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Dedication
For my amazing friends whose faith in me and unwavering support urges me forward into the unknown.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to the Romance the Rock group whose energy and excitement drove this anthology forward with such determination and professionalism. I am honoured and humbled to be part of such an amazing group of talented authors. Thank you as well to my beta readers who always give me such great feedback. This is the first strictly paranormal romance I’ve written and I was very unsure of it so your encouragement and positive words were very much appreciated. Thank you to my street team who have been truly amazing and gracious and supportive and I love you all!
As always, thank you to my amazing boys who make me want to work hard each and every day. Love you both with all of my heart except the little bit that’s left for Fergus; you are my world.
Chapter One
If there was one thing Julia Whiting couldn’t abide, it was a messed up coffee order in the morning. No, it wasn’t the kind of earth shattering peeve one would expect from a successful professional in this day and age with all the serious issues going on in the world. And really, it wasn’t such a big deal; she could always brew one from the kitchen at her office. But Julia liked things in order, and her latte simply did not contain sugar.
“You know that’s why you’re still single, don’t you?” April, her co-worker, said from Julia’s office doorway. She moved her finger in a circle. “That face you make when you’re displeased with your coffee? No one will shag you while your face is screwed up like that.”
Julia swallowed the offensive liquid and shuddered as her mouth filled with the unwelcomed taste of sugar and some version of vanilla flavouring. She has asked for the real stuff.
“One in six times, they mess up my coffee. And it doesn’t matter if I go to the coffee place by me, or the one across the street; one in six—without fail.”
“You could always get a coffee here at the office. They just brought in one of those fancy single-brew machines. Or you could change your route and try another place.”
Julia grinned, “What madness you speak of—that would change my routine.”
“So you’d rather complain about it,” April said with her hand on the doorknob.
It was usually about now that Julia threw something at her friend and her day began. She had worked hard over the last five years to earn her place as the agency’s creative director and she credited her faithful routines for getting her there.
Julia regarded April’s flight-ready stance and instead of picking up one of the stress balls on her desk, she sat back. Maybe April was right—perhaps it was time for a change. While she loved her career, she had to admit, late nights at the office had also earned her a quiet life. She tilted her head to the side. She had not been on a date in nearly a year. It was time to shake things up.
“Say are you going to the party this evening?”
April’s eyes widened and a slow grin spread across her freckled face. April reminded Julia of a faerie pixie with her short-cropped hair and cute upturned nose. April had been trying to get her to go to office parties since she’d started working at the agency seven years earlier, but she had never gone. Not one to mix business with pleasure, Julia was not interested in the office gossip usually following the infamous parties.
“Are you telling me you’re considering going?” April clasped her hands together and Julia was certain she held her breath too.
“I might consider it if you don’t make a big deal out of it.”
When April started bouncing up and down, Julia put her hand up. “I’m serious, April. The Bergman campaign is clued up and I don’t think I can stare at my apartment walls for one more night. But if you tell everyone, I won’t go. The last thing I want is to be the centre of attention.”
April shook her head, grinning from ear to ear. “Mum’s the word. And don’t worry about a costume; I have the perfect one for you.” Before Julia could respond, April dashed away. Over her shoulder and loud enough so everyone could hear, she said, “I will come by your place at six to get us ready for the party.”
Julia couldn’t help but grin. She had few friends and April was by far the closest. Perhaps it would be fun. She’d had plenty of fun in her university days, but since landing an executive position with a prestigious advertising agency upon graduating with her MBA, she’d only had eyes for her work.
“Hey, are you really going to the party tonight?” James, the madly attractive new controller asked from her doorway.
“Wow that news took longer to spread than I thought.” Julia’s belly did a little flip-flop when he smiled. By God, men like him should not be allowed to work in places where they could distract a girl from her job. His six-foot-plus, muscular frame was accented by sandy brown hair and grey eyes that sometimes looked green in certain light, and dimples! Deep ones too. Julia shook the thought. There was no way she would ever get the courage up to ask him out.
“What are you going as?”
“I—have no idea,” she said. April had said she had a costume for her, but failed to mention what it was. No doubt something skimpy and meant to draw the wrong kind of attention.
“Oh that’s ok, you can be coy about it if you like,” he said with a genuine smile. “I am a fae prince,” he said and stepped into the office. He held her gaze as he walked to her desk and placed his hands flat upon it, then leaned toward her. “What is that smell? Vanilla? Mmmm,” he said with a wink. “How I long for a taste.”
She could have sworn his eyes glittered bright green for a moment before he turned and walked out of her office. Her pulse raced from his nearness and his words had caressed her like a lover’s touch.
Julia tried to focus on the laptop in front of her, but her thoughts drifted back to James. Her encounters with him up to this point had been strictly professional, but in truth, she had sort of avoided him as much as possible. Her current distraction with him was evidence enough that she could be in very real danger where he was concerned. Surely no good could come from an office romance.
The clock on her wall chimed 5:00pm. Julia snapped her laptop closed and grabbed her coat. April would be at her condo in an hour and it would take her a good half hour to get there. Something told her she might want to have a glass of wine before then for a little bit of courage.
Julia wasted no time walking from her office in Atlantic Place to her condo on Queen’s Road. She loved downtown St. John’s. There was always something going on from bands playing on the infamous bar lined George Street, to boat tours at the ready to take excited tourists out through the narrows to view the stunning cliffs. Yes, St. John’s was gorgeous and lively and she had ignored its bounty for far too long.
Just as she flipped the lock to her condo open, April bounced around the corner. “I couldn’t wait until six so raced here to meet you so we could get started right away. We have a lot to do and the party starts in three hours so that doesn’t give us much time.”
“Ok April, you need to relax. We have lots of time and if it’s really this much work, then maybe I should reconsider.”
April grabbed Julia’s shoulder. It didn’t quite hurt, but it wasn’t exactly a gentle caress either. “No! I have waited for this for too long, now hurry up and get inside so we can get started.”
If Julia hadn’t known April for such a long time, she might have been weirded-out by her friend’s intensity. She took a deep breath and told herself she would just relax and go with the flow for now.
While April fussed to organize make up and various items of clothing, Julia placed some leftover lasagna in the microwave for them both and popped a bottle of Prosecco.
“Exactly how many of these things have you gone to?” Julia asked.
“All of them,” April said with a proud smile. “Halloween is my favourite time of the year. It’s when everyone gets to be something else for a change.”
“I’m no
t sure I want to be someone else so much. I like who I am, but I would like to get out and blow off some steam.”
April laughed. “You are more than overdue, and I promise you will have a lot of fun this evening. I hear James stopped by your office today,” April said with a raised brow.
“James stops by my office at least three times a week to go over budgets, April. Why would today’s visit have you so intrigued?” This was exactly why she avoided office gatherings.
April shrugged. “No reason. It’s just that he’s single and gorgeous, and you are single and gorgeous and it would be a fun match.”
“Ok, stop. Please? I am not looking to change my marital status this evening.”
April put her hands up in front of her. “Ok, Ok. No more mention of James and the way he looks at you when you pass by,” she said with a sly grin.
Julia shook her head. “Enough! God, eat this will you?” Julia passed a plate of steaming, meaty lasagna to April. “You need some meat on your bones.”
“I don’t understand how you stay so fit if you eat like this all the time, anyway.”
“It’s called cardio and I am very faithful. So tell me about my costume? What am I? Witch? Daenerys Targaryen from GOT? Or some slutty nurse?”
“Oh much better than any of that, my friend.” April jumped up from the table and grabbed a garment bag she had placed over a chair. She unzipped the bag carefully and pulled out a long shimmering blue and silver gown that hardly looked tangible. “You are a fae enchantress.”
Julia’s fork clattered onto her plate. She had never seen anything quite as beautiful in her life. “April where did you get this?” she said as she pushed her chair back and moved toward the garment. She couldn’t be sure if it was a breeze from the window, but as she reached out to touch the delicate material, she was sure it lifted toward her hand. Odd. It felt like nothing at all. Somewhere in the back of her mind, James’ costume registered and a small tingle coursed through her.
“It was a gift from my grandmother many years ago. It never fit me properly and so when you said earlier that you would go this evening, I knew exactly what you would wear.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Julia said.
“Don’t say anything. Just sit there quietly and let me do your make up how I want.”
Julia laughed. “Deal. As long as you keep pouring the wine.”
Julia let April fuss over her for the next couple of hours. She had never spent much time concerned with make-up and hair in her life but had to admit it was nice for a change. They had moved her heavy oval full-length mirror from her bedroom to the kitchen so Julia could watch the step-by-step transformation. Her hair was usually pulled back in a tight bun, hiding its length. Now as April pulled the hot rollers out, big loose curls tumbled down over her back. She had not seen it like this in a long time. She took a deep breath and let her shoulders relax.
April had not gone overboard with the make-up either. A little more weight on her lashes to accent her blue eyes and some silver sparkle on her cheeks was offset by soft pink gloss on her lips. Julia smiled in the mirror. She was pleased with her reflection.
“Now to get you into the dress,” April said. “I’m afraid there isn’t much room for undergarments so let’s go.”
Julia’s brows shot up. “Let’s go what?”
“Strip, baby.”
“No panties or bra?” While the gown was absolutely stunning, Julia wasn’t sure her heavy breasts could handle the lack of support and still look good.
“Trust me,” April said and turned around, affording Julia some privacy.
For a few moments, Julia started at April’s back. It was one thing to get out for a night, but she had never been the type of woman to be bold enough to go braless or pantiless.
“I don’t hear any clothes being removed.”
Julia took a deep breath. Fine. She would try on the dress as April suggested, but if she didn’t like how it fit there was no way she was wearing it.
Shuffling out of her pencil skirt and blouse, Julia only hesitated a minute before releasing the three clasps at the back of her bra, letting it fall to the floor and then sliding her panties off. She lifted the gown and was surprised when the material clung to her skin. Julia wondered if she might need some anti-static spray as she slipped it over her head. The gown seemed to put itself on her body as it hugged each and every curve in a way Julia had never seen fabric move. She watched in the mirror as the gown almost became part of her body as she turned around to fasten a button at the deep vee in the back just above her butt. When she turned around to the front again she was surprised to see how it lifted her breasts to make them look full and round. No bra she had ever owned did that.
“April, what kind of fabric is this? It’s like this was made just for me.”
“It was made for you,” April said.
Julia turned to find April dressed as a faerie pixie with a short, shimmery wispy dress and actual faerie wings! “How on earth did you get ready so quickly?”
April smiled. There was something different about her as she walked—no practically glided—toward Julia. It was like she shimmered, not just her dress.
“Remember when I told you why I love Halloween so much?”
Julia took a step back. “You said you could be someone else for a change.”
April put her hand up. “Don’t be afraid, Jewel. This is my real self. It’s every other day that I have to pretend. We have been looking for you for a long time.”
Julia shook her head. “Very funny April. I get that you want to get into character, but this is a little much and you’re freaking me out now. My name is Julia, not Jewel.”
“You don’t know how important you are and there’s unfortunately little time to explain.”
The room spun around Julia. Her knees buckled a little and she had a fleeting thought that she’d been drugged.
April caught her just as the floor shot up to meet her. Julia blinked her eyes a few times and watched the ceiling as she floated into her living room and was placed on her couch.
“What—how?”
“Hush, Jewel. Just relax and let your feelings guide you. They will show you what I say is true. Now close your eyes and feel.”
Julia did as she was asked. In her mind’s eye she flew over fields and mountains in far off lands. Faces floated up before her she did not recognize. Or did she? Somehow, as shocking as what April said seemed, a part of Julia knew she was right. She was something more than human and being in this dress somehow validated it. She saw herself atop a mountain wearing it and a silver crown with a large sapphire entwined inside.
She sat up. “There was something about the way James looked at me earlier. Am I—are we—”
“We are fae, and you are our queen. A long time ago it was necessary for you to hide from the Vampire King who wanted you for his own. Our people were nearly destroyed in the process. I have been looking for you for a century and finally found you on the day I arrived at the company for my interview. Do you remember?”
Julia did remember. April had stopped dead in her tracks, smiled, and then embraced her. It had been an incredibly awkward moment. “Yes, I remember. But April, why now? We have worked together for years.”
“That’s a little more difficult to explain. Will you believe me when I say it’s important for you to meet with James tonight?”
“Logically I would say you are out of your mind, but in my gut I believe it and that scares the crap out of me.”
“I know. There’s also a reason why you have been so focused on your routine and unwilling to let love in.”
“Let me guess, this also has something to do with James and you want me to find out for myself?”
April smiled. “You catch on quickly, my queen.” April stood and held out her hand. “Now we must go to the party. You must trust your intuition tonight, Jewel.”
Julia took April’s hand and the room when dark. Her body felt as if it had been flung up agai
nst the wall and then everything went silent. April laughed beside her.
“You can open your eyes now. We are here.”
Julia cautiously opened one eye and peeked around. They were in the bathroom at her office.
“How did you do that?” Julia whispered her question as she pulled he hand from April’s grasp.
“Like I said. Not enough time to explain this evening, but you will understand soon enough.”
It was all way too much and Julia’s logic warred with her instincts. As she turned to make for the door she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. The woman in the reflection looked as regal as any queen she had ever seen or imagined. As crazy as all this was, deep within her, Julia didn’t feel unsafe. Could she really be queen to a people in great danger?
The booming music and flashing lights overwhelmed Julia’s senses. All her nerve endings tingled and she was hyper-aware of everyone in the room. Without even scanning the crowd, she knew without a doubt that James was not there.
But there was someone else who drew her attention.
Dressed in black from head to toe with eyes that glittered in the dark, the new graphic designer, Victor, watched her from the makeshift bar that was usually the reception area. Julia had only met him a couple of times and he seemed talented enough, but a brooding sort of fellow so Julia had avoided him up to this point.
As he watched her, she could almost feel his gaze burning a path down over the curves of her body making her feel more exposed than ever. April grabbed her hand and led her away from the bar and from Victor.
“Come. James is outside waiting for you.”
They stepped outside onto the large stone deck overlooking the harbour. It was a clear night and the moon hung low on the horizon. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Julia recalled seeing a headline on some newsfeed stating that tonight’s full moon had not been so close to the earth in a hundred years or something like that. It glowed a yellowish-orange and she could swear the man-in-the-moon smiled at her.
Tricks & Treats: A Romance Anthology Page 3
