Sound's Familiar Read online

  Terra Noctem, Book 1

  The world can be a harsh place for a wolf familiar seeking her bonded sorcerer. All Carol wants is a sorcerer to bond to and a home to call her own. So when Jonah Sound walks in, she's found someone that not only attracts her magic but her body and heart as well. The fact that he's got her dream job makes her ecstatic. The chemistry between them sparks something more than the normal familiar sorcerer bond, leaving Carol to hope that Jonah could be her forever home.

  Jonah sound has had many familiars, but none call to him the way Carol Voss does. She's had a rough life, but she's come out of it with a keen intellect and calm bravery that make her a worthy partner, both as a cop and a sorcerer. Her dainty size and almost innocent gaze stir all of his protective instincts, but it's her heart he wants to capture and hold forever.

  The job of a magical crimes unit detective can be dangerous. Hunting a sorcerer who kills for power puts both Jonah and Carol's lives on the line. Finding love amidst the chaos of a murder investigation seems impossible. Fortunately for Carol, her sorcerer eats impossible for breakfast.

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  They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Sound’s Familiar

  Copyright © 2019 by Dana Marie Bell

  ISBN: 978-1-946966-31-5

  Edited by Tera Kleinfelter

  Cover by Leah, OA Book Covers

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  First Edition electronic publication by Dana Marie Bell: September 2019

  Contents

  Dedication

  Glossary

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 10

  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

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Look for these titles by Dana Marie Bell

  Dedication

  To Mom, who finally learned how to text on her phone. Gods help us all.

  To Dad, who doesn’t bother reading his texts. For him, it’s call or nothing.

  To Youngest Son, who’d rather text than do ANY other form of communication. Geez, you’ve got a mouth for more than feeding yourself, ya know. And dear lord and lady, the memes...

  To Eldest Son, who doesn’t care, he’s gonna tell you all about what he’s interested in RIGHT. THE. FUCK. NOW. Seriously, kid, I don’t play Warhammer! But I’ll admit that If the Emperor Had a Text To Speech Device is pretty hilarious.

  And to Dusty, who thinks the whole thing is damn funny. Keep bringing me my coffee in the morning and I’ll forgive you (almost) anything.

  Glossary

  Angel: A creature of the plane Angelus, they have wings and are beings of order. They prefer maintaining and preserving the status quo, and often find themselves in conflict with beings from the plane Infernus because of this. See Demons below.

  Anima/Animus: Like yin and yang, anima and animus are the two forms of magic that fill every living thing. Sorcerers use anima/animus to cast spells, while familiars use it to transform into their animal counterparts. Most sorcerers need a familiar to help balance out their magic, or they run the risk of slipping into blood sorcery. The two are interchangeable, neither male nor female, just two halves of a whole.

  Blood Sorcerer: Blood sorcerers are those who eschew forming a bond with a familiar. Instead, they pull anima/animus from the living, using blood rituals and human sacrifice to absorb the power. This sort of activity has a cost, however. Blood sorcerers run the risk of becoming withers, creatures of Terra Noctem that thrive on absorbing the magic of others. See Sorcerer and Withers below.

  Demon: A creature of the plane Infernus, they are creatures of fire and chaos. They often have horns and red or bronze skin in their demon form. They prefer change and invention to maintaining the status quo, which often leads to conflict with denizens of the Angelic plane. See Angel above.

  Dimen: Often confused for demons, dimen (pronounced dye-men) are simply interdimensional beings from the different planes who have chosen to make Terra Mundus their home. See Planes below. Dimens are angels, demons, elementals, elves, fairies, and merfolk. Some lump shapeshifters among the dimens, while others argue that they are originally from Terra Mundus, and therefore not dimens.

  Elemental: A being of one of the four elemental planes, they often bear characteristics from their home dimension.

  Air elemental: Often has flyaway hair, blue or gray eyes, and when using their powers, wings. Often called sylphs.

  Earth elemental: Brown- or black-haired, brown- or green-eyed, they are often strong and big-boned. When using their powers, their skin will sometimes turn earth-colored as well. Their nickname is gnome.

  Fire elemental: Reddish hair and brown eyes often mark these creatures. When using their powers, their skin turns ruddy. They are known as djinn.

  Water elemental: Pale-haired, with blue eyes, these creatures are often called merfolk. Scales appear on their skin when they use their powers.

  Elf/Fairy: Elves and fairies are creatures of Terra Dryadalis, aka the fairy realm. Elves often have the power of healing as well as the power to force other dimens from the plane the elf resides in. Some believe that familiars were used in the elven war against the Infernal plane, and that their magical changes to the familiars created shapeshifters. This is the source of the rumor that shapeshifters are actually dimens.

  ​Fairies have the ability to hex others, causing mayhem among both humans and dimens. It is said that fairies are the outgrowth of elves who bore demon children, either voluntarily or involuntarily, both during the war and at other times.

  Familiar: Familiars are people capable of changing into animals but who also bond with sorcerers to balance out their magic. Sorcerers and familiars are said to be cousins, familiars being born out of necessity. They cannot cast spells, but they can amplify their sorcerer’s spells and make them more stable. A familiar does not, however, need to bond with a sorcerer in the same way that a sorcerer needs a familiar, as all of their magic is directed inward rather than outward.

  Familiar House: Familiar House is both the advocate for and home to familiars. A familiar looking for a sorcerer will form a temporary bond with the house, allowing them to set up the meet and greets where sorcerers come to look for potential partners. Familiar Houses set the rules that both sorcerers and familiars use to regu
late the bond.

  Gate: Extremely difficult to open, gates are how sorcerers can move between planes. This is only recommended if proper preparations are made to survive the plane that the sorcerer wishes to travel to.

  Gods: The gods are said to have created the planes of existence. They have their own plane, removed from almost all of the others. Only one pathway exists to the realm of the gods, and only certain creatures, such as demons, angels, and planewalkers, can travel there. It is impossible for a sorcerer to form a gate to the plane of the gods.

  ​Human: Natural-born residents of Terra Mundus, humans are both numerous and capable of channeling the magic of the other planes. Sorcerers are always born of humans. Because of their ability to channel, they need familiars to help ground them and balance out their magic.

  Ley Line(s): The primal force of a world, ley lines flow much like air currents and can be tracked by those who can tap into them. Unlike humans, elves use ley lines to cast their spells, as do gnomes, merfolk and other dimens.

  Mana: The generic term for the magical power used by humans.

  ​Necromancer: A sorcerer whose focus is the dead, necromancers can communicate with the spirits of those residing in Terra Noctem, the night realm. They do not raise the dead, but their association with the realm of the dead causes others around them to feel uncomfortable in their presence.

  Pathways: Pathways are the connections between the planes. Each plane has its own set of pathways to and from the various other planes. (Diagram coming!)

  Plane: There are ten planes (aka “Terras”) of existence, including the plane of the gods:

  Mundus: The “human” realm, a place where creatures from the other planes can also exist in relative comfort. Only the gods have no presence on Terra Mundus.

  Dryadalis: The fae realm, home of the elves and fairies.

  Infernum: Home of demons and realm of chaos.

  Angelus: The angelic realm of order.

  Ignis: Plane of fire, home to djinn.

  Aether: Plane of air, home to sylphs.

  Tellus: Plane of earth, home of the gnomes.

  Aqua: Plane of water, home of the merfolk.

  Noctem: The night realm, realm of the dead, home to withers and ghosts. Often believed to be the source of the belief in purgatory.

  Caelestes: Realm of the gods.

  Planewalker: The only being who can walk between the planes without having to perform gate spells or prepare for survival. Planewalkers are believed to be descended from the gods and are very rare.

  Shapeshifter: A human who can shift into an animal but is not a familiar. Most are predators. Shapeshifters can sometimes lose control over their beasts, called “going feral.” Predator familiars have acquired a bad reputation due to the shapeshifters that go feral, despite the fact that they cannot due to their magic.

  Sorcerer: A human who can channel the magic of the planes, sorcerers are imbued with powerful anima/animus. Most sorcerers bond with familiars, stabilizing their magic, while others view familiars as chains around them. These sorcerers become blood sorcerers. See above.

  ​Vampire: A creature of both Terra Mundus and Terra Noctem, vampires are the only true undead. They reside exclusively in Terra Mundus and require infusions of anima/animus to survive. This magic is absorbed through the blood of the donor. Laws are in place regulating how and where a vampire may feed. One must either register with the authorities to be turned or be able to prove that there was no other way to sustain their life. Some people have undead wills, allowing them to be turned in cases where the human may not be able to give conscious consent.

  Chapter 1

  Carol Voss yawned widely, startling the gecko that had been sitting on the arm of the sofa and sunning itself in the light from the nearby window. Stacey hiss-screamed, the noise geckos made when they were threatened.

  Carol snorted at the tiny lizard. It was just instinct on her friend’s part. Stacey understood she was safe around Carol, even when they were both shifted, as they were now. Carol didn’t eat sentient beings.

  Carol huffed an apology and nuzzled Stacey. Stacey promptly climbed onto Carol’s snout, making Carol cross-eyed as she tried to keep her gaze on the gecko. Stacey wouldn’t fall off, but Carol didn’t want to accidentally hurt her friend.

  Carol glanced slowly around the room, making Stacey stumble a bit before the lizard lay down, sprawled over Carol’s nose, her little limbs dangling on either side and her head over the tip of Carol’s nose. She’d have to be careful to warn Stacey before she sneezed. The last time that happened, Stacey wound up with a broken arm when she hit the wall.

  She hadn’t spoken to Carol for a week. Carol wound up making chocolate-covered strawberries to appease her. She’d thought about making chocolate covered crickets but...

  Ewewewewew. She shuddered, almost dislodging Stacey. Just the thought of touching bugs made her want to hurl. She loved Stacey like a sister, but dear God it would take something more than not talking to get Carol to ruin perfectly good chocolate that way.

  Chasing off thoughts of chirping chocolate, Carol glanced around again. The room was filled with a mix of human and animals, all of them familiars. The San Fernando Valley Familiar House was about to hold its monthly Saturday meet and greet, and she was eager to catch a glimpse of those who showed up. Sometimes they got some pretty famous people roaming through, looking for a partner their magic could work with.

  Carol had never matched with a sorcerer before. They all passed her by with a cursory glance at best. She was twenty-three and still hadn’t broken her magical cherry.

  Some of the other familiars teased her about that, but Carol did her best to let it slide. Matching with a sorcerer could be difficult as a large predator. Most wanted something small and portable, like Stacey, whom they could carry in their pocket or on their shoulder. Ravens, owls, cats, and even rats were far more popular than wolves and the larger familiars. She had a theory about that, having to do with the shifter community. Sometimes larger shifters turned feral, running amok and causing a lot of damage to people and property. But Carol wasn’t a shifter.

  She was a familiar, and that made all the difference in the world to anyone who understood exactly what that meant. No matter what happened, going feral wasn’t possible when you were as closely bonded with your animal as familiars were.

  One of her friends, Brent, was a freakin’ polar bear. He’d only matched once, to a sorcerer on an arctic expedition. After the year and a day contract was up, the sorcerer had returned with Brent in tow, saying he didn’t need the polar bear any longer as he was done with his expedition.

  Carol had wanted to claw the man’s eyes out. Brent had been heartbroken, but while the familiar picked the sorcerer, the sorcerer didn’t have to keep the familiar, no matter how well their magic might mesh. Both had to be on the same page before a long-term bond could form.

  “Okay, everyone, listen up!”

  Carol turned her head toward the doorway, her thoughts interrupted by the overly happy female voice. She needed to pay attention to the woman who was in charge of today’s meet and greet. Carol couldn’t remember her name. She was new, and so chipper she made Carol wince.

  The woman smiled and practically bounced in place. It was way too early in the morning for that level of perkiness. “We have some pretty important people lined up to visit today, so be on your best behavior.” The woman frowned at Carol—who’d chosen to spend the day in her wolf form—the tiger, and Brent, who’d also shifted into his bear. “No peeing on or eating the sorcerers.”

  Carol rolled her eyes. She’d only done that once, and that was because the guy was bullying Stacey, trying to force her into his pocket. But no, pee on someone’s shoes once, and you never got to live it down.

  Only for Stacey and her other friends would she be willing to put herself out there like that. She needed to be careful though. She’d finally graduated from the police academy and was preparing to work for the LAPD. She prayed she’d eventua
lly go to the MCU—the Magical Crimes Unit, a special police unit that dealt with magical crimes of all types—maybe even as the partner of one of their officers.

  It would be a dream come true, but right now she needed to listen, or Perky Patty was going to rap her nose with those rolled-up papers she was holding.

  “Some of the attending sorcerers you may recognize from the newspapers so, please, don’t fawn all over them. You’ll know if they’re meant to be your sorcerer, so don’t be shy.”

  Carol tilted her head. Don’t get close, but don’t be shy? The woman really needed a better speechwriter. Dear gods, where had they found her? A children’s camp? Barney & Friends? Carol was seriously beginning to rethink that no peeing rule. A little piddle on the carpet might de-chipper Skipper.

  The woman clapped her hands loudly enough to startle the sleeping polar bear, which was never a wise move. “All right, people. Let’s get those doors open, and good luck!” She bounced off, jumping at the growl coming from Brent. He was cozied up to the small air conditioner set up just for him. It might be forty degrees out, but when Brent was in his polar form, it was practically tropical weather.

  Carol suppressed another yawn. A nap sounded rather nice, but the chatter of voices rising as the doors to the House were opened kept her from nodding off. She stared at the now-opened double doors to find a mix of old and young, male and female, and every race coming into the room.

  Some of the faces made her gasp as quietly as she could, not wanting to bring attention to herself. There was a freaking movie star in the room, one she’d thought was paired up. They must have broken their contract if he was on the hunt again. Next to him was a model who used magic to keep her appearance young and wrinkle-free. She’d probably try to match up with one of the smaller familiars. From the pictures Carol had observed, she preferred pocketbook-sized dogs.

  Unfortunately, not one of them made her anima tingle like she’d heard it was supposed to when a sorcerer who might be a match came near her.

  Anima had to match to animus and vice versa. Both familiars and mages could sense their opposite in each other, something that drew them together, an indescribable attraction that bound them together. Only time would determine if there was a true match or not. Most were temporary matches, some aspect of personality forcing the pairing apart. And she’d never heard of animus being bound to animus, not even in fantasy stories. She even thought that an animus mage would be turned off by an animus familiar, at least magically.