Miss Frost Cracks A Caper

by Kristen Painter

  The shop was busy, but Buttercup broke away from the register to give me a big hug. She wasn’t normally a hugger, being all gamer-Goth girl that she was, so I didn’t hold on to her for too long. “How are you doing?”

  “I’m good. I owe you and Juniper for taking care of Spider. And this place.”

  “Nah. That’s what friends—and employees—are for.”

  “Well, I appreciate it very much. How’s Juni doing after being interrogated?”

  Buttercup’s grin held pride. “She’s doing great. She’s stronger than you think.”

  “I’m glad to hear that, but I still feel bad it happened.”

  Buttercup shrugged. “She’ll tell you herself that it wasn’t your fault.”

  “I guess. Anything I need to know about?”

  She tipped her head like she was thinking. “We could use another shipment of Pocket Pets. Otherwise, we’re golden. Things are good.”

  “Okay, I’m going to call my dad now anyway. I’ll tell him. Then I’m going over to see Sinclair.”

  She grinned. “Cool. I dig him.”

  “I know. You like him because he’s a necromancer.”

  She slanted her eyes at me. “You like him because he makes doughnuts.”

  The bells over the door chimed as a customer came in. I was about to tell Buttercup that I’d let her get back to work when I saw who the customer was.

  “Hi, Greyson.”

  “Hey, beautiful.” He held out the enormous bunch of flowers he was carrying. “I was going to leave these for you, but I’m happier to give them to you in person. How are you?”

  “I’m great.” I took the flowers. “And these are gorgeous.”

  “Do you have a second to talk, or are you swamped?”

  “I can spare a minute. C’mon back to the break room. There’s vase in there.”

  He followed me into the warehouse. “The sheriff filled me in on Lark and the twins. Crazy.”

  I nodded as I filled the vase from the break room sink. “Isn’t it?”

  He was silent while I arranged the flowers, and when I turned around, I could tell there was something on his mind. “What’s up?”

  He sighed and leaned against the other counter. “It’s not really my business, but I have to ask. Are you seeing Sinclair Crowe?”

  “I am.”

  Greyson’s eyes took on a serious light. “He’s a necromancer.”

  “I know.” I put the flowers on the table. I’d take them up to my apartment tomorrow.

  He shoved his hand through his hair. “They’re dangerous, Jayne.”

  “So are vampires, but he hasn’t complained about you.”

  Greyson frowned. “They’re dangerous in more ways than you know. And they are especially dangerous to vampires.”

  Was Greyson jealous? I crossed my arms and wondered how this was going to go. “How so?”

  “Necromancers can bring the dead back to life.”

  “Temporarily. And so?”

  His eyes narrowed. “Do you know what would happen to me if Sinclair brought me back to life? Let me tell you. My age would catch up to me. In a matter of seconds. I would grow old and wither into dust.”

  I uncrossed my arms. “Are you sure? I’m not doubting you, but that seems kind of a severe reaction to—”

  “It’s how my sire died.” The muscles in his jaw tensed. “I watched her crumble into dust before my eyes. It’s not something I’ll ever forget.”

  “Sinclair killed your sire?” Could his death touch do that?

  “Not him, another necromancer. But I know what he’s capable of.”

  “Sinclair isn’t a killer.” I had to wonder if the Ellinghams knew about this. I figured they must. They approved all the new businesses in town. And none of them had made a fuss about Sinclair coming to the ball with me. “He would never do something like that.”

  “You know him that well?”

  I frowned right back at Greyson. “I think I’m a decent judge of character.”

  “Like you thought Lark deserved a second chance?”

  I rolled my eyes. “He saved my life. And this isn’t the same thing at all.”

  “It is for me. What if he suddenly decides he wants you all to himself? That I’m too much competition? One touch and I’m done. He might have saved your life, but he likes you. Ask him how he feels about vampires next time you see him.”

  “He wouldn’t hurt you.”

  “Are you willing to bet my life on that?”

  We stared at each other for a long moment. I had a sinking feeling I wasn’t going to like the answer to the question I was about to ask. “What outcome are you hoping for here?”

  Greyson straightened. “I like you a lot, Jayne. I care about you more than I’ve cared about anyone else in a long time. But it’s him or me.”

  My mouth dropped open. “You’re giving me an ultimatum? You’ve never had an issue with me dating Cooper.”

  “A summer elf has never killed anyone I love.” He bent his head a little. “It’s bad enough I have to live in the same town as Sinclair. But to share you with him? I can’t, Jayne. I just can’t. I’m sorry.”

  “I’m not going to stop seeing him.” That wouldn’t be fair to Sinclair. And while my heart hurt, I had no claim to Greyson. Not when I was also dating Cooper. We’d always said things were casual and had agreed to no commitments. But that didn’t mean this wasn’t a painful moment. I nodded, a little numb. “Are we still going to be friends?”

  He moved with vampire quickness to pull me into his arms. He kissed my forehead. “I hope so. You can always call me if you need me. I want you to know that. Or if you change your mind.”

  I swallowed, trying to work out what was happening. I was being dumped. And it sucked. “Thanks,” I whispered.

  “This doesn’t mean I don’t still care about you. I do. I just need distance from him.”

  I sighed. Saying I understood would be a lie. But I wasn’t up for any further discussion about how dangerous Sinclair was. The man had saved my life. Nothing was going to make me turn my back on him now. “Take care of yourself, Greyson.”

  “You too, Jayne.” Then he was gone, the warehouse door opening and closing a second later.

  I was sort of glad he left with the speed of his kind. That way, he didn’t have to see the tears I wiped away.

  I composed myself enough to call my dad, bring him up to speed on everything with Lark and myself, then ask him about my special request for Sinclair. Considering the circumstances, he obliged me without the slightest hesitation. Maybe he sensed my general malaise over being dumped. Maybe he felt it was paying back a kindness. Or maybe he thought I was still recovering from the kidnapping and wanted to do something to make me happy. Either way, he did what all fathers who love their daughters do—he said yes to my request.

  I hung up with him and checked the time. I had about thirty minutes before I needed to leave for Sinclair’s. Enough time to get through some of the backlogged emails that were undoubtedly waiting on me.

  Firing up my computer proved I was right. My inbox showed ninety-eight new messages. With a sigh and a click, I headed in.

  There were three from Cooper. I opened the oldest one first and read.

  Hey Jayne,

  Hope all is well with you. Hope Lark is being cool. Sorry I’ve been so out of touch. My mom isn’t progressing like any of us had hoped. It’s going to be a long recovery. I should have called, I know, but I’m not feeling much like talking these days. And the hospital isn’t big on cell phones.

  I’m sorry. This feels like a conversation best had in person, but I’m not sure when I’ll be back in Nocturne Falls. And that’s really what this is about. I’m staying here. At least for the next six months. Or longer. Until my mom is on her feet again. It’s too much for my dad to handle by himself.

  I love you. And I think you love me too. At least a little. But I’ve come to realize these past couple of weeks that life is short. Even for supernatural
s like us. And whatever our feelings for each other, they’re not leading us down the path to forever. That sounds corny in my head even as I type it, but I don’t know how else to say that we should put us on the back burner. At least for now.

  We both deserve more, don’t you think? Doesn’t mean we can’t be friends. I hope we can be. Always. And this letter isn’t because I’ve met someone else. A relationship is the furthest thing from my mind right now. Getting my mom well is my only focus here.

  I guess I’ve rambled enough. Call me when you’re free. If you want to talk. If not, I understand that too.

  Cooper

  I stared at the screen as more tears welled up. Wow. What a day. I read the other two emails from him, both were the about the same, him checking to see if I was still talking to him because I hadn’t called or emailed back.

  I hit reply, but it took me a few minutes to process what he’d said and find my own words to answer with.

  Hi Cooper,

  I’m so sorry to hear about your mom. I hope her recovery improves. She’s so lucky to have you. I think it’s incredible that you’re staying there to help. I’m not mad. About any of it. I understand. I would do the same thing if it was my mom. That willingness to help is a big part of what I’ve always loved about you. Because yes, I do love you. I suspect part of me always will. But you’re right that we weren’t immediately headed toward anything concrete, so I absolutely understand what you’re saying.

  I will always consider you a friend. When you get back to Nocturne Falls, please let me know. And please send me updates about your mom when you get the chance.

  As for Lark, that’s a whole long story, but the short version is, you were right. She didn’t change. I’ll fill you in when we talk next.

  All the best,

  Jayne

  I reread the message three times, then stared at the screen for five minutes until I got the courage to hit send.

  When I tapped that button, a few more tears fell. If Sinclair broke up with me, I was moving home.

  I ran back up to my apartment, washed my face, fixed my makeup, kissed Spider, and then left for Sinclair’s. The walk in the cool air did me good. I had time to think and process and grieve a little.

  To be honest, I thought my first breakup with Cooper was going to kill me, and I’d lived through that. I’d get through losing Greyson and Cooper (again). Having Sinclair would help. A lot. And both Greyson and Cooper had valid reasons. Although Cooper’s was more valid, in my opinion, whereas Greyson was being a little paranoid. But whatever. We were all adults and capable of making our own decisions.

  Besides, I’d never wanted things to get too serious. And it wasn’t like I was completely unwanted by every male being on the planet. Sinclair wanted me. And he was a great guy who’d come to my rescue on more than one occasion. I dug into my purse and found the safety pin with the three remaining obsidian beads on it and squeezed it in my hand.

  Willa’s help, those three little beads, and the man who’d given them to me, were the reasons I was still here.

  By the time I reached Zombie Donuts, my pity party was over. Mostly. I was still a tiny bit blue about Cooper and Greyson. Time would help.

  I rang the buzzer at the street door.

  Sinclair opened it about two seconds later and greeted me with a big smile. “Hey.”

  “You must have been watching for me from the window.”

  “I was. I’m glad you’re here.” He leaned in and kissed me.

  “I’m glad I’m here too.” I glanced at his arm resting in the sling. “Are you in pain?”

  “Not much.” He tipped his head toward the stairs. “C’mon, pizza’s in the oven keeping warm.”

  We settled in at the table with the pizza and a bottle of wine. Sinclair had put the fireplace channel on his television, and it snapped and crackled like the real thing. It was surprisingly comforting. Sugar was asleep on the back of the couch.

  I opened the wine since that was a two-handed task.

  He slid a slice onto each of our plates before sitting down. “I’m glad you came over.”

  “Me too.”

  “Rough day, huh?”

  I laughed. “I’m not sure where to start.” I poured two glasses and took my seat.

  He closed the pizza box and took my hand, kissing my knuckles. “You don’t have to talk about it unless you want to.”

  “Thanks.” I had a bite of pizza. Greyson’s words were ringing in my ears. “How do you feel about vampires?”

  “Pretty much the same way I do about all supernaturals.” He shrugged, then winced. “I need to remember not to do that. Anyway, vampires are just people too. You know what I mean.” He sipped his wine. “Why? Did one of the Ellinghams say something?”

  “No. What would they have said something about?”

  He set his glass down. “Some vampires have a great fear of necromancers because of our abilities. And how those abilities can affect them specifically.”

  “The whole bringing them back to life which actually kills them thing?”

  He nodded. “Right. Which is why I signed the agreement with the Ellinghams.”

  “What agreement?”

  “That I would never use my powers against another citizen of Nocturne Falls so long as I live and work within town limits.”

  “Wow, you made that promise?” Apparently, Greyson didn’t know about that. Or he knew and didn’t trust it. Actually, that was more likely.

  “I did.”

  “You must have really wanted to live in Nocturne Falls.”

  “What I wanted was a place where I could be myself and hopefully be accepted without judgment. This town seemed like that place. A home, you know? A place to settle.”

  “How has that worked out so far?”

  He smiled at me. “So far, pretty good.” He held up his hand. “Hang on.” He got up, went somewhere in the apartment, and came back with a small box. “For you.”

  I opened it. Inside was a new rainbow obsidian bracelet. “Oh, I love it.” I put it on immediately, impressed that he’d already had a new one made. “You know that first bracelet is what saved me.”

  “You carrying those beads is what saved you. It allowed Willa to find you.” He glanced down at his plate. “I can’t imagine what I would have done if those fae had hurt you. Broken my promise to the Ellinghams, I suppose.”

  “No, you wouldn’t have.”

  He looked up. “Jayne, I don’t think you understand how taken with you I am.”

  I smiled. “I think I do. But you said that agreement only applied to citizens of Nocturne Falls. Lark, Lance, and Roddy were visitors.”

  He laughed, crinkling the lines around his eyes. “True.” He reached over and twirled a strand of my hair around his finger. “I am crazy about you, Jayne Frost. I know you’re dating other guys, but I don’t care. I’m going to fight for you.”

  “You won’t have to fight too hard.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “They both dumped me today. Sort of.” I held up my hands. “I don’t really want to talk about it, either. They had their reasons and we’re all still friends and that’s that.”

  He was smiling, but it looked like he was trying not to. “Are you sad?”

  “A little. But I can see you’re not.”

  He laughed. “I feel like life just handed me a gift.”

  “Then you’re really going to like this. I talked to my dad before I came over here. He’s sending a baker from the North Pole kitchens down to Nocturne Falls. Archie Tingle has been a head baker for over thirty years. The man can bake anything. And he will be here for as long as you need help making doughnuts.”

  Sinclair stared at me so long I wasn’t sure my surprise was being well received. “Are you serious?”

  I nodded, still unsure. “Is that okay? I told my dad how you rescued me and how you were injured and told him we should do something to help. I promise Archie can make doughnuts. And he’ll do them exactly like you s
ay.”

  “Okay? It’s…amazing. The fact that I’ll be able to keep my business going is everything. I can’t thank you enough.”

  “You already have. This is my thanks to you. My family’s thanks, really.”

  “Well, we’re even. I’m serious. This is so much more than I expected. Wow.” He sat back and put his hand on his forehead. “I should have gotten you a bigger bracelet.”

  I laughed. “Hey, I had to make sure that supply of doughnuts keeps coming.”

  He grinned and shook his head. “You’re something else, you know that?”

  “So I’ve been told.” I lifted one shoulder in an easy shrug. I was happy and content and falling in love. Life was a rough, bumpy, uncertain road, but when it smoothed out, it was amazingly good. Especially with Sinclair in it. “But there’s a lot more to me than what you’ve seen.”

  “Oh, I’m sure.” He lifted his glass to me. “Here’s to discovering it.”

  I lifted my glass as well, the blissed-out feeling I’d had with him at the ball returning in a smooth easy wave. “Here’s to us.”

  His smile broadened. “That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day.”

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  About the Author

  USA Today Best Selling Author Kristen Painter is a little obsessed with cats, books, chocolate, and shoes. It’s a healthy mix. She loves to entertain her readers with interesting twists and unforgettable characters. She currently writes the best-selling paranormal romance series, Nocturne Falls, and award-winning urban fantasy. The former college English teacher can often be found all over social media where she loves to interact with readers: