About Taste Test: Legendary Creatures

by Kate Roman, ID Locke, and BA Tortuga
40 pages / 17000 words
ISBN-13: 978-1-60370-692-6
ISBN-10: 1-60370-692-5
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc

Folktales and legends abound with magical creatures. The allure of an animal that is more than human is undeniable, sparking our imagination. Legendary Creatures takes on all sorts of wonders, in all sorts of exotic settings. In Flying Lead Change, by ID Locke, Phooka Brishen takes on Merlin the magician in a game they both want to win. Will Brishen get what he needs?

In Search for the Yeti, by Kate Roman, Bryan is obsessed with finding the mythical yeti, and mountain guide Nic is mad about Bryan. Can he help Bryan find his abominable snowman? And in His to Save by BA Tortuga, cowboy Jasper hasn't been the most honest of men. Can his friend Tanner save him from ghost riders intent on taking his soul?

Sample

Flying Lead Change
ID Locke

I shifted from foot to foot, my hooves scraping loudly on the pink marble of the throne room floor, nerves at being singled out by my queen making me skittish. The entire court was staring at me as I stood before her, waiting for whatever she commanded me to do. Normally, I was beneath the notice of most Fey because of my unusual looks. Unfortunately for me, once you caught Queen Aine’s eye, the rest of the court followed her lead, and they were certainly taking notice of me now. I still had no idea what I could’ve done to bring myself to her attention. I wanted to know so I’d be sure never to do it again.

“Rather unique, isn’t he?” Queen Aine asked of the old man standing next to her.

Her voice was soft and gentle, but it still made my skin twitch in an unpleasant way. My tail flicked from side to side, and I couldn’t stop my ears from swiveling back and forth no matter how hard I tried. I swung my gaze to the old man and shivered at the intense look he was giving me. I wanted to bolt when I realized he was actually making me more nervous than Queen Aine. I hadn’t known there was anyone that could do that.

Something was a little off about the old man, but I couldn’t quite figure out what. There had to be something different about him to grant him an audience with Queen Aine. Amused titters circled the room at my obvious nervousness, and I heard more than one nasty, whispered comment. I could feel sweat prickling down my back and fought to stand still as I wracked my brains to try and understand why my queen was playing this game with me.

“He’s rather skittish and not what I’d had in mind when I asked if you knew of any good steeds in the area. I was looking for something of the ordinary variety, not a Fey-bound horse, as lovely as he is.”

“Brishen is a fine steed. If you’ve a mind for a hard, spirited ride, he’ll accommodate you wonderfully,” Queen Aine said with a sly tone to her words. I didn’t like where the feel of the conversation was going, but I wasn’t dumb enough to interrupt. “He can be a little head-strong, as most stallions are, but We’re sure someone of your skills won’t have too much trouble bringing him under control. He responds rather well to a little whipping if he takes the bit between his teeth and tries to have his own way.”

Giggles from the Fey sprinkled Queen Aine’s conversation with the old man. I wanted to glare them into silence or, better yet, kick a few heads in. Neither thing was going to happen as long as I was in front of my queen and playing a part in whatever deception she was weaving. I didn’t like being reminded of my one brainless mistake of speaking my mind and the punishment that it had gotten me. I still flinched whenever I heard loud popping noises, and that whipping had been decades ago when I'd been so very young and stupid. I was still young, but hopefully not so stupid anymore.

“Are you sure you want to loan me one of your Fey-bound horses for the next while? I may have need of him for some time, and I wouldn’t want to deplete your stock of such an obviously fine animal. With his coloring and confirmation, he’d probably be magnificent to breed with your mares.”

Bright, tinkling laughter flowed around the room before dying off at a single look from Queen Aine. I snorted and shook my head, making the belled tack I wore jingle softly. The old man couldn’t possibly understand the joke that made all the Fey laugh. I was no Fey-bound horse.

I was a Phooka and about as unlikely looking a Phooka as had ever been born. I could almost see why he didn’t realize what I truly was. I sometimes wondered if one or both of my parents had thought it’d be a fine joke to have my coloring deviate from the coal black coat of our kind. Considering that Phookas love a good joke, it was a very real possibility. Granted, I was a very striking looking animal, and because I wasn’t black, I could trick all humans I met into thinking I was a normal horse and take them for the ride of their lives, something that made all the other Phookas very jealous.