Magically Murdered
Date: 2000-01-01 05:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Paranormal; Mystery; Cozy Mystery; Witches
Description: There’s something magically mysterious about Moonstruck Manor, and Kyla can’t put her finger on it. And neither can the police. Two murders had happened on the property in the past six months, and it can’t be a coincidence. Especially since both murdered suspects just happened to be hired as breakfast cooks. That’s why the police called in Kyla, a witch, as an outside consultant to work undercover as Moonstruck Manor's latest culinary mastermind. Unfortunately, although she might be able to detect hidden magic, she’s absolutely no good at whipping up breakfast. But this bed and breakfast is fi
Rights: All rights reserved (#281007422357658)

The

Supernatural Life
of a

Superhero Wife

JOYNELL SCHULTZ

Copyright © 2017 Joynell Schultz

All rights reserved.

WET DOG PRESS

The Supernatural Life of a Superhero Wife

Dating? What a waste of time. In Naima’s supernatural world, a soulmate is only a simple magical spell away.

Only Naima’s soulmate spell has its own agenda and transports her from the comfort of Charmed Mountain into an unknown world filled with superheroes and villains. Can she find her soulmate, or is she one of the witches destined to be alone?

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Other Novels by Joynell Schultz

The Secret Lives of Superhero Wives

Saturday, April 3rd

Sunday, April 4th

Monday, April 5th

About the Author

Learn more about the entire Superhero Wives World by visiting here: www.JoynellSchultz.com/SuperheroWives

Chapter 1

“Bubble, bubble, toil, and trouble…” Naima bit her lip, thinking about those words. “Have you ever wondered why our spells start this way? I’m not trying to start trouble, and the cauldron’s not bubbling.”

Her mother’s face reflected an eerie green glow from the cauldron. Deep creases ran across her forehead. “Tradition, I suppose. The words we say aren’t important. I believe we say them to keep busy while the magic reads our intentions.”

“So, I could say something like this…” Naima reached up and gripped the jade amulet around her neck, drawing its magic. “Oh, pot of lukewarm water, take me to the man who’s my soulmate. Bind us as one, and let me finally begin the first page in my new life.”

The potion’s neon glow intensified and ripples spread on the surface. A sweet, muted pine scent filled her nose.

Naima’s mom smiled. “Yeah, that’d work too. I wasn’t as blunt when I found your father, but he’s my soulmate, nonetheless.” She moved beside Naima and circled her with an arm. “I’m going to miss you.”

Naima leaned her head against her mother’s shoulder. “Come on, Mom. I’ll come home to visit, just like my sisters.”

“You never know where you end up. Sometimes, the binding spell must take you far away—to a different universe, even. Sometimes the magic searches and searches and never finds anyone compatible, dropping you off in the last world it visited. One that won’t allow your magic to work.” She wiped her eyes. “A world where you can’t return home.”

“What’s the chance of that? I thought the magic always tries to find someone nearby. Like the twins ended up right here on the other side of Charmed Mountain.”

“All eight of your sisters ended up in this world, but you never know. Do you still want to go through with this?”

“Of course! It’s the only chance I get. High noon on All Hallows’ Eve day.” Naima’s body tingled with anticipation as she pulled her mother into a full hug. “And I’ll miss you, too.”

With a smile, her mom leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I’m so excited for you.”

“I’m excited, too!” Naima pulled away and rubbed her hands together. “Let’s get going with this. My man’s waiting!”

“The potion still needs one more ingredient: the love of a mother.” Her mom wiped a glistening tear. Holding her hand over the glowing pot, the drop ran down her finger. An intense flash of bright green light blinded Naima as soon as the tear hit the liquid in the cauldron.

“Naima!” her mom screamed.

Naima’s heart pounded. Something wasn’t right. “Mom! Mom—” But a large flash of light swallowed her words. Her head throbbed and a pressure on her chest made it hard to breathe.

Mom’ll be okay. She’s done this with all my sisters already. But I’m the last…

Pleasant dreams of her childhood on Charmed Mountain filled Naima’s head. Her and her siblings spent all their free time giving cats wings, casting spells so all the flowers on their property glowed at night, and shooting down empty potion bottles by levitating gemstones. Oh, did they have fun.

Then they left her, one by one, and started their lives. They had families and all seemed so happy. Now, it was Naima’s turn. Her time to be married.

~ ~ ~

At headquarters, Onyx Flame extinguished the fire that danced across his fingers as a police report blared from his scanner. Civilians reported bright lights streaking in the sky followed by a barn catching fire at the edge of town.

It has to be The Royal Torch.

Onyx Flame’s leather supersuit squeaked as he sprang from his seat. While pushing the button to open the roof hatch, his heart pounded. He wanted nothing more than to have The Royal Torch secured behind bars. Once he secured his black mask over his eyes, he flew out of his building and headed toward the burning barn at the foot of the mountains.

Miles away, he spotted the plumes of gray smoke. His chest tightened, hoping he’d capture The Royal Torch this time. Three times, this villain had escaped him, leaving innocent civilians burned to a crisp.

Even with the ability to call wind and fire, Onyx Flame was ineffective against fire itself. What superhero couldn’t control what he or she created? The Royal Torch had to know Onyx Flame’s weakness. Why else would he settle here, in Energy City, to hatch whatever evil plan he was scheming?

Onyx Flame had spent the past month trying to hone his wind power to fight The Royal Torch, but during small simulations, all his attempts to extinguish fires only made them spread. Someday, if his powers kept growing like they had been, he’d be strong enough to focus and direct a strong gust of wind on the source of the fire—he hoped. He’d at least be able to create a wind wall to prevent the fires from spreading.

Unfortunately, he needed those abilities now. The best he could do was wear a fire-smothering cape. It wasn’t enough to win a fight against The Royal Torch, and it got in the way more than anything, but it detached at the shoulders and could put out a small fire…just in case his own powers got a little out of hand.

Not every superhero was perfect, right?

Normally, superpowers developed in the early teen years, but Onyx Flame had been twenty-one. While all his friends celebrated their birthdays by hitting up the bars and cracking jokes, he was trying not to burn down his apartment. He retreated from everyone, not wanting to hurt them accidentally. Now, four years later, he still didn’t have full control, but found a use for himself protecting Energy City. Being a superhero was a lot of responsibility. He missed his old, carefree life. He missed having friends…and fun.

Stop thinking about it. You have a job to do. Someday, you’ll have it all again...but first, you need to capture The Royal Torch, then get a grip on your powers.

As he neared the burning barn, he saw vehicles pulling into the fire station a mile or two away from the fire. By the time the volunteer fire fighters would suit up and pull the trucks out of the station, the barn would be beyond saving. Onyx Flame called on the wind and sped up, desperate to arrive at the fire before The Royal Torch got away…for the fourth time.

Who’d that villain hurt this time?

Chapter 2

Naima woke with a warm and fuzzy feeling, thinking about who her future husband could be. Twenty-two years was a long time to wait to meet someone you knew existed. Her mother’s words rang in her head, ‘Sometimes the magic searches and searches and never finds anyone compatible.’

Despite this, her warm fuzzy sensation grew stronger until she realized it wasn’t warm and fuzzy, but painfully hot, like she’d fallen into a cauldron of boiling potion. Her skin was on fire.

Open your eyes, Naima. Open them!

She blinked. They were already open, but she could barely see. Surrounding her, thick smoke rose between the floorboards, obscuring the minimal light in the building she was in. The smell of burning wood reminded her of home, even though she felt far away from her family. Looking around, her heart seemed to stop. She was all alone and there were no signs of her soulmate. She coughed and rubbed her stinging eyes.

Fire!

She reached for her magic amulet around her neck, but grasped only air. Rolling over, she squinted through the smoke and swiped the warm, wooden floor with her hands. She needed that amulet.

No, Naima, you need to leave it and get out of here.

Where was here, anyway? She was inside a large building with piles of bundled straw…in bales. Was this a broom factory of some type?

Despite the smoke and warm floor, she didn’t see an actual fire. It must be below her. Through a giant door on the side, outside light billowed in, causing the smoke to seem more threatening.

That way.

Another cough.

As she crawled toward the opening, she brushed her fingers against the floor, searching for her amulet. It was a chip from the family stone—completely irreplaceable. Every generation, these chips became smaller and smaller. Soon, they’d be the size of sand and there wouldn’t be any more magic stones to give their children.

A shadow appeared in the doorway, a silhouette of a man floating above the ground…without a broomstick.

What kind of warlock could do that?

Attached to his broad shoulders, a cape flowed in the wind behind him.

“Who are you?” His strong voice gave Naima a pleasant shiver. “What are your plans here in Energy City? Where’s The Royal Torch?”

“Who I am? My plans?” Her lungs burned, and she coughed. Could this be her husband? “The Royal Torch? Come on, that’s a lot of questions to ask.” Another cough. “How about we get out of here, and then we can get to know each other a little better?” She shuffled to her feet.

“Not until you tell me what you’re after. Setting fire to this building. I hear the light show was impressive. I didn’t expect The Royal Torch to have a partner…but perhaps he needs help.”

Setting fire? Light show? “You think I did this?” She thought back to the glowing cauldron and the look on her mother’s face. Maybe she had done this?

“You’re the only one here. What are you after?”

“A husband!” she announced. “My husband. Enough of this.” Naima reached for her enchanted necklace. Drats. She had forgotten it was gone. Sweat rolled down her temples. I need to get out of here.

In the corner of her vision, a silver shimmer caught her eye. Her amulet. She snapped her head up to the flying warlock man…did he notice?

Lunging to the side, she held her breath until the hot metal chain fell between her fingers. She wrapped her hand around the gem and pulled on the power of the jade.

Take me to my husband.

The necklace sparked, but nothing else happened. She pulled again, stronger, preparing to call the magic, but the room flooded with light. A blow hit her chest, knocking her across the floor and against a bale of straw. What was that? Her amulet had never failed her before. Was she in a world where her magic didn’t work? Was she one of the witches that didn’t get a soulmate? When she opened her eyes, the shadow of a man was gone.

Again, she could barely see while she crawled toward the large opening with the amulet’s chain wrapped tightly in her fingers. The straw on this level had caught fire, and the heat intensified. She took a deep breath, then stood. Hidden in smoke, she rushed toward an opening to the outside…only to bump squarely into something solid. It was soft, warm, and smelled of leather and pine.

She let out her breath and dropped to her hands and knees, to crawl again, but soon ran squarely into a man’s black boots. It had to be that warlock.

Towering over her, his hands gripped her arms and pulled her up. Her eyes fell chest level, in line with a bright orange flame emblem attached to the snug outfit. Her hands cramped as she tightened her grip on the amulet. Maybe if she said the words out loud, it’d work this time. “Take me to my husband.”

She didn’t move.

“Your husband?” the man asked, his thin lips opening to reveal perfect teeth that almost seemed to glow in the dark. “The Royal Torch’s your husband?” His grip loosened.

Ignoring him, she tried again, this time using those ridiculous magic words she’d been taught. “Jade, jade, ‘o magic jade, take me to my soulmate.”

Still nothing. The dang thing wasn’t working. She had to be in a world without her magic. She’d never see her family again.

Squeezing the amulet until her hands cramped, she focused on the gem with every part of her consciousness. “Jade, jade ‘o magic jade, take me away from here.”

The smoky scene in front of her dissolved and mountains, trees, and a dirt trail replaced it. Plumes of both black and white smoke grew up from the horizon. Was that the burning building? What in the name of abracadabra was wrong with her magic? Had her arrival caused that entire fire?

~ ~ ~

Onyx Flame attempted to direct the wind to extinguish the fire, but stopped immediately when it roared from the extra oxygen.

You’d need a hurricane-force wind to blow out a fire…along with some water.

Tightening his hands into fists, he took off out of the barn, finding a small stream along the tree line. With as much force as he could, he blew the wind at the water, lifting it out of the stream and creating a cushion of air beneath it. Sweat trickled down his face. Why did he choose a leather costume when working with fire?

He guided the water to the barn just as the firetrucks arrived.

His water extinguished the hay fire with a huge sizzle, but whatever was burning in the lower level still burned when the firemen began to spray their water.

From up in the sky where it was cooler, he watched them put out the fire, but his thoughts were elsewhere. Who was that unusual green-haired woman? She had the strangest accent—not Irish, but something similar. And the costume she wore…was it for Halloween today, or was she some type of supervillain masquerading as a witch? Was The Royal Torch really her husband?

How could a villain find someone to love him when Onyx Flame couldn’t even find a friend?

He shook that thought away. This woman disappeared right in front of him. She had to be a supervillain with some type of powers he hadn’t encountered before.

But she didn’t look like one. She was soft, delicate, and the smile on her face when she said she was looking for a husband had made his own heart jump…and had unintentionally caused him to set the hay on fire. The black smoke and the flicker of one unnatural black flame confirmed he had caused the second fire in the barn. Years ago, he had chosen the name Onyx Flame as a reminder of the destruction his power could cause.

He couldn’t get the woman’s image out of his mind. Something inside him wanted to save her and protect her, but that was absurd. She had to be the villain, despite her innocent appearance.

Remember, looks can be deceiving.

She had to be around somewhere. Once satisfied that the firefighters had things under control, he took off, searching for the green-haired supervillain wearing a witch costume. How hard would it be to spot someone wearing black and white striped tights, a little purple dress, and a tiny black hat nestled on top of a waterfall of green hair?

Onyx Flame laughed. It was Halloween. It might be harder than he’d expect. But this woman looked like she belonged in that outfit. If witches were real, he might believe she was one.

Chapter 3

Naima paced on the dirt path on the side of the mountain. What was going on with her magic? In the burning building, some of it seemed too weak, some too strong, and at times, it didn’t seem to work at all. This world was so different from her own. Metal contraptions rose into the sky. A buzzing overhead. What was that? A flying machine? Even the sky was a different shade of blue.

And a warlock that could fly without a broom. This was not right. Not right at all.

Maybe her magic was working, and when nothing happened when she asked for her husband, it was because she wasn’t meant to have a soulmate.

No. She wouldn’t believe that. Her magic must not like this world. She swallowed down the thought of never being able to return home to see her family. She gripped her pendant with one hand and waved the other against the ground. “Jade, jade, ‘o magic jade, what’s my husband’s name?”

A zap came from the pendant and she dropped it. “Oh, abracadabra!” When she saw the letters scrawled into the dirt, her heart leapt into her throat. She did have a husband, and his name was Nolan Kostruba. Kostruba? Really? What kind of last name was that? She was now Naima Kostruba?

Picking up the amulet, she refastened it around her neck.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted that caped flying man coming straight toward her. She jumped back and her hand flew to her chest.

He landed a few steps away from her.

“What are you after?” His voice was as deep—and as appealing—as last time. He walked closer.

“I already told you. My husband.” She swiped her hand toward the writing in the dirt. “His name is Nolan—”

“Stop!” The flying warlock raced to the name sprawled out in the dirt. He kicked his foot across the writing and an unnatural wind circled him.

“Hey, don’t do that! I need to find him, and I don’t know if I have the spelling to his last name right yet.”

“What kind of joke is this?”

“Joke? Again, I don’t understand what you’re asking me.” Why was he upset, unless…he knew this Nolan fellow? “You know him, don’t you?”

From a pocket along his abdomen, he pulled out some long, loopy ties of some kind, and before Naima could blink, a strong wind propelled her backwards until she was tight against a tree. The warlock moved forward, fumbling with the loopy ties.

When his hand took hers, a shiver ran up her arm. What type of power was that? His mouth turned down in a frown as he placed her wrist in one loop, then pulled her hands behind her back, securing her other wrist in the tie before she could reach up to grab her pendant. The man’s grip on her wrists was firm, despite the binding being a little loose. Was he afraid to hurt her?

His voice was nearly a whisper, “You need to tell me where you heard that name.”

That was an easy question. “Magic, of course.”

“Magic?” he growled. “What type of superhuman are you?”

“Super…what? I’m nothing special. Just a standard, run-of-the-mill witch…who’s simply looking for my new husband, Nolan Kostruba.”

He stepped away. “You lie!” A fire erupted in the grass, throwing a beautiful black flame. “Crap!” He pulled his cape off and threw it over the fire, stomping on it.

“I don’t lie. I never lie. Nolan may not know I’m his wife yet, but we’ve been bound together. Married in a magic ceremony. He’s my one true soulmate.”

“You’re insane,” he said while flicking the dirt and burnt grass from his cape.

“We all are a little insane, aren’t we? Well, you have me all tied up. What are you going to do with me?”

“Take you over to Shadow Town and put you in the SuperMax supervillain prison.”

“Villain? What have I done?”

“Burned down a barn! And whatever else you have planned. Maybe they’ll get you to confess where your husband, The Royal Torch, is.”

“First off, I don’t know who this Royal Torch fellow is, and unless he’s Nolan Kostruba, he’s not my husband. Secondly, let’s say I did have something evil planned, which I do not, since when is planning something a crime?”

“You don’t deny burning down the barn.”

“Hey, my magic’s a little kitty-wampus right after the binding spell. I didn’t intend to start the fire…if it was me who started it. I’m not admitting to anything. Okay. Stop staring at me and do something. Take me to this prison or whatever you have planned. It won’t stop me. I’ll find my soulmate.” Slowly, she wiggled her slender arms out of the ties.

The man reattached his cape, ran a hand through his close-cropped black hair and then paced in front of her with an almost unnatural grace. She wished she could clearly see the full expression his eyes threw off behind the black mask. Wondered how he would look without it on. As her arm wiggled free and gripped her necklace, she spoke as fast as she could, “Jade, jade, ‘o magic jade, take me to my husband!”

In a flash, she was out of the bindings…and in the caped man’s arms. A familiar sweet, muted pine scent filled her nose, and she thought back to the binding spell with her mother.

“Oh…” she said, taking in the man’s square jaw-line and shadow of a beard. She filled her lungs once again with his familiar pine scent. “I guess it’s you. You’re Nolan Kostruba. Maybe my magic had been working this whole time. Well, nice to meet you. I’m your wife, Naima Newa...well, Kostruba now.” She batted her eyes. “That whole tie-me-up thing was kind of a fun courting ritual. Not what I expected, but, hey, if that’s how you secure your wife here, I’ll play along. I like to have fun.”

He pushed her away and shook his head, though his cheeks reddened. “I’m not this Nolan guy. My name’s Onyx Flame.”

“My magic’s never wrong. I know who you really are. Besides, Onyx Flame? What kind of name is that?”

“You haven’t heard of me?” His eyebrows arched above his mask. “I suppose I haven’t been Energy City’s superhero that long.”

“Hero? Wow, you think highly of yourself. It’s not what I expected, but I’ll get used to it. So, are you going to take me home now, or do you want to throw each other against some more trees or something first? Another odd marital ritual, but, hey, why not?”

Nolan pushed Naima out of his arms. “I think you need some help, lady.”

“Oh, don’t lady me! The other witches in my village don’t even call my mother that. You can call me madam, if you like.”

He shook his head and tightened his lips in a way that seemed to hold back a smile. “Okay, madam. You’ll come with me then? Without a fight?”

“Yup. I’m all yours.” Nolan grabbed her wrists and tied her hands together again. Naima didn’t fight back. It wasn’t needed, since he’d see she was his soulmate too, but when he snatched her pendant from around her neck, her heart rate sped up.

Her eyes latched onto his. They were dark…and gorgeous. Would the rest of him be as handsome?

He cleared his throat. “Is this how you channel your superpower? I’ve seen you use it a few times now.”

“Superpower? No. That’s an enchanted jade pendant that’s been in my family for four hundred years. It connects me to the magic of my ancestors.”

“Magic? Nobody believes in that stuff.”

“Says the man who can fly without a broomstick.”

Nolan squeezed the amulet into his pocket, then examined her bound wrists, giving the tie a pull to make it tighter. “Okay. We’re off.” He looped her arms over his head, then wrapped his arms around her waist and took off into the sky.

“Oh, I could get used to this.” Naima wrapped her dangling legs around his waist and laid her head tightly against his chest.

~ ~ ~

As Nolan flew toward Shadow Town, with this woman’s arms and legs wrapped around his body, he couldn’t help but smell a sweet lavender scent from her bright green hair. Green hair, he laughed at himself. He never thought he’d find that color attractive, but this woman pulled it off.

You’re losing it, Nolan. Since when do you find the villains attractive? Way too much time alone.

What was he going to do with her? True, she had started a fire, but so had he. She hadn’t tried to hurt him…and how did she know his name and his secret identity? If he took her to the prison, she might tell the other supervillains who he was. He really had no choice.

He had to deal with her himself.

She claimed to be his wife, but he shook that thought away. Being married as a superhero was impossible. Heck, he couldn’t even have friends without fear of burning them to a crisp. And could he ever trust someone with his identity? In this case, it appeared he had no choice. There were other issues too. What if a wife ended up getting hurt coming between him and a supervillain? Regular humans were so fragile. He couldn’t harm one he loved.

There was no place in his life for a woman.

Again, a lavender scent caught his nose. The witch nuzzled into his chest and his whole body tingled. How much danger would she be in knowing his identity?

And why had he blushed when she mentioned having fun with his flex-cuffs? Had she noticed?

He thought of her amulet. She could handle herself.

Stop it. She’s potentially a supervillain. One with powers you haven’t encountered yet.

He couldn’t take her home or to headquarters. He’d have to take her to a hotel for a little while to keep an eye on her. Could he watch her 24/7? Times like this, he wished he had a sidekick. Someone to bounce ideas off, someone to help with the burden, but no. It was all him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught some dark gray smoke. A huge plume that came from the opposite direction as the barn. The Royal Torch.

What was he going to do with this little witch in his arms? He had her amulet and time was of the essence. He’d been chasing that villain way too long.

Was The Royal Torch trying to save his witch partner?

Why wouldn’t he want to save her? She was breathtaking, and it wasn’t just her looks…it was that feisty personality, too.

Chapter 4

They had set down outside a large building like nothing Naima had seen before. Made of concrete and steel, it had rows upon rows of broken windows lining every floor and every side. Orange and red flames reflected off some of the jagged glass.

When he lifted her tied arms over his head, she asked, “What are you doing with me?”

“You’re staying beside me. I won’t let you out of my sight.”

Naima smiled. “You bet. I stand by my man.”

She expected a growl, but instead, she got a chuckle.

She nudged him with her elbow. “Hey, you’re starting to warm up to me.”

“I never said that.”

“You don’t need to say it. Your actions speak loud enough.” She gave her head a twist, allowing her green locks to tickle her face. “I noticed you smelling my hair.”

“It was hard not to with that green pile blowing all over.”

She shrugged. “Believe what you want. I know better.”

Nolan’s cheeks reddened again as he stepped toward the door furthest from the fire, then spun around. “One more thing. Don’t you dare mention that name.”

“Onyx Flame?”

He whispered, “No, the other one.”

“Nolan Kostruba?”

He cringed.

Naima laughed. “Okay, okay. Nobody can hear us over the roaring fire, anyway.”

“When I’m in costume, you have to use my superhero name.”

“I do like that costume.” Naima winked. “What are we doing here, anyway?”

Nolan’s eyes narrowed as he stepped towards the building. “Looking for the man who started this fire.”

“Who’s that?”

He stopped and tilted his chin. “You don’t know?”

“No, I can’t say that I do.”

“The Royal Torch. I’ve been chasing him for two months now. At first, he burned down buildings of random business people. People that donated to funds that support superheroes. Funds that support me. Now, I think he’s just showing off. Proving that he has better control over fire than I do.”

“You keep mentioning The Royal Torch. Is that one of these superhero names, too?”

“Supervillain name, actually, but yeah. An alias, I guess. Okay, stop distracting me. I need to focus.” He pointed at the doorway.

They stepped inside…only for a big fireball to hit Nolan square on the chest, knocking him down. With her tied hands, Naima reached for her amulet around her neck, but when she found only skin, she froze in place.

“Who’s this lovely creature?” a voice crackled. A man emerged from the shadows…at least, Naima thought it was a man—more a creature made of fire than anything else.

“My name’s Naima. How do you do?” She stalled, trying to figure out how to get her amulet.

The Royal Torch’s eyes returned to Nolan. Wind brushed against Naima’s skin as Nolan lifted off the ground, using his flight magic again. One after another, fireballs shot from The Royal Torch’s hand, knocking Nolan back to the ground.

Black flames erupted in a large circle around Nolan and Naima. The Royal Torch moved closer, and the circle of flames around them intensified, throwing a screen of black smoke.

Was Nolan trying to protect her? Was he even aware of what he was doing?

Naima rushed to him, noticing the sweat trickling over his mask. Was it from the heat or pure concentration? It didn’t matter. She squeezed her hand into his tight, leather pocket and pulled out her amulet.

Gripping it tightly, she rushed out the words, “Jade, jade, ‘o magic jade,” then a giant fireball rushed toward her. “Shield!” she yelled. Pulling the circle of fire higher, she turned it into a shimmering wall of water in front of them. The fireball sizzled as it hit the water, but the force of the blow knocked Naima onto her backside.

As another fireball came her way, her mom’s words echoed in her mind. The words aren’t important—the magic reads our intentions. With that, Naima pulled the magic from the jade without words and froze the fireball mid-air. She then turned it to water and shot it back at The Royal Torch.

“More fire! And wind!” she yelled to Nolan.

On command, the black circle of fire returned and a strong breeze blew at The Royal Torch, causing Nolan’s black fire to roar.

“Oh, husband, you’re full of all sorts of tricks.” Naima pulled at her magic, turning Nolan’s black fire into a wall of water again. The wind blew the water right at The Royal Torch. He fumbled back, step by step, until his fire was extinguished and all that was left was a soggy, balding man with a pudgy belly.

Naima attempted to hold back a laugh, but it escaped anyway.

Nolan wrapped the man’s hands in the ties he pulled from his suit. He then reached over and unbound Naima’s wrists.

“What’s that for? Aren’t I going to some SuperMax prison?”

“I owe you an apology. I think I got the wrong impression.”

Naima smiled. “Did we just have our first fight as a married couple?”

“We’re not married.”

“Believe whatever you want.” She nodded toward The Royal Torch. “What are you doing with him?”

“Taking him to that prison. Um…I gotta get going before he dries out.” Nolan looked down. “Maybe I could see you again?”

Naima laughed. “Of course. We’re married and all. I’ll wait for you at your house. I can’t wait to get going on all those wifely duties. Maybe I’ll cook some pot roast so you can have something nice to eat when you get home from work.”

Nolan laughed. “You’re pushing it. How about a date first? Dinner and a movie?”

“A date? Like archaic courtship? That has been proven to be nothing but a lot of wasted time.”

He shook his head and hefted the drowned rat over his shoulder. “Maybe it is…” He looked away, then his cheeks turned red again. He looked up. “But I wouldn’t mind wasting some time with you.”

Naima gave his shoulder a little jab. “Are you trying to sweet-talk me? Well, it’s working.”

“How about meet me at Top Perks Coffee on the West Side in four hours? We’ll get to know each other before we talk about this marriage stuff.” He lowered his eyebrows. “But if I even catch a whiff of smoke, you’re going down, and I won’t have mercy.”

“Top Perks Coffee? Four hours?”

“You’re a witch. I know you can figure it out.” He winked playfully.

Naima put a hand on her hip. “I guess that isn’t much of a challenge for Witchy Witch?”

“Oh, is that your superhero name?”

“I don’t know yet. I’m here to stay, and I should fit in. Maybe Supernatural Superhero’s a better name?”

“Being a superhero isn’t exactly fitting in.” With his free hand, he reached over and took the pendant from her fingers. “You said it’s jade? How about Jade Hex?” He laughed, handing her back the amulet. “It kinda goes with Onyx Flame, don’t you think?”

“I like the ring to that one. It’s like we were made to be a pair.”

“Maybe. We’ll see.”

“We don’t need to see. I’m certain we were made to be together. Soulmates, actually.” Naima rubbed her thumb against her pendant and dropped it with a realization. “My magic works here!”

“What do you mean?”

Naima thought back to her mother. Oh, would she get a kick out of hearing about this superhero world. “I have some time to kill…and someone to visit back home. I’ll meet you at Top Perks in four hours.” Careful to avoid The Royal Torch, she stepped forward and placed a quick kiss on Nolan’s cheek.

As a beautiful shade of crimson spread across her husband’s cheeks, Naima heart fluttered from his gorgeous smile. Nolan readjusted his grip on The Royal Torch and took off into the sky.

The End

Other Novels by Joynell Schultz

If you enjoyed The Supernatural Life of a Superhero Wife, you’ll love this full-length novel.

The Secret Lives of Superhero Wives

(The first chapters are on the following pages.)

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072N5BZXR

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B072N5BZXR

Nobody said being married was easy, but try being married to a superhero. Not only is there laundry, cooking, and a career to balance, but throw in a few supervillains and your days are booked.

Ariana, Victoria, and Emma’s men spend more time saving the world than doing dishes. These wives want some semblance of a normal married life, but would settle for an uninterrupted meal together. Besides, how can they compete with saving the world?

When a catastrophic earthquake devastates Shadow Town and crime spirals out of control, it appears the city needs all the help they can get to clean it up. Everyone expected the resident superheroes to save the day, but didn’t expect the wives’ help too…

Blood & Holy Water

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XRN2NZ2

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XRN2NZ2

Ava is sick of mundane angel duties, and she wants a promotion to finally earn her wings. A promotion takes more than hard work; it takes a miracle--literally. Unfortunately, her miracle's impossible, because it involves a vampire.

Fin has no time for frivolous gestures. He's too busy avoiding his own kind to care what a naïve angel wants. But when the other vampires uncover his deepest secret, threatening what he cherishes most, nothing can help him...except a miracle. Too bad he chased the angel away.

Hidden: A Pregnant Fairy Godmother’s Journey…

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074QQJ15B

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B074QQJ15B

Also available in the collection of short stories and novellas titled, Magical Connections here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DX2Q8QY

Even being the best fairy godmother in all the land, Ciera’s been hiding a secret. Not only is she pregnant, but she’s magically pregnant with a human child.

Humans are not allowed in the fairy realm. Period. That includes half-fairy half-human babies. The only solution is to give the baby to its father before the Fairy Council finds out her secret. Finding the father should be easy, how many men named John could possibly live in this place called Chicago?

Magical Connections: A Collection of Fantasy Short Stories & Novellas

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DX2Q8QY

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07DX2Q8QY

How far will you go for love?

From a pregnant fairy godmother to a child bitten by a werewolf, a fallen angel to a mail-order witch, these six fantasy short stories & novellas, connected by magic, will be sure to leave you feeling satisfied. Includes:

- Fangs & Fairy Dust: An Angels of Sojourn Spin-Off Novella

- The Mail-Order Witch (short story)

- Hidden: A Pregnant Fairy Godmother’s Journey… (novella)

- The Enchanted Apothecary

- One Possible Future: An Angels of Sojourn Short Story

- Bitten: An Angels of Sojourn Spin-Off Short Story

Love, Lies & Clones

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MXTGIZL

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MXTGIZL

June Taylor never asked to be cloned. She never asked for the faulty heart that beats inside her chest. But most of all, she never asked for the chaos that would become her life.

When her estranged father mysteriously appears at her doorstep to warn her of impending danger, she immediately dismisses him. But when he goes missing, his seemingly unbelievable claims prove to be true. Not only is her life in danger, but the lives of others like her are at stake.

As clues about a malicious conspiracy unfold, an AWOL soldier emerges insistent that he holds the missing link in this deadly puzzle, but placing her trust in a stranger is the last thing June is willing to do.

With the clock ticking, can June trust him with her secret…and her heart?

The Secret Lives of Superhero Wives

(Sample)

Saturday, April 3rd

ARIANA
in Windy City

‘Psst. I’m gonna be late.’ Adam’s hushed voice whispered in Ariana’s mind, jolting her out of the present.

“Hold still,” her mother said.

Ariana stiffened and ignored her mom, focusing on her future husband instead. How long would it take to get used to his telepathic superpower? She opened her mind to him and sent a reply, ‘Why?’

‘I’ve been…detained.’ Adam forced an image to flood her mind: his naked body with his manliness poorly covered by his hand. Her cheeks tingled and warmed as she looked at her mother’s smile. She focused on the image in her head instead, noticing the scorch marks on Adam’s skin. Black ash against his thighs and across the ripples of his abdomen. What had happened? She assessed his skin—unharmed as usual. Thank goodness for an invincible fiancé.

His voice continued, ‘I may not make it in time.’

‘Like hell you won’t!’ She shifted her weight and the chair she stood on creaked. “Ouch!” Her hand jolted to her rump, swatting her aunt’s hand away.

“Hey, you need to keep still.” Her aunt gripped her hips to keep her in place.

Ariana sprang off the chair, the bustle of her white gown half-pinned and half-flowing behind her. “Um, I have to go.”

Her mom’s jaw fell open, but she righted it. “You need to go? Now’s not the time for cold feet.”

Finding her mom’s purse, Ariana pulled out the minivan keys and gave her mom a kiss on the cheek. “Trust me, if I don’t go now, there won’t be a wedding.”

“Won’t be a wedding? What’s going on?”

Her mom was on her heels as Ariana flew out of the bedroom and ran down the stairs, focusing on Adam. Tingling filled her chest. ‘Where are you?’

‘The alley behind Top Perks Coffee Shop.’

‘Do you know what time it is?’

Adam sent an image of his bare wrist. ‘I was going to look for my missing watch, but I couldn’t find the time.’ He transmitted a chuckle.

‘Of course, you have a joke. Come on! Our wedding starts in less than an hour.’

‘I know.’ Adam’s words were clearly enunciated in her mind. ‘That’s why I’m telling you I’ll be late.’

‘Don’t move! I’m coming to get you.’

“Where are you going?” Her mother stood in front of the front door.

“No time to explain. Meet me at the church,” Ariana panted.

She stopped in the study of her parents’ house and snatched Adam’s tux, flinging it over her shoulder. With a quick movement, she wrapped yards of her gown’s white fabric around her arm and ran outside.

“You can’t do—” Her mother’s voice was drowned out by the purring V-6 of the sensible gold party machine.

With squealing tires, Ariana flew down the driveway and left her mother yelling in the front yard. “Sorry, Mom, but there’s no way I’m being stood up on my wedding day.”

More than one neighbor’s necks turned to rubber as they watched the scene of the runaway bride. Ariana waved and blew them a kiss before she further pressed the accelerator and clenched the steering wheel.

The van lurched one way and then the other as she rounded the corners through the back streets of Windy City, rolling through red lights and ignoring the speed limits. Who had time for that crap, anyway?

Leaving black tracks on the pavement, she screeched to a halt in front of a rusted dumpster at the end of the alley, perfectly matching the image Adam had sent. She clicked the button to open the side door, yelling into the empty ally, “This better be good.”

With caution, Adam emerged from behind the dumpster with one hand covering his frontside and another covering his backside. The hair was singed off his chest. Hmm…was all his hair below his neck burned off? She looked down at his legs. Yup, that’d be interesting.

He crawled into the van.

Before the door slid shut, Ariana threw the vehicle into reverse and spun the tires out of the alley, heading for the church.

“Here,” she huffed, handing her naked fiancé a small, foil-wrapped package. He’s okay, Ari. He’s always okay.

In the rearview mirror, Adam twirled the package in his hand. “Fingernail polish removing wipes?”

“If I were you, I wouldn’t be complaining right now. Get the soot off and throw your tux on. Honestly, today, I don’t care what you look like. I wouldn’t even care if the hair on the top of your head had been burned off. You have a wedding to be at in thirty minutes.”

Adam ran a hand through his short, light brown locks, ensuring himself that it was still there. “Don’t you want to know what happened?”

“That’s not important right now. Focus.” Ariana pointed at the tux, then to Adam.

Adam laughed. “Well, he got away.”

“I said, get ready.” She hid any amusement from her voice.

“Isn’t it bad luck to see the bride in her wedding dress before the ceremony?”

Ariana glanced in the rearview mirror, then back to the road, holding up her index finger. “One day. All I ask is that you show up ON TIME this one day.” Ariana’s arm was shaking. She returned her hand to the wheel and tightened her grip. Note to self: don’t let Adam out of your sight on days with important events.

Adam laughed. “Don’t you ever worry about me?”

Ariana’s heart raced and her palms sweated. “You’re invincible. You assured me yourself that you’ll always be fine. Come on, throw that tux on! I’m sure it’ll be all over the Superhero News Network later today and monopolize our wedding reception anyway. I’ll catch up then.”

Pulling the van up to the church steps, she turned to her future husband. His lip curled up, and all her anger melted away. She took a deep breath as he leaned forward and placed a kiss on her temple, giving one of her blond ringlets a little tug. He whispered, “I love you, but, I think, you’ll be late.” In a flash, Adam was out of the van and disappeared into the church.

Out came Ariana’s mother, her wavy gray hair wild in the wind. Ari stepped out of the van, took a deep breath, and smiled, letting it all sink in. She was gonna marry the man of her dreams today. This was truly the beginning of the rest of her life. A fabulous life with an amazing partner at her side.

Her mom took her hand and helped her out. “We have ten minutes to finish getting you ready.”

Her dad stepped beside them. “You look beautiful, dear.”

Ariana smiled. This was everything she’d ever wanted. Loving parents and marrying a man everyone drooled over—even if they only drooled when he was in costume, saving the world.

VICTORIA
in Shadow Town

Victoria swirled her straw in her Diet Coke. She hated Diet Coke, but being in a newer relationship, she needed to keep her figure in better shape than a Marshmallow Peep. That thought made her stomach growl. She enjoyed being “full bodied” and wanted to keep her curves. It was a fine line to not be too skinny, nor too heavy. The Diet Coke was her balance, but it reminded her how much it sucked to be pushing thirty and divorced.

Today, her mind was on everything except the man in front of her. Work, the book she was reading, and her grocery list.

“Vicky?”

Victoria shook her head and looked up at Mike. “Sorry, I was distracted. What did you say?”

“I had asked if you wanted to get away this week. You said you took a few days off of work. We could go to my cousin’s lake cottage.” He winked at her. “It would be romantic.”

Should she tell him she hated winking? It was creepy and something a sleazebag would do. She bit her tongue and focused on his question. “This week? Um… I’ll have Chew-Barka. Can I bring him?”

The smile on Mike’s face dissolved as he rubbed his temple. “I can ask, but can’t your ex take him?”

She sat back in her chair. “Ask him to do me a favor? I’d rather give up chocolate.”

Mike tilted his chin. “You know Thursday’s our anniversary.”

“Anniversary?”

“We’ve been dating for three months.”

Had it been that long already? “You’re counting months? I thought only teenagers did that.”

Mike’s lips tightened. “Are you not into this relationship?”

She swirled her straw, splashing soda over the edge of the glass. “Yeah, it’s fine… I mean good. It’s just—”

Mike looked over Victoria’s shoulder, and his eyes bulged. “Speaking of the devil. How is it he always seems to interrupt us?”

She ground her teeth, not needing to spin around to know her ex-husband stood behind her. “Yes, Vance, how is it you always seem to know where I am?”

Her ex made his way to the side of their table. His voice was smooth, deep, and familiar. Victoria tried to forget how much it appealed to her. “Coincidence, I guess. I was on my way to the mayor’s campaign headquarters, but saw you here.”

“Come on. Campaign headquarters is across the city.” Victoria took a drink of her soda to prevent her thoughts from escaping.

“You’re a supporter?” Mike asked. “I thought nobody liked the mayor. How he won, I’ll never know.”

“Obviously, more than half the city liked him enough to vote for him, otherwise he wouldn’t be mayor. Besides, I always root for the underdog.”

Mike leaned forward. “I read that they are trying to have a recall election. Nobody believes he won.”

Victoria turned to Vance and didn’t hide the annoyance in her voice. “So, why are you here?”

Vance’s smile said I’m-hiding-something-I’m-not-going-to-tell-you. “I was simply taking a walk for a little exercise. You know, being healthy and all.” He rubbed his neatly trimmed, dark beard while turning toward Victoria’s date. “So, how’ve ya been?” He gave Mike a small punch on his shoulder.

“Ow—” Mike jerked away, rubbing his bicep. He straightened and recovered his pride.

Vance motioned to the table. “Were you done here?”

“No. We hadn’t ordered yet.” Victoria ground her teeth together.

“Great! I’m starving.” Vance grabbed a chair from the neighboring table, turned it backward, and straddled it.

“Join us,” Mike said to the already sitting down Vance. “I think Victoria has a question for you, anyway.”

Vance picked up the menu that lay in front of Mike. “Were you done with this?” He tipped down his sunglasses and stared at Mike’s hot coffee for a moment.

He better not use his power.

He tipped his sunglasses back in place and smiled again. A smile that made Victoria sweat. “A question for me? How sweet of you to think about me.”

Victoria shook her head and sputtered out the lies. “I don’t have a question, and I never think about you.”

Mike interjected. “What she means is would you take Chew-Barka until the weekend?”

“This weekend?”

“Yeah, I’d like to take Victoria away for our anniversary this week.” Mike picked up his coffee.

“Anniversary? What’s it been? A few months? I thought only kids counted months.” Vance shook his head and focused on the menu. “Nah. That won’t work. I’m busy.”

Victoria set her menu down and glared at her ex. “You’re busy? If you’ve got so much going on, how do you always find the time to hunt me down and torment me?”

“Well, I didn’t have plans, but I do now.” Vance turned away from Mike, toward Victoria, and curled the corner of his lip up into a sly smile. Of course he had plans. They involved keeping her and Mike apart. Now throw in a little irritating Victoria, and Vance’s week was full. Did he really hate her that much? Well, she had broken his heart.

Victoria choked down a sip of her Diet Coke. “That’s okay. I think it’s time I found a kennel here for Chew-Barka.” She turned to Mike, who had lifted his coffee mug to his lips.

“No—” Victoria tried to stop him, but it was too late. He had tipped the coffee cup back and taken a sip. The icy cold liquid sprayed out of his mouth, all over the table.

Mike set the cup down. “What the hell! It’s freezing.”

Victoria wiped her face and glared at Vance.

Vance’s cocky smile appeared again, then a little chuckle. “I don’t know why you’re looking at me.”

Victoria shook her head at him, trying to tell him she was on to him—on to the fact he used his freeze vision.

Vance set the menu down and changed the subject. “No kennel for Chew-Barka. That’s like doggie jail. It’s bad enough you put him in one of those things when you moved out west. Let me see what I can do. I’ll get back to you.”

Mike frantically wiped the coffee off the table. “That would be great if you took him for the whole week.” He reached over to reciprocate the punch Vance gave him.

“No!” Victoria tried to warn him again, but it was too late. Mike shook out his fist after slugging Vance’s shoulder. Vance hadn’t budged. Like a rock as always.

Mike opened and closed his hand. “Wow, man, you must spend a lot of time at the gym.”

Victoria stood up. “I’ve lost my appetite. You two enjoy each other. Mike, call me with details. Vance, I’ll see you tomorrow when you pick up Chewy.” Victoria left the men alone for their romantic lunch.

EMMA
visiting Shadow Town

The first thing Emma saw when Becky opened her front door was her sister’s beautiful, bright white smile. “Hey, sis! I’m so glad you could come over at the last minute. I hope I’m not pulling you away from quality time with your hubby.”

Emma bit her lip, holding back a smile of her own. Quality time? Ha. She purposefully didn’t leave out his costume when she left. Would Estevan be able to find his black leather supersuit without her? Fight supervillains without her guidance? “It’s really no problem. Besides, I want to hear your news.”

A little curly-haired, pig-tailed girl, wearing a black sweat suit and black mask, pranced across the room like a gazelle, finally stopping in front of Emma. Swooping her niece up in her arms, Emma kissed her chubby cheek. “How’s the little princess today?”

Samantha lisped, “I’m not a princess. I’m a superhero.”

“Oh, my mistake. What are your secret powers?”

“I’m just like Capitán Rápido. I can move super-duper fast and can see into the future…a whole day into the future.”

“Instead of only ten seconds? You’ll be unstoppable!”

Samantha slid from Emma’s arms and ran as fast as she could around the living room.

Emma laughed, “She’s so cute!”

Becky took her purse from the shelf beside the door. “Ever since she saw Capitán Rápido on the Superhero News Network today, she’s been racing around the house.”

“Capitán Rápido was on SNN? What happened?” Was her husband okay?

Becky pulled her keys from her purse. “I guess that supervillain he had been chasing took off out of Actionville and made an appearance in Windy City. Smoke everywhere, but I’m sure The Kite has him under control.”

Estevan would be so disappointed that he didn’t make the capture. Emma shoved a hand in her pocket, thinking of the bright side. Estevan drove Smoke Shield out of Actionville and Emma might finally get some quality time with her husband. Of course this happened now when she had a pile of proposals to work on at the City Council.

Becky continued, “I’ll be home in about two hours. Do you want to hear the news now or later?”

“Now, of course.”

Becky’s smile brightened, if that was possible, swallowing all her other features. “I’m pregnant!”

“Really?” Emma hefted her sister into her arms. “That’s fantastic!”

“Hopefully, you’ll have success soon, too.”

Emma shook her head, refusing to think of that possibility. “This isn’t about me right now. I can’t wait for another niece…or maybe a nephew this time.”

Becky looked down at her watch. “I gotta go. Josh is meeting me at the doctor’s office. I have my first ultrasound today, three months along already.” Becky gave Emma another hug before heading out the door.

“Watch this, Auntie Ems!” Samantha crawled up on the couch and jumped off the back with her arms outstretched. “Did you see that? I can fly!”

“Wow, you’re even better than Capitán Rápido. He can’t fly. Not like The Kite.”

“Mommy says I’m going to have a brother or a sister, but I need to be patient.”

“Your mommy’s wise. You’ll need to be very patient.”

Samantha ran around the sofa, crawling back up and jumping off again. Emma smiled. Oh, how she wanted a child of her own.

Was that even possible in her life?

Someday, I hope.

Sunday, April 4th

ARIANA

Honeymoon in San Pedro

“Phew. We made it.” Ariana faced the hotel room door, brushed her hair out of her eyes, and attempted to comb her fingers through her wind-blown knots. A gentle tug. “Ouch!” She tried again, and again, but gave up. Note to self: tie hair back when flying with Adam. Had she packed enough conditioner to return her hair to normal? Being married to a superhero that could fly had practical complications that people didn’t think about. “I don’t know why we couldn’t just do this like normal newlyweds.”

Adam grabbed her wrist and spun her around to face him. “Hey, we did most of it like a normal couple. We took an airplane to Belize City.” A spark grew in his eyes and his lip turned up in a half-smile. His voice dropped into a seductive whisper. “If we would’ve waited for a connecting flight to San Pedro, we would’ve had to wait to do this.” Adam lifted Ariana up in his arms and kissed her deeply before opening the resort door to carry his new bride over the threshold.

Ariana pulled away enough to whisper, “Well, then. I fully support your decision to use your special skills.” She kissed him again.

Adam kicked the door closed as he carried his bride to the canopy bed and laid her down on the soft white sheets. The balcony doors were already open, and a fresh ocean breeze filled the room with a fragrance that was pure heaven. He grabbed her hand, rubbing his thumb over the diamond ring upon her finger. “Since you’re Irish, how do you feel about that diamond?”

“What does being Irish have to do with anything?”

Adam crawled on top of her with a menacing, hungry look. “I was hoping you didn’t think it was a sham rock.” He laughed slightly at his joke while Ariana groaned. “Seriously now, I’ve been waiting too long for this, Missus Turano.”

Mrs. Turano? Ariana didn’t like the sound of that and her playfulness disappeared. “That won’t do. It reminds me of your mother. Maybe I should have kept my last name or go by Miz.”

He didn’t back away. “Are you trying to kill the mood talking about my mother?” He shook his head and laughed, then buried his face in her neck. He mumbled into her skin, “Nope. Didn’t work. I’m still interested.” He smoothed her frazzled hair from her face.

“It doesn’t take much to get you excited, does it?” Ariana’s giggle was interrupted by Adam’s lips. She shifted in bed and wrapped her arms around her husband. In the silence, the sounds from the TV in the other room caught Ariana’s attention, specifically two words made her stop: The Kite. She cursed the hotel management for leaving the TV on.

Adam stiffened, turning toward the other room.

“No, no, no,” Ariana said, wiggling out from underneath her husband. Once free, she rushed to the other room, flicked the TV off, and ran back to the bedroom, flinging herself on top of Adam. In between kisses, she breathlessly forced out the words, “No need…to worry…about that. You’re allowed a…vacation…or at least a honeymoon. After all, we’re only doing this once.”

Adam moaned and flipped her over. Ariana wanted to enjoy it, but her mind was on the news report. Images of past heroic rescues Adam had made flooded her mind. What if there was something big going on? What if people would die if The Kite didn’t make an appearance?

“Urgh.” She threw her head into the mattress. “Why don’t you turn that back on. Hopefully, it’s nothing.”

“No, that’s okay. I’m quite entertained here.” He trailed a line of kisses down her arm, then stopped and looked at her.

Ariana shook her head. “Those creases on your forehead tell me something different.”

Giving her a peck on the cheek, he sprang off the bed. “Thanks. You’re the best.” In moments, he had settled on the wicker sofa in the other room and Ariana sat next to him. The news report caused Ariana’s heart to sink.

“Smoke Shield strikes again! A black cloud of smoke hovers over Windy City. It’s been over twenty-four hours since anyone has spotted The Kite. Where are you? You’re needed.”

“Great,” Ariana said, pulling her feet up on the couch and wrapping her arms around her knees.

Adam looked at her with expectant eyes. “Why would Smoke Shield move to Windy City? He’s the one who burned all my clothes, and hair, off on our wedding day. I didn’t know he’d cause this.” Adam returned his eyes to the images of the heavy smoke that lined the streets of their hometown.

She dismissed him with her hand. “Fine. Go. You have a job to do.”

Adam repeated his words. “Thanks, you’re the best.” He dug his costume out of his small backpack and soon was dressed from head to toe in light gray complete with a black cape with elaborately stitched, silver feathers to resemble the Swallow-Tailed Kite—Adam’s favorite bird. He kissed Ariana again and secured the white hooded mask over his eyes. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Check out the beach while you wait.”

He ran across the room and jumped off their third story balcony, flying off into the sky and leaving Arianna alone in the honeymoon suite.

In her mind, her husband’s voice whispered, ‘Don’t forget, I love you.’

She sighed. ‘I love you too. Hurry back.’

~ ~ ~

Hours had passed since Adam flew off the balcony, and he hadn’t returned yet. Ariana left a note, directing him to the beach, even though he could find her by using his telepathy.

She relaxed into a lawn chair and inhaled the gentle ocean breeze, enjoying the warm sun on her skin and noting the light taste of salt in her mouth. The beach was mostly empty, since it was almost the off-season, but she still had to fight for her chair. It was sandwiched between a middle-aged woman and a hairy man that overflowed the edges. Ariana attempted to scoot away, but the chair was tied to the others by a thick, silver cable. Note to self: bring your own chair next time. She giggled, imagining Adam flying her a lawn chair through the sky.

The woman to her right tipped up her wide-brimmed hat and eyed Ariana. “You must be from somewhere way north.”

Ariana tilted her chin. “Why?”

“First, there’s a cold spell here, being only seventy degrees, and you’re in a bikini. Cute, by the way. I like the yellow polka-dots. Secondly, you’re as white as a ghost. Just look at those legs. You could blind someone with them.”

Ariana crossed her legs to make them less conspicuous as she fought the desire to cover them with her towel.

“Don’t worry, honey. I’m from Minnesota. I’ll keep my sunglasses on and won’t go blind. Speaking of blinding, wow, that’s some diamond on your finger.”

“You don’t think it’s a sham rock?” Ariana finally chuckled at Adam’s joke. She took a deep breath. She hated missing him.

“Shamrock? I don’t get it.”

“Oh, never mind. It’s an inside joke.”

The woman adjusted her hat and shifted in her chair. “Are you here on a girls’ weekend?”

“No, I’m here with my husband.”

The woman sat forward. “Not getting along? Vacations will do that. All that time together, you’re bound to get on each other’s nerves.”

“That’s not at all what happened. In fact, this is our honeymoon.”

“Honeymoon? And you left your room?” She chuckled. “I see. He must be resting—if you know what I mean.”

What was this woman insinuating? “He’s not resting…he had business to attend to.”

“Hmm. Well, hon, stick with me. I’ll keep you busy. If he can’t see what a catch he’s got, well, that’s too bad.”

Ariana rolled away, but when she faced the hairy man, she turned up to the sky, attempting to tune out the lady’s life story while she fell sleep.

By the time she woke up, the sky was on fire with oranges, reds, and pinks and the sun was dipping toward the horizon. Clicking on her phone, she counted hours. How had eight hours flown by?

‘Adam?’ She reached out to him with her mind. Nothing. Something else must be pulling his attention. Sometimes she could grab his thoughts if he kept their connection open. From what Adam explained, this drained a bit of his energy and sometimes he had to close it. Was he okay? Stop thinking about him. It’ll only drive you nuts.

Arianna sat up and cringed in pain. Her legs were the color of a cooked lobster. She pressed her hand to her abdomen and her fingers left white impressions on the burnt skin.

Retreating to her room, she showered and slipped into the red lace lingerie her aunt had given her at her bachelorette party. Her skin, at least on her front half, was red enough to blend in with the lace. Urgh! Note to self: wear sunscreen!

She walked around the bed, swinging her hips in as sexy a way as she was capable of, picturing Adam lying in bed. Her chuckle filled the room, but soon she grew tired of pretending.

As she settled in bed, she cringed when she pulled the sheet over her sunburned body.

Where are you, Adam?

Grabbing her phone, she pulled up the Superhero News Network.

She scrolled past the news from Shadow Town: Attempt on the Mayor’s Life Thwarted by Icy Tundra. Directly below the headline was an image of a regal man, dressed in soft blue with a royal blue cape flowing in the wind and standing on a pad of ice.

She also breezed through the news from Actionville: Bank Robbery Stopped by Capitán Rápido. This photo was of a man dressed in black leather standing in front of Federal Financial Bank.

She searched for something from Windy City, any report about The Kite, but there was nothing yet, only reports of the black cloud still hovering. There’s nothing you can do, Ari. He’s got this.

She and Adam had dated for two years before they were married. The first year and a half, she had no idea he had a secret identity. The last six months, she worried nonstop about his safety. It wasn’t until he took her for a hike up in the bluffs and then jumped off—refusing to use his ability to fly—that she finally realized he was truly invincible. He plummeted to the ground and smashed nearly flat…well, he didn’t smash flat. He made a nice little indentation into the earth and brushed his clothes off like nothing had happened. “There are better things to worry about than me,” he had said. Did she still worry? Of course, how could she not? But she buried it deep inside.

She yawned.

Stay awake. He’ll be back soon.

Despite her nap, the sun and fresh air had made her tired, and she quickly fell asleep.

VICTORIA
in Shadow Town

Victoria opened her apartment door to Vance’s calculating smile. Her ex was up to something, and it made her skin crawl. “What do you want?”

Chew-Barka’s tail wagged, and his nose explored as much of Vance as he could. At least one of them was excited. Victoria had to snicker when Chewy’s nose nudged Vance in a sensitive spot. Too bad he was nearly impervious to pain.

Squatting down, Vance rubbed the fur behind Chewy’s ears. “You know I’m just here to pick him up.”

Victoria shook her head. “You’re earlier than I expected. Don’t lie to me. I know you too well. You have that look on your face that says you have other plans.”

His face went falsely blank. “What look?”

“That twisted up lip look. Your Elvis impersonation—minus the charm.”

Vance lifted his eyes, focusing on her shirt. “No, not up to something, just checking out the view.”

Had she dropped guacamole on her clothing? She glanced down. Grrr. She had taken her bra off and her t-shirt wasn’t thick. That focused expression he got when using his powers spread across his face and the room suddenly turned cold. Vance! She folded her arms over her chest. “You had your chance six years ago.”

“Why didn’t that work out again?”

“Because you’re an ass.”

“How about giving me another chance? I’ll be gone before you wake up in the morning.” He chuckled.

“Yup. Still an ass.”

Vance gave Chew-Barka a kiss on the top of his head. “Yeah, that’s what you say, but I don’t believe you mean it.”

Victoria turned away from him and got Chewy’s leash. “I’ll pick him up at your place next week.”

After hooking the leash to Chewy’s collar, Vance stood, towering over Victoria. She pulled her long, chestnut hair over her shoulders, shielding her chest. Stepping back, she wrapped her arms tightly around her body.

Vance took a step closer, making Victoria wrap her arms tighter. She held her breath in the silence. Why couldn’t he just leave? “Okay, you can go now.”

He shook his head. “What are you doing with Mike? He’s a bit of a dud. I mean, he’s unemployed…been unemployed for months.”

“Well, you weren’t the best at holding down a job either.”

“Hey, I have a job and have always had a job. It just doesn’t pay anything. You know I don’t need the money, anyway.”

To break Vance’s eye contact, Victoria squatted down, motioned for Chewy, and rubbed his head, smoothing the gray hairs that were now prominent on his black muzzle. The almost human wisdom from Chewy’s eyes made Victoria’s heart grow heavy. “He’s getting old.”

Vance rubbed his hand along Chew-Barka’s back and all the cockiness left his voice. “Someday, I’ll need another excuse to come and see you.”

“I still don’t buy this one. You really can’t live without seeing him every week?” Of course he’d survive without Chewy, he had before, but Victoria couldn’t help feeling guilty about what had happened.

“Maybe I want to see you.”

“I don’t think so. It’s not an excuse to see me. It’s an excuse to punish me. To make my life miserable.”

Vance smiled again and gave his shoulder a little shrug. “Maybe, but I don’t see you refusing me.”

Victoria had thought about it, over and over, but there was something inside of her that needed to know he was okay. Was she a sucker for punishment? She stood up and shoved Vance out the door. As she was swinging it shut, his hand stopped it.

“Vicky, there’s been some bad stuff going down in town lately. I need you to stay away from the East Side.”

The hair on her arms rose. “You have no right to tell me what to do.”

“I may no longer be your husband, but I’m warning you as Icy Tundra. With the last election being a major political upset, there are plenty of people angry that the mayor’s in office. Some are saying the election results were tampered with. I’ve been watching him closely because there have been multiple attempts on his life now. Nothing a little brute force can’t handle, but who knows what will happen? Until I can track down whoever is orchestrating this, I don’t want you near him.”

“Any idea who’s behind it?”

Vance rubbed a hand through his beard. “Montgomery Marchant has been on the news lately opposing him. He says he supports that radical anti-mayor group.”

“Doctor Marchant? I don’t think so.”

“I know you work for him, but I don’t trust him.”

“Why? Because he has superpowers too? You never believed he doesn’t use them.”

“How could you not use them? Powers are tempting. Especially his. Time manipulation is something nobody would even notice.”

Victoria rubbed her temple, realizing she would stay away from the East Side…but she wouldn’t let Vance know she listened to him.

“Just be careful, okay?” Vance’s eyes flashed a tenderness Victoria didn’t wish to remember, so she pushed his hand away and shut the door. She leaned against the wall, remembering why she couldn’t stay away from Vance completely. Every once in a while, a moment like this happened. A moment when he showed he actually cared.

EMMA
in Actionville

Emma blew out the candle in the center of her small dining room table. She’d spent the past two hours simmering the soup she prepared earlier today and had finally given up waiting for Estevan. Smoke Shield had left Actionville and all the news reports of Capitán Rápido sightings on the SNN ended an hour ago. The threat was stopped, the bad guys apprehended, yadda yadda yadda. Now where was her husband? Sundays were their special day.

She turned the stove off and filled her bowl with soup. All alone at the kitchen table, she blew on the contents and thought back to all the commotion at her sister’s house. Things were too quiet here and she loved excitement. She caught herself smiling while thinking of her niece.

The door latch clicked and a gentle breeze blew her wild black hair over her eyes. Hot breath caressed her ear as a soft whisper surrounded her. “Tienes una sonrisa hermosa. Mind if I join you?”

Emma couldn’t hold back her smile. She stood up and wrapped her arms around her husband’s lean, leather-clad body. “I had given up on you.”

Estevan pulled his black Zorro-like mask off and kissed her. “Why do you always give up on me? You know I’ll always come home to you.”

What did one say to that? With a gentle stroke, she brushed Estevan’s too-long, nearly-black bangs off his forehead, then headed for the stove to get him a bowl of soup.

A rustle of wind, and he was in front of her. “Sit down. I got it.” He zipped away and returned moments later with a steaming bowl of cheeseburger chowder.

Emma picked up the matches and relit the candle. “I forgot to tell you that I went to my sister’s house yesterday. Guess what her good news is?”

“She’s pregnant again.”

“How’d you know? Oh. After seven years of marriage, I still forget sometimes. Stop using your power on me.”

Estevan laughed. “I can’t help it when you make me guess.”

“It takes all the fun away from me.”

“Okay. I’ll try, but I’m not promising anything.”

“What would you think about us trying to have a baby again?”

“I didn’t see that one coming.” Estevan shook his head. “We’ve tried for years. It’s not possible… I think my DNA is too different.”

“Maybe if we saw a fertility doctor, they’d be able to help.”

“I can’t risk going to a doctor. What if they discover who I really am?”

“What if it’s not you and it’s me instead? Maybe I can go. It’d be nice to have you along.”

Estevan was still shaking his head.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’d gotten used to the thought that we weren’t meant to have kids. What if something were to happen to me?”

“You can’t go on thinking that way. What if something happens to me? I could get in a car accident on my way to work.”

“I think my job’s a little more high risk.”

Emma took another slurp of soup, but her stomach turned. She pushed the bowl away from her. “Just think about it, okay? I’m tired and am heading to bed. Would you mind cleaning up?”

“Hey, mi gatita, I’m sorry. I’ll think about it, okay?”

Emma nodded as she slipped behind the bedroom door. Crawling into her cool sheets, she wondered how she could feel so lonely when her husband was right in the other room. Maybe she was crazy for wanting a child. Who ever heard of a superhero with a kid? But who ever heard of a superhero with a wife?

A tear slid down her cheek and pooled on her pillow. Samantha running around in her homemade mask and black jogging suit, trying to replicate Estevan’s leather outfit, had rekindled a suppressed desire for her own children. Besides that, how excited would Samantha be to know her uncle was Capitán Rápido? Just another secret for Emma to keep.

The mattress sunk, and soon a strong arm wrapped around her. Estevan pulled her springy curls away from her face and kissed her cheek. “If you really want to try again, I’ll do it. All I want in life is to make you happy.”

Emma turned over and snuggled against his chest. “I don’t know what I want, but thank you.” She inhaled his clean outdoorsy scent and soon fell asleep in his arms.

Monday, April 5th

ARIANA
in San Pedro

Ariana awoke to the sound of Adam’s voice. She moaned and ran her hand down her sides and over the lacy fabric of the lingerie against her hips.

She smiled. “Good morning, honey.” She rolled over and reached her arm out to hug her husband…only to grip the cold pillow. Her eyes flicked open. “Adam?”

Silence.

She looked toward the bathroom and raised her voice. “Adam?”

Still nothing.

She closed her eyes and reached out for him with her thoughts. ‘Adam?’

His voice then echoed in her mind. ‘I’m here. Well, I’m not there. I’ve been…detained.’

Detained seemed to be his favorite word these days. Cringing from her sunburn, she sat up in bed. ‘What do you mean, detained?’

‘A man assaulted me with milk, cream, and butter.’

‘What?’

‘How dairy.’ Adam’s deep chuckle filled her head.

‘Come on. Seriously. This is our honeymoon!’

‘I…um, The Kite nearly captured Smoke Shield. You know, that guy that played in Actionville and now had Windy City covered in a cloud of smoke, but I…um…The Kite needs to work with the police on this. We’re going to get him before he implements whatever master plan he has. I’m so sorry. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.’

‘You better.’ Urgh! She didn’t mean to send that last thought to Adam. ‘Just hurry back as quick as you can.’ She pulled the sheets tight, twisting a corner around her hand and shifting positions. Failing to find a comfortable spot, since her skin was on fire and felt like alligator leather, she sighed.

Adam’s words stopped her. ‘I love you, and all the people of Windy City would love you if they knew your sacrifice.’

She blew out a breath and managed to send him, ‘I love you, too,’ before their connection closed.

After breakfast, Ariana slathered herself with sunscreen and went back down to the beach. Under the shade of a palm tree, she lay one way, then another, but she couldn’t get comfortable as her mind churned. This was supposed to be her honeymoon. Damn him.

She sat up and looked down the long line of tied together beach chairs. Couple after couple lay next to each other in the warm sunlight. She wrapped her arms around her stomach. Being alone was such a disappointment.

Ariana retreated to her room, booked herself a flight home, and packed her stuff. Out of instinct, she dialed her parents’ number.

“Hi, Mom. I need to come home early. Could you pick me up at the airport tomorrow?”

“What’s wrong?”

She wished she could tell them everything, but keeping Adam’s identity a secret was something she had promised him. “Oh, we’ll talk about it tomorrow. Will you be there for me?” She held back tears. She’d have to come up with an excuse by then.

“Yes, of course. What time?”

“Three.”

“Okay. I love you.”

“Love ya too, Mom.”

She stood out on her balcony, overlooking the ocean. In this romantic location, she felt so out of place. She needed to be with Adam, no matter where that was. It was her honeymoon, and a honeymoon should be spent with your spouse. She could do that anywhere…be it here in paradise or home in Windy City.

EMMA
in Actionville

After a busy day down at City Hall, Emma spent the evening researching fertility centers. She had decided to go herself—at least then she could determine if it was Estevan’s issue or her own. She wished it was easier to find out if superpowers and children were compatible.

There had to be other superheroes that were married. She spent hours on the Superhero News Network researching other city’s heroes and scouring news articles, mostly from tabloids. All she found was speculation.

Icy Tundra seen kissing a curvy brunette.

Has The Kite hooked up with Scarlet Macaw?

But no stories of children. Didn’t the news find kids scandalous enough? What a shame. If only the superheroes worked together, she could ask them…but everyone was quite protective of their territories. Stupid egos, but she was guilty of stroking Estevan’s on a daily basis. Besides, superheroes were a newish thing. It wasn’t until fourteen years ago, when a solar flare sucked two comets into the sun, that a few people began to develop superpowers.

With the emergence of superheroes also came supervillains. A nearby city, Shadow Town, had a special, maximum security prison that harbored a few of these. Of course, they wouldn’t discuss if they had a family or not.

Emma rubbed her head. Maybe Estevan was right. What if something happened to him? It was one thing leaving Emma widowed…it was another to leave a child without a father.

She turned away from this foolishness and focused on work. Shadow Town’s mayor was coming to visit Actionville this week and speak to the City Council. There was quite a debate regarding the construction of a high-speed train connecting their towns. Shadow Town was not happy about it, and many people in Actionville were not either. Emma liked the idea, because it would cut forty-five minutes off her trip to visit her sister and create jobs for the people of Actionville. No matter what decision was made, some people would still be unhappy. This debate was exhausting, but fulfilling.

Rubbing her eyes, she glanced at the time; it was after 10PM and past her bedtime. Where was Estevan? She bit her lip, convincing herself he was off somewhere, saving someone. As images of him waving to the news cameras and shaking the police commissioner’s hand filled her mind, a smile slipped out. She wouldn’t tell him, but he couldn’t do it without her. The whole thing had been her idea. After meeting him in high school, right when his powers began to develop, she was beside him every step of the way.

Closing the laptop’s lid, she stood up for a snack before bed. When she twisted around, she ran smack dab into an iron chest. “Oh, don’t do that!” She clutched her hand over her racing heart.

Estevan chuckled. “I forget you can’t see the future.”

Reaching up, she pulled her husband’s black mask off from over his eyes. “Well, Mister Rodríguez, do you know what I’m going to do next?” She thought real hard about getting a sandwich from the fridge. It was a game she played: could she make him see a different future?

He smiled slyly. “You’re going to take me to bed.”

“Dang you!” she said, slapping his biceps.

His arms wrapped around her and he carried her to their room. Someday, she’d get the sandwich trick to work.

Continued here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072N5BZXR

About the Author

Joynell Schultz is a pharmacist by training but is currently managing the family business of a zoo in Wisconsin. Talk about interesting! From drones aggravating the cougar to the elk in rut. From baby goats being born to adopting a sheep raised in a second story apartment, there’s always something fun going on. And that was just this week!

In the little free time she has, she loves creating interesting imaginary worlds to tell tales of human relationships.

Contact Info:

Email: joynells@gmail.com

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Other Novels by Joynell Schultz

The Secret Lives of Superhero Wives

Saturday, April 3rd

Sunday, April 4th

Monday, April 5th

About the Author