Invocation for a Child

Zine
Title:	Invocation for a Child
Publisher:	Haunted Medium Publications
Editor:
Author(s):	Lisa Swope & Kim Prosser
Cover Artist(s):	S.H.
Illustrator(s):	Barb Gipson, Dragon, S.H.
Date(s):	May 1991
Medium:	print zine
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Beauty and the Beast (TV)
Language:	English
External Links:
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Invocation for a Child is a 86-page digest-sized het Beauty and the Beast novel by Lisa Swope and Kim Prosser. The art is by Barb Gipson, Dragon, S.H.

Early on in at least one flyer, it was called simply "Invocation."

Summaries

Fourth season novelette/short novel. A growing relationship between Vincent and Diana is the accompaniment to Diana's investigation of a rape/murder. The victim is a young child, Amy.

Set after the 3rd season, the story line of this zine focuses on the growing friendship between Vincent and Diana. While there is no sexual relationship, romance is clearly in the air as Vincent helps Diana solve the brutal murder of a child.

Join Diana Bennett in this novel as she takes Vincent's hand in growing friendship and begins exploring the world Below. What happens, also, when this strong lady encounters something Above that nearly destroys her emotionally? Can Vincent help pick up the pieces?

Excerpt from a 1990 Flyer

From a 1990 flyer in which it was called "Invocation."

Smiling to herself. Diana opened the small gate and tripped the lever that would open the immense door leading into the tunnels. She was deliberately enjoying the anticipation she was feeling at the thought of going Below again, as she had been ever since she'd coaxed the invitation from her escort of the evening. The door interrupted her reflections a it rolled back with a deep welcoming roar, traveling thunderously along the path Vincent had set for it, and Diana felt foolish as her smile grew broader. Only last weekend she had kept him company while he replaced the door, oiled the track and inspected the mechanism--and, incidentally, earned for herself the secret of its workings and the location of the hidden latch. For the first time, Vincent had allowed her to watch him work in the golden light of these tunnels. His thick muscles had braced against this very door as he tested the tension in the lock, and his long fingers had showed her where to position hers on the mechanism to keep it open and her hands out of harm's way as he squirted the oil. She could still see his claws curled gracefully around the handle of the oil can....

Uh-huh,she thought to herself. You're well and truly smitten when you can find romance in oil cans. Get real, Di. She'd found romance in more than oil cans that day; as Vincent repaired the door, Diana found the courage to inquire how his name had come to be inscribed in the cement bordering the damaged door to the park. He'd been startled to learn that she knew about his childhood graffiti, and even more amazed when she hesitantly confessed that the carving itself was safely ensconced in her work desk at home. Of course, after his evident interest in that chunk of rock, he'd been forced to shyly recount the tale of his adventures with Devin. with Diana nodding in all the appropriate spots, and that slight little smile of hers accompanying her attentive listening. She seemed so appreciative of his tale that Vincent actually dared to inquire if she would mind surrendering the piece so that he could once again cement it over the new door, she'd had a objections a tall to that, but her agreement came hand-in-hand with one request that Vincent let her help him install it in its rightful place. Oh, he'd been reluctant to accept her gift of help, had studied her with shadowed blue eyes and offered endless reasons why she shouldn't be part and parry to this,as he frequently seemed reluctant to allow her into his world, much less close to him, but she was almost growing accustomed to his wary refusals of her company. Diana took no offense at his reticence: she understood all too well the fear of letting another person too close, of letting them slip past the perimeter defenses of one's heart. It was only one more thing she had in common with this amazing soul, and surely, sooner or later, he'd figure out that she had no intentions of bruising him, anymore than he'd hurt her. She trusted that he'd never hurt her-why, she wasn't exactly certain, but she knew... And Vincent trusted her too--to a point. Surely he'd come to trust her even where his fragile heart was concerned...in time. This time, though, his hedging didn't matter. This time, she had the upper hand. It's known as blackmail, she'd told him. without so much as a hint of remorse. And his newly appointed assistant was quite right; what choice had he? He did so want that carving...and the company truly wasn't so objectionable....

With a grin of satisfaction at the replaying of that conversation. Diana yanked back on the the huge old gate and was rewarded by the metallic voice that greeted each visitor as the gate yielded to her request.