Once we get back, I’ll fix it, you’ll never know I blasted it.”

  “I’m not worried about the jail. Did they grab their stuff?”

  “I think so,” Topper replied. “There was nothing on your desk when I blew out of their box. It’s not much of a box, Theo. I doubt it would hold any resident of Magic for long unless they had no magic of their own. I was expecting it to be a challenge, which is why I used a strong spell.”