by P. Jameson
She shook her head. “He doesn’t give up. He keeps chasing and chasing. I don’t know what he wants, I only know he won’t stop until he gets it.”
“You’re safe,” he insisted. “I’ll see to it. Have faith, woman.”
Faith in a man she’d only known a day. Yet, he was the only pin-point of light she knew. Faith in a man who only had a temporary home in Aurora Falls. She wondered where his other home was.
“You will leave in a few days,” she reminded. “And I’ve been afraid of this man for much longer. I feel it deep down. He’s dangerous.”
“I’ve battled dangerous men before. I will do it again.”
“You have no reason to do this for me,” she whispered. “You already saved me once.”
With his thumb under her chin, he pressed her face up until she met his furious gaze. In the moment, he looked just as dangerous as the man she feared… except Mansen was like an avenging angel. Dangerous because he would fight for her.
Run, run, run. Her mind screamed it, but she didn’t want to run from this. From him.
“I will save you a thousand times, female. Whatever it takes. You are mine. The gods gave you to me.”
Doe whimpered, a shiver running up her spine. She wanted that to be true. Wanted to belong to someone who cared enough to keep her. And more than anything, she wanted to feel safe, truly safe, from the things she’d been running from for so long.
For so long.
The thought came to her, but she had no context. How long had she been running? How long had she been hiding?
His hand came up to curve around her cheek. His touch wasn’t gentle but she could tell he was trying to be. She covered his hand with hers, feeling the rougher skin of his tattoo beneath her palm, and something strange happened.
A memory that wasn’t hers flashed through her mind, taking her breath away.
Mansen, dressed in strange clothes, carrying a rough wooden shield in one hand and a battle-worn sword in the other. He stood tall at the stern of a ship looking like the definition of power. Fierce warrior, her mind interpreted.
His lips pressing carefully to hers brought her back to the present. The kiss was simple, a test. The emotion blooming in her center made her want more, but he pulled back, staring into her eyes. The green in them almost looked like flames, magical fire.
“Remember what I told you about deer?”
Doe nodded, barely breathing. And when he answered, his words were so powerful they felt as if they were etched into her heart.
“If a buck will shred another buck for his doe, how hard do you think I’d fight for you?”
Doe gasped as the rawness in his gaze as his hand squeezed her hip to bring her closer.
“My people are explorers by nature and raiders by heart. Centuries haven’t changed that. When one of my kind finds a treasure, they don’t give it up without a fight. And you, elska…” He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, staring at it with so much hunger she went molten inside. “You are the greatest treasure of all.”
He pressed her head down to his shoulder, and she could feel his body trembling with pent-up emotion.
“Now sleep, Doe. Before I do something we might regret.”
Like what, she wondered. But the desperate press of his fingers in her skin gave her a pretty good idea. She wanted that too, she realized. But she had to find herself first. How could she give him as much as he was giving her, if she didn’t even know who she was?
Chapter 8
Mansen awoke to the faint glow of dawn, the sound of a heavy fist pounding on his cabin door, and the feel of warm, soft woman draped over his body.
One was welcome, the other two were not.
He ignored the knocking and stared down at his sleeping mate. He’d told her too much last night, but he couldn’t stop himself. He needed her to see how much he felt for her already. She needed to know exactly how hard he’d fight for her.
Because he had a feeling she was going to have to fight for him too.
Things weren’t going to be easy. Huran said so, and now Mansen believed it.
It didn’t matter. He wasn’t afraid of a challenge.
Mine.
She’d ended up in his lap last night and he didn’t hate it. Not even a little. Not even when she snored in his ear or drooled on his shoulder. He liked that she was comfortable with him.
But now, his fierce case of morning wood was causing a problem down below.
The gods had given him a mate of great beauty. Hair dark as the night sky and eyes as blue as the lake under the Northern Lights. Lips like pillows, and sweeter than anything he’d ever tasted. He’d taste them again as soon as she woke up. He remembered what she looked like naked. Her body was curved and rounded in all the right places, with hips sturdy enough to grip tightly when he pounded into her.
Bang, bang, bang.
Speaking of pounding. Whoever was on the other side of the door wasn’t giving up.
Mansen shook Doe awake, careful not to jostle her too much. For his cock’s sake. “Elska,” he whispered. “Wake up.”
But she was sleeping heavily after the rough night she’d had.
“Doe. Wake up.”
This time, she blinked and stretched, reminding him of a cat coming out of a nap. The way her body slid against his pulled an unintentional thrust from his body, his hips jerking forward out of his control.
Shit.
Mansen froze and so did Doe, her eyes going wide with awareness. They both jumped as the knock on the door sounded again, this time more insistent.
“Someone’s here,” Mansen growled, and Doe scrambled from his lap, trying to avoid his erection.
He was walking funny as he made his way to the door and yanked it open, ready to give someone a piece of his mind. But instead, he came face to face with Sheriff Holmes, whose expression was all business.
“Sheriff.”
“Mind if I come in?”
Mansen stepped aside, letting the man pass.
“Sheriff,” Doe said on a yawn. “Did you find something?”
“Think so.” He eyed her, seeming to consider something. “Tell me, Doe… is there any reason to believe you might be wanted.”
Oh, shit. Dread curled in Mansen’s gut.
“Wanted.” Doe frowned. “Like… what do you mean?”
“Wanted for a crime.”
Her eyes got big. “Oh, wanted. No. Wanted? No, that’s… that’s not possible.”
But even Mansen could hear the doubt in her voice.
“Why?” He ground out, not liking where this was going. “What did you find?”
Sheriff pulled a plastic evidence bag from his jacket and passed it to Doe. “You recognize that?”
She turned it over and back, staring at it through squinted eyes.
“What is it?” Mansen demanded.
“The boys found it over near Shadow Falls, not far from where you pulled her from the lake.”
“I… it’s…” Doe looked like she’d seen a ghost.
“Is it yours?”
She swallowed hard, barely choking out, “Yes.”
Mansen moved closer, putting himself between Doe and the sheriff.
“I checked it out.” Sheriff Holmes propped his hands on his hips, looking both suspicious and regretful all at the same time. “It looks like a list of some sort. Dates and places. Disguises used, aliases, modes of travel. Can you explain it?”
“I… I can. But it won’t make sense.” Her eyes found Mansen, pleading. They had that hopeless glint he’d been trying to extinguish since she first came awake on the banks of the lake.
“Tell him, elska.”
Doe shook her head, fresh tears forming in her eyes. “It’s too vague. There’s nothing to go on. I don’t remember details.”
“Try me.” Sheriff Holmes expression switched to hopeful.
“This…” Doe sighed. “… is my log. It’s how I kept track of the details so that I didn’t mess up and let him find me.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know. Him. I don’t remember his name. I only know that I’ve been afraid of him for a long time.”
Sheriff pulled a notepad and pen from his shirt pocket. “What can you give me as a description?”
“Practically nothing,” Doe said. “I only remember him from dreams. Dark eyes. Maybe brown. And, and mean. He looks at me like… like he wants to teach me a lesson.”
Sheriff Holmes put his notepad away without writing anything down.
“Look, your prints don’t come back in the system and I’ve been known to catch a liar or two with his pants down. You don’t strike me as one of them. So I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt here, and keep digging into this investigation.”
“Thank you, Sheriff,” Doe whispered, “But I don’t think there’s much anyone can do. If the law could’ve stopped him before, I wouldn’t be here now.”
Sheriff glanced at Mansen and back to Doe. “Yeah, one thing’s different this time though. You never had the town of Aurora Falls backing you up before. And there’s power in a town like this one. We hide secrets bigger than you, miss. Ain’t no reason why we can’t keep you from one bastard of a man, if he comes looking.”
Damn, right. Mansen nodded. There was power in this town, and he was going to use it to keep his woman safe.
First stop, he needed to find Jase. Then he’d talk to Huran. Sheriff was right. He couldn’t do this alone.
Chapter 9
Doe walked into Miggs’ Mystical Mercantile, determined to learn more about Aurora Falls and its people. Something the sheriff said got her thinking. There’s power in a town like this one. We hide secrets bigger than you.
Power was what she’d felt with Mansen last night. He made her feel powerful with his words. The promises he backed with so much conviction that it didn’t matter if she’d only known him a couple days.
She wanted a future with him. And that meant she needed to reconcile her past.
Doe couldn’t remember her name or where she’d started or how she got here. But she’d learned a few things about herself. She was organized and detailed. She paid attention to small things. Like Mansen’s tattoo and Dr. Bean’s hairstyle. She wasn’t a quitter, she was a fighter. And if all that was true, then…
This location. She must have chosen Aurora Falls for a reason.
She had a feeling if anyone could help her figure it out, it was the town gossips.
Mansen watched her until she was inside. He had some business to take care of he’d told her, and she’d been given strict instructions not to leave the shop without him.
It was fine. She didn’t plan on going anywhere.
Inside, she found a homey little store with an array of goods. Anything from candy to magazines to the organic cotton t-shirts Wilma had given her. Knickknacks lined the glass case where the cash register sat, and hats and sunglasses hung on the wall behind it. Mermaids seemed to be the theme of the place, giving it an enchanted feel that Doe appreciated.
Wilma leaned against the counter that held the old timey cash register, talking to another woman with graying hair that was braided into a circle around her head. They looked up when bell on the door chimed, and both smiled huge.
“Oh heyyyy, hun,” Wilma crooned, sauntering over. “It’s nice to see you again. Where’s that hunk of a man of yours at anyway.”
Doe couldn’t help smiling back at the lady. “Had business to tend to.”
“Business, hm. From the way he was acting yesterday, I figured the only business he’d be doing for the next few days was you.” Wilma winked obnoxiously and Doe felt her cheeks turn hot.
“No, none of that to report.”
Wilma narrowed her eyes. “I’m sure there’s something.” But then she changed the subject, grabbing Doe by the wrist and dragging her over to the counter. “Miggs, this is Doe. Like a deer. The one I told you about. She’s got one of those monthly muscle hunks on the line. You know, the ones that only come around when the moon is full. Got her a good one, I tell you.”
Miggs raised a curious eyebrow, looking naughty as hell. “Hunk-a-month Club? Which one?”
Wilma went on in a faux whisper. “Dark hair, green eyes, muscles for days, tall as Paul Bunyan.”
“That doesn’t narrow it down much, Wil.”
“Scales tattooed on his hand,” Doe added, but it didn’t clear anything up.
“Never noticed any tattoo on his hand.” Wilma frowned, thinking.
Really, though. His tattoo was obvious. It was like a big sign that said, hey, I’m here on his hand. How did anyone miss it?
“Hm. He wears that ring on his finger. The one that reminds me of the old “mood” rings from when we were kids.” The strange ring that Mansen wore.
Miggs nodded. “Ah, yes. The quiet one.”
“Yeah him. And damn, are they cute together. But she can’t really jump all-in because of losing her memory and all.” Wilma nodded as if telling herself she’d struck the nail on the head. “She’s trying to get it back though.”
Miggs pursed her lips, one finger crooked over her chin as she stared at Doe. “I get that. Same thing happens to me after I’ve guzzled too much at The Saucy Wench. But it always comes back… sometimes I wish it didn’t,” she muttered. “So what brings you in here, honey?”
“Well.” Wilma and Miggs both looked at her expectantly. “I’m trying to piece together some things and I thought you two might be able to help me.”
“Ah.” Miggs nodded. “You heard we know things, huh?”
Doe grinned. “I did. I heard that nothing goes on in this town without you knowing. That right?”
Wilma and Miggs exchanged glances. “It might be.”
Oh, she was onto them. She knew how gossip worked. She’d gone through hoops to avoid it. All part of her plan to stay under the radar. But this time, she would use it to her benefit.
Gossip was like any deal exchange. She had to offer them something first.
“See, I’ve remembered a few things. Bits but not a full picture. Like an unfinished puzzle, but I can’t find the pieces to fill it all in.” She noticed the way their eyes glowed with curiosity. Hooked ‘em.
“Hm,” Miggs mused. “Maybe we can help. Why don’t you tell us what you know.”
Doe leaned in over the counter and lowered her voice. “Well, I know this much. I’ve moved around a lot, never staying in one place too long. And I’m alone. No family or anything to keep me anchored.”
Wilma and Miggs nodded, absorbing her information.
“But I didn’t just end up here. I came here. Before whatever happened in the lake, I decided on this town. Planned my trip. I must’ve had a reason, right?”
The two ladies nodded.
“So I guess what I’m wondering is, what brings a person to Aurora Falls? What’s so special about this town? But more specifically why would I choose Aurora Falls?”
Miggs nodded, eyes narrowed in thought.
“Well,” Wilma drawled. “People come to Aurora for lots of reasons. There’s the spa and all that crystal therapy using the jewels they mine from the lake. That pulls in quite a crowd.”
Doe recalled the tour of the town she took. Jewels and stones were everywhere. She’d commented on it being a huge part of the tourism pull, and Mansen mentioned they came from the lake. Even wore one of Labradorite in a ring on his finger.
Was there magic to it? Was that what pulled her here?
She didn’t think that was the connection she was looking for.
“There’s the Northern Lights of course. The Aurora Borealis can be seen several months out of the year. A drool-worthy sight, that one is.”
“There’s the legend of the lake,” Miggs added. “No one can resist that.”
Doe thought about what Sheriff Holmes and Mansen told her in the diner, about a monster that lived in the lake, protecting its people.
Merman. The word had teetered around her mind since Mansen saved her. The sh
eriff even said the townspeople had theories about the lake spitting her out to save her from the serpent.
It was ridiculous, but she was curious enough to dig at it.
“The serpent,” Doe said. “The sheriff told me about it.”
Miggs nodded. “But did he tell you the whole story?”
Doe doubted it. She’d gotten the feeling he didn’t like talking about it.
“No, tell me.”
“Yes, tell her,” Wilma urged. “I just love when Miggs tells it. She’s the best at these stories.”
“It all started long ago before this land held people. There was only the trees and the animals and the lakes and the stones. And the magic wielders who were one with nature. One was called Tamsin, and this land was her home. Or rather… it was her.”
“It was her?”
“She didn’t have a body, though she could make one. She was the land and the water and the sky and the air. Until the explorers came.”
Explorers. Like… Vikings? She knew the area was known for its early inhabitants. There was plenty of European flair in town.
“They came to the lake looking for treasure to take home. They valued riches instead of life as Tamsin did. But like any being with a heart might, she fell hard in love with a male from the clan of warriors. She gave herself a body and appeared to him on the land where they grew to know each other. She brought him gifts, jewels from the lake, which he excitedly showed to his people. The explorers were overcome with greed, knowing the jewels would bring wealth to their clan. They decided Tamsin must be a witch and planned to use her to gain access to the treasure in the lake. Since she’d never known the selfish ways of a human, she gave of herself freely to make her love happy.”
Doe was lost in the story, not realizing how dark the clouds were becoming outside.
“One day, Tamsin appeared on land to find the man she loved in the bed of another woman. One of the female explorers from his clan. Sadly, she realized that he didn’t love her. He only loved the treasure she could offer him. Her heart was broken that day, and she was able to see how the warriors had used the land without regard to giving back to it. Used her, you see. So Tamsin decided she must do what she could to protect the lake from the greedy humans.”
