Australian Earth and Fire

By Gabriëlle Monego

Australian Earth and Fire is a sassy Australian fantasy where a whole new future comes to life.
It can be read as a standalone but it's the second book about the Australian Mediator.
Caught up in a magical war to save Australia M has lost her dad, found trouble and ended up as the Mediator for Australia.
The job her dad had before he disappeared and one she doesn't know much about.
Australia is in for a treat. Protocol is out the door and tact left with it.
M was never one to beat around the bush and everyone will know it.
General consensus is that the most important job is the Australia is now in the hands of a rude child and not everyone is happy with this development. But there is a bigger problem. All races are losing people without a trace now that the demons have arrived and tempers are running high.
The dwarves don't care how rude she is. Their magic users, rare and treasured, have been taken. They need M to mediate with the ruler of Perth to have a chance at finding them alive.
Meanwhile the dragons are having some issues of their own and they have requested mediation for the first time in history. Much to the disgust of the Unseelie queen.
Australia is in trouble and M is in over her head.
And that's not even including her personal life!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gabriëlle Monego
• Release date: Jul 13, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310872679

Gabriëlle Monego

Hello,Thank you for your interest in my books and myself.Between work, school and taking care of my beautiful humans, a cranky, little bird and a decisive, big German Shepherd, I write. Most of what I write is fantasy fiction, based in Australia. We live in Queensland, Australia, the sunshine state.Ever since I was little I have loved writing. I was talked into publishing my first book, Australian Magic but I enjoyed publishing my other stories to the world (and I am still learning). The feedback (and constructive comments from readers) has been amazing.I will be publishing several more books this year. Keep an eye out for Supernatural Medicine, Change and Accidental Assassin.Thank you for looking me up and enjoy.(and if you have some spare time let me know what you thought)GM

Book preview

Table of Content

Copyright

Dedication

Prologue

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

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

A preview of the next adventure

Acknowledgements

Books by the author

Connect with Gabrielle Monego

Prologue

Liam frowned, sitting at his work table as he heard the car drive up. His first thought was that his brother had forgotten something. Getting up to go to the front of the house he heard several car doors open. Not his brother then. He opened the door to see two dwarves that he didn't know walking to him. He smiled at them. The work that his brother and him delivered was legendary and he was rather proud of that. Most people came to request weapons but they didn't make many of them. The other work they did was equally special and he hoped that they were looking for some of that. There was no way they would make weapons for virtual strangers, even if they were dwarves.

They were smiling broadly and a shiver worked its way up Liam's spine, it felt like trouble. He shrugged it off, unlike Jack he believed in the best of people until proven otherwise. It was a decision he would come to regret soon. As the strangers came closer he realized that something was wrong with them, he tried to peer into the front of the car they'd driven up in. There was a grown man in the front. Alarm bells started ringing in his head just as the pair reached him.

They never hesitated as they walked right into his personal space and stuck a needle into his neck. Whatever they had in it worked fast but Liam had time to realize that they were not dwarves and his last thought was that he was happy his brother had gone on an unexpected trip to town. With a little luck he would end up talking to people and staying away for a few hours like he did regularly he went for a quick run to town. Liam blacked out hoping his brother was feeling social.

*****

Chapter 1

I used to travel a lot. I was on the move for years. The most settled I’d been in the last few years before settling in my own house was when I got struck by lightning. A Seelie Forest patrol unit found me and nursed me back to life. They then threw me head first into what had been my Dads’ job and all the reality that came with it. We have been under attack since the world changed.

Who are we? Supernaturals. Trolls, Fairies, Giants, Pixies, Dragons, you name it it's us. And me I'm a half witch half Mediator. Honestly, I don’t know what Dad was besides a Mediator so that’ll have to do until I see him again. He left me but I know he loves me so he will come back someday. I am sure of that.

We are at war and it has been getting worse since 2036. Corporeal demons have reached our shores recently. In 2036, when the Australian government collapsed the military hierarchy took over, this well-established hierarchy managed to lock down the nation when the world went to hell in a hand basket around us.

With the abolition of governmental restraint, the indispensable condition for full social and political liberty, it became ANARCHY. And what liberty it was. Murder and mayhem followed its bloody paths as humans started doing what most of them do best, killing the unfamiliar. The sad bit was that most of the ‘strangers’ they killed were human too, just different. The strange things that had started coming out of the shadows when the Magic first kicked in decided to come out completely. The army took control of the police forces around the country and managed, with the help of the air force and some of the races, to keep the damage to our infrastructure to a minimum.

The riots that burned whole cities elsewhere in the world were contained before any extreme damage could be done. Despite the intervention of the armed forces the Law of the Jungle took hold. There were still lots of lives lost. Whole towns were lost out west. The strong reigned. The big Chinese fed superstores dried up and life went on. Business changed, the way to do business changed but business was, after all still, business. It wasn’t all for the better. But Australia, a diverse nation with so many resources, continues. Taxes now go to the city not the state. Every city has become its own little fief. Even the smaller towns that made it through the change are that way.

And the Seelie that found me dumped me into this reality of war and demons and dragons (Dad had forgotten to tell me about those too and misinformed me about some others. I am going on the assumption that he thought I wouldn’t meet them.) When the demons reached our shores there was a battle. Good people died and a lot of people got hurt. We had a win but two demons are still on the loose in Australia. I ended up staying in touch with a lot of people and creatures. They have declared me The Mediator, in other words they gave me Dad’s old job. I don’t have to do any advertising, the supernaturals seem to find me all the time. Some of the creatures that show up on our doorstep are downright scary, while others are too cute for their own good and some show up that I’d never even contemplated being real.

I left the battle with a Fairy and a half Siren half Mermaid that is disliked by her own people because she hasn’t got full gills to display. (How stupid is that?) Alia is the Fairy that now lives with me. She is a sarcastic evil little Barbie doll look-alike with the most beautiful wings you could ever imagine. It was only supposed to be for a few days, we had a deal. What can I say? She’s grown on me, I like her and I do believe it's mutual.

Kelly is the half mermaid half siren. Really quite unheard of interracial breeding it's more for humans I’ve been told. But I’m a half-breed as well so I believe it’s just a dirty little secret for most supernaturals. Kelly has Fire magic and that makes her even more of an outcast in her tribe. She is quiet and very strong, she is also a good sparring partner and her company is never intrusive because she spends a lot of time in the spring. Alia lives in the Orchard and spends time with other Fairies and on occasion Pixies in the area.

We travelled with Mason when we left after the fight with the demons and because he lives on the Gold Coast. We came to this area and found our own little slice of heaven. It had everything we wanted and a for sale sign. So we settled in the area outside Toowoomba. No humans stayed this far out. Most humans flock to the cities and what they perceive is a safety in their numbers. People that live on, and rely on, the land, are a whole different kettle of fish in Australia, we better not start about them.

I bought a lovely house from before the Change we refer to that time as BA, Before Anarchy. We are fixing the house up to our liking as we go along. The house and the orchard had been let go but it suits us. My favourite are the pomegranate trees and the dragon fruit cactuses. The avocado trees are a close second. It has a lot of land that came with the house, hilly country and a deep natural spring that is second home to Kelly. Some previous owners had dug out the spring, so it is quite large as well as deep. The house is on a small hill and the spring is at the bottom of it behind the house. Kelly has planted some water natives around the waters edge and some kangaroo paw further up because I love them so much. The orchard is behind and to the left of the house. Our kitchen takes up most of the back of the house, it’s huge, so you can see the orchard as well as the spring. And the best bit is the veranda that runs all around the house. That’s my favourite place to sit and watch the stars come out.

When we moved in Mason a shifter we know, came with a truckload of furniture and other bits and pieces. His mates that came along were shifters as well and they got everything moved in record time. They are so strong. They also picked up the stuff we bought within the city and moved that in for us. One of them worked in the garden for a while when we were all inside. Mason, that funny bastard had bought or made two beautiful big birdhouses with porch and windows and they had attached one to the veranda and the other one was on a stick in the back yard. They looked great. It had been a very nice gesture and Alia cried. It was a sight to behold, she is normally so tough and she just oozed magic. I seem to be the only one that can see magic so that was a treat for me alone. Every time Mason comes to visit he brings little pieces of furniture for Alia. He got her size, because they are all perfect. She loves him. She doesn’t live in them but brings company over there when she has any. She made her home in one of the trees at the edge of the orchard but spends a lot of the time in her little house out in the backyard where she can give us shit when we work out.

Our friend Doc comes over whenever he is able. He is teaching us to use a sword. I've owned one but now I have to learn to use it properly. It is so different from knife work.

One night there was an explosion that shook our little world. The garden I’d been digging in all day had been blown to bits. A very extreme way to turn the soil, effective but extreme! And I was really getting into gardening too. Having Kelly works wonders on the plant life around here.

We flew out of the house armed and dangerous. I noted that Alia hadn’t come so I rushed to her home tree. My ears stopped ringing and I noticed another sound. It was like listening to hundreds of perfect little bells tinkle in joyful harmony. It was Alia and she was laughing her head off.

Pixies. A whole mob of them sat, pleased as punch with their achievement, in her tree. They were laughing at Kelly and me as well.

Thought we’d help you dig up the garden! Looked hard the way you were at it today.

Seriously? I asked, stunned. Dig? That’s a crater, I want to grow vegetables not a rice field!

You’ll be right. They grinned back. It takes vision!

I had no reply to that so I turned on my heel and stomped back to bed mumbling some choice words while followed by their laughter. Word had obviously got out about where the new Mediator lived and this incident made me realize that bad people could come in just as easily. So I asked my friend, and favourite witch, Rose to come and ward our property and house ASAP. The day we went to pick her up in Dalby somebody fixed my garden. I hadn't made much progress with the crater and the pixies had happily moved on. Trouble makers! We came back to perfect beds of raised dirt, with tin sides and walkways laid with tiles. Whoever had been here had even set up my sprinklers. I’d left them packaged in the shed as a ‘one day’ job. I appreciated the effort by whoever had done it but it also proved my point that we needed some serious warding.

Rose warded the property and put a different ward on the house and the house yard included the orchard as well as the old chook house that we’d done up and filled with brown chooks. Kelly loves the chooks, she even plays with them and they are so tame it's cute. Alia hates them! One tried to peck her when we just got them. She killed and ate it. (Raw! Like I said, she just looks cute but she is nasty!) I felt a lot safer after Rose finished her warding. It took her a whole week to do it and we were not allowed to leave the property while she did it. Word had got out about where the new Mediator lived but now they couldn’t just show up at all times unexpected. We put up a discreet sign and spread the word that anyone was welcome between 3:30 pm and 12:30 am. That way even the vampires and other night creatures could get here comfortably as well. Vampires can’t do much during the day and can’t go out when the sun is at its highest. Dad made sure I have a healthy fear of the vampires so when the Toowoomba locals came to welcome me to the area I nearly soiled myself. Turned out they weren’t very scary, definitely arrogant and very big on etiquette but nice enough. Still wouldn’t want to meet any in a dark alley!

If somebody rings ahead they can join us for dinner if they don’t mind cooked food or food targeted at mere people, in other words fishy stuff. We make cookies by the bucket load when we bake that way there is always something when people come that only eat special stuff, like fresh blood or living things. I refuse to supply that because, really, most of the time they eat human! Everybody eats cookies and if they don't they should. It’s comfort food and Kelly loves making and eating them even more than I do. It is new to her living on the land part time and doing normal land stuff. You should have seen her face when I introduced her to Choc chips and caramel coffee, luxury items at its best.

*****

Chapter 2

Word has got out about where I live. The Brownies came shortly after we moved in and saw me about the work they did for some humans that wouldn’t pay them. I thought that I’d only be dealing with supernatural races but they threw that idea out the window. It was easy to fix. Brownies are rather small people and unlike the dwarves they aren’t built like a brick shithouse. They have rather strange faces and the general expression and attitude is timid. They don’t like conflict and they like housekeeping. I’ve heard that when they snap they go totally ape-shit and you’re best off hiding from them but I’ve never seen it.

I visited the humans. They were a wealthy mob that valued their standing. I waited until they were in a very public place and took out their guards with the help of Mason and some of his mates. Coolest thing ever in a very freaky kind of way! They all looked just like me when we attacked them. Then I made a point of loudly demanding the payment for the services rendered by the Brownies and reminded them that if they couldn’t afford it they should have done the work themselves. They paid after I softly informed them that I would start maiming them one at the time if they didn’t settle their debts by nightfall. The Brownies got paid and are now getting paid straight after every job, by everyone they work for. Lovely! I didn’t ask what their payment was, my new motto is ‘Too much information can gross a girl out!’. And the Brownies offered their housekeeping services to us for free, after some deliberation we told them we might get them to help next spring cleaning. They are, after all, very good at what they do. They send us fresh coffee every week, it’s the best stuff. They knew we love the stuff from when they visited and say it’s to express their gratitude because I wouldn’t let them pay us. I always keep half the coffee we get for Mason and he happily accepts it when we go out, he loves it too.

After the Brownie situation everything was rather normal for a while, minimal mediation required and it all came to me, no need to go on field trips. Mostly Under Fey of the Seelie and Unseelie courts that would rather use me than their court systems. Sometimes they try to give us stuff and it ranges from all kinds of weird, scary and dead to wonderful. So mostly we tell them their happiness is enough! Then things went crazy one day.

I got a delivery of two barrels of blood, I kid you not two whole barrels! Mad right!

It came with a box of delicate wine glasses and a handwritten note. What it came down to is that the Vampires were coming to welcome me to the neighbourhood and they didn’t want to put me out having to provide for them adequately. As I’d only just moved in the glasses were a gift and the blood was their dinner. Kelly and I joked about doing a quick run to the city to get some disposable cups so that the glasses wouldn’t have to be used for blood. Alia was suitably disgusted with us because, she informed us, she’d sampled the blood and it was of the highest quality. We begged her not to explain that statement but she finally flew away when we put our fingers in our ears and started singing loudly to drown her voice out as she tried to give us the details anyway.

I really wanted to call Mason and beg him to come over so we wouldn’t be stuck without backup but Alia told me not to be a wimp, they’d notified us of their intent to visit and even supplied their own refreshments. Kelly informed me he probably wouldn’t get here in time anyway because it was late afternoon already and he was on the Gold Coast. Alia is an evil little bitch and Kelly was right. Alia made us both dress up nicely and told us what to say when inviting them in. An open invitation is the worst thing you can do with Vampires we were informed.

Evening came way too fast and it brought a good crowd of Vamps. Everything from frumpy to gorgeous. Funnily the frumpy looking Vamps freaked me out more because they looked like any Joe Blow you see anywhere. Sure they looked a little pale but after they had their blood rations they looked downright normal. The fangs had me fascinated I’ll admit and I got caught staring. The spry little old lady that I’d been staring at offered to let me feel her fangs. Alia chocked, the other Vamps giggled as I blushed. It was kinda funny looking back on it. She’d been turned by her husband when he realized that he would lose her forever. They had decided that they would just enjoy their time together until she died but he had really loved her. She’d always know he could do it but she had been clear on not wanting to risk her soul. She calmly informed me that after she made it through the bloodlust and learning every last bit there was to know about their needs as Vampires she’d killed him. What the hell right? After all he’d damned her eternal soul anyway she might as well finish the job. She wasn’t going to live with her lifelong lover as his grandmother. It still gives me cold chills just thinking about her matter of fact tone when she told me. Alia had strictly informed us that asking age was a big NO-NO! But I’m sure Kelly was just as tempted as I was.

Unlike the stereo types that the old movies used the leader of the delegation wasn’t a gorgeous specimen of turned human. It was a middle aged man that looked like an accountant from the city. A tad bit over weight, rather short and doughy looking. He was easy to overlook. I had!

To be honest I’d sat down with the old girl and asked her if she preferred the time before Anarchy better or the time now when everybody knew they were out there. With a wicked smile she had asked me if I wanted to know how old she was. I made sure to look innocent and told her sure but I thought it rude to ask. A few Vampires had laughed at that, I don’t do innocent very well it seems.

The old girl informed me kindly that her preference went to the middle ages, crappy media and great manners, back then everybody wanted to help an old lady. Just before the Change people had been more likely to try and rob her. She looked like butter wouldn’t melt when she told me nice people just tasted so much better. WHAT?! I thought! I sputtered, at a loss for a reply to that and ended up mumbling that I’d killed several people over the years and I was really mean. Everybody laughed. I’d forgotten about the supernatural hearing and all that.

So far I’d made sure that I wasn’t near the young man that had taken over the kitchen to heat and serve the blood. I’d been on the move the whole evening trying to avoid the heavy, irony scent of warm blood and the people with a fresh drink in their hands. But now I was sitting down with Mrs Bloom (The old lady, really really old apparently) and I couldn’t avoid the bloke that bore down on us from the right with the tray of freshly heated blood.

One minute he was getting closer and the next minute I was pinned to the back of the couch and I heard the glasses hit the floor. I never saw him move. My head was pinned and I could see the glasses clearly as they fell and splattered their contents everywhere like special effects from an old horror movie (they don’t make them anymore). I felt his fangs on my throat as I tried to get my arm up to palm a knife. The sharp ends of those incredible fangs broke my skin as Mrs Bloom grabbed hold of him. She didn’t pull him away because we both heard the accountant lookalike say that my arteries would be ripped out if he got pulled off now.

Something deep inside me moved.

I felt the magic that made the Vampire enter my skin with his fangs as his poison took away the pain from the entry. And something in me responded. I was there and I wasn’t. I was drunk and I wasn’t. He made a sound that sounded like pain but he didn’t