by A J Brahms
"Sorry buddy," he said. "But we got a fun one tonight. Need you and your cameras. The regular Crime Scene Photographer is out sick so you're it."
"Julie with you?"
"Yes, we're leaving the hospital now. You know where The Masquerade is?"
"The bar? Over on North Avenue?"
"The same. Meet you there."
"No clue on what to expect?"
There was a noise and then Julie's voice came on. "Third body with ritual sacrifice theme. Lots of Voodoo stuff."
"Wait—didn't you two catch one the other day?"
"Yep. Thinking it's the same perp. Lots of candles and blood. So get your Ghoul ass out there, lover."
Yay.
I grabbed my things, making sure my cameras were loaded, slipped on my shoes and stepped out my front door—
And into a familiar high rise office in Seattle. The floor to ceiling windows, chrome and black leather, and the magnificent view of the Space Needle. The high backed chair of the desk in front of me turned and I found myself facing Anand.
The Mórrígan.
"Hello Ren. It's good to see you." In this form, she looked like a young Queen Elizabeth. She gestured to the chair across from her, the one closest to me, the one I'd occupied a few weeks ago. "Please sit. And tell me all about what Mitchell Greybeard did to Ginny Greenteeth." She smiled and I felt a shiver. "And about how a Talmadge Night Walker helped him."
Smoke And Mirrors
COMING MAY
2017
Stay informed on the release date of AJ’s next book in the new Cast In Shadows series!
Glossary
Night Walker - Vampires
Families - Clans of Vampires / Nightwalkers, all gathered around a central figure, either a Patriarch or a Matriarch.
Stupor - the 24 hour coma a Ghoul will fall into after their usual feeding on a Night Walker’s Blood.
Ghoul - the product of giving a human three infusions of a Night Walker’s blood. Ghouls obey their Makers without question and will die for them. They are forever devoted to serving them and crave their attention.
Chevalier - Next evolution for a Ghoul. Pronounced she-VO-yay. These are the Knights created, bred and trained through various secretive means, to protect their Night Walker makers by whatever means. A dedicated Chevalier is a boon to any Night Walker.
Fairies - Bastards
Mórrígan - Also known by many as The Promise Dealer. The triple Goddess of the Tuatha De Dannan. Badb, Macha and Anand are her personas. She is the CEO of one of the largest tourist conglomerates in the world. Hey, a retired Goddess has to make a living.
Ginny Greenteeth - A species of Faerie who lives in the streams and lakes of Summerland. Their green appearance, hair and nails like talons, along with their love of children’s voices, made them fodder for scary children’s stories. A Ginny Greenteeth’s blood possesses healing properties unique to their species. Coveted by Vampires.
Troll - Another distant species of Faerie whose love of gold rivals that of a dragon’s. Unlike Dwarves who mine precious jewels and gold and silver, Trolls prefer to fulfill their needs by stealing, regardless of who gets hurt. They have very little regard for their own kind.
Hell Hound - A creature created by combining the blood of a Chevalier, the Night Walker who made the Ghoul (this Night Walker must have the Gift of shapeshifting), and a Demon. The process in creating such a creature is long and painful and usually kills the candidate. Only in recent decades, before the banning of Ghouls, did the Mages of Amaranthea discover an established Chevalier could withstand the transformation as long as the ability is muted into a talent, and not given a full transformation.
About the Author
A J Brahms is the pen name for a duo known separately for several series in Urban Fantasy.
For more information
AJBrahms
www.ajbrahms.com
[email protected]
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Published by Caldwell Press
Cover Design © 2017 by Lou Harper
Thank you for purchasing and reading SOMETHING IN THE WATER. It would be greatly appreciated if you could take a moment and leave an honest review of this novel within the guidelines of your favorite retailer.
If you want to be notified when AJ’s next novel is released please sign up for the mailing list by going to: http://tinyurl.com/jfcho9n
Your email address will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Copyright © 2017 by AJ Brahms, Phaedra Weldon
All rights reserved.