At Nite (Red Sky Book 1), page 1
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Red Sky at Night
Copyright 2023 by Lilo Quie
Digital ISBN: 978-1-68361-872-0
Print: 978-1-68361-873-7
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
About the Author
By Lilo Quie at Decadent Publishing
Cat familiar and smart aleck Australian Midnite has been stuck as a cat for years, traded from human to human dabbling in the magical underground. When a new drug, stardust, saturates the market, Nite knows he needs out, but he’s bound by a collar and helpless. They may have taken his claws, but they’ll never take the sass.
Rexford Redsky, probationary covenmaster of Red Sky has been dealing with humans dabbling in mage business for too long, in between bouts of cleaning up the messes left behind by the mass deaths of his kind. Families destroyed, covens burned to the ground, Rex is left with a little boy who nobody wants to claim. When a little black cat decides his leather jacket is now his home, the key to stopping their deaths is at hand.
It started with an idea, an explosion in my mind. “Mages on motorcycles.” I couldn’t get the image out of my head of a sassy little black cat riding in his owner’s jacket cracking jokes that humans can’t hear. When someone asked me to describe my book, badly, in one sentence it all came together. “Mages on motorcycles getting raptured after snorting their kind’s remains.”
Dedication
This one goes out to my ADHD medication, without which I’d—
Red Sky:
At Nite
by
Lilo Quie
Chapter One
Rex
Lightning flashed, bringing with it the roar of thunder. Orange hues of the evening sky gave birth to another flash and a boom that rattled the windowpanes of the clubhouse. Every jarring smash of the gods in the skies brought with it additional sets of hiccupping wails. A child. Despite fresh caulk on all the windows and relatively new frames, they still rattled in their carpentry with another clash and bright burst of light.
“Shh, come on, Vince.” Rex paced his living room and pulled the thin form of a toddler off of a play blanket, hooking him onto his hip to bounce with soothing words. It quieted Vince’s cries as the fair-haired boy clung to his side, snot bubbling, tears flowing. Rex would have to change his shirt, but he didn’t mind. A warning rumble had Vince tensing again.
“Shh, it’s just the spirits. They’re fighting up there.” Rex hoisted Vince up and pressed his nose to soft, thin curls, taking in the scent of baby shampoo. The little runt had grown on him.
“Rex…” Vince whimpered his name like a security blanket, smearing his sticky face into Rex’s shirt some more.
“I know. No bad magic. Just thunder.” Rex pulled his recliner nearer to a window as patters of rain danced across his west-facing glass, throwing little citrine gems of color across the floor. “Want me to tell you a story? Where the thunder comes from?”
Vince gave a whimper that could have been equal parts no and yes, but Rex continued anyway. Thunder reminded him of what he feared most. Explosions. Magic. But Rex had to make him realize they were different. Bringing good memories to stormy evenings.
“A long time ago, when the spirits themselves were little boys, the sun and the clouds chased one another in the sky like old friends, maybe even brothers. The sun would rise and hide behind the clouds and the first people would shout up, ‘Where has our sun gone?’ But the sun would always come out, making everyone smile. But nobody ever smiled for Cloud. They’d stare at him and name all the things he looked like. Is he a duck? A monster? Never anything flattering. He’d give them ponies, and they’d see wolves.”
“He was probably bad at it,” Rex added conspiratorially, catching Vince’s unwavering gaze.
“Cloud refused to cry, kept holding back his tears, sucking the water from the land, making himself grow big and tall! He filled the skies, sealing up his misery, and the sun shouted to him. ‘Cloud! I dried all the water up. Give it back! You’re too fat, and nobody can see my glorious shine!’
“‘I don’t want them to see me cry!’ Cloud called to the skies, but Sun wouldn’t listen. So, Sun threatened Cloud, shouted at him and threw his light, making lightning sparks that zapped his cloud booty to give him booboos, but Cloud didn’t cry.
“‘I’m too tough to cry!’ Cloud announced, and so the sun shouted at him and hit him with light. But Cloud hit back! So when you hear the second booms in thunder, it’s Cloud hitting Sun. And then big old Sun looked down upon mankind and saw a boy, standing at a river bed, tinkling into the mud. He’d never seen such a thing and peeked between pieces of Cloud to shine upon the boy, asking him how he made water without crying.
“‘Whenever I get too full of water, I pee.’
“‘How do you make yourself?’ Sun stared down.
“‘Sometimes I have a bad dream and I pee the bed. And sometimes I just gotta go. And sometimes I get really scared and tinkle on myself!’ the little boy said.”
Vince stared up. He had his own share of potty-training troubles. Toddlers with backgrounds like him often did. His expression clearly told Rex he could relate.
“So the sun hid behind the clouds and let him sulk and fill the skies, biding his time. Then, one day, the sun waited all night and all day, sneaking about, turning the sky red with mischief. And that morning, when Cloud first woke up, Sun jumped up over the mountains and screamed. Boo!’”
Vince startled a little and waited expectantly.
“What happen?” Vince calmed enough to stick his thumb in his mouth for comfort. Rex settled into his comfortable chair, the well-worn leather creaking with gentle protest.
“Cloud… Tinkled all over the place!” Rex tickled Vince. “And that’s how we get rain when the sky is red of a morning.”
Vince giggled and squirmed with appreciation.
Rex flicked his wrist, a slender stick traveling up the length of his sleeve to settle in his hand. He pointed it at the window and twitched the wood lightly, making little rainbows dance from the panes. Vince gasped, delighting at the display. Little things like that would remind Vince that not all magic was bad.
“And once he was all empty and happy, they made a rainbow to apologize for fighting and tinkling all over our good time.” Rex’s teasing story appeased Vince, though he didn’t know how much longer he’d be able to quell his nightmares and fears with silly made-up tales.
“Rex, everything alright in there?” a gruff voice called out as Rex stood.
“Come on in. You’re going to anyway.” Rex readjusted Vince and the old oak door creaked on its hinges, welcoming in the very soaked shadow of his second-in-command. Sailor shook his head, dark-brown hair plastered to his somber face.
“Sailor!” Vince perked up and held his arms out. Sailor grinned widely and opened his arms, sweeping over to pluck the boy from Rex. “Ewww. You have cloud tinkles!”
“Cloud tinkles?” Sailor wrinkled his nose, brow furrowing.
“Cloud pee!” Vince patted at the wet splatters over Sailor’s shirt plastered and stretched taut over his broad chest.
“Ohhh. Yeah, the sky did open up and pi-pee all over me.” Sailor cleared his throat, giving Rex an apologetic glance.
“Good save.” Rex walked across the living room of his small apartment, rummaging in the linen closet for a towel, trading Vince so he could dry.
“Thanks. I had to go out and call Marquis. Got a job for us.” Sailor grunted and marched to the fridge, foraging for something edible. He settled on a handful of mozzarella cheese sticks and shared one with Vince, who was better at opening the things than anyone else was.
Marquis… The coven’s sponsor had been on Rex’s case for a while. The Red Sky coven was still provisional, and eventually Rex would have to meet their expectations.
“What’s the job this time?” Rex snorted and halted in surprise when Vincent shoved the first stick into his mouth.
“Rex, eat! It real good.” Vince shoved a stick in his mouth and chewed happily, lips smacking. Sailor stared, and his expression softened.
“Mmm, delicious! Rex has to do some big talks with Sailor. Can you go put your toys away for a minute?”
“’Kay!” Vince squirmed as Rex sat him down to toddle off, picking up blocks and toys to carry back to his bedroom. The apartment only had the one bedroom, so Vince slept in the living room until he got scared most nights and ran to sleep in Rex’s bed. Usually in some balled-up, inconvenient position.
“Got wind of someone trafficking sprites up north an hour. Some big shot calls himself a magus. Looks like a human with too many magical knickknacks.” Sailor snorted and peeled layers of his cheese stick off to nibble.
“How the hell does a normie get their hands on a sprite, let alone multiple of them?” That had Rex’s attention. “And isn’t that Dagmar’s territory?”
“Dagmar and her entire coven’s been missing since the beginning of the Rapture.” Sailor took another bite. The Rapture. They’d been calling it that for almost a year. Mages were self-destructing all over the place. They’d said there was no rhyme or reason, but they’d all had suspicions. Black magic? Angry gods? Their magics were going wild and explosive. And so few children were born to mated couples. Covens needed coven masters with familiars to strengthen their magic. Without familiars, their magics were unreliable at times. Tied to the moon and stars, weather and mood. Hell, if a hard Wi-Fi signal was in the way, it could screw with an invisibility spell. Not that Rex ever had that problem. He was strong.
“Shit.” Rex hissed low in his breath. “I guess we have to. Has Meredith gone in for the night?”
Their flaky mundane housekeeper, communal cuddle buddy, and grouchy self-appointed matron of the coven did as she pleased. At sixty-four, tatted from ear to ankle and spry as a woman half her age, she looked pretty damn good for a human. He’d known her since she was one of their older coven member’s girlfriends. He’d transferred out of the coven one night and left her there stranded and she bed-hopped between everyone until she claimed she was too old for it. Though Rex knew a few that still invited her in occasionally. No shame.
Sailor’s upper lip curled. “No. She chased me out of the kitchen and I think I heard her in Rod’s room.”
Rex grunted in acknowledgment. “Vince! Done cleaning up?”
The little one had forgotten what he was doing and looked up from a pile of colorful duplex blocks and hesitated.
“That’s alright. You forgot, but you let Sailor and me talk, so you did good. Come on and visit Auntie Em with us, hmm?” Rex beckoned him over and Vince relaxed, toddling to them with a block still in his hand. Rex didn’t bother to take it away.
“Think it wise to—” Sailor whispered, cut off by Rex’s glare.
“We pay her to be here. A lot. She can at least watch Vince here when we need to go.” Rex glared, ready for the old argument about finding a good family for the boy. Truth told, there were no more good families left. Mages kept disappearing, their magics burning their bodies up from the inside out, never hitting kids. So many orphans. They’d found Vince that way not six months ago, half starved and bawling in his crib. Filthy and dehydrated. Both parents nothing more than suit streaks and greasy carpet. Vince still had violent, screaming nightmares of it and became completely unhinged when he smelled burning hair.
“Fair enough.” Sailor raised his hands defensively as they strolled out of the room, facing the courtyard of an old motel, all concrete balconies and gated from the front. They had spelled everything nine ways to heaven to look like a second-chance home for convicts from the outside.
“How much are we getting paid for this?” Rex walked past a few doors, down a flight of steps, and to the first door, past what used to be the office that had served as a communal kitchen since their last renovation. Hesitating, Sailor glanced away. Shouting caught their attention before the door slammed open. Meredith stormed out, wearing one of Rod’s shirts and a pair of shockingly conservative underwear. Nothing else.
“Dragon’s scale, woman! I’ve seen what you leave in the toilet. Don’t tell me it won’t fit!” a male voice shouted as Meredith pulled a cigarette out of the shirt pocket and lit up, taking a slow drag. All the while, Rex could almost feel Sailor’s eyes boring holes in the back of his head with an obvious message of I told you so.
“Shut the hell up, Rod.” She exhaled appreciatively.
What. The. Fuck?
“’Sup?” She eyed Vince then Rod and Sailor. “You two a thing now? Congrats. Always thought you two were into one another.” She flicked a brow in implication, shaking loose ashes.
Sailor was gay. Rex? He could go either way, depending on the weather. But each other? Nah.
“Ha, ha!” Sailor sighed heavily, ready to give up on life and livelihood on the spot from the looks of him.
“Woman?” Rod came out clutching a throw pillow over his groin and froze.
“Hey, Covenmaster!” His grin stretched wide. “Vinny.”
Vince waved, tucking his head against Rex’s shoulder. “Rod nekkid.”
“Do I need to call reality television court, or can you two cool your heels long enough to talk?” Rex eyed them warily, second-guessing his decision. Rod took a few wide-legged steps back and grabbed something right inside the door and flicked his hand. Pajama pants appeared over his lower half and he adjusted them, tossing the pillow inside.
“We got a job up north. Pixie smugglers. Rod, you in?” Rex tried his best not to second-guess leaving Vince with her.
Meredith gave Rod a death glare, and he nodded, running his fingers through his ruddy dirty-blond locks. Rod had a toned body, slim but not built, hip bones that jutted a little, and a narrow face that always needed a shave. Had to be some sort of curse because ten minutes after he went at it with a razor, he looked dirty again. “Yeah, yeah. I’m in. Meredith ain’t up for entertaining me anyway.”
Meredith blinked a few times and took a drag off her cigarette, her too-red lips creasing before she politely blew her smoke away from them. “I was up for entertaining, but you wanted me doing wife stuff.” She sniffed indignantly.
“Rod nasty.” Vince stared at Meredith with bright eyes.
“Aww, darlin. Can Auntie Em get you a snack? We can go watch some TV? I got Netflix.” Putting out her cigarette in a communal ash pit, she held her arms out and Rex frowned. “He had dinner?”
Rex shook his head, teeth clenched. “Put. On. Pants… Please.” Rex took a metered breath, and Meredith sauntered back inside and came back out with a pair of shorts that were no better than the underwear. Close enough. He sighed. “He’s just had some cheese sticks. He’s not had dinner, and bedtime is nine sharp, but if he’s fussy, just let him tire out with you. I’ll get him when I’m back.”
Grudgingly, Rex handed Vince over, who extended his arms happily and squeezed tight to Meredith. “Come on, ya little barnacle. Let’s go eat dino nuggies and Ben and Jerry’s for dinner and watch Netflix.” She fussed over his little hands and kissed on his fingers before winking up at Rex from beneath frazzled bottle-job red hair. She’d been a natural blonde at one point, but as the gray settled in, she got brave with colors.
Rex wanted to argue with her but settled on a terse warning as she walked away. “Nothing scary!”
She waved over her shoulder, her and Vince sharing a grin as she headed to her room and slipped in. Aside from questionable sleeping habits and a general lack of class, he didn’t know a single human he trusted more than her. She would lay down her life for any of them in loyalty. No finer woman. Vince loved her, too.
“Rod, what the fuck did I walk in on?” Rex put a hand over his face and sighed heavily, regretting asking already.
“I dumped my ash tray in the toilet and was about to flush and she was yelling at me. Said I’d gum up the pipes.” Rod blinked in dimwitted confusion.
“Chrissake.” Sailor sighed in relief. “That is not what that sounded like.”
