Sorcerous Deeds: Adept Solutions Series of Special Investigations for the Magickally Challenged, #2

By Teagan Kearney

When a cruel sorcerer appears in Tropolis, murdering and kidnapping its citizens, how far is private investigator JB Lucerne prepared to go to rid his city of this evildoer? And will that be far enough?

JB's private detective agency is successful, even if he can't say the same for his love life, but when two elven princes turn up and demand he fulfil a blood bond by finding a missing princess, he has no choice but to take the case.

Heading up an alliance with others provoked by a vindictive sorcerer's murderous deeds, JB tracks the princess to the blighted Wraithlands. The allies face exploding portals and monstrous shapeshifters, but can they rescue the kidnapped princess in time to prevent her death releasing havoc on an unsuspecting world?

If you like gripping mysteries interwoven with generous doses of magic and humor, then you'll love Teagan Kearney's urban fantasy novella, 'Sorcerous Deeds', Book Two in the 'Adept Solutions' series.
Click 'Buy now' to enter this imaginatively creative world today!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Teagan Kearney
• Release date: Jul 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386955283

Teagan Kearney

I was born in London of Irish parents, and I write paranormal urban fantasy and commercial women's fiction. I also write short stories in the science-fiction, magic realism, crime and romance genres. I love traveling, and enjoy photography, drawing, theater, film, reading, and when there are no gales blowing, I like to walk. I'm a fair-weather gardener, and am compiling an ever increasing bucket list of places I want to visit from Iceland to Australia.

Book preview

Adept Solutions: Special Investigators for the Magickally Challenged

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Book Two

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Sorcerous Deeds

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By

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Teagan Kearney

The right of Teagan Kearney to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchases.

This 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.

Copyright: Teagan Kearney © 2017

Cover photo: Shutterstock, Unsplash

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Dedication

To Tim, as always, for your loving support and help.

And to every single one of my readers—a genuine heartfelt thanks.

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Acknowledgment

Grateful thanks to my editor, Sarah Watts.

http://yourwords-proofreading.blogspot.co.uk/

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Sign up for the author’s mailing list to receive a free copy of Hekate’s Chalice, Book One in the Adept Solutions Series, and information about new releases, discounts, and advanced reading copies: http://tinyurl.com/hk39yun

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Chapter One: Monday, 14th June, 3 pm

Chapter Two: Adept Solutions Office, 5 pm

Chapter Three: Office, Tuesday, 15th, 11am

Chapter Four: Freeway Motel, Room 301, 12 pm

Chapter Five: Jeff’s Diner, 1pm.

Chapter Six: Madame Mari, 7.30 pm.

Chapter Seven: Office, Wednesday, 16th, 10 am.

Chapter Eight: Keon’s House, 11.30 am.

Chapter Nine: Office, 1 pm.

Chapter Ten: Freeway Motel, Room 301, 3 pm

Chapter Eleven: Office, 8 pm.

Chapter Twelve: Office, 9pm

Chapter Thirteen: Office, 10 pm

Chapter Fourteen: Didi’s Apartment, 11.00 pm.

Chapter Fifteen: The Wraithlands, Time Unknown.

Chapter Sixteen: Time Unknown

Chapter Seventeen: In Transit, Time Still Unknown.

Chapter Eighteen: Summer Solstice, Sunday, 20th, June, 1 pm.

FROM THE AUTHOR

Chapter One: Monday, 14th June, 3 pm

None of the heat and bright luster of the mid-afternoon sun bathing the city of Tropolis reached Lower Level Park Four of the multi-storied downtown parking lot. The erratic flickering of the fluorescent light bulbs created uneasy shadows, and the air was rank with the stink of old seaweed, rotten cabbage, and sewage stirred into the mix. It was a stench that slunk along the ground like a dense November fog off the river—the stench of goblin.

As the elevator door slid shut behind them, JB turned first to Nikki, indicating she should go to the right and block the exit ramp. He signed he would head in a diagonal line toward their quarry before sending Gemma straight ahead. They padded off with guns raised, making little noise as they eased closer to their objective. A dark indistinct shape blurred across the back wall.

Shots rang out, echoing through the deserted space.

A hit! Gemma yelled.

Nikki and JB altered direction and the three of them raced through the parking lot, dodging around cars, and arrowing for the exit to block their quarry’s escape.

Nikki skidded to a halt, planted her feet wide, and waited directly in the goblin’s path. She fired her weapon repeatedly into the chest of the bald lumpen-headed sharp-toothed pointy-eared creature charging at her—whose pace had hardly been slowed by Gemma’s strike.

JB and Gemma simultaneously burst out from the cover of the parked cars, firing non-stop at the target.

The goblin ran a few more steps, grunted, staggered to his knees, and fell, landing spread-eagled flat on his front inches from Nikki’s steel-toed black boots. His arms and legs twitched for a full minute before he lay motionless.

Nikki kicked the prostrate figure hard in the ribs—twice. That’s for taking thirty-six hours of my life to search through the cesspits of Tropolis when I should have been arranging my wedding. She booted him again.

Gemma delivered another few wallops to the other side of his ribcage. And that’s for trading Neonice in my town.

Neonice was the latest highly addictive drug to hook its tentacles into the weak and vulnerable, with deadly results for both humans and paranormals.

She raised her foot again.

Hey, pack it in you two. JB grabbed the unconscious figure’s wrists, yanked them behind his back, and slapped on several pairs of double thickness plasticuffs before securing his ankles. They say males are violent. You pair are savage.

Yup, we are. Nikki grinned wide, her bright white pointed teeth, gifts of her half imp heritage, gleaming in the dim light. That is one ugly creature, she muttered, holstering her pistol.

JB shot a sideways glance at Gemma. We could have done this job in half the time if we’d had Jason with us.

As twins with a mixture of psychic talents, Gemma and Jason made a superlative tracking team.

I already told you Jason’s sick. Gemma glared at JB, yanking the bandana off her mess of red curls, fixing and retying it with a savage tug. She tightened the belt of her ex-army camouflage pants, tugging at the matching T-shirt as she noticed JB still staring at her.

Call the Goblin Squad, and give them our location, JB ordered, his expression darkening as he turned away. They’re waiting for our call. Nikki, let’s drag him over to the side. We’re trying to keep any mention of this out of the news. They hauled the heavy body out of the aisle, then leaned casually against the wall hiding most of the trussed captive’s body from view.

Ten minutes later an ancient Dodge campervan rattled down the ramp, and three long- armed fat-bodied goblins in olive green uniforms scrambled out. One, taller, with heavily scarred ears, strode toward them. I’m Captain Deekgrak. he barked in a cracked bass, pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Lucerne. He held out his hand.

JB took the extended hand and shook it, concealing his revulsion. He slid his hand out of the captain’s slick grasp and agreed. Likewise.

What brought him down? Deekgrak studied the prisoner.

Twenty or so shots of rhino tranquilizer.

Yes, that’ll do it every time. As arranged, we’re more than happy to keep this little affair between ourselves. Our species doesn’t have the best of reputations.

JB could think of nothing positive to add. It was true: human and goblin standards in morals, culture, ideals of beauty, food preferences, and everything else were universes apart and unlikely to coincide anytime in the next few millennia. We’ve got your billing address and we’ll be in touch, he informed the captain. He wasn’t going to declare, ‘A pleasure doing business with you,’ because it wasn’t.

They had taken on the case as a favor to JB’s father. One of his Houdan congregation members, Lester Wainton, was a prominent pharmaceutical manufacturer whose reputation and company would be adversely affected if it came out that products stolen from his warehouse had been used to make Neonice.

Captain Deekgrak nodded at his officers, who grabbed the unconscious prisoner by the ears and dragged him around to the back of the campervan. Opening the door, they yanked him up and flung him into the van. He landed with a loud thump and judging by the number of moans and groans coming from inside, the squad had had a busy day.

What about doing a few more bounties? Nikki asked as they headed for the elevator after the campervan had rattled off up the exit ramp.

No, thank you, JB answered, attempting to wipe the slime from the handshake with the captain onto his already scruffy jeans. Being a private investigator is dangerous enough at times without going looking for extra trouble. Is Juan aware of your appetite for this type of thrill-seeking activity?

What, your father wouldn’t approve?

The agency’s mine now and I can take any job I want.

JB’s father had wanted him to continue his architectural studies, but JB had argued passionately and persuasively to let him take over the agency. JB Sr. had given his son a year to prove he could run