Fang and Claw

by Markie Madden

  “Too many lately,” she responded ruefully. “But I hope to be able to sleep well tonight.”

  “You and me both, sister.” He said this with a chuckle. Colton had pegged her with the ‘sister’ moniker after the incident on the roof, saying that his saving her life meant that she was now part of his pack, and vice versa. It was a quiet running joke they usually used to ease a tense moment. Even though she gave him a small smile, she knew the humor didn’t reach her eyes, and she was still jittery from nerves. He stopped her just as she reached the building’s outer doors, grabbing her hand and squeezing for a brief moment. They walked in together, partners, shoulder-to-shoulder, a wall of solidarity.

  The courtroom was once again filled to capacity. Jenessa was already at her place at the front of the room, but Joe met them as they stepped into the room. Lacey searched his face, knowing that he would have no more idea as to the jury’s verdict than anyone else in the room. She was trying to gauge by his expression what he thought the outcome might be, but he was an experienced lawyer and his face revealed nothing. Remind me to never play poker with him! The random thought flitted through her mind. He shook both their hands and opened his mouth to speak, but obviously thought better of it.

  They took their accustomed seat right behind the railing, while Joe settled himself next to Jenessa. Blyge was brought in by his usual attendants, and the room got quiet. The next thing Lacey knew, the bailiff was bringing in the jury; then, he announced, “All rise!” Judge Garfield walked in, looking regal and somber in his judge’s robes. The shuffle of feet on the floor followed as everyone sat down.

  “Madam Foreperson, has the jury reached a verdict?” The judge looked directly at one of the jurors, a Vampire of indeterminate years.

  “We have, Your Honor,” she replied, handing a creased sheet of paper to the bailiff, who carried it dutifully to the judge. It was a credit to his years as a prosecutor and then a judge that the man’s face betrayed no hint of emotion as he read the verdict. Then, folding it neatly once more, he nodded to the bailiff.

  “The defendant shall rise!” Blyge’s group of attorneys was quick to jump to their feet, but the man himself glared at the judge, prompting the bailiff to take a few menacing steps in his direction. The Skinwalker seemed to think better of tangling with the court officer, and slowly got to his feet. But the sneer remained, even when the judge gestured to the jury.

  The female Vampire had remained standing, being perfectly still as only Vampires could, and she was ready at the judge’s signal. She faced Blyge squarely, and with no inflection in her voice, read off the verdict. “We the jury find the defendant Jason Blyge, AKA Blaze Sherman, guilty of all charges.”

  The courtroom erupted with cheers. Judge Garfield was forced to slam his gavel down on the bench several times to bring the room to some semblance of order. When it finally quieted enough for his voice to be heard, he declared, “Jason Blyge, also known as Blaze Sherman, you’ve been convicted guilty by a jury of your peers. You are being remanded back to city jail until the 17th of next month, when your sentence will be established. Court is adjourned.” And once more, he slammed his gavel down on the bench with the loud crack of a slamming door.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Lacey was more than happy to be buying the first round of drinks for her team of one, which had inexplicably turned to a party of three with Joe joining them. They met up at the Crimson Goblet after leaving the courthouse following the jury’s guilty verdict.

  “So, Joe,” Lacey began after they’d clinked their beer bottles together in a victory toast. “This has to be one of the biggest cases you’ve ever worked?”

  He took a generous swig of his dark lager. “Biggest ever worked, and won!” He proclaimed it with a huge grin.

  “Well yeah, but technically you didn’t win it,” Colton pointed out with a crooked sneer. “Your boss did!”

  “Spoil sport.” Joe’s voice was only half serious.

  “You get used to him.” Lacey poked her partner in the ribs.

  “Anyway, nice job, both of you.” Joe saluted them with his bottle.

  “All in a day’s work,” Lacey responded. Colton just grunted.

  “Hey, tell me about this new case you’re on. Sounds like something really odd is going on around here.”

  “I’m really not certain yet.” Lacey was pensive as she considered their newest case. “People are definitely off their rocker, that’s for sure.”

  “I can tell you that road rage cases have gone up something like two hundred percent,” Colton spoke up.

  “It’s as if all manners, all decorum of civilization has been stripped away. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say somebody was spreading around the Zombie fungus.”

  “I’ve noticed the same thing!” Joe agreed, thumping his beer on the table. “People acting just so...spaced out. Think it’s a new drug?”

  “I don’t know.” Lacey spoke with conviction. “But I’m going to get to the bottom of it.”

  Immortal Species

  Immortal Species List

  Fang and Claw

  A brief explanation of species introduced in this book.

  Zombie--certain humans carry the zombie gene, and can pass it on to their offspring, often not knowing they have it. The gene only activates if a human carrying the gene dies before their natural time (from an accident, a crime, etc.). Once the gene is active, it causes a normal skin fungus to run rampant in their bodies. Then, they will turn after being buried and force their way from their coffins. Humans carrying the gene who die of natural causes will not rise again.

  Shifter--They can turn into an animal at will. Each shifter has only one animal he/she can become. Often, their animal has an influence on their personality and chosen career. They are similar to Wolves but have far fewer anger issues. Their usual appearance is quite indistinguishable from human.

  Reaper--This species originated with survivors of the Black Plague, and now each potential Reaper is born with a distinctive hourglass-shaped birthmark somewhere on their bodies. Reapers are especially long-lived (though not completely Immortal), and a Reaper will choose their replacement when their own time is near. They are often thin and gaunt with pale skin and can be found in medical professions. They get their energy/nourishment from “harvesting” souls and releasing them into the afterlife.

  Skinwalker--A Skinwalker can take on the physical appearance of anyone it has come into contact with (called “copying”), and when it does, it sheds its old skin like a snake, leaving behind bits of skin and clear goo. It does have a base appearance it is born with, a mixture of its two parents. Usually bearded, if male, and typically have longer, darker body hair than humans.

  Coming Soon!

  Turn the page for a sneak peek at Souls of the Reaper, book two in the Undead Unit Series!!

  Prologue

  He gazed past the reflection of himself in the dark, full-length window, watching the city lights below flickering through the drops of rain rolling down the smooth glass. Though it was winter, the temperature rarely dropped to freezing, and when it did, it never stayed there for long. As a result, most of their precipitation fell as rain instead of snow, except for the occasional ice storm that passed through every decade or so and left behind a city glittering under its crystals. Classical symphony music played softly as he bobbed his head in time with the beat.

  A quiet, feminine moan drew his attention from the window, and he turned to look at the woman on the bed. Her wrists were tied securely to the bedposts, and her head rolled restlessly on the soft pillow, perhaps reacting to some dream or hallucination brought on by the drug he had slipped into the wine earlier. After a moment, she stilled again, her voluptuous body relaxing under the thin sheet. He clasped his hands together in anticipation. This was going to be fun.

  He went to the small table next to the bed and reached into the antique black bag. It had belonged to a doctor over two hundred years ago, and was an affectation that amused him. The ca
se also allowed him to carry his supplies, keeping them in easy reach, and so it served a practical purpose as well. He was, after all, a practical sort of man. He withdrew a syringe and a vial of clear liquid. He drew an old watch from his pocket, glanced at its white face, and smiled. She was almost ready. He tucked the watch back into his pocket, causing the thin gold chain hanging from a belt loop to dance and catch the muted light.

  The drug he had given the woman had easily rendered her unconscious, and he had carried her to the bedroom to make his preparations. But what he needed was to catch her at that brief moment just before she returned to awareness. Then he would give her the Valium that would erase her short-term memory of him, and do what he was there to do. When the woman woke, she might have a massive headache, but she would have no idea of what had transpired.

  He measured the exact amount of sedative for her body weight. It had taken him a long time to perfect his routine, to determine the correct dosage of each drug so that he could do what he did as efficiently and quietly as possible. He had carefully tested this technique on various homeless people in the heart of the city, and, over time, as medical science had improved, so had the efficacy of the drugs. He was ready. Nothing would stop him from carrying out his plan. He turned to his victim and expertly inserted the needle into a vein on her outstretched arm.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Marguerite Madden, called Markie by friends and family, was born August 19, 1975, in Midland, Texas. She grew up in the small town of Flushing, Michigan. While in high school, she took creative writing and was a photographer for the school newspaper. In 1993, she won the National Quill and Scroll Society award for best photo in a high school paper. She began writing her first novel, Once Upon a Western Way, while still attending school.

  Markie is now married with two teenage daughters, three rescue dogs, and her horse, Athena, who is featured on the cover of her horse care guide, Keeping a Backyard Horse. She tried many times over the years to publish her novel, first on her own, and then hiring a literary agent, all without success. In early 2012, after getting her first smart phone and e-reader application, Nook, she discovered the world of self-publishing through a website called Smashwords. She finally published Once Upon a Western Way through this distributor in April, 2012.

  In the late spring of 2013, Markie came down with a mysterious illness, which was ultimately diagnosed as leukemia (AML specifically). She underwent a rigorous treatment of chemotherapy, during which, at one point, her life was endangered. While she was hospitalized, an old high school friend who is also a published author reconnected with her. Since cancer and the treatment of cancer forced her out of the traditional workforce, Markie turned her attention back to the world of writing.

  By December of 2014, Markie was the successful publisher of three books, her first published work, Once Upon a Western Way, now available in print as well as e-format, as well as a self-help guide to horse care, Keeping a Backyard Horse, available in print and e-format, and her cancer memoir, My Butterfly Cancer, available in print, e-format, and audiobook. Her other two will soon be available in audiobook format as well. Markie has founded Metamorph Publishing, in order to publish her own books, and she is now working with two other independent authors as well.

  Currently, Markie lives in the small town of Fisk, Missouri, with her family, her dogs, and her horse. She is still writing and is working on a crime/paranormal series called The Undead Unit Series. Book one of the series, Fang and Claw, is expected to be available October 16, 2015. The second book of the series, Souls of the Reaper, is expected out in 2016, along with a thriller novel entitled Cured Delusions. You can find her at her website: https://metamorphpublishing.com.

  Places online where you can find Markie Madden or her publishing company, Metamorph Publishing.

  Official Website: https://metamorphpublishing.com

  The Undead Unit Series Home Page: https://metamorphpublishing.com/the-undead-unit-series/

  Square Store: https://squareup.com/market/metamorph-publishing

  Zazzle Store: http://www.zazzle.com/metamorphpublishing*

  Official Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/booksbymarkie

  Facebook A-List Street Team: https://m.facebook.com/groups/873491482694797

  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/metamorphpublishing

  Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Naddya819

  Twitter @naddya81975

  PRLog: http://biz.prlog.org/metamorphpublishing/

  Scribophile: http://www.scribophile.com/authors/marguerite-madden

  About.me: http://www.about.me/marguerite_madden

  GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/httpsgoodreadscommarkie_madden

  Google+ personal: https://plus.google.com/+103793638053436988384

  Google+ business: https://plus.google.com/+metamorphpublishingMP

  Reddit: http://www.reddit.com/user/naddya819

  Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/naddya81975

  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaDYw5Ocjq3zynC7LTOwXUw

  OR: https://www.youtube.com/c/MarkieMaddenMetamorphPublishing

  Photobucket: http://s1368.photobucket.com/user/naddya81975/profile/

  Instagram: http://instagram.com/naddya81975/

  StumbleUpon: http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/naddya81975

  Booksie: http://booksie.com/MarkieMadden

  Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/MetamorphPublishing

  Tumblr: http://www.metamorphpublishing.tumblr.com/

  Bublish: http://www.bublish.com/author/view/4606

  Storify: https://storify.com/81919752014

  Authorgraph: https://www.authorgraph.com/authors/naddya81975

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Amazon Author Page: http://geni.us/3ZSX

  Google Play/Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/author?id=Markie+Madden

  Where to find all of Markie’s books:

  Amazon Kindle (These are worldwide smart links to the correct Amazon store.)

  My Butterfly Cancer: http://geni.us/46PE

  Once Upon a Western Way: http://geni.us/26Fb

  Keeping a Backyard Horse: http://geni.us/47ot

  Amazon Paperbacks (These are worldwide smart links to the correct Amazon store.)

  My Butterfly Cancer http://geni.us/3Xdr

  Once Upon a Western Way http://geni.us/42VB

  Keeping a Backyard Horse http://geni.us/33pV

  Amazon Audiobooks (These are worldwide smart links to the correct Amazon store.)

  My Butterfly Cancer: http://geni.us/1YmH

  Once Upon a Western Way: http://geni.us/3wqA

  Keeping a Backyard Horse: http://geni.us/1E3Z

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  ITunes (E-books)

  Once Upon a Western Way: http://geni.us/3hAS

  Keeping a Backyard Horse: http://geni.us/2JjC

  My Butterfly Cancer: http://geni.us/OIW

  Fang and Claw: http://geni.us/40i

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Audible Audiobooks

  My Butterfly Cancer: http://geni.us/41uG

  Once Upon a Western Way: http://geni.us/1rE0

  Keeping a Backyard Horse: http://geni.us/1uvK

  iTunes Audiobooks

  My Butterfly Cancer: http://geni.us/XL3

  Once Upon a Western Way: http://geni.us/10Gz

  Keeping a Backyard Horse: http://geni.us/1upO

  Amazon Audiobooks

  My Butterfly Cancer: http://geni.us/1YmH

  Once Upon a Western Way: http://geni.us/3wqA

  Keeping a Backyard Horse: http://geni.us/1E3Z

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Barnes and Noble

  My Butterfly Cancer http://geni.us/1SO1

  Once Upon a Western Way http://geni.us/3vxt

  Keeping a Backyard Horse http://geni.us/2ilf

  Nook

  My Butterfly Cancer: http://geni.us/CXf

  Once Upon a Western Way: http://geni.us/2UvB

  Keeping a Backyar
d Horse: http://geni.us/3y6y

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  CreateSpace

  My Butterfly Cancer http://geni.us/1cOh

  Once Upon a Western Way http://geni.us/1Knb

  Keeping a Backyard Horse http://geni.us/oea

  Fang and Claw: http://geni.us/2sw6

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Google Books

  My Butterfly Cancer: http://geni.us/2geb

  Once Upon a Western Way: http://geni.us/Jl9

  Keeping a Backyard Horse: http://geni.us/ltv

  Fang and Claw: http://geni.us/40b

  Google Play

  My Butterfly Cancer: http://geni.us/30jb

  Once Upon a Western Way: http://geni.us/1VBo

  Keeping a Backyard Horse: http://geni.us/3wSi

  Fang and Claw: http://geni.us/3XfW

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Kobo Books

  My Butterfly Cancer: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/my-butterfly-cancer

  Once Upon a Western Way: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/once-upon-a-western-way

  Keeping a Backyard Horse: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/keeping-a-backyard-horse

  Fang and Claw: http://geni.us/48pJ

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Smashwords

  My Butterfly Cancer http://geni.us/1MRP

  Once Upon a Western Way http://geni.us/81v

  Keeping a Backyard Horse http://geni.us/3wT

  Fang and Claw: http://geni.us/h7H

  For other retailers or formats, visit Metamorph Publishing at http://geni.us/NxP or https://metamorphpublishing.com

  Where to find all of Markie’s books:

  (For other retailers, visit Metamorph Publishing)

  Amazon Kindle (These are worldwide smart links to the correct Amazon store.)

  My Butterfly Cancer

  Once Upon a Western Way

  Keeping a Backyard Horse