Holiday Spirits Read online

  “Will Kip and Randa be okay with the idea?” Joe glanced out the window. “They won’t feel pushed away?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t think so. Kip, especially, will be happy, I think. Randa will probably be embarrassed, but that’s nothing new.”

  We fell into silence, but the decision had been made. There was no more need for words. As we sat there, waiting for our guests, Samantha leaped into my lap and I gently petted her, kissing her head. Joe caught Noël up and nuzzled her belly. The light outside faded and my gloom faded with it. It wasn’t that I was missing anything from my life. No, it was that we had so much to give, and the house had so much love in it, and I wanted to share it and see it grow.

  “Blessed Yule, Em. I love you,” Joe said.

  And I answered him with a kiss.

  Each Chintz ‘n China book contains a charm for you to safely do. Turn the page to read on!

  If you liked HOLIDAY SPIRITS, don’t miss the rest of the Chintz ‘n China series:

  GHOST OF A CHANCE, LEGEND OF THE JADE DRAGON, MURDER UNDER A MYSTIC MOON, A HARVEST OF BONES, and ONE HEX OF A WEDDING.

  Meet the wild and magical residents of Bedlam in my Bewitching Bedlam Series. Fun-loving witch Maddy Gallowglass, her smoking-hot vampire lover Aegis, and their crazed cjinn Bubba (part djinn, all cat) rock it out in Bedlam, a magical town on a magical island. BLOOD MUSIC, BEWITCHING BEDLAM, and MAUDLIN’S MAYHEM are currently available, and BLOOD VENGEANCE and TIGER TAILS are available for preorder. And more are on the way!

  If you prefer a grittier series, try my post-apocalyptic romance—the Fury Unbound Series: FURY RISING, FURY’S MAGIC, FURY AWAKENED, and FURY CALLING.

  The newest Otherworld book—MOON SHIMMERS—is available now, and the next, HARVEST SONG, will be available in May 2018.

  For information about all of my work, including upcoming releases, see the Bibliography at the end of this book, or check out my website at Galenorn.com and be sure and sign up for my newsletter to receive news about all my new releases.

  Yule Protection Charm

  Here’s a very simple protection charm to make during the winter holidays. Make a new one each year as part of your traditions. You will need:

  1 round ornament (ball-shaped is best, with the removable top—like a glitter Christmas ornament), colored with red and gold on it

  3 teaspoons kosher salt

  2 teaspoons black peppercorns

  1 teaspoon dried basil

  1 teaspoon dried rosemary

  1 teaspoon dried tobacco

  1 teaspoon dried sage

  3 drops sage oil

  3 drops cedar oil

  3 drops vetiver oil

  1 thin, short quartz crystal spike or several quartz crystal chips

  Superglue

  Green ribbon

  In a small bowl, mix together the herbs, oils, and salt. Focus on protecting your house and all who live within as you do so. Hold your hand over the mixture and say:

  By power of might, by power of will,

  By earth and air, by fire and sea,

  By universal light, this charm fulfill,

  As I will, so mote it be.

  Carefully remove the silver/wire hanger top from the ornament. Using a funnel or rolled up paper, fill the ornament with the herb mixture. Cautiously squeeze superglue onto the outer lip of the ornament and carefully replace the top so that your fingers do not come into contact with glue (you can wear vinyl gloves for this). Allow to dry. Tie ribbon through the wire the ornament hangs by. Hang in the corner of your room for protection for the next year.

  Biography

  New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance, and is the author of almost fifty books, including the Otherworld Series, the Whisper Hollow Series, the Fury Unbound Series, the upcoming Bewitching Bedlam Series, and many more. She’s also written nonfiction metaphysical books. She is the 2011 Career Achievement Award Winner in Urban Fantasy, given by RT Magazine.

  Yasmine has been in the Craft since 1980, is a shamanic witch and High Priestess. She describes her life as a blend of teacups and tattoos. She lives in Kirkland, WA, with her husband Samwise and their cats. Yasmine can be reached via her web site at Galenorn.com.

  Indie Releases Currently Available:

  Bewitching Bedlam Series:

  Bewitching Bedlam

  Maudlin’s Mayhem

  Blood Music

  Blood Vengeance

  Tiger Tails

  Fury Unbound Series:

  Fury Rising

  Fury’s Magic

  Fury Awakened

  Fury Calling

  Otherworld Series:

  Moon Shimmers

  Earthbound

  Otherworld Tales: Volume One

  Tales From Otherworld: Collection One

  Men of Otherworld: Collection One

  Men of Otherworld: Collection Two

  Moon Swept: Otherworld Tales of First Love

  For the rest of the Otherworld Series, see Website

  Chintz ‘n China Series:

  Ghost of a Chance

  Legend of the Jade Dragon

  Murder Under a Mystic Moon

  A Harvest of Bones

  One Hex of a Wedding

  Holiday Spirits

  Bath and Body Series (originally under the name India Ink):

  Scent to Her Grave

  A Blush With Death

  Glossed and Found

  Misc. Short Stories/Anthologies:

  Mist and Shadows: Short Tales From Dark Haunts

  Once Upon a Kiss (short story: Princess Charming)

  Silver Belles (short story: The Longest Night)

  Once Upon a Curse (short story: Bones)

  Night Shivers (an Indigo Court novella)

  Magickal Nonfiction:

  Embracing the Moon

  Tarot Journeys

  For all other series, as well as upcoming work, see Website