Dearly Departed: Magic and Mayhem Universe (Poppy Carlyle Chronicles) Read online

  Dearly Departed

  By

  Boone brux

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2019 by Boone Brux

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is coincidental.

  This book contains content that may not be suitable for young readers 17 and under.

  The Author of this Book has been granted permission by Robyn Peterman to use the copyrighted characters and/or worlds created by Robyn Peterman in this book. All copyright protection to the original characters and/or worlds of the Magic and Mayhem series is retained by Robyn Peterman.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dearly Departed: Magic and Mayhem Universe (Poppy Carlyle Chronicles, #2)

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

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  Foreword

  Blast Off with us into the Magic and Mayhem Universe!

  I’m Robyn Peterman, the creator of the Magic and Mayhem Series and I’d like to invite you to my Magic and Mayhem Universe.

  What is the Magic and Mayhem Universe, you may ask?

  Well, let me explain...

  It’s basically authorized fan fiction written by some amazing authors that I stalked and blackmailed! KIDDING! I was lucky and blessed to have some brilliant authors say yes! They have written brand new stories using my world and some of my characters. And let me tell you...the results are hilarious!

  So here it is! Blast off with us into the hilarious Magic and Mayhem Universe. Side splitting books by fantabulous authors! Check out each and every one. You will laugh your way to a magical HEA!

  For all the stories, go to https://magicandmayhemuniverse.com/. Grab your copy today!

  Chapter One

  I’m a grim reaper. Pretty cool, right? Not really. My name is Poppy Carlyle, and I’m a not-so-lean, not-so-mean angel of death.

  Sometimes I think I’ve seen it all—done it all. I’ve faced down violent spirits, sending them to whatever ethereal plane they’re assigned to. I’ve gone toe-to-toe with more Otherworldly beings than I can count. Not to mention having to deal with my redneck family members on a daily basis. Trust me, that bunch of knuckleheads would try the Dalai Lama’s patience.

  But tonight, I was sweating like a whore in church. Fear nearly paralyzed me. Nothing I’d ever experienced prepared me for what I was about to face. Dinner with my boyfriend’s family.

  The Jackson’s were an affluent mountain lion Shifter family here in Bumfucknowhere, West Virginia. They owned the largest construction company in the south, employing thousands of people. Among the Shifter community, Martin Jackson, my boyfriend’s grandfather, had a lot of influence. Most of the Jacksons were pompous elitists who looked down their perfect noses at my family.

  To be fair, I couldn’t really blame them for thinking less of the Dolbinrods. The members of my family heralded from a not so impressive armadillo Shifter line. They lacked the beauty and grace of the regal mountain lion and were a simple lot. Slow movers who seemed to struggle with staying out of the way of fast-moving vehicles.

  Just last week, a bicycle had plowed into my cousin Zeek as he crossed the street. At an early age, he’d learned to tuck and roll. The guy was a walking miracle.

  Funny thing was, Martin Jackson and Burl Dolbinrod, my grandfather, used to be the best of friends. Sometime during the 70s, they’d had a falling out. I don’t know all the details, but people still gossiped about the events of the Muddy Holler Incident in hushed speculation. That topic was off limits in my family. Nor were we ever, ever, ever allowed to mention Martin Jackson’s name.

  So, the fact that I was dating the grandson of my grandfather’s arch nemesis was a thorn in everybody’s paw. Except for Jax and me.

  I liked to think that our relationship was a bit Romeo and Juliettesque, without the suicide part. We definitely had the warring family thing going on.

  As we walked up the front path, my gaze skated over the front of the ridiculously massive house. Tall white pillars stretched across the front of a wide porch, and a crystal chandelier glimmered just beyond a tall arched window.

  My footsteps faltered. I didn’t belong here. Jax’s hand settled against my lower back. Though his touch comforted me, it also gently propelled me forward and kept me moving. It seemed his confidence in my commitment to take our relationship to the next level wavered as much as mine did.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “They’re going to eat me alive.” I looked up and gave him a strained smile.

  That statement might have been truer than not. The Jacksons were awe-inspiring in their mountain lion forms, each one powerful and majestic. I won’t lie, the sight of Jax shifted nearly melted the panties right off my body. So hot.

  “Just be your charming self,” he said. “Eventually they’ll warm to you.”

  A snort erupted from me. “You’re adorable.” I patted his cheek. “Naïvely optimistic, but adorable.”

  “I admit it might be rough going at first.” He pulled me to a stop and swung me toward him. Craning my neck, I looked into those mesmerizing golden eyes of his. “But I’ve seen you single-handedly take down a crazy badger poltergeist.” His lips gently brushed mine before pulling back. “You got this.”

  “Damn your optimistic confidence.” Lifting onto my toes, I hooked my arm around his neck and pulled his mouth to mine. If I was going to face down the Jackson horde, I needed to fortify my courage and remember what I was suffering for. Jax was totally worth it.

  I opened my mouth, and his tongue swept inside. Heat flushed my body, and I couldn’t stop the moan from vibrating from me. His hand traveled from my lower back to my ass. With a gentle push, he pressed me against him. Oh yeah, there was a reminder for me.

  As I leaned into him the front door opened. “Jaxson? Is that you?” his grandmother called.

  I jumped back. She may as well have dumped a bucket of cold water on me. Thankfully, the light from the front porch didn’t reach to where we stood. I brushed my hands down the front of my dress, not so much to smooth out a wrinkle, but more to wipe the sweat from my palms. That woman had great hearing. Probably a mountain lion thing.

  Jax wasn’t so easily spooked. His arm tightened around my waist, and he hauled me to his side. “Yeah, Grandma, it’s me and Poppy.”

  “Well, stop loitering and come in.”

  He glanced at me, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. “We’ll finish this later.”

  “Can’t wait.” I cocked a brow. “Maybe the night won’t be completely torturous.”

  His hand slid across my rear end, gave it a little pat, and then drifted to lock fingers with me. “Not if you play your cards right.”

  As I climbed the front steps I couldn’t help but feel like one of those virgins who were sacrificed to the volcano gods—minus the virgin part.

  I would endure tonight for the good of my relationshi
p with Jax. He was worth the utter humiliation I was about to experience. Worth the thinly veiled insults that would slip into polite dinner conversation. Worth the probing questions deployed in an effort to find out how serious we were. Yes, he was worth all that and so much more.

  I wouldn’t like it but I’d endure it because I suspected I was falling hard for him. We’d said the L-word before, but since Jax was convinced we were a mated pair, I wasn’t sure our feelings weren’t more about hormones than actual emotions.

  Before he went rogue and took a security position policing the paranormal population in our area, Jax had been the golden child and heir to the Jackson’s multi-million-dollar construction company. Needless to say, his grandfather and father had not been happy with Jax’s life choices and voiced their disapproval every chance they got.

  Dropping me into the mix, a non-shifter and a member of the enemy family, well, Jax had shot straight to the top of Martin Jackson’s shit-list. Yeah, this evening was going to suck big mountain lion balls, for sure.

  Glenda Jackson, Jax’s grandmother, stood in the soft glow of the hall light, the thick necklace at her throat glistening like a golden collar. As usual, her hair had been teased and taunted to an impressive height before being frozen in place with half a can of hairspray. The style reminded me of a lion’s mane and added a good four inches to her statuesque frame. I wondered what she’d look like if she brought her hair into this century. Unless she fell into the Snake River, I doubted I’d see that in my lifetime. Southern habits died hard.

  Ignoring me, she held out her arms. “Jaxson Jarvis Jackson, it’s about time you came to see your grandmother.”

  Wait, Jarvis was his middle name? How did I not know that? Pressing my lips together, I tried not to laugh. Hadn’t naming him Jaxon Jackson been bad enough? But Jarvis? I could have sworn he told me that had been his dad’s favorite hunting dog. Thank God Jax was handsome, smart and funny, because his parents certainly hadn’t had his back in the name arena.

  “Hi, Grandma.” He gave her a one-armed-hug but didn’t let go of my hand. Stepping out of her hold, he sniffed. “Something smells good.”

  “It should. I’ve been cooking all day.” From the way she fussed with his collar and then brushed back his hair, not looking at me, I assumed she was pretending I wasn’t there. “I made all your favorite dishes.” She cupped his cheeks between her slender, claw-like hands. “Maybe my cooking will convince you to move back home...where you belong.”

  It seemed the manipulation was off to a stellar start, but Jax was as diplomatic as he was kind.

  Covering her hands with his, he gave her a pointed stare. “I’m happy where I’m at, Grandma. But I do appreciate your fine cooking.” He dragged her hands from his face, gave them a little squeeze, and then reach for me and dragged me forward. “You remember Poppy?”

  “Yes, of course.” Her smile faltered for a second, her eyes darting to Jax, and then back to me, but she managed to work up a tepid greeting. “Welcome, Poppy.” She raked my yellow sundress with her gaze. “You look very...” She sniffed, her smile tightening. “Charming tonight.”

  By charming I assumed she meant I looked like a country bumpkin, but I liked to think of my style as rustic chic. “Thank you. Jax said dinner would be casual.” I gestured toward her tailored designer suit. “Maybe he should have expounded on that a little.”

  “Don’t be silly.” He leaned in and kissed me on the temple. “You look amazing.”

  “No need to apologize, dear,” his grandmother said. “I’m afraid he’s been away from the family for far too long and has forgotten all rules of etiquette.” I hadn’t actually been apologizing, but I bit back my reply. I knew this was just the first of many veiled insults to come. “Mia, stop lurking in the doorway and take Miss. Carlyle’s things.”

  A young woman I recognized from town glided into the entryway. She was younger than me by a couple of years and several pounds lighter. Gold-green eyes and a mass of sandy blond hair gave her away as another mountain lion Shifter. “Yes, Mrs. Jackson.” Her eyes darted to Jax, held for a second, and then drifted to me.

  I smiled. In response, her gaze narrowed, and her lips pinched together. Alrighty then. It looked like Jax had an admirer. Then again, Jax had many admirers around town, so I shouldn’t have been surprised that one of them worked for his family.

  “Thank you, Mia,” I said, handing her my purse.

  As she took the bag for me, her gaze darted back to Jax.

  He returned a smile. “How’s it going, Mia?”

  “Hey Jax. Really good.” The woman’s expression softened, her eyes rounding. Oh yeah, she was crushing hard. “I just started working for your family a few weeks ago.” Wrapping her arms around my purse, she smashed it against her chest. It might not have been expensive but it was my favorite. She needed to ease up on the squeezing. “So, I guess I’ll be seeing you around more often.”

  “Yes, yes, Mia,” his grandmother said. “That is if we can ever get him to visit.” She made a shooing gesture at the woman. “Run along. Dinner isn’t going to finish itself.”

  Mia gave Jax one last longing look and then scurried away. From what I remembered about her family, they didn’t rank high in the mountain lion pride. Still, she beat me out by simply being a Shifter.

  “Jaxson,” his grandfather’s voice boomed. “Good to know you haven’t forgotten your way home.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that, Grandpa.” They embraced, pounding each other on the back. The force of the greeting would have dropped most people to their knees. “Nobody here would ever let that happen.”

  “Because you’re blood and part of the pride. That will never change.” Though a couple of inches shorter than Jax, Martin’s presence filled the room. Broad-chested and arms like small tree trunks, the old guy still sported a muscular physique that commanded respect. His gaze slid to me and constricted for a split-second. “No matter how many poor choices you make in your life.” Okay, ouch. A predatory smile crept across his mouth. “Poppy, nice to see you again.” The lie rolled off his tongue with the ease of a seasoned politician.

  “Good to see you too, Mr. Jackson.” I pasted on a pleasant smile. See, I could sling bullshit with the best of them. “You have a beautiful home.”

  His grin curled into a genuine smile, and he squared his shoulders. Score one for me. No doubt killing them with kindness would leave a bitter taste in my mouth but it might get me through the evening relatively unscathed.

  “Thank you, Poppy.” He stepped toward me and draped his arm around my shoulder. My knee-jerk reaction was to ninja chop him in the throat, but I stopped my defensive move in the nick of time. “Come with me. I want to show you something.”

  “Everybody is waiting for you in the dining room. Come say hi.” Glenda looped her arm through Jax’s and pulled him in the opposite direction. When he craned his neck to look at me, she patted his arm. “Don’t worry about Poppy. Your grandfather just wants to show her around.”

  Divide and conquer, that seemed to be their plan. I wanted to reach for him and beg him to not leave me but I needed to be strong. I wondered if they could smell fear. Probably, so instead of cowering, I squared my shoulders and let Martin lead me in the opposite direction.

  “Where are we going?” My voice wavered slightly, my nerves getting the better of me.

  I doubted he wanted to show me anything. More like lecture me on the dangers of dating his grandson. Maybe he’d try to pay me off. Give me a big lump of cash if I’d break up with Jax. I wondered how much getting rid of me was worth. Not that it mattered. No amount could buy me off. But still, I was curious.

  “Right through here.” Letting his arm fall from my shoulder, he led me into his office. “On the veranda.”

  Needing to put some distance between us, my steps slowed. Martin continued forward and opened the French doors leading to the terrace. Without waiting for me, he stepped into the night. I inched toward the opening, my heart racing. W
hy outside? Was he going to use the cover of darkness to threaten me? To cover his nefarious deeds?

  “Alrighty.” I stopped just outside the doorway, ready to bolt or scream. Whichever came first. The whirring of katydids whispered through the evening, and the glow of fireflies winked across the dark expanse of land that stretched beyond the veranda. Normally, it would have been a magical sight. At that moment? Not so much. “What is it you wanted to show me?”

  “My pride and joy.” Martin strode to the edge of the brick patio and stopped next to a giant cannon. The rusty thing looked ancient. He patted the backend of the big gun. “This cannon has been handed down from father to son for over three centuries.” He turned to me and smiled. “It still works.”

  “Wow, that’s an amazing piece of history,” I said, actually meaning it.

  “One day, I’ll pass it on to my son Frank, and he’ll pass it down to Jaxon.”

  I nodded. “Cool.”

  “Yes, it is...cool, isn’t it?” Turning away from me, he edged toward the end of the cannon, running his hand along the black barrel. “Tradition means a lot in my family. We honor our ancestors, respect the rituals handed down through the generations.”

  “I think that’s great.” Which I did, but also understood the point he was trying to make. Sons followed in their father’s footsteps. Shifters married Shifters. They stuck with their own kind. That was not me. I attempted to change the subject. “So, when was the last time you fired it?”

  The predatory smile crept back across his face. “About fifty years ago.” He pointed across the expanse of darkness. “The Snake River is just beyond that tree line.”

  “Oh.” It took a second for his meaning to sink in. “Oh.” I straightened and folded my arms over my chest, trying to chase the sudden chill that ghosted across me. “You shot your cannon at my family’s homestead?”

  “Yes.” He pivoted and faced me. “I assure you it was completely warranted.”

  “I’m sure it was.” I smiled, pretending I’d missed his thinly veiled threat. “My family can be incredibly irritating.” I shrugged. “Maybe you’d let me have a go at it sometime.”