Enchanting Wilder

by Cassie Graham

  “We can’t.”

  I nod. “We can.”

  “Declan!” she shouts above the music playing on the jukebox. “We can’t go to Greece.”

  “We’re going. Now. We’re not getting any younger.”

  She hesitates. “I’m not this spontaneous. I’ve never even been out of Massachusetts.”

  “What?” I ask, dumbfounded. “No. No way. That can’t be true.”

  She bites on her nail again. “Well, I mean—that’s not technically true. I’ve been all over the world in people’s dreams.”

  “Not the same.”

  “I know, but this is nuts. We’re insane, right?”

  “Undoubtedly. It’s childish and even a little foolish.”

  Her face falls.

  “But that’s exactly why we need to go.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Seriously.”

  I grab her hand and we make our way into the unknown.

  McKenna: I’ll be back in a few hours.

  Candy: A few hours?! Explain.

  McKenna: I can’t. Not now. I’m safe. Everything is okay, but I’ve already left and I won’t be home for a bit.

  Candy: What? McKenna, who are you and what have you done with my sister?

  McKenna: She’s having fun. For the first time ever. I love you. I’ll let you know when I’m on my way home.

  Candy: Use protection. ;) Love you.

  McKenna: Not that kind of fun. And take your own advice.

  Candy: Sure, sure. Whatever you say, big sister. And why do you think I need protection?

  McKenna: One word: Jared.

  Candy: Hush. But yeah, hubba hubba.

  McKenna: I know that’s where you disappeared to earlier. It’s fine—wonderful, actually. Have some fun. I’ll see you in the morning. Love you.

  I shove my phone back into my purse and swipe the hair away from my face. “We’re all good. I told Candy I’d be late.”

  “Who’s Candy?” Declan asks as he slides into the driver’s seat of his car.

  Oh right. We haven’t had that talk yet. “My sister.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep.”

  “Only have the one?”

  I nod, looking out the windshield as he pulls out of the parking lot. “Yeah. She’s a couple years younger than me. She’s pretty great.”

  “She’s a dream jumper, too?”

  I nod.

  He shakes his head.

  “What is it?”

  “It’s just—I’ve never been too fond of witches, and here I am getting ready to go to Greece on a whim with one.”

  I laugh, rolling the window down a little to allow the cold air to hit my face. “Life is a funny thing, I guess. But I don’t blame you, I’ve known some witches to be assholes.”

  He looks to me, his eyes sincere. “At least there’s you.”

  Stupid heart flutters. “At least there’s me.” Declan pulls into a dilapidated hotel and stops in front of a room. “What are we doing?” Suddenly, I’m not feeling so safe anymore. A grungy hotel plus a semi-drunk McKenna equals a crime scene waiting to happen.

  Declan pulls a greasy bag from the backseat and rolls his eyes. “I’m bringing my brother dinner.”

  When did he get that burger? I must have missed it when I ran to the bathroom before we left the bar. “Your brother?” Oh, right. I’d forgotten he had a brother.

  Wood. I still think that name is funny.

  “Yep. I’ll be right back.” He exits the car and I watch as he walks into the door, leaving it open. A few seconds pass when a guy with longer, shaggy sandy blonde colored hair and green eyes steps outside to look at me. I feel small as he scrutinizes me. His eyes narrow and the pinched look on his face seems as if he’s sucked on the world’s sourest lemon.

  “It’s fine.” I hear Declan say, putting a hand on Wood’s shoulder. “I’ll be back in a couple hours.”

  “You need to sleep, man. I had a breakthrough and we need to get this case done. You need your strength.”

  “I’ll sleep when I get home,” Declan with a harsh tone, unforgiving. “I want to do this. I need to do this.” He whispers the last part, but I catch it anyway.

  Wood takes a deep breath and looks at me, his eyebrows furrowed and scowly. “Fine.” He turns around and slams the door behind him.

  “Sorry about that,” Declan utters when he gets back into the car.

  “We don’t have to go, Declan. I can go home and you can finish your case. I don’t want to get in the middle of what you’re here for.”

  “You’re not,” he assures, placing his hand on my leg and squeezing. “You’re not. I want to do this.”

  I breathe deep through my nose and accept his answer. “Okay.”

  “So we need to blip, right?”

  I laugh. “Dissipate, yes.”

  “Right, Dissipate. Is there anything you need to do it?”

  I chew on my nail. “As in ingredients? No. I mean, nature helps. The trees, the moon, the sun.”

  “Do you need to be in full view of the moon?”

  I duck down to look out of the window at the sky. “It would help, but it’s not necessary. It’s a little cloudy tonight. We can use the elements to draw from. Earth is the best weapon in our arsenal. So get me to a wooded area and we should be okay.” I snicker.

  The corner of Declan’s mouth turns up. “So no parking lots? Got it.”

  “Definitely not. Parking lots are not magical.”

  He grunts. “I don’t know about that. Depends on the setting.”

  My eyebrows wrinkle and I give him a look of inquisitiveness. “What does that mean?”

  The dimples on his cheeks show themselves and he chuckles. “Maybe I’ll show you what I mean one day.”

  My heartbeat speeds up and a wide grin spreads across my lips. I know he didn’t say it, but in so many words, he told me he’d see me again. I would be lying if I said that didn’t excite me a little bit.

  We both stay silent as we make our way out of town and into the deep woods. It’s only now I think this could be a huge mistake. I don’t really know Declan. I mean—sure, he’s a Pursuer and he seems like a great guy, but he could be a murderer for all I know. I guess he didn’t murder me at the hotel, that’s something.

  Tugging on my bottom lip, I wonder if I should allow myself to truly trust him. I’m so back and forth about it. Trust is such a simple thing, yet ridiculously complex. It’s like free-falling off a cliff. You have give yourself completely over to fate. You hope and pray your parachute opens in time to save you, yet if it doesn’t, you’re forced to use your back-up plan, hoping you don’t lose yourself in the process. Trust the wrong person and your parachute could malfunction. I can easily see myself falling for a guy like him. I shouldn’t take the plunge, but the rush could be so exhilarating.

  Declan eyes me warily. “You’re awfully quiet over there.”

  Weighing my options, I tilt my head and watch him. “I’m just thinking.”

  “Thinking about what?”

  I can’t tell him what I was actually thinking, so instead, I go another direction. “Are you a murderer?”

  Declan sputters and coughs into one of his hands while steering with the other. “What? No!” He seems a little put off I asked. “I mean, not in the sense you’re probably worrying about right now.”

  “What do you mean?” My interest is piqued now.

  He pulls off the highway, pressing his lips together in a small grimace. Once he finds a clearing he’s content with, he shuts off the car and exits without a word. He stomps to the front of the car and sits heavily on the hood, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jacket. His head bows and small puffs of air plume around him.

  Getting out of the car, I tightly wrap my jacket around my body and make my way to him. “You okay?” I didn’t mean to hit such a nerve. I was trying to joke.

  Declan runs his hand through his hair and looks down at the ground. He clasps his hands and his legs
bounce. His hair sticks up in a disheveled mess; way too beautiful for his own good and I fight the urge to soothe him.

  “Not really, McKenna. I am a murderer.” His head pivots toward mine, and his eyes beg for me to understand. “Not one that kills humans. I don’t kill just to kill, but I do kill,” he whispers. “I’ve killed more monsters than I can count.”

  I stay silent, afraid any retort will cause him dismay.

  “You should probably run.”

  I tuck my hair behind my ear. “I’m not going to run. I know you think you’re a bad guy, and you’re weighed down by your guilt, but you have to find a way to let it go.”

  A ghost of a smile pulls on his lips. “I wouldn’t be me without the guilt.”

  “I don’t know about that. But, this is your life. You have to accept your responsibilities and not feel bad about them. You’re saving lives, Declan.”

  He gulps.

  “You save more than you kill. I can guarantee that.”

  “You have far too much confidence in me, Mighty.”

  I sit next to him on the car. “Mighty?”

  This time he smiles. It’s radiant and glowing, causing my brain to slow for just a moment to take a mental picture—something so I could see him when he’s long gone. “Mighty. That’s what you are. You’re strong and brave. I could learn a thing or two from you.”

  My mouth purses and I tilt my head. “Hardly.”

  Declan jumps from the car, landing heavily on the ground, the dirt skirting around the air. “Enough of the heavy. What are we waiting for? Greece is calling.”

  Shoving my phone into my back pocket, I take hold of Declan’s hands and walk to the middle of the clearing. Once we’re in the center, we stand facing each other. “Okay, close your eyes and empty your mind.”

  “Shouldn’t be too hard,” he mumbles out of the corner of his mouth.

  I sputter. “Shush. I have to concentrate.”

  “Sorry.”

  I peek one of my eyes open and smile when I see he’s got a playful grin on his face. Chanting the incantation in my mind, I repeat it over and over. Huma, loet, una, rasha. Huma, loet, una, rasha. Huma, loet, una rasha.

  The wind begins to rustle around us and I hold onto Declan’s hands tighter. He does the same, and before I know what’s happening, it feels as if we’re in the middle of a hurricane. My hair whips around and I’m knocked off balance. Declan wraps his arms around me. Just as I think we’re going to be swept away like Dorothy in OZ, I open my eyes, the wind settling.

  “Holy shit,” Declan breathes as he takes in the crystal clear blue water and white villas around us. This specific spell transports us to a place of our choice while keeping us invisible until I speak another incantation to bring us out of it. Declan and I can still see each other, but to the outside world, we can’t be seen.

  Double-checking to make sure we’re alone, I speak low, “Asa, canum, fare.” Within a couple seconds, we’re visible again.

  “We did it,” I cheer, clapping my hands.

  Declan smiles radiantly and pulls me into a hug, spinning us around in a circle. “You did it.”

  He sets me down and I cover my mouth with my hand. “That was amazing.”

  “It was.”

  I blush, the fire cascading over my face. “Where should we go?”

  Out of nowhere, Declan covers his mouth, an odd shade of white covering his face.

  “You okay?” I ask, putting my hand on his shoulder as he bends down, gripping his stomach.

  He breathes deep through his nose and shakes his head.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask, my tone worried.

  He swallows, moving his hands to his knees, closing his eyes forcefully. “It must be from Dissipating.” His voice is so little. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

  My mouth drops open and I immediately grasp both of his shoulders, his body rigid under my hands. Making him stand straight, I chant with all my might, syphoning all of my power into him, “abo, infirmiate.”

  Declan grunts and as if a jolt of electricity hits his body, he shakes a couple times in my hands, his body shuddering. I wait long seconds, watching as the magic works its way into his body, healing him from the pain. When he finally opens his eyes, and lifts his head, it’s back to his normal color and he smiles.

  “Better?” I dare ask.

  Declan touches his stomach, probably still tender. “So much. Thank you.”

  I clasp our hands together, feeling a little bold. “Of course.”

  He stares at me for a few moments, smiling. “Come on, let’s go find some food.”

  I laugh and shake my head as he pulls me along a street I can’t pronounce. “Think you can handle that? You were literally just bent over in pain not three minutes ago.”

  His mouth turns down in a contemplating manner. “I’m actually really hungry.”

  Covering my forehead with my other hand, I smile and look to where the sun sits high in the sky. Oh crap. What time is it? I don’t know how to tell the time by the sun’s location. “God, I don’t even know what time it is.”

  Declan digs through the front pocket of his jeans and clicks on his phone. “It’s a little after eleven.”

  I blink a few times, totally forgetting we aren’t in a magical land without internet. Greece is up to speed with the world. Where equipment—like phones—still exist. “Technology is awesome.”

  He chuckles and squeezes my hand.

  We walk though the cobblestone streets, taking in the sights of people sitting outside their homes. A woman waves at us as we pass her sitting on a chair knitting some sort of clothing. Another man cleaning the bricks outside a store greets us using a word neither of us have heard before. “Kalimara!” he said.

  Thanks to a quick Google search, we learn it means “good day.”

  “Kalimara!” Declan and I greet every person we come across, laughing hysterically each time. His sickness forgotten, Declan looks lighter, healthier and more carefree. He twirls me around, dancing in the streets for everyone to see. This is a side of him I didn’t think I’d ever see. People clap as Declan dips me and I wonder if this is who he would be if he didn’t have the guilt of his life on his shoulders.

  “We’re a couple of goofs,” I say when we find a small café in a village just off the water. Time passed at lightning speed, we’ve already been here a couple of hours.

  Time is such a fickle thing. When you most want it to slow down, it puts on its running shoes and heads for the hills, leaving you behind in the dust feeling sad and alone, mourning the loss. And, in the moments you need it to speed up—the moments when you miss someone so badly you’ll do anything for the hands on the clock to tick faster just to be with them—they inch at a snail’s pace.

  I’m still a little out of breath from dancing so I take the scarf off my neck and fan my face. The sparkling sun reflects off the water, creating a laser eye beam, and I’m glad I brought my sunglasses. It can’t be more than seventy degrees but it’s bright as hell. “I’m having a lot of fun.”

  Declan pulls out my chair and then sits across from me. We bump feet underneath the tiny table. I relish in the feeling, questioning if I’m going crazy having that little contact with him, or if I’m just on a high from traveling across the world.

  “Me too. Thank you for bringing me.”

  Pulling my jacket off, I sit back in my chair. “Thank you for reminding me to live a little. I wouldn’t have done this without you.”

  Declan flashes me a toothy smirk.

  Under the table, he skates his foot next to mine. I’m far too scared to move, so I do my best to hide I’m totally freaking out. Why is this freaking me out? An amazing-looking guy is giving me a playful smirk with a metaphorical go-ahead, and I’m sitting here sweating bullets.

  A beautiful, blue-eyed Greek goddess with raven hair walks up to us and I slump in my chair—embarrassed by my sloppy appearance. She eyes Declan with a palpable want. I can’t help but question my beauty. Espe
cially with her standing within inches of my proximity, I’m contemplating it—and coming up short. I have an entire day and a night of drinking under my belt. To say I need a shower would be overly correct.

  To my complete surprise, Declan doesn’t notice her. His eyes stay trained on me, and when she realizes he isn’t going to give her much thought, she begins to spout a bunch of Greek words Declan and I can’t understand. We look at each other in question and laugh. We hadn’t thought about the language barrier when we decided to come here. We try our best to point and make gestures, hoping she understands us. We probably should have gone somewhere where they speak English. Stupid 20/20 hindsight.

  “Oh, oh. You speak English?” the waitress says, laughing at our theatrics, her ego no longer hurt.

  Declan breathes a sigh of relief and looks to me. “We do. What would you like, Mighty?”

  Eyes wide, I stare at the menu, but, unlike America, it doesn’t have words I can comprehend, nor are there any pictures. “Oh, umm…eggs? Scrambled.”

  The waitress smiles. “That, we can do.”

  “A croissant? Orange juice?” I add.

  She nods and slides her eyes at Declan. “And for you?”

  He slides his foot farther under the table, fully wrapping his leg around mine. “I’ll have the same.”

  Though the waitress ogled Declan when she first saw him, I’m pretty sure she noticed the way he just eyed me. Even I didn’t miss it, and I’m not usually one to see those sorts of signs. Hell—the butterflies in my stomach sure as hell didn’t miss it.

  “We have to get back soon,” I say with a sad tone. I am sad. The past few hours have been by far the most amazing I’ve had in a long time.

  It’s close to sun up back home, and if I’m not in my bed by the time Candy wakes up, she’s going to have a conniption. One that includes many various and colorful profanities.

  “Let’s stay,” Declan offers. Is he serious? “We could find a little villa to live in. Find jobs at a local café, or you could find a flower shop. It would be the most spontaneous thing you’d ever do.”

  Massive understatement. And the word wouldn’t be spontaneous—it would be stupid. So so stupid.

  I smirk his way because I know he’s challenging me. He’s joking; I can see it in his eyes.