Magic and Mayhem: A Collection of 21 Fantasy Novels

by Jasmine Walt

Her insides felt both soothed and edgy. “Don’t think I’m going to be all soft and compliant all the time. You know, making you food and all that.”

  A ghost popped from her forehead, startling the hell out of her.

  Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, highlighting his sexy physique, Hung shook his head, before lifting his cup of coffee to his lips. “Good grief, woman, at least give me twenty-four hours before you start.”

  “I’m just saying,” she said, stirring the eggs in the pan. She chewed on her lower lip, wondering, what’s next? How do I deal with this?

  Four more ghosts popped out of her head.

  Chia let out a yelp of surprise. “Sorry,” she said, sliding her eyes toward Hung. “Must be the hiccups.” Why are they emerging now?

  The five energy blips circled her lazily.

  “Chia…” Hung began. “We barely got out of bed. We had a good time. Don’t start.”

  Cecil sauntered in from the outside, naked, as usual.

  “Put some clothes on,” Chia said.

  The sixth ghost flew free from her.

  “Sir, yes, sir,” he said, giving her a snappy salute. “Should I wear yours or the vamps? Do you think he’ll care?” He turned to Hung and said, “She sure gets in a snit about stuff, doesn’t she?”

  Hung gave a grunt of agreement. Chia bit her lip.

  “She doesn’t like to be vulnerable. It scares her.”

  “Same here,” said Hung, one eyebrow raised. “Not my favorite thing. I’ve trained to be a cold ruthless killer.”

  “And hell yeah to that. When that guard cocked the trigger on his gun, holding the metal to my head, I lost it, big time.” Cecil shook his head, making his shaggy hair bob.

  “So give me some slack, here. This is all new.” She waved her hand in the air.

  “Same here,” said Hung. He reached for her sugar bowl, adding another scoop.

  “I see. You’re over there taking it all in, at ease with the newness of it, while I’m over here sorting and fretting about what it all means.”

  “Pretty much sums it up,” he said, stirring his warm beverage with a spoon.

  “Good summary,” Cecil said, grabbing a mug from the cupboard.

  Chia barked out orders, feeling the need for control. “Clothes, dawg-man, or no food or drink.”

  “Where am I going to get them? My stashes are all in town and there’s nothing out here.” His hands moved wildly, gesticulating. His eyes sparked with fire.

  Hung quickly interjected. “I’ve got a pair of sweatpants you can borrow. Go look in my bag in the foyer.”

  “Thanks, man. It will get her off my back.”

  After Cecil had left, Chia said, “Changing the subject here. You know how I told you I shot Red in the middle of his hand?”

  “Yeah, I remember.”

  He patted his lap and she put down her spatula and turned the stove burner to low. Then she sauntered over to sit on his warm legs.

  “But no changing the subject yet.”

  She pursed her lips and blew out her breath. “I’m done with it.”

  “I’m not. I noticed when you started to get tense all your little ghosties popped out of you. I wondered where they’d gone.”

  “Oh, great. You can see them, too? I thought only D’Raynged, Cecil and his dog pack could see them.”

  “Of course I can see them. Shifter sight, remember?” He pointed to his eyes.

  She groaned. “So all the shifters know I’ve got them?”

  “Don’t know about that. Doubt it. You’ll have to ask them. But, yeah, I can see them. Do you know what they are?”

  “No. No clue. I don’t know what they are, I have no control over them. They seem to come and go as they please, help me on occasion and generally make a nuisance of themselves.”

  Hung nodded, his messy bangs falling in his face. He swept them away from his forehead. “Maybe they represent things you’d rather not deal with.”

  How does he know? Her stomach bunched in knots. “Maybe,” she said slowly.

  “I went to Tibet once, on a job.”

  “You did? That must have been magical. What’s it have to do with my ghosts?”

  “I’m getting to that. It’s an amazing place. I was young, barely nineteen, searching for meaning. I grew up rough and hard. Wild life. I didn’t give a shit about much of anything. I needed some kind of guidance. A female shaman did a ritual with me.”

  “I’ll bet she did.” Chia’s jealousy prickled her skin.

  “Not like that,” Hung said, stroking her cheek with his fingertip. “And I’m done with that, if you can truly let me in.”

  Chia sighed, unsure if that was possible.

  “She said I needed purification. She took me into a cave and did all sorts of weird things. Lots of strange chanting. She bashed her head against the rock wall and cried. Held her hands over me and vibrated like a machine. Shook me like a ragdoll. I saw the weirdest shit I’ve ever seen in my life. She spoke in tongues and all sorts of strange languages. All kinds of darkness swirled out of me. I sat there for over two hours, freaked out, unable to move or speak. Finally, she slid to a crouch and said we were done.”

  “Did you feel cleansed after that?” Chia asked.

  “I felt…different. Odd. Actually I didn’t know what I felt for a while. But before I left, she told me to watch out for the one who walks with ghosts.”

  An icy chill spread across Chia’s scalp, making her hair stand straight.

  “She said this person’s ghosts were her demons. Things she wrestled with. That I shared a destiny with her and it’s unclear what that destiny is. When I first met you…when I saw those spirits around you…well, I freaked out. It brought the entire time in Tibet back to me. I don’t believe in woo-woo bullshit. My world is cut and dried. I get jobs, I hunt, and I capture or kill. I remove nasty characters from humanity.”

  “Don’t you think shifting could be considered woo-woo bullshit?” She stood to finish breakfast. Poured the egg mixture into the cast iron pan. Stirred until they were golden fluff. Hefting the fry pan, she slid scrambled eggs onto red ceramic plates, saving some for Cecil. Next, she added hash browns, golden and crispy, and bacon, broiled to perfection. She dropped a plate in front of Hung and sat next to him.

  “Nah, it’s a ‘what is’ kind of thing. It’s my and all the shifters’ reality.” He forked a bite of eggs, chewed, and swallowed. “Anyway, I fought the whole you and me thing for a while. I don’t believe one’s destiny is foretold.”

  Chia nodded, munching thoughtfully.

  “It’s been years since I first laid eyes on you. I find I can’t stay away. I finally decided to find out if there’s something between us. I told myself this time around would be the test. We’d either connect of we wouldn’t, but if we didn’t, I’d never come back.”

  “Seriously?” Chia said, her heart beating rapidly.

  “Yep. You’ve eluded me for years. Made it known in every way possible that you aren’t interested and then, to drive me insane, respond to my kisses and seductions. And I sure don’t know of any other gal with ghosties. One’s missing, by the way. I counted seven yesterday.”

  “Yeah,” Chia said, blushing. “That one…we may have…” She pressed her lips together and shook her head vigorously. “He or she might be…”

  “What?” he said, in that new soft, mushy voice she was starting to like.

  “Oh,” she rolled her eyes skyward. “Cecil’s been yammering at me. Something about you having feelings about me, or I’m ignoring the obvious or some such.” She swished her hand dismissively in the air. She blinked, rapidly, trying hard to avoid him.

  “Chia, look at me.”

  She turned her head to face him, continuing to blink her eyes like a lunatic.

  “Chia…” Hung placed his palms on the side of her face. “I might have feelings for you. Not sure I’m willing to admit that yet. I never let people in. It’s dangerous. You think it’s hard for you; it’s triple hard for me.”<
br />
  “Honestly?”

  “Yes, woman. But I’m not the kind of guy to back away from a challenge. And you’re an incredible challenge. I don’t see myself getting bored with you. Most women bore me.”

  “Honestly?” she said again, feeling like a parrot.

  “Honest to God. And who else do I know who has the most incredible silver eyes and pink frosted hair.” He chuckled and gave her a soft kiss. He released her face and picked up his fork, continuing to eat. “So I may or may not have feelings for you. I’m waiting to report in.” He winked at her.

  “What are you waiting for?”

  “For you, who else? I’m not going to bulldoze myself into your life.” He reached for his coffee and took a generous sip. “We’ll have to see how this plays out.” He gestured between them with his fork.

  Chia’s lips parted to speak, but she stopped, seeing her shifter friend.

  Cecil strode in the door, interrupting their private moment, wearing Hung’s sweatpants. They hugged his body, emphasizing his slim hips and broad chest. “You should see the news.”

  Chia didn’t know whether to thank him, or curse him out for bad timing. “Why?”

  “Take a look.” He seized the remote from the kitchen table and turned on the small television on the back wall. Pressing the up arrow, he found the Lemming News channel. A picture of Red Mountainbear flashed on the screen along with the headline, Mysteries in Charming, Alaska.

  “While Dick Nighthawk continues to be in critical care with further unexplained complications, Red Mountainbear has vanished with no word. His friends and neighbors say they haven’t seen him for several days. Investigators are launching a search.”

  “Turn it off,” Chia said. “That’s going to spoil my mood.”

  “Yes, boss,” Cecil replied.

  “Your mood could use some spoiling,” Hung said, smirking.

  “Now can I eat, General?” Cecil asked.

  She gave him a smile. “Now you can eat. I didn’t want your danglies all over my kitchen chairs.”

  “So now they’re danglies? First they were bits, now they’re danglies?” He set his mug on the counter with a thwack.

  “Stop, you two. Give it a rest. Topic change?”

  “Excuse me?” Her eyes slid back to Hung’s.

  Hung eyed her with an arched eyebrow. “You wanted to change the topic a few minutes ago.”

  “Oh, right,” she replied, blushing. “Speaking of Lemming News and mysterious disappearances, you know how I told you I shot Red in the palm?”

  “And I said, yes, I remember. What about it?”

  She strode to the foyer, retrieved her phone from her coat pocket and returned. Flipping through the photo gallery, she said, “Look. Here’s what happened when I shot him.”

  Hung stared at the images of symbols and black blood, stone-faced, revealing nothing.

  “Let me see,” said Cecil. He seized the pink sparkly phone, looked at it, and whistled. “Freaky shit, lil’ Summer.”

  “Do you know what it means, Hung?”

  “Yes.” He scooped the last of his scrambled eggs from his plate, chewed and swallowed. “Those symbols are occult symbols representing big time evil. Bastard’s a shadow shifter.”

  “A what?” She hugged herself, feeling apprehension cloak her.

  “A shadow shifter. He shifts into a shadow. There aren’t too many on the planet. He’s a bad dude, Chia. I wish you’d offed him. But then again, he probably wouldn’t have died. He’d probably have shifted into a shadow when he knew your intentions. What did you do before you shot him?”

  “Kneed him in the groin. I think I surprised him so he didn’t have a chance to react.”

  Hung’s hand instinctively dropped to his lap, as if in memory of her knee. “You’ve got quite a kick.”

  “Then I stomped on his head.”

  Hung coughed, spitting out his coffee. He grabbed his napkin and dabbed at the liquid drops on the table and wiped his mouth. “Damn, girl. I told you, you’ve got balls.” He drummed his fingers on the table. “Real problem here. The son of a bitch has prestige, status, and on top of it, probably no one knows what he is, in truth. This fight ain’t over.”

  “Well, we have an incredible team to deal with things,” Cecil said through a mouthful of food.

  Hung and Chia glanced at the shifter.

  “Not kidding. You should have seen me. Hung told me to go on ahead. To face the bad guys. Man, was I terrified or what? But I did it. I even got a few good bites in.” He chomped the air and shook his head like he had a hold of the man’s pants.

  Chia laughed. “I’m sure you were, dawg-man. I actually, uh…”

  “What did you actually?” Cecil popped more hearty grain bread in the toaster.

  “I, um…” She glanced back and forth between the two men. “I seem to have a special relationship with an owl. A snowy owl. That’s why I keep asking if it’s you, Hung. When I’m high on vamp, he flies into my forehead and snags my mind.”

  “Get out,” said Cecil.

  “Interesting. Sounds like you have a lot of untapped abilities,” Hung said with a straight, non-committed expression. “How do you know he won’t do it when you’re not high?”

  She studied him for a second, trying to discern his level of honesty. Can’t tell if he’s hiding something. “I don’t. I’ve only experienced it when D’Raynged has consumed my blood.”

  “You might try it when you’re straight. I’d hate to see you become addicted to a vampire.” Hung’s mouth twisted into a sneer.

  “I’m not convinced it happens at any other time.”

  Hung shrugged. “Interesting fact about snowy owls. Every year a few of them retreat from the Arctic, but a lot fly south during years when their favorite food supply drops in number.”

  “What’s their favorite food?” Chia asked.

  “Lemmings.”

  “You’re making that up.”

  “No, ma’am, I’m not. True fact.”

  “Isn’t that something?” Chia smiled. “My owl eats lemmings for lunch. Food for thought.” She let out a chuckle. “Anyway, I saw you struggling up the mountain. I could tell you were fighting your fears, dawg-man. I felt such pride for you. You’re unbelievable.”

  He seemed to stand a bit taller, fill out his chest, and puff with pride. “Thanks, lil’ Summer.”

  “So what are we going to do about Red?” she asked.

  “Don’t know.” Hung stood and placed his dirty plate inside the sink. “Observe, watch, and wait. I need to find a way to get out of here, first. I have a job waiting.”

  “It can’t be Sultana. Tell me you won’t kill her.”

  “For you? Almost anything.” He stepped close and kissed her temple, before tipping her chin up with his finger. He planted a long, lazy kiss on her lips.

  “Mmm,” she hummed into his mouth. When he released her, she said, “That almost seemed too easy.”

  “I can be nice.”

  “So, do you still have to leave? Where’s your next job?”

  “Yep, I have a job up in Fairbanks. If I can figure a way out of here that doesn’t involve any of my limbs going missing. Not looking forward to tromping along the glacier.”

  “Um. You might need to stick around a teensy bit longer.” Chia swiftly made her way to the sink. She grabbed a sponge and began powering it around the plate in her hands.

  “And why might that be?” Hung said, coming to stand beside her.

  “Because, I told you, I called in a few favors. If said favors are granted, we’ll have both a nature and animal preserve in Charming, effective immediately, extending seventy-five miles outside the town border in every direction, two miles outside the harbor. The fishermen still need to earn their keep. The fish inside the preserve will spill out into deeper waters and increase the fish supply. And, on land, tourism will be hot for animal lovers. Fawn at Sunshine Sally’s will be stoked. Can’t wait to tell her. It’s a win all around. We’re going to be know
n as the shifter community.”

  “Wow,” said Cecil. “Now that’s creative thinking.”

  Hung cocked his head, his eyes growing flinty. “How does that affect my business as a bounty hunter and being tried for murder? You indicated changing that rule.”

  She dropped the sponge, water splashing her arms, and faced him. “No bounty hunter hunting in these parts. Not for human or animal.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest, felt the tug of healing bones and muscles in her back, and dropped them, trying to appear nonchalant.

  “Are you kidding me?” He looked like he’d like to strangle Chia.

  “Nope, not kidding.” She stepped away from him.

  “Good thing I agreed to not off the vampire, at least not in this vicinity.”

  “Hung…”

  “I didn’t agree to never kill her.”

  “All right. I’ll have to deal with D’Raynged. I promised him she’d be safe. I hate breaking promises.” She huffed out a sigh. “Anyway, you said your jobs didn’t pay that well for the most part. You’ll have to roll through town to see me.”

  His expression brightened somewhat. “I can live with that. If…what about your self-defense ordinance?”

  “I’ve applied for an emergency injunction, modifying it. If we can prove you and I acted in true self-defense for the safety of ourselves or others, we should be granted pardon. We’ll have to head into town tomorrow to see if it worked. Or I can head in and you can be a gnat on the window until we determine if you need to face the justice system.”

  “A gnat. Please, woman, give me some credit.”

  “Well, you turned into a fly.”

  “I had to escape out the window.”

  “Does Charming even have a justice system?” Cecil asked. He picked up his plate and began licking it.

  “Cecil! Put it down.”

  “Oh, sorry, forgot I’m in human form.” He placed the plate on the table. “Sometimes I get mixed up.”

  “And we need to see if the town still wants me as manager,” she continued. “We’ll have to see if a power shift took place.”

  “Yeah, we’ll see.”

  “As to your departure, don’t worry about the glacier. The shamans agreed to find the leg traps. They said they can go into trance and find them psychically. They’ll sketch out a map for us to collect them. Cecil, maybe you can do that with some of your shifter friends. We’ll need bodies to swiftly gather the traps. After you bring them back, I’m taking them to a smelter or metal recycler in town. Hung and I might be caught up in the legal system for a while, if my emergency injunction works. We’ll have to stand trial. So we’ll rely on you.”