Alaskan Bones: Shadows of Alaska Book 2 Read online

  Alaskan Bones

  Shadows of Alaska Book 2

  By CC Dragon

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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Alaskan Magic Book 2

  Copyright © August 2019

  By CC Dragon

  Cover art by Fiona Jayde

  Edited by: Leona Bushman

  Proofed by: Angela Campbell

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Blurb

  Kicked off the case by the good guys and attacked by the bad guys, Dot and Mason aren’t giving up!

  Kids are still going missing, and the locals want their help. Add in fairies, Yeti, and crazy symbols, and it’s all uphill, headed for disaster. With a dark wizard on to them, every move they make could be walking right into an ambush.

  Dot’s powers take a deeper shift, and it might be the opening they need or the evil trick which turns them into a pile of bones.

  Chapter One

  A freezing, blustery wind whipped over me as I sat with a group of Native women on the beach as they chanted. The gloom of the overcast morning matched my mood perfectly. The fire in the center kept us from freezing, but I still felt hollow and out of place. As welcoming and wonderful as most of the village had been, I’d never fit in if I didn’t know what I was.

  The goal of the chant circle was to blend our magics so they could decipher what the heck I was. Was I part Fae or some sort of hybrid? That was the best theory—Fae and something else had combined oddly to make me. When you mixed Fae with human, you expected to get Fae powers. However, mixing two para creatures could result in a variety of weird power blends which didn’t fit either profile.

  Whatever it was, hopefully it would give me a better idea on how to handle my powers. Or a new group to approach to see if I sort of fit in there. I pushed the hopes down and let their chanting relax me. The more magical cases that I stumbled on with the FBI, the more understanding my magic would help. If only I knew who my father was. Right now, I’d settle for knowing what he was.

  Janice sat among the women, and I was grateful she still wanted to help me. Lily hated that I was staying. Even with her powers bound, she was a handful. Her mother had had trouble keeping her contained during Pete’s funeral.

  I avoided the little terror as much as possible, but Mason wanted to stay until the village had a handle on Lily. I’d say she was hitting puberty hard—maybe that was part of it, but I had my bets on Indigo for having bewitched her. A curse, we should’ve been able to lift by now. My powers were back to full force along with Mason’s.

  Maybe Lily had a crush on Indigo or the bear? Power was intoxicating.

  I couldn’t say that to Mason. He was beside himself worried about his family.

  I should be meditating and looking inside myself, but my brain never quieted down easily.

  “Stop helping her!” Lily shouted and ran into the circle and stomped on the fire.

  Margo stopped the chanting.

  I opened my eyes in time to deflect a kick from the rebellious child.

  “You can’t use magic on me while mine is bound!” Lily insisted.

  Cursed or just angry, she was still a kid, and I had to maintain my authority and not let her think she had the power in this situation. I laughed softly and levitated Lily off the group by the foot she’d tried to kick me with. “That’s not how it works.”

  “You are a mystery,” Margo declared.

  “Great,” I said.

  “She’s a hybrid of things, that’s for sure,” someone else said.

  The women began to talk and ignored Lily. I wasn’t a mother, so I lacked that ability to tune out annoying children acting out.

  “She’s evil! Put me down, you evil witch!” Lily shouted.

  I stood up and dropped her near the ground.

  The women gasped, and Janice ran for Lily, but I stopped her just short of smashing into the ground and set her down gently. The point was to teach Lily I was stronger, no matter how much of a tantrum she wanted to throw. I’d never hurt a child…

  “No, Indigo is evil. I took his power and used it for good. It healed you and Mason. Magic isn’t good or evil. It’s about the intent of the person wielding it.”

  “But you said he used dark magic on me,” she countered.

  “His intentions for the magic were evil. Controlling someone else with magic, that’s dark. That’s wrong,” I replied.

  She grinned. “Then binding my magic is wrong.”

  “No, you’re still a child and not using your magic properly. Running off and playing with bear shifters and evil warlocks—that requires parental intervention. It’s for your own good and the safety of your village.” It sounded so cliché and annoying, but I’d said it exactly to annoy her.

  Grunting, she stomped away. “You can’t stop all of it. I hear him.”

  Margo and Janice shared a look. I shrugged. “I hear nothing.”

  “We will meet to see if we can cut that connection. She has no magic, but if he is projecting into her mind…” Margo shook her head.

  “I think she can still use magic,” I said loud enough for Lily to hear.

  “You’re so funny. This isn’t my fault.” She pointed to her head.

  “Prove it.” I pinged her with little magical stings.

  “Stop!” She acted like it hurt.

  “Dot,” Janice said.

  “I want to be sure she’s not holding onto to another magical avenue. Something that can channel magic or generate it without her being free to use her own magic. A gift or something?” I asked.

  “Our magic doesn’t work that way,” Lily mocked.

  I nodded. “But other magic does. Did Indigo give you anything?”

  “I’ll search her room.” Janice dashed off.

  Lily’s eyes grew wide, but not with panic. She was volatile but savvy enough not to admit anything.

  I waved my hands up and down around her body, and a silver necklace floated from under her T-shirt. I felt the tingle so faint before, that we’d overlooked it.

  Magically, I ripped it from her throat and isolated it in a ball of my magical protection.

  “He’ll know you took it,” she said.

  “Good.” I hurled the ball far from me and let it disappear. “Now only I can find it.”

  “Bitch!” Lily screamed.

  “Fool. Now let’s go tell your mother and Mason about the necklace.” I started walking back to the village from the beach.

  When she didn’t follow me, I magically lifted her off of her feet and floated her in front of me.

  “Put me down!” she insisted.

  “You had your chance,” I reminded her.

  “You’d be a terrible mother!” she shouted.

  “I agree. Parenthood seems like torture. Be nicer to your mother.” I needed to get back on the case somehow. Indigo had left
me a clue, but first I had to make sure Lily wouldn’t sabotage me or Mason anymore.

  Staying at Margo’s was the only peace I enjoyed as Lily was determined to fight me at every turn. The village’s magical protection had been holding, but I couldn’t stay forever. I had to figure out what to do with the case and myself. The FBI wasn’t an option while I remained suspended.

  In the dead of night, a pulsing shook me awake. It was almost in the air, but I couldn’t ignore it. I’d never felt anything like it before but saw no immediate danger around me.

  Margo pounded on my door. “That’s the magical alert.”

  I threw off my covers and jumped out of bed. The small guest room was spartan but cozy with fur blankets on the bed and a hand carved wooden desk in the corner. The whale detailing made me smile as I flipped on the light. But the pulsing quickly forced my attention back to the alert. I shoved my feet into shoes and grabbed a jacket—not bothering with anything else. I followed Margo out and felt the dark wizards invading the village.

  “It’s not Indigo,” I said.

  Mason and his family were outside of their home as well. The streets were full and some of the magicals were already trying to repair the protective field. Not everyone in the village had powers, and I was part of what made their home a target.

  “They tried to take Lily,” Mason said.

  “You fought them off?” I asked.

  “You need to go!” Janice said coldly to me.

  I added my magic to the protective field for the village. “Is she okay?”

  “I got them out of the house. We need to search the village to be sure,” Mason said.

  Kneeling down, I touched the Earth and searched for intruders.

  “Can you feel anything?” he asked.

  “Not Indigo. I’m not sure about the others. How many?” I asked.

  “Two. I injured one,” Mason said.

  “They were looking for you,” Janice said.

  That didn’t add up. “I’m not hard to find.”

  “You need to be out of the village and not come back,” Janice said.

  Margo put her hand on Janice’s shoulder. “You know her magic helps with the protection.”

  “She made us a target. They came after Lily to get to her,” Janice argued.

  “I’ll go,” I said to Mason.

  “No, you can’t fight Indigo and his team alone,” he replied.

  “I’m not sure if I could kill Indigo. I’m not sure what he is. I was hoping time here would help uncover what I really am. But I’m more of a problem,” I said.

  “Good. Go,” Janice said.

  “She needs to build her powers up, not just recover from the attacks,” Mason replied.

  “She can just steal them.” Janice shrugged.

  Margo held up her hand. “Janice, you must stop. The council voted to give Dot sanctuary to heal and grow stronger. Mason is still healing as well, and he may need her. We’ll add to the protective field, but you must take authority over your house and protect your own daughter.”

  Janice stalked toward her house. When she got to the porch, she turned. “Mason, you need your rest.”

  Mason shook his head. “I’m going to stay at the volunteer post.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Janice said.

  “He’s a grown man. He can decide where he sleeps,” Margo cut in and gave Janice a scolding glare.

  I put my hand on Margo’s shoulder. “She’s affected by the attack.”

  “I need to be away from them,” Mason said.

  I put an extra field of protection around Janice’s house. “Sleep on Margo’s couch. We need to stick closer together just in case. Stay here, and we can start to track Indigo and his helpers.”

  Mason followed Margo back to the house.

  “Don’t be silly,” Janice said.

  Margo sighed. “I’ll go talk to her.”

  “She’s blaming it all on me. That or Lily is sharing her curse with her mom, and I’m the target of the hate,” I advised.

  “It’s not your fault.” Mason took my hand. “I have an apartment over the police station. We could stay there to not endanger others.”

  “Your mother would love that,” I teased.

  He was safe from the curse so far. Part of me wanted to leave the village, hopefully drawing the evil warlocks away. But I had so few allies that I couldn’t afford to lose Mason now. No way could I leave him vulnerable to the powers over his family or Indigo. We had to help each other.

  A few weeks had passed since the attacks, and I itched to make progress on the case. Sitting in the dining room, I studied a handwritten Native book on magical beings. If the dark wizards weren’t coming back, what were they doing? Educating myself on Native paranormal information would have to wait. Margo burst through the front door, silently beckoning me to follow.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  She grabbed my hand. “A friend of yours, I think.”

  In the middle of town, Zelda stood there in her zebra print skirt and Uggs to match. The white blouse was calm, but the black leather jacket over it screamed fashion. The rest of us looked like we belonged here. Zel was like something off of a TV show.

  Kids whispered in Inuit about her as I ran up.

  “Zel!” I hugged her.

  “Dot! So glad I found you. We need to talk.” She waved at the townsfolk.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “Zel, what brings you here?” Mason asked as he walked up.

  Zel smiled. “I needed to talk to Dot. I’m glad you guys are both okay.”

  “Is it about the case? Do you have any news or developments?” I asked.

  Mason sighed. “She couldn’t share them if she did.”

  “Right, sorry. I don’t want to get you in trouble. But you could’ve just called. It must be important.” I nodded for her to follow me to Margo’s house.

  “See you later, Mason.” Zel followed, looking confused.

  “I’ll get something special for dinner,” Margo called.

  “Don’t go to any trouble,” I replied.

  We walked the ways down the road.

  “Wow, this feels weird,” Zel said.

  “What?” I opened the front door.

  “The village. Don’t you feel it? Like you don’t belong here?” she asked.

  I closed the front door behind us and took her coat. “Nope, I feel fine here. Like anywhere else in Alaska. Magic is a bit different.”

  Zel set her bag to one side and smiled. “Well, I’m glad you’re okay. Mason looks well too. You’re not staying together?”

  I shrugged. “Sometimes. I’m trying to figure out my magic. I don’t seem to fit the bill for simple half-fae or witch or whatever.”

  “How does being apart help?” she asked.

  I led her to the kitchen and gestured to the sturdy dark wood table and chairs with a gray tablecloth, keeping it neat and tidy. “Coffee?”

  “Sure, answer,” she retorted.

  “If the dark wizards come back, it’s safer being here in the village. Divide and conquer. It’s a theory, but they haven’t come back. It’s creeping me out.” I filled two mugs and set them on the table.

  Zel took a seat. “Thanks. Well, I’m sure you did enough damage. Maybe they’re not after you?”

  “I’m sick of going over and over the options. I want to help the kids, not worry about myself, but…” I sipped my coffee.

  “You need a lead. You’re spinning your wheels. Classic law enforcement situation.” Zel shrugged.

  “But I’m not just law enforcement. My magic should help. My messed up wacky magic,” I said.

  She chuckled. “Is that why you’re staying here? I thought it was all about Mason.”

  “The people here are centered and know who they are. It feels so reassuring. I’ve never known a place like this. It feels like home, like you’re not judged or not good enough—they just want to help. If I’m supposed to use my powers to help, I need to understand
them.” I mentally reviewed the magic I’d done and what I’d stolen.

  “Stop. I can see you grinding your mental gears. When you started at the FBI, did you know all that you do now?” Zel asked.

  “Of course not. You learn on the job,” I answered.

  “Magic is just like that too. You can get stronger. Learn things. Maybe not everything. Powers vary. You’re in your head too much. Being stuck on the case is bad enough. Your paternity is a mystery, and I’m sorry we can’t solve it, but you have to stop letting it block and define you.” She took a drink of her coffee.

  I bit my lower lip to keep from snarking back. Part of me agreed with her. “You came all this way to give me a talking to?”

  She shook her head so sharply, her curls bobbed. “I did not. I had business nearby. I might need your help with it.”

  “Nearby?” I asked.

  “It might be just the thing to get you out of your own head. And out of your own way.”

  “I’m in the way of me? I need a lead, that’s all,” I insisted. “How’s the case for the women? Did they get more leads and deal with the sex trafficking rings?”

  She nodded. “They did, and that’s being monitored on an ongoing basis. Kids are hit or miss. Not nearly the network that they had for women.”

  “It doesn’t make sense. I mean, creeps out there would want to buy children too. Sick freaks.” I rubbed my eyes. It was hard to sleep with my mind whirling in search of a lead I’d missed so far.

  Zel sighed. “Well, I can see that being lucrative, but then the kids wouldn’t end up dead. There’s magic involved in your offshoot case that wouldn’t fit a basic trafficking one. The humans at the FBI can handle the human bad guys. Your efforts are needed on the paranormal side. These kids, no matter how little magic they or a family member have, deserve to have their disappearances and deaths investigated. We need justice in the para world too. You are our best hope for that.”

  “I want to say that’s good, but it’s all bad.” I sighed.

  She put her hand on mine. “You need to stop letting others define you. The FBI, your parents, your magic, and whatever else you’re clinging to.”