by Donna Kunkel
Alex reached over to touch his arm. “Thanks for coming.”
“What the hell were you doing?” His voice was deep and menacing.
“I lost track of time and ventured too far. I would have been back soon.”
“Do you know how worried I was?”
“I’m sorry.”
“You could have been hurt. I never would have found you.”
“I didn’t mean to be gone that long.”
“Did you enter the trees?”
Alex nodded. It would be too easy for him to find her tracks away from the trees unless the wind blew them away. She couldn’t risk him seeing the hoof prints and looking farther.
“You could have been attacked,” he said with a tight voice. “I brought the gun just in case.”
Attacked by the unicorn, not likely. “By what?” she asked, trying to feign ignorance.
“By a bear or mountain lions. The tranquilizers wouldn’t work well on an animal as large as a bear.” He took the gun and put it back under the bed.
She hadn’t considered mountain lions. Could the unicorn fend off an attack? He had a horn and magic on his side, but would that be enough against a mountain lion? “Bears should be hibernating, but I didn’t think about a mountain lion.”
“That’s just it. You didn’t think. If anything happened to you, I’d never forgive myself. You don’t know how to take care of yourself out here.”
She put her hands on her hips. “I’m not completely helpless.”
He snorted, but at least his posture relaxed some.
Alex walked over to the kitchen sink to get a glass of water. Anything to stall for time. She needed to think about what she said before she accidentally let something slip. She could defend herself with her wand and magic, but he didn’t know that. He couldn’t know that. She had to keep the secret or she’d really get in trouble with magical security. She was tired of always keeping secrets from her friends. She took a long drink. He had become more than just a friend. More than anything, she wanted to tell him the truth. She couldn’t get involved without him knowing she was a wizard. She set the glass down and gripped the edge of the sink. That was the problem, she was already involved.
Steve finally took off his coat and hung it next to the door. He walked over and gently clasped her arms.
She remained still.
“What’s wrong? I’m only trying to keep you safe.” He moved in close, pressing his chest against her back.
Why couldn’t she have simply met another wizard? It would have made her life so much easier. Here she was falling for a nonmagical and she couldn’t stop herself. Damn the secrets, she’d have to tell him. But not tonight. She turned around and put her arms around him. “Sorry I worried you,” she whispered and kissed him hard.
Steve returned the kiss. Without another word he led her to the bedroom. He quickly removed his clothes while she removed hers. Still not speaking, he started kissing her again while he let his hands roam all over her as if he was examining her for injuries.
Alex leaned her head back as he started kissing her neck, savoring every moment. She planned to take whatever moments she could get, because once he found out what she was, their relationship would probably be over. He continued moving lower and she lost all rational thought, lost to the overwhelming feelings coursing through her body. Tomorrow would be another day. Besides, there was no need to tell him until she had a way to leave. He might kick her out once he learned her secret. She couldn’t deal with being stuck in the valley if he wasn’t next to her. She wanted Steve. All of him. Right now.
Chapter 21
She woke up with her body entwined in his. They’d spent the whole night making love. She wanted to spend every night with him, but how? Could she live out here with him and be happy? He wouldn’t be happy in a large city like Denver. A big city would kill his spirit. She listened to his quiet breathing. He reminded her of a cuddly bear. He might try to act all rough and tough, but she knew better. There wasn’t a violent bone in his body; he’d never harm her. He might not ever admit to being in love with her though. She knew he was in love by the way he touched her. He cared. But she couldn’t figure out why he wouldn’t admit it. There had to be a reason. Tonight, she’d tell him she was in love with him. Tonight, she’d tell him she was a wizard, put her cards on the table and see what happened. She’d see if he cared enough to trust her.
He started sliding his tongue along her neck.
Man, how he could use his tongue. Even on only her neck, she instantly turned on fire. When he lapped at her core she came unglued. She caressed his chest, wanting to savor him one more time before the morning intruded. She nudged his head lower.
When he’d settled his head between her legs, he looked up at her and grinned. Then he unglued her, several times.
While they did the morning chores, he kept finding ways to bump into her. Each time he did, he would take her into his arms and give her a passionate kiss. The chores might have taken twice as long to get done, but she enjoyed every moment. He even showered with her, spending longer than normal as he lingered by slowly rubbing the soap all over her body. Of course, she returned the favor.
But sometime later, while he prepared breakfast, he seemed to distance himself. He didn’t say a word while they ate or while he cleaned up. With her being out after dark, she couldn’t take another hike to see the unicorn. The poor animal would have to wait until later for some more oats. She tried to read but couldn’t concentrate on the words. Her thoughts kept dwelling on how she would tell him about magic. Everything she thought of sounded hokey or flip. They spent the rest of the day in silence until after dinner was over, when he set the dishes in the sink and sat back down at the table. He reached across and took her hand in his.
“We need to talk.”
“Okay.” She had to tell him. Get everything out in the open.
“I need to tell you a story,” Steve said. “Then maybe you’ll understand why I can’t have a lasting relationship with anyone.”
“I’m not just anyone. We belong together,” Alex answered. “Why—”
“Just let me tell you this, then you can ask any questions.”
“But—”
He held a finger up to her lips, “Me first.”
Alex shut up and decided to listen to his story before telling him hers.
He paused a couple of minutes, then started with his tale.
****
About thirty years ago a man, Paul, found himself lost in the mountains. He wandered through the woods for days, looking for some shelter. Berries had been his source of nourishment, at least giving him enough energy to keep going on. On the fourth day, he fell down a rock face, twisting his ankle. He could hobble along with the aid of a thick stick, but he needed to find some type of shelter where he could give his ankle a chance to recover. He wandered into a meadow without even realizing. An old stone building stood on the far side of a stream-fed pond. As he worked his way around the pond, he could see more details of the structure.
The ancient stones were completely covered with lime green lichen, but the sod roof was ablaze with wildflowers. It looked like the pictures of old buildings in Scandinavia. At least he’d have shelter now. He paused in the doorway to let his eyes adjust to the dark interior. A shiny ax stood next to the door and a stack of wood sat near the fireplace.
He called out.
No one answered.
The silence was only broken by the birds and wind outside. He settled down at the table and propped his foot up. Crystals, in various stages of cleaning, were arranged on one area of the table. There were pale blue and gray stones of various sizes. He picked up one of the gray stones; it had to be smoky quartz. He set the stone back down with the others.
A careful search of the building yielded a stash of cheese and bread. Now this would be good with the berries he’d passed near the pond. He spent a week alone in the building without seeing anyone.
He had left home on a month-l
ong sales trip, so no one would miss him for at least another week. This was the first time he’d really been alone with his thoughts. He spent time thinking about his fiancé, wondering if he really loved her. Two weeks away from her and he didn’t miss her. Was this the way love was supposed to be? If he loved her, wouldn’t he feel some type of longing for her?
Nothing.
Just when he thought he was the only person out here, an enchanting woman walked through the door. Her pine green clothes set off her chocolate hair.
The moment she recovered from her surprise she asked, “What are you doing here?”
“I got lost. This was the only shelter I could find.”
“You need to get out.” She held the door open.
He used the stick to prop himself up. “I’m sorry for my intrusion. I twisted an ankle. I’m only staying until it gets better.” He hobbled a step closer. “Could you help me find my way back?”
She watched him for a moment. “Okay. I’ll take you to a path tomorrow. It’s too late tonight.” With this, she closed the door and placed her basket of bread and cheese on the table.
“I’m sorry, but I’ve eaten some of your supplies. I can pay you back.”
“It’s okay. I can get more.” She bustled around, getting the food set out.
After dinner, she finally spoke. “You need to stay inside at night. There’s a bear wandering around the area.”
She insisted that he use the bedroom so that his leg would be rested.
He’d almost fallen asleep when he heard a large animal lumbering around outside. He looked out the window and saw a brown bear. The bear looked up and he could swear it had the saddest look he’d ever seen. The animal wandered off and he went back to bed.
The next morning, he looked up at the woman while eating his breakfast. He recognized the same sad look in her eyes.
The same hair color as the bear’s fur.
The same gray eyes.
He bolted and moved back from the table.
He knew she was the bear.
****
“Well, to make a long story short…” Steve said.
Alex nodded.
“She wouldn’t let him leave for fear he’d tell someone about her. Over the summer, he realized his fiancé didn’t really love him, she just didn’t want to be alone. She didn’t feel the same—not the way he felt about the bear woman. He fell in love with the woman from the woods, but he still needed to break off his engagement. He left for a week to tie up any loose ends. When he came back, he kissed the bear woman and carried her inside. She would shift between sunset and civil twilight so they spent the late summer days together. He experienced the love and passion he’d been searching for. She finally agreed to marry him when she found out she was pregnant.”
Steve paused. He quietly said, “With me.”
Alex sat there a moment, saying nothing. The clock’s ticking and the fire crackling were the only sounds that disturbed the silence. Then she broke out laughing, tears rolling down her face as she clutched her sides.
“This isn’t funny.” He jumped out of his chair, hands flat on the table, as he towered over her.
She could see the bear as he stood there. It took her a couple of minutes to control her laughter. She reached out and placed a hand on his. “You’re a wizard. Of all the people to meet,” she managed to say before laughing again.
He yanked his hand away from hers and stood up straight.
Just like a bear would posture. “Magic,” she finally managed to get out before another fit of laughter hit her.
“What do you mean?” Steve asked.
She finally managed to stop laughing. “You know—wands, wizards, spells. That kind of stuff,” Alex answered, wiping away the tears.
“But that’s just in books.”
“It is. But there is a world of magic hidden from the nonmagical.”
Steve shook his head.
“I can prove it. Wait here.” Alex went to her coat and pulled her wand out of the pocket.
Steve was still standing straight and tall when she turned back to face him.
She held up her wand vertically so she wouldn’t accidentally perform a spell and waved it so Steve could see it. “What I was laughing about was that I’d been worrying all day about how to explain that I’m a wizard. Maybe not the most gifted.” She snapped her fingers and the lantern on the table went out. She snapped again and the lantern re-lit. Then she lifted her wand tip and the lantern rose. When she lowered the tip, the lantern floated back down on the table. “But still a wizard.”
Steve stared at the lamp, eyes wide, shaking his head. “Not…possible,” he stammered.
She waved the wand again. “I can do magic. Just like you can do magic.”
“I can’t do any magic,” he said in a soft voice.
“You turn into a bear. That’s doing magic,” she said calmly. “Maybe a different kind, but still magic.”
Alex walked back to the table and sat back down. “You probably didn’t even know.” She placed her wand on the table. “A lot of wizards don’t.”
He shook his head and sat back down, facing her. He picked up her wand with his right hand. When he ran his left hand’s fingertips along the cherry grain, some red sparks shot out the tip of the wand. He froze.
“Only a wizard can get a wand to spark. It takes magic to do that.”
“I didn’t know.” He handled the wand as if it was delicate glass, placing it back on the table.
She watched in silence as he reached out with a finger to caress the wand again. He was drawn to it, to the bear hair that made up the magical core. Now she was certain. This shape-shifter bear is my other half.
“And you say I have magic?” Steve asked.
“If you didn’t you wouldn’t be able to change into a bear.”
“But that’s just genetic.”
“Magic is usually genetic. How did you think you could shift?”
“I thought it was a version of a werewolf.”
“Despite what the movies say, werewolves have magic. They don’t just get it by being bitten.” Alex placed one of her hands on his.
“But this is the way it’s always been. My mother changed and I do too. I close the shutters and bolt the doors on the inside so my bear can’t enter the cabin during the night.”
“And you’ll keep changing until you learn how to control it.”
“That’s impossible.” He leaned forward in the chair.
“With specific potions you could control it.”
“Not roam around all night?”
“No, just sleep.”
“Would I still change?”
Alex paused. “I don’t know.” She twirled her wand in the fingers of her free hand. “But I know someone who probably would.”
****
He had to think. What would it be like to not change? It had become so much a part of who he was. Would he even want to stop? He looked at Alex. If he could do this, would she be safe to be around him? He wouldn’t have to worry about her being in danger. He reached out and she handed her wand to him.
He inched his fingers across the satiny surface. A warm tingly sensation answered his touch. He could swear he could catch a faint trace of apples. Her scent. Why would touching a piece of wood make him visualize her so vividly? He thought about her so often, but this was something else. It felt like he was touching her. He passed his fingers over the surface again and handed it back to her.
He finally asked, “Can you get in touch with this person?”
“Once I get back to Denver.”
“Then what?”
“Then he’ll come out to talk to you.”
“Who is this person?”
“Principal Vale. He’s in charge of a wizarding school, Aspen Glen, that’s here in the mountains of Colorado.”
“There’s actually a school for magic?”
Alex nodded. “I went there.”
“I’m an adult.”
“
They have summer classes for adults. I don’t know that much about them.”
“How long are you talking?”
“Six years,” Alex answered.
He stood up and started pacing. Six years of school. Could he even sit through a single class? He’d been home schooled ever since he started changing. “I hated school,” he muttered.
“This is different.”
“I swore I’d never set a foot in a school again.”
“You’d be learning magic.”
“I don’t know.”
“At least talk to Principal Vale before you make a final decision.”
“I’ll hear what he has to say, once the roads clear.”
Alex picked up the book she’d been reading. “I’ll give you some time to think.” She took her wand and book to the bedroom.
Steve watched her go. Mandy leaned against his leg. “I don’t know.” Mandy put a paw on his thigh. “It is worth considering. Maybe I could have a semi-normal life.” He ruffled the fur on Mandy’s chest. “I hated school. Why would I want to go for six years?” He thought for a few minutes. “It might be worth doing…for Alex.”
Chapter 22
Alex woke up alone with her glasses still on and her book on the floor. Steve must have spent the night mulling over the new information. She looked over at the clock, it was already seven thirty. Steve hadn’t woken her, so she’d missed chores. A faint clatter came from the kitchen. Alex still had on her clothes from last night, so she hopped out of bed and headed out of the bedroom. She paused at the door.
“Should I come out or do you need some more time alone?” she asked.
“Come on and get some breakfast.” He waved her in with the spatula.
“Did you decide anything?”
He started dishing up the eggs. “Not yet. I want to hear more about this magical world of yours.”
That was a good sign. At least he hadn’t completely rejected the idea. “What do you want to know?”
“Everything.” He set the plates on the table. “But let’s eat first, then you can tell me.”
Alex dashed into the bathroom, then quickly took her place at the table. “What do you want to know?” she asked between bites of egg.
