The Immortal Doc Holliday: Feral: (The Immortal Doc Holliday Series Book 9) Read online

  Copyright © M.M. Crumley 2022

  All rights reserved. Published by Lone Ghost Publishing LLC, associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Lone Ghost Publishing LLC.

  The moral right of the author has been asserted (vigorously).

  No part or parts of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, stored in a retrieval systems, or transmitted in any form or by means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise (including via carrier pigeon), without written permission of the author and publisher.

  Author: Crumley, M.M.

  Title: THE IMMORTAL DOC HOLLIDAY, FERAL

  Target Audience: Adult

  Also available in this series

  THE IMMORTAL DOC HOLLIDAY: HIDDEN (Book 1)

  THE IMMORTAL DOC HOLLIDAY: COUP D'ÉTAT (Book 2)

  THE IMMORTAL DOC HOLLIDAY: RUTHLESS (Book 3)

  THE IMMORTAL DOC HOLLIDAY: INSTINCT (Book 4)

  THE IMMORTAL DOC HOLLIDAY: ROGUES (Book 5)

  THE IMMORTAL DOC HOLLIDAY: EMPIRE (Book 6)

  THE IMMORTAL DOC HOLLIDAY: OMENS (Book 7)

  THE IMMORTAL DOC HOLLIDAY: CHASM (Book 8)

  Subjects:

  Urban Fantasy/ Horror Comedy

  This is a work of fiction, which means it's made up. Names, characters, peoples, locales, and incidents (stuff that happens in the story) are either gifts of the ether, products of the author's resplendent imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead or dying, businesses or companies in operation or defunct, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Also by M.M. Crumley

  Urban Fantasy

  THE IMMORTAL DOC HOLLIDAY SERIES

  BOOK 1: HIDDEN

  BOOK 2: COUP D'ÉTAT

  BOOK 3: RUTHLESS

  BOOK 4: INSTINCT

  BOOK 5: ROGUES

  BOOK 6: EMPIRE

  BOOK 7: OMENS

  BOOK 8: CHASM

  BOOK 9: FERAL

  BOOK 10: OBLIVION

  THE LEGEND OF ANDREW RUFUS SERIES

  BOOK 1: DARK AWAKENING

  BOOK 2: BONE DEEP

  BOOK 3: BLOOD STAINED

  BOOK 4: BURIAL GROUND

  BOOK 5: DEATH SONG

  BOOK 6: FUNERAL MARCH

  BOOK 7: WARPATH

  Writing as M.M. Boulder

  Dark Comedies

  THE LAST DOOR

  MY BETTER HALF

  THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT

  MY ONE AND ONLY

  WE ALL FALL DOWN

  Facebook

  https://www.loneghostpublishing.com/

  Book 9:

  FERAL

  M.M. Crumley

  To the "forever" people in my life...

  You know who you are

  Character List

  Doc Holliday: our intrepid hero

  Thomas Jury (witch): Doc's friend

  Jervis (vampire): Doc's friend & Dulcis's manager Señora Teodora / Tozi: the shaman who "turned" Doc Thaddeus or Thaddy Whythe: Doc's talking plant Simon Redgrove (Takaheni): Hidden businessman & Doc's advisor Bree (banshee): Doc's adopted daughter

  Aine (banshee): Bree's daughter & owner of the House of Banshee Frankie (norm) Baker children's babysitter

  Baker Children—Johnny, Jules, Addison (witches) Boudica (witch hound)

  Babs Baker (witch): the Baker children's aunt Yiska (Akashii): Doc's guide to all things mystical Akashii: keepers of the Akashic record

  Adrian Gionta (witch): painter who imprisoned women in paintings Sydney LaRoche (Romani): Doc's new go-to guy

  Julian LaRoche (Romani): Sydney's son

  Dublin O'Connell (wolf shifter): Doc's friend, owner of Wolf Club Kaylee, Kylie, Kinsey (witches): triplets

  Ana & Ina Zaitsev (vampires): sisters from Russia Bluegrass Goodhunt (shaman): Doc's friend, died in book 6

  Apollo: Bluegrass's sentient house

  Sami Caruso (norm): Jury's manager & Jervis's squeeze Nevin Tucker (ghost): Ghost Guy

  Phillip and Abigail Jury (witches): Jury's parents Edward, William, Charles, Ackley & Edmund Jury (witches): 5 of Jury's 7 brothers Margaret & Caden Jury (witches): Jury's sister and her husband, head of the Jury family, American branch

  Gwenna Jury (witch): Jury's niece, Edward's daughter Drustan Jury (witch): Phillip's father & Duke of Darkness Emily (Myhanava): works for Dulcis

  James (vampire): works for Dulcis

  Pierre (norm): chef at Dulcis

  Enoshi (shadow phantom): Doc's extraction team leader

  August Naese (witch): head of the Northwestern witches Isabel Naese (witch): August's daughter

  Alex Baudelaire (witch): Phillip Jury's son

  Lena Danser (norm): Doc's lady love who killed herself Nick (Takaheni): stood guard over Tetrarch Mitcham in book 5

  Francisco (norm): Doc's real-life adopted brother Andrew Rufus (norm): Doc's friend from the past Janey Falke (norm): Doc's friend from the past, also Andrew's wife Doyle (norm): Andrew's friend

  Meli/Black Shaman (shaman): Doc brought her back to life in book 6, Andrew's nemesis Ahanu/Grey Shaman (shaman): Meli's brother, Doc owed him a favor Reginald Butler (norm): doctor Doc almost killed once Winslow (norm): Jervis's assistant

  Archie Greenwood (norm): Simon's secretary, Doc met at Blackwater Rosa (?): Doc's maid, waters Thaddeus

  Virta (witch/scryer): Doc's friend

  Vivienne Baudelaire (witch): tried to kill Doc in Book 8

  Solomon (norm): leader of an ancient order called Sons of Solomon; Doc killed in book 7

  Eldwin (vampire): Jervis's brother, Jervis killed in book 7

  Rot mites (insect): creatures that feed off of witches' power

  Chapter 1

  "Goddamn it, Doc!" Thomas Jury yelled as he crashed through the jungle undergrowth. "You said we were going on vacation!"

  "This is vacation!" Doc Holliday yelled back, stumbling as he ducked beneath a branch. "Where else can you get chased by..." He cast a quick glance over his shoulder and asked, "What the hell are we being chased by again?"

  "How the fuck should I know?" Jury snapped. "And if you'd just let me shoot them—"

  "We're the ones who trespassed!" Doc retorted. "They're just defending their territory."

  "Why're you arguing?" Tucker screamed. "We're gonna die!"

  "We're not going to die," Doc assured him. He glanced backward once more, did a quick count, and added, "Maybe."

  "Maybe?!" Tucker shrieked. "Maybe? We should be on the beach right now, hitting on the fine babes, not—"

  Whatever Tucker had been going to say cut off with a panicked yell, and Doc skidded to a halt and turned around. Tucker had tripped and was trying to scramble to his feet, but there was no way he'd make it before the tree sprites, or whatever they were, reached him.

  "Jury!" Doc yelled as he bolted back towards Tucker.

  "What?!"

  "Air shield thingy! Now!"

  "I'm not your personal witch!" Jury retorted.

  "Never said you were," Doc shot back. He'd almost reached Tucker, but so had the tree sprites. "But, NOW!"

  The tree sprites crashed into a wall of solid air just as Doc grabbed Tucker and pulled him to his feet.

  "I'm gonna die, D-Dog," Tucker blubbered.

  "Not today," Doc said, trying to hurry Tucker along.

  "But, D-Dog! They almost got me!"

  "But they didn't," Doc ground out.

  "Are you coming?!" Jury shouted.

  "I'm trying!" Doc shouted back. "Let's go," he told Tucker.

&n
bsp; "The looks on their faces," Tucker whimpered.

  Doc glanced over his shoulder. The tree sprites were crawling up the wall, looking for the top. Doc hoped it went on and on and on, but he doubted he was that lucky. Nothing about this trip was lucky. Tucker was bad luck; that's what it was.

  "Come on!" Doc insisted.

  "Why do they wanna kill me?" Tucker complained. "I didn't do nothing.

  Can't you try talking to them again?"

  "They didn't understand me the first time," Doc said, tugging Tucker towards Jury. "And I seriously doubt if they've somehow learned English, French, or German in the last five minutes."

  "But D-Dog—"

  "Enough!" Doc snapped.

  The tree sprites had split into three groups now, each of them looking for the edge of the invisible barrier. They didn't have time to discuss it.

  Before Tucker could say anything more, Doc bent down and slammed his shoulder into Tucker's hips. Tucker folded like a card, and Doc lifted him up on his shoulder and started running.

  "This is why we don't go on vacations!" Jury yelled as they plowed through a stand of prickly plants.

  "I'm not the one who wanted spring water from the base of a volcano!"

  Doc yelled back.

  "I don't like this!!" Tucker screamed.

  "Shut up!" Doc and Jury both snapped.

  "I hate forests!" Tucker wailed.

  "Can you gag him?" Doc asked.

  "That's an idea," Jury replied just before he ducked beneath a low-hanging vine.

  "Anytime now," Doc prodded as Tucker continued to moan and whine.

  "Trying," Jury snarled. "There! Got it!"

  Whatever Tucker had been saying cut off abruptly, and he started banging his fists on Doc's back.

  "Quit wiggling," Doc commanded.

  He leaped over a fallen tree, casting a glance behind him as he did.

  The tree sprites were gaining. And their sharp little teeth were gnashing.

  "Faster!" Doc suggested.

  He pushed harder with his legs, trying to run faster, but part of him knew there was no way he could outrun tree sprites in the forest, especially not if he was hauling Tucker's heavy ass.

  "We're almost there!" Jury declared.

  "How you figure?" Doc managed to ask, breath coming hard now.

  "The edge of the forest is just up there, and I'm almost positive they won't leave the forest."

  "Almost... positive..." Doc mocked in between breaths.

  "Well, it's either that or we stand and fight," Jury shot back.

  "I'm not going to fight them!" Doc snapped.

  "I was just highlighting our options," Jury replied.

  "What're you talking about?" Tucker shrieked. "We're going to die horrible deaths! I mean, look at 'em! They're like piranhas!"

  "We're not going to die," Doc said once more. "He thinks we're going to die, Jury. Can you believe that?"

  "That is pretty ridiculous," Jury laughed. "I mean when was the last time either of us died?"

  "I did just die," Doc said. "When you shot me."

  "Are you ever going to let that go?" Jury growled. "You said it was alright because I was being compulsed."

  "It is alright," Doc said. "I was just pointing out that I did in fact die."

  "I wanna go home!" Tucker wailed.

  "Shut up!" Doc commanded. "I thought you gagged him."

  "I did," Jury said. "Must've let it slip."

  "Tie it off," Doc ordered.

  "It's not as easy as all that," Jury replied. "Especially when I'm running this fast."

  "I thought you were the best of the best," Doc mocked.

  "I am the best of the best."

  "Prove it."

  "You're such an ass."

  "So you can't prove it?"

  "I could prove it!" Jury snarled.

  "Then prove it."

  Jury skidded to a halt and spun around. Blue magic immediately cascaded from his hands towards the tree sprites, surrounding them.

  Then one by one the tree sprites slowed, wobbled, and dropped to the ground. In seconds the forest was totally silent except for the sound of Doc's ragged breathing.

  "Proved it," Jury said with a one shouldered shrug.

  "What the hell did you just do?" Doc demanded.

  "Put them to sleep."

  "Put them to sleep?"

  "Sure. I just pinched their throats a little, and there you have it. Most powerful witch around," Jury added carelessly.

  Doc studied Jury warily. The Jury who had been kidnapped by Phillip Jury and the Jury standing here now were not the same. The old Jury would have never thought to do something so clever, so diabolical, so frightening.

  "Consider me rebuked," Doc said softly.

  "What's happening?" Tucker complained. "Why aren't we still running?"

  Without a word, Doc dropped Tucker to the forest floor.

  "Umph!" Tucker exclaimed. "What was that for?"

  "You can walk," Doc said. "Jury saved us."

  Tucker scrambled to his feet, threw his arms around Jury, and said happily, "I knew you'd save us, J-Dog!"

  "Then why were you screaming?" Doc drawled.

  "I don't scream," Tucker snorted.

  Jury and Doc exchanged looks and started laughing.

  "What?!" Tucker protested. "I don't!"

  "He doesn't scream," Jury guffawed.

  "I suppose it is more of a shriek," Doc snorted.

  "A girly shriek," Jury laughed.

  "Oh, definitely," Doc managed to agree.

  "You guys suck," Tucker snapped.

  Jury and Doc howled with laughter as they started walking towards the edge of the forest.

  "So we got your water," Doc said when he could talk without snorting.

  "What now?"

  "Beach," Jury said. "Bikinis. Legs."

  "I don't get it," Tucker insisted. "We were running for our lives, but now you're laughing?"

  "Doc's a trouble magnet," Jury said cheerfully. "You'll find that no matter where you go, he'll bring trouble."

  "That's not true at all," Doc argued. "In fact, I had nothing to do with this. You wanted the water, and Tucker threw the rock through that hut."

  "I didn't know it was a hut!" Tucker insisted.

  "It was a big damn rock too," Doc added.

  "It wasn't that big," Tucker tried to say. "And I still don't think it was a hut. I mean, it looked like a big, fat pile of mud to me. How could I've known something lived in it?"

  "You could have used your eyes," Doc pointed out. "There were narrow foot paths everywhere. Furthermore, I specifically told you not to touch anything."

  Tucker hung his head and mumbled, "Sorry."

  "And he set fire to the beach house," Doc went on.

  "It was only a little fire," Tucker muttered.

  "And remind me what he said to our taxi driver?" Doc asked thoughtfully.

  "Your mother looks like a pile of donkey crap," Jury said.

  "That was it," Doc agreed. "I had to give the man a five hundred franc tip just to remove his hands from Tucker's neck."

  "I was trying to speak the language," Tucker sulked.

  "Don't," Doc said firmly. "Ever. My point is that although I usually am the one to attract trouble, in this case, Tucker is attracting all the trouble."

  "You should just send me home," Tucker said sadly.

  "What?!" Jury gasped. "And miss out on all the fun?"

  "Never!" Doc insisted.

  "You guys are really weird," Tucker mumbled.

  "He just doesn't get us," Doc sighed.

  "No one ever does," Jury shrugged.

  They didn't speak again as they trudged towards the clearing where they had parked their car earlier that morning. They were as far away from Denver as they could possibly be. The air was thick and humid, and there was green as far as the eyes could see.

  When they'd first arrived, Tucker had just walked around with his mouth wide open. And when they'd gone down to the beach, T
ucker had just stood there with a thunderstruck expression. Not because of the water though.

  Doc chuckled as he let his mind play out the memory.

  "Check out that hot babe," Tucker managed to whisper.

  "I prefer to let them check me out," Jury replied.

  "Maybe I should take off my shirt?" Tucker asked.

  "That's what I do," Jury said as he yanked his shirt over his head.

  "I'll let you boys handle this," Doc chuckled as he walked down towards the water.

  The ocean always made him think of his family. He could still remember those long summer afternoons when he'd swam with Francisco while their mother watched from a lounge chair on the beach.

  He fought back a wave of sorrow; he missed them both so much.

  He glanced back at Jury and stifled a laugh. He was glad to see Jury having fun. And he was having fun. There was a woman on either side of him, and each of them was running long-fingered hands over Jury's muscles.

  Doc had learned a long time ago that life was full of trades. You simply couldn't have everything all at once so you had to enjoy what you had when you had it. If he still had Francisco, he wouldn't have Jury. It didn't make him miss Francisco any less, but he knew that if given the choice, he wouldn't trade.

  His eyes settled on a lovely woman sitting under a large umbrella. She was watching Jury with an amused expression, but she suddenly turned to meet Doc's eyes. He grinned, and she smiled back.

  "They look like preening peacocks," she said with a good-natured chuckle.

  "They do," Doc replied as he ambled over to her. "Are you fond of peacocks?" he asked.

  "They're fun to look at," she shrugged. "But I wouldn't want to own one.

  I'm much too old now to deal with such fuss."

  For a moment, they both watched Tucker and Jury flex, then she laughed and said, "Why aren't you taking off your shirt?"

  "I've been told my tattoo frightens the ladies," Doc said as he sat on the sand beside her.

  "Oh, it must be quite hideous," she murmured.

  "Quite," he said with a wink.

  "My name's Beth," she said, grinning at him.

  "It's very pleasant to meet you," Doc drawled, adding just a bit of Southern accent. "I'm Doc."

  "Doc?" she asked, eyebrow arching. "Like a doctor?"

  "Just Doc," he grinned. "It's a nickname."

  "Interesting. I find myself curious to see this hideous tattoo," Beth added, tone carelessly inquisitive.