Brandon's Very Merry Haunted Christmas (Mack's Marvelous Manifestations Book 1) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  Glossary

  Author

  This book is a work of fiction, so please treat it like a work of fiction. Seriously. References to real people, dead people, good guys, bad guys, stupid politicians, companies, restaurants, events, products, locations, pop culture references, or wacky historical events are intended to provide a sense of authenticity and are used fictitiously. Or because I wanted it in the story. Characters, names, story, location, dialogue, weird humor, and strange incidents all come from the author’s very fertile imagination and are not to be construed as real. No, I don’t believe in killing off main characters. Villains are a totally different story.

  BRANDON’S VERY MERRY HAUNTED CHRISTMAS

  Mack’s Marvelous Manifestations 1

  Jon’s Mysteries Novella

  Snow Globe #11

  PRINTING HISTORY

  Dec 2019

  Copyright © 2019 by AJ Sherwood

  Cover by Katie Griffin

  A red abstract state map of Arkansas by iQoncept/Shutterstock; Christmas and New Year holidays background with champagne by VAlekStudio/Shutterstock; red glitter by artisssticcc/creativefabrica; Cartoon smoke set by d1sk/Shutterstock

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

  Purchase only authorized editions.

  www.ajsherwood.com

  Prologue

  I’d gotten some pretty interesting presents in my lifetime. I’m sure we could all say that and have more than a few good stories to tell. But this? This had to top them all.

  I stared down at the snow globe in my hands with no idea how to respond.

  On the surface, it was a very nice gift. Unlike some of the truly cheesy snow globes I’d seen, this one had a crystal in the center with powdery white ‘snow’ swirling around. It rested on a polished wood pedestal, with a wooden top to match, and it was extremely elegant and tasteful.

  The contents posed a problem.

  Normally, I’d try to give the gift-giver in question a smile and play it off, but there were two problems with this approach. One: my poker face sucked. Two: this wasn’t really something I could just play off and stick in a closet somewhere to be long-forgotten. Ye little elves, I really couldn’t do that. But still, it was awkward in the extreme to say anything right now.

  Christmas was at full swing at my place. We had both the Havili and Bane families—minus their sister, Sammy, who was with her fiancé’s family—gathered around the living room, and some of them were more in the spirit of Christmas cheer than others, due to the punch. (I don’t know who spiked the punch. I suspected Brandon, but really, it could have been Natalie. Neither sibling was to be trusted.) We lounged on various couches and chairs, Skylar on the floor near the tree and acting like Santa’s elf, passing out presents to each person. We’d chosen to open presents on Christmas Eve so we could all sleep in and do individual Christmases on the day itself. With such a large group, we’d also chosen to draw names from a hat to keep the expenses down, and Brandon had drawn my name.

  I’d not expected him to get anything to my taste. We didn’t really know each other, since we hadn’t spent much time together, but truly, he’d done rather well. It was just, um…

  Of course Donovan picked up on my hesitation and leaned into my side, looking at the snow globe. “You don’t like it?”

  “No, it’s quite nice,” I assured him, then caught Brandon staring at me in growing concern. He looked so like his mother, with those amber brown eyes, that it was hard to take that expression. And it was even harder because he sat directly across from me, so there was no real way to avoid his eyes. “Truly, it’s quite lovely. Probably the best snow globe I’ve seen, and I’m short on Christmas decorations, it’s just….”

  Oh boy. I shot Donovan an apologetic smile, wincing in anticipation as I said, “Haunted.”

  Donovan left the chair so fast, air vacuumed in his wake. He was on the other side of the kitchen bar before I could say ‘boo,’ and even then, he looked ready to hightail it out the back door. Aaron looked ready to join him, as did Alani, but the rest of the family crowded in to get a better look.

  “I can’t see anything but snow and crystal,” Skylar complained. “Are you sure?”

  “Oh, quite sure.” Dammit. I was accustomed to putting my foot in my mouth and ruining a moment—that was just the story of my life—but this had to be a first.

  “Brandon, what the hell!” Donovan whined from the relative safety of the kitchen. “Don’t bring haunted stuff home with you!”

  “Dude, how was I supposed to know it was haunted?” Brandon shot back. “I was on a trip, and I saw it in a gift shop. It didn’t come with any warning labels.”

  He made a fair point.

  Kanye came around to pat Brandon on the back. “It’s alright, son. Only Jon or Lauren would have been able to tell. Well, this is a fine pickle.”

  “Hang on,” my mother said, already pushing up the sleeves on her sweater, her expression going business-like. “Let me talk with her.”

  I gratefully handed the snow globe over to her expert hands. Mom’s specialty lay in speaking with the deceased, after all. It was harder for her to channel anything without a body present, but she could read an aura no matter what. It was just fainter and more challenging when there was no body.

  I couldn’t follow the conversation at all, because that’s not how my talent rolls, but we got Mom’s side at least.

  “I see. You went in because it was pretty. I don’t blame you, it is quite lovely. Hmm? No, we’re not going to force you out, but wouldn’t you rather move on? No, dear, I’m not an expert in that, but I’m sure we can find someone to help. It might mean another trip on your part, is that alright? Oh.” Lauren turned and regarded Brandon thoughtfully. “You were at a gift shop in a hot springs hotel in Arkansas?”

  “Yeah, stayed there overnight.” Brandon frowned at the snow globe. “She went in because she likes how it looks?”

  “She’s been deceased a very long time,” Lauren said gently and with a sympathetic smile aimed at the globe. Or more accurately, the spirit residing inside it. “She doesn’t really remember why she was there, just that she was, and the swirling snow inside the globe attracted her attention. She barely remembers her name: Emma.”

  Well this just got better and better. I frowned at the globe because really, I wasn’t an exorcist. I could see ghosts and sort of read their aura—they didn’t have meridian lines anymore, just a vague sense of self—so I was as far from an expert as one could get while still being in the general field. I really, truly didn’t know what to do in this situation.

  Lauren looked at Emma—or I assumed she did—and asked gently, “Do you want to move on? I thought as much. Then we’ll do what we can to make that happen. No, bless you dear, I’m not an exorcist. This is far outside my jurisdiction. But fortunately for you, we have an FBI agent right here.”

  We all looked from her to Brandon, and while most of the room was puzzled, I realized what she meant after a second. Ah. Right, of course. That would be the proper way to
tackle this.

  Brandon drew a breath, as if he could inhale patience like oxygen. “What does me being an FBI agent have to do with anything? And may I remind you I’m still technically a proby?”

  True. In fact, he was in training with Donovan and me. Brandon was to shadow us for the next three weeks and learn all the basics of being an anchor. The FBI was really gunning for him to be partnered up with someone. Of course, he was still learning all the ins and outs of being in the psychic FBI department.

  “Yes, but you still have the power to report to a superior when you see something,” I reminded him. “You’re going into that division, after all.”

  He blinked at me. “Oh. Really?”

  “Yup.”

  “Maybe he gets it,” Aaron said patiently, “but can you explain to the rest of the class?”

  Focusing on my brother-in-law, I explained, “So you know how the FBI has their own department for paranormal-anything? Mostly, that’s where the psychics are.” He nodded, showing he was following, as did the rest of the family. “Okay, so there’s a specific division inside that department that deals with hauntings. They’re mostly mediums and exorcists, and that’s all they handle—demons and ghosts. I’ve only met one of them once, and she was amazing. Like seriously badass. I’d have fallen for her if I were straight. There’s not many of them in the department because it’s a rare talent. Brandon’s in training right now to be a possible anchor to a medium because he’s got the right skillset and attitude for it. He’s in the right position to call and fast track this. Gonzalez will probably be able to get us in contact with the right person.”

  “Even on Christmas Eve?” Alani objected. She looked outraged I was even thinking about working during Christmas.

  “Mom, I will not have that thing in the house,” Donovan said brusquely.

  If we tried, I was pretty sure my boyfriend would keel over of a heart attack. He was not really good with the occult. As in, he spooked like a stepped-on cat.

  “I can take her home with me until we get things sorted,” Lauren volunteered with a sympathetic smile at Donovan. “Better that way, anyway. I’m the one who can communicate with her.”

  I silently cheered and gave her a thankful look. She winked at me in return. My mother was still in divorce proceedings with Rodger, and she wasn’t back to her normal self yet. On the other hand, she was still better than she had been in years. Shaking off the shackles of Rodger had done her a world of good. I also saw a strong bond forming between her and Alani, and it gave me some hope. I wouldn’t breathe a word about it until either woman made a move, but if what I saw in their lines was any indication, we’d have another psychic-anchor bond between the families.

  Skipping procedure entirely, my lover was already on the phone with Gonzalez in the kitchen, and I could hear him clearly. “Hey, man. Sorry to call you during the holidays. Huh? No, my brother’s fine. He just brought home something he really shouldn’t have. A haunted snow globe. No, I’m not pulling your leg. Seriously, it’s a haunted snow globe. I’m so glad you find this funny. Lauren’s here—have you met Jon’s mother? Yeah, okay, then you understand. So, she talked to the ghost, and the ghost wants help moving on. Here’s the thing: I know of no mediums in the area.” He raised his voice to say, “Brandon, where’s the hot springs you got it from?”

  “Eureka Springs.”

  “Eureka Springs, Arkansas,” Donovan repeated. He listened intently for a moment, a frown gathering. “You sure? I mean, that would be sweet if that’s the case. Hang on, let me put you on speaker so they can all hear this.”

  I took that as my cue, and Brandon and I moved into the kitchen. We formed a rough circle around the phone in Donovan’s hand, me keeping a safe, two-foot distance.

  “We good?” Gonzalez’s baritone was clear and distinct, so he hadn’t been imbibing in Christmas cheer yet. Or he was one of those drunks where the tongue was the last to go.

  “We’re good. Speak,” Donovan encouraged.

  “So here’s the thing. I pulled up the schedule online for our exorcists, and there’s no way we’re getting anyone at this time of the year. They’re either out on holiday or tracking down something nasty. But we have a retired FBI agent who’s training a guy in Arkansas. Eureka Springs, as it turns out.”

  Brandon let out a low whistle. “Now that’s an interesting coincidence.”

  “Nothing coincidental about it, Havili. You stayed in a very haunted town, and mediums tend to live and work in places like that. Anyway, I’ll call and ask if they’ll help you guys.”

  I looked at the two men bracketing me, and they seemed more than relieved by this offer. “That’d be helpful, Marc, thanks. My mom’s offered to take her for the time being.”

  “It is more in her wheelhouse than yours, no offense, so that relieves me.”

  “Me too,” I answered blandly and carefully didn’t look at my lover.

  “Let me make that call. If they say yes, can you roll out after Christmas and go to Arkansas? I don’t want to ask him to drive, he’s getting up there in years and he only works on a consulting basis. I can’t demand he go to you.”

  “We can take it to him, you bet,” Donovan said firmly.

  “I’ll make this FBI business—part of Brandon’s training—so expenses are paid. It’s technically true. Proby, what were you doing picking up haunted merchandise, huh?” Gonzalez teased.

  Brandon retorted good-naturedly, “Oh shut it. How was I supposed to know? I’m not the psychic in the family. Sir.”

  Gonzalez just chuckled. “Okay, I’ll make that call and get back to you.”

  The call ended, and Donovan said seriously, “I love that man.”

  “Does his husband know?” I dodged Donovan’s finger, grinning at him, before he could poke me in the ribs. He was so fun to tease.

  “Well, on the plus side, we get to relax in a hot springs while being paid for it,” Brandon said. “You’ll love where I stayed. It’s this huge old hotel that was built in the late 1800s. Really nice.”

  His brother eyed him with severe misgivings. “And where was the gift shop you bought the snow globe in?”

  Brandon gave him a sheepish grin. “The hotel.”

  “I’m not fucking staying at a haunted hotel.”

  I soothed Donovan with a hand on his back, rubbing in a small circle. “It’s fine, we can stay in a different hotel. It’s not like we have to stay in that one.”

  Brandon opened his mouth, then closed it, still eyeing his brother sideways. His lines flashed with both amusement and something like sympathy. “I don’t know if I should say this, but…Gonzalez wasn’t exaggerating. Part of the reason why I went on vacation there is because the whole town is famous for being haunted.”

  Donovan groaned and slumped where he stood. “Why the hell would you stay in a haunted town?!”

  “Hey, I thought it was cool. I like ghost stories, you know that.”

  “How am I related to you?”

  “I ask myself the same question all the time. Scaredy-cat. What are you worried about? Jon will protect you.”

  Uh, Jon would not protect anyone. I wasn’t an exorcist. The best I could do was see ghosts and tell people when to run for it. Did I say that? Of course not. Donovan was already on edge. The art of being an adult sometimes was knowing when to keep your mouth shut.

  Donovan rolled those big brown eyes at me pleadingly. “Just don’t tell Garrett about this until it’s all said and done with.”

  I laughed when I cottoned onto his meaning. “Afraid he’ll tag along?”

  “He totally would,” Brandon agreed, also snickering. “And tease Don mercilessly the entire time. Did he ever tell you about the time we dragged Don into a haunted house?”

  Donovan reached up, snagged his brother around the neck, and put him into a headlock. “We don’t talk about the haunted house! God, what is it with you and Garrett?”

  Brandon wrapped both his massive arms around his brother’s waist and lifted Donov
an off his heels, barely balancing on his toes. Donovan gave a grunt, and the wrestling match commenced.

  I, being a sensible person, immediately skipped out of the kitchen and let them have at it. The three days I’d spent around Brandon had educated me somewhat on the finer sibling dynamics of the Havili family. Namely, all disputes were settled in wrestling matches. I went for Kanye, as he was the safest bastion in this particular storm, and settled next to him on the couch. “So, out of curiosity, how much furniture did you have to replace while your kids grew up?”

  “Oh, not much.” He gave me a sly grin that was part memory, part smugness, wholly parental. “They had to fix whatever they broke.”

  I contemplated that for a full second. “I now understand why Donovan’s so good with his hands.”

  “I thought that might explain it.” Kanye chuckled low, watching his sons across the bar as they continued to wrestle. “They’ve gotten better at avoiding breakables over the years. I suppose all that training paid off.”

  Absolutely. Because learning how to avoid lamps and busting up couches was what all that training was for. Not beating up bad guys.

  Everyone else was either watching the show or back to opening presents. And drinking the spiked punch. It gave us a pocket of semi-privacy that I rarely got with Kanye. Normally when I saw him, the whole family was present, like now. I felt like I could talk with him and leaned in, lowering my tone to something more confidential. “He’s doing alright.”

  Kanye’s golden-brown eyes went sharply to my face.

  I elaborated, “Brandon’s alright. He’s still finding his footing, but he’s getting there. Give him a bit more time.”

  Kanye patted my knee with a massive hand and gave me a sweet smile. “Thank you, Jon.”

  “Any time.” I couldn’t add anything more without treading over a fine line. I saw a lot from Brandon that he hadn’t confided in me, and I honestly wasn’t sure how much he’d said to his family. Alani knew he’d been unhappy on SWAT, that something had pushed him out of it, but she never mentioned what. She was relieved he’d found another path, one he was excited about, and that was enough for her. At least until her son chose to talk to her.