Magic and Mayhem : Werewolf Paranormal Romance Read online

  “Fixers fix! Cleaners clean! Diggers to the garden! Cutters clear! Runners tell others to get to work!” Penny turned and began delivering orders. Her older children, who knew what to do, would take charge of their younger siblings. “I am going to see Calla.”

  Calla had a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, and a jar of grape jelly set out on a large, heavy wood coffee table. She was making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and handing them out on paper plates. “See, it’s like camping out.”

  “I love peanut butter and jelly!” Max grinned. “Just missing milk.”

  “We’ll get milk tomorrow if we can get the electricity on.” Calla smiled, making a sandwich for herself.

  Hayley was silent, sitting next to Lara. She was facing the fireplace and picking at her food. Hayley didn’t have an appetite for it. This was a strange place, and she had eaten enough peanut butter and jelly sandwiches over the last few days.

  Penny scampered in front of the fireplace, coming into full view. She sat up and looked at Hayley. The girl’s eyes locked on hers and widened.

  “Rat!” Hayley screamed, tossing her plate into the air. It landed in front of Lara, who promptly devoured the accidental offering. “Mommy! It’s a rat!” Calla grimaced in disgust, turning to look for the rat. Her eyes settled on Penny. The little animal made a chattering noise, greeting them. They did not hear her words.

  “Settle down; it’s not a rat.” Calla moved on her hands and knees, closer to the fireplace. The golden firelight illuminated Penny’s fur with a soft glow. For a brief moment, Calla saw Penny as she really was, but then the image blurred like an old photograph. Calla rubbed her eyes and blinked. She only saw a cream-colored ferret with bright blue eyes. It was bigger than any ferret she could recall seeing recently.

  Then Calla remembered. “It’s a ferret. Grandma raised them, and some got loose.” She smiled. “I don’t think it will hurt you.”

  Penny stared at Calla in concern. Couldn’t she hear her? She didn’t see her as she was? What was wrong with her. Penny dropped down on all fours and slowly approached.

  “It’s wild. It could be rabid.” Calla motioned for her kids to get away from it. “Don’t touch it.” Lara lifted her head, licking her jaws. Penny walked right by her without concern, and the dog didn’t do anything but sniff at her.

  Calla got to her feet and grabbed an ornamental fire poker from the stand next to the fireplace. She jabbed it in Penny’s direction. Penny recoiled in horror, then flopped down on her side. She attempted to look as cute and non-threatening. Penny rolled around on the floor and made cheerful, squeaking noises. Calla stared at the animal. Maybe it had been left here by her grandmother when she passed away and wanted to be around people again.

  If this ferret had been a pet, it would have been vaccinated. Calla knew her grandmother was always good about that kind of thing. This animal looked very healthy. “It doesn’t look sick. It’s kind of fat.” Calla could have sworn the animal gave her a dirty look when she said the word ‘fat’.

  Calla set the poker down and knelt, holding her hand out to Penny. Penny was annoyed. She sat up in front of Calla, smiled, and reached out to put her paws on the offered hand. “It looks just like Penny.” Calla smiled, reaching out with her other hand to run her fingers over Penny’s head. “How long do ferrets live?” She wondered aloud, slipping her hands carefully over the animal. Calla picked her up, and Penny flopped over in her arms with a delighted purr. “I think it’s tame.”

  “Cool!” Max jumped forward to look at her. “Can I hold it? Can I have it?”

  Hayley made a gagging sound. “It looks like a giant rat!”

  Penny sulked, nestled into Calla’s arms. “I am NOT a rat!”

  No one heard her.

  3

  The first rays of the morning brought the sound of someone walking up the steps to the old house and knocking. Calla was already up and answered it to find an apologetic electrician on her doorstep. He introduced himself as Morrison and apologized for being late. He assured them they would have electricity in a few hours. He just had to check the lines.

  Calla roused her children, and they began unloading boxes from the trailer. She wanted to get it turned in that day to avoid further charges. Lara was taken outside and tied to a tree so she wouldn’t wander off. She laid down and watched everything with her head between her paws. Penny joined the dog outside and climbed up on top of her head to sit and observe. The dog didn’t move.

  “Open all the windows, Max,” Calla instructed her son. “Let’s air the house out, and you can look for which room you want.”

  “Grandma didn’t die here, did she?” Hayley made a face, carrying a box past her mother.

  “No, she passed away at the hospital in town,” Calla replied, going back for another load.

  “Comforting.”

  “Hayley.”

  Penny watched them curiously, listening to their conversation. The mention of their grandmother made her ears twitch back and head lower. She missed her master. Lara whined. Penny dropped to all fours, running her forepaws behind the dog’s remaining ear. “You’re a good dog.” She stated. Lara’s tail thumped once in response.

  Penny spread her wings and hopped off the dog’s head. She flapped twice and landed in the tall grass. An assortment of her children was gathered there. “There’s work to be done! Get to it.” Penny snapped out an order.

  “Is there peanut butter?” One of them inquired, sitting upright and flaring his wings.

  Penny looked at him thoughtfully. “Go to the basement. I will see what I can find.”

  Morrison eyed Penny when she bounced up the steps and went into the house. The electrician could see her for what she was. For a moment, he thought he should say something. But he wasn’t sure about these new people. They were outsiders. They didn’t appear to see things in the same way he did.

  The late Lady Lowell had been accepted because she kept to herself. She had been a respected member of the community, but she was different from everyone else. Her entire family was different. They were a private family. They were friendly enough, but they never invited people into their home or onto their land.

  The electrician went about his business. He would have to write a report about what he saw and give it to the Stones. When the call came in to turn on the electricity, he had let them know someone was moving into the old house. He knew they had been trying to buy it since the owner passed, but they were not able to contact the next of kin. They left it sitting, waiting for someone to show up and hoping nobody would.

  Five minutes later, Morrison was finishing up with some work on the outside fuse box. Penny walked around the corner carrying a huge tub of peanut butter in her forepaws. She couldn’t even see over it. The man stared for a moment, sighed, and walked toward her. She made a squeaking noise and fled, leaving her prize behind.

  The electrician picked the big plastic jar up and unscrewed the top. Then he set it down in the grass. “You’re welcome.” He glanced out at the grass, where he was sure he saw more than one pair of eyes. Everyone knew about the pack of servant drakes that lived in this area. He paused for a moment, considering trying to talk to them. That would be a waste of time. These things were often bonded to one family, and they were fiercely loyal.

  Morrison grumbled and closed the box. He would be done shortly.

  An hour later, Calla flicked the switch in the living room. She was overjoyed when most of the lights came on. She heard several pops inside the house. One of the bulbs in the living room flashed brightly, then went out. They could change those bulbs later. For now, they were one step closer to civilized living.

  “We have electricity!” She yelled out the door to Max and Hayley. They cheered from the front yard, rushing up to the house with a few more small boxes.

  “Go check your refrigerator.” Morrison smiled as the kids ran by him. “It will take around 4-6 hours for it to get good and cold. Make sure it’s getting cold before you buy grocerie
s. Wouldn’t want you to waste money.”

  “Thanks for the tip.” Calla smiled. She liked the small-town hospitality she was getting.

  Morrison reached into his pocket and handed Calla a card. “If you need any kind of repair work done, call the Stones. They will treat you right. They might also be interested in your property if you want to sell.”

  Calla took the card and looked at it. It read: Stone Carpentry and Renovations. It was a plain brown card with a beveled image of a saw going through a piece of wood with a house in the background. She pocketed the card and nodded.

  “We’re going to stay.” Calla smiled. She didn’t say what she was thinking. They didn’t have a choice. Whatever she would be offered wouldn’t be enough to move and buy a new house. The home and the land around it couldn’t be worth much. They were too far outside of Gillytree. The house had problems, but likely nothing a little TLC wouldn’t fix. “I grew up here, and I want my kids to grow up here too.”

  “It’s a good town.” Morrison nodded.

  “Mom, where’s the peanut butter? I’m hungry, and I wanted to make a sandwich!” Max called from inside the house.

  “Good day, Ma’am.” Morrison turned with a grimace.

  “Good day, Sir!” Calla laughed, walking into the house. “It’s next to the bread.”

  “It’s not here!” Max shouted back.

  “Look on the dining room table. Maybe Hayley had it last.”

  “Oh! I can’t eat any more peanut butter and jelly!” Hayley shouted in response.

  Penny lifted her head as she heard the Jones yelling at each other through a nearby open window. She licked smears of peanut butter off her muzzle. A dozen of her children were passing the tub around, taking handfuls and shoving it into their mouths.

  “Jars of peanut butter don’t just vanish into thin air. Someone took it.” Calla could be heard walking past the window.

  “I’ll put it back when we’re done.” Penny sighed, turning back to her children. There were more coming through the grass to share in the meal. They loved sugar, and a few pawfuls were more than enough to serve as a meal.

  Arby Stone grumbled as the email chime sounded from his phone. He didn’t get a lot of emails, so he knew it was something that he was going to have to deal with. Most likely, this had to do with the Lowell land. He was a little busy at the moment.

  “Are you going to get that?” Arby’s mother asked.

  “Football.” Arby motioned to the TV, where he was enjoying a game in the last few minutes of the fourth quarter. “It can wait.” He and two of his older brothers were spread out over the couches in their den. There were bowls of half-eaten snacks scattered around them. A tower of pizza boxes sat on a nearby table.

  “It might be important.” His mother pestered him. Arby made a face at her, running a hand through his golden-brown hair.

  “Ah, doubt it.” The game cut to a commercial, and all eyes turned to him. “Why are y’all lookin’ at me like that?” He scowled.

  “You got a job to do, that’s why.” One of his brothers grinned. Arby snorted a response back, pulling his phone from his pocket.

  He checked the message and dramatically threw his head back against the cushion with a groan. “They’re here! A family actually showed up at the Lowell house!”

  “Oh?” Their mother perked up with interest. Then a concerned look crossed her face. “You need to go deal with that, Arby, Dear.”

  “I know. I know.” He swung his feet down off the couch and to the floor. The game only had a few more minutes, and he wanted to stay for it. “Morrison said they’re probably going to be out for a few hours and to visit in the evening or go by tomorrow morning.”

  “If they’re not there, you can do a quick check of the house and what state it’s in.” His mother stated.

  “Total loss. That’s what shape it’s in.” Arby frowned. He didn’t want to go out to the house. He had been trying for the last year to buy it and had never been able to reach anyone. Arby had wanted to get it done over the phone. He was fine talking with people, but he had a feeling that he would be talking to a family. A family wouldn’t want to leave a home they had just moved into, especially if it was a young family.

  Arby’s desire to always think like the people he was talking to was usually a benefit to others. His job in Gillytree was dealing with problems that Martin Praeter, his boss and best friend, didn’t have time for. In this case, he had to get rid of this family. He needed to talk them into selling the house and moving out of Gillytree. That was the one BIG job that Mart had tasked him with. Arby couldn’t let him down.

  The game came back on, and Arby settled back onto the couch. He couldn’t concentrate on it. His thoughts were on what he had to do. Hopefully, the house was in such a state of neglect that the family wouldn’t want to stay. A reasonable price would get them to move. If the man of the house were someone who was up to the job, Arby would have a more difficult time convincing them to sell. There was hope and a strong possibility they were city people who had no idea how to take care of anything. They could be the type using YouTube videos with far too much belief they could do it all themselves.

  Arby had a soft heart, and the thought of a family with kids putting themselves in such a situation was painful. He hadn’t even met them yet, and he felt terrible about it.

  4

  The Jones left their home late in the afternoon. They took the van into town to return the u-haul and have dinner out. Calla planned to do a little exploring down the main street. Then they would do some light grocery shopping and come home. Getting out and around people would be good for her and the kids.

  They found a little diner to have dinner in. They passed one of Gillytree’s middle schools, and Calla brought up the subject of transferring them. She had homeschooled both of them for the last several years. It was easier to do that when they had to move frequently. She also needed to find a job soon. She couldn’t be at home all the time.

  Hayley and Max were happy to do something new, but Calla wasn’t convinced they wanted to. It would be a big change in their lives. From there, they walked down one side of Main, then back to their van, wasting a little time looking in the small shops and restaurants.

  During their last stop at the grocery store, Hayley caught the eye of a passing boy close to her age. Calla thought that was cute. They chatted for a few minutes while Max helped Calla fill her shopping cart. Hayley gushed about how amazing going to school here was going to be. That one positive interaction changed her thoughts about Gillytree.

  When they left the store, it was dark outside, and storm clouds had moved in overhead. Lightning lit up the sky. There was only the sound of the wind. No thunder. Calla glanced up at the clouds, frowning. She wanted to get home as fast as possible.

  Everyone was in good spirits when they left the store. A strong wind buffeted the van, making it sway as they traveled out of Gillytree. They didn’t have too far to go. Ten minutes and they would be home. Then the rain began. It came down in a quick burst, and Calla had to lean forward to see.

  A large shape crossed the road ahead of her. She squinted and slowed down. Then a second smaller form began running across the road. Her headlights illuminated the brightly shining eyes of a canine of some sort. She wasn’t sure what it was, but the animal froze in the light.

  Calla slammed her foot on the brakes with a yell. They squealed, and then the van slid. Calla panicked and tried to get it back under control by turning it into the slide, but it was too late. It hit the edge of the road and tipped over, rolling over once and slamming into a tree. It landed upright.

  Half an hour earlier, Arby had arrived at the Hannigan’s home. He had ridden around the property, bareback, on Firenze, his ‘horse.’ To anyone who didn’t know better, he was riding a horse.

  Firenze resembled a dark red horse in body shape. He had four long legs that ended in hooves, big brown eyes, and large cupped ears. The horse part ended there. His head tapered into a snout,
and his mouth was full of sharp teeth and fangs. Large leathery wings were folded at his sides. Golden orange flames rippled where a mane and tail should have been.

  “No-one’s here.” Firenze snorted, tossing his head. “Except all those little drakes.” He trotted around the house.

  “We’ll wait for a little bit.” Arby let his hands drop to his knees. “You need exercise.”

  “I do not.” Firenze protested, tossing his head in annoyance. “I get plenty of exercise.” He flared his wings out to their full extent. Then he flapped them slowly, letting the incoming storm’s breeze roll over them. “We’re not flying home.”

  “Not without a saddle,” Arby grumbled, looking up at the darkening sky. “That and ah don’t want to be hit by lightning.”

  “How about we race home?” Firenze nickered, folding his wings and lifting his feet excitedly. “Running in a rainstorm is awesome!”

  “For you.” Arby chuckled, patting Firenze on the neck. “Ah, get home, and my mom complains about the wet dog smell. You just go in the stable.”

  They rode around the house again, and there was no sign of anyone coming. The storm was overhead, and droplets of rain began falling. “Okay.” Arby relented. “First one home explains to mom why I’m drenched.” He slid off Firenze’s side and immediately shifted from a man into the form of a large brown and cream furred wolf. It only took a moment. He was well-practiced in taking on this form. Arby took a moment to stretch, digging his forepaws into the dirt. He was bigger than a real wolf with longer legs and a heavier set body.