by Tom Hansen
A Moonlit Task
An Urban Fantasy Mystery Novel (End Gate Series Book 1)
Tom Hansen
Contents
Also by Tom Hansen
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Epilogue
Afterword
About A Moonlit Task
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Tom Hansen
Into the Void: A Steampunk Short Story
Coming Soon
The Korrigan Chronicles:
May 2017: The Sacking of Gildebrand Manor
A Moonlit Task
Copyright © 2017 IceBlazer Entertainment
Cover Art by Deranged Doctor Design
All rights reserved.
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.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either a product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
ISBN: 978-1-946407-00-9
For Jennifer
Have no fear of moving into the unknown. Simply step out fearlessly.
Pope John Paul II
Prologue
"Your first mistake was thinking that an old Asian woman in an herb shop would sell pot to teenagers." Linda Hamada tapped her fingernail on the worn, wooden counter as she studied the two kids. "Your second mistake," she continued, "was allowing the door to close."
The taller of the two boys, pimple-faced and thin, glanced back at the door. His eyes narrowed and he backed a step toward it.
"Go ahead and try." Linda waved lazily. The thin metal bracelets on her arm chimed together in the quiet shop. "But it's not all bad. Now that you're here, I have the opportunity not only to teach you a valuable lesson, but also to help you out."
Linda smirked for a moment then turned and ducked behind the counter.
The smaller goth boy jabbed his friend with a meaty elbow. They both made for the door.
The taller one got to the door first and tried to push it open. The smaller one slammed into him, throwing him into the door. His face left a grease mark on the glass just above the backwards Ye Olde Herb Shoppe painted on the other side.
"It's stuck,” the taller one grunted, rubbing his jaw.
The old woman's voice, wafted up from somewhere distant, like she was deep in a cellar instead of just huddled behind a counter. "It's not stuck, silly. I locked it." Linda sprang up from behind the counter. Her long gray braid whipped around to hang over one shoulder as the sound of a small wooden door banged close in the distance. She held out one of her hands; three rings glinted in the low light. "It's magic." She twiddled her fingertips as tiny wisps of smoke rose from them.
The two teens shot nervous glances at each other. “I told you we shouldn’t have come in here!” The shorter boy glared at his friend.
Linda pointed at the squat boy in the front. "Shouldn't you be in math tutoring right now, Kevin? What are you going to say to your teacher tomorrow when you fail that test yet again? You know she really cares about you and just wants you to succeed."
Kevin swallowed, an anxious look on his face. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out.
"And Jeff." The old woman raised her head up to peer at the taller boy through her bifocals. "Aren't you supposed to be watching your younger sister?
Jeff blanched, the color of his face nearly matching that of his frosted tips.
"It's no matter. What's done is done. But I have your orders ready." She snapped her fingers. Two paper bags appeared on the old wooden counter.
Jeff’s lower lip quivered for a moment before he finally spoke. "How did you know our names?"
"Magic, duh." Linda grabbed her braid and tossed it back behind her shoulder. "At least you won't be smoking dope tonight, or whatever you kids call it these days. Now get over here. Don't be shy."
Neither boy moved a muscle.
Linda sighed and put her hands on her hips. "You know I could pick you up where you stand and move you over here if I really wanted."
Kevin huffed and stuck out his chin. "Oh yeah? Maybe we don’t wanna." His voice cracked despite the tough-guy persona.
Linda drew in a slow breath, releasing it after a couple seconds. A large truck thundered up Williamson street, its engine noise matching her mood. She looked both boys up and down for a long moment then pursed her lips.
"When I was a young girl, we were taught to be polite when speaking to others, especially our elders. But what should I expect from teenagers who should be home with their families but are instead out wandering around trying to get high?"
Linda clapped her hands. A thunderous roar resonated through the small shop. Jars of herbs and roots rattled on their shelves behind her. Dust on the floor shook with the violence of the concussion, and both boys cringed, picking up alternating feet as they felt the vibrations.
"Now get over here before I turn you both into mice." She thumbed behind her. "I have a cat in the alley who would love to play. I promise she won't hurt you too much."
After glancing at each other, the two teens minced up to the counter.
Linda picked up the first bag and held it out to Jeff. "Rosemary and hyacinth incense, to help with the dreams. Burn half of one stick before bed and keep your door closed to keep in the smoke. The smell will be a little strange at first, but you'll sleep much better."
Jeff wore a calm, confused look on his skinny face. "Thanks, ma'am."
Linda smiled back and gave his hand a squeeze. "You are very welcome, son."
She straightened her back, wringing her ancient hands together to soothe the encroaching arthritis. She gave the other boy an over-the-glasses glance. "Kevin, Kevin, Kevin."
He seemed taken aback. "What? I don't need nothin’."
Linda continued like she hadn't heard him.
"I don't make love potions. They never work the way you think you want them to anyway. But if you like Ashley you need to show her that you're more than just a tough guy. She likes brains, not muscles." Linda shrugged then folded her arms, waiting for a reply.
Jeff turned to his friend. "You like Ashley?"
Kevin, his face turning red, shrank back. "Yeah."
Jeff grinned, a sly look on his long face. "That's cool. She's got huge …" He glanced at Linda, his eyes going wide at her glare. "I mean, she's real nice."
Despite his beet-red face, Kevin replied. "Yeah, but she'll never give me the time of day."
Linda interjected. "She will if you start taking your grades seriously, and this should help." Linda slid the bag toward him. "Celery seed and Purple Lady-Slipper powder. Brew this up as a tea, fou
r minutes with boiling water, right before doing your homework for the day. Drink it all down as hot as possible as fast as you can tolerate it, leaves and all. It will help with your concentration."
Kevin looked at her, his eyes betraying a look like that of a feral cat wondering if it can take the food from your outstretched hand. He nodded and took the bag.
Linda’s expression became serious, as did her voice. "And you kids don't need to be smoking dope. Trust me on this. I lived through the sixties. Give it a few years; the laws are changing. You can smoke all you want when you're older, once your brains have finished developing. But for now, just be kids. Try not to grow up quite yet. Promise me?"
Both boys lowered their heads and spoke to the floor. "Yes ma’am.”
Linda beamed. "Well then, you have places to be. Get on out of here. I need to close up.” She snapped her fingers and a small click could be heard at the front door to her shop.
Linda watched the boys shuffle out of. A wistful smile spread across her aged and wrinkled face. This is why she agreed to move out here with Anca, to help people with problems they didn't know they had. Sometimes they just needed a little forceful direction.
Jeff and Kevin certainly weren't the first kids, or adults for that matter, to come into her shop hoping that some secret password would cause her to sneakily lock the door and take them to a back room full of grow-lights and cannabis plants as far as the eye can see. But they were good kids.
She missed them already.
She pulled out a rag and wiped down the counters of her shop, clearing away the day’s worth of dust and grime that always seemed to accumulate. It was well past her normal closing time.
Linda finished by sweeping the shop and pulling all the remaining money from the register, counting it up and noting it in the ledger.
Attachment flooded her chest. Pride, the good kind, warmed her from the inside out. It had been hard to keep this place running over the last year, hard dealing with Anca and her mood swings. She was proud of the store’s success, but more proud of those she’d helped.
Linda paused at the alley door in the back to take one last look over her shop. Smells of the various herbs and reagents mingled together to create a mosaic of earthiness that grounded her in the here and now. This was her home.
Was.
She wasn’t sure what it would be after the big fight she’d had last night.
She flipped off the light switch, plunging most of the store into darkness. A single ancient bulb remained, casting just enough yellowed light for her to see into the store from where she stood.
Pulling out her keys to lock up, Linda wrinkled her nose at the musty smell of the alleyway, which pushed away the sweet, earthy notes of her shop.
Something tickled her mind.
She turned around, pushing out her senses to feel for any signs of motion, of life.
Multiple life forces showed up. Two alley cats ignored each other from across the exit to South Few; a wayward pigeon perched on the new high-rise to the south-west, looking down at the scene. A terrified mouse shivered beneath a pile of discarded clothing so filthy that it was hard to tell what it used to be.
But something about the air felt different tonight, something otherworldly.
To her left something hid in the darkness. Linda turned slowly and eased herself down the stoop and around the handrail. She took a cautious step forward, then another one, hesitating each time, feeling all around her in the ever-shifting landscape.
She stopped and bent down. Her hand quavered as she reached behind a small stack of pallets. The baubles and bands on her arm sung their metallic song as they clinked together.
She paused, tasting the heavy air then stooped down into the muck. Something small and furry poked it’s black nose out from behind the wood.
“Well hello there, little thing. I won’t hurt you.”
A tiny mew echoed along the walls of the alley as Linda picked up a shivering kitten. "It's okay." She stroked its dirty, matted fur. "I'm here for you."
She held it at arm’s length and gave it a concerned look. “Well, you’re an interesting one, aren’t you? What are you doing here?”
It meowed again and she rubbed under its chin. "I know, I know.”
She felt something else in the alley, another presence. Something terrifying. The feeling was still there. The nerves in her neck fired, cinching up her shoulder muscles.
She looked around but didn’t see anything else looming in the shadows. Something about it was … memorable, like mistakes of your past that haunt your dreams.
Linda fit the kitten into the crook of her arm, holding it close to her chest. Her eyes dilated and her stomach knotted, a response to her intensified senses picking up whatever it was in the alley. It had become uncomfortably quiet over the last few moments. Her heart pounded in her chest while a spark flashed in the back of her mind.
She was being hunted.
She thought about turning around, about going back into the shop, but she needed to know. She needed to see with her own eyes.
As she walked across the alley to her car, she winced against the sharp pricks of the kitten’s claws digging in to her skin. "There, there. It's okay."
The cat hissed, digging its claws in more. Linda slowed her walking and pulled the kitten closer to her chest, nestling its pint-sized head under her chin.
She reached her car and detached the kitten's tiny claws from her arm, setting it down on the hood. It hissed before running a few steps, its tiny claws clacking on the metal. Then stopped to lick a paw. Its fur stuck out everywhere, its tiny tail straight up in the air.
She began to ground herself, pull in magic from the various baubles she kept around her wrist, preparing to unleash, should the need arise.
There was a flash of orange in the car window. She looked at the reflection and knew what stood behind her.
No. Not you. You aren’t supposed to be here. I took precautions. I thought the spell would hold. I need this time to set things straight.
Linda hadn’t had time to unlock the secrets of the relic and break the binding. She rubbed her arm in silent contemplation. Despite the chill in the spring air, the alley felt hot, weighed down with apprehension. She swallowed, wishing for water.
"I forgive you, young one." She spoke, her gaze not on the tiny kitten, but on the reflection in the car window. “Your master knows I cannot fight you.”
Linda listened to the din of the downtown hum all around her; the buzz enveloped her with white noise.
"The worst part is that you don’t know what you are doing, do you? I should have known; I should have recognized the signs. Should have seen it before …”
Linda eased out a slow, unsteady breath. She focused her mind on a candle flame in her distant memory, something her mother taught her long ago. Hair on the back of her neck and forearms stood at attention, chills ran up and down her extremities. Her left leg twitched, the nerves flashing uncontrollably.
She didn't want to meet its terrifying gaze. Linda raised a shaky hand and wiped a tear from her cheek. Her lip quivered uncontrollably.
"I'm crying." She let out a stifled laugh before catching herself.
She smiled halfheartedly and watched the moonlit drop on her finger disappear into her wrinkled skin.
She turned around to face the threat, finally meeting those terrible eyes.
The yellow slits looked back at her; no pity, no remorse. The slinking creature cast a shadow that consumed the gap between them. Its tail swished behind it. Back and forth, while it watched her from the dark.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I hope you find peace, P …" She stopped herself. “I suppose you will go back and be rewarded for this. I do not envy your dreams tonight, but I harbor no ill will.”
The beast padded toward her, one slow step at a time. She took half a step back, then another. She ran into something solid, something metal. Her car.
Her purse fell from her shoulder, hitting the ground,
contents spilling over the slimy pavement. She groped for the door handle, for something to steady herself on.
Tears poured down her face as the beast drew ever nearer. The smell of rotten meat lingered in the air between them. Despite its size, it made almost no sound as it padded toward her.
As she resigned herself to her fate, she sensed a presence in the distance; another witch close by. She sent out a message, begging for help. Would they listen and respond?
Death comes but once for the righteous.
She would face it head on.
She stood erect, barely taller than the car. Her hand brushed against something in her pocket. It called to her, mocking. It wasn’t the right time, the right situation. She thought she had more time to fix this. It might have been able to help her, to help him, but it was too late.
She reached in and grabbed the object. Her hand squeezed its hard edges, making small indents in her skin.
She thought about Kevin and Jeff. The tentative hope on their faces as they took their bags filled her heart with love and caring. She hoped they made it home okay.
The beast lunged for her. She didn't flinch.
Chapter One
It took only a moment for Edna to disappear. Nancy Moon swore under her breath while searching up and down the aisle. That woman is going to be the death of me.
"Edna? Where did you go?"
She blew back the gray hair that flew in her face and abandoned the cart in the aisle, heading toward the front of the supermarket. She rounded the corner and scanned the checkout lines. A middle-aged couple stood in line, the woman rooting through a file folder of coupons. The man glanced up at her briefly before hiding back behind his newspaper. He must have seen the frustration on Nancy’s face. As she passed, she noticed the headline with the latest news: Two More Horrific Deaths Baffle Police.
The recent bizarre deaths were concerning, but Nancy had someone to find.