Gertie's Paranormal Plantation: A Paranormal Romantic Comedy by Melanie James Page B

person you desire is an actual fantasy of yours, then the answer is yes. And the image in your mind would have to be very detailed. Otherwise, my transformation will be based on what I find in your mind. But I do have other powers of pleasure...what you call seduction. I know exactly what excites you, what to say, how to touch you. Most importantly, I can draw you in close with my music. I can say whatever it is that you really want to hear. I can adopt any persona.”
    “That explains the stories of satyrs playing flutes and harps.” Marie pointed out.
    Randy got up from the bed and put more distance between Vasili and himself. “Okay, I don’t like this one bit. It’s bad enough this guy is some sort of telepath that can get into your head, become the person of your sexual fantasies, say all the right things—”
    “Sounds a lot like online dating to me,” Esmeralda said with a shrug of her shoulders.
    Randy acknowledged her. “I suppose so, but as I was saying…just imagine having your most secret sexual fantasy lover splashed up on an IMAX 3D display for public viewing. Think about it. How embarrassing.”
    Esmeralda pounced on Randy’s comment. “Randy? Who is this mysterious secret fantasy lover you don’t want us to see? Hmm?”
    “I don’t…I mean, this is all about privacy. It’s just not right.” I could tell Randy wanted this conversation to end.
    “Vasili, go poke around in Randy’s head. Let’s see who he’s got hiding away in there.” Esmeralda commanded.
    “No! Get the hell away from me. And it’s none of anyone’s business, Esmeralda.” Randy’s sharp response lashed out to both Vasili and Esmeralda.
    Now, I had to agree with Esmeralda. Randy was obviously hiding something. Still, he was right. It wasn’t anyone else’s business and certainly I didn’t want to see my friend humiliated. “Leave Randy be.” It certainly didn’t have anything to do with the fact that he was gay. I was a little curious, but I had more important things on my mind. Randy sat back down by me and slipped his phone into my hand. The page with the news story he had been reading was still on the screen.
    Mardi Gras Storage Hit by Burglars in Overnight Break-in.
    I quickly scanned through the article and I soon saw what had caught Randy’s interest. The items that were stolen were from a Viking themed float. I wondered about the coincidence of Norse magic on the plantation and an odd burglary of Viking costumes nearby. I didn’t have to wonder about it long.

Chapter Fourteen
    Raided By A Viking
    “Brrrrerrrrewww,” that’s the only way I can describe the sound in the backyard. Perhaps you could say it was like some lunatic was blowing with all their might on a French horn. It repeated two more times.
    Randy cocked his head and listened, the same as me. “Sounds like one of your monsters caught a head cold, Gertie. Maybe Wanda ought to take a look.” He walked over to the window to see what creature it was. “Gertie? I think you ought to come and take a look at your man, Brad. He’s back and he’s acting about as crazy as a kangaroo on crack.”
    I took Randy’s place at the window. “Brad! Thank God!” Brad was dressed up in a gaudy Mardi Gras Viking costume, carrying a silvery shield in one hand and an oversized horn from a bull in the other. I threw open the window. “Brad! Hi! Where were you?” Brad looked up and yelled in a foreign language that I recognized from the spell, Old Norse. I grabbed Randy by the back of his shirt. “Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Randy? What did we do?”
    “I think we brainwashed Brad into thinking he’s a Viking raider. Jesus. Look at him. It’s not even a real Viking outfit.” I knew what Randy meant. It was a shiny, feathery, and rainbow themed disaster. “Oh my. Gertie, he’s wearing canary yellow spandex. Look! Behind him. The brute is pulling the Viking long-ship float all by himself.” A heavy rope was wrapped over Brad’s broad chest and led back to