'Galen's Destiny' has arrived!

Galen's Destiny

http://www.jms-books.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29_94&products_id=2085

 

What would you do if you turned eighteen, with your whole life ahead of you, only to find out you were a dhampir, destined to spend your nights hunting vampires? Would you accept your fate, or walk away? Galen faces that decision, and makes the right choice.

By the time he's twenty-five, he's an expert at what he does. Then fate intervenes when a powerful elf emerges who wants to rule the world. Will Galen, with the help of his father Rénald, a loup garou named Marc, and two elves, Ian and Ewan, be able to foil the rogue elf's plan? And, in the process, can Galen find true love ... without dying before that happens?

EXCERPT:

Galen got lucky and found a parking space only two blocks from the cathedral. As he walked toward it, he found he was scanning the area for anyone who seemed -- strange. "Of course half the people who hang around here at this time of night are strange," he said under his breath.

When the cathedral came into view, he moved quickly across Colfax, wondering if Luc was there -- or if he really would show. Luc was -- standing by the front steps -- and Galen joined him.

Without preamble, as he began to walk east up Colfax, Luc said, "This is a prime hunting ground for them, given the fact dealers, prostitutes and the homeless hang around the area."

"And hello to you, too," Galen replied.

Luc glanced at him momentarily, smiling slightly. "Sorry. When I'm on the hunt I tend to focus on what I'm doing."

For the next half hour or so, Luc led the way up and down various alleys between Colfax and Sixteenth. Galen realized he was seeing a part of the city he didn't know existed -- all dark squalor and depravity. He stayed close to Luc while they walked past people buying, selling, and using drugs. Too often, in Galen's opinion, they came upon johns being serviced kids barely into their teens. In no case did they pay Galen and Luc the least bit of attention.

It was getting late, and Galen was about to tell Luc he'd had it with his tour of the circles of hell, when Luc turned down another alley and came to a halt. He pointed, putting a finger to his lips to caution Galen to be silent.

Ahead of them, halfway down the alley, Galen saw a dark shape. For a second it vanished, only to reappear farther down the alley by a pair of what Galen though were homeless people, huddled by a dumpster. The figure stood, looking down at the pair, then grabbed one of them, hauling him to his feet. There was a muffled cry of surprise before the figure -- Galen now saw it was a man -- took shape in the darkness of the alley. The man gripped his victim's chin, forcing his head back.

Seconds later, Luc was beside them, holding, much to Galen's shock, a short sword that glimmered in the dim light from the street. With one swift movement, Luc swung the sword, separating the attacker's head from his body. Instantly the attacker disintegrated. As Galen watched, Luc said something to the two homeless people, locking his gaze on each one as he spoke.

"Now do you believe?" Luc said, appearing at Galen's side again.

"I ..." was all Galen could say while he tried to assimilate what had happened.

"One vampire bites the dust -- and becomes dust," Luc told him with a dry smile.

"They couldn't see him until it was too late?" Galen asked.

"Nope. No one but the two of us knew he was there."

"That's ... I'm having a hard time believing ..."

"That what you saw really happened?"

"Yeah. Where the hell did the sword come from? You didn't have it a minute ago."

"This?" Luc reached over his shoulder. When he brought his hand back into view he was holding his sword. "It's invisible, as is the sheath, until I need it."

"Nice trick." Galen held out his hand and Luc gave him the sword. "It's definitely real enough."

"What? You thought it was a figment of your imagination?"

"Honestly, if I wasn't holding it, and hadn't seen you decapitate the vampire and him turn to dust, I'd think I was high on some of the drugs they sell around here. Hell, maybe I am."

"No, Galen, this is all real. Vampires are real. And so are we -- you and I."

"Fearless vampire hunters?" Galen's shivered. "This is… How did I…?"

"Are you ready to leave?" Luc asked.

"Unless you're planning on finding more of them, hell yes."

"It's not like the city is teeming with them. Or at least not with ones who are killers," Luc told him as they left the alley. "In this day and age, most vampires are baggers."

"Are what?" Galen asked, still trying to come to grips with the fact he now believed everything Luc had told him.

"They get their blood in bags, from blood banks set up specifically for them. Oh, don't go looking for one. They don't have signs over the doors. But they do exist."

"I suppose it's a good thing they do." Galen shuddered. "How the hell am I going to tell Mom?"

"I would suggest you don't," Luc told him dryly.

"Yeah. She might freak."

"You think?"

"So now what?"

"Now, you go home. Tomorrow, we'll get together again and I'll take you to meet my mentor."

 

Smoke and Mirrors - 10

Mor waggled a finger at Daniel. “I could make you do as bidden.”

“Like hell. You try any of your little magic games and you’ll have one very pissed off jaguar on you hands.”

“Oh will I?” She began to murmur an incantation.

“Stop, both of you,” Jared ordered. The tone of his voice brooked no argument and both Mor and Daniel went quiet. “Now Mor what is this article you’re looking for?”

“The Wand of Circe.” She smiled at the look of shock on Jared’s face. “It is real, it does exist, and it is somewhere in the city at the moment. I can feel it’s presence but someone or something is blocking me from its exact location.”

Jared shot a glance at Daniel, who nodded slightly. Seeing the look that passed between them Mor asked them to explain.

“There is a nahual in the city as well. With what you just told us, the chances are that either he has the wand or is also searching for it,” Jared told her.

“If he had found I doubt he’d still be in the city,” Daniel pointed out.

“You might be correct. So we’ll work on the assumption that he’s also searching for it.”

Mor looked between the two men. “Who is this nahual?”

“So far we have no idea,” Jared told her. “Neither does the Supe Council which is why they assigned us to find him. And that is why we were looking for you in the first place, Mor.”

“And here I thought it might be because you were going to get rid of your pet jaguar and come back to me. After all he did steal you from me to begin with.”

“I couldn’t steal something that you didn’t own in the first place,” Daniel said with a sly grin.

“No I didn’t ‘own’ him. For two hundred years he was with me willingly,” she shot back, “until you came along and seduced him.”

Daniel smiled with a slight shrug of his shoulders. “If that’s what you want to believe go for it but I think you know better.”

Smoke and Mirrors - 9

Smoke and Mirrors - 9

“All right I stand corrected; this is hardly a cave in the normal sense of the word.” Daniel looked around in appreciation. Other than the fact that there were no windows, it could have been a luxury apartment in a high-rise condo building. Thick carpets covered the stone floors and tapestries in rich colors hung on the walls. The furniture was an eclectic mix of antique and modern that worked well together despite the disparity.

“I hope it meets with your approval,” Mor said sarcastically as she stepped through one of the several arches carved into one wall. She turned to Jared and her look of displeasure turned into one of modified delight. “To what do I owe this visit my dear?”

Daniel bristled at her words but kept his peace, for the moment at least. However when Mor stroked Jared’s cheek with too much familiarity, Daniel quickly moved closer to his partner.

“We’re here for two reasons actually,” Jared replied, stepping a pace back from her and closer to Daniel. “Have you been to your house in the city recently?”

Mor scowled, either from his moving away, because of his question, or both. “I have,” she replied tersely.

“Do you know who did that?”

“No, and I have no idea what they would have been searching for.” She stalked gracefully to one of the sofas, her white hair flowing behind her in a striking contrast to her mahogany skin.

“I was told you were looking for a new antique of some kind. Did you find it, or could someone have thought you did?”

“Damn, Evan never could keep his mouth closed,” she muttered in disgust. “No, I haven’t found it yet, and it’s not really an antique in the usual sense of the word.” Mor patted the sofa beside her and after a moment’s hesitation Jared sat.

“Daniel my dear,” Mor said with saccharine sweetness, “why don’t you go through there,” she pointed to one of the arches, “and follow the hall to the kitchen. I have coffee brewing and there are goodies in a pastry box on the counter that only need putting on a plate.”

“Who died and put you in charge of me?” he growled, crossing his arms over his chest rebelliously.

Jared leaned back watching the two of them with open amusement.

Smoke and Mirrors - 8

A quick search of the house told them no room had been left untouched. They found the note that Jared had put in her mailbox still there, along with what looked like at least two days worth of mail.

“Who told you she actually was back in the city?”

“Evan. Apparently he saw her at a restaurant. They talked for a few minutes he said, about antiques and some item she was after, and then they went their separate ways."

“I wonder if she found it and that’s why this place was tossed. Given the places that were searched it probably isn’t too small.”

“If she had it here she would have put it in the safe, not behind the books or under the mattress,” Jared pointed out.

“But whoever was searching might not have known that. And it was humans, not Supes.”

“Yes, hired help probably, as a Supe would have left traces that she would pick up on.”

“So did the humans, and if this was done in the last few hours I can track them.”

“Tonight, Daniel. I don’t think walking down the street in jag form is going to go over too well during the day, even if you’re on a leash.”

“Yeah I know.” Daniel sniffed the air and then dropped down on one knee to sniff the floor by the front door. Shaking his head he went to the back of the house and sniffed again and paced from window to window. “They were transported in so that shoots that idea.”

“That being the case, it might have been by someone Mor knew well enough that they’ve visited her here. Where the hell is the woman?”

Daniel shrugged slightly. “I’m beginning to wonder if something’s happened to her.” 

“That’s what I’m afraid of, too. Either that or she’s seen this,” Jared flung out an arm to encompass the mess in the living room, “and is hunting them. Or she’s gone to ground.”

“Seems to me the next step, then, is to go pay a visit to her cave.”

Jared smiled slightly. “It’s hardly a cave even if it is deep under the mountain.”

“Dark elves live in dark caves, at least in my book.”

“Whatever, as the teens are wont to say, however I agree, we should check there next.”

Smoke and Mirrors - 7

“Haven’t seen her Jared, sorry.” The clerk at the front counter of Mordollwen’s antique store frowned. “As a matter of fact she hasn’t even checked in, in the last couple of days, which is not like her.”

“Probably hanging around the local sex shops terrorizing the under two-hundred set by showing them what happens to naughty little boys,” Daniel muttered.

“Shush, she’s not that bad, just a bit…over-sexed at times.”

“A bit?” Daniel shook his head but kept quiet for now.

“If you do hear from her please tell her to get in contact with me,” Jared said to the clerk. “It’s of vital importance that she does. If the damned woman had a phone this would be much easier.”

The clerk nodded in commiseration but refrained from commenting as a customer came up to the counter, asking to see one of the dolls locked in a display case across the main room.

“So where to next, Jared?”

“I suppose back to her house again. At least we’ll know if she got the note I left.”

“We’re breaking in?” Daniel’s face lit up at that thought.

“Easy there. We’re not technically doing a break-in, just a drop in,” —Jared put his arm around Daniel’s waist— “literally.” As he finished the sentence they landed in the living room of Mordollwen’s house.

“Okay,” Daniel said as he looked around. “Either she’s a lousy housekeeper or someone’s been looking for something."

Jared had to agree. Every drawer in the large desk on one wall had been pulled out, the contents emptied onto the floor, the pillows on the two sofas and the chairs were standing on their edges and it was obvious that someone had checked behind the books although they’d been left on the shelves, not tossed onto the floor as well.

“We’d better check the rest of the house,” Jared said angrily.

“She’s not here, dead or alive,” Daniel told him after sniffing the air. He knew Jared was as aware of that as he was, but felt the need to say it anyway.