Tag Archives: Susan Illene

DOGE- Supernatural Division (episode 6)

DOGE Supernatural Division (episode 6)

High Wizard Elron stared incredulously at his electric car manufacturing plant in California—or rather, what was left of it. Nearly all the buildings had been leveled the day before, and what little remained would have to be torn down. It was incomprehensible.

“Tell me again what happened,” he said to one of the managers who’d been on-site during the incident.

Jack, a middle-aged man with thinning brown hair, shook his head. “They’re saying it was likely an EF-4 tornado based on the damage, but we won’t know for sure until the experts finish their investigation.”

“Right.” Elron clenched his fists. “Since when has California ever had an EF-4?”

The manager cleared his throat. “Never, as far as I know.”

“Perhaps you should start from the beginning,” the wizard said, thinking something wasn’t right about this.

“It was the oddest thing. The weather forecast called for sunny skies, but storm clouds started rolling toward us in the late afternoon. Thunder and lightning got loud. Then, some guys ran inside, saying a tornado was heading straight for us. It moved really slowly, like it was crawling, so we were able to evacuate in time. As soon as everyone was out and far enough away, it got bigger and stronger just as it reached the plant. Then it stayed there for a few minutes, grinding down everything like a giant drill.”

Elron had spent enough time in tornado alley states to know that this was not traditional tornado behavior. They never “waited” for people to evacuate, and many people would have had to clear the numerous buildings for there to be no injuries or casualties.

He took a deep breath. “What happened next?”

“The tornado lifted back into the clouds, and about five minutes later, the storm was gone.”

The High Wizard noted most of the employee cars in the parking lot had no damage and those that did only had broken windows. “You said it took its time coming here. What other places in the area were damaged?

“None.” Jack shrugged. “Heard that it didn’t fully touch the ground until right before it struck this place.”

Now, that was too peculiar.

“But it managed to destroy the whole plant after avoiding everything else?” he asked, incredulously.

“Well…” the manager hedged. “There was one other odd thing.”

“Show me.”

Jack guided him around the piles of debris to another side of the ravaged facilities, and High Wizard Elron nearly stumbled as the “odd thing” came into view. Half a dozen nearly finished electric cars were stacked vertically on their backends like dominoes. They showed no signs of damage, and even their windows were intact. Considering all the debris scattered around them, that didn’t seem possible.

This was no natural disaster, and his insurance company would not cover the damage should it prove magic-related. This was going to cost him a fortune. Only one race of people he knew was powerful enough to pull this off and had the motive to do it. There happened to be a community of them living not far away in Santa Cruz. He needed to get his team together and formulate a plan before he visited them.

***

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DOGE- Supernatural Division (episode 5)

Galadon- Chapter 1

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For those of you who have finished Cast by Flames and you’re ready for Galadon, I’m posting the first chapter for you. The draft for this novel is finished, and I’m working my way through revisions now. I did have beta readers go over this chapter already, so only my editor hasn’t seen it yet. The estimated release date is April 24th. Sometime soon, I’ll post the cover and summary, along with pre-order links. Hope you enjoy this peek at the book!

Chapter 1

Galadon

For the first time in months, my mood wasn’t foul and agitated. I flew over southwest Oklahoma, enjoying the warm weather and sun on my burnt-orange scales. The fields below were a vibrant green, and flowers bloomed everywhere. Most of the winter had been irritatingly harsh and cold. Dragons such as I spent much of the frigid season nesting within our dens in a haze of grogginess and hunger, only waking when the temperature rose enough for us to hunt and eat.

That didn’t happen for some time once the heavy snow in January began falling upon us. It blanketed the region and failed to melt for six weeks, only becoming deeper with successive blizzards. Though I had some control over storms, those had been too strong to mitigate.

I’d heard the land here hadn’t always received so much snow and ice, but many things changed since my kind’s former dimension, Kederrawien, melded with this one. Weather patterns had altered. It was only at the start of April, a week ago, that it had warmed enough during the day for me to venture far beyond my small territory in southeast Texas. I had left home to resume my hunt for stray Kandoran enemies who weren’t vanquished during our big war with them last fall. Some estimated thousands remained scattered throughout the land west of us.

A rift in the ground appeared ahead—a wide gaping maw that ripped the earth apart for hundreds of miles when the dimensions collided nearly seven years ago. It spanned from the Texas panhandle across southern Oklahoma and partway into Arkansas north of the Red River. Though state titles meant little anymore after dragons arrived, the humans insisted on continuing to use them, so I’d learned the names to avoid confusion during the rare times I had to endure their company. The words had been annoyingly challenging to pronounce at first, but I’d always been a quick learner.

The bottom of the chasm was nearly a thousand feet deep in most places, and it was a couple of hundred feet at its narrowest to fly past. They’d finally built a bridge last year, reconnecting Interstate 35 so that the human populations to the north and south would no longer be cut off from each other. Dragons had assisted them since that helped facilitate trade and reduced the risk of people plummeting to their deaths during construction, which I supposed was a bad thing.

I continued my flight over rolling green terrain broken occasionally by brush and copses of trees. After a while, I spotted a gruesome scene of three large green dragon carcasses in the distance, surrounded by scorch marks and disturbed earth in what must have been an intense battle. I landed and moved to sniff at them, taking in the putrid scent of evil and decay from their unmoving bodies. A sneeze escaped me as the smell filled my nostrils. The only time I had ever gotten used to that horrific odor was during the war.

The bodies were dead Kandoran.

Since they hadn’t turned to dust, they must have died within the last day. Their clean and precise wounds told me they’d been killed by someone in human form who was quite skilled with a blade. Upon further examination, I decided they must have been slaughtered within the last hour. The blood-soaked earth was too fresh.

I moved away from them to clear my nose and began searching for the assailant. After a few minutes of circling the area, I picked up a familiar female’s fresh and alluring scent. It had been nearly five months since I’d last seen her. My sensible side urged me to fly away and avoid her at all costs. The other, controlled by the beast within me, desperately wanted to check on the woman and ensure she hadn’t been injured during the battle. It was no easy thing taking down three Kandoran dragons at once, and she was known to be quite reckless. I’d also be lying if I said I hadn’t flown this far north just for a glimpse of her because, deep down, it was true.

A few spots of her blood on the trail made the decision for me. No matter how much I tried to harden myself against her allure, I couldn’t stand the idea of her being injured. I followed the path she’d taken for more than a mile, studying her tracks. Due to recent rain, it wasn’t difficult. Her steps had been steady, indicating she didn’t have significant injuries, and certainly not on her feet or legs.

Despite that, I couldn’t stop myself from continuing my hunt.

I spotted a strange tower ahead at the top of a hill. It was constructed of large brownish-red stones with a railed lookout at the top. A couple of hundred feet away, I spied a small body of water. I circled it until I came to a low-lying area with a cluster of trees and brush for cover. While I blended well enough with the reddish-tinted dirt in this area, I doubted the lush green vegetation fully hid my large dragon form from view, but it would have to do.

The sounds of splashing drew my attention. I crouched low, spotting a nude female figure in the lake. In that moment, she appeared more like a siren calling to me than a ruthless slayer. She was entrancing.

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DOGE- Supernatural Division (episode 3)

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Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone! As promised, this episode is where High Wizard Elron goes on the road to Area 51 to ~~annoy~~ investigate their expenditures and maybe see something strange while there. As this location was a little more complicated to accomplish everything I wanted, it’s twice as long as the other installments, but it is my favorite so far. Keep in mind the opinions and actions of the characters are their own and do not reflect on me. This is written in good fun.

DOGE Supernatural Division (episode 3)

High Wizard Elron pulled up to the gate. Normally, he had one of his assistants drive, but this was his most ambitious task yet. He wouldn’t be taking any chances.

The guards stood alert, giving him intense looks as he flashed his badge. Elron had called ahead to let them know he’d be coming, but he only gave them two hours’ notice, so they wouldn’t have much time to hide their indiscretions. Usually, he didn’t give any warning, but the security at Area 51 required a bit more finesse. Who knew what kind of weaponry they might have to keep him out without official clearance? He wouldn’t rule out space lasers.

“I’m High Wizard Elron from the Department of Government Efficiency, Supernatural Division,” he said, handing over his paperwork. “I have authorization to visit here with my team for an inspection.”

The two guards didn’t appear impressed, but that was to be expected.

“I need to verify this,” one of them said in a gruff voice, walking away.

High Wizard Elron took a few sheets of paper from his assistant in the passenger seat and handed them to the remaining guard standing there, who looked like he should avoid spending too much time in the sun based on his red complexion. “All security personnel need to fill one of these out.”

“What is this?” he asked, frowning.

Elron gave him an imperious look. “Everyone needs to justify their positions here and why the taxpayers should continue funding your jobs.”

The guard gave him an incredulous look. “You’re kidding. Isn’t it obvious?”

The High Wizard was used to these reactions, but it didn’t bother him in the slightest. “No, I’m not. The number of people working security here is undoubtedly far more than necessary. If you wish to keep your position, I’d suggest listing how many trespassers you stop daily, whether or not you are regularly attacked, and anything else you do other than stand here harassing the president’s appointed men on official business.”

The guard’s face turned a brighter shade of red as he attempted to formulate a response. “You…What…?”

“He’s clear,” called the other guard from thirty feet away, oblivious to the conversation.

Hardening his jaw, he gave Elron instructions as the gate opened. A dark SUV was waiting on the other side to escort him to his destination. He followed it as they drove along a lonely road for some distance before finally coming to a cluster of plain, unassuming buildings where they parked.

A brunette woman in her mid-forties greeted them with a severe look, ordering her security personnel to surround them, and rushed his team inside the most prominent structure with barely a chance to take in their surroundings. The High Wizard was disappointed that he hadn’t spotted anything unusual during those hurried moments, but they would have moved anything out of sight they didn’t want him to see anyway.

There was a bizarre hum in the air. He’d never felt anything like it, and the disturbing sensation crawled across his skin. Where was it coming from? Taking a deep breath, he straightened his shoulders and reminded himself it was his job to investigate this place and whether they spent government funds correctly. Any uncomfortable oddities would not stop him. Based on his estimates—which were challenging to tabulate since much of the budget was disguised under various programs with innocuous names—it had to cost a fortune to run these facilities.

Elron looked at his assistant, Axe. “Start handing out the justification forms to anyone you see. Make certain you emphasize the importance of filling them out and returning them before we leave.”

“You can count on me, High Wizard,” he said, eager to comply. The twenty-year-old had just gotten his first taste of magic a few days ago, giving him a sample of what he could earn if he proved hardworking and loyal. He’d do anything for more.

Axe started with their escort—to the woman’s dismay as she looked over the paper—before hurrying toward other nearby employees.

She mumbled something under her breath before leading Elron and his people to a room full of desks, computers, and filing cabinets. This was a good start. He turned to his other three assistants and gave them a nod. “You know what to do. If anyone doesn’t comply, use the spell I taught you.”

They headed for the office employees with determined strides in their steps. As expected, they argued about letting his minions onto their highly classified systems. His people hit each one of them with a spell, and they sullenly obeyed after that.

The pinch-faced woman escorting him moved closer with a look of outrage on her face. “We agreed to allow access to our accounting—not this! You can’t just take over our office and download files.”

“I can’t do my job properly if I don’t see and review everything,” High Wizard Elron said, relishing this woman’s fury. The people in this place had been given too many years without proper supervision, and he aimed to change that.

For the next few hours, his assistants brought his attention to various red flags they found in the accounting. They painted a fascinating story based on his knowledge of space travel from his other endeavors. Elron also toured the rest of the building, noting every detail and asking questions. That part was mostly dull, and this was certainly not where they did any extraterrestrial work or experiments.

Finally, he’d seen enough that it was time to take the next step, and this would be his favorite part. “Take me to see your alien leader. I have questions for them, too.”

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DOGE- Supernatural Division (episode 2)

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I received a lot of positive responses here and on social media to the first DOGE story, so I decided I’d continue as long as interest remains. The plan is to try posting every Friday. At least for the moment, the installments will be stand-alone episodes to allow new readers to jump in at any point, but over time, they will likely begin to connect. Keep in mind these are meant to be fun, satirical stories that attempt to lighten the mood of the current political climate by adding some supernatural twists and exaggerations.

For anyone who missed the first episode, you can find it HERE. The newest one is below. Hope you enjoy and have a great weekend!

DOGE Supernatural Division (episode 2)

The young apprentice frowned as he scrolled down the screen, checking for suspicious expenditures. Did werewolves really need fancy grooming brushes? And why did they spend so much on sweatpants and T-shirts? The Capital Protection Pack had eighty-five members, so what were they doing with over two thousand sets of them purchased in the last six months?

Axe narrowed his eyes on the tough, blonde woman sitting beside him and pointed at the screen. “Explain these numbers to me.”

He couldn’t show a scrap of weakness in this place, or he might get eaten.

“Really?” The alpha’s golden eyes flashed menacingly. “We aren’t allowed to patrol the D.C. streets in wolf form, so we can’t change until we see trouble. Then there is no time to remove our clothes before we shift, meaning they get ripped to shreds.”

That point wasn’t going to work on Axe. “Okay, but I still don’t see the connection to all these clothes you expect the government to fund. You’re already given an allowance to purchase your own for work.”

He’d never seen them wear sweats. It was usually black cargo pants or slacks, though t-shirts or Polos were typical. They wore nothing too formal since they weren’t meant to stand out too much.

“Once the threat has been eliminated, we must change back to communicate with authorities, but we’re naked.” She pointed at his computer screen. “All those clothes are cached around the city for easy access and must be replaced as necessary. We use sweatpants and t-shirts because they can fit a wider variety of body types, depending on who needs them.”

Axe couldn’t argue that point, but there were still holes in her story. “If there are hundreds of caches, how does your pack know where to find them all?”

“We put pouches with rosemary and lemon balm near the clothes.”

He wrinkled his nose. “And you just sniff them out?”

“Yes.” She tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder. “We can smell one of those pouches a half mile away as long as they’re replaced every few weeks.”

Well, that explained why their expenditures included thousands of dollars worth of herb purchases. He’d thought for sure he’d get them on that oddity. Axe still had so much to learn, but High Wizard Elron insisted he maintain a supreme air of confidence no matter what the situation. Since his boss was standing at the back of the room with his arms crossed, watching his team, he couldn’t let him down. DOGE- Supernatural Division had to do whatever it took to prove their worth and cut wasteful spending.

Sighing, Axe returned to scrolling down the screen.

One issue stood out more than any other. “Your wolfpack’s food expenses are exorbitant. I’m surprised no one has called you out for this before because seventy-five thousand dollars a month for meals while on duty is far beyond anything I’ve seen with other supernatural groups your size.”

She didn’t need to know he’d only been on the job for a week, as that would muddle the point, but it was unusual.

“Are you just a complete idiot?” she asked, letting out a low growl.

Axe froze in his chair. The alpha werewolf looked like she was ready to consume him for dinner. He’d been bitten by a dog once when he was a kid and never wanted to repeat the experience. With the Alpha’s teeth bared at him, he could have sworn they were bigger and sharper than a few minutes ago.

“Now, now, now.” High Wizard Elron headed toward them, wagging a finger. “We don’t eat DOGE agents.”

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