Haunted by the Holidays

by Kathryn Blanche

  Copyright © 2019 Kathryn Blanche

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronical or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writen form from Kathryn Blanche.

  First published in the United States of America in December 2019 by Kathryn Blanche

  Library of Congress Control Number:

  ISBN: 978-1-7326651-8-7 (Electronic Edition)

  The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Cover Art by: Damonza.com

  Published in the United States of America

  First publication December 2019

  Distributed by Amazon

  Visit www.kathrynblanche.com

  Dedication

  To my readers. Happy Holidays!

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Author’s Note

  Part 1 - The Gift

  Part 2 - Duty Calls

  Part 3 - A Holiday Haunting

  Part 4 -The Dream

  Part 5 - The Surprise

  Part 6 - The Party

  acknowledgments

  Characters

  Worlds

  Can’t wait for the next book?

  About the Author

  Did you know...

  Author’s Note

  Haunted by the Holidays is a novelette that is set between Infiltrated by Demons (Laila of Midgard Book 3) and Hunted by Demons (Laila of Midgard Book 4). This story is from Ali Fiachra’s perspective as she struggles to find balance amidst the chaos of the holidays.

  For a while now, I‘ve considered writing additional short stories or novels that would allow me to expand upon the characters in my Laila of Midgard series, especially the supporting characters. Ali started to open up about her past at the end of book three, so I wanted to take that a step further and show my readers some of her internal struggles.

  When I was outlining the series, I debated setting the fourth book during the holidays but that particular story didn’t seem to fit a holiday theme. I still wanted a chance to explore the holidays with these characters, and so my idea for Haunted by the Holidays was born!

  For those of you who are new to my books, welcome! I encourage you to check out my Laila of Midgard series. To my returning readers—you rock! Happy Holidays to all!

  Part 1 - The Gift

  Ali removed a bucket of cleaning supplies from the cabinet beneath the kitchen sink and plunked it on the counter. She’d already scrubbed the bathrooms until every surface glittered like magical crystals from the other worlds. Now she had the kitchen and living room to clean. It was getting late though, and she still had to buy groceries for tomorrow’s party.

  She glanced at her to-do list then looked around the room at the others. Her sister was scrolling through social media apps on her phone. She was looking particularly edgy with her dark eyeliner, band t-shirt, jeans and a pair of chunky combat boots. It certainly wasn’t a look Ali would try—she preferred bright colors and form-fitting outfits that showed off her curves.

  Sitting at the kitchen table was Frej, one of their housemates. He was also Erin’s tutor. Ali had wasted no time in convincing him to oversee the food preparations for the party tomorrow since he was by far the best cook in the house. He’d borrowed Erin’s computer to research holiday recipes and was scrolling through blogs and flipping through recipe books.

  Ali folded her arms and leaned against the counter, watching her sister. “Hey Erin, do you think you can help me with the kitchen? Please?”

  She gave Erin a look with big puppy-dog eyes as the teenager peered up from her phone.

  “I’ll do it in the morning,” she grumbled, her eyes returning to her phone once more.

  Ali walked over and snatched the device from her sister’s hands. “Do I have to take away the phone? You’ve been glued to it all day. I can’t do all of this work on my own.”

  That earned Ali a death glare.

  She rolled her eyes. “Come on Erin, what’s gotten into you today? Just help me with a few things. We can’t put the decorations up until the house is clean.”

  “I’m going to a concert tonight. I don’t have time for this!” Erin snatched the phone from her sister’s hands before flopping back down on the sofa—the stereotypical teenager.

  Ali groaned. She’d forgotten about the concert. Of all the nights for her sister to be out, why did it have to be the night before Winter Solstice?

  There were only twenty-four hours left before the holiday party, and there was still so much to do. Ali had taken the evening off, but she knew she’d need help from the others if she was going to get through her long to-do list.

  Frej gently plucked the list from Ali’s hands. He towered over her and looked like a character from a movie in his elegant tunic and pants. Unlike the others, he hadn’t taken to wearing Earthly fashions and preferred his clothes from back home.

  “Are you sure about this party, Ali? I mean, it’s not like we haven’t had enough on our plates lately.” He scanned the to-do list.

  Ali folded her arms and gave him a pointed look. “Of course I am. This is Laila’s first holiday season here—yours too for that matter.”

  “Actually, Laila was already in Midgard this time last year,” pointed out Erin in a bored tone. She lounged on the sofa with her hand held out. Flames licked around her fingertips like golden serpents as she played with her magic.

  Ali frowned at her sister. “I doubt she even had the chance to celebrate in D.C., so that doesn’t count. And what have I said about playing with fire inside?”

  Erin rolled her eyes but extinguished the flames all the same. At least she’d listened this time. It had been difficult for Ali to balance both the roles of sister and guardian since their parents’ death, but lately, Erin seemed to have transformed pissing her sister off into an art. It didn’t help that Erin was a Dragon. Not that she had learned to transform into a giant winged lizard yet—Ali thanked the Morrigan for small miracles—but even in her human form, Erin retained the ability to use fire magic. Frej was a Dragon as well and filled the position of Erin’s tutor in all things Dragon-related.

  Frej set the list on the counter with a sigh. “You know we don’t have to do anything extravagant, Laila’s just looking forward to coming home.”

  “I know, but I want it to be special.” Laila wasn’t just another housemate, she was like family. Things hadn’t been the same since she left. Of all people she would think Frej would understand. Then again, his relationship with Laila had been strained when she left.

  Both Ali and Laila worked for the Inter-Realm Security Agency—or IRSA—in Los Angeles. The Supernaturals had saved the humans from a near apocalypse around five years ago. Now the Supernaturals from this world and the others were allowed to openly interact with the humans, and IRSA was the special task force that handled Supernatural-related conflicts.

  A little less than two months ago, Laila left for special magical training. It was imperative that she develop these skills now. Tensions between the human and Supernatural communities were already at an all-time high. Worse still, was the spreading influence of the Demons—a criminal organization from Hell. With the Demons growing bolder each day, they needed all the help they could get.

  Laila’s homecoming wasn’t the only reason Ali was stressing so much. What Ali didn’t tell the others was that this was the first time she’d felt ready to celebr
ate the holidays since her parents had died. Back in Tír na nÓg—the city of the Fae—her mother used to decorate the house and throw magnificent Solstice parties. After the death of her parents, the holiday season was no longer the same. Rather than a joyous time of celebration, it became a painful reminder of how much had been taken from her. In the last year, she’d lost even more—friends and colleagues that had been killed by the Demons.

  This year Ali had been prepared to leave her mother’s prized decorations tucked away in storage once again, but it occurred to her that she no longer felt so alone. Since she’d moved to Earth, so many wonderful people had entered her life. Even though these were dark and dangerous times, it felt like they needed the joy of the holidays more than ever.

  Ali massaged the bridge of her nose. “Look, if we all pitch in, we’ll be ready in no time. Can you two manage dusting and vacuuming?”

  Erin muttered something under her breath before storming out of the room. Ali gave Frej a pained look.

  He placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle the cleaning. I should be able to finish it before taking Erin to the concert.”

  There was no way Ali was letting Erin attend this concert alone, especially since Demons were targeting them. Frej—Morrigan bless him—had agreed to accompany Erin to the concert, but Ali had a feeling he didn’t know what he was getting himself into.

  Ali thanked him before he vanished down the hall in search of Erin.

  “What can I do?” asked a young woman as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

  She had mocha skin, dark brown eyes, and mane of curly, bleached-blond hair. Lyn was a Witch who worked with enchantments and rituals. She became the newest addition to their household after the Demons destroyed her home. In her arms was a black cat purring as she scratched behind his ears. Mr. Whiskers was his name, and he wasn’t really a cat, but a shapeshifting creature called a Bogey trapped in cat form.

  Ali glanced at her list once more, frowning. “I still need groceries and a gift for Laila, but I have no idea what to get her.”

  Ali had put it off for weeks. She’d already found something for the others, but Laila was difficult to shop for. Ali supposed she could give the Elf a gift card, but that seemed sort of impersonal.

  “What did you get her?” she asked the Witch.

  “A leather jacket. I enchanted the pockets with a storage spell so she can keep weapons, supplies, and other gear on hand.” Lyn took a seat at the table as Mr. Whiskers purred loudly.

  Ali sank down in a chair beside Lyn, feeling glum. Of course Lyn came up with some insanely awesome and practical gift! Perhaps she should pay Lyn to enchant something for her, but she wanted a gift that was original.

  Lyn watched Ali closely as if reading her mind. “Sometimes Laila feels homesick. I know this guy who sells exotic plants from Alfheim, maybe you could get her something that reminds her of home?”

  Now that was an idea. Elves loved nature—not that there was much of that here in L.A. It was worth checking out at the very least.

  Mr. Whiskers meowed in protest as Lyn set him on the floor and grabbed the laptop Frej had been using. She typed something into the search bar of the web browser.

  “Looks like his shop’s open. Shall we?”

  Ali hesitated. There was so much to do, but she needed a gift. Frej said he’d handle the cleaning, and Mato would be here soon with the decorations she’d put in storage. It shouldn’t take too long to buy a plant. Then Lyn and Ali could decorate the house while Frej and Erin were out.

  “Okay, let’s go.”

  Twenty minutes later, they were pulling into a parking lot somewhere in the Old City—the portions of the city abandoned after The Event that nearly destroyed humankind. Ali was starting to feel a little skeptical, given the location. Typically, businesses in the Old City were sketchy at best, and more often than not, downright illegal.

  “Am I going to have to arrest this guy for illegal activity?” Ali eyed the partially boarded-up windows.

  Lyn laughed but didn’t answer as she held the door open for Ali. A bell jingled and they entered a small, crowded shop. There were rows of shelves where plants basked beneath lamps of simulated sunlight. The general set up did nothing to ease her suspicions. Why conceal plants indoors unless you wanted to hide them?

  “Ahem,” coughed a short, squat Goblin near a counter as he watched them with shrewd beady eyes. “What do you want?”

  His customer service was lacking, but Ali was on a time crunch, so she got to the point.

  “I’m looking for a gift—it’s for an Elf, something from Alfheim, preferably.”

  His expression remained sour, but he scurried down an aisle. “I don’t have much from Alfheim, but one of these should work.”

  The women followed him down the aisle, scanning the shelves they passed. Ali wasn’t particularly good with plants, but none of these looked like the ones back home. In fact, they looked like ordinary plants from here in Midgard. From Lyn’s frown, Ali suspected she’d reached similar conclusions.

  Lyn wrinkled her nose. “Seriously? Any Witch with half a brain knows these are perfectly ordinary perennials. Where’s the real stuff?”

  The Goblin sighed. “Right then, this way.”

  He waved them through another room that was all but hidden by the shelves and foliage. Immediately she knew they were on the right track. Ali recognized a few of these at least, even if she didn’t know their names. Some were pretty and whimsical, but others were more disturbing. One odd plant was in a locked cage. An unusual odor like rot and decay clung to it, and she had the unsettling feeling that the daffodil-like blossom turned to face her as she crossed the room. Even from a distance, she could see the razor-sharp teeth.

  That must have been why he was so reluctant to show them the back room. That was a flesh-eating plant from one of the other worlds. They were definitely illegal without special permits, and those were typically only given for scientific research.

  “These are quite popular in Elven gardens I hear,” said the Goblin, interrupting her thoughts.

  She turned away from the flesh-eating plant as he held out a tray of tiny carpet roses for her to inspect. They were a lovely shade of teal, or at least they would have been if they weren’t half dead. In fact, most of the plants in this room were slightly wilted. Maybe it was the fake sunlight or the lack of magic in this world. Whatever the cause, she couldn’t give Laila a half-dead gift.

  Something glittering in the corner caught Ali’s attention, and she was drawn to a lovely orchid-like plant with pale blossoms. They glowed gently like moonbeams, and she knew this was the perfect gift. She took a step closer, awestruck.

  The Goblin planted himself between Ali and the shelf. “That one’s not for sale.”

  “What?” She blinked at him, taken aback.

  “You heard me.” He started to shoo her away, but Ali held her ground.

  “Everything has a price.” She gave him a disarming smile and reached out to caress his cheek, hitting him with a wave of charm magic. The Goblin was caught off-guard, and relaxed as the charm magic lowered his barriers. It was one of the perks of being Fae. Ali’s magic could bewitch the senses and perceptions of others. It could be incredibly persuasive.

  “What do you say?” she coaxed, giving him a little pout.

  The Goblin looked from the plant to Ali and back, torn. “Two-hundred dollars and it’s yours.”

  Lyn choked behind Ali who faltered. Two-hundred dollars for a stupid houseplant? What was so damn special about it? She was running out of time though, Laila would be here in twenty-four hours.

  “How about one-hundred?” Ali batted her eyelashes and added a little extra charm magic.

  “I—” He stopped and shook his head, glaring at her. “Two-hundred. Take it or leave it.”

  Damn it! Ali swore internally as he broke th
rough her charm spell. For some reason, she’d always struggled to keep Goblins under her influence. Perhaps they had a stronger immunity to it. In any case, it was time to take a different approach.

  She folded her arms. “How about fifty and I don’t write you up for that illegal flesh-eating plant?”

  She flashed him her IRSA badge and nodded to the plant in the cage.

  The Goblin’s face paled and he opened his mouth several times. “Deal.”

  Ali gave him a wolfish grin as he snatched the orchid from the shelf and carried it back to the cash register in the first room, grumbling all the while. She passed him the money while he continued to glower at her.

  He cautiously slid the plant across the table. “Be careful with this! They’re extremely rare and delicate. Water it once a day and handle it with care, otherwise, it’ll wilt.”

  “Will do,” Ali replied cheerfully.

  She headed towards the door with her gift in hand. Lyn appeared behind her with the caged plant.

  “What are you doing with that? Put it back!” spluttered the Goblin.

  Lyn raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t think we’d leave a dangerous entity like this for you to sell, did you? No papers, no plant, dude.”

  The Goblin looked ready to spontaneously combust as his temper rose.

  “Can you show us the papers?”

  He shook his head and muttered something incoherent.

  Ali sighed. “You’re getting off with a warning. Next time I stop by this place and find a dangerous species like that, you’ll be facing a fine, and possibly jail time.” He was lucky she wasn’t in a mood to deal with this right now.

  He still looked irate but nodded all the same.

  The women left the shop and carefully placed the plants in the back seat. Lyn cringed as the flesh-eating plant snapped at her.

  “Now I have to figure out what to do with that thing,” groaned Ali as she climbed into the driver’s seat.

  “Destroy it. Nothing good ever comes of flesh-eating plants.” Lyn made a face.