Karma Girl

by Jennifer Estep

  THE BIGTIME SERIES

  by

  Jennifer Estep

  Karma Girl – Book One

  Hot Mama – Book Two

  Jinx – Book Three

  A Karma Girl Christmas – Holiday Story

  Nightingale – Book Four

  THE BIGTIME SERIES

  Karma Girl

  Copyright © 2007, 2011, 2012, and 2013 by Jennifer Estep

  Hot Mama

  Copyright © 2007, 2011, 2012, and 2013 by Jennifer Estep

  Jinx

  Copyright © 2008, 2011, 2012, and 2013 Jennifer Estep

  A Karma Girl Christmas

  Copyright © 2011, 2012, and 2013 by Jennifer Estep

  Nightingale

  Copyright © 2012, 2013 by Jennifer Estep

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual or fictional characters or actual or fictional events, locales, business establishments, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The fictional characters in this story have no relation to any other fictional characters, except those in works by this author.

  All rights reserved by the author.

  Author’s Digital Edition

  ISBN: 978-0-9884232-9-9

  Cover Art by The Killion Group

  Digital Formatting by Author E.M.S.

  KARMA GIRL – BOOK ONE

  Investigative reporter Carmen Cole gets the surprise of her life on her wedding day when she discovers that her fiancé and best friend are sleeping together—and that the two of them are her town’s resident superhero and ubervillain. Shocked and hurt, Carmen reveals their secret identities and then decides to devote her life to unmasking every superhero and ubervillain who crosses her path.

  A series of successful unmaskings lands Carmen a job at The Exposé, one of the biggest newspapers in Bigtime, New York, a city that’s full of superheroes and ubervillains. Carmen is in her element—until she gets kidnapped by the Terrible Triad, Bigtime’s most dangerous ubervillain team.

  The Triad orders Carmen to uncover the secret identity of Striker, the leader of the Fearless Five, Bigtime’s most popular superhero team—or else they’ll drop her in a vat of radioactive goo. With that threat hanging over her, Carmen sets out to unmask Striker, but what she doesn’t count on is falling for the sexy superhero. But with the Terrible Triad lurking around, this is one story that just might be the death of her....

  HOT MAMA – BOOK TWO

  Fiona Fine is the hottest fashion designer in Bigtime, N.Y.—literally. That’s because she moonlights as Fiera, a superhero with superstrength and volatile, fire-based powers. As Fiera, she’s also a member of the Fearless Five, the city’s most powerful and popular superhero team.

  However, Fiona’s been through a lot lately, including the death of her fiancé, who was murdered by an ubervillain. But Fiona is ready to move on with her life, so it seems like good karma when she meets sexy businessman Johnny Bulluci at a friend’s wedding.

  But Fiona has little time to think of love thanks to Siren and Intelligal—the city’s newest ubervillains who crash the wedding and then go on a citywide crime spree. Fiona doesn’t know exactly what the ubervillains are up to, but if she doesn’t figure it out, she’s the one who just might go up in flames this time....

  JINX – BOOK THREE

  Thanks to her unwanted superpower, fashion designer Bella Bulluci may be the luckiest woman in Bigtime, N.Y. But luck can be good or bad, and it seems like just as many embarrassing things happen to Bella as do positive ones.

  Like when a charity event that Bella plans get crashed by Hangman, a deadly ubervillain who’s after a prize sapphire that’s on display. Hangman almost succeeds in stealing the jewel for his evil ubervillain boss, Prism, but Bella’s luck helps her escape with the sapphire—along with some help from the suave and charming Debonair.

  Debonair’s not an ubervillain, but he’s not really a superhero either. Still, Bella can’t help but fall for him, despite her personal vow to have as little to do with heroes and villains as possible. But with Hangman and Prism still after the sapphire, Bella’s going to need every bit of her luck power just to survive....

  A KARMA GIRL CHRISTMAS – HOLIDAY STORY

  It’s Christmastime in Bigtime, New York, but society reporter Carmen Cole isn’t in the mood to celebrate since her husband, Sam, has to go on a business trip and might not make it home for the holiday. But Carmen has plenty to keep her busy, since she moonlights as Karma Girl, a member of the Fearless Five superhero team.

  On Christmas Eve, Carmen, as Karma Girl, is assigned to guard toys, clothes, food, and more that are intended for needy children and their families. But an ubervillain also has his eye on the toys and plans to steal and then sell them to the highest bidder. Carmen will have to use all her empathic powers just to stay alive, not to mention make sure Christmas is a happy one for all the kids who are counting on her. It’s all in a night’s work for a superhero....

  NIGHTINGALE – BOOK FOUR

  Anxious brides. Drunken businessmen. Panicked partygoers. As Bigtime, New York’s premiere event planner, Abby Appleby is capable of handling almost any crisis, but even she’s not prepared when she finds herself in the middle of a fight between superhero Talon and his ubervillain nemesis Bandit. Abby manages to save Talon, but the superhero is temporarily blinded, so she takes him back to her loft, where the two wait out a snowstorm. During a blizzard that shuts down the city, Abby and Talon grow close, and he starts calling her Nightingale because of her love of music and singing.

  But Abby is afraid of what Talon will think when he can see the real her, so she conceals her identity from the sexy superhero, and they go their separate ways. However, Abby discovers that Talon is looking for Nightingale, looking for her—and so is Bandit. The mercenary ubervillain thinks that Abby has information that belongs to his boss, the mysterious Tycoon. Abby knows that she’s in serious trouble and that not even Talon—or the Fearless Five—may be able to save her....

  Dedication

  To all the fans of the Bigtime series, thank you. This is for you.

  KARMA GIRL – BOOK ONE

  Investigative reporter Carmen Cole gets the surprise of her life on her wedding day when she discovers that her fiancé and best friend are sleeping together—and that the two of them are her town’s resident superhero and ubervillain. Shocked and hurt, Carmen reveals their secret identities and then decides to devote her life to unmasking every superhero and ubervillain who crosses her path.

  A series of successful unmaskings lands Carmen a job at The Exposé, one of the biggest newspapers in Bigtime, New York, a city that’s full of superheroes and ubervillains. Carmen is in her element—until she gets kidnapped by the Terrible Triad, Bigtime’s most dangerous ubervillain team.

  The Triad orders Carmen to uncover the secret identity of Striker, the leader of the Fearless Five, Bigtime’s most popular superhero team—or else they’ll drop her in a vat of radioactive goo. With that threat hanging over her, Carmen sets out to unmask Striker, but what she doesn’t count on is falling for the sexy superhero. But with the Terrible Triad lurking around, this is one story that just might be the death of her....

  Dedication

  To my mom. Thanks for taking me to the library all those Saturdays. You’ve given me more than you will ever know.

  And to my grandma. Thanks for just being you and for making the best fried chicken and biscuits in the world.

  I love you both more than words can say.

  PART ONE

  BEGINNINGS

  Chapter One

  My wedding day.

  It was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. A tim
e of joy and celebration and new beginnings. The day every girl dreams of from the time she’s old enough to play dress-up in her mother’s clothes.

  It wasn’t that sort of day at all.

  I stalked up and down the narrow hotel room. My hellish high-heeled shoes poked holes in the thick carpet and rubbed hot blisters on my aching feet. My white tulle dress rustled with every step I took.

  Something was wrong. Very wrong.

  I’d had the feeling for weeks now that something just wasn’t quite right between me and my fiancé, Matt Marion. He’d been distant lately, distracted. We’d been together more than two years now, and I loved Matt with all my heart. But his odd behavior was enough to make the most trusting woman suspicious. I’d asked Matt many times if anything was wrong, if he had cold feet and wanted to postpone the wedding, but he’d repeatedly assured me that everything was fine.

  Matt had been working lots of overtime at his construction job and had all sorts of unexplained bruises and scratches on his body. He’d blamed his frequent absences and injuries on work, but I couldn’t quite shake this cold sense of dread deep down in my stomach. Doubts whispered in my mind. I’d learned long ago to listen to my inner voice. Following my instincts was the reason I’d become the top investigative reporter at the Beginnings Bugle, the town newspaper.

  I wasn’t about to ignore my instincts now. I couldn’t get married with this doubt hanging over me. I had to ask Matt one more time what was bothering him.

  I grabbed my cell phone, slipped out of my hotel room, and made my way to the elevator. It had been Matt’s idea to get married at Forever Inn, the most romantic hotel in all of Beginnings, Tennessee. Weddings took place on a daily basis at the four-star hotel, so no one batted an eye when I crowded into the elevator in my billowing dress and sparkling diamond tiara.

  I rode up to the next floor and walked to Matt’s room. It was bad luck—bad karma—for the bride and groom to see each other before the wedding, but I had to talk to Matt. My inner voice wouldn’t shut up until I did.

  I raised my hand to knock. A low, muffled moan escaped through the thick, wooden door. Was Matt hurt? I frowned and inserted my key card, the one I had in case of an emergency. The door opened, and I stepped inside.

  “Yes, Yes, YES!!!!” a woman screamed out from deeper in the room.

  Oh. That’s what that sound was. Someone was having a little afternoon delight. Good for them. I turned to give the enthusiastic couple their privacy when reality hit me.

  Why was someone having sex in Matt’s room? He should have been in there, getting ready for his wedding, which was only thirty minutes away. His wedding to me.

  I froze. A ball of ice formed in the pit of my stomach. I wasn’t going to like what I was about to see, I just knew it, but I couldn’t stop myself. I tiptoed to the doorframe, so that I remained hidden from view, and peeked into the bedroom.

  Karen Crush, my best friend since the fourth grade, was straddling Matt, my oh-so-faithful fiancé, who was perched on the edge of the bed. Karen’s pale blue bridesmaid’s dress was bunched around her waist, exposing her lean legs. Matt’s pants pooled around his ankles. A lacy thong sat crumpled beside the bed, along with some other pieces of blue and red fabric.

  Karen flipped her black curls over her shoulder and threw her head back in pure bliss. The ecstatic look on Matt’s face told me he was thoroughly enjoying himself as well. The bastard.

  My world spun. Sharp pains pierced my chest, as though someone had stabbed me with a butcher knife. Twice. Hot tears welled up in my eyes and trickled down my face. My knees shook. My legs threatened to buckle. Now, I knew what had been so wrong. Why Matt had been so distant. This one moment, this horrible sight, made it all so clear. So painfully clear. Love, friendship, humanity in general. My faith in those was gone. Obliterated by the two people I loved most in the world.

  Matt and Karen expressed more cries of pleasure, oblivious to me. To my pain.

  The sounds shattered my heart into a thousand sharp, jagged pieces. Each one cut me like a razor. I wanted to run out the door, to cry my eyes out, to sob and scream until I was hoarse from both. But a flash of bright blue underneath Matt’s unbuttoned shirt caught my eye. I squinted through my cascading tears. It looked like...spandex.

  Spandex?

  “Oooh, I love it when you kiss my neck like that.” A giggle escaped from Karen’s perfect, heart-shaped lips.

  I loved it when Matt kissed my neck like that too. Anger bubbled up in my chest like a volcano about to explode. I swiped away my hot tears and straightened my spine. I wasn’t going to run. Not from the two of them. Not until I had some answers.

  Karen ran her hands down Matt’s broad chest. Her long nails zipped along the fabric like scissors. She ripped his shirt open the rest of the way, revealing a blue spandex suit with a giant red M on the chest.

  My mouth dropped open.

  “Oh, baby. You drive me crazy!” Matt yanked Karen’s dress down to her waist, exposing a lingerie-like red bustier beneath. A yellow C stretched across her heaving chest.

  I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. But it was real—I would have known those costumes anywhere. Molten lava flowed through my veins, burning away everything but my all-consuming rage. My bubbling volcano of anger erupted with a scream of epic proportions. “Sonofabitch!”

  Matt and Karen froze. Their heads snapped around to the doorway. Matt swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. Karen’s eyes widened. For an instant, I wondered what they were more upset about—that someone had caught them cheating or discovered their other precious secret. I didn’t care either way. They’d both betrayed me.

  My anger roared back, stronger than before, and I marched into the room. My hands balled into fists. My body rattled with rage. Even my wedding dress twitched with fury.

  “Carmen! I…I can explain—”

  I threw up my hand, cutting off Matt’s pitiful attempt. “You’re the Machinator?”

  Matt sighed. He ran his fingers—the ones that weren’t latched on to my best friend’s exposed ass—through his blond hair. “I didn’t want you to find out this way, Carmen.”

  “Oh no? When were you going to tell me you’re Beginnings’ own personal superhero? After we said I do? Maybe on our first anniversary? Or perhaps when our kids were in college? Or maybe right after you told me about sleeping with my best friend. On our wedding day.”

  “It’s not his fault, Carmie,” Karen said, her brown eyes big and earnest. “He wanted to tell you. We both did. About everything.”

  Carmie? I glared at my former best friend. She still had the nerve to call me that childish nickname even when she had her legs wrapped around my fiancé like he was a race horse and she was a jockey. The bitch. I wanted to rip her limb from limb. After I finished with Matt. “And you’re his archenemy, Crusher? The ubervillain of Beginnings?”

  Karen nodded.

  I rubbed my fingers over my throbbing temples. It was all too much to take in.

  Sure, every town in the world had its own personal superhero, someone who showed up whenever the train ran off the tracks and wouldn’t stop. Or whenever there was a natural disaster that threatened to kill hundreds of people. Or even whenever little Timmy fell down a well and needed rescuing. Naturally, every town also had its own personal ubervillain, someone who wanted to rule supreme.

  Beginnings was no different. We had the Machinator, a man who could control mechanical objects with his mind. The town’s ubervillain was Crusher, a woman of unbelievable strength who could break metal bars with her teeth and crush diamonds in her hand. The two were constantly at odds, with Crusher continually coming up with some wild scheme to either (a) take over Beginnings, (b) kill the Machinator, or (c) both. Usually, the Machinator would be put in grave danger before miraculously escaping to foil Crusher’s latest scheme. But Crusher always got away, or soon broke out of whatever high-security, supposedly inescapable ubervillain prison the authorities stuck her in. She’d come back to Begin
nings, and the cycle would repeat itself, ad nauseam.

  And the whole time, I’d never known the two of them were my fiancé and my best friend.

  Never even suspected. Never had the slightest clue.

  I’d been such a complete, total fool.

  Some reporter I was. All the classic signs had been there. Matt’s many bruises and injuries, his late nights and odd hours. Karen’s long, strange absences from town and uncanny ability to open any jar, despite her petite size. The pieces clicked together in my mind like a jigsaw puzzle. The two of them must have spent hours laughing at my stupidity and nivet and trusting nature. When they weren’t having hot, superhero sex, that is.

  My fiancé and best friend were sleeping together and hiding their secret identities from me. I didn’t know which betrayal hurt worse. Or which made me angrier.

  “How long has this been going on? I would think given your...extracurricular activities that sleeping together would be out of the question.” I spat out the words. They left a foul, bitter taste in my mouth.

  “Well, it’s actually a funny story.” Matt laughed in a vain effort to lighten the mood.

  I crossed my arms over my chest, and his half-hearted chuckle died on his lips. Too bad he didn’t follow suit.

  “Anyway, we were down at the old abandoned mill a couple of months ago, doing the usual epic battle, you know, explosions and danger and stuff, when Crusher, er, Karen, reached out and grabbed me. All this radioactive waste was leaking everywhere, and it was making us both feel really strange, and we just sort of kissed and...”