The Immortal Takes a Wife
Page 9
“I know where he’s at. When it comes time to take him in, I can find him.”
“When, don’t you mean if?”
He let out a breath. “Coffee?”
They were standing outside of the Hallowed Bean. “Fine. One cup. Then I’m headed back to the hotel.”
Luckily the place was mostly empty and, in a few minutes she sat with a large cup of decaf and he a large glass of water.
“So, talk.” Fiona had little patience for him, though she knew it wasn’t him that was her problem. But, he was in front of her now.
He took a long drink of his water and set it carefully down on the table. “I know you don’t like me but I’m thinking that once this job is over…” He let his voice trail off.
Fiona slammed her hand on the table. “You can’t be serious? You’re going to haul off my boyfriend,” she stopped for a moment and glanced around the room and lowered her voice before she continued. “My ex-boyfriend, and you’re hitting on me?”
He paused for a moment, his gray-green eyes darkened. “You think awfully high of yourself, don’t you?”
That shook her. “What?”
He leaned back. “For the record, I’m not hitting on you. Personally, you’re okay, but even a blind man could see how stuck you are on Hyland. For what it’s worth, I hope it all works out.”
Fiona looked down in her cup. “Thank you.” Now she really felt like a fool. “So, what were you going to say before I interrupted you?”
“I’m thinking of hanging around. If I can find work. Looks like this place is pretty tied up, though.”
“It’s nice. I’m thinking of moving up here. I mean, sell the eatery and decide what I want to do with my life.”
Of course, she didn’t tell him that plan had always included Matty coming with her.
“How about I give you a ride back to the hotel. I think we could both use a break.”
“Yeah.” She pushed her cup away and reached for her wallet.
Hawke waved her off. “It’s on me.”
“It was the wedding,” she blurted out. “That’s when I really knew that it would never work between us.”
“You didn’t mention that you were almost married.”
“Not ours, his brother’s wedding. It was so beautiful, and I guess it’s really my fault, because I went a little bridal crazy. Matty proposed to me and that’s when things started really going wrong. I just don’t think we’re meant to be married and if I can’t have that, then I can’t…” She let her voice trail of.
“You know what? If that guy doesn’t marry you, I’m sure there will be a long line of guys that will happily step up to the plate. This one included.”
Fiona let out a breath. “Right. Pretty smooth liar, Mr. Hawke.”
#
It was early morning when Matty awoke. Rubbing his eyes, he did his best to remember where he was and why he was.
“Oh yeah,” he moaned, when the all too familiar cotton mouth combined with a slamming headache brought back the previous night in a rush of alcohol-soaked memories.
“Oh yeah, is right, brother,” Max said.
Prying open one sleep crusted eyelid, Matty peered across the room at his twin. “Really? You’re going to mock me now? Weren’t you the one that opened that fifty-year old bottle of bourbon?”
“I was. But, I didn’t make you drink the entire bottle and the two after it.”
Nausea stirred in his gut and Matty shook his head. “Don’t remind me.”
“It wasn’t exactly a picnic for me, either.” Max said. “You are the worse sort of drunk.”
“What did I do, take a couple of swings at you?”
“Oh, heavens no, baby brother. You literally cried in your whiskey all evening long. Oh, Fiona this, and I’m not worthy that. When you finally passed out, it was a gift.”
“So sorry to mess up your evening. I’m sure you had better things to do.”
“Thankfully, I have a very understanding wife.
“Yes, you do.”
Max stared at him a moment and then crossed his arms. “I’m going to break one of my major tenants of brotherhood, which is not asking too many questions.”
“Nothing I can do to stop you?” Matty asked, pretty sure of what the answer was going to be.
“Not a chance.”
Matty sighed. “So. Ask, already.”
“What was up with you two at the wedding? I’ve seen Antarctic artifacts less frigid than you two.”
Matty dropped his gaze. “You could say that.”
“Explain, please.”
“It was fine in the beginning,” he muttered. Closing his eyes, he went back to the day of the ceremony. Max and Holly had been amazing. Max in his black tux, wearing it as though he was royalty, standing tall and straight. Matty remembered how proud he was of his brother. That was nothing new. Max was always a spectacle. Perfect student at school, perfect son, and even perfect soldier on every battlefield they’d fought on together, as well as the few when they’d been opposed.
So, there was no surprise that he’d be the perfect groom. Despite himself, Matty couldn’t help the pride he’d had in his brother, and the tiniest bit of jealousy.
Despite his dark hair and onyx eyes, Max had been the light to Matty’s darkness. In order to be distinguishable from his brother, Matty was glad that his hair was silver, his eyes gray and cloudy. There was so much about himself he needed to keep hidden.
In spite of all of Max’s attributes, though, it was Holly who’d made him shine. Petite redhead, the little Reaper had come into Max’s life as a force, and though she’d held the power of life and death over them, Holly had not once faltered in her intention to save them both.
So, seeing the two of them standing together, had been almost blinding. They complemented each other, and when they exchanged their vows, Matty himself fell under the spell they cast.
Not just love, but togetherness and eternity. Hope.
He heard himself gasp and suddenly realized Fiona’s hand was clutching his. Her energy, her excitement exploded outward and for the briefest of moments, he was caught up in it all.
Until his eye met hers.
What he saw within their deep, emerald crystals, was a height of expectation that struck Matty like a thousand volt shot of lightning.
Expectation.
Of course, Fiona wanted all of that from him, and more. Matty heard the words ‘love, honor, forever…’ And his heart went into a full stop.
“The reality of who I am, no what I am, came flooding back full force,” he told Max. Rubbing his eyes.
“What do you mean?”
Matty met his gaze. “I’m not that guy.”
“That’s crazy,” Max huffed. “Of course, you are. What’s ‘that guy’ anyway?”
“You are, brah. Mr. Perfect husband, Mr. Right as rain, straight as an arrow, as trustworthy as a golden retriever…”
“Enough. It’s not like that at all.”
“Isn’t it? Who always stood on the side of right? You did. Who always did the honorable thing. That was you again.”
“That’s not true.”
“It is. Face it brother. You are the standard that all men are held to, and only a few are able to measure up.”
“You’re wrong.” Max rubbed his chin. “I’ve made plenty of mistakes. This is not about me. It’s about you. You’re a good person, Matty.”
Matty shook his head. “In your eyes because that’s how you see me. You can’t envision me as anything less. It’s not in your nature.”
“I don’t believe you. We’re only a result of the choices we make.”
Matty sat back. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means, little brother, that you need to make better choices. That’s all.”
“Right. And while I’m at it, I’ll manage to engineer world peace, get rid of hunger and strife, and invent a better mouse trap.”
“I can’t argue with that. Unfortunately, there’s nothing to say that I won’t screw even that up.”
“That’s true for anybody. Relationships are work. You’ve got to give it your all, and sometimes you’ve got to give in. Your problem isn’t your feelings, Matty. It’s about your maturity. Here’s the good part about that. Fiona is with you on this. She’ll help you, if you let her.”
Matty wanted to believe his brother’s words. That he and Fiona could work things out. That maybe she understood him and maybe he could live up to her expectations.
But he doubted it.
He was about to argue the point when the funeral home’s front doorbell rang. Max and Matty exchanged looks.
“Expecting anyone?”
“No.”
Max’s butler appeared at the door. “There’s a gentleman here. He’s asking after your brother, Master Max.”
Max shot Matty a puzzling expression. Matty shrugged. “I guess you should let him in.”
Max motioned to his servant. “As you wish, sir.”
Matty settled back. Just as he closed his eyes, it came to him.
“Druids.”
“What?” Max asked.
“I know what this is about, well, I think I do.”
Just then the door burst open and Hawke staggered in. “It’s time to go Immortal boy.”
Matty went to stand up, but as he did so, he noticed that the werewolf-warlock was not looking all that good. In fact, his face was flushed, and he was breathing hard.
“Mr. Hawke,” Max began, stepping toward him. “You don’t look well.”
“Quiet. I’ve got no trouble with you. I’m here for him.” He held his hand up, and a light blue energy began to swirl around it.
“Dude,” Matty began. “I don’t think you want to do this…”
Suddenly, the blue energy burst from Hawke’s hand and flashed across the room.
Before he knew what was happening, the entire room twisted side-ways and the bolt hit him square in the chest. Matty went down hard, the sight of his brother’s shocked expression the very last thing he saw before the world literally went dark.
Chapter Eleven
After sleeping in the next morning, Fiona had been awakened by a sharp rapping on her hotel room door. Scrambling out of bed, she threw the door open, expecting to take somebody’s head of when she did.
The last person she thought she’d see was there waiting for her. Fiona’s new best friend stood waiting.
“Hey, sweetie. I’ve got the day off and I thought we’d hang together.”
That had been the beginning of one, seemingly endless day. ‘Hanging’ with her new best friend, Tasha, hadn’t been the worst of it. The werecat was entertaining, regaling her of different parties she’d attended recently.
“Really, Fiona,” she said as they visited their third boutique, “you need to think about updating your wardrobe. I mean the whole kick-butt werewolf, muscle tees and stressed jeans are so out of style. You know what you need?”
“A make-over?”
“Sure. Why not? I mean, how about we make your Immortal boy super jelly””
“Do you think that will help?” Fiona wasn’t really serious. She just wanted to steer the question away from her failed relationship.
The other woman motioned to her own haute couture of zebra print pants, and a black scoop sweater with faux pearls sewn into the bodice. “It keeps my Tony interested. Loves to show me off to his coven, you know.”
“Right.” Fiona let out a breath. Max and Holly, Tasha and Tony…it seemed like everybody around her was successfully navigating romance. Everyone but her and Matty.
The other woman must have read her mind. “Listen, Matty’s a hot catch, I’ll give you that. The boy is sweet. But, he’s trouble.”
“I know,” Fiona said, her eyes looking for an exit, or a window to jump through. Anything to get away from this woman, she thought. “Unfortunately, the heart wants what it wants.”
“True that.” She turned and waved at the woman at the back. “Oh, wait. There’s Scarlett Gibbons.”
“Miss Tasha,” the woman called out. “Here for another fitting?”
“Oh, I wish. No, actually, I’m here for something else. This is my friend Fiona, and she needs the deluxe make over…”
Fiona started. “Um, excuse us.” She grabbed Tasha by the arm. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to help. Listen, you are way down because of this break-up thing. I don’t know of a better way to deal with the blues than shopping. Do you?”
“I don’t…” Of course, being a visitor to Nocturne Falls, and usually residing in a less social town Fiona had never been to the fancy shops.
“Of course, you don’t. Now, it’s time to get you fixed up.”
Not knowing what else to do, Fiona went along. It wasn’t like she had much else to do, anyway.
“Such a cute figure, you have,” Scarlett said. “I have some lovely pieces that just came in. Oh, and your hair. I swear, I’m so jealous. Werewolves have the most beautiful mane…”
Before she knew what was happening, Fiona was getting the full spa treatment, curtesy of Tasha.
“I don’t think I’ve ever felt this pampered before in my life,” Fiona said as she and Tasha finally exited the boutique. “I feel strange.”
“You are a beautiful, vibrant woman. You deserve to be pampered.”
Fiona looked again at the total on her credit card receipt. “I don’t know. This is a lot of money.”
They were walking down main street, headed for where Tasha had left her Lexus. She offered to give Fiona a lift back to the Branson House and she gratefully accepted. To be honest, she felt like fine crystal, perched on the edge of a shelf. One tiny push and she would fall, shattering to the floor.
“Fiona, I know you and I have never been close, and after the whole jealous girlfriend thing, I doubted it would ever happen. Take it from me, one woman to another, you deserve this.”
“I guess you’re right. Thanks.” Fiona tried to convince the woman she agreed, but even she heard the hesitancy in her own voice.
Tasha crossed her arms. “You bet I am. Here’s the thing. No man is going to take you seriously, until you take yourself seriously. More than that, make him work for it. Women always seem to be doing the heavy lifting in the relationship. It’s about time we make them do their share.”
Fiona laughed. “You make it sound so simple.”
“From the female perspective, it is. It’s just hard for them to figure out.”
Tasha started the engine and they pulled into traffic. Fiona had too many thoughts whirling in her mind to pay much attention to anything outside the car.
“Well, this was fun.”
Fiona thanked her for the ride and made the slow walk up the drive toward the mansion’s entrance. Pulling out her phone, she checked for any messages and there were none. Underworld City was getting along well enough without her.
“Nothing from Matty, either.” She sighed and slipped the phone back into her new leather bag. “Maybe it’s for the best. I’ll talk to them in the morning,”
Once she’d made it to her room, she took a hot bath and then climbed into bed.
It was tough not to be disappointed. She had told him not to bother calling her, after all. It looked like he was taking her statements about their breaking up to heart.
They’d broken up a dozen times before, but this time, she knew it was different.
After a time, she fell into a fitful sleep. Tossing, turning, and never finding that comfortable spot. Just after daylight, she gave up, feeling achy and bruised. All of her pampering the day before seemed to have slipped away, her hair in a total tangled mess, her make-up long gone. She was just about to give in.
“This is crazy,” s
he told her reflection in the mirror. “Just pack up and go home, for heaven’s sake.”
Just then her phone buzzed. As if he’d heard her thoughts, Matty was calling her.
“Hey,” she said, trying to keep the emotion out of her tone. “Took you long enough to call.” She tried to switch to a snarky attitude but realized she hadn’t quite pulled that off either. She just sounded pathetic.
“Fiona,” a voice she wasn’t expecting to hear came from the phone. “Are you back at the Inn?”
“Max? Um, yes, I am. What’s going on? Is Matty alright?”
There was a bit of a silence. “He’s okay,” Max said in a tone that immediately told her that her boyfriend wasn’t.
“Really?”
“I’m sending a car for you. We need you hear a.s.a.p. Is that okay?”
Fiona swallowed. “Yes. Let me talk to him, Max. I need to hear his voice.”
She heard some crackling on the phone as it was being handed over.
“Hey, Fi. Um, how are you?”
More crackling and the sound of indistinguishable voices.
“Something’s wrong,” Fiona said, panic rising in her blood by the second.
“Well,” Max was back on the phone. “We had a little incident, but everything is all right now, but Matty’s a little…”
“Drunk? You’re drunk calling me?”
“No. That would have been last night. Never mind. Please bear with us. We’ll explain everything when you get here.”
Fiona stared at the now silent phone. She wanted to crush it with her bare hands. She wanted to hurl it across the room and smash it into the wall.
She did none of that. It wasn’t her place, after all. She admitted, she really liked her phone.
“I’ll just hold on to my anger for now,” she muttered.
#
Matty wasn’t sure what happened. “Did you get the number of that truck that just hit me?”
He woke up, laying on the floor, broken glass from a nearby curio cabinet was in pieces all around him.
“You okay, little brother?”
“I’m good. Is Fiona coming?”
“Yes, but we need to get you cleaned up, or she’s going to think somebody tried to kill you.”