Ley Lines #AtoZchallenge #AdForRoomatesStory #Paranormal #UrbanFantasy #LGBTQIA+

This month-long story, “Ad for Roommates,” told in twenty-six parts, is an urban fantasy intended for readers over age fifteen. Liv, the main character, is an adult in her thirties. This is a prequel to a forthcoming book and my theme for the #AtoZchallenge. To meet another character from from this story world, visit the (adult) blog of co-host Jayden R Vincente.



I wake up to the sound of cursing coming from my backyard.

“Please tell me you’re not turning to ash out here.” I climb from the couch to my chair and wheel out.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” My friend Jaxson replies as he hops around on one foot.

I rub my eyes. “Nothing. Thought you were someone else. What’s going on?”

“Your rock kicked my toe.”

“They do that. I haven’t had any caffeine yet. Want to come in and tell me why you’re here?” I need a better lock on my fence. Jaxson follows me inside. He goes to my kitchen and starts making breakfast.

“Over-easy or sunnyside?”

I roll to my usual spot at the island. It’s too early to argue about him showing up and then cooking. “Over-easy. Just one slice of toast, please.”

He doesn’t say anything until our food is plated and tea is poured. “There was a surge in your ley lines.”

“My what? I didn’t have an orgy, not that it’d be your business if I did.”

He z-snaps and purses his lips. I laugh. The move looks better now than when we were younger, back before Jaxson had his true body. “Girl, that’s definitely my business if you have one! I’d expect an invite.”

I laugh harder. Should have peed before breakfast. “Stop, stop. I surrender.”

“Good.” He nibbles his toast. “Your ley lines. The magnetic energy that connects powerful places? Remember I told you that two intersect in your house.”

“Right. Yes. I know what ley lines are, I’m not an idiot. Just thought you said something else. What do you mean by a surge?” I polish off my eggs. Jaxson could be a professional chef if he wanted to.

“There was a surge. I thought maybe Catty had a growth spurt. Or one of your other friends gave birth. Figured I should check on you.”

“Which is why we have phones.”

He shrugs and clears the plates. “And if you were dead? Or if something was faking your voice? Maybe Daddy turned vengeful. Best to just come see for myself.”

“Uh huh. But the front door didn’t look pretty enough for you?”

Jaxson gives a wicked grin. “You know I prefer the back door.”

I put my hands up. “That’s it! I’m going to use the bathroom before you make me have an accident.”

When I roll back into the kitchen a few minutes later, Jaxson is gone. I call out, but no one answers. Then I notice the sunroom door is ajar.

“Oh no. Please don’t let him be dead.” I roll over.

Thankfully, none of the creatures ate him. In fact, they seem to be entertained by his magic show. Witches!

“Everyone looks fine,” he tells me.

“Yeah. I told you not to go in here without me. They don’t know you well enough yet.”

He shrugs. “They know I can see the lines, feed from them as they do. Maybe you should give them more credit.”

“Yeah. Next, you’ll tell me that the vampire I invited in last night just wanted me for my location.”

Jaxson’s jaw drops. “You hung out with a vampire and didn’t tell me? Liv, seriously, I’m questioning our friendship. And, by the way, that’s obviously the surge.”

I shrug. “He’ll be back in twenty-eight days. I think I’m his dealer now. By the way, I’m looking for roommates. Oh, and I told a creepy wanna-be biker guy that you were the one looking.”

If sunbeams could shoot out of person, I’d be blind. “I’m that guy? Your protector? Okay, friendship refortified.”

Too bad everyone isn’t that easy to please.

“Twenty- eight days from now? Is it a lunar cycle?”

I laugh. “Well, some women call periods the moon goddess cycle, so in a way. Judah, my vampire friend, has a taste for certain blood. Makes me seem like a fine wine, doesn’t it?”

*** 652 words

Tenth Anniversary of the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge bloghop.

Katlin Marie #AtoZchallenge #ShortStory #AdForRoomatesStory #Paranormal #UrbanFantasy

This month-long story, “Ad for Roommates,” told in twenty-six parts, is an urban fantasy intended for readers over age fifteen. Liv, the main character, is an adult in her thirties. This is a prequel to a forthcoming book and my theme for the #AtoZchallenge. To meet another character from from this story world, visit the (adult) blog of co-host Jayden R Vincente.



“Interestingly, I am looking at ways to make additional funds. The psychic business isn’t the cash cow people think it is.”

Judah laughs. “Not seeing lotto numbers in the future, eh? Yeah, I’ve never met a psychic, fortune teller, seer, prognosticator, diviner, profit, or the like who had knowledge such as that. The myth persists though, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah,” I down my shot of vodka and pour another. “Clairaudience, clairsentience, clairempathy, and some channeling, none of which foretells the future. People sometimes ask me if I’ll just look into my crystal ball.”

“Let me guess, you don’t have one?”

I shake my head after downing another shot. “Nope. I have a xanntace though. They are frequently mistaken for a crystal ball. Or a gazing globe lawn ornament.”

“Ah. Finest lawn care in the world though. And they’re excellent caretakers of goats and chickens.”

“Huh. I didn’t know about the chickens.”

Judah nods. “Yes. Anyway, about my offer. I’m happy to stop by monthly. For pick up. I have two other suppliers. One in Chhokangparo, Nepal. She’s an older woman who would likely have passed a decade ago if not for our arrangement.”

“That’s near a mountain, isn’t it?”

He nods. “Beautiful place.”

“I would like to go to Thailand one day. But Nepal sounds nice. I’m just not sure about the accessibility options.” I motion to my wheelchair.

“Perhaps when we are better acquainted you will permit me to be your traveling companion. I assure you that I could carry you. And, as I am sure you know, I will not tire.”

“Especially if it’s around this time of the month for me?”

He smiles. “It would certainly be beneficial.”

“Tell me about the other one you have an arrangement with.”

“Ah. That is a very long line. The women of the family have been my suppliers since early in my change. Angela, the current one, lives in Paris, France. They’ve been scattered around Europe over the centuries. Angela’s grandparents and great-grandmother lived in one of my castles during the Holocaust.”

“Nazi’s not knocking at your door?”

He grins, those pointy canines glimmering. “A unit or two may have vanished.”

I laugh. We head into the living room. I leave my wheelchair in favor of the couch. Judah asks if the fireplace works. He gets a blaze going before sitting on the cushion beside me.

“My hypnosis didn’t work on you. I’m curious as to if that’s because of your psychic powers or your closeness with supernatural creatures. Fourteen hundred years ago is the last time I recall it failing. I was starving at the time. Africa did not prove to be the fruitful trip of which I had hoped and dreamed.”

“You did say you were hungry earlier.”

Judah nods. “Katlin Marie was my local supplier. She was not home three months ago when I came to call. It was unlike her. She was a shut-in, you see.”

I nod. Judah hands me the nearest blanket. Could he tell I was getting cold? Being a vampire, I suppose it’s possible.

“I stayed nearby, watching over her place, trying to figure out where she could have gone. As it turns out, she was struck by a vehicle while in her home. Drove into the living room. From there, she was taken to the hospital. On her way home, there was another traffic accident. The vehicle she was in took multiple blows.”

“Oh my,” I frown as I snuggle closer to him.

He wraps his arm around me. “Katlin Marie perished. She had no family to care for her. It took ages to track down her remains and get her laid to rest properly.”

“Kind of you to do that.” My eyelids feel heavy. Fred, one of my cats, climbs in between us on the couch. I rub his ears, enjoying the reward of his purring.

*** 645 words

Tenth Anniversary of the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge bloghop.

Judah #AtoZchallenge #ShortStory #AdForRoomatesStory #Paranormal #UrbanFantasy

This month-long story, “Ad for Roommates,” told in twenty-six parts, is an urban fantasy intended for readers over age fifteen. Liv, the main character, is an adult in her thirties. This is a prequel to a forthcoming book and my theme for the #AtoZchallenge. To meet another character from from this story world, visit the (adult) blog of co-host Jayden R Vincente.



“Funny thing, I’m not in the habit of inviting strangers into my house. Why are you here?”

“Ah. Well, the answer is unlikely to incline you to honor my request. I shall give it honestly though. My plan was to hypnotize you so that you would invite me inside. Then I intended to feast on your blood. Your ripeness called to me. A scent so sweet I could not resist. Especially as it has been three moons since I last fed.”

Judah grins, exposing his teeth. His canines elongate, resembling Catty’s wendigo teeth rather than human ones.

“Oh.” I rub my temples. “So I get my period and a vampire comes to call at midnight. This is what I missed living with my dad all those years? Fantastic.”

He bows to me. “If you wish it, I will go and never darken your doorstep again.”

“No. I won’t turn away a hungry creature. But know that you will honor your word about no harm coming to any in this place. Catty might not have eaten you, but I’m sure I’ve got someone around here who would.” I roll out of the way. “Come in, Judah.”

“Thank you, Mistress of Supernatural Creatures.”

“Liv.”

“I am between living and dead, I suppose,” he says as he steps inside.

I laugh. “No. Liv. It’s my name. Liv Good.”

“Ah. Mistress Liv. Is that from the Norse?”

“Norwegian, yeah,” I roll toward the kitchen. But I stop when I notice that Judah isn’t following me.

I roll back toward him. He’s leaning against the frame of the bathroom door. “Hey. You all right?”

“Liv, would it offend you greatly if I were to remove something from your trash?”

“You want to take out my trash? Dude, one less thing for me to do. Just make sure you wash your hands after you’re done.” I shrug. Sure, it’s a strange request. But he could have asked for far worse.

He bows. “It is only an item that I require. As you’ve discarded it, and seem unattached to your rubbish, I shall make use of it.”

I raise my eyebrow as he dashes into my bathroom. Curious, I roll closer to see what he’s taking. My stomach churns as I watch him lick an item pulled from my trash.

“Oh, whoa. I, that’s really gross. But, yeah, I can see why you’d like it.” I hide my face in my hands.

“I do apologize. You are compatible with my needs. The waste was a means to sustain and strengthen my existence. It had to be done.”

“Right. Yeah. Do you want some tea or something? Or a spare toothbrush? I probably have one.”

He laughs. “Thank you for your kindness. I have done far worse to remain sustained. If you would consider continuing our friendship though, perhaps I could purchase menstrual cups for you?”

“Wow. Well, that’s just about the oddest offer I’ve ever gotten. Forget the tea, this calls for alcohol.” I roll toward the liquor cabinet.

Judah follows me, Catty dancing between us. Nothing unusual here. Just a vampire licking my used feminine products.

“I don’t mean to alarm or offend you. At the moment, your trash contains my treasure. Something which I trust to be true every month.”

“Yup,” I say as I pour myself a shot. Using the bottle, I motion to him, questioning if he’d like one. He declines. Saw that coming.

“One benefit of my long time on this world is the extended time to accumulate wealth. I could pay you for a for something you throw in the trash. An arrangement that could last for years. Quite a handsome sum to be earned for doing next to nothing.”

He’s speaking to my basic needs.

*** 625 words

Tenth Anniversary of the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge bloghop.

Invite #AtoZchallenge #ShortStory #AdForRoomatesStory #Paranormal #UrbanFantasy

This month-long story, “Ad for Roommates,” told in twenty-six parts, is an urban fantasy intended for readers over age fifteen. Liv, the main character, is an adult in her thirties. This is a prequel to a forthcoming book and my theme for the #AtoZchallenge. To meet another character from from this story world, visit the (adult) blog of co-host Jayden R Vincente.



The doorbell rings, waking me up. My heavy left eyelid pries open, glancing at the clock. It’s a quarter to midnight. Who the hell would ring the bell at this time of night? I check my phone.

“Ahh! Bright,” I cry to myself as the phone blinds me. No missed calls. No messages. I check social media messages, but there’s nothing there. Maybe they have the wrong house.

Then there’s a knock at my back door. My bedroom is downstairs, in the library I converted so as to avoid the steps. So the knock sounds like it’s just outside my bedroom door.

“Catty!” I scream as I roll out of bed. I test my ability to stand. Pain shoots through my hip, causing me to fall back on the mattress. My young wendigo is at my side by the time I’m in my wheelchair. I tie the belt of my robe before rolling to the back door.

The young wendigo stands at the ready as I crack the sliding door open. “Yes?”

“So sorry to bother you at this hour. May I come in?”

I stare at the stranger. He’s mostly in the shadows. I can make out the tip of his nose. He’s wearing a long jacket, probably a black trench coat.

“Do we know each other?” I don’t move from my spot or take my hand off the door handle.

“We will know each other very well soon enough. Invite me in.”

“No.”

He leans closer. Silver eyes, unnatural for a human, glare at me. It’s a penetrating gaze. As if he’s a tiger and I am his prey. “Invite me in.”

“No. And don’t think your stare down is making the request more appealing. Leave this place and never return, or it will be your death.” There. I’ve warned him. That’s as nice as I’ll be to a stranger at this hour.

He swipes his hand over his eyes. They brighten as he leans closer. “I said invite me in.”

“Catty, dinner.” I roll back just enough for the young wendigo to get between myself and the door. His pointy, overbite teeth glisten in the moonlight. Claws as sharp as obsidian blades extend toward the midnight caller.

“You keep a wendigo?” Where normal people would run screaming, and rightfully so, the stranger kneels down for a closer look.

“How do you know what he is? And why are you foolish enough to bring your jugular closer?”

The stranger offers his hand to Catty, allowing my young wendigo to sniff him before petting. “I am called Judah. You have befriended this creature. I take it you know what he is? You are not blind or suffering from a mental impairment?”

“My young wendigo isn’t even the strangest creature in this house. And no, I’m not blind, and my mental facilities are in place. Though I’m talking to a stranger at my door around midnight. So I might be dreaming. And the fact that Catty hasn’t killed you yet is kinda blowing my mind.”

“If you would be so kind as to invite me in, I would explain gladly. On my honor, no harm will come to you or yours while in my presence. It would be too great a loss for this world to be deprived of someone who keeps company with a wendigo, even a young one. And I would love to meet your other creatures.”

*** 569 words

Tenth Anniversary of the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge bloghop.