Funk-N-Fiction

We always love it when fantasy author S E Smith drops by the blog. And this year, she’s bringing a super fun Halloween story in her Zion Warriors world! Check out what we have here, and download more using the BookFunnel link, below. AND… chat with us about costumes in the comments for a chance to win awesome tote bag swag!!

Skeeter’s Halloween Treat: A Zion Warriors Holiday Short
by S E Smith

Chapter 1

“Hey, Skeeter, Gracie, wait up!” Hopps called out.

Skeeter stopped and turned when she heard their names being called above the buzz of the market. A dark green and yellow head briefly popped into sight above the crowd of pedestrians. Seconds later, the head reappeared.

She laughed and waved as the amphibious alien creature jumped again. The frog-like creature bounced from one unwary shoulder or head to another until he landed in front of Skeeter and Gracie with a flourish of long arms and a deep bow.

“Good afternoon, Ladies.”

“Hey, Hopps,” Skeeter greeted with a laugh and a huge hug.

“Hi, Hopps,” Gracie said.

“I wasn’t sure I was going to catch up with you two. You’re moving pretty fast. Where are you going?” Hopps asked in a slightly breathless tone.

“We are on a mission. We… Ugh, sorry,” Skeeter muttered when she accidentally stepped into the path of a large, scaly Bulltian. She jumped to the side to keep from being run over.

“Get out the way,” the man growled.

“What a jerk,” Gracie muttered.

Skeeter snorted and clutched her satchel close to her body to keep from knocking into anyone else.

“Bulltian miners are always rude. I think it is because they are always hungry. I probably would be the same way if I had to work shoveling ore all day,” Skeeter said.

“Tabby’s like that. If you don’t feed her, she gets meaner than a Wuzzletooth horn toad,” Hopps joked, falling into step with them when they turned.

“Speaking of Tabby—” Skeeter began.

“Hey, Gracie. Hi, Skeeter.”

Skeeter shook her head. Where there was one tadpole, there would be others. The Horntip siblings never went anywhere without each other. Guilt and remorse swept through Skeeter. Hopps, Puddles, Tabby, and Sticks were her former First Mate’s kids. Froget had died attempting to protect her when a group of ruthless mercenaries boarded her freighter. The men were searching for Gracie’s daughter, Violet. Skeeter had unwittingly rescued the little girl from her mercenary kidnappers and had come close to dying during the attack. She would have if not for Krac and the crew of a Zion warship.

Skeeter pushed the depressing thoughts away. She and Krac had not only adopted Froget’s four tadpoles, but Violet and Adam as well… unofficially. Who cared that Froget’s kids were grown and that Violet and Adam had parents? Skeeter liked to think that she and Krac were part-time fam-parents. They were more than friends. They were family. Violet and Adam loved Skeeter’s dad as well.

“Did Skeeter say where they were going?” Puddles asked.

“Not yet,” Hopps replied.

Skeeter rolled her eyes. “We’re on a mission… a secret mission,” she responded.

Gracie laughed and nodded. “A super-secret mission.”

“Oh… I adore super-secret missions,” Tabby responded, popping up beside the two women.

Gracie laughed again. “It looks like the guys called the cavalry on us,” she teased.

“They might have asked us to keep an eye on you two while they were off-planet,” Tabby admitted.

Skeeter stepped out of the steady flow of pedestrians and into a narrow alley. She twisted to face their three new companions. She glanced around over their shoulders.

“Where’s Sticks?” she finally asked.

Hopps laughed and pointed upward. Skeeter and Gracie tilted their heads back. Skeeter’s grin turned to a troubled look when she heard Gracie’s astonished gasp. Sticks wasn’t the only one clinging to the wall ten feet above their heads—so was the Bulltian who had been rude to her.

The massive creature was struggling to break free of the sticky goo that glued his body to the stone wall. The Bulltian’s loud curses suddenly stopped when Sticks raised his hand and released another stream of the sticky goo from a device strapped to his wrist. The glob of goo struck the Bulltian in the mouth, sealing it shut.

Sympathy coursed through Skeeter. The only way the guy was going to get down was if he took off his clothes. She had no desire to see an angry, naked Bulltian running loose through the market.

Once in my lifetime was more than enough, she thought.

A shudder ran through her at the memory of the poor Bulltian stripping after she accidentally spilled her Flaming Reptilian drink in his lap. How was she supposed to know that the drink was highly flammable?

Or that the miner had been working on an oily machine that had splattered grease spots all over his uniform which ignited on contact with my flaming drink?

She shook her head and pushed the horrid memory back into the box in her mind.

“So, which one bribed you to follow us this time?” she called out.

“Krac—”

“Your dad—”

“Kordon—”

The chorus of responses made Skeeter and Gracie laugh. The universe might be a little crazy at the moment—or at least it was in the guys’ minds—but it hadn’t stopped Kordon, Gracie, and their two kids from coming for a visit.

Skeeter adored seeing the kids. Violet loved to dress up in the costumes Skeeter liked to make, and Adam loved to paint—everything! Kordon had sent her mountains of videos of everything Adam painted after she sent the young boy a huge paint kit for his birthday.

Krac had snickered at the increasing number of messages, especially after Adam planted a big, blue handprint on the back of Kordon’s dress uniform right before a big vote before the council assembly.

“So… what are you doing?” Sticks asked, landing beside his siblings.

Sticks looked the least like their father. Skeeter hadn’t known Froget had any kids until these four showed up a few months ago, but one look at Hopps and Puddles, and she knew. Sticks was taller than his siblings and leaner. He also had more yellow coloring than his siblings, whereas Hopps and Puddles had more of the darker green.

They all wore the same off-white shirts, dark brown trousers, boots, and leather belts with a laser pistol attached at their hips. Tabby looked almost identical, except for the well-worn, brown-rim hat that she liked to wear. Tabby also carried a pistol on one hip, but she sported a coiled leather whip on the other.

“So, what’s with the big secret?” Tabby asked.

“Does this have anything to do with—? Ow, what did you do that for?” Puddles complained, hopping on one foot after Sticks kicked him.

Skeeter scowled at Sticks. “How long have you guys been following us?”

“Since we left the compound this morning,” Gracie replied with a laugh.

“Aw, Gracie. I thought we were getting better,” Puddles groaned.

“You are,” Gracie soothed.

“What gave us away?” Tabby asked.

Gracie shot an apologetic smile at Puddles. “Puddles’ cologne.”

Hopps and Tabby both playfully punched their brother in both of his arms.

“We told you that it stunk!” Tabby said.

“Gracie says it smells like sardines,” Puddles defended.

“That wasn’t a compliment, you dimwit!” Hopps retorted.

“Are you guys looking for something for Violet and Adam? You know, Skeeter, if you and Krac ever want to have some kids, we could round up a few for you. There are always some strays around on the spaceports,” Hopps offered.

“Really? I mean… no. At least… maybe, but no kidnapping! I mean, if you did find a few that wanted a mom and dad, I’m sure Krac wouldn’t mind. He loves Violet and Adam, doesn’t he, Gracie? I know Dad would be thrilled. Everybody loves Daddy,” Skeeter said, biting her lip as she thought about what it would be like to add to her little family.

“I don’t think these four finding you children is a good idea, Skeeter. There’s no telling what you might get,” Gracie cautioned with a shake of her head at the group of siblings.

“So, are you two ever going to tell us what this secret mission is about, or are we just going to have to keep asking you?” Tabby asked.

“We’re on a mission to introduce a holiday to the guys. ’It’s called Halloween. It is very popular back on Earth,” she said.

Sticks frowned. “Halloween? Isn’t that the weird Earth holiday where everyone dresses up like someone else and asks for food?”

Gracie laughed. “Something like that. Halloween celebrates a day called All Hallowtide. People dress up in costumes and go from house to house calling out ‘trick-or-treat’. People usually give out candy. It was a lot of fun when I was a kid before—” She shook her head. “I want to celebrate it with Adam and Violet. They both love dressing up, and Skeeter and I thought it would be fun.”

“Can I dress up as a Triterian?” Hopps asked.

“Yep. You can be anything you want,” Skeeter replied.

“I want to be a Chibear,” Puddles said.

“Why would you want to be a Chibear?” Hopps asked.

“He’s got the hots for this cute little shopkeeper down in the central market,” Tabby said.

“I do not!” Puddles growled, flushing a dark, dark green.

“Oh… he has it bad,” Hopps laughed.

“Gracie, look! That material would make a beautiful princess gown for Violet,” Skeeter exclaimed, peering through the window of a shop.

“It would! Come on,” Gracie said.

Skeeter didn’t need to be told twice. She was going to make all the costumes. A deep sigh of longing filled her as she fingered the material. If only she and Krac had some kids to do fun things with like Gracie and Kordon.

Maybe the tadpoles could find one or two kids who wouldn’t mind being adopted, she wistfully thought as she picked up an old broom.

Download the complete story at: Skeeter’s Halloween Treat on Bookfunnel!

Follow the adventures of Gracie, Skeeter, and more in my Zion Warriors series at https://sesmithfl.com/book-series/zion-warriors-series/! S.E. Smith is an internationally acclaimed, New York Times and USA TODAY Bestselling author of science fiction, romance, fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary works for adults, young adults, and children. She enjoys writing a wide variety of genres that pull her readers into worlds that take them away. Readers can check out her website at https://sesmithfl.com/ and chat with her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/se.smith.5

Fantasy Family Fiction
Skeeter's Halloween Treat
A Zion Warriors Holiday Short
Copyright © 2023 by S.E. Smith
First E-Book Published October 2023
Cover Design by S.E. Smith

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission from the author.
All characters, places, and events in this book are fictitious or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real.
Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations are strictly coincidental.

ISBN: 978-1-959584-70-4 (eBook)
ISBN: 978-1-959584-71-1 (Paperback)

Short Summary: Skeeter is on a mission with Gracie Jones to celebrate an Earth holiday—Halloween!—when Krac acquires a surprise for her that will change their lives forever.

Published by Montana Publishing, LLC
& SE Smith of Florida Inc. www.sesmith.com

S E Smith has a super cool prize for one lucky commenter!!! Check out this awesome “Bad Kitty” tote bag!

All you need to do to enter to win this fabulous swag is answer this question in the comments:

What is your favorite costume you’ve ever worn for Halloween. (Or any holiday, really. 🙂 )

Contest starts today, and goes through midnight on November 1st. Our winners will be chosen from all eligible entries on November 2nd and notified, and then announced in our wrap-up post on November 3rd.

Good luck!!