A Faire in Paradise

by Tianna Xander

  “This one was.” Alexa took a deep breath and sighed. “I was in the salon they have inside up by the service desk.” Reaching up, Alexa touched her hair. “You know how I like that special shampoo…” She continued, giving a one-shoulder shrug. “He was in a chair when I got there. I swear the hairdresser has the hots for him. She was rubbing all over him like a cat in heat. Then…I guess he changed his mind about getting a cut.” She chuckled. “He bound up out of the chair like his rear was on fire. I think he pissed off the hairdresser. At least she didn’t look happy.”

  She handed the last two bags to Nadya, walked the cart the twenty or so feet to the cart corral, and gave it a shove.

  “So he’s a local in need of a haircut. Of course he’s beautiful.” Nadya shook her head and clucked her tongue. “I should have known.” She laughed. “Honey, you’ve been hanging around with the guys at the carnival too much if you think shaggy is beautiful.”

  “That’s just it.” Alexa heaved a dreamy sigh. “He wasn’t shaggy at all. His hair was already military short. I don’t even know why he thought it needed a trim. He was also clean-shaven and so sexy with his sable brown hair and eyes as green as Ohio Valley grass. I wanted to rip every shred of material from his hard body and inspect every single inch of his tanned skin with my tongue.” She pressed her hands to her cheeks, her face burning at her confession. She’d never felt that way about a man in her life!

  “Wow! That’s some kind of sexy, if it makes you want to do something like that.” Nadya nodded. “That explains why you ran out here the way you did. Admit it. You were terrified of the man’s awesomeness.”

  “Will you be serious?” Alexa grabbed a bag of refrigerated items and started shoving them in the refrigerator. “I have separate receipts. We might have to compare things to them later.” She emptied her bags and closed the door. “There was just something about him. I’m not sure what. I just felt…” She bit her lip. “I don’t know. Something strange happened in there when he looked at me. I could have sworn I heard a big cat snarl and the word mate.”

  “Of course you did.” Nadya stowed several bags full of non-perishables in the cubby under one of the dinette seats. “Something inside you finally woke up.” She wrapped her arm around Alexa’s shoulders and squeezed. “It happens to all of us sooner or later.”

  Alexa’s stomach clenched at the thought. She hoped something hadn’t woken up. She didn’t want it, couldn’t afford it. Not a gift. She pressed her lips together, closed her eyes, and prayed that she wouldn’t get her gift this late in the game. It was the last thing she wanted, at this point in her life.

  “Time to go. I hear everyone starting up.”

  The rumble of truck engines and the smell of gas and diesel exhaust slapped Alexa as soon as she stepped down from the rig. Wrinkling her nose, she made her way to Nadya’s vehicle. She wouldn’t miss the smell of the trucks and generators, that was certain. Though she knew she would miss certain people and the smell of Italian sausage that she had always associated with fairs and carnivals.

  “Did our guide show up?” Alexa frowned, looking through the windshield. “From what I understood, this place isn’t easy to find.”

  “Yeah.” Nadya pointed to the left at a tall, muscular man with much the same coloring as the man she’d seen in the salon. This man’s hair was darker though. She liked the rich sable color of the hair on her mystery man.

  Her stomach clenched again as she thought of the man. She fisted her hands on her lap and concentrated on keeping her feet still.

  “Why are you so fidgety?” Nadya frowned at her. “You haven’t been able to stand or sit still since you came back from the store.” She turned her gaze back out through the windshield and smiled as she put the truck in gear and eased on the gas. “And we’re off.”

  They took what appeared to be the main road out of town. About ten miles, or so out, they turned onto a small dirt tract that didn’t look like it could be someone’s driveway, not to mention a road to a good-sized town.

  “What kind of town is this?” Nadya asked, as she frowned through the glass at the vehicle in front of them.

  It was one of the kid’s rides. Alexa didn’t remember which one. “I was just wondering the same thing.”

  They followed the leader down the road. Alexa felt strange. It was as though something pulled at her, warning her, but then after only a few moments it was gone.

  “Look at that,” Nadya said pointing. There’s this low-lying fog covering the ground everywhere but the road. Isn’t that weird?”

  Alexa nodded. It was weird. “I noticed that, too. It’s almost as though it’s parting for us.” She shook off the ridiculous notion with a laugh. “That’s just crazy, right? I’ll bet the heat from our engines caused it to dissipate on the road. Not too long after we’re through, it will most likely cover the road again.”

  “It’s creepy.” Nadya shuddered. “I almost feel as though there’s something out there in that fog, waiting for me. Like it wants to hurt me.” She shook her head. “Listen to us,” she added with a laugh. “Next we’ll be imagining vampires in capes who tell us, I vant to drink your blood with horrible B-movie accents.”

  “I know what you mean.” Alexa laughed, as well. Mainly because if she didn’t laugh, she knew she would scream. She felt some strange evil…thing lurking in the mist, too.

  Chapter Four

  Ryker slapped his hat on his head and left the diner. He’d just finished his lunch when Wade called to tell him about the woman he’d seen in Mason. As much as he wanted to head out and help his friend find the woman, he had work to do here.

  Their ranch wasn’t going to repair itself and he had to be on site when the carnival came in. They were setting up on the line of Paradise and their property ran just along the outer edges of the spell line.

  They already had people watching the gates. Instead of strengthening the spells, they were there to change them just enough to allow outsiders in for the next few days. Everyone in town had sworn to be on their best behavior, meaning no shifting until the faire was over and everyone who didn’t live in Paradise had gone home.

  It would be difficult for the adolescents, but it was good disciplinary practice. All shifters had to learn how to control their tempers, and anything else that could urge them to give their beast free reign. If they didn’t, they’d be shifting all over the damn place revealing their secrets to the world.

  His phone rang. Reaching down, he pulled it from the clip on his hip. “Herrick here.”

  “Hey, Ryker. It’s Adam. Can you get over to your place and tell them where to set up? They’re on their way.”

  “Sure, Alpha. I’ll be right there.”

  “I wish you’d call me Adam. We were friends once.”

  “That was before we took Paradise from those insane bastards and before I knew you were the rightful alpha.”

  “It shouldn’t matter what I am.” The alpha sighed. “I liked being friends. I liked having your confidence and I want that back. I need a new council and I’d like you to consider taking a seat.”

  “You’re shitting me.” Ryker barked out a laugh. “Me on the council? Maybe we should challenge your position, alpha. I’m not sure I should follow a man crazy enough to put me on a council.”

  “You’re a good man. Think about it.”

  “Okay, alpha,” Ryker said with a sigh.

  “Oh, and, Ryker?”

  “Yes?”

  “The next time you even joke about challenging me, you’d better be ready to do it. And call me Adam. That’s an order from your alpha.”

  Shit! “Yes, alph—Adam.”

  With a curse, Ryker shoved his phone back into its clip and headed for his horse. He’d ridden into town for some lunch and to use the phone book at the diner. They needed a farrier. Most of the horses they had gotten so far, were rescues and every one of them needed new shoes.

  Now that he had one scheduled to come out to th
e ranch on Monday, he’d already planned to head back to the ranch. The alpha’s call really had little to do with the fact that he was heading home.

  Why did Adam want him on the council? He was nobody special. So he’d been the man’s friend when he didn’t know who he was, so what? Now that he did know, he knew that the alpha needed to hold himself to a higher standard and friends like Ryker Herrick and Wade Remington would only bring him down.

  Mounting his horse, Ryker clucked his tongue and eased the gelding around, careful to be gentle with his mouth. The horse had been abused and Ryker wanted to teach the mount that having a bit in his mouth didn’t have to cause the beast pain.

  “Come on, boy. Let’s get on home. I have a nice juicy apple there for you.”

  The way he figured it, he’d have just enough time to ride home, curry his mount, and feed the stock before the carnival folk arrived. He only hoped they mapped out enough property for them. Otherwise, they might have to tear down a fence or two and he really wasn’t looking forward to that.

  Chapter Five

  “Look, a diner,” Nadya said as she pointed to their right while she brought the truck to a stop in a vacant lot next to the restaurant. “Oh, my God! Is that who I think it is?” She jammed the truck in park, yanked the keys from the ignition, and jumped out.

  Alexa was closer, reaching their friend just a few seconds before Nadya. They both squealed when they pulled the woman into their arms and squeezed her tight. “

  “Are these friends of yours?” A man asked. It was the first time Alexa even noticed the stranger standing next to her friend, Milla.

  “Yes.” Milla said with a nod as she swiped her arm over her eyes. She most likely did it to hide the fact that there were tears in them.

  “Perry’s going to shit a brick when he finds out you’re here.” Alexa hugged her again.

  “I’m sure he already knows. You guys have been on my trail since I left. I’m sure it was no accident.” She turned to the man who stood next to her, so tall and strong.

  Alexa hoped the man was the one with whom Milla could make a life. If not, the man sure did want to be the one, if the way he held himself so close to her like some sort of protector, was any indication.

  “Maybe, he knows, maybe not.” If he did, he’d kept that information close to his chest. He never once let on that they were following Milla. Was her friend just paranoid, or was there some truth to what she thought? “It doesn’t make me any less glad to see you. In fact—“She pursed her lips as she looked the man up and down. He certainly was an easy man to look at, but nowhere near as handsome as the salon cowboy. “I have a few questions to ask,” she lowered her voice to a whisper. “I’ve been thinking about leaving the carnival myself.”

  “It’s a freeing experience.”

  Alexa couldn’t help herself, she reached out and pulled Milla into another long embrace before she stepped back and smiled. “Aren’t you going to introduce us to your new friend?”

  “Oh!” Milla turned red. “I’m sorry. Alexa and Nadya, meet Jonas. He’s one of the first real gentlemen I’ve ever met.” She smiled. “Though there are a lot of real gentlemen in this town. I’ve only been here a short while and I’ve found that out already.”

  “Ladies,” the man said as he touched the brim of his cowboy hat. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He glanced at Milla. “I don’t want to cut your reunion short. Would you like to stay here and have dessert while I go find Mel?”

  “Mel? Who’s Mel?” Both Alexa and Nadya asked at the same time.

  “He’s another friend,” Milla replied as they headed into the diner. “And you’re not going to believe who he looks like. You’re going to have to prepare yourselves for when you meet him.”

  “Hello, ladies, can I get you something to eat?” A nice middle-aged woman wearing black slacks and a white blouse approached the table, holding a pad of paper in one hand and a pencil in the other. She turned to Milla. “Well, hello again, sugar. Did you decide to have some dessert after all?”

  “Yes, Sarah.” Milla cleared her throat. “I’ll take a small piece of that chocolate cake I saw on the counter.”

  Sarah leaned down to whisper, “The shortcake is better.” She smiled. “It’s to die for with ice cream.”

  “Then I’ll take an order of that, but only after they’ve had their lunch. They have to be starving.”

  Alexa studied the menu and asked, “How’s the spaghetti?” She loved spaghetti. Finding good spaghetti in a diner was difficult to do. Home cooked was always best, but one took what one could get.

  “The spaghetti is wonderful.” Sarah smiled. “Is that what you’d like?”

  “Yes please.” Alexa nodded.

  “I’ll have the same.” Nadya closed her menu and, taking Alexa’s, handed them both to the waitress.

  “It’ll be just a few minutes.” Sarah smiled and hurried away to the kitchen.

  “She seems nice.” Nadya rested her chin on the heel of her hands and gave a dreamy look to two men who sat by the window.

  “The whole town is nice. It’s almost too good to be true.” Milla sat back and crossed her arms. “I’m thinking about staying here. We can ask the town’s leader if you can stay, too.”

  “We have to ask permission to stay?” Alexa stared at Milla. “What’s up with that?”

  “Um…there are certain things that, uh, happen here and they want to make sure that the town has nothing but like-minded people here.”

  “Like-minded? What are you talking about? You can’t stay here. It sounds like the carnival all over again.” Nadya’s voice was low.

  “It’s not the same at all. I already know what their secret is.” Milla tilted her head and raised a brow. “Or have you forgotten what my gift is?”

  “We haven’t forgotten. I’ll tell you, things have been really creepy since you left. Perry’s been sleeping with just about everyone, including some of the guys,” Nadya said with a frown. “And I didn’t think he swung that way.”

  “Nadya thinks that I’m next on his conquest list.”

  “Stay off the list,” Milla said as she grabbed Alexa’s hand. “Whatever you do, don’t sleep with the man. I don’t know how he did it, but he got his claws into me good after I broke down and slept with him.”

  “Just, eew!” Alexa scowled at Milla. “As if I would sleep with one of your exes. It’s not as though I think there’s anything wrong with you, but friends don’t date their friend’s ex-boyfriends. If that’s not already some sort of best friend rule, it should be.” She shuddered. “Eew!”

  Milla laughed. “I’m glad to hear it. The man is poison.”

  Sarah brought their food and they continued to catch up while they ate. Other carnival members found their way into the diner and their conversation turned to other things that wouldn’t interest the new ears around them.

  “So we’ll talk about petitioning the leader after we leave here, then?” Alexa asked then took a sip of her cola. “I’d really love to get an answer as soon as possible.”

  “Me, too. I’ll talk to Jonas and Mel and ask them what they think. Meanwhile…” Milla leaned close and dropped her voice to a whisper. “Act normal, set up your rigs like you usually do and I’ll get back to you. Okay?”

  Alexa nodded. She turned toward Nadya as she did the same. The door opened and a tall man with shoulders broad enough to touch the doorframe on either side entered the diner. It wasn’t until he took his hat off his head that Alexa recognized the man and gasped.

  Chapter Six

  After searching the town of Mason for the scent of his mystery woman, Wade got in his beat up old truck and headed back to Paradise. He wasn’t ready to make a choice on a new vehicle when all he could think about was one beautiful woman who smelled of peaches and honey.

  He didn’t know what gave her that scent, and frankly, he didn’t care. He only knew that he loved the way she smelled of Sarah Browning’s peach cobbler.
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  In fact, she’d made him crave the stuff. He imagined he smelled that cobbler all the way to Paradise and here he was, standing in the door of the Beat The Clock Diner, his mouth watering for a bite of the delicious dessert.

  Standing in the doorway, he waited until his eyes adjusted to the dimmer interior of the diner. It took that long to realize that all of the tables were filled with the carnival folk looking for a good meal. Well, they wouldn’t walk away from this diner hungry. If they did, it was their fault.

  It wasn’t until he’d picked his way through the tables, heading to the counter at the back where he saw a few empty stools that Wade noticed the lovely peach cobbler smell wasn’t coming from the counter, but from one of the tables.

  Wade closed his eyes and groaned. Someone already had the last of it. He turned to give the lucky diner a scowl when he realized that it wasn’t Sarah’s cobbler he smelled, but the mystery woman he thought he’d lost forever.

  The sight of her hit him like a punch in the gut. Slowly, as though nothing in the world was wrong, he made his way to the counter.

  “Why hello, Wade.”

  “Hello, Sarah. You look as though you have your hands full.”

  “I’m doing fine. I like it busy.” She smiled. “Besides, I’ll have help in a few minutes. I called in reinforcements. Can I get you something?”

  “I’ll just have a cup of coffee and the check for the three women over at that table.” He gestured to his right.

  “Which one is she, sugar?” Sarah gave him a knowing grin.

  “The brunette.”

  “She seems nice enough. Try not to scare her off now.” She glanced toward the table. “Have you told Ryker?”

  “Not about finding her here.” He continued at Sarah’s inquiring expression. “I saw her in Mason a few hours ago. I thought I’d lost her there. Her scent was everywhere and nowhere. I decided to come on home because…” he paused with a smile. “She smells just like your peach cobbler.”