A Touch of Prudence- Magic's Destiny: Magic, New Mexico, #10

One

Outer World Planet: Coalition Class C

Dreyden’s heart skipped a beat when he saw colors swirl across the nameless, faceless woman’s arm. Last night must have been a complete blur if he had not noticed the colors cascading over his mate’s skin. It was the sign she was his chosen one.

Disappointment radiated from his inner core when Dreyden realized the shifting hues caressing her skin were the result of light reflecting off a prism hanging from the window. He had spent so much time on space stations, he forgot what happened when natural light hit crystal.

Too often he woke not knowing what planet he was on. Such was the life he chose being a Star Ranger. The woman beside him would join the large volume of women who entered and exited his life to placate his body’s craving. A constant need he never seemed able to satisfy.

His thoughts were interrupted when his communicator vibrated. It appeared he would not require an excuse to leave the sleeping woman before she woke. The chances of seeing her again were slight, if nonexistent.

He grabbed the device and headed for the restroom. The communique would be confidential. Besides, he did not want to run the risk of waking his bed partner.

As the overhead lights illuminated, Dreyden stared into his light blue, icy eyes reflected in the mirror. That particular characteristic identified him as a Glacian. It had been years since he saw the icy planet of his birth.

What? Dreyden barked into the communicator. He knew who was on the other end of the call and what she wanted. The display revealed his boss, Passion, ready to give him another assignment.

Good morning, sunshine, Passion crooned. Drey, I want you to head to Earth and covertly check on Frost. It is imperative those strange beings in Magic, New Mexico, did not let the rest of the planet know that extraterrestrial life exists. The Ruling Director had no business making a special deal with those creatures. There are protocols to follow to allow new planets into the Coalition.

He hated when Passion used the informal Drey when she addressed him. No one else dared to call him that. There was nothing casual about their relationship. It was strictly business between them, regardless of what Passion thought. She read too much into one drunken night’s activities. Memories of that night were still sketchy.

Dreyden was used to retrieving dangerous criminals, not fulfilling personal vendettas. Passion had not taken well to Frost’s retirement from the Star Ranger ranks. He had made his intent to leave clear long before he ventured to Earth. Frost’s life changed dramatically when he met his chosen one on that distant, primitive planet.

I will journey to Glacier and travel to Earth through the intergalactic portal between our worlds, Dreyden informed his superior. He had not witnessed the portal produced from a magical spell, but certainly heard about it.

No, Passion barked. I do not want anyone on Glacier, or that backward planet, to know about your mission. If there is a breach in the ill-conceived agreement between them and us, they will attempt to hide it from you. You need to mingle with residents and tourists alike and listen to what is being discussed.

Dreyden did not understand Passion’s obsession in destroying the accommodations made for the citizens of Magic. But she was his boss and he had no choice but to follow her orders. Maybe a change in his routine would be a good thing, regardless how distasteful he found the assignment. He was tired of chasing the scum of the universe across galaxies.

Affirmative, Dreyden said and turned off the device. He had no desire to lapse into a personal discussion with Passion.

He crept into the bedroom and collected his discarded clothing. Faint memories of the previous night started to return. His eyes once again caught the light playing tricks on her naked back. Dreyden mourned what could have been.

He left the sleeping woman and dressed in the living room. When he finished, he headed for the faucet in the kitchen and quenched his thirst. His ship was fully stocked with packaged nutrients and he would break his fast after he left this planet.

As he drank, he looked around his surroundings. The unit was the typical moderately priced apartment similar to many that flanked space ports. His companion for the night was also representative of the women who frequented bars near the port. They did not have the resources to go off world, so the women connected with men who were short-term visitors to add a little excitement to their otherwise boring lives.

This particular unit was sparingly furnished and did not include many personal items to add life to the sterile space. He pulled out several accepted currency bills for Coalition space and placed them on the kitchen counter. The money was not payment for sex, but recognition of the good time they experienced together and the night’s accommodations. Sharing a bed with a willing woman was preferable to sleeping alone in some flea ridden, cheap motel room.

Dreyden slipped on his boots and left the apartment, making as little noise as possible. If the girl was awake, she was probably waiting for him to leave before she started her day. No doubt, she was anxious to see how much he left her. The momentary realization she could have been his chosen one made him unusually generous.

When he reached the space port, his Tridbarrian transport was easy to find. There were not many ships docked on this isolated planet.

His former quarry must have felt home free escaping to this world few Star Rangers knew existed. Dreyden always did his homework and arrived here before the fugitive did.

His bounty was wanted dead or alive and the escaped prisoner made it clear he would not be taken alive. The authorities on this planet disposed of the body and paid him handsomely. Their willingness to pay for a dead criminal would discourage others from escaping to their world.

He walked up the ramp and jumped onto the hull of his ship. One of the port’s attendants had washed the space debris from the craft. The clean metal reflected the sun’s rays and he squinted as he entered the security code to gain access to the upper hatch.

Dreyden lowered himself into the craft, shutting the hatch above him. With the revenue from his last job, he had an automated closure mechanism installed. He listened to the suction clamps engage before he continued to the cockpit.

He fired up the engines and put Earth’s coordinates into the ship’s computer. Orange lights flashed, indicating he had entered an unsanctioned world. Dreyden overrode the system and buckled himself in for takeoff. Regardless of how many times he exited a planet’s atmosphere, he could never stand the strain it placed on his body.

The docking clamps released the ship and Dreyden navigated out of the structure. The craft’s boosters engaged and launched him through the planet’s gravitational pull. He gritted his teeth as the G-forces attacked his body.

He activated the automatic pilot as soon as he was in open space and sat back in his seat. He closed his eyes and envisioned his perfect female. She was his constant companion during long space journeys. His imaginary mate kept him sane. If he were truly blessed, one day she would become a reality.

Two

Earth: Magic, New Mexico

Prudence Hardt pulled over as soon as she felt the protection spell that enveloped Magic, New Mexico. It had been years since she felt such power and needed a moment to collect herself. She had not been exposed to magic since the break with her mother.

When her mom, Sara Hardt, passed away eight years ago, Prue had been a sophomore at Indiana University. She had not been home since she started college and had cut all ties with her mother. Her mom had abused the art of magic and Prue wanted nothing to do with that world.

Stopped on the side of the road, she was tempted to turn around and return home. Forget the two-week vacation she wrangled at work. No inheritance was worth being exposed to magic again.

Her eyes roamed to the passenger seat with the letter from her grandmother’s attorney informing her she had been left a large house and a hefty bank account. The lawyer refused to settle the estate remotely, demanding she return to Magic. She promised herself to sign the papers and meet with the real estate agent who already had the house on the market. The woman who ran the broker’s office was at least flexible and willing to work with her.

Prue put the car in gear and headed into town. The people walking the streets appeared normal, but she knew it was all an illusion. A powerful spell masked the appearance of werewolves, trolls, pixies, and other fantastical creatures who populated the town. Tourists would come into Magic and interact with mythical creatures and be unaware they were not human.

A familiar structure appeared on the right and Prue parked in front of the mercantile store. She had lived the first six years of her life in Magic and her childhood friend’s parents owned the establishment. She wondered if Patience would recognize her after all these years.

The store bustled with activity. People were shopping, and the far side of the store was under construction. The magical spell disguised the dwarfs working on the addition making them appear human. Her trained eyes saw them for what they were.

Can I help you? a tall, athletically built black man asked. He was extremely good looking and had the most incredible green eyes. They reminded her of a photograph she had seen in a National Geographic of a South American jaguar. Excuse the mess, we are adding on to the store. Patience wants to increase inventory she offers.

Actually, Prue said, I’m looking for Pati. She used the nickname her best friend went by instead of the more formal version the man used.

Prudie? a voice from behind uttered. There were rumors you’d return after your grandmother passed away. I’m sorry about your loss. She was a sweet old woman.

Pati still had light blond hair and striking green eyes like those of the man standing before her. Something about Pati’s eye color bothered her, but she couldn’t figure out what it was.

The girls’ favorite color when they were growing up had been purple. They used to beg their mothers to buy them matching outfits in that color. Today, Pati wore a violet tank top and a colorful short skirt. Prue’s wardrobe transitioned to a lot of black and white, plus earth tones. She had a couple of daring outfits in red that hung in her closet, never worn.

There was a wedding ring on Pati’s finger. How Prue wished they had never moved and she could have been part of her best friend’s wedding. She never connected with anyone like she did with Pati. For years, she attended weddings of work associates and sat at the business acquaintances’ table at the reception. The parties were painful from the start and she was always one of the first guests to leave.