Magic and Mayhem: A Collection of 21 Fantasy Novels

by Jasmine Walt

  Finally, the sleet turned into tiny snow spits, as if the cloud gods were intermittently coughing. The air still clung to sub-zero promises. This damn weather is warm one day, back to arctic temps the next. At least I can see. Chia looked around as she glided across the icy snow, once again immersed in a sparkling wonderland.

  The landscape felt familiar, the way things feel when you’re dreaming, and then you wake up and say, “that wasn’t my home, but in the dream, I was certain it was.” She wondered if they’d transported through a space warp kind of divide. This is so odd. I’ve traversed this land for miles. I’m as familiar with it as my own skin and bones. This place looks both known yet completely unfamiliar.

  Cecil, in keeping with his husky spirit, tugged tirelessly, keeping up with the pack.

  As they approached Two Mile Lake, Chia yelled, “Can you dogs do the lake?”

  The husky barked and entered the solid, arctic mass at a sprint. His legs spread into a sprawling clip and he, Chia, and all the dogs slid along the ice on their backs, sides, or bellies.

  “Okay, I guess that’s a negative.” She got up, dusted herself off, grabbed the halter and they gingerly made their way to the edge of the lake. They proceeded through the snow at a slow, lumbering gait.

  They reached the base of a sharp incline bordering the glacier and the group came to a stop. Without thinking, he blurred into human form, standing naked, trussed by the straps.

  Chia burst into laughter. “Nice, Cecil. You’re my submissive.”

  “I’ll play that way with you if you scratch my belly,” he grinned. “Or fondle other areas.”

  “Stop it,” Chia said, blushing. “Yours are…” She glanced at his crotch despite her inner admonition to not look. “Sort of in hiding at the moment.”

  “Don’t you worry. They’ll come out of hiding for you like that.” He snapped his fingers. “I’ll leave on these leather straps for inspiration.”

  Chia’s blush grew warmer. “What’s going on that makes this place look unfamiliar? It doesn’t look like my property.”

  “Didn’t you see the wall of energy we ran through?”

  “I could barely see anything at all. The sleet kept stinging my face.”

  “That’s it. That’s the wall of energy. Canines sense energy,” he said proudly.

  “Huh. So then…where are we?”

  “Your property as seen through the eyes of someone else.”

  Chia cast her eyes about. The contours of the land looked the same but something didn’t feel right. Something felt alien and unfamiliar. “It doesn’t look all that…inviting.”

  “Nope, it doesn’t. This is how it looks through Red and Dick’s eyes, I imagine. Like enemy land.”

  “Makes no sense. So, are you telling me, someone, maybe Red or maybe Dick, cast some super spell out here? On my land?”

  “They’re up to no good. You’ll see. And if they cast it on or near your land, there’s a reason for it. They’re sourcing you.”

  “Sourcing me how? Like my ghosts? Apparently, I’m their food source.”

  Cecil scratched the side of his head. “I don’t know about that. Either you have some mega power none of us are aware of that they’re trying to tap into, or…I’m not all that familiar with magical practices but one of the women I fuc…” He glanced warily at Chia. “One of my sex partners told me about the laws of magic. When you cast a spell against someone, or against something that person loves or cares for, you have to use something of theirs. Everyone in town knows how much this land means to you, being as it was your granddads. Since they don’t have a lock of your hair or one of your teeth…”

  “One of my teeth?” Chia asked, horrified. Her hand pressed against her mouth as if to protect the contents.

  Cecil waved his hand in the air. “I wasn’t paying all that much attention to her when she told me. We were busy doing other things. Anyway, something about sourcing and the size of the spell. This promises to be a big one.”

  “Dag nab it! I’ve spent the last three years making this a safe place to live and haven’t put much time into understanding or even being aware of magic. I assumed it wasn’t a…you know, a thing.”

  “Oh, it’s a thing, all right. You need to keep your ears open. Sniff around more. There’s a lot that goes on around here under your radar.”

  “I guess so. I’ll have to add it to my growing to-do list. This is alarming.”

  “There’s nothing you can do about it now, lil’ Summer. Save it for another time.”

  She blew out a breath of despair wondering what on God’s green earth she’d done to set off everything happening around her. “A couple days ago, life was simple,” she groused.

  “For some,” Cecil answered. “But not for everyone. There’s been growing discontent. Some feel like industry and trade are gridlocked because of all the rules. Others feel the shifters don’t pull their weight around here. You’ve been too preoccupied to pay it any mind.” His eyes dropped to the other dogs. “Sorry, but I had to say it.”

  Chia felt dumbfounded. How could I have been so blind? It’s my obsession with sex, isn’t it? Maybe a nun’s life is in the cards for me. Angry tears welled in her eyes. She brushed them away with her glove, turning her attention to the dogs.

  A fine looking boxer, Shep, Peatey the border collie, a standard poodle, and a couple mutts, all stood in the snow panting from their run.

  “Don’t cry, lil’ Summer.” Cecil patted her back. “You got any kind of backup plan?”

  “No,” she shot back. “Didn’t think I needed one.”

  An awkward silence fell between them.

  Cecil shifted back and forth in the snow. “The fellas are tuckered. You’d best get on your way so we can head back sooner than later.”

  Chia glanced at Cecil’s nakedness. “You’ve got to be cold. Here,” she said, turning away. “Lucky for you, on impulse I brought your new pants.” She removed her backpack and dug around for Hung’s pants. She handed them to Cecil, averting her eyes from his lower region, crisscrossed with leather straps.

  “Thanks. But I only shifted to give you the skinny on what’s next. You’re going to have to climb that hill. Snow shoes will cut it halfway up, but right there?” He pointed to a distant high up ledge.

  Chia stared up the side of the mountain, grateful for her enhanced senses. Otherwise, she might have been unable to see it. “Yeah?”

  “That’s where you’re headed.”

  “And what will you be doing?”

  He shifted uncomfortably back and forth. “I’ll, uh…I’ll need to be here with my homeys.” He patted Shep’s head. “Right, boy?”

  The German shepherd barked in agreement.

  “I don’t think so, Cecil. I’m not climbing up there by myself.”

  “You need to see for yourself. Go ahead. Go on now. Get on up there.” Cecil shooed her with his hands. “Once you’re up on the ledge, look down toward the east. Plain as day.”

  “Come on, Cecil. You’re the guide. Guide me.”

  His head shook back and forth like a rattlesnake tail, his blue eyes terrified.

  “You’re not…you’re not scared of heights are you?”

  “Nah. Nothing like that.” He looked away from her.

  “You’re scared of heights.” Her jaw hung open. “Your breed are known climbers, Cecil.”

  “You’d better go. They might have left already.” He quickly shifted back to canine, the leather straps hanging around his sides, leaving her gaping.

  “Whatever. Watch my skis at least.” She removed her equipment, thrusting the skis, points up, into the snow, and retrieved her hiking boots from her pack. Once she’d donned her snowshoes, she took off up the hill, moving carefully with catlike grace. She glanced over her shoulder once, to see the brown and white husky watching her. He barked encouragement…or something…to her. She lifted her hand in acknowledgement and continued.

  She performed a herring bone step up the hill until it grew too steep
, then switched to a kick-step, jamming her toe several inches into the powdery incline, forming small steps. She winced, realizing the climb down would be a real bitch and a half.

  When snow shoeing no longer seemed prudent, she removed them, stuck them into a drift, and looked up at her destination, squinting into the darkness. Not a lot of illumination out here. Must not be much life. Or else the vamp blood exchange is wearing off. She carefully proceeded up the icy, slippery slope, wishing she had her crampons and climbing gear. “Cecil could have mentioned this part,” she grumbled. Her body neared exhaustion, muscles shaking like a sewing machine needle as she pulled with her arms, pushed with her legs, and paused, resting against the snow. Why, again, is this important? Can’t I merely take someone’s word for it that Red and Dick are up to no good?

  Her dumbass ghosts kept swirling around her face, making shivery movements as if even they were cold. She had to consistently shake them from her eyes so she could find her next handhold or foothold. Climbing with gloves proved difficult, as well. While she appreciated the bit of warmth she got from them, she didn’t have the dexterity she’d have from her agile, uncovered hands.

  Finally, she hauled herself over the ledge and lay back, exhausted, her breath chuffing in white vapor puffs, providing little bits of warmth for her mouth and cheeks. Her gaze landed on a bird a few feet away, resting on the tip of a rock poking through the snow like a crocus, his eyes trained on her. “Hello, sexy snowy owl,” she said, remembering the strange sensation of being in flight with the beautiful bird.

  The owl let out a harsh kek, kek, kek, like rasping metal, and his head pivoted away from her, like an apple on a smooth metal rod. It spread its wings and took off silently into the darkness.

  “Fine. Be that way.” She sat up and scanned for whatever the heck she was supposed to see. A frigid wind howled, blowing small flurries of powdery ice down the hill toward the valley glacier below. Her ghosts huddled close, as if afraid of being blown away. No other life could be discerned.

  She closed her eyes and listened intently for any signs of human activity on the mountain. Wind. Wind. More wind. And…a man’s voice? She strained to hear. So much for enhanced senses. The sound came in and out of focus, buffeted by the wind. Where are you and how did a dog pack far below find you? Dag nab it. I can’t tell where you are.

  “Is that her?”

  Chia heard that phrase, loud and clear. She shrank back into the side of the mountain.

  “Where?”

  “Up there. On that ledge. See a shape up there?”

  “What the hell would she be doing out here? Its miles from her house.”

  “Hell if I know. She’s got cotton for brains as far as I can tell.”

  “Yeah, but it’s not what’s up top that matters. It’s what’s between the legs. She can be brain dead as far as I’m concerned and I’d still do her.”

  The two men shared a laugh.

  Assholes, Chia thought. I’m smarter than they are, by miles.

  “Can’t see a darn thing without my night googles. Hold on. Shit. It’s those fucking ghosts we saw the other night. This damn glacier is haunted.”

  “Thought that was an urban myth. Fucking hell. As soon as we’re in power, the entire area is going to be purified, all weird shit eradicated. This is ridiculous. Get back inside the cave, now.”

  “Should I say thanks?” she whispered to her wraiths. “Or are these random acts of protection not connected to anything in particular?” Of course, no response came. “How the hell am I supposed to get closer to listen? I sure don’t want to start an avalanche.”

  She got to her feet, hands on her hips, and surveyed the down climb. “Not good. No clear path.” She stepped carefully to the other edge of the ledge, looking for any way down the mountain in the direction of the voices.

  Without warning, something slammed into the back of her head, making a dull thud. Her arms whirled like a pinwheel as she struggled to keep from plunging to her death. Suppressing her shrieks, she imagined the shape of an owl streaming from her forehead.

  Again, her consciousness embedded itself in the snowy owl’s flight as it soared downwind toward the cave. Up so high, her fear got the best of her, and her mind flung back toward her body, crouched on hands and knees on the ledge, landing with a shiver. She got to her feet, shaking her head to clear the sensation of disembodied night flight.

  The owl circled, working against the wind currents. One big blast sent it sailing into the darkness.

  What did Hung say about bird flight in the mountains? Treacherous? Don’t do anything stupid, bird! She watched the owl as it struggled to rise above her, then it turned and soared for her once more. “Whoa!” she said, trying to get out of its way.

  On the small ledge, there was nowhere to go. She fluttered her hands wildly, but the bird persisted, head down in her direction. Again, it slammed into her face, snagging her consciousness as it emerged out the other side.

  As before, she experienced free flight as they soared down the mountain. “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” she would have screamed, or maybe her body sat screaming above. She calmed herself by realizing this crazy ride was similar to a dream—her body slept and her mind went for a ride through all kinds of psycho.

  The owl dipped and swooped, navigating currents until it reached its destination, settling atop a rock lining the cave opening.

  A strange nasal, guttural sound, like Inuit throat-singing, emerged from the bowels of the cave. Odd light flares accompanied the chants, punctuating the resonant sounds, bursting out the opening of the cavern. Light rolled in big, luminous balls to the valley glacier and onto the frozen water, making Two Mile Lake throb with eerie colors. The strange harmonies produced a lilting, hypnotic sensation. If Chia had been in her body, she would have shook her head to clear the effects—or sunk into a trance. Instead, she watched and listened through the awareness of the owl.

  “So, what should we do? Abort? Keep going?”

  “Maybe. Let me think. Dumb bunny female thinks she can outsmart us and get to Durand herself. She doesn’t know who she’s dealing with, does she?”

  Sure sounds like Red Spotted Dick. That one’s Red--in charge.

  The other male snorted. “Hell, no. We’ve hunted more wily creatures than Durand in wildernesses far more dangerous. And with weapons far less effective. We’re going to turn the…into…and then…”

  The wind howled, making it impossible to hear what they said.

  “She’s out of her league,” the same male continued.

  And there’s the Dick part. What the hell are they talking about?

  “Loop back and set the explosives. Remember, nothing big. Give her a fright, is all. Let her know we’ve got her in our sight.” Dick sounded gleeful.

  Chia wondered if her body was back on the ledge barfing because she sure felt ill listening to them. Where? My home? Explosives?

  “Okay. Then we head back here to see how our weapon’s coming. A hell of a lot more than just shifters are gonna have a snapped leg.” Low laughter followed.

  Red answered, “Let the whole fucking town die.” He let out a laugh. “As long as the oil and gold rights are mine, I don’t give a fuck.”

  “Roger that. Let’s move out.” Dick seemed decisive. But his voice changed to indecision and hesitancy when he asked, “What do we do about them?”

  “They can’t exactly go anywhere, can they? All shamans can do is sing their little hearts out and do what they’re told.”

  I’m starting to hate that man, Chia thought. Red’s a complete jackass. Shamans are revered people around here.

  “Shouldn’t we…shouldn’t we at least leave them something to eat?”

  “I said, they’ll be all right. Drop it. They exist on some mystical spirit energy shit or something. Leave it. We’ll be back soon enough.”

  Scuffling sounds emerged from the cave and the owl took flight, taking Chia’s awareness along for the ride. The great owl worked the currents, giving Chia an i
dea of how perilous winged flight could be. When it reached the ledge again, it landed briefly, shook its great wings and she bounced back into her body like a rubber ball. The bird lifted into the air once more, heading for the rock she’d first seen it on, a few feet away. Once there, it stared at her as if waiting for her to figure out what to do.

  She scrambled to her feet. “Holy shit. I’ve got to get back to the house. They could be planning to blow the whole place to smithereens.” She glared at her ghosts. “Stay out of my eyes. I need to see. I hate down climbing.” She lowered herself off the ledge, finding it difficult to grip the icy ground. Her legs dangled, searching for something solid to land on, disturbing several rocks. They tumbled and bounced down the mountainside, landing in a snow bank.

  “What’s that?” Red Spotted Dick said.

  Through the howling wind, Chia couldn’t quite tell who spoke.

  “Look! It’s her! What’s she doing up here?”

  “And how’d she get past the barrier these crazy shaman coots erected? Get the gun.”

  Gunshot shattered the air and a bullet whizzed past her head. Chia screamed, dropping from the ledge, sliding down a slick bank of snow. Another gunshot exploded and she scurried out of sight, away from their direction. Petrified, she scrambled, slid, and tumbled toward the bottom. Where are they, where are they, where are they?

  Snowshoes forgotten, she made haste toward the dog pack, her legs faltering as they missed the steps she made, and sunk into snow up to her knees, sometimes having to use her arms to dig herself free. “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!” she shouted, once she’d reached the flat lands.

  The dogs, excited, barked and jostled about her. The movement of her hands and legs felt clumsy, as if she were a toddler. She managed to jam her feet in her ski boots, shoved her toes into the skis, grabbed the poles, the backpack and the halter straps, and took off at a brisk glide tugged by Cecil. “Go, go, go, go, go!” she shouted.

  They slid, raced, heaved along the snowy landscape, bumping and jostling until Chia wondered if her bones would shake loose. Her vision sharpened into tunnel focus, whether from vamp senses or adrenaline-pumped fear for her life, she didn’t know. She continued to lurch, struggling with ungainly coordination, feeling as if she slowed Cecil considerably.