by Beth Caudill
“Maybe we could just sit in the backyard. I had enough adventures this morning.” She sighed. “I need to think.
He escorted her to the back door. “Don’t wait up, Daphne.”
“Good night, Vithar. Make the most of the nearly full moon.”
There was an unseasonable chill to the air. He hadn’t thought to bring a jacket. He didn’t notice the cold anymore. “Are you cold? I can fetch a blanket.”
She blinked at him, almost trying to process the question. “No. I don’t need anything.”
For the first time, he considered she might not be human. The temperature had dropped into the low sixties. He didn’t think it had reached the fifties yet, although it would after midnight according to the weatherman.
Only supernatural members of the world could regulate their temperatures. She wasn’t mortal, but she wasn’t a shapeshifter, either. She didn’t possess the crackle of extra energy that shapeshifters gave off.
In fact, he found being around her relaxing. Almost restful.
He didn’t know what to say to her. His life had become confined to flying, and charming stories out of the town’s residents. He didn’t know how to interact with a woman.
Not anymore.
His affliction had taken more from him than just his physical form. A part of him wanted to hate Meli for bringing this upon them. But she was family, and, in the end, it wasn’t her fault.
It was the fault of the incubus who wanted what he couldn’t have. Wanted to take Meli against her will and use her for his own pleasure.
That wasn’t right. Neither was his family losing their souls.
“You’re quiet tonight.” Moonlight glittered in Leyna’s hair. Her face was hidden in shadows, but he still knew she smiled. Could hear it in her words.
“My momma always said it was better to listen than talk when you have nothing to say.”
She laughed. “And you always listened to your mother?”
“No. But she loved me anyway.”
She took his left hand. “Why so gloomy?” Tingles followed the path her finger took along his life line. “An air of sorrow hovers around you.”
He stared into her eyes, afraid to say what trapped his heart. But while the bright green of her eyes—like a Granny Smith apple—spoke of age, there was an innocence about her that he didn’t want to taint.
Her eyes brightened, and she laughed. “Fear only consumes us the longer we hold on to it.”
“It’s not fear.” He closed his eyes, knowing it was a lie. “It’s not only fear. Somethings should not be shared with others.”
“Nothing is so malicious that light cannot provide the warmth of a shared burden.”
Her words were a blunt edge, tearing through his self-pity. Could he trust her?
What did he have left to lose?
“Over one hundred years ago, an incubus cursed my family. The spell expires in three days.”
“You don’t seem the type to engage with unsavory creatures.”
He shrugged. “It wasn’t me, exactly. The demon wanted my sister-in-law, and she told him no. He couldn’t stand not possessing her, so he cast a curse against us—Meli, Fremont, and me. Our parents died a few months after the curse was enacted. We’re the only family we each have left, and because of the terms, no one can lead a full life.”
“All curses can be broken. What do you have to do for yours?”
“I appreciate the thought, but you are too light-hearted to become drawn into this misery.”
“Are you sure you won’t let me help?”
As much as he wished to say yes, he still possessed a conscience. He wouldn’t be the one to blacken her soul. “Thank you, but no. This is our problem to solve.”
Her skin glowed a soft white. “I’m here to help when you’re ready.” Her voice contained an otherworldliness that lifted the hairs on the back of his neck.
Earlier when he’d attacked Doyle in his owl form, he’d thought it had been a chance meeting. That she helped an older gentleman and Doyle happened upon them. He missed a lot of nuances in his animal form.
Leyna definitely wasn’t mortal, but he was afraid she was something even more untouchable.
An angel. Not exactly from the bible, but a guardian of the spirit. Humans souls who had chosen to leave the serenity of heaven and watch over the young on earth. To encourage those who could impact the growth of mortals toward a bright future.
He didn’t think he’d ever meet one. The only reason he knew of them was because he’d borrowed so many books from Annabel Holmes, the first protector of Willows Haven, trying to discover a way to break the curse.
“So quiet,” Leyna said.
A streak of lightning rushed across the sky, a sickly green that danced above the wisps of clouds. It impacted the town’s shield and disintegrated. But the willows at the edge of the lake creaked, their branches dancing in a wind that didn’t exist.
Daphne joined them, a grim frown on her face. “Something is testing our defenses.”
Tires screeched and then a car door slammed. “What have you and Annabel gotten into now?” Stanford, the deputy sheriff, asked, walking around the house. He shuddered in obvious pain when another spike lit the sky.
“It’s nothing we’ve done.” The two faced off, clearly reviving an argument they’d had many times.
“Are they dating?” Leyna whispered.
“They did once. No one knows what went wrong, but we wish they’d figure out the problem and make up.”
Silence descended. The last of the eerie energy dissipated. With only the light provided by the moon to see by, Daphne and Stanford retreated to the house. Eventually, the frogs and insects resumed their night calls.
Vithar didn’t want to ask this question, but he couldn’t hold back anymore. “Are you leaving in the morning?” He stepped closer to Leyna and gazed into her eyes.
“Maybe. Some new opportunities have been presented. With my car being fixed so quickly, I can leave whenever.” She closed the space between them, drawn to him. “I had plans to see the ocean.” Her hand hovered a moment before resting above his heart. “But I find myself reluctant to leave.”
“Good.” He placed his hands on either side of her face and touched his lips to hers. Desire roared through him.
He’d meant to be gentle, but his angel refused to follow his lead. She nipped his lower lip. He wrapped his arms around her and drew her against his body. Nothing existed but the exquisite feel of her.
She moaned and wrapped his shirt in a fist. His blood surged in gleeful triumph.
“Get a room, you two,” Eiraurs called from the base of his willow tree. “Some of us are trying to sleep.”
Vithar reluctantly drew apart from Leyna. “I highly doubt he’d planned on sleeping,” he whispered. He wanted to curse, but his mother’s influence carried across time. Instead, he lifted his head and growled, “Why should you be the only one to get lucky in the great outdoors?”
“At least we do our canoodling out of sight of everyone else. That image will be seared in my memories forever.”
“Eiraurs, be nice.” Willow popped her head out of the tree to chastise her husband.
Leyna laughed. A fizzy sort of sound that made him smile.
He grasped her hand and led her back toward the bed-and-breakfast. “Let’s leave them to their amorous shenanigans. We’ll escape inside and not worry about mosquitos taking a bite from our most delicate parts.”
Power danced across the hairs on the back of his neck. An elven warning not to forget who he dealt with. Yet fireflies danced in tune with the elf’s laugh.
Vithar held the door for Leyna to enter the house and gladly stepped into the light.
There were some things you didn’t confront in the dark. A bare-assed elf was at the top of that list. He might find himself forever blinded by the sight of sparkly bits.
5
Shadows engulfed the sidewalk along Main Street. All day, her thoughts had revolved around V
ithar. He only appeared at night. If such a being existed, she’d think him a vampire. But the undead didn’t walk among the living. Not even magic could reanimate decayed flesh.
Last night, he’d mentioned a curse. Maybe he was locked in sleep or something equally debilitating. Never before had her single status bothered her. But in the short time that she’d been here, she’d come to crave his company.
“Miss me?” a deep voice whispered in her ear.
Her heart fluttered, surprised by his silent approach and thrilled he’d tracked her down. She looked up into his eyes, and a spark of mischief urged her to say, “I didn’t notice you weren’t around.”
His hand clasped hers. “I’ll have to try harder to make an impression.”
He pulled her against him. His lips covered hers, and she lost awareness of anything but him. His strong arms wrapped around her, bringing them close. She wasn’t draped against him, but she was still aware of his interest in her.
He lifted his head, and his eyes held an iridescent spark of playfulness. “I certainly hope you notice me now.”
“I might have a use for you.” She turned and strolled along the sidewalk. There was one store she hadn’t been into yet, Vistas of Home. As much as she moved, photos weren’t a necessity for her, but they could be distracting.
She pushed open the door. Behind her, Vithar growled. “Is something wrong?”
He took a breath. “No. Evelyn takes excellent pictures.”
The way he said her name, there was a history there. A moment of jealousy gripped her. Negative emotions weren’t something she was used to dealing with, and the intensity momentarily took her breath away.
“Welcome to Vistas of Home. I have lots of other photos available, so if there is something specific that you’re interested in, let me know…” Her voice trailed off at the sight of Vithar.
“I’ll be over there.” He walked off to the front right corner, a wall separating him from the owner.
Was she in the middle of a love affair gone wrong? Vithar’s shoulders were stiff and he refused to face the proprietor’s way. And the woman had sad eyes.
Something had been lost that could never be regained.
They should leave. And she would have, except when she turned, there was an exquisite print of the sky. Silver danced along the edges of clouds, while the low falling sun painted the sky purple with a hint of fiery orange.
She reached for the frame. She couldn’t stop herself. She had to have it.
“That was taken over Santa Rose Island off California’s coast.”
She wanted to glide a hand through the clouds. It was so realistic. “It’s beautiful. Very lifelike.”
They walked farther into the gallery, far enough away from Vithar.
“Did you go out with him?” Leyna couldn’t stop herself from asking.
The woman’s brows furrowed. “No. Why do you ask?”
“All the tension. Both of you are wary of the other. Exes seemed the most likely answer.”
“No, something worse, I’m afraid.” She stared blankly at the till, not getting the change for Leyna’s one hundred dollars. “An Aztec priest kidnapped Lawke’s daughter. Although we weren’t dating at the time, we stole the Woodward’s photo to get her back. It was destroyed in the struggle to save her. I was able to give the Woodwards a different photo of the same time period, but some things can’t be mended.”
Leyna understood the feeling now. It wasn’t sadness so much as guilt. But why the anger from Vithar? He seemed the kind of man who could forgive a transgression if done for the right reasons. There had to be more to the story.
“Thank you for shopping with me.” Evelyn projected a bright smile, but regret lingered in her eyes.
Leyna took the wrapped print and pushed a bit of happiness into the other woman when their hands brushed. Hopefully, a lighter psyche would allow room for inner forgiveness.
With a nod, she turned and walked to the front of the store.
“Come again,” Evelyn called. This time, a genuine smile brightened her face.
Out on the sidewalk, Vithar fell in behind her, clearly not in a hurry to talk. The walk back to the B&B was quiet. It irritated her; sparked a need to yell and demand why the gallery owner brought out the worst in him.
But he had to talk first. She couldn’t drag it out of him. He followed her into her room and shut the door. She put the frame on the floor of the closet. Out of the way. Safe.
The sight of him on the bed wiped her mind for a minute. He sat there, the scars of his life locked inside where no one would detect his weakness. A wounded warrior, who wandered looking for something to believe in. Most of all, himself.
There was something intimate about having a man closed in the room with her. The space that had been ample before suddenly seemed confined. As if there wasn’t enough air. And her eyes couldn’t focus on anything but him.
Not her feelings of inadequacy, the lovely quilt pattern on the bed, or the moon reflected on the lake outside. Only on him.
It was a bit disconcerting for a woman who’d spent decades alone, who’d never considered joining with a man since accepting her first placement. Raphael had said a change was coming. She hadn’t realized he’d meant giving up her life as a guardian.
Because that was the consequence of sleeping with someone. Her wings would disappear, and her powers would dissipate. She’d never considered not being a guardian.
It was her purpose. Her life.
Now she knew she shouldn’t stay. She was tired and no longer in the right headspace to help. But was she willing to abandon her calling for him? She wasn’t sure he could share his heart with her.
Until she trusted him, she’d have to resist her newfound urges.
“You want answers.” A resigned sadness filled his voice.
“I want to understand. You’re drowning in sorrow.” Maybe he could be her guide to the future. “You need to let it go.”
“I’m the reason my family is still cursed. And why, two days from now, the end will claim us.”
She reached up and ran her finger along his jaw. Looked into his eyes and drowned in their chocolaty goodness. “No one is to blame but the one who cast the curse on you. You need to channel your heartache into ruining his plan.”
“For that, you need hope.” He laughed, a hollow, empty sound. “And I have none left.”
She touched her lips to his. “Let me give you some.”
Leyna sought the spark of guidance within herself. It was her power: the delight of contained dreams and wishes. Except with him, desire spiked hot and thrilling. Not the quiet counsel she wanted to impart.
His kiss flooded her with a desire to cast off the rules guiding her life. To give in to temptation. Her hands wrapped around his neck, and his hands grasped her waist, drawing her closer. Her thoughts evaporated, left her floating on storm-ridden clouds. Not the dark water-soaked ones, full of thunder and lightning. But the pre-stage, tall white ones building to an explosion.
His hands wandered lower and gripped her ass. He lifted her onto her toes, molded their bodies together. He pulled his lips from hers and stared at her. His eyes shone with a yearning for more. Yet he let her down, released her, and stepped back.
His warmth dispelled and elicited a sudden chill to her overheated body.
“You need to leave. There is darkness here now, and you don’t need to be tainted by it.”
“I’m here, and I don’t see a reason to leave.” She stood taller. “In fact, there are plenty of reasons to stay.”
He bowed his head. “It’s your choice, of course. But do take care. I can’t be with you anymore.” He walked away.
She watched him go, not believing he intended to abandon her. She scrunched her eyebrows together. There was still a mystery to be solved. And Raphael had told her that this town needed protection.
Vithar would not get away from her so easily.
It killed Vithar to walk away. She was so stubborn. He didn’t
need protecting; it was far too late for that. She was too pure of heart for him to take her. He still possessed his honor. Even if he would eventually lose his soul, he couldn’t take advantage of her.
Too agitated to work in the office, he drove home in his silver Dodge Charger. A sensible car that gave him a bit of speed. The fifteen-minute drive left him too much time to think. Life as a bird was so much easier than dealing with a human consciousness.
He walked the length of the house toward the backyard. His brother and Meli roamed the woods. The twins had been separated more than they were together, and yet the twin bond that had been stretched like a fine filament still anchored his soul.
He ached for his brother. For the closeness that they’d had growing up. He wanted his best friend back.
A howl shattered the quiet of the night. An echoing sadness tore at his heart. Maybe they couldn’t talk to each other without arguing, but at least hearing Fremont’s call every night kept the loneliness at bay.
He shook off the melancholy and pulled his tablet and earphones from his briefcase. While he covered any events that happened at night, mostly, he also created articles from the audio recordings left by Fremont. He conducted interviews during the day, but Vithar preferred to handle more of the business side: design layout and advertising. Enough for them to live modestly and provide the town with local goings-on.
“Still waiting on your brother.” The intense snarl rumbled through the night. “After all this time, I’d think you’d have tried to separate yourself from the exultant couple.”
Vithar stared at the demon who’d caused their problems. Time had given the incubus a distinguished air. “We’re family. We stick together, no matter the circumstances.”
“How noble. But will that devotion survive you falling in love?” Doyle oozed with spitefulness. “That is what you hope to achieve with your angel, isn’t it?”
Vithar stood. His whole body vibrated with the suppressed need to strangle the man in front of him. “Leave Leyna alone.”
Maniacal laughter echoed, and the night creatures scurried away. “She is safe from me for now. Naiveite is its own type of protection.” The incubus leered. “At least until you lead the girl astray. Then she becomes susceptible to my persuasions.”
