Messing Up Magic Read online

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  MESSING UP MAGIC

  First edition. October 30, 2018.

  Copyright © 2018 Winnie Winkle.

  ISBN: 978-1732905009

  Written by Winnie Winkle.

  Messing Up Magic

  Winnie Winkle

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Foreword

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  The Author of this Book has been granted permission by S.E. Smith to use the copyrighted characters and/or worlds created by S.E. Smith in this Book; all copyright protection to the characters and/or worlds of Magic, New Mexico are retained by S.E. Smith.

  This book is dedicated to Deborah Kroh

  I’d like to thank Julie Sutherland, Trace Mathews, Betsy O’Leary, and Joseph D’Amico for all their help and support. I appreciate you all more than you know.

  * * *

  Special thanks to S. E. Smith for opening her world and letting me play there.

  Foreword

  Imagine The Worlds of Magic, New Mexico... A series that brings together outstanding paranormal and science fiction authors to expand a town where witches, aliens, vampires, werewolves, goblins, sorceresses, pirates, time travelers, and paranormal live in harmony - when they aren’t joining forces to defeat the bad guys. A magical town where being abnormal is the norm!

  * * *

  I’m S.E. Smith, the creator of Magic, New Mexico and I invite you to curl up with each book now and discover all the action, the magic, and the love that makes Magic, New Mexico the ultimate go-to series for Paranormal / Science Fiction Romance readers.

  * * *

  For all the stories, go to MagicNewMexico.com/books/

  Grab your copy today!

  1

  A green-tinged glow emanated from far side of the rock-strewn hill. Zayn moved towards it, catlike, quiet, but curious. Flying was an option, but tracking was second nature and Zayn liked hunting. The act of stalking while wrapped in darkness, placing his paws with silence and purpose, fed his nature in a way that quick and easy never would.

  Kids camping in the desert were Zayn’s favorites. The rush of their fear and the shrieks of the women were a feast. Zayn liked terror. He loved discomfort. Scaring the piss out of humans made his whole night.

  Close, he paused, belly fur touching the dust, sniffing the air. Scents filtered and sorted in his mind. He knew everyone in Magic, New Mexico. Zayn’s ear flicked at the familiar wolf scent, tinged with a new smell. He prepared to pounce. Crouched, Zayn skirted a pile of rocks, edging towards the glow.

  Pain sliced through his head, blinding him, the green fading to black.

  “What have you done?” hissed Moku. “Interaction is forbidden.”

  “It crept up and appeared predatory,” replied Andok. “Per protocol, my weapon is on stun, not kill. We’ll finish our observation mission and depart before it awakens. The energies in this place differ from other places on this planet, Moku. It will please Slodoon to learn this. Our last observation found a minimal trace of the Smoke Ones. The Solids were the vast majority of the population on the planet’s surface.”

  “Transitions happen,” Moku said, turning from the inert body of the mountain lion. “This planet is young. Let’s finish and lift off. It will be light soon. We will transmit and receive new orders from Slodoon.”

  “He’s out cold!” Jonah’s brown eyes twinkled from his furry face as he touched the big cat. His twin brother, Joseph poked Zayn with a paw, then settled on his haunches. The boys were werevamp cubs from nearby Magic, New Mexico, an unusual haven for those gifted with unexpected abilities. Everyone from Magic was special, many powerful, but to the boys, they were just neighbors. While playing with the moon tonight, the boys tempted fate by tracking Zayn, a powerful Djinn not known for his social skills. A chance to irritate Zayn was a good trade on the times he was a jerk. The Djinn had zero use for nine-year-old boys.

  “Who do you think zapped him?” Joseph asked.

  “I dunno, but alien for sure. Frost might know. He’s an alien.”

  “Duh, bro. He and I ended up stuck on the ice planet for months! Frost and Aunt Lacey won’t be home from the Glacian homeworld for a week. Should we move Zayn?”

  “Let’s go grab the bike and put him in our magic egg basket. We can carry his big furry butt back to his house in that.”

  Joseph loped south, with Jonah nipping at his heels. The young werewolves tumbled, squealing and rolling together in a mess of toothy grins and tails before leaping back to resume the chase, their howls filling the night.

  From the air, nothing assembled into a woman, who squatted next to Zayn’s limp body. Knowledgeable hands ran across his ribs, and fingertips examined the gash and knot on his head. A sigh left her lips, and she raised the big cat into the air as Zayn’s head rolled and his eyes slit open. A soft growl cut to silence. She and the cat became smoke, then nothing at all.

  “B-b-b-but Theo! We swear Zayn was right here. He headed towards the green glow. We could see the two aliens on the other side of this big rock pile.” Jonah’s discomfort was clear.

  “It’s true,” Joseph picked up the story. “Zayn stalked them as a mountain lion, one of them zapped his head, and he dropped!”

  Jonah and Joseph squirmed under Theo’s gaze. Theo was the law in Magic. He had an alien ancestor, but it was so far back he didn’t know the story; Theo was also half-dragon which proved useful in keeping the peace. When anything unusual happened in their town, Theo handled it. In Magic, lots of unusual things happened, but Theo handled the non-normal unusual. He was mid-thirties, 6’4”, with huge shoulders and a broad chest, ice-blue eyes that hearkened to that outer world ancestor, and his dark curling hair fell over his collar. His skin was bronzed from the New Mexico sun. Theo looked, every inch, like an intimidating person in a town that didn’t intimidate. At all.

  Jonah and Joseph traded looks. Under the moon last night they’d played, perhaps a little longer than they should have. By the time they’d come back, found Zayn missing and sounded the alarm, the sun was rising, and they were boys once more, their typical daytime appearance.

  The lawman dropped to a knee, looking at the dirt near the rocky base of the hill. The sand held the impression of the big cat’s body. The question was, where was the cat? Theo picked out the wolf prints of the twins and a few small human ones. Those were half the size of Zayn’s big feet. Since Zayn was a Djinn, he could have come to, shape-shifted and flown away, but that didn’t explain the extra prints. As improbable as it looked, someone had been here and moved Zayn with no trail. That meant magic. Magic wasn’t anything new to Theo, but this magic didn’t look much like his Magic folks, which might create problems.

  “Green glow?” Theo asked, rising and gazing at the boys.

  “We saw them leave, as soon as one of them blasted Zayn,” Jonah said, his white hat shining in the morning sun. “Tall and thin, each had a scanner or machine that was making the glow, and one knocked out Zayn by shooting a gun at him.”

  “They took
off from yonder,” Joseph added, pointing north. “We checked on Zayn after they left.”

  Theo nodded, walking around the big rock pile to the other side, looking for disturbed fauna or rocks. Imprints a few hundred yards away showed him where they’d landed.

  “Boys,” he said, fixing them in an icy stare. “Head home. Let folks know to keep an eye out for unusual visitors or happenings.”

  Relieved they weren’t in trouble, Jonah and Joseph jumped on their bike and pedaled, their feet a blur of motion, into the air.

  “Where the hell are you, Zayn?” Theo muttered. “And who in the outer worlds visited last night?”

  Haseya tended her fire, stirring the steeping herbs. The steam rose, and she sniffed.

  “Almost ready,” she murmured, glancing at the big cat sprawled comatose in the corner of her hut, who was beginning to stir.

  Haseya stepped into a twirl, transforming from a woman, to smoke, then into another big cat. She sat across the fire from her visitor, solid black eyes watchful as the fire popped, sending sparks to feed the night.

  The fire warmed Zayn’s feet, his body returning to this side of alert.

  “Holy crap!” he snarled, realizing there was a big cat staring at him. “What the?” He blinked at his own paws. “I’m a cat? Wait a minute, this isn’t right. Huh. I can’t remember why, though. Rrrrowwl, my head. What happened? Who am I?”

  “Something hurt you. I am prepared to heal you,” the other cat said. Stunned, Zayn realized he could understand the strange string of growls, purrs, and ear and tail movements that made up this language.

  “Heal me how?” Zayn’s tail snapped, confused.

  “You will need to drink the broth I prepared.”

  “Who are you?”

  “I am Haseya, the Healer.”

  Her dark eyes flicked to him and then away, a sign of respect, and Zayn found this relaxing.

  Haseya lifted the handle of the pot with her teeth and rose, her walk silent as she came around the fire to place the pot next to him. She turned, and he realized she was beautiful, fluid, sinewy, and elegant.

  “Drink that,” she said, resuming her place by the fire and curling her tail over her front paws.

  Zayn lapped up the broth, its scent filling him for the moment. Its effect on him was immediate. The pounding in his head ceased and his eyes cleared, filling with her beauty. Her scent covered him and his blood flowed quick and intentional. He wanted her. When her heat came, he would have her.

  2

  “Report!” Slodoon’s voice barked from the console.

  “I transmitted our readings,“ Moku replied. “There is evidence of a grouping of the energies you seek in the area.”

  “Were you seen or contacted?”

  Moku and Andok exchanged a quick glance.

  “We believe not, but encountered an animal, predatory type, which Andok stunned as a matter of precaution,“ Moku replied.

  “Did the animal register any of the desired energy signatures?”

  “I… I did not scan it, High Scientist.”

  “You did not scan it. Remind me, please, Andok, why in the Universe did I hire you?”

  Andok stared at the cockpit floor.

  “Go back to the area. Secure your craft in an alternate spot and begin a new mission. You are to grid-cover and scan the entire area. I transmitted your mission and the coordinates to cover. Remain cloaked. You have seven of this planet’s days to do this.”

  “Yes, High Scientist.”

  “And Andok, If you don’t want to go back to cleaning laboratories, I would suggest you scan everything.”

  “Yes, High Scientist.”

  Slodoon disconnected the transition and turned back to the group of Morducks on his main screen. “The planet has potential,“ the Morduck leader said. “If the exploration is fruitful, our race can either enslave or weaponize the smoke energies. We will control this sector.”

  Haseya was so close to him Zayn could sense her blood moving. Pleased with the progress of his healing, her soft purr rumbled, ricocheting into his chest. Instincts taking over, he rose, following her flicking tail while sniffing. In a quick motion, he mounted, wrapping his big paws around her neck and chest. Zayn was on fire, engorged, ready, then tumbling, losing his balance and landing nose first in the dirt, flat on the ground. Haseya had disappeared.

  He yowled in lust and frustration into the earth. His eye caught movement, and he saw a woman watching him with dark eyes. With Haseya’s dark eyes, he realized.

  As his mind thrashed with desire and confusion, inside something shifted. Zayn gathered himself to leap on the woman, springing up, and falling short.

  Haseya’s laugh filled the hut. “Well, this is unexpected. Who are you, my new friend? You are not the lion I found.”

  Zayn looked down, confused, and saw human hands, feet, and one fully erect and ready penis.

  “I, uh, I don’t know. I remember nothing other than being here.”

  Haseya’s amused glance inspected his rock hard cock, rising to meet his gaze. “I will not give you a chance to use that,” she said, her voice gentle as she tossed him a cloth to cover himself. “But, I will help you find your memory and return you to your time and place.”

  “My time and place?”

  “Yes.”

  Her brevity annoyed him. I don’t like her having control over me. Things will be different once I remember who I am.

  His eyes took in Haseya’s long black hair, her big dark eyes and trim, supple body, wrapped in a soft buckskin dress that showed off her strong legs, toned arms and a slim waist that accented her curves. She was more than beautiful. Zayn watched her, seeing how her fearless confidence lit her from the inside out. I have to have this woman. Deep within me, I know that I’ve searched forever for my one. Beyond my control, I woke up next to her fire. I will make her need mine.

  What am I doing? I heal the Mother’s creatures. That is my purpose, the one I chose so long ago when faced with the truth of who I am, and turning from that truth. I cannot take a husband, I cannot dabble in a tryst. What I am must end in me. It is the way of our people to shun the dark and embolden the healing light.

  Haseya gazed at the cat who wasn’t a cat, a man who might not be a man. Dark hair fell over his forehead and flowed over his broad shoulders and tautly muscled arms, falling to his narrow waist. Eyes, so dark they looked like liquid black, looked back at her. He is an enigma, yet I sense no malice. At least, not towards me.

  “I sheltered you in my place of healing. It is what humans call being within an interdimensional space. It means that we exist across a line in time from the scene of your attack. When you are well, you can return. You will not remember me when I carry you home. When you re-cross this line, this time will erase from your mind and me with it.”

  This made her heart grow leaden. This man-cat, whose eyes watched her every move, was a new connection for her. She’d been alone, healing the earth, for a long time. He’s woken my blood. This is dangerous to my need to honor my people. He cannot remain.

  “I will remember you,” Zayn said, his deep voice raw with the grief of her words. “You and I are more than a crossing of spirits. I cannot forget a single thing about you. Your scent, the way you move, the light that shines from within, I see all of this. You are the healing food I’ve sought forever.”

  Haseya’s eyes turned to Zayn’s, he saw sorrow, and beyond that, he saw her desire for him. In a flash he reached her, pulling her curves into him and kissing her as her lips parted for him, tasting her essence flowing throughout her body. Her dress yielded to his strong hands, bent on discovering her secrets and laying claim to each one. Zayn’s mouth devoured the curve of her neck, the hollow points of her collarbones lit with his fire as his lips traced them, tongue exploring the curve of bone and muscle.

  His hands ran along her ribs, exploring each curve that held her heart, sensing her quickened blood, powered by her yearning for him. He cupped her full breasts, teasing each nipp
le with a calloused thumb, before sliding his mouth down to claim, with small bites, their promise.

  Haseya moaned as his hands slid across her belly, seeking her heat. Zayn’s fingers found an inferno, toying with her clitoris as the rush of passion engulfed her. She was his, she was re...

  “NO!”

  Once again, Zayn lay face down in the dirt of the hut’s floor with a hard-on, the taste of Haseya in his mouth and her smoke up his nostrils. On the other side of the fire, an owl sat, watching his frustrated face and throbbing cock.

  “This is supposed to be! Why are you fighting it?”

  The owl blinked.

  “Dammit!” Zayn’s frustration roared through his blood, and he felt the shift upon him once more. Now there were two owls at the fire, one calm, watching with interest, the other agitated, spinning his head and flapping his wings.

  “I have searched and never found a woman who called my blood, called it beyond lust, in the way of all time. I know you feel this too. Why are you fighting me?” Zayn clicked his beak, whirring and hooting in frustration.

  “Because I cannot. I must forever remain alone,” Haseya clicked in return, her heart heavy with a sadness beyond any she’d ever experienced, even that of choosing self-banishment.