Magic, New Mexico: A Touch of Harmony (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Evelyn Lederman

  Chase was not going to discuss Pati’s comment and sat at the table to watch Prue finish preparing lunch. A sideward glance in his best friend’s direction proved her attention had shifted to their mutual friend, as well.

  Prue shoved the chicken and bacon into the bowl and proceeded to toss the salad. She served her two friends before sitting to join them. Prue was a powerful mage and was engaged to an alien from the planet Glacier. Like Danyal, Chase enjoyed spending time with Dreyden. Both men complemented his best friends.

  “Tell us about your last date,” Pati asked, barely disguising her excitement. “Cheri is gorgeous and is adapting well to this dimension. You two would make a striking couple. It is amazing how many of Danyal’s former pride have decided to live in Magic. A jaguar shifter would be powerful enough to satisfy your wolf.”

  Chase let out a heavy sigh. He was not going to escape without having this particular conversation. “I think girl is a better way to describe Cheri. I felt like I was babysitting, not on a date. She is barely eighteen. Besides, she can’t stand the way I smell, which she made abundantly clear. There is absolutely no future there.”

  Jaguar shifters from the other dimension couldn’t tolerate the smell of wolf shifters. Chase assumed werewolves had to be distant cousins, based on her reaction to him. The girl refused to take air in through her nose and continually tried to talk while breathing through her mouth. When Cheri was forced to breathe through her nose, she had a coughing fit. He had grown up with jaguar shifters and none of them behaved as Cheri had. For goodness sake, Pati was one-quarter jaguar shifter.

  “Well, I guess that was a mistake,” Pati admitted. “She’s just so cute.”

  He took a bite of his salad. The dressing was sweet and the bacon salty; his taste buds rejoiced. Although he would have preferred steak, the chicken was perfectly cooked. One of these days, he was going to have to invest in an inside grill, like the one Prue had.

  “What about your date with Bernice?” Prue asked.

  It still felt odd talking about females with his first crush. She had grown into a beautiful woman. Prue still had alluring milk chocolate colored eyes and golden brown hair. Red highlights shimmered in the artificial light. He imagined he would ultimately end up with someone who looked similar to Prue. Certainly not Bernice.

  “She’s old enough to be my mother,” Chase claimed. “The last thing I want to be reminded of when I am on a date is the woman who gave birth to me.”

  Chase’s mother had been a tourist who had a torrid affair with his father. She returned ten months after she left Magic and presented her former lover with his son. At that point, his mother disappeared from his life.

  His father didn’t want to alter his life taking in a baby, but Magic’s ruling council demanded he do so. When Chase was an adolescent and changed into his wolf for the first time, any question about his paternity ended. His father passed away eight years ago, leaving Chase the house.

  “You cannot claim Deborah was too young or too old,” Pati added defensively. “I thought she looked perfect when she walked into the store. She was lovely.”

  “I can’t disagree with you,” Chase admitted, but had more to share with his failed matchmakers. “Deborah was lovely on the outside. However, after three racial slurs in under an hour, she is the last person who can make a life here in Magic. Tourists come and go, Deborah needs to leave and never return. We can’t afford for someone like her to learn the secrets surrounding Magic.”

  The town of Magic, New Mexico, was founded in the seventeen hundreds by a group of supernatural beings who wished to escape the persecution common place in Europe and other parts of the world. In Magic, they could live without fear of being burned, staked, or a variety of other horrible ways to die. A spell covering the city made all the beings in the community appear human.

  “So, you are going to continue to lock yourself in your cellar each month during the full moon?” Prue asked incredulously.

  A werewolf’s sexual drive was uncontrollable during the full moon and the subsequent two nights. He was a danger to every woman and living soul in town if he didn’t take precautions to isolate himself. Over the years he had several relationships with women, but never during a full moon. Few women would be able to survive the strength of a werewolf during that time.

  “Topper stopped by the store this morning and said you would not be alone much longer,” Pati stated. Pati’s family had owned the mercantile store for generations.

  The flamboyant witch was constantly making predictions, all of which eventually came true. She never gave specifics, only hinted regarding what was to come. Suddenly his interest was piqued.

  “What did she say?” Chase leaned in, wanting to hear more.

  “Just what I said,” Pati answered. “She told me you would not be alone much longer. I tried to press her for more information, but she got distracted by some new scarfs I had on display and refused to say anything more. If I didn’t know better, I would swear she left little crumbs just to irritate me.”

  Chase took a bite of his salad and considered everything he just learned. Perhaps he was no longer going to be the awkward fifth wheel when he got together with his friends and their spouses. What type of magical creature would his mate be?

  Chapter 3

  Earth was a beautiful small blue planet with massive oceans. How different it was from her home world. Only the poles had massive glaciers characteristic of her planet. A single moon orbited the blue orb.

  Harmony entered the landing coordinates into her craft’s computer that would take her directly to the secret spaceport. Her ship’s concealed approach would mask her descent from military and civilian radar. With the exception of the residents of Magic, New Mexico, Earth’s population would have to stay ignorant of extraterrestrial life a little longer.

  Her path through the atmosphere was gradual, reducing the impact of the G-forces on her body. If she was lucky, the secret port would be near a body of water. It was high time she learned how to swim and enjoy what Earth had to offer.

  She imagined the planet’s oceans would have less dangerous wildlife than whatever prowled its land masses. Harmony unconsciously rubbed her upper chest. It bore the scars of the animal attack that occurred when she was eight. The jagged marks on her body were a constant reminder of how dangerous a planet’s indigenous wildlife could be. That was the reason she generally only accepted assignments on space stations.

  Her ship continued to slow as it made its way through the different layers of the planet’s atmosphere. The nitrogen/oxygen enriched air would allow her to breathe without a filtering device. Although Harmony did not want this assignment, suddenly she was excited about her new adventure. She had a sense of anticipation she never experienced.

  As she got closer to her destination, the greens and blues of the surface turned to brown. The port was located in a desert, not in a secluded canyon with a pristine lake nearby. Disappointment clouded her mood.

  The secret base was closer to town than she had expected and was terribly exposed. Harmony did not understand how the port and her existence was going to be kept hidden from Earth’s inhabitants. Her contact, Dreyden, had a lot of explaining to do.

  Her ship’s autopilot smoothly docked into its slip. The facility was larger than she expected, since Earth was not a sanctioned Coalition planet. It was clear the Ruling Director was going to push Earth’s addition into the body of planets earlier than she was informed. No wonder he wanted to round out his team.

  Harmony released her safety harness after turning off her ship’s engines and completing her post-flight status report. She closed her eyes and attempted to clear her mind. Now that she reached her destination, the constant fear that descended when she was not occupied threatened to re-emerge.

  The last doctor she consulted about her crippling anxiety suggested she practice visualizations when she felt a spell coming on. Harmony imagined she was on Glacier climbing the Astoff Ice Cliffs. The sport required no
t only excellent physical conditioning, but total concentration.

  The Astoff Ice Cliffs were fenced off with lasers to ward off the planet’s dangerous wildlife. Harmony had just purchased a new pair of boot crampons that provided her ankles adequate support. She kicked her leg and the front point of her left crampon entered the ice. Once secure, she swung her axe into the ice above her head.

  A loud beeping from her ship’s communication system pulled her from her visualization. Although her mind had been focused on climbing for mere moments, the crippling fear no longer threatened to manifest itself.

  Harmony flipped the switch on her console, allowing her to speak to whomever attempted to contact her. “This is Harmony Neutron on the spacecraft Neutromic. I am ready to receive your transmission.”

  “Are you ever going to disembark your craft?” a female voice inquired.

  Rather than responding, Harmony stared at her ship’s control panels. What an odd communication. It did not follow Coalition protocols. The female did not even identify herself. Dreyden Skye ran the port; the Ruling Director did not mention a female.

  Harmony slipped out of her Space Ranger uniform and into an outfit that would allow her to blend in with the indigenous population. She felt almost naked in the shorts and sleeveless shirt. Fortunately, the top had a high neck and covered the scars on her chest. Her heavy boots were replaced with shoes that barely covered the top of her feet. The computer informed her the people of Earth called them flip flops.

  Her new shoes made a clopping sound as they traversed the metal walkway leading to the ship’s hull exit. She carefully climbed the ladder leading to the hatch. Her new shoes continually threatened to fall off her feet. At one point, she almost lost her footing on a rung toward the top. It would have been safer climbing barefooted. Once Harmony had native currency, she was going to purchase a different pair of shoes.

  “Open,” Harmony said when she neared the hatch.

  The first thing Harmony saw when her head emerged from the craft was a hand extended to help her exit her ship. Her eyes followed the arm to see a woman with golden brown shoulder length hair and an enormous smile on her face.

  “Hi, I’m Prue,” the woman said. “Welcome to Magic, New Mexico. I am Dreyden’s Chosen One. He wanted to greet you himself, but he joined the search for some missing teenagers lost in the canyons outside of town.”

  The universal translator installed in her brainstem allowed Harmony to understand what had been communicated. Harmony was used to useless information being shared. She was not sure what to react to first in the wealth of news Prue provided.

  It was rare for a Glacierian to find their Chosen One. A male could identify his mate by flowing waves of color on her skin only a true mate could see. There was not one specific way for a female to identify her Chosen One. Her parents had fallen in love, but her mother was not her dad’s Chosen One. Since Harmony was half Titian, she was not sure what would occur if she was blessed in finding her soul mate.

  However, it was Harmony’s sense of duty to help others that won out. “I am an expert climber. I can help with the search. Wait a minute while I change.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” Prue said. “I can provide you with everything you’ll need.”

  The universal translator adjusted itself, reacting to the use of contractions in Prue’s speech. Harmony needed to adjust her speech accordingly if she was going to fit in.

  “That sounds great,” Harmony replied. “Let’s head directly to the canyons.”

  Harmony did not grab Prue’s extended hand, but exited the ship on her own. She set the lock on the hatch, but didn’t arm the self-destruct protocols normally required on unsanctioned planets. The port itself was set to explode if unauthorized persons entered within its perimeters. She recognized the low hum of the explosive devices located throughout the facility. At least, Dreyden got that part right.

  They entered the port’s office and Prue grabbed a broom. Her actions stupefied Harmony. Lives were at risk and the woman was going to sweep the office?

  “Let’s go,” Prue said. “Flying will be faster and more practical once we reach the canyons. Oh, I forgot about your clothing.”

  Prue muttered some words the universal translator did not understand. The next instant, Harmony was dressed in a short sleeve shirt and long pants with extra padding around her knees. The outfit was comfortable, allowing her body to move freely. Her scarred chest was appropriately covered, alleviating any discussion about how she received her injuries.

  “How?” Harmony asked in wonder.

  She was given a questioning look. “They didn’t tell you anything about Magic?” Prue asked.

  “Nothing,” Harmony replied. “You can explain on the way. Where is your craft?”

  Prue let out a loud sigh. “Actually, we are taking this,” Prue said, referring to the broom in her hand.

  “Explain,” Harmony asked in frustration. What kind of planet had she landed on?

  “I am a witch,” Prue explained. “My abilities allow me to manipulate matter. I can conjure spells or call upon elemental magic. Actually, I am a mage.”

  “The portal between our worlds,” Harmony concluded. “Your use of magic was explained to me. I just never witnessed it firsthand. With such power, I thought you would have a machine to assist you in generating energy.”

  Harmony watched in wonder as the broom hovered before her. Prue sat on the wooden dowel and the broom supported her weight. She moved forward, questioning whether she should join the brown-eyed woman. After making her decision, without hesitation, Harmony sat beside Prue on the broom. When they scooted forward, Harmony grabbed Prue’s waist and held on tightly.

  “You can relax,” Prue said. “I placed a force field around us. It will help you keep your balance and prevent you from falling.”

  As Prue’s words proved true, Harmony released the other woman’s waist and began to relax. No longer fearing she would fall, she surveyed the ground below.

  The land near Magic, New Mexico, was a reddish color, but transformed into a dry sand and gravel as they entered the desert. Various small flora littered the arid land. Some plants were blooming, painting the desert in fuchsia and yellow hues. After living in a world covered in ice, Harmony found the desert beautiful.

  Soon they entered the sandstone canyons. The undulating formations and winding passages fascinated her. Maybe once she researched the wildlife in the area and deemed it safe, she would return and do some rock climbing. However, for the time being, her focus had to be on the missing kids.

  Prue pulled out some kind of communication device and had a short conversation.

  “The kids still have not been located,” Prue advised. “We have been assigned the north sector to investigate. Dreyden asked me to pass along his thanks for your assistance.”

  Harmony nodded her understanding, although Prue was not looking in her direction. Like Harmony, her attention was on the canyon passages below. They appeared to be some kind of maze.

  Every now and then Harmony spotted a small reptilian creature, but no teenagers. Humans were no different than many of the species she encountered across the galaxies. Children, regardless of race, had no sense and continually got into trouble. Their parents would be so relieved once they were found. The kids’ punishment would in the end not reflect what was involved in their rescue or the anguish the parents were currently suffering.

  Another broom carrying two individuals came into view. It appeared another couple was also assigned to search the northern section of the canyons. A woman sat in the front, but it was the man sitting behind her who captured Harmony’s attention.

  The universe was populated with good-looking men, but this one put them all to shame. Her body’s temperature rose without her direction. Her system continued to react to him the closer the broom came. His eyes were glued to hers, similarly impacted.

  Chapter 4

  Who was the female behind Prue? His body warmed and his cock hardene
d in response to what he saw. She couldn’t be a mirage; he was certainly reacting to her as if she was flesh and blood.

  Her long black hair sailed behind her, almost as if it had a life of its own. The darkness of her hair highlighted the paleness of her skin. Her lips were pink and plump, extremely kissable. As they drew closer, he could see her eyes were a light blue.

  “The parents just delivered something belonging to the kids,” Pati shouted to the two women on the other broom. “I just performed a locator spell. Follow me, we are close.”

  It was the wrong time of month for him to shift. The moon would not be full for another week. All Chase could offer was the strength contained in his human form. Danyal and his pride members could prowl the canyons in their cat forms.

  Pati landed the broom near a chasm in the rock. If the children somehow found their way down the narrow gap, their rescue would be challenging.

  Prue brought them down beside him and both women quickly got on their feet. The unknown woman towered over her companion. She was easily six-foot tall. He liked tall women, especially since he was six-foot-two-inches in height.

  “If we find a chasm a little wider, I will be able to make my way down to search for the children,” the mysterious woman said.

  “Aren’t you going to introduce us to your friend, Prue?” Chase asked.

  Although Prue was born in Magic, she’d left when she was six years old. Her friend could be from Chicago, where Prue recently lived.

  “This is Harmony Neutron,” Prue replied. “She is the pilot from Glacier Dreyden was expecting.”

  Harmony seemed surprised by Prue’s introduction. The existence of extraterrestrials was supposed to be a secret, along with the spaceport. Residents of Magic were aware of both. Since Frost’s first visit to Magic, the residents of the town were aware of Glacier and its people. After all, they opened a magical portal between the two planets.