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**** Spoilers For The Doorknob Society ****

If you have not yet read The Doorknob Society. Please do so before reading this short, it is a bridge between Book 1 and Book 2, The Impossible Engineers due out this weekend.

This is going to be a weird post. See, after all the craziness at the Infinity Library it was decided that I was going to be indoctrinated as an official member of the Doorknob Society.

The Council had this big emergency meeting and Dad was finally reinstated as a full member of DS. At the same time, they initiated me into the Society and awarded me some weird medal that looked like a cross between a star and I don’t even know what. Anyway, after the big meeting where I had to stand around and listen to old people talk endlessly, they had a dinner for me at Doorknob Society Manor. Now I’ve only been to the Manor once before and that was when the jack-weed Mr. Jordan threatened me. So I was glad I was finally going to get a chance to do some exploring, at least I hoped I was.

I wished my friends could have been with me; Slade my new boyfriend and a member of the Impossible Engineers was busy working on some secret  project while Edgar was hanging out at the Cape Beanery since Val was working a shift  that night. I hadn’t seen Nightshade since the night we all met at the Beanery to decide what to do next. He was still recovering from the battle at the Infinity Library and wasn’t very talkative. I thought maybe he was mad at me but I was trying not to think about it. Nightshade always seemed to be mad at me over one thing or another. My cousin Jess was busy with our grandmother and I doubted they would have let me brought a member of the Skeleton Key Guild.

DS was really sticky about the whole non-members thing being allowed in a DS controlled dimension. Any who, Dad and I got to sit at the head table with a bunch of DS Council members all of whom I guessed wanted to be seen with us since they hadn’t picked a new head of the Society yet. Dad said they wanted our family endorsement, which I thought was beyond odd. But with how old our family is and how we’d been proven right and with Mr. Jordan on the outs, apparently we had some pull.

Dinner was great. They served lobster and I am always down for seafood. Let me tell you, I have eaten all over the world and this was some of the best food I ever had. It was a three course meal and at the end of it I felt like my pants might rip open. After the meal, a few more speeches followed and then Dad told me that he needed to meet with some of the Council members, which meant I was finally able to get some time to roam on my own.

Dad gave me his best don’t-get-into-trouble look and I gave him my I’ll-do-my-best-but-I’m-not-promising-anything smile. He walked off with the old people and I smiled and ran in the opposite direction. All I had really seen of the building so far was the foyer and the dining area. I went through the dining room and then crossed over the foyer and took the staircase steps two at a time leading to the next level. I had no idea where I was going but it seemed as good a route as any. I bounded off the steps into the upstairs corridor and stared at the  full length doors running along either side of the hall, interrupted every couple of meters by a cross hallway.

I moved down it, my hands outstretched letting them glide over each of the knobs I passed. A distinct energy rolled of them and I knew that they all led to different places. These were already active portals, meaning I didn’t even have to use my own abilities, I could just turn a knob and step into another place or dimension entirely. Talk about taking a vacation.

One of the knobs gave off a humming sensation different then all the others. I stopped and let my finger slide around the brass knob, its power ancient and all consuming. Once my hand was on it I couldn’t help but turn the doorknob. The door slid open, power emanated in waves of energy rolling out of the portal and forcing me to drop down to a crouch.

The animal charged closer and I realized it wasn’t planning to stop. The thought of trying to explain how the head of a dinosaur was stuck in the hallway of Doorknob Society Manor didn’t thrill me. I concentrated on the knob and even though I knew it wanted to remain open I slowly pulled the door closed as the beast let out a mournful howl as its playmate disappeared from sight.

I breathed deeply and rested my shoulder against the door as I pried my fingers from the brass knob. When the last appendage was finally free, I lobster-crawled to the middle of the floor and dropped down exhausted. I may not have used my abilities to create the portal but it certainly took all my willpower to close it.

I sucked in a deep breath and pushed myself off the ground. Next time I needed to remember to be better prepared for what might be behind one of these doors before I opened it. I know most people would thank their lucky stars and probably swear never to do again. But what can I say that just isn’t me, I’m inquisitive, and I was far from done for the night. Hell, I was just getting started.

“Can I help you?” the voice sounded familiar and when I glanced behind me a blonde-haired girl stared back.

“Oh, Chloe, I didn’t realize it was you.”

“Um, yup it’s me,” I said, though I had no clue who she was. She crossed the short distance between us and her face was beaming.

“I watched the whole ceremony. What an honor it must have been for you,” she gushed as I put on a smile that I hoped would appease her.

“Yeah, it was, um, great.” I started walking down the hall, hoping she might think I had somewhere to be and leave it at that, but I had no such luck. She walked in lock-step with me.

“I don’t know, I guess, maybe.” I didn’t really see any reason for me to come here. I mean it was cool and all but one of the reasons I was looking around now was because I figured it might be one of my only chances to do so.

“That’ll be great, then maybe I can do more than show you around.”

I glanced at her sideways and it finally dawned on me that she was the girl who had been my escort the only other time I had been here. Now if I could only remember her name.

 

We came to another cross-section and down the far side I could see a spiral stair case. It seemed slightly out-of-place in the corridor and I raised an eyebrow at its positioning. ”What’s that doing there?”

 

“That leads down to the training quad.”

 

“The what?”

 

“The training quad is where older students are taught battle strategies.”

 

“Is that so?” The words were barely out of my mouth when my feet were already headed in the direction of the stairs.

 

“We’re not suppose to go down there.” The blond girl chased after me as I stopped at the chain across the opening to the spiral staircase. “See, it’s locked.”

 

I smiled and slipped under the chain and started down the steps. I stopped and glanced up at the girl who had a look of wide-eyed worry on her face. “You coming?”

 

“Faith,” she responded.

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“My name is Faith.”

 

“Well, are you coming Faith?”

 

She slipped under the chain and joined me on the steps and we descended into the darkness together.

 

Follow the further adventures of Chloe in Book 2.

Cover by Wendell Cavalcanti, Eric Dotson and Donovan Yaciuk.

Chloe Masters’s world changed in a heartbeat and all she did was touch a doorknob.

James Nightshade has been on Chloe’s mind since the day she met him. Arrogant and frustrating she thought she had put him behind her when she chose Michael Slade.

But when the secret she is seeking leads to questions about the death of Nightshade’s former lover, she has no chose but to bring him into the investigation. A move she will come to regret.

Danger awaits them around every corner as they search for answers. But in the end a choice will need to be made, but is Chloe strong enough to make it?

Be sure to check out The Doorknob Society book 1 of the saga.

Status: My so-called life.

“This is a dumb idea,” I said more for my own benefit than anyone else. It’s not as if someone could hear me from where I stood… on the ledge of a building in Paris at three o’clock in the morning.

I moved quickly along the edge a stiff breeze suddenly whipping up and shoving me against the cool stone. My palms hit flat against the building while my fingers deftly searched for grooves in the stonework. It was a narrow hold but I held tight until the wind died down. I snuck a glance over the edge to the street five stories below. Tomorrow’s headlines flashed in mind, Sixteen-Year-Old American Plunges To Her Death. I shook my head and cleared the image from my thoughts. I controlled my breathing and inhaled through my nose and exhaled slowly through my mouth like Dad had taught me. Focus on the next step Chloe not the end game, I told myself and edged along calmly. Most girls my age wouldn’t be used to standing on such a small space high in the air. Then again most girls weren’t the daughter of the “Master Magician”.

My dad was one of the most in-demand magicians around the world, known best for his disappearing-man trick. He would walk through one door and appear instantaneously in another across the stage. It was the only illusion he hadn’t taught me. My parents had started training me in every trick in their act since I was able to walk. While most girls were playing with Barbie I was learning how to do the drowned-man trick in my kiddy pool. When mom had abandoned us ten years back, I had taken her place helping Dad prepare for shows. Not that it hadn’t been helpful, I mean, how else would I have been able to scale up the side of the building and across the ledge?

Once the wind no longer threatened I continued along until I finally reached the office window I was looking for and carefully turned my back to it. I slid my hand into the bag slung over my shoulder and pulled out a device I had lifted from Dad’s work bag. I’d seen him use it a million times and knew I could handle it.

With a tight grip on the metal crossbar; I turned around, yanked it lengthwise, and pushed it against the glass. Two small suction cups popped against the window fitting the bar tightly to the glass. I tapped the control button twice. A thin line of what looked like fishing wire shot out and spun around in a circle cutting a hole in the window. The wire acted like a web and the glass slowly fell backward till it was lying on the office floor.

I ducked under the bar and hopped from the ledge into the office. Dad and I had been here just yesterday when a woman with the largest mole on her chin I had ever seen confiscated our passports. She refused to tell Dad what it was about and we’d been ushered out of the room quickly. Dad had told me not to worry, but the huskiness in his voice told me differently. He had spent the entire day and night on the phone trying to get an answer as to why we were unable to leaveFrance.

This afternoon I was sitting in the hotel room playing with my smart phone when I heard Dad screaming. I snuck to his door and listened as he yelled at whoever was on the other end.

“They aren’t allowing us to leave. What the hell is going on?”

I could hear him pacing on the carpet as he listened to the response and whatever was said didn’t make him happy.

“What is that supposed to mean? I’m not going to risk Chloe is that clear; you come here and get her if you have too. I don’t care what happens to me.”

I heard the phone slam down on the receiver and quickly made my way back to my room. That’s when I made the choice that tonight I was getting our passports back and getting us out of Paris, together.

I moved quickly to the large desk that dominated the room and yanked open drawers. Not finding the documents I needed, I moved on to the next drawer and came up empty again.

I rushed through each drawer, my search turning frantic with each fruitless attempt. On the last one I pushed aside more useless papers and broke into a wide grin as I snatched up what I’d been searching for.

I kissed the two battered passports. “Home at last.” I slid them into my pocket, patting them for good measure. “Now maybe we can get out of here.”

I walked back to the window, gripped the bar and hoisted myself up when I heard shouts from below. I looked over the edge and saw a multitude of police cars surrounding the entrance to the building. Officers were jumping out and rushing toward the front doors. I caught a few words, glad I had a passable knowledge of French and what I heard chilled me. I’d tripped the silent alarm.

“Damn.” I pulled back from the window and grabbed the bar pushing the control lever and releasing it from the glass and slid it back into my bag.

I figured there would be an alarm though I didn’t count on a silent one. My plan had had me back out the window and across the ledge to the building next door before the cops ever arrived. Somehow it seemed my plans always went astray. Now what?

Run.

I followed my own warning and ran out of the office into a larger room with dozens of cubicles. I knew the layout of the building as well as most people who worked here. If my parents had taught me anything it was to be prepared. Before I came here tonight I’d studied the floor plans online. It didn’t hurt that since I had been little Dad had me play a game called find the door. Any place we entered he would always make me memorize where every door was located. We’d done it so often it had become second nature. My research had been worth it because I knew there was a back stairwell that led to the alleyway behind the building. If I could get there I should be able to hop the fence and make my way back to the hotel.
I poured on as much speed as I could, exited into the main hallway and at the far end were the elevator doors. The ding of the lift reaching the floor echoed loudly and I spun around not waiting to see who it was and ran in the opposite direction.

The police shouted for me to stop but I ignored them, though the sounds of their feet slapping the floor as they bored down on me made me run harder. I turned down another hallway, not losing a step or speed. Mom was a runner and she had gotten me into it when I was small. No matter where Dad’s act took us, mom would always go for her morning run. Memories of running alongside the Nile River in Egypt and the Great Wall of China were just a few of the wonderful places we’d run together. Of course, that was before she’d deserted us, now I only run when there’s trouble.

Relief washed over me when I spotted the stairwell door at the end of the corridor. The cops’ voices grew louder but it didn’t matter, I was confident I was home free. I was too quick on my feet for them; they would never catch me. I slammed into the door grabbing the knob and my heart sank as I turned it… locked.

My heart pounded in my chest. The cops would be on me any minute. My mind raced and I twisted the knob as hard as I could, hoping by sheer force of will I could turn it and get out of there. My stomach turned and a wave of nausea rushed over me. I thought for sure I was about to barf. Then the hair on my neck and arms stood on end and my vision went fuzzy as everything around me took on a blue glow. All I could think about was Dad and how upset he was going to be with me. I was going to get arrested and go to jail and we would never get out of this damn country.

I heard a click and the knob felt as if it suddenly turned. The next thing I knew I was floating. I no longer cared about the cops or the passports or anything. I was warm and whole and then everything went black as I fell forward.

“Chloe!”

Dad’s voice shattered my peaceful sleep and I blinked forcing myself awake and found myself lying on the floor of our hotel room. Dad stood peering down at me and he didn’t look happy.

“Must have tripped.” I scrambled to my feet and shook my head. I don’t know what happened but somehow I had gotten back to our hotel room. Maybe it had all been a dream; maybe I had imagined sneaking out to steal back our confiscated passports. It wouldn’t be the first time I had a crazy dream.

“What did you do?” Dad was giving me his best stern-Dad face.

“Nothing.” My hand drifted to my pocket and I could feel the outline of the passports. Dad’s eyes followed my hand and lingered there. “What’s in your pocket?”

“I had to try.”

“What did you do?”

I pulled the passports from my pocket.

He sighed and rolled his eyes.

“What? It’s not like I got caught.”

“Chloe, do you have any idea how dangerous that was? You could have been caught or worse.”

“But I wasn’t. I got our passports back and got away.” I wasn’t sure how I had managed it. I didn’t even remember leaving the building or anything. I racked my brain trying to make sense of it. The last thing I remembered was fighting to get that damn doorknob to turn.

“What is it?” Dad asked his annoyed changing to one I’d never seen before.

“Nothing,” —I shook my head trying to clear my mind— “it’s just that I’m not really sure how I got away. I mean the door was locked.”

“What do you mean it was locked?”

“It’s no big deal. I must have been wrong.”

Dad paced back and forth and looked like he might wear a hole in the carpet. He stopped, his eyes lingering on me as he snatched the passports from my hand.

“We’re leaving now. Get your things.” He turned and stormed off to his room.

“You’re welcome,” I sighed and rushed to my room grabbing my travel bags. I’d been packed for three days ever since this whole fiasco had begun. It wasn’t the first time Dad and I have been stranded in a foreign country during one of his tours, but this time it had been different. Dad was nervous, not a common condition for him. And we had been given no reason as to why our passports had been confiscated. The officials who took them had told us that we weren’t allowed to leave the country. It made no sense and coupled with Dad’s obvious unease, it made me worry.

I slung my bags over my shoulder and walked back into the shared living space to find Dad clutching his duffle bag.

“That was quick,” he said, though looked relieved. I knew he wanted to get out of there ASAP and so did I.

“We’re heading to the airport. No stops and no lip either.”

I rolled my eyes at his back as we left the hotel room. We walked down the narrow corridor and stopped by the series of elevator doors.

Dad was shifting from one foot to the other and kept pushing the down button even though it was lit. I didn’t say anything remembering that he’d warned about giving him lip.

The hotel seemed warmer than usual. I tugged at my hoodie and wished I had thrown it in my bag. Dad had stopped pushing the button and was stepping back slowly and that’s when I felt the hair on my neck rise and stand on-end. My stomach twisted in knots and a wave of nausea washed over me and I stumbled trying to keep my balance.

Dad’s arm wrapped around me and relief flooded me… until I looked up and saw his eyes narrow and stare straight ahead. My skin heated and prickled as I followed his gaze to the stairwell door and realized that I must be getting sick since the door appeared as if it was glowing.

Dad and I jumped when the door swung open and a gust of warm stale air rushed into the room blowing my hoodie off my head. The feeling in my gut doubled and Dad’s arm squeezed tighter around me.

“You should have stayed off the radar, Masters. Not using your powers kept us from locating you. We had no idea where you were.”

A dark figure surrounded by a crimson halo stepped through the doorway. The tips of my fingers went numb and the earth felt as if it was moving beneath my feet. Everything came into sharp focus around me, my senses suddenly alive with new input. The azure glow around the door shimmered and pulsated as if with life. The faint odor of smoke drifted in from behind the man.

Dad glanced down at me and by the look in his eyes, I knew this was bad… really bad.

He spun me around and yelled, “Run!”

I didn’t hesitate… I ran.

The stale odor followed us so close I could taste it. It made me gag and I knew something bad was about to happen. The explosion threw me into the wall, my shoulder slamming into it with such force that it spun me around. Smoke and flames filled the hall and I coughed trying to clear my throat. I rubbed my eyes looking harder to try and catch a glimpse of Dad, cursing myself for leaving him to face a crazy man alone.

The smoke parted and suddenly Dad was racing toward me. I had no time to feel relief that my dad was alive, his hand reached out grabbing me and dragging me along as we bolted down the hallway. The corridor split into a T and we turned right and kept running, stopping at a maintenance door. Dad looked behind him and then back to the door in front of him. He reached his hand out toward the knob and my stomach churned again.

“I don’t think hiding in a closet is going to help, Dad.”

I closed my eyes trying to blot out the nausea that was growing stronger by the minute. I wanted to smack myself. I mean come on, I’ve traveled the globe, assisted my dad in some of the most dangerous illusions around and tonight I had walked along the edge of a multi-story building and yet an explosion and crazy man chasing us and I wilt like a flower? Not cool.

I opened my eyes ready to face and survive our ordeal when my surroundings shifted again. Now instead of shimmering red, everything glowed soft blue. Dad had already opened the door and the room beyond seemed to swirl and shift in colors and change until it looked almost familiar to me. I was thinking how comforting that was right up until I fell flat on my face.

Continue reading on Kindle or Nook or Smashwords

The comic will showcase numerous characters from the novel including: James, Nightshade, Jessica Grimm, DI Emory and of course Chloe Masters. In the page below we give you and inside look at the Cape Beanery.

The Doorknob Society Comic book

We’re currently hard at work on the books with the script first two issues done and the following one being completed. Wendell Cavalcanti who was the artist for the DS short that will be appearing in DWP, has returned for the series. And he is doing a wonderful job on the artwork. Eric Dotson will be returning as inker and we’ll be rounding at the rest of the team shortly.

I also hope to info for you on another short that will be appearing soon as well. We’ll be updating the progress on the series as it happen and hope to have a launch date for you sometime soon.

“What did he want?” Val asked as we headed down the porch stairs and turned right toward the Cape Beanery.

“With Nightshade who knows.” I rolled my eyes wondering just what he could want from me.

We reached the Beanery in no time and the bells over the door jingled as we walked in. I spotted Nightshade sitting at a table. He wasn’t wearing his usually jacket, it being warmer than normal. But he had the same self-satisfied look on his face as he always did.

Val just couldn't help herself

I heard the click of a camera phone and turned to see Val snapping a shot of him. I gave her a look and a jab and she grinned.

“Well just because he’s annoying doesn’t mean he isn’t hot.”

I nearly laughed but did my best to keep a stern face. ”Let me see what he wants. Why don’t you grab us some coffees.”

“Okay,” she said clicking a few more shots as she walked to the counter.

I took a deep breath and walked over to Nightshade’s table.

The man even drinks coffee arrogantly.

“Brought backup I see.” He didn’t take his eyes off his cup.

“I figure with you, its better to be safe than sorry.”

“Is that so Masters?” He finally looked up, a half smile on his face.

“Yes, it is now what do you want?”

“What I can’t just call a friend?”

“We’re friends now are we?”

“What would you call us?”

“What do you want?” I repeated.  He had a way of making me trip over  my tongue and I wasn’t about to go down that road.

“I want your help with something.”

“The great and wonderful Nightshade wants my help with something? This is a banner day.” I slid into the seat opposite  him prepared to revel in this as long as possible.

“It’s about Edgar.”

“What’s wrong with Edgar?” I leaned forward in my seat trying not to sound anxious and failing miserably.

To be continued…

To read more Doorknob Society check it out on Kindle or Nook

I love my life and my friends but I also know that so much happened when I first learned about who and what I was that I can never go back to the life I had before. It may have been odd by most peoples standards, following my dad around the globe with his magic act, always being on the move and never really having time for friends.

it’s all different now, the Doorknob Society changed everything for me. I’ve met strange and wonderful people, some I would trust with my life and others i’m not sure if I can trust at all. But I wouldn’t change any of it.

Chloe Masters