by ML Guida
Text copyright ©2017 by the Author.
This work was made possible by a special license through the Kindle Worlds publishing program and has not necessarily been reviewed by S.E. Smith. All characters, scenes, events, plots and related elements appearing in the original Magic, New Mexico remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of S.E. Smith, or their affiliates or licensors.
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Chapter One
A square-rigger’s wind, bearing down like a vulture, pushed the pirate ship toward the demon’s island. Tackle clanged, and rigging lines rasped as cables slid and reset to adjust the sails. Canvas bloomed overhead, and the jibs shifted as the ship slewed in the wind, flinging up long plumes of spray in her wake.
Dread rooted in Cé Jackman’s heart. The island was the last place he wanted to be, but no one ever asked his opinion.
His captain Quinton Palmer looked through his spyglass, the wind rippling his red beard and his black trousers. He stuffed the spyglass into a deep pocket in his jacket that hid a host of knives and pistols. But even without the weapons, he could rip apart a man with his bare hands. He was taller and muscular than most men, but his temper was shorter.
He faced his crew. Victory flickered in his right eye. Nothing ever flickered in his watering left eye except for his many sins, which streamed down his scarred face. Palmer’s cruelty knew no bounds, and Cé had suffered the lash more than once to satisfy Palmer’s twisted lust for punishment.
Cé could make out the swaying palm trees and a monstrous, hairy tarantula lurking on the beach. Blood dripped from its fangs. He shivered, pitying the spider’s last victims. ’Twas one of Zuto the demon’s pets.
Zuto was worse than Palmer. Ce’s best friend, Leif Black, and his woman, Isabella, were being held prisoners on the island. Leif had been Cé’s only friend on board Palmer’s floating hell hole. He had offered Cé hope for something better than being a vampire-sucking pirate for eternity. It had made the living nightmare bearable. Neither Leif nor Isabella deserved to be a feast for Zuto’s blasted spider.
The black-hearted demon wanted to kill their unborn child. Horrible even for such a soulless bastard. Cé gripped his sword tight, vowing silently to protect his friend’s babe.
For the eightieth time, he cursed himself for being a slave to the two arch-devils, but he’d no one to blame but himself. If he’d hadn’t tried to beat Palmer in a game of cards, he could have done honest work and opened up a carpenter shop in Tortuga rather than try to make a living the fast and easy way. Now, his gambling ways had earned him rank on Palmer’s miserable crew.
Palmer put down the spyglass. “Prepare to attack, men.”
His gruff voice sent his men to action. He was a cruel master, and if his command wasn’t followed immediately, he’d drag the poor soul down to the bowel of his ship where his screams would spur men to toil harder. Not one to be tortured, Cé followed his crewmates and drew on his vampire powers. Muscles shortened, and bones crunched, and hair shrunk as he changed into a bat. His teeth lengthened, and he rolled his tongue over his sharp fangs. He lunged into the sea air and soared into the blue sky. Wind whistled in his ears, and threatening rain clouds wet his furry body. Below, the rover ship grew smaller and smaller.
He saw Leif and Isabella run toward the sea, but the tarantula cut off their escape. They turned to flee into the thick jungle, but the demon stepped out from the vines and leaves like a menacing dark shadow. Their only choice was to huddle against a rocky cliff.
Taller than any man, the demon casually walked toward them, possessing no weapons and only wearing a beaded loin-cloth. Dread swelled in Cé’s heart. He could sense the demon’s carefully veiled power that was potent enough to bring down a fleet of pirate ships. The smug look on his face meant death to Leif and Isabella. Cé couldn’t take down the spider, but he might be able to buy Leif some time to escape. Heart pressing against his ribs, he stretched out his toes and opened his mouth, then attacked the demon Zuto.
Bolts of power zipped up his feet and shook Cé’s body. Waves and waves of pain hit him, but he clung to the demon, wrapping his wings around Zuto’s face. Cé gagged on the stench of his burning fur. Zuto cursed and dug his fingernails into Cé’s flesh. Agony gripped Cé and crushed his lungs. He bit Zuto’s skull, and sizzling blood raced into his fangs, burning hotter than lava. He lifted his head and shrieked.
Zuto stumbled into the jungle. Cé couldn’t endure the mind-tearing agony and loosened his grip—a deathly mistake. The demon hurled him onto the shore, spinning Cé around and around on the hard beach. Sand flew into Cé’s eyes blinding him. Grit scratched and ripped his flesh.
He lost control of being a bat—muscles twisted and bones crunched—and he transformed back into a man. Every time he took a breath, pain pulsed through him, and he couldn’t move. He groaned. What the hell had he been thinking? He’d been a mosquito trying to bring down a pissed-off tiger that could squash him with a stomp of a paw.
The ground trembled, and Cé froze. Shite, the spider!
“Cé! Look out!”
He recognized that melodic voice. ’Twas Isabella, the brave undine. She was a water nymph and a siren all molded into a slender flower.
He slowly looked over his shoulder. The tarantula fixed its eight glossy eyes onto him. Spit rolled off its fangs and splattered onto the sand, leaving puddles.
Move!
The word echoed in Cé’s mind, trying to pierce the fear that turned his muscles to stone.
Leaves stuck in his hair, the demon pointed. “Seize him!”
Cé jumped to his feet, but the spider was magically fast. Sticky strands wrapped around Cé’s legs, slicing into his flesh then slamming him onto the ground, crushing the air out of his lungs.
The beast dragged him across the beach. Terror rippled through Cé. He kicked and wiggled, but he couldn’t move. He pulled on the ropes, scraping his palms. He clawed his fingers into the sand, debris jamming up his nails. Sand pelted his face, blinding his eyes, and scratching his cheeks. The ground groaned, and a crack opened up on the beach. The spider slid inside, dragging Cé, screaming.
Icy wind rushed over him, blocking out his voice. He drew on his vampire powers, but ’twas useless. Something prevented him from changing into a bat.
Blackness filled the tunnel except for the beastie’s glowing red eyes. It pulled him closer.
Sweat slicked down Cé body, and he raised his fists. “Dona eat me, ye bloody beast!”
He bucked his body, but he could barely move.
Suddenly, the monster spun around faster and faster, flinging Cé like a fishing hook. The slick ropes unraveled, slicing into his flesh like sharp blades
Cé stretched out his fingers, trying to grab anything, but all he touched was air. “No! Help me!” His shriek echoed off the walls as he flailed his arms and legs helplessly.
The darkness dimmed, replaced with sparkling lights. Stars! But just as suddenly as they appeared, they faded to a light blue sky. He whizzed through moist clouds and dropped toward the ground like a cannonball.
Gone was the salty sea, but he inhaled the fragrant smell of lavender. He fell toward a desert with sage brush, lavender bushes, and cacti.
He gritted his teeth and waited for the pain, always the pain. He smashed onto land, bones breaking, muscles tearing. Unable to move, he lay still, waiting for the agony to subside as his vampire powers healed him.
But no such luck. Stabbing agony seized his head, then he remembered no more.
Chapter Two
Pandora Athens couldn’t stifle her curiosity and was too determined to see where the Glacian starship had landed in the canyon. Her cousin Lacey warned her that her unquenchable thirst to know would be her undoing, but she couldn’t help it. When Lacey’s husband Frost had been forced to return to his home planet Glacier, Pandora had been away on an excavating trip to Greece, hunting for artifacts when aliens invaded Magic, New Mexico. She’d missed everything—the Learian lizard that had tried to kill Lacey, the fight with the evil scientists, the creation of the portal. While she was digging for the past, she’d missed the answer to the question of whether there was life on other planets.
She kicked a rock, hating that she was the only person in all of Magic, New Mexico, who hadn’t participated in the intergalactic war. She sighed and inhaled the soothing smell of sagebrush. New Mexico had so many types of sage, but her favorite was the purple Russian sage that looked so pretty against the desert landscape. She smiled at the small patch of hedgehog cacti that sported blooming purple flowers like top-hats. It was a warm day—a perfect time to go exploring.
“You will find something unexpected,” Topper said, as she materialized right in front of Pandora. She was Lacey’s sixty-year-old maternal aunt. Today her hair was a fiery red that clashed with her purple eyes.
Pandora stumbled over a twig. “Topper, what are you doing here? Afraid I am going to get into trouble?”
“Girl, your middle name is trouble.” Amazingly strong, Topper grabbed Pandora’s arm to keep her from falling, then she laughed. The sound always made Pandora’s insides glow.
“Lacey wanted me to keep an eye on you.” She winked. “You’re not off to good start, are you? But you will find someone that you didn’t expect to find. Without their help, you can’t possibly undo what must be undone.”
Topper had the uncanny ability to make predictions, but she always spoke in riddles. Pandora frowned. “And what am I supposed to find?”
Topper’s face turned somber. “You must control your nature. Not every door should be opened. Not every door should be closed.” With that, Topper disappeared as quickly as she came.
Pandora shook her head. Topper loved appearing to residents with her riddles, then leaving them befuddled.
Trying to forget Topper’s annoying puzzle, Pandora followed the path to Hidden Canyon. Its rocky sandstone cliff had been able to hide Frost’s spaceship. He’d planned to destroy it, but his brother Idan and his best friend Coal and had kidnapped him.
But not before Idan had tried to kill Lacey. What a first class jerk!
She smiled as the sun warmed her face, arms, and legs. Her white tank top stuck to her skin, and she wished she’d worn a hat since her sunglasses only protected her eyes. She’d look like a raccoon. Dreaded freckles would break out across her cheeks. Too late now. She’d been too anxious to get to the site to worry about something as silly as a baseball cap.
She broke out in a quick jog. Lacey and Frost had told her not to explore, because it still radiated energy from his ship and could bring the wrath of the Reaction Team. The Reaction Team worked for the Star Rangers and eliminated any curious, primitive aliens. According to Frost, that meant her.
But their warnings had only piqued Pandora’s curiosity, not douse it. Besides, they were both off visiting Frost’s family on the planet Glacier and what they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them. She didn’t see how going to the site would bring out the space team—unless there was something there.
She carefully jogged down the zig-zaggy path to the bottom of the canyon. She couldn’t see anything but the dry river bed. She slid her backpack off her sweaty back and unzipped it. She pulled out a bottle of water and took a swig. The cool water eased her parched throat, then she wiped the sweat off her brow with a rag. She had filled her backpack with two water bottles, plastic containers, a rag, power bars—everything except a hat.
The hair on her arms and the back on her neck stirred. This always happened when she encountered any kind of power. There was something here!
Excitement brewed in her chest. She blinked. As she stuck the bottle back into her bag, she saw what looked like a hand. Oh, God, had she discovered a dead body? Topper said she’d find a stranger, but never said a dead stranger. Her stomach tightened. This was not what she’d hoped to find.
She was jumping to conclusions. Someone could be hurt. She ran down the path, headed over to the outstretched hand, then skidded to a stop. A man dressed like a pirate lay face down. Purple and blue bruises covered his body. His tangled blond hair fell loosely across his broad back. His black pants were shredded, and blood ran down his legs and pooled beneath him. He had a sword sheathed in his belt and wore a leather baldric. She covered her mouth, and a lump formed him in her throat. There were deep scars on his back that reminded her of a tortured slave. Who would have done this to him, and why? Had his disguise gone terribly wrong? She couldn’t imagine the pain he must have endured.
Her hand shaking, she gently pulled on his shoulder. He released a mournful groan.
She jerked her hand back as if he were a hot stove. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
He didn’t answer, but at least he wasn’t dead.
Her palm had turned red as if she’d dipped it into paint. “Oh, God. I need to get you to a doctor.”
She snatched her bag and hurried around him. Crimson drenched the side of his temple and stained his shoulder. His lip was swollen and cut. Dried blood rolled down his chin. She pulled out the rag and poured some water into it, then gently dabbed his glistening face. “You need a doctor. You’ll bleed to death out here, or draw every coyote in Magic.”
She tied the rag around his head to stop the bleeding and pulled out a spell book. Unlike Lacey, Pandora wasn’t as gifted in magic, and sometimes her spells went awry. Lacey said it would come in time and that Pandora needed to trust more in her ability. That had been five years ago. As far as Pandora could tell, her spell casting was moderate, at best.
A sharp glare caught her eye. The sun glittered off a silver box with strange writing on it. She could read most of the languages on Earth and couldn’t decipher this one. She glanced at the unconscious stranger. Her heart quickened. Was this his? Maybe he wasn’t from Earth. Maybe he was from outer space, like Frost.
She picked up the silver box that fit in the palm of her hand. It was smooth like a business card holder but surprisingly heavy. She crossed her legs and sat the little box on her knee, then ran her finger around the edges. There was no latch to open it.
Her shoulders slumped. “Great.”
She licked her finger and quickly hunted for a spell to lift the poor stranger and to open the box.
“Toad’s toe, cat’s paw, open the door.”
A loud click made her jump. The silver box shook violently, then the lid slowly raised, revealing a bright white light. Pandora winced then shielded her eyes with her palm. Despite the hot sun, coldness numbed her body. When she exhaled, she could see her breath. The knee the box rested on turned to ice.
Prickles running along her arm warned of danger. She tried to shut the lid, but a sparkling white smoke poured out of the box, surrounding her like a fog. She choked on sickly sweetness, as if she were being smothered in honey. Tears swelled in her eyes, and she couldn’t breathe. It was as if freezing fingers closed around her wind pipe.
She clutched at her throat. Her spell book’s pages flipped forward and stopped. Through her tears, a single word darkened, blocking out the other pages. Power surged through her.
She croaked out, “Lamia!” Unbelievably, her voice was strong and clear.
The overly sweet cloud jerked away from her as if blown away by a strong wind. It snaked up the rocky cliff and darted out of sight.
Pandora wiped the tears off her cheeks and gasped for air. What had happened? What was worse, what had she released from the silver box?
The man moaned and opened his eyes. They were dark red, then faded to sky blue. “Where—” His voice was
raspy and soft.
Pandora gasped.
He had long, gleaming white canines. Not shocking since many magic or dark creatures took refuge here, but none had been dressed like a pirate. This had to be a charade that had gone very, very wrong.
She gripped his shoulders. “Are you a vampire? Are you from outer space? What was in the box?”
“Vampire. Dona know.” He strained to utter each word. His eyes fluttered shut, and his head slumped to the side.
Pandora looked through her book for a lifting spell. She hovered her hand over his body, barely touching him, then moved her palm back and forth along his long frame. She shoved it back into her backpack and flung the backpack over her shoulder. Just in case it worked, she had to be prepared. She cleared her throat and in a strong voice said, “Birds of a feather. Sparrow, Owl, Phoenix. Lift the fallen.”
Tingles swept down the trembling arm she held straight out. The man rose off the ground until he was at the tip of her fingers, and suddenly, he jerked back to the ground. He groaned, arching his back.
She winced, and guilt slammed into her chest. “I’m sorry. I’m not very good at this. Next time, I promise I won’t drop you.” She hoped she hadn’t just lied. She muttered the same incantation again, and this time, he stayed at arm’s length.
All she had to do to was get him to her Pathfinder, which was parked up on top of the bluff where the sickening cloud had gone. What if it was up there, ready to attack again? Or worse, flown up the SUV’s tailpipe?
She gritted her teeth, her heart beating fiercely. She didn’t have much choice and refused to leave the man down here for the cloud to kill. She braced her back and made the long trek to her SUV with her shaking arm stretched out and the man floating in the air, his arms and legs dangling. If she’d been Lacey, she would have been able to do this smoothly, and the man would have glided through the air like Sleeping Beauty. But Lacey wasn’t here, and she was the man’s only hope.
A horrible scream rattled off the canyon walls. Pandora’s hope fled, and her patient slammed to the ground.
