Warlock’s Menace (Magical Usage Council Misadventures #1)

Chapter 1

One

Nikodemus

I had no earthly idea how anyone flew coach.

Make no mistake, you would not find me sitting in that dreadful purgatory.

Desperation alone had once made me fly economy.

That horrid trip had been made all the worse while worrying over my son Erasmus’s health.

I’d booked my flight last minute after hearing he was in the hospital.

My son’s penchant for getting into trouble made me seriously consider purchasing a private jet. The thought certainly had merit.

Stretching my legs, I was once more reminded of the tight quarters in economy, thankful I wasn’t stuck in that cramped space today.

Only first class was designed to accommodate a warlock’s long legs.

I could have flown in the ogre and troll designated section but couldn’t stomach the stench.

Activated charms were frowned upon during flights.

Something about too much magical interference with the human engineered plane.

Most likely it was a fabrication or superstitious human belief.

“Would you like more ginger ale?” A petite human flight attendant warmly asked. I had no idea how someone could stay that perpetually congenial for hours on end.

“I would. Thank you.” I attempted to keep the gruffness from my voice. Erasmus had informed me on more than one occasion that others found my deep, resonate voice intimidating. I’d reminded my son that I sounded like what I was—a powerful warlock. Erasmus had not been impressed.

The flight attendant, Janice according to her name tag, complete with little wings on either side, smiled, refilled my glass, and moved on to the passenger behind me.

I was glad to see her go. I’d had more than enough socializing these past few days.

I was relieved Erasmus’s wedding was over.

I loved my son more than words and I’d even grown…

fond of his chosen mate. What I didn’t love was forced socialization with the myriad of species in attendance.

Despite my irritation, the fact that so many had come to Erasmus’s wedding—a joining of a human and necromancer—was no small thing. In fact, it was a point of pride.

It was rewarding that others had discovered what I already knew. My son was exceptional.

My blackened fingertips tapped against the plastic cup filled with ginger ale.

It was a good choice after all the burnt rum I’d consumed before and after the ceremony.

My head still throbbed when thoughts of Warlock Vander Kines intruded.

It was a good thing a continent separated us.

I do not think I would be able to remain as sane as I was if Kines had chosen to set up shop on the West Coast.

I took a drink of my ginger ale. It helped settle my stomach while the quiet hum of the airplane engine helped settle my nerves.

The past two years had been trying. I hated to think of the number of times I’d almost lost my son.

As a necromancer, Erasmus’s lifespan was already painfully short.

The mere thought of losing him earlier than what the natural course allowed was gut wrenching.

Sadly, I was a bit of a warlock anomaly when it came to my necromancer son.

When a human female carried one of our children, odds were he would be born a warlock.

However, about ten percent of males born of warlock fathers were necromancers.

While warlocks lived several centuries, necromancers had more human lifespans.

Because of this, nearly every warlock abandoned their necromancer child, leaving their care to their human mothers.

I could not bear to do so. I’d taken one look at Erasmus’s chubby cheeks and trusting eyes and I’d been mesmerized.

No. I’d fallen in love. Warlock or necromancer, Erasmus was my son and I loved him.

My son foolishly considered this a sign of my strength.

He was wrong. By warlock standards, it was my greatest weakness.

Leaning my head back, I allowed my eyes to slip closed.

San Diego was a little over two hours away.

From there, it would be a forty-minute drive north, to my home in Perna Harbor.

It was my own little piece of quiet paradise where I was blissfully alone.

While I loved seeing and spending time with my son, I knew my limits.

I needed solace. I needed the peace only living alone could provide. I needed silence.

“I find human aircraft interesting.”

My body jerked as my eyes flew open. A growl sat on my tongue as my lips pulled back in a snarl. “What are you doing here, Hikaru?” I’d left the menace of a kitsune behind in Mississippi.

Green mist slowly solidified into the empty seat to my left. Hikaru’s shorter legs dangled, the space left between him and the seat in front appeared to be a gaping hole. I had no idea how, but when he truly solidified, his safety belt was firmly latched in place.

Ignoring my question, Hikaru’s gold-green eyes danced with mischievous joy as they darted around the cabin. Twisting this way and that, he leaned into the aisle. I had no idea what he was looking for until he asked, “Where’s the snack lady?”

I bristled. “You mean the flight attendant?”

“Yeah.” Hikaru smacked his lips together like a savage. “I’m hungry. It takes a lot of energy and timing to reconstitute myself on a moving airplane.”

I waved a dismissive hand. “I have no idea. She was here a few moments ago. And just so you know, flight attendants can be male or female or whatever gender they wish. Your ideas are antiquated.”

Hikaru tilted his head before shrugging as if he couldn’t care less.

When I studied him a little closer, I could easily see he sat forward in his seat.

I suppose stuffing seven tails into an airplane seat made it a little difficult to get into the proper position.

One of those tails crept into my personal space, sliding down my face and tickling my neck.

I hated how my cheeks heated and how soft I found his fur.

“You will keep those things contained to your designated space.” I pushed the tail away, but it fell back, this time landing in my lap.

“There’s not enough room,” Hikaru stated.

“Then get off the plane. You hardly need it to travel.” I’d been pleased to find no one in the seat next to me when boarding. Now I wished I’d had a fellow traveler taking up room instead of Hikaru.

“True. But it’s interesting and I’m bored.

” Hikaru tilted his head and offered a crooked grin, flashing a bit of fang.

His attention landed on the half-eaten package of pretzels on my tray and before I could protest, his claw-tipped fingers snatched the packet.

In one swift move, Hikaru dumped the remaining pretzels in his mouth.

He was still munching them when he snagged my remaining ginger ale and downed it.

I almost chuckled at the look of utter disgust on his face. “What in all the realms is that?” He stared at the empty plastic cup like it had personally offended him. “That was nasty.” Hikaru dramatically shook his body, his tails vibrating in time.

“Your reaction is absurd.” I clicked my tongue, a sound Erasmus’s mother, Lydia, detested. “As is your supposed offense. The drink was for me, not you. That should teach you to ingest food that is not yours.”

Dramatically rolling his eyes, Hikaru snapped his fingers together as if I were talking far too much, or more precisely, that what I said was ridiculous and not worth listening to. “Blah, blah, blah. Don’t get pissy with me because I happened to point out you have shit taste in drinks.”

My spine stiffened as furious ire swept through my body. “Now listen here, I—”

“There she is. Yoo-hoo, Miss Flight Attendant, I’m a bit peckish.

” Hikaru obnoxiously leaned to his left and into the aisle as he frantically waved his hand.

His new position placed his ass higher in the air, his tails flopping this way and that, half of them smacking me in the face.

My active swatting did little to reign those fluffy bits in.

Janice’s eyes widened as she glanced between me and Hikaru. “Sir, I don’t remember you be—”

“Oh, look at all those little packages of snacks.” Hikaru licked his lips. “I want two of each and something better than that shitty ginger ale stuff Niki’s drinking.”

Niki?! Magic sparked around my fingertips, alarming Janice.

“Sir, I must remind you that using magic is forbidden while flying.” There was more than a hint of nervous alarm in Janice’s voice.

More than once, I’d wondered just how in the hell they planned on enforcing that rule.

Most likely I didn’t want to know. Somehow, I managed to reign in my anger and magic while grounding out a completely insincere, “Apologies.” Janice’s raised eyebrows and pallid skin let me know she didn’t buy my false concession.

While Janice was distracted, Hikaru reached into the cart and helped himself to a handful of varying snack packets along with two different types of soda.

“Thanks!” Hikaru settled back into his seat; his hoard nestled in his lap.

Pleased humming vibrated through his chest and his eyes shown a little brighter as he ripped into the first package.

Janice stood there, wide eyes blinking and mouth opening and closing on unspoken questions.

The longer Janice remained, the quieter Hikaru became until his silence was deafening.

Ever so slowly, he lifted his head, eyes narrowed.

“You may go now,” Hikaru insisted, all earlier mischief and lightness gone, leaving a chill in the air.

Jerking back, Janice tossed me one last confused glance before pushing her cart down the aisle.

With a huff of irritation, Hikaru stuffed a handful of peanuts in his mouth. His eyes never left Janice’s back as she moved further down the aisle. After swallowing, he growled, “Some humans are just plain rude. You’d think she’d never seen a kitsune before.”

I’d rarely found myself at a loss for words.

I was often poignantly quiet, allowing my lack of response to speak for itself.

Lack of words was not the problem, nor was being able to speak them.

Typically, I had a plethora of words I wanted to say.

Most individuals were not worthy enough to waste them upon.

But this…this was different. I truly had no idea what to say.

Most likely, Janice had truly never met a kitsune before.

While there were rarer creatures, one would be hard pressed to list or find them.

Most likely Janice believed Hikaru to be some type of common shifter. She could not be more wrong.

The soda can hissed when Hikaru popped the top. Unbothered by drinking directly from the can, Hikaru tilted it back and downed half in one go, letting loose a disgusting belch of obvious satisfaction when finished.

“You are crude and disgusting.” I didn’t even attempt to hide the disdain from my words.

Hikaru’s eyeroll rivaled Erasmus’s when he’d been a teenager. “As if I care what a stuffy old warlock thinks.”

Again, I bristled. “I am not old.” Not by warlock standards. In fact, most would say I was in my prime.

Hikaru waved me off. “The white at your temples says otherwise.”

It was my turn to huff. “That is natural for a warlock. Our first white hairs begin developing when we are but children.” While it was true that the whiter a warlock’s hair, the older they were, it wasn’t a good way to judge a warlock’s age once they’d reached adulthood.

Unbothered, Hikaru leaned back, stretching his arms above his head, lifting his threadbare T-shirt and exposing a sleek abdomen covered in a thin layer of blondish-red fur. The sight was…distracting.

“So, where are we going?” Hikaru asked as he lowered his arms, settling into his seat.

“We are not going anywhere. I am going home.”

“And where’s home?” Hikaru pressed.

“I do not see why that knowledge is pertinent considering you are not invited.”

Hikaru’s slow grin grew wider by the second until it scrunched his cheeks so much the action appeared painful. “It’s funny you think that.”

There was nothing comical about the situation. “And I believe it is funny that you believe I will allow you into my home.”

Two of Hikaru’s tails slipped into my space, sensually rubbing against my jaw and neck. “Oh, Niki, you are so much more fun than I thought you’d be.”

My stomach rolled. Hikaru’s words negated all the earlier good my ginger ale did. “I cannot decide if you are foolishly na?ve or simply stupid.” I had a sinking feeling it was neither.

Throwing his head back, Hikaru’s joyous laughter held a sinister quality. “Careful, Niki. A little arrogance is sexy. Too much is dangerous. To you, not me. Now, be a dear and be quiet. I wanna take a nap before we land.”

Incredulous, I silently stared as Hikaru drew his legs up, twisting sideways in his seat and cocooning himself within his tails.

I wanted to scream and had the unimaginably juvenile urge to repeatedly poke Hikaru in the side just to annoy him.

I did neither of those things. Instead, I leaned into my seat, head tilted to stare out the small porthole of a window.

I would not look at him and I most certainly would not think Hikaru looked cute wrapped in his fiery fur.

I absolutely refused to allow that thought to wander through my head.