The Kinetics of Bounty Hunting

Twenty years ago, the supernatural world went public. It wasn’t a magical apocalypse. It was a massive, taxable logistical headache. Dean Landry is one of exactly eight Special Texas Rangers—independent 1099 contractors riding the line between the mundane and the paranormal. Working for both the chronically underfunded DPS Occult Desk and the supernatural Tribunal, his job is to hunt down Accord violators, file the requisite Class-4 property damage waivers, and remind trillion-dollar vampire hedge funds that they still have to obey municipal zoning laws. He isn’t a wizard. He’s a thermodynamic anomaly with a degree in applied physics. When a four-hundred-pound shifter charges him, Dean doesn't cast a spell—he siphons the kinetic energy, drops the monster’s momentum to absolute zero, and discharges the stored force straight back into its ribs. For him, violence isn't majestic; it's just math, leverage, and a steel railroad spike. Surviving a jurisdiction that covers half the Dallas-Fort Worth sprawl takes a toll, requiring serious domestic infrastructure to keep functioning. Dean’s forty-acre farm is anchored by his partners: a chaotic, chain-smoking alchemist; a displaced Fae centaur who treats the property like a feudal estate; an introverted banshee; and the mundane Southern woman whose weaponized hospitality keeps everyone sane. They are a functional, polyamorous household of hyper-competent adults. They share the chores, communicate directly, and watch each other’s backs. There is no jealousy, no soap-opera angst, and absolutely no time for drama—not when there are property taxes to pay, a busted greenhouse to rebuild, and a ghoul angrily demanding its Supplemental Blue Forms. Welcome to the Texas Occult Desk. Mind your language, file the paperwork, and watch your momentum.