THE GROOM CHASES HIS UNICORN

A Nocturne Falls Universe Story

Copyright © 2017 by Jax Cassidy

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from the author.

This book is a work of fiction and was made possible by a special agreement with Sugar Skull Books, but hasn’t been reviewed or edited by Kristen Painter. All characters, events, scenes, plots and associated elements appearing in the original Nocturne Falls series remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Kristen Painter, Sugar Skull Books and their affiliates or licensors.

Any similarity to real person, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author or Sugar Skull Books.

Published in the United States of America.

Cover design by Dreams2Media

Formatting by Jaxadora Design

Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year.

The tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better.

Living in Nocturne Falls means being yourself. Fangs, fur, and all.

Unicorn shifter Keke LaFleur is known around Nocturne Falls as the ‘love ‘em and leave ‘em’ gal. She’s been running from relationships since her childhood sweetheart accidentally witnessed her transformation. Just when she believes her hooves are planted in the present, her past rides in on a sleek Bronco—of a vehicular kind—pulling an oversize Mobile Vet trailer behind it.

Traveling veterinarian Rochester “Rock” Winthorpe has spent over a decade in search of his first love. He hopes to finally straighten out the misunderstanding that had sent Keke off in a huff. Now that he’s found her, he’s hell-bent on chasing her until he gets an “I do”—before she manages to gallop away with his heart again.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FORWARD

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

ABOUT JAX

EXTRAS

ALSO BY JAX CASSIDY

FORWARD

Dear Reader,

Nocturne Falls has become a magical place for so many people, myself included. Over and over I’ve heard from you that it’s a town you’d love to visit and even live in! I can tell you that writing the books is just as much fun for me.

With your enthusiasm for the series in mind – and your many requests for more books – the Nocturne Falls Universe was born. It’s a project near and dear to my heart, and one I am very excited about.

I hope these new, guest-authored books will entertain and delight you. And best of all, I hope they allow you to discover some great new authors! (And if you like this book, be sure to check out the rest of the Nocturne Falls Universe offerings.)

For more information about the Nocturne Falls Universe, visit http://kristenpainter.com/sugar-skull-books/

In the meantime, happy reading!

Kristen Painter

For Wynter Daniels, my magical bestie.

Thanks for the inspiration, cheerleading, and tough love when I needed it most.

Especially for the wine dates and writing sessions.

♥

ONE

The pueo owl made a cute little HOO-HOO, followed by a snort before clearing his throat as he read the article on the kitchen island. He flapped a wing and the newspaper flipped to the next page.

Keke LaFleur finished pouring the freshly brewed coffee into her mug and turned toward her aumakua, her ancestral god. Her watcher. She leaned a hip against the counter, raising the drink toward her nostrils. The rich aroma of roasted beans sliced through the foggy veil of drowsiness.

She elicited a soft sigh, missing her best friend Luna Matsya. Keke had half expected the mermaid to walk through the front door for their usual breakfast gabfest. Last year the woman had gotten engaged to a wizard prince and moved back to Mer Haven, where Luna took over her family business. The island was a mix between a magical theme park and a luxury family resort for mermaid lovers. She snorted. More like obsessed enthusiasts who believed they were actually mermaids!

Her mornings weren’t the same since. No more daily gossip, weekend girl’s night, or TV show binges with her bestie. Instead, she’d buried her loneliness in work and getting her hands dirty on her hybrid floral farm. Any additional free time was occupied with one boring date after the next.

She wasn’t looking for a prospective groom, and she definitely wasn’t looking for Mr. Right. He was a fairytale that didn’t exist. Keke had known this reality since she was thirteen years old. She cringed, her heart constricting at the childhood memory she’d never been able to shake.

She blew into the mug a few times so it would cool down to a drinkable temperature before taking a sip of the dark brew. Her frown transformed into a happy smile of unadulterated bliss. Warmth spread through her, awakening the rest of her groggy senses.

Taking another healthy swallow, she thought about her new seasonal neighbor and wished for the same connection she’d had with Luna. Too bad Stasia Tien was a total iceberg. The woman was a no-nonsense seasonal catering owner of Death & Haute Cuisine who possessed zero personality and zero friendliness. On occasion she’d wave at the beautiful woman, but Keke was always met with an intense stare. She shivered. It was as if the neighbor could literally see straight through her soul.

Another snort HOO-HOO pulled her back to the present and made her laugh. “Professor Hyde, what’s got your feather’s ruffled in the Tombstone news?”

He craned his neck and peered over at her, using the tip of his wing to push the spectacles up the bridge of his beak. He answered in his usual distinct professor-like British accent, “It appears as if the animal whisperer is headed into Nocturne Falls.”

Thank goodness for Hyde with his adorable round face and grumpy disposition. He was the only man that counted in her life. Assigned to guard, protect, and mentor her since she was a teen. Of course, mortals and immortals couldn’t hear him speak. But she could. Loud and clear.

Keke scoffed. “Is there such a thing as a person who speaks to animals?”

“Besides you?” Hyde rolled his eyes, his beak revealed a hint of a sly smile.

She took another sip of coffee. “Point taken. Sometimes I forget you aren’t human.”

His voice drifted, “Maybe once. A very long time ago…”

“What? I didn’t catch that?” She’d heard him, but knew he’d never share his entire story about how he’d come to be. How a curse had made him her familiar. Witches had cats, she had a smarty-pants owl.

“Nothing important.” He quickly continued, “Don’t tell me you haven’t heard of that Rock Winthorpe fellow?

The smile froze on her lips. Rock. Did she hear correctly? The mention of that man’s name made every muscle in her body tense up. “Wh—who did you say it was?” Keke gripped the cup until her knuckles whitened; praying she’d misheard, but knew she hadn’t.

Hyde was so absorbed in the article he hadn’t notice her reaction. “Apparently this Rock, aka Rochester Winthorpe, is quite a respected veterinarian. New York Times Bestseller, animal activist, had a reality show, etcetera, etcetera. Quite impressive. I’m starting to like the chap.” He moved the tip of his wing across the sentence. “It appears he’s been traveling throughout the country to be a do-gooder for his animal charity. We just happened to be a pit stop on his road trip.”

Keke’s stomach knotted so tight she felt nauseous, and it wasn’t from the side effects of the strong coffee, either. How was it possible that the one man she’d been hiding from for the past twelve years had accidentally made his way here? She took a deep breath. Her mind was racing for excuses if she’d run into him in town. She put the brakes on her overactive thoughts. There was no way he would recognize her now. The childhood version of Keke was so different from the woman Keke. She was being ridiculous. What did she really have to fear?

Except being exposed.

Her shoulders slumped. There was no way she’d be able to hide from him. Her unique hybrid florals were in demand across the internet and with the local shops in town. She had her business dealings to maintain and she decided she wasn’t going to avoid him. After all, she needed closure. If that didn’t work, she was willing to do whatever it took to wipe that childhood memory completely from his mind. No more liability.

“If he can speak to animals as they say, it will be a welcome change to have a civil conversation with another Brit,” Hyde mumbled to himself.

Keke placed her mug on the counter. Seriously, there were a zillion places Rock could have chosen. “Why Nocturne Falls of all places?” Oops. She hadn’t meant to ask the question out loud.

The owl answered, “Why don’t you ask him for yourself? He should be rolling into town any day now.”

Her eyes widened from the unexpected news. She wasn’t ready to face him this soon!

“By the way, happy birthday!” He hooted happily. “I must say, I like the new hairdo. It’s an edgier version of you.”

Keke blinked. “I didn’t do anything different to my—”, the words died on her lips. She bolted out of the kitchen, leaving a puzzled pueo owl behind.

“No. No. NO. NO!” Keke shrieked. She peered closer into the bathroom mirror, turning her head from one angle to the next. Gone were her natural golden tresses with pastel colored rainbow streaks. “What’s happening?” She let go of the strands of blue ombre hues and stepped back for a better inspection.

Hyde flew in, landing gracefully on the sink. “I take it, this wasn’t planned?”

She shook her head. “You’re my watcher. Shouldn’t you know what the heck is going on?”

He raised a wing. “I have my suspicions, but I’ll check the resource files to confirm.” He focused his eyes on the round screens that were built into his dark frames. The glasses were not only an advanced and powerful, high performance computer, it also contained everything and anything about Keke’s magical lineage.

Henri LaFleur had been a genius, and she’d inherited the same love of technology from her father. Whether she wanted to or not.

“Found it!” Hyde exclaimed. “From what I’m reading, upon your twenty-sixth birthday you are officially in season.”

She glared at him. “What does that actually mean? Just cut to the chase, will you.”

“My dear, it means your hair color will change to indicate that you are in mating season. You must also prepare to choose your mate within the month. If you do not find a suitable groom and consummate the union, you shall forever return to your unicorn origin and thus, immediately head home to the Sacred Forest of Maui.” He paused for a moment then proceeded to read slowly, “You shall forever be without the ability to shift into human form.”

“Great. Just great!” No way was this the final say. There had to be a loophole somewhere and she was just the stubborn unicorn to find it. If she hadn’t seen the miracle firsthand with Luna and Ace, she would’ve easily believed there was no other option. However, that wasn’t the case. Keke wasn’t one to lie down and take it without a good fight.

She seized the owl, raising him to meet her eye-to-eye. “Looks like you’ve got a lot of research to change this tragic ending. Otherwise, you may wind up on someone’s dinner plate when I’m long gone.”

TWO

“Heck, turtles could cross the road faster than these tourists!” Rock Winthorpe slowed to a stop for the third time since driving on the long stretch of Main Street. The entire town looked like Halloween vomited its own cutesy universe in shades of orange, black, purple and green everywhere. In truth, he didn’t mind the quirkiness. Growing up, he didn’t get a chance to celebrate this holiday so this more than made up for it.

The huge sign on his drive in had proclaimed, ‘Where every day is Halloween’. No exaggeration there. He cautiously continued maneuvering past the intersection at a snail’s pace and sighed. The real problem wasn’t the holiday theme, but his vintage Bronco trying to haul an oversized trailer through the narrow streets. It was like squeezing a foot-long hotdog into an extra small bun.

He mustered a smile and waved the people along as they took their precious time crossing, some dressed in elaborate Halloween get-up. Some not so much. He’d seen a lot of strange stuff in his travels but nothing like this. The local performers had impressive costumes and played the part to perfection. If he hadn’t known the truth, he could’ve sworn they were all real supernaturals. Not actors playing a part in providing the overall unforgettable experience to the tourists. Perhaps he chose this stop due to the outlandish stories he’d heard. It was reason enough to want to see these things for himself, even though it had been out of his way.

The busy year passed in a blur as he traveled and worked non-stop, so he figured he’d change his schedule to shake things up. Rock laughed, remembering something his assistant Aria said about discovering unpredictability and magic if he opened his mind to it. It was a bunch of bull these youngsters were fed these days. What he was absolutely certain about was that this quirky town could use a good vet—and he needed a change of scenery.

Thank goodness he’d done his due diligence and discovered the Ellingham’s owned most of this town, while Hugh Ellingham was the man in charge of all the business dealings. Large or small. Rock imagined he was no different from a mayor trying to maintain some semblance of order, while preserving their spooktacular reputation. The man had been a tough nut to crack, but accepted Rock’s offer to donate half the proceeds of his earnings in Nocturne Falls to the local animal charities. A win-win for everyone.

Twenty minutes later, he skillfully pulled his monster vet mobile into an empty parking lot. Hugh specifically designated this central spot in town for Rock during his brief time in Nocturne Falls. Apparently, his mobile clinic would have more visibility being near the famous Gargoyle fountain and surrounded by the many unique shops. He was stoked that everything he needed would be within walking distance.

Rock pulled up his email to make sure everything was in order. Last week he’d instructed Aria to pre-arrange the temporary parking permit and book a house from one of those online house rentals that emphasized ‘authentic local living’. He hoped that didn’t translate to some old fogey’s décor that hadn’t been updated since the 1800s. He cringed at the mental image of musty odors from decades of improper ventilation and floral wallpapers often advertised as vintage chic. Of course, as his book editor mentioned, this town was just the ‘wow’ factor he needed to make another bestseller. He’d have to juggle between the animals and making his publisher happy. He supposed he didn’t have a choice in the matter; otherwise he’d miss his deadline and lose his contract.

Hopping out of the vehicle, he unhooked the trailer and secured it in place. He needed his Bronco to get around town. The mobile clinic was tricked out with the latest security features including an alert to his phone and immediate dispatch to authorities. Rock had arrived much earlier than planned, even with the delays. Hugh had mentioned earlier that Sherriff Hank Merrow would be in charge of getting him around the clock patrol for the duration of his stay. Between the expensive equipment and inventory, he appreciated the friendly gesture. This put his mind at ease and he breathed a sigh of relief that everything was working out smoothly.

Unfortunately, he knew when things went off without a hitch; he was going to be in for an epic crud storm barreling in from the horizon. He shrugged off the negative thoughts, instead focusing on the fact that he’d have a few days of rest and relaxation until his assistant arrived and work began. Heck, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a free day without any interruptions or commitments.

Rock made sure everything was locked up and good to go. He had two hours to kill and decided to play tourist before meeting up with the landlord of his rental property. Maybe he’d check out the list of Aria’s recommendations. She was thorough, he’d give her that.

First stop, coffee at the Hallowed Bean then maybe he’d pick up some sweets at Delaney’s Delectables. He grinned at the endless possibilities. “Let’s do this.”

Rock stood in front of his parked car on the dirt road, mesmerized by the view greeting him in the distance. He’d never seen so many colorful wildflowers blooming across the field like a red carpet leading up to a massive glass greenhouse smack in the middle of it all. This was exactly the kind of place he’d always dreamed of owning. Its beauty stuck out like a vibrant Picasso painting and he couldn’t wait to take a closer look.

He glanced down at the GPS on his smartphone. The directions indicated that his cottage was nearby. He reluctantly got back in his Bronco and made his way through the scenic path that turned into a back road to his rental. He loved how secluded and tranquil it was here. Total night and day compared to the busy streets he’d just left.

Rock turned off his navigation and pulled onto a graveled patch that appeared to be a makeshift parking spot. The two-story fairytale brick cottage wasn’t what he’d imagined, in fact, it was exactly what he’d hoped for. The sturdy structure possessed a masculine charm and reminded him of his vacations in Italy. Not too flashy, but with just the right amount of history. He grinned upon seeing the bright bougainvillea staking its ownership above the arch, delicately framing the front door.

He had a good feeling about this place. It was exactly the ideal spot for anyone to write without distractions. Perhaps he might extend his stay and do just that. His editor Teagan would be thrilled if he could squeeze out a few chapters, maybe even the whole darn thing.

Rock was beginning to think he made the right choice on the detour. He breathed in the fresh air and admired the endless acres of lush greenery. He rolled up his shirt sleeves all the way to his elbows so he could feel the sun’s rays on his bare arms. Excitement flowed through him, bringing back long ago memories of his childhood home. This place wasn’t as tropical as Maui, but equally enchanting. Even the distinct floral scents filling the air stirred a sense of déjà vu. There was definitely something he couldn’t put a finger on, but he’d figure it out sooner or later.

He took the stone steps two at a time until he reached the door and knocked. No one answered so he checked his watch. Sure enough, he was on time. He knocked again in case the owner hadn’t heard him, but it was met with the same silence. He decided to search around for a spare key. Nada.

He pulled up the doormat, dug in rows of planters, and even patted down the windowsill without results. He wasn’t sure when the owner would show. She could be running late for all he knew. He could either hang out on the front porch or take a stroll around the house. He opted for the latter.

“Let’s see how the backyard looks.” Rock rounded the corner and the breathtaking view of a private lake made him stop in his tracks. There was also a small pier that he could imagine spending time on, maybe watch the sun rise and set. This place was getting better and better.

He turned back toward the yard and a splash of blue caught his attention. Not far from the house was a beautifully maintained herb garden. His eyes instantly landed on the woman in a fitted halter top, her toned legs highlighted by a pair of short shorts. Rock couldn’t help admiring her very nice backside as she bent forward to inspect something that looked similar to thin stalks of grass.

He walked over to her and said cheerfully, “Hello, there.”

The woman squeaked in alarm and whirled around, gripping a pair of shears in her hands like a weapon. Her eyes widened in shock, and she seemed to be frozen in time.

“You,” she breathed.

He was mesmerized all over again. Those distinct, gorgeous brown eyes with specks of gold were the same ones he’d never forget in his lifetime. The same ones belonging to his first real friend. His first kiss. His first love. His first broken heart.

Rock’s chest constricted and felt the wind knocked out of him. He’d finally found the woman who’d haunted his dreams for the past twelve years, and in the most unlikely of places.

His grin widened as the truth sank in. Gotcha.

Now that he’d found Keke, he had no plans of ever letting her go.

THREE

The garden shears fell to the ground with a loud thud. Was it really him in the flesh?

Keke blinked again, but the figment of her imagination was still standing not more than an arm’s length away. His presences seemed to render her mute which was normally a difficult task.

He had on a casual dress shirt unbuttoned a few notches to reveal tanned skin, with a hint of collarbone peeking through the white tank top beneath. His dark fitted jeans and red tennis shoes completed the trendy attire. She couldn’t seem to stop staring at how comfortable he appeared—and on her turf. Darn the man!

“Rochester Archibald Winthorpe,” he recited with confidence as he stuck out his hand, revealing an all too perfect smile. “Pleasure to meet you.” His voice had deepened over the years, and, although his British accent had diluted a teeny bit, it became way sexier in adulthood. The beard was something she wasn’t used to. No longer did she see his baby face, but it actually made him appear more distinguished and mature.

His familiar words flashed her back to the past. An image of a stylishly dressed blond cherub-faced seven-year-old had proudly announced his name for the first time to an extremely shy four-year-old on the playground. He hadn’t changed one bit. Still charming as ever.

She eyed his outstretched hand but made no move to take it. If she wasn’t in shock mode, she’d totally appreciate that he’d grown into a very attractive man. Even with his down-to-earth charm, athletic build, and rugged good looks, he possessed a worldly refinement that couldn’t be stripped away. His family held an aristocratic title, after all.

She sucked in her breath, made the mistake of staring into his eyes…bright gorgeous green ones with a twinge of blue that transported her to the beautiful island where they’d grown up. Her heart pounded loudly against her chest. Yep, he still had the ability to make her turn to mush with just a simple smile.

Snap out of it, Keke! Her subconscious screamed. There was no way she’d ever wipe that horrible incident from her mind. The same painful uneasiness settled in the pit of her stomach.

Rock crossed his arms, a boyish expression on his face. “I see you still haven’t forgiven me.”

There’s no way he could’ve forgotten that night unless he’d gotten amnesia. Fat chance. Her eyes narrowed. How was she supposed to respond to that comment? Why would she ever forgive him? Time had lessened the pain, but she didn’t know if his answers would smooth over the betrayal she’d felt.

When she was confident she’d never see him again, ironically, he’d managed to find her. She swallowed back the thousands of questions still rolling in her head for the past twelve years. Instead, she demanded, “What are you doing here?”

Oh, she knew the answer to that one, but she hoped he had an explanation other than the one she didn’t want to hear.

His eyes sparkled. “As fate would have it, I’m your new tenant for the next four weeks.”

Keke shook her head in denial. “I don’t think so.” Not wanting to believe how cruel the universe was. She had a sudden urge to run but Rock took a step closer to block her way, as if he had her all figured out. Knew exactly what she was thinking.

“Yes. I’ve got the correspondences on my phone to prove it,” he confirmed.

“H—how’s that possible? I’ve been negotiating the rental with an Aria Warren all this time.”

He nodded. “She would be my assistant.”

Her face fell and she chewed on her lower lip as she tried to come up with any excuse to throw at him. Her eyes lit up and she gave him a smug smile. “Well, the contract should be null and void since you aren’t technically on the contract.”

“Nope.” He shook his head. “Aria Warren was working through my company R.A.W. Worldwide. If you review the papers, you’d know that it belongs to me.”

“Holy horse manure!” she blurted. “I can’t believe I didn’t put two and two together.” Her body tensed at the idea that he would be living within walking distance to her home. It was bad enough she’d had to face him this way, but seeing him on a daily basis would destroy all the effort she’d made to heal. “This isn’t going to work,” she said firmly. “I’m not ready for us to pretend to be friends, let alone acquaintances.”

His face softened as if he understood. He tried to reason with her, “Look, Keke, we can stand here all day arguing the point, but I promise I’ll be out of your hair. Besides, I’ll be working mostly at my vet clinic in town and don’t expect to get home until late.” He didn’t allow her a chance to interrupt and continued speaking, “I’m willing to find other accommodations if you’ll just let me stay for a few days until my assistant arrives and we can sort things out.”

She squinted, not truly believing him or his promises, yet it was starting to get dark and she wasn’t about to toss him out to the werewolves. Or maybe she should. Her lips twitched. The vengeful thoughts churned in her head, but strangely, she decided to play nice. “Fine,” she agreed before she could regret her decision. “Forty-eight hours and you’re gone.”

“Deal.” Rock let out a breath. “You won’t regret it.”

“I already do,” Keke sighed.

Pacing the length of her yard, Keke swore beneath her breath. She used every colorful word she could come up with to get the anger out of her system. She wanted to kick herself for giving in without any real effort. She was a strong, independent woman and yet she’d caved without much bite to her bark. Why couldn’t she call him out for what he’d done? Why couldn’t she tell him how pissed off she was at the way things ended? She wanted to get angry, to cry, but she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her fall apart that way again. Ever.

A stoic voice interrupted her hate-fest from a distance, “Instead of killing the innocent patch of grass, why don’t you come in and tell me what’s got your panties in a wad.” Stasia stood on her front porch eying her with an armful of groceries.

She froze in mid-pace. Unbelievable! This was the first time in twenty-four hours that she’d been stunned silent.

“I thought you didn’t like me,” Keke said sheepishly.

Stasia shook her head and attempted a smile that appeared more uncomfortable than natural. “Even so, I’d much rather find out the root of your troubles than be on the receiving end of your sailor’s mouth.”

Keke blushed and mustered a grin. She quickly made her way over and took some bags off her neighbor’s hands. The woman unlocked the door and entered the newly renovated home.

Since Luna sold the house to Stasia a year ago, she hadn’t been invited to see the updates, so Keke was completely blown away by the contemporary remodel. She bit back a laugh. Keke thought the interior appeared as cold and reserved as the woman. She wasn’t surprised the massive industrial kitchen was the focal point in the open floor plan. This place was all black with steel and exposed bricks resembling any high-end restaurant in the city, yet sterile and without any warmth. Simplistic.

She knew Stasia owned a catering business and expected some changes to the original design, but everything was gone. Completely gutted and redone. Keke was disappointed that there was not a single sign her mermaid bestie had ever lived here. The once cozy ambiance had vanished, making her miss Luna and her sage advice even more.

“Just drop the bags on the counter. I’ll put away the groceries,” the woman instructed.

Keke nodded. “Um, I like what you’ve done to the place,” she tried to make small talk.

This was the first time she’d had a chance to see her neighbor up close. Stasia was hauntingly beautiful with flawless skin, her complexion pale, with big beautiful brown eyes and thick dark lashes that captured a person’s attention. Her long pin-straight hair was as dark as the midnight sky with sapphire highlights. Although it was often tied up in a ponytail, today she wore it loose and carefree.

“Sit.” Stasia pointed to a stool at the elaborate kitchen island.

Keke understood habits were hard to break, and certain the caterer was used to being a drill sergeant in the kitchen, so she obediently sat. In fact, she was compelled to obey the woman for some inexplicable reason. She blamed it on the stress of today’s unexpected reunion with Rock.

Stasia finished her task and grabbed the stainless steel kettle from the counter to make a pot of tea. “I assume all this is about a man?” she asked, while searching through vintage glass jars for just the right herbs on her special rack to create a custom blend for them.

“Yes, it is.” Keke nodded. “He was my childhood friend—”

Stasia held a finger up at her and revealed a hint of a smile. “I hear a but coming…”

Keke’s lips quivered as she spoke, “He abandoned me when I needed him most. Didn’t try to hear my side of the story. He just left without a word.” She tried not to get emotional but it wasn’t easy when things were still so raw. The pain seemed to pour out of her. “Now he’s galloped back into my life as if it never happened, and I’m not sure how to handle the situation.”

The elongated whistle from the steam alerted them that the water was ready. Stasia quickly prepared the tea, letting the loose leaves steep before addressing her guest. “Here’s my two cents. I deal with all kinds of people in my line of work, even those who would sell their very soul to get love back. Fortunately, the death of a friendship can be resurrected.” Her voice grew serious, “The death of a loved one, however, doesn’t always come with closure.” She poured the tea into a unique cup with skull patterns with matching saucer and pushed it toward Keke. “Wouldn’t it be better to kiss and make up before you miss out on the second chance? Before time runs out?”

Keke felt a sudden cold draft and wrapped her arms around her torso. This woman was quite the advice giver, but she was confused about how death had anything to do with food. “I thought you were a caterer?” she asked carefully. Wondering if the woman was really an assassin disguised as a chef.

Stasia gave her a knowing smile and elaborated. “Fine dining involves many complex elements. Each entrée is packed full of precious ingredients. Layers and layers of situations, disappointments, reconciliations, and possible resolutions. If you add too much drama, it’s inedible. Too little, it’s unfinished.” She poured a cup of tea for herself. “I’m like a bartender of haute cuisine, so I’ve seen and heard my fair share of break ups and make ups. Sorrows and regrets.”

Taking a sip of the tea, Keke’s taste buds exploded into a rush of happy goodness. She didn’t know what was in the concoction, but it stimulated her memory glands, conjuring events of her childhood she’d long forgotten. Memories that brought joy to her heart, and they all included Rochester Winthorpe.

Keke set the cup down on the saucer, her hands trembled from the unexpected urge to confront the man who had thrown their friendship all away. The same person who’d given her that haunting look of disgust as he witnessed her, during her most vulnerable moment, transform from a mortal into a unicorn.

FOUR

Rock raised the beer to his lips and downed half of it in one long gulp.

His thoughts returned to Keke. She’d been stunning, a goddess standing barefoot in the garden dressed in that alluring outfit, and intimately talking to her plants as she took her sweet time pruning. All he wanted to do was curl his fingers around her hips and pull her to him. To kiss the pain off her face and tell her he was such a fool for running away. For goodness sakes’, he’d been sixteen and she’d taken him by surprise. Wouldn’t anyone act like an idiot under the circumstances?

He let out an anguished sigh. His stomach knotted, ashamed that he hadn’t been more accepting of the situation. He’d wronged her but he couldn’t pretend that it hadn’t hurt him. He’d lost years. Years he’d never get back, all because he’d been too young and dumb to clear the misunderstanding. It happened so quickly and he hadn’t been able to tell her about his move back to England. That day he’d found her sick in the stables, and only wanted to help her. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought she was anything other than human.

When it all came down to it, he was a frightened kid.

He settled back against the recliner and inhaled the rest of the beer before setting the empty on the end table. Reaching for the last dark Boo Brew from the carrier, he expertly popped the cap open with the help of the edge of the table. Rock cradled the drink in his palm as he glanced around the cottage. Contemporary meets rustic. She’d always had eclectic taste in everything, and a keen ability to create a fusion of elements that all worked well together.

Heck, Keke was skilled at a lot of things. Even at a young age she’d been a genius with technology, just like her father. There were many summers he’d spent with her building silly inventions and prototypes in her dad’s home lab. That’s why it wasn’t surprising that she’d been impossible to track with her knowledge and expertise. Oh, he knew well that he’d never be able to find a person who didn’t want to be found. That didn’t change the fact that when it came to Keke, he’d do anything, even die trying.

Rock rested his head against the cushion, squeezing his eyes shut. Wanting to replay their afternoon encounter in his mind, over and over again. He couldn’t believe it had been twelve long years! He’d always wondered what she’d done with her life. Wanted to know what she looked like. What she liked and didn’t like. He made the decision the moment he saw her that he wasn’t going to leave this quirky town without repairing the damage he’d caused. He swore to learn every single detail about her that he’d missed. When the time came and she still wanted him to leave, he’d walk away with the answers he needed.

Rock polished off the rest of the alcohol and tried to relax. Whether he was buzzed or just damn happy, his heart was restless. Had he really found the one person he’d devoted his entire teenage to adulthood years trying to track down? He’d almost given up at one point, but the visions of Keke had provided the courage he needed. She’d been his lighthouse when he’d been lost in the storm.

Kind, stubborn, unpredictable Keke. A laugh escaped his lips as the mental picture of a barefoot four-year-old dressed in a halter top and striped knee high socks under a floral print wrap skirt giving him attitude on the beach. He compared that image with today’s version of adult Keke. Things didn’t change much, except that she’d perfected the art of dressing to kill.

The truth was everything about her mattered to him, from the very moment she’d laced her tiny fingers through his and told him she’d protect him forever; he’d known she was the only one for him. That was something that never changed. He’d dated many women over the years, but they would hardly count as relationships. More like physical diversions to satisfy primal urges. Not one of those women had come close to capturing his heart.

Heck, he couldn’t give it away when it belonged to someone else…always belonged to Keke!

His cell buzzed and he reluctantly grabbed the object off the coffee table. The text was from Aria with updates on her arrival. She’d checked into one of the local B&Bs not far from his vet mobile. Her message included a list of possibilities for new lodging, but she couldn’t contact anyone until morning. He blew out an irritated breath, wanting to figure out a way to get Keke to let him stay on rather than making it easy for her to get rid of him.

Without thinking, his fingers automatically clicked on the photo album on the screen and the special file opened. The image popped up quickly. His lips twitched as he gazed at the picture. Innocent faces belonging to two laughing teens stared back at him. A young Keke sat on the edge of a wooden fence while Rock stood, leaning into her to keep her steady. The blend of orange and red late afternoon sky was a magical backdrop as they faced the camera. This was the last candid his mother had taken of them on her thirteenth birthday. His heart constricted, reminding him that this special moment occurred exactly a day before their fairytale ended.

Rock heaved a sigh and shut off his phone. It was getting late and he had a lot of work to do to get his clinic ready for receiving patients. This was one of the longer stops so he’d need to order extra inventory. He’d also posted for volunteers from local townspeople to help with the animals, perhaps also maintain flow and order. He wasn’t sure what to expect from the pet owners but he didn’t need overprotective parents screaming at him. That usually riled up the furbabies and complicated matters.

He stood up and stretched before heading to this bedroom when an insistent pounding made him turn toward the door. “What the—”

“Open the door! I know you’re still awake, Rochester!” the musical voice demanded.

He had a hand on the door when it swung open and he jumped back so it wouldn’t hit him in the face. Apparently, he’d forgotten to lock it.

She made a step toward him, poking his chest with her finger. “How dare you walk back into my life and make a mess of everything!”

“Whoa. Wait a moment, here…”

Keke continued poking, but he covered her active finger, firmly trapping it with his hand. “How dare you,” her voice broke as she stared into his eyes. He could see the raw hurt reflected in them.

He released his hold on her and her eyes flashed. Then she did the most unpredictable thing. Keke grabbed his face, pulling it toward her as she planted a kiss that sucked the life out of him. When he was completely unraveled, she let go and stepped back.

“That was for throwing me the best surprise thirteenth birthday party anyone could ever ask for.”

Before he could respond she slapped him, but there was no sting or bite. He knew it was her way of unloading the pain he’d inflicted.

“And that was for closure.” Keke didn’t wait. She pivoted on her heel and marched out into the darkness.

He stood staring at the wide open door, trying to make sense of what had occurred.

Rock’s face relaxed and then he let out a loud WHOOP!

“She doesn’t hate me!” He pumped his fists in the air.

His heart was about to burst with joy from the realization that he still had a chance. The fairytale wasn’t over. He was going to re-write the ending now that Keke had given him that one percent of hope. One percent was better than nothing. It’s all he needed to make up for past mistakes. Rock was going to chase his unicorn and finally make her his bride.

FIVE

Keke grabbed a Mocha Ghoulatte at the Hallowed Bean, the yummiest coffee shop in town. She’d wanted to zip in quickly before meeting up with the local florist, Marigold Williams, at the Enchanted Garden, to finalize paperwork. She was thrilled that her small hobby had blossomed into a full-fledge business. One of many she was now juggling. Now that she’d hired a modest staff, she was able to provide the hybrid flowers for upcoming events. She was also going to discuss her latest project involving custom altered florals to match any shade of color the clients chose.

As she was leaving, she noticed every table was occupied. There was a full staff yet they had a hard time keeping up with traffic. She wondered what all the commotion was about.

She walked past Basil, one of her friends and a super chipper hairstylist at Hair Scare, who was having a conversation with an older lady. “Have you seen the Animal Whisperer, Gracie? Not only is he good with the pets, he’s easy on the eyes.”

“My little tabby had an appointment this morning and it was a circus.” The woman leaned in and lowered her voice, “I heard from Izzy that he’s on the market. You think he might be interested in a mature widow?” She fluffed her stylish bobbed hair and laughed, “The tabloids mention that the new trend is younger men with older women.”

The stylist shook her head in amusement. “It appears you’ll have a bit of a competition with all the singles in town.” Basil’s grin widened, “I’m certain they’re willing to hand over their beloved pets,” she paused and waggled her brows, “and their bodies, if they could.”

Keke pursed her lips and marched straight out of the shop onto Black Cat Boulevard with echoes of the women’s conversation following her. She was relieved they hadn’t seen her or she’d be forced to make small talk. Her fists tightened and she couldn’t seem to shake the twinge of…what exactly had she been feeling? Jealous? Pffft. “I am not!” she blurted.

“You’re not what?” the distinct voice made her head snap up. Rock matched the rhythm of her steps and she halted dead in her tracks.

“I wasn’t talking to you,” she snapped.

After storming into his cottage three days ago, she’d been avoiding him like the plague. She didn’t want to bring up the incident and hoped he’d been drunk enough not to remember. Keke had seen the empty beer bottles littering the table.

His eyes sparkled as he spoke, “I suppose you weren’t talking to me, but I don’t often see people having conversations with themselves out in the open.”

“Good grief!” She planted a hand on her hip. “Have you found a new place yet? I’ve given you over the allotted timeframe.”

His eyes crinkled and he grinned sheepishly at her. “Still working on it.”

“There are a dozen places I can think of off the top of my head that have vacancies.”

“It’s not for a lack of trying.” Rock crossed his arms. “You live in Nocturne Falls, so you should know this is the busiest time of year because of the Red, White, and Boo Festival. The town’s all booked up. Or have you forgotten?”

She dropped her hand, waving the coffee cup at him as she spoke. “Of course, I know.” She tried to play it cool, but she’d completely blanked on one of the biggest summer events happening in just a matter of weeks.

“How about an extension?” He added, “Besides, I’m swamped at the clinic with both locals and tourists bringing in their pets. Can’t you be a little lenient, given the circumstances?”

Keke blew out an irritated breath. “Fine.” She glanced down at her feet so she wouldn’t have to make eye contact. “I guess I can give you a few more days. Don’t drag your feet on it, though.”

“Thanks, Keeee. It’ll really help me out,” Rock prolonged the “e” of her nickname, one he’d given her when they were kids and she cringed.

“Don’t call me that.” Her eyes caught the time on Rock’s digital watch and she let out a shriek. “I’m late for my appointment.”

He playfully snatched the coffee from her hand. “I’m not stopping you. Get going, Kee.”

“Hey! That’s my drink.” She tried to grab it back but he took a sip.

Rock nodded in approval. “Not bad. What’s this called?”

She blew an errant tendril off her face. “Mocha Ghoulatte from the Hallowed Bean.” Keke feigned annoyance, but deep down she enjoyed the familiarity of their interaction. It brought her back to better times when their silly bantering had been a way to smooth over the arguments without awkwardness between them. Almost as if they’d never missed a beat.

He held the cup back for her and she shook her head. “Keep it. I don’t want your cooties.”

Rock gave her a Cheshire smile. “That’s not the response I got from you the other night.”

Heat rushed up her neck to her cheeks from the reminder.

“Scat. Go. You’re late,” he winked.

She started to leave when he grabbed her hand. “One more thing. I heard you have a pet owl. Bring him by for a check-up, ‘kay?”

Keke stammered, “O-okay,” before breaking from his gentle hold. Her hand still tingled from his touch, and that bothered her.

She didn’t give him any more chances to prolong their conversation and darted away. She’d missed him more than she’d thought. The years had fallen away and it didn’t seem to matter. They’d picked up exactly where they’d left off. She hated to admit it, but she liked his company.

“What am I doing!” she moaned. She should be mad as hell. Why wasn’t she?

Keke’s emotions were so tangled up. She couldn’t figure out when the enemy had turned into—well, what exactly was he? Frenemy? That idea was simply too ridiculous for her to believe.

What she really needed was some fresh air and time to sort out her thoughts. She’d been angry and hurt for so long that she’d clung to the feelings so she could move on. All she’d ever wanted was answers and revenge, yet now that it was within her grasp...she wasn’t sure if she was ready to hear what he had to say.

She reached the Enchanted Garden but wasn’t ready to cross the threshold. In an attempt to compose herself, she inhaled deeply, then exhaled all the tension that was coiled inside her. She reached for the handle and stopped. What if she chose to take a bite out of the forbidden apple? Would the truth really set her free? Or was it a reality she’d already known, but didn’t want to believe?

Well, one thing was certain, Rochester had been a total snake. He’d have his work cut out for him if he wanted to persuade her to turn back time, return to their childhood paradise.

Fat chance.

She was actually fond of the dark side because—right now, it gave her the upper hand.

Keke hiked along the private path until she reached the clearing at the end of the forest. This place always reminded her of stepping into a different dimension, yet it was a precious solitude she needed. Her peace. She’d come here during all the most difficult times in her life. Only a select few knew of this secluded area. It held an unknown secret.

Years ago when she’d first moved to Nocturne Falls, she’d asked Alice Bishop, the powerful 300-year-old witch, to create a spell to cloak the land from mortal’s eyes. This would allow her to roam free temporarily when she needed to. She couldn’t stay in human form for a lengthy amount of time because her body would crave for the outdoors. As a unicorn shifter, she had gifts of her own, yet in this town she had to rely on their own magic. Few were privy to Keke’s true form, but Alice had known. The prim woman may appear intimidating, yet she was kind and protective of those she was fond of.

Keke breathed in the fresh air, drinking in the beauty of the natural surroundings. Everything about this place was intoxicating, especially the soothing sounds of the waterfall, just beyond the mountain’s edge. She reached for the amulet around her neck and held it in her left palm as she recited the sacred words to ignite the spell. She drew a half moon at the center of her forehead with her finger, where her horn belonged. Immediately, the shape sparked and glowed and the amulet responded. A bright white light radiated from inside the item to form the magic veil between worlds.

She quickly stripped off her clothes and transformed into her true skin, a wild, white mare with vibrant ombre blue hair and a silver horn. No longer did she feel the weakness of her human shell, but a renewed strength and vigor spread through every muscle and limb. She felt invincible!

Invigorated by the change, she held her head high, mouth closed tight, nose flaring as she exhaled in relief at the freedom before her. She kicked up her feet, then launched, taking off with speed and agility. She galloped on the familiar path, one she’d traveled hundreds of times before. Running as fast as her hooves would take her until she could feel the strain and stress of pushing too hard. Still, she ran to forget her past. To forget Rochester Winthorpe and how he made her feel.

The wind propelled her on and continued to accompany her on the journey as she jumped over fallen logs and overgrown blades of grass. Keke didn’t want to stop. She didn’t know how long she’d been running but her body was now feeling the fatigue. Her eyes darted around and she recognized her surroundings. She was close to where she wanted to go and slowed down to a steady pace. Not far in the distance was the waterfall where she usually rested and drank from. She was thirstier than usual so she dipped her head and swallowed the refreshing liquid. She pulled back and could see her reflection on the surface. Suddenly, her image reminded her of Professor Hyde’s words last week.

That meant she had exactly three weeks left to make up her mind. But what if she couldn’t find her mate? What then? She felt even more lost than ever. She also didn’t know what to expect with the physical and chemical transitions happening within her. What she did discover was that certain anatomy changes weren’t so bad. Her shirts felt a little snug around the bustline and her buttocks filled out a teeny bit more. Although these were subtle changes, who knew if these were permanent perks, but she didn’t mind having them one bit.

Keke’s eyes returned to her reflection, and a bittersweet emotion fluttered across her heart. If she didn’t choose her mate within the month, the face staring back at her was the one she’d have to live with forever.

SIX

Professor Hyde was planted firmly on Keke’s shoulder as she waited outside the mobile vet clinic. He was trembling and she placed a hand on his wing to comfort him.

“I know it’s the first time you’ve been to a vet, but it won’t hurt at all.” She let out a nervous laugh, “Or, at least I don’t think so.”

He pouted. “You’re not the one who will get prodded and poked.”

She smiled and stroked his feathers. “I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

“I’d appreciate you turning away when the situation calls for it,” he said prudishly. “Some things require privacy.”

She laughed and rubbed behind his ear which made his HOO-HOOs sound like purrs. Hyde’s chatter wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. The normies, humans, would only hear his cute little hoots. Not their full-fledged conversations. Besides, they were all baby talking with their pets. Except they couldn’t understand the poor little things like Keke could.

She glanced up at the door to the office just as Rock was helping a woman out, the squirrel carefully cradled between his palms. He handed the fragile thing to its owner and gave instructions. He happened to look up and spotted her in the crowd. He winked at her and she rolled her eyes.

There was certainly something to be said about a man in uniform, especially one with a white lab coat and a stethoscope hanging loosely around his neck. She started to sweat and wondered why the heat was getting to her. Keke crossed and uncrossed her legs, not finding a comfortable spot on her chair. Thank goodness a canopy was set up with cushioned fold out chairs for those waiting with their pet carriers or furbabies on leashes.

Rock wasn’t kidding when he’d told her how busy he’d been. Every time she’d passed the parking lot this week, she’d seen more than a dozen people at a time. She noticed a team of volunteers daily to keep everyone organized and entertained. They also passed out water bottles and gave animal treats to the patients. She’d only been waiting for at least twenty minutes and she’d overheard the giddy fan-girls gushing over the handsome bachelor vet. She had to bite her tongue a few times, but she soon listened in on bits and pieces of gossip about the man. Things that made her see a different, kinder and more attractive side of him. Unfortunately, hearing the idle gossip wasn’t the same thing as someone actually witnessing his acts of good deeds.

She was deep in thought when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

“You must be the infamous Keke LaFleur?” the young woman asked. She was pretty, with bright fuschia hair dressed in a black romper and four inch spiked heels. Fashionably edgy yet classy. “Are you ready to bring the Professor in for his check up?”

“Umm, I guess so.” Keke was certain she wasn’t supposed to be next in line. “Are you sure we’re up?”

“You’re VIP status and all.” She raised a finger to her lips as a sign of secrecy and laughed. “By the way, I’m Aria Warren.” She gave Keke a bright big grin. “And you’re the mysterious woman our celebrity doc has been pining away for.”

Keke was caught off guard by the assistant’s openness. “Excuse me?” She wondered how much Aria really knew about Rock and her relationship. “I don’t think so.”

The owl snorted and hooted, bobbing his head as if he was fighting back a good retort.

“Hush up,” Keke hissed.

Aria appeared entertained by her one-sided conversation with the bird. “Please follow me,” she said before heading toward the trailer.

Professor Hyde started to fidget, moving from one foot to the other on her shoulder.

“I got it. I’m going.” She gave him a stern look when he continued being antsy and followed after Aria.

The upbeat volunteer up front directed her inside and Keke walked up the ramp to enter the office. She was surprised by how spacious and modern it was inside compared to the exterior. The trailer was a mini-clinic on wheels with all the latest equipment and a small back area, where she assumed the inventory and some equipment were stored.

Rock scribbled in a file then closed it before setting the item on top of a stack of other folders. He turned to face them just as Keke set the owl on the examination table. “Is this the little one?”

“I beg your pardon! I’m not so little,” the bird objected. “If you’d known my true form you’d be in for a shock.”

“My apologies on the assumption.” The vet’s eyes twinkled. “You must be Professor Hyde. It’s an honor to meet a pueo owl from Hawaii, especially now that your species is nearing extinction on the islands.”

Hyde hung his head, bobbing in agreement.

Keke gave him a hard stare. “You really can hear him, can’t you?”

“Yes. I don’t recall how, but I know it happened after I moved…” He cleared his throat and changed the subject, “Sadly, I’m now labeled the Animal Whisperer. Not of my own doing if I could’ve helped it.”

Her eyes instantly narrowed. “Wait a moment, how did you know his name?”

“It’s on the paperwork.” He grabbed a file from behind him and flipped through the sparse patient form and pointed out what she’d written.

She turned her head away, embarrassed for her defensiveness. The man had her constantly on edge.

Rock sifted through the pages. “Seems like the Professor has never gotten checked out before from the looks of this.”

“Nope. He’s a stubborn thing.” Her lips curled up in a smile. “He’s fit as a fiddle. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen him catch a cold before.”

Rock scribbled on the form and eyed the owl. “I’m not going to ask why he’s wearing spectacles.”

“It’s for aesthetics.” Hyde puffed out his chest. “I rather like the feel of them, and people take me seriously.”

The owl’s statement made Rock let out a laugh, but quickly covered it with a cough. “I see.” He nodded as he scribbled some more. “Miss LaFleur didn’t include this information.” He tapped his pen on the papers. “Actually, she left everything blank except for your name and a few random answers.”

“Well, it’s not my fault he’s a private person,” she grumbled.

Rock rolled his eyes and turned to the owl. “How old are you?”

Hyde paced on the flat surface, rambling without thinking. “Hmmm. A few centuries, give or take.”

Keke quickly covered his beak with her hand to prevent him from saying too much. She stammered, “I—I found him when I was thirteen. I guess he’s at least fifteen or sixteen years old.”

Rock shut the file and crossed his arms, their eyes locked. “Look, Kee. There’s no need to pretend with me.”

Her face felt flushed as she straightened up and scooped Hyde in her hands before tucking him under her arm. “If you already knew, why go through all this bull crap? Unless, you think this is some kind of joke to you?” she lashed out. Keke whipped around to leave. The room suddenly seemed too cramped for them.

“Wait a moment.” He reached for her forearm to halt her movement. “I genuinely want to do my job, but I need your full cooperation. No more lies.” He let out a breath. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to hide anything from me anymore. I don’t want secrets between us. I’m not the same person I was—”

“Don’t. I can’t do this right now, Rochester,” she cut him off. “I can’t act as if everything is okay between us when it’s not. It never will be. Don’t you remember?”

Hyde remained still, quiet as he seemed to be awkwardly observing their personal dialogue.

“Keke, please. I tried searching for you for twelve years. I couldn’t find any sign of you. It was as if you vanished. I thought I’d never see you again. Can’t you give me a chance to explain everything?” Rock pleaded, “At least meet me halfway on this before deciding to close the chapter on us. Can you do that for me?”

She squared her shoulders and faced him. Her stomach tightened as she spoke in a low and angry tone, “You had your chance to explain twelve years ago, but you chose to walk out on me—on us.” She gently pushed his hand off her forearm, and he didn’t fight her. “It’s a little too late.”

Heaviness weighed on her chest as she turned away. She didn’t want him to witness her break down in front of him. After all these years she still felt his abandonment, as if it had occurred yesterday. A part of her wanted to hear him out. Wanted to forgive him, but she wasn’t ready yet. Maybe soon, but not today.

The office door opened as Aria stepped inside just as Keke brusquely passed her.

“I’m not giving up that easily. I will fight for you, Kee! I’ll prove that what I feel is real. That it always was,” he promised. “I won’t lose out on this second chance, you hear me? Not this time,” he called after her.

His words struck a chord in her soul, yet she wasn’t ready to hear them. She felt a tear trickle down her cheek but she didn’t dare wipe it away. She didn’t want him to see he’d managed to turn her world upside down again. The wall she’d worked so hard to build around her heart was now starting to crack. Crumble.

This time, she felt Rock’s intense gaze on her back as she walked away.

SEVEN

Professor Hyde hopped back and forth around the sofa cushions. “It’s been a week, my dear. You should give the chap a chance. He’s been coming to the house and calling you every day. He seems to be genuine in his efforts for reconciliation.”

“You’ve only met the man for ten minutes and you’ve already crossed enemy lines,” she complained from the kitchen. She finished topping her wine off and took a long sip before placing it on the counter.

“I’m sorry to say, but Keke, you’ve been stewing for twelve years. Isn’t it about time you hear him out?” He stopped hopping. “At least give the man the opportunity to finally give you the answers you want.”

“Why should I?” She frowned. “What if someone you cared deeply about saw you as a monster? How could you ever forgive them when they left you to die without a second glance?” Her eyes filled with unshed tears. “What would you do? How would you forgive them?”

Hyde’s big, round, sad eyes appeared rounder when he finally answered her, “It did happen to me.”

She gave him a quizzical look. “What?” Keke walked over to her friend and sat down on the cushion.

He sucked in his breath. “If you must know, the woman I loved—would have done anything for her—did just that.” His tone lowered, “The difference between your situation and mine is that she didn’t go searching for me. She didn’t want anything to do with me. Even until the very end.”

“Is this true?” She whispered. “I had no idea.”

He nodded. “Don’t waste any more chances, or make any more excuses. You may never get to mend what’s broken.”

She picked him up and cradled him in her arms. He attempted to break free from her grasp but she wouldn’t have it. “My sweet, Professor Hyde. You old softy.” Keke kissed his head and he snorted.

His voice grew serious, “I’ve seen you suffer for a while now and never said anything. I can’t stand by and watch you act as if everything is all right any longer. It’s not.” He peered up at her. “It’s time to face your fears, Keke. No matter what happens, you’re going to be just fine.”

“Will I be?” her voice was uncertain.

She loosened her hold and he hopped out of her arms. “You have all these years, and you’ll be just as stubborn and strong for years to come.”

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

The sound of pebbles lightly hitting against the kitchen window made them both crane their necks in the direction of the noise. Keke moved Hyde to her shoulder and walked through the kitchen to the window. As she approached, she could hear the faint tune playing from the distance. Her mouth dropped upon witnessing the ridiculous spectacle before her. Rock stood outside dressed in a trench coat, white concert tee, blue jeans and a pair of high-top tennis shoes. He held a vintage boombox over his head as he re-enacted a scene from one of her favorite movies. One she’d been introduced to by her dear father, among other great teen angst movies of his youth. The hopeful expression on his face totally undid her. That was the Rock she’d always known. She closed her eyes and took a sharp intake of air to regain her composure. Why was he stirring up old memories?

Hyde jumped onto the ledge of the window and peered out. He hooted in laughter. “Put the chap out of his misery. Go to him,” he urged. “You have nothing to lose.”

She nibbled her lower lip and gave the owl a nod. “One chance,” she agreed.

How could she admit to Hyde that her heart had everything to lose? Keke turned away from the scene outside, preparing to finally meet Rock halfway.

Rock lowered the machine to the ground and waited. His palms were sweaty, his heart pounding fast as a jackhammer. He’d never been this anxious before. Well, maybe in his teenage years. He let out a nervous laugh and thought about the in-depth planning he had in order to chase his unicorn. After the initial shock of witnessing her transform the night she’d been ill, he hadn’t cared that she was a shifter. He’d even come back to check on her, but unforeseen circumstances had prevented him from doing so. In fact, his entire life had been altered that night. When he was able to return, she’d disappeared without a trace.

He inhaled a lungful of air. There was so much he needed to discuss with her. He’d changed in unexplainable ways, and he had no one to turn to. He needed to find out how he was able to hear and speak to animals? Why couldn’t he stop the dreams of places and people he’d never seen before? Over time, he’d learned to live with them, but he’d always known the answers were linked to Keke.

He started to wonder if she wasn’t coming when the door swung open, just as the ballad ended. Rock couldn’t stop staring at her as she stood on the top of the steps. She was absolutely stunning. The woman was a radiant vision clothed in a flowing Maxi dress that clung to her, and matching white and floral embroidered ballet shoes. Her blue hair was pinned up in a messy bun, loose strands fell in all the right places, some caressing against the nape of her neck.

He may have been attracted to her when he’d first laid eyes on her in the garden, but the way she appeared right at this very moment launched his head and body to a whole other level. He’d never wanted to kiss a woman so bad in his life. How was he going to get through the night and remain a perfect gentleman if she looked that enticing? Heaven help him!

She clasped her hands together as she spoke, “I’ve thought a lot about what you’ve said and, you’re right, we should talk.” She paused. “I’m willing to hear you out.”

He took a step forward. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “We’re adults now, aren’t we? Besides, a wise owl I know reminded me that I should act like one.”

“Are you apologizing?” he teased.

Keke shook her head and jutted her chin out. “Nope. I’m attempting to be civilized.”

His face relaxed and he had a big silly grin on his face. He knew this was her attempt at using humor to diffuse the seriousness. “I suppose it’s time we bury the hatchet.”

“That’s for me to determine.” She gave him a faint smile and took the last few steps down to meet him.

“You’ve completely knocked me off kilter,” He laughed. “Where should we start?”

“How about a follow-up to your sad display of eighties coolness?”

Rock stuffed his hands in his pockets and rocked on his heels to hide his embarrassment. “Right. I’ve got quite a long list to choose from.” He captured her gaze and smiled. “I’m proud to admit that I’ve worked diligently on ideas to try to make up for lost time.” He captured her gaze. “So, I’ve decided to rectify all those missing years.”

She crossed her arms. “How do you suppose you’ll do that?”

“For each year of our missing childhood together, I will make up for it each day. For twelve days,” he stated firmly.

“How are you going to do that, Mr. Rochester?” she asked, her playful tone reminding him of their many shared secrets.

“You’ll just have to be patient,” his tone smug.

Keke feigned a serious expression. “I recall you asking me to be completely honest. Now, tell me, are you hiding a crazy wife somewhere that I don’t know about?”

He rolled his eyes at her. Rock had always hated the fact that his mother had been a huge Jane Eyre fan, thus she’d named him after that brooding fictional character.

“I suppose you’ll have to find out the truth for yourself.” He held his hand out to her. “But first, I was wondering if—just for tonight—we could act as if we were still friends.”

Keke hesitated, slowly she placed her small one in his. “Just for tonight, we’ll call it a truce.”

He held onto her a moment longer than he’d intended, and all the memories of the past came rushing forward. He’d never forgotten one second of their youth together. Looking down into her beautiful face, he knew that he still had a fighting chance if she was willing to let him in.

They walked side-by-side, at an even pace. Every once in a while, Keke would steal a glance at Rock. He was even more handsome than she’d remembered. She didn’t have to wonder about what he’d look like as an adult. The years had been good to him. Although he appeared happy, his eyes held a kind of sadness that made her want to uncover. She was curious about his family and what happened after that night. Keke had never tried digging for clues and she never researched him on the internet. It was a way to protect herself in case she’d unearthed answers she didn’t want to know.

Their hands would graze as they walked and her body would instantly go from zero to inferno in a matter of seconds. Darn those hormones! She blamed her mating season for her body’s reaction to the man she had no desire to want. Okay, maybe he was slightly sexy. Heck, maybe even hot when he was in his lab coat, but that was about as far as she wanted her imagination to go. Simmer down, Keke! She tried to focus on not getting stampeded by the crowd.

After twenty minutes of maneuvering and dodging around tourists on the sidewalk, Rock suggested grabbing drinks at The Poisoned Apple. This pub was one of the town’s favorite hangouts and was equally as popular as Howler’s, the local dive bar.

From the dark paneling, deep green paint of the interior, to the burgundy leather upholstery, she wanted to be able to hear him without raising her voice over the noise. She especially liked the booths with the high sides for maximum privacy. Tonight, Keke chose this place over the latter because she wouldn’t accidentally run into her friends from the Hair Scare. She loved those women, but she didn’t want to explain her connection to Rock. She’d always kept her past a secret, so the less they knew the better.

The server dropped off their drinks and she relaxed, focusing on the cocktail glass. She’d been on plenty of dates before, but she’d never been nervous being with someone. Keke didn’t want to count this as a date, yet she couldn’t explain the flutters in the pit of her stomach.

This was so not a date! She inhaled half of the glass before setting it back down.

Rock’s lips curled upward. He slowly drank his beer and held onto the bottle, smiling boyishly at her. “I can’t believe we’re here. I mean, I’m still trying to process the fact that you are sitting across from me. I never thought I’d see this day. I’d hoped…”

Keke sipped the alcohol and lowered the glass. “Honestly, me either.” She fidgeted with the straw and sat up, crossing her arms on the table. “This is a little awkward for me so why don’t we get a few things off our chests.” When she looked back up at him, his eyes were focused on said area where she’d inadvertently pushed those babies up for ample display. “T—that’s not what I’m talking about,” she sputtered as she straightened up.

His eyes sparkled. “I know, but I can’t say I didn’t appreciate the visuals.”

“You’re too much,” she groaned.

“Okay. Okay. Go ahead and ask me what’s been percolating in that pretty head of yours. Speaking of which, I’m really digging that new blue ‘do. You used to have the most beautiful blonde and pastel rainbow colors. I guess I never realized you were too young to go to a hairdresser.”

Wow, Rock was observant. She never thought he’d paid much attention to her looks, much less her hair. She’d left her hair color alone after having to magic dust it into chestnut brown hair every day. It got old, so she’d ended up not messing with it until it became this century’s biggest hair trend.

Keke opened her mouth to speak and shut it. She noticed Stasia out of the corner of her eye and the woman was staring at them in a way that made her shiver. Not a freaky or scary way, but with a touch of melancholy to her gaze. Not that the woman showed much personality besides the cold shoulder most days. Anyway, her neighbor was an odd duck. Tonight there was definitely a strange vibe she couldn’t pinpoint and it made her curious.

Did Stasia know Rock? She was staring awfully hard and it wouldn’t surprise Keke if the man was a total player. She’d lost touch with him, after all.

His eyes followed the direction of her gaze and he frowned. “Do you know her?”

Strange enough, a sense of relief washed over her at the knowledge that they weren’t acquainted.

“Yeah.” Keke nodded. “She’s one of my neighbors. Stasia Tien bought my friend Luna’s house last year. Why?”

Rock rubbed his nicely trimmed bearded jaw. “She just looks familiar, that’s all.”

Or, she could be wrong about the player bit.

Keke raised a brow. “I’m sure if you’ve met her, you’d never forget. She’s something else.”

As if the woman knew they were discussing her, she walked over to their table. Stasia went right in for the kill. “You must be him?”

“Nice to meet you.” Rock smiled and held out his hand. “Yes, I’ll take full responsibility for being the him if it’s all good.”

“Mighty chivalrous of you.” The woman eyed his hand and didn’t make a move. “I don’t shake,” she said way too seriously, then added, “Germs and stuff…y’know?”

He chuckled. “I get it. I know another woman who doesn’t shake my hand either.”

Keke knew exactly what he was referring to but ignored him. “Um, Stasia, this is Rock.” She was searching for the right introduction. “He’s my childhood—”

“I’m the childhood sweetheart,” he finished for her. His face split into a wide grin.

Keke gasped. Too stunned to respond.

Stasia quirked a brow. “Is that so? Hmm.” She placed a hand on her hip. “Well, I’ve heard you’re here playing animal therapist for their owners,” she stated flatly.

“You can say that.” He settled back in his seat. “I’m actually more of a translator for animals who can’t communicate with their families. I also try to ensure they’ll remain healthy, and live a happy and long life.”

“I suppose we’re much alike. I translate my patron’s deepest wishes when preparing a memorable feast. Sometimes for a special occasion. Sometimes for a last meal.” The woman smiled and her face transformed. “Whatever the situation, I’m able to incorporate my extensive training with Eastern and Western herbs to provide a sophisticated and unforgettable dining experience.” She appeared less intimidating and Keke had to do a double take because this was indeed a total anomaly.

“She owns Death and Haute Cuisine catering,” Keke supplied for Rock’s sake.

“It’s only seasonal. I have a full-time job that’s demanding and requires a lot of travel time,” Stasia added.

“I’m intrigued by your fusion of ingredients. I’d like to hear more about your expertise in the areas of herbal medicine and modern cuisine sometime.” Rock sounded as if he was impressed by her. “I’ll be sure to call on your services should I need them.”

Stasia pulled out a business card from her purse, clamping the card between two lean fingers, as she flipped it toward him to accept. “Oh, I’m sure you will.” She gave Keke hint of a smile and walked away without even a goodbye.

Although the conversation seemed innocent, Keke couldn’t help feeling a twinge of green. She didn’t know her neighbor all that well, and Stasia was a tough cookie to read. She’d been friendly when they shared a pot of tea, but her friendship with Luna had been way less work. Less unpredictability. Normally, Keke wasn’t the jealous type but since she’d gone into mating season, she’d been unable to control her emotions. This was exactly like experiencing emotional hyper sensitivity during her time of the month. Times ten.

“Your neighbor’s nice,” he commented. “Different, but nice.”

She shrugged. “I guess so. I really haven’t had a chance to get to know her better.”

Rock’s cell vibrated on the table and he picked it up. “Hey, I know we just got here, but do you mind if we leave?”

“Any particular reason why?” she eyed him curiously.

He reached for his wallet as he spoke, “Let’s just say this is going to be Day One of the ‘Twelve Days of Keke’ in the magical time machine. Just as promised.” He threw a few bills on the table and slid out of the booth. Rock held out his hand for her. Instead of dismissing him again, she took it without objections.

Keke was also one to keep her promise for a truce.

EIGHT

Rock pulled his Bronco into the graveled parking space and cut off the engine.

“Why are we at your cottage?” Keke asked suspiciously.

He silently exited from his side and went around, opening the car door for her. “Hold the questions for dinner talk.”

“Dinner? Where? When did you have time to prepare?”

“What did I just say?” he teased.

He seized her hand and she stiffened but gradually allowed him to lead. They strolled around the back of the house, following the path to the small pier on the lake.

The assistant caught sight of them and smiled guiltily. She stood up from where she’d been adding finishing touches to the picnic spread.

Keke yanked her hand away, but the heat of his touch still warmed her. She peered up at Rock. “An outdoor picnic?”

He answered softly, “Back then, you’d asked me why we’d never gone on picnics. Frankly, I was allergic to everything.”

“I remember that! You’d sneeze uncontrollably around me,” she said. “I suppose you’ve outgrown them?” Or maybe her unicorn’s mane had been too much for him back then.

“Actually, yes,” he agreed. “Strange.”

“We’re good to go, boss.” Aria interrupted and saluted Rock. She turned to Keke and said giddily, “Try not to get into any trouble, kids.”

“Thanks, Aria.” Rock added playfully, “Now scat because I’m not paying you anymore overtime.”

“Yeah. Yeah.” The assistant waved over her head, giggling as she headed down the pier toward the house.

Keke stared at the large flannel blanket on the floor and the elaborate meal set out for them. The picnic basket was open and revealed all kinds of goodies, while a bottle of champagne was chilled in the bucket next to it. Everything from plates of fruits and exquisite hors d’oeuvres, to a cutting board that held an assortment of cheeses, meats, and garnishes that were arranged perfectly. White candles on crystal candlestick holders illuminated the feast and added to the romantic ambiance.

“This isn’t supposed to be a date,” she reminded.

He helped her into a sitting position and plopped down beside her. “It’s not,” he responded, pulling the champagne out and proceeded to fill up their flutes. “It’s a celebration.”

The night was warm with a mild breeze, the water was calm and the reflection of the moon created a soft halo across the water, the epitome of a romantic movie scene. Keke relaxed and savored the beauty of the night. She’d purchased this house as an investment but she’d never spent much time here except for renovations. Flipping the vintage cottage had been the best distraction when she first moved here.

Tonight, she was seeing the lake view at a different perspective, even though her own pier was not far from here. That was the magic of this place. It was a private neighborhood hidden outside the hustle and bustle of the town. During the holidays, fireworks could be seen from any one of the houses. It was a self-contained world that she appreciated, especially because she’d spent most of her days working from home.

“Let’s make a toast.” He handed her the drink. “How about we make it to reconciliations? Or maybe reconnections?”

She countered, “How about to finding answers?”

He shook his head. “You won’t budge an inch, huh?”

“No way! You’re still not getting off that easy.”

Rock shrugged, “It was worth a try.”

They laughed and clinked glasses. Keke took a sip and the cold bubbly was refreshing, hitting the spot. The impromptu non-date wasn’t so bad. While they ate, Rock brought up funny memories they’d shared together. They didn’t mention anything about that traumatic night. Instead, she allowed herself to enjoy the time getting to know him. Hearing him tell the stories from his point-of-view was eye opening. He was an excellent storyteller and his tales were humorous and insightful. As she listened, she realized how much she’d missed those days of their youth. The more they talked, the more they drank, and soon led to bellyache laughter about their childish antics that had landed them both in hot water. It was apparent his parents were always the one catching them when they were up to no good. Like the time they’d ran away from home and hid in the barn when they weren’t allowed to go to a rock concert unsupervised. Or when he’d cut a chunk of her long hair off when he couldn’t get the gum out. All those silly adventures would never be erased in her heart.

They had moved from champagne to wine and were now more than halfway through the third bottle. Keke couldn’t seem to be in control of her mouth. She was getting tongue-tied in her attempt to sound sober but she didn’t care. She swayed, spilling a few drops of red wine on her white dress. Rock took her glass and she giggled harder, leaning her hand on his bicep. “Oh, my!” she giggled some more. “Hey, do you remember when we were kids, how we used to prick our fingers and swore an oath to be together forever?” she slurred her words. “Boy, did we get it all wrong.”

“I do,” he said as he grabbed her finger and held it up for inspection. “We did it once when we were seven and then again on your twelfth birthday.”

The breeze whipped his blond bangs and she had an urge to run her fingers through his hair. Was it as soft as she’d remembered? Most people would kill for that perfect shade of natural sun-bleached blond.

“That’s right. Why did we do that?” she tried to focus on his face but her eyes were glued to his lips. She was mesmerized, and pulled her finger out of his hold and traced the soft outline of his mouth. He stilled.

Keke quickly palmed his face and pulled it toward hers. “Wh—what do you think…what do you say we end this silly oath once and for all?”

“Al—all right,” he slurred back.

She pulled away and searched for some kind of sharp object. She snapped her fingers, “Got it.” Keke had a safety pin attached inside the hem of her dress and managed to retrieve it. She laughed as she held it to him, “I keep a backup in case there’s any wardrobe malfunctions.”

“That’s smart of you,” he clapped his hands together. “What are we going to do with it, Kee?”

She swatted at him. “Don’t you dare c-call me that! We aren’t friends anymore,” her slurs were more defined. “Okay, we should prick our fingers and make a pact that we are free to go our separate ways. That we will spend forever with the ones we want to love.” She pointed in his face. “Got it?”

He nodded. “Right. Let’s end this now.” He grabbed the safety pin and jabbed it into his finger. He didn’t make a peep.

She grabbed his calloused hand and was fixated on his index finger when she saw a drop of blood. “Are you okay?”

Rock shrugged. “Feels like an ant bite. Now it’s your turn, Kee.”

She shoved her finger at him.

“Wait, I need to sterilize this thing,” he tried to sound professional. He grabbed the wine and poured some on it, then wiped it good with the napkin.

She rolled her eyes. “Good grief, that’s wine! And I’m a freakin’ unicorn shifter! We don’t get mortal diseases.” She pushed her finger back at him and he pricked it quickly, as if he was popping a balloon.

“Ouch,” she blurted. “I thought you were a doctor? You don’t know how to stick a needle in nicely,” she grumbled.

Keke fumbled around and managed to cross her legs in a yoga pose. “Are you ready to wipe the slate clean?”

“If it’s going to get you to loosen up and not be so much of tight a—”

She didn’t let him finish his sentence and grabbed his finger, pressing it hard against hers, squeezing them together for good measure. Keke’s voice rose as if she was casting a spell, “From this day forward, we shall be released from our p-past! We shall be free to choose the one we love.”

“Heck, yeah! That’s right!” Rock bellowed. “We’ll find forever with the ones we are fated to be with.” he agreed.

“YAY! We are SO through!” She jumped up to cheer when a wave of dizziness made her sway, falling off balance. Rock jumped up in time to steady her and she clung to him, her body pressed tight against his hard one.

She said breathlessly, “Goodness, I didn’t realize you worked out.”

“I don’t,” he stated before capturing her lips.

He gave her a scorching, toe-curling kiss and she liked it. Too much.

NINE

Keke groaned, rolling over in her bed. Her head pounded excruciatingly and she wondered if someone had just bashed her skull with a bowling ball. Her eyes were still shut as she swung her arm around, reaching for the sheets; when her fingers met with a solid piece of…flesh?

She bolted upright and screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Keep it down, Kee,” Rock’s hoarse voice caught her by surprise. “Trying to sleep here.”

She screamed louder, “Oh, no! NO. NO. NO. NO!” She tried to push him off the bed with the soles of her feet. When that tactic didn’t work, she yanked the bed sheets with extra force. His arms flailed as he tried to hang on and fell off the edge of the mattress.

Rock recovered and stood up. When Keke sputtered and pointed at the area below his waist, he reached for a nearby pillow to cover his privates. His emerald eyes glittered, a brighter shade than she’d remembered. His blond hair was disheveled and his body looked so hot she couldn’t stop openly staring. She shook her head to force herself to concentrate on what had happened between them.

“C’mon now, Kee.” He took a deep breath and groaned, clutching his head at the slightest movement. “WHOO. What a night, eh?” he flashed pearly whites, trying to make light of the situation.

Keke yanked the covers up to her chin. “What happened?”

She watched him scratch his beard, and then he tensed up. As if in slow motion, he lowered his left hand and on his ring finger and she clearly noticed a circular piece of bright aluminum wrapped around it.

“There’s no way,” he said in disbelief. “How? We didn’t…”

Keke pulled out her left hand from underneath the covers and brought it up to her face for a clearer focus. “O-M-G!” she exclaimed. “What’s that smell?” She leaned in and sniffed the matching foil around her own ring finger. The sweet scent was distinctly from some sort of imported chocolates, the vintage kind she could only find from Keller’s Sweets and Treats.

She eyed the faux wedding band, and returned to a nearly naked Rock, then back at her finger. Without saying a word, she pulled the sheets over her head and let out a piercing wail.

“I hear you got hitched,” Stasia casually mentioned as she pushed the strange tea concoction at Keke. “Drink up. It’s a cure for hangovers.”

Keke smelled the cup and held her breath as she took a big swig of it. She gagged and made a face.

“I never said it would taste pleasant,” her neighbor informed.

“Why didn’t you say so before I drank it?” She pushed the cup away. “And how did you know?”

Stasia sipped her tea and shook her head. “Everyone in town knows.”

“How?” she said in alarm.

“It’s all splattered across the newspaper. By the way, the Tombstone got exclusive coverage of the event.” Stasia turned to the counter, grabbed the papers, and placed it in front of Keke. She tapped the photo. “See. That’s you and the infamous Animal Whisperer.”

Keke thought she was going to puke. Sure enough, there was a front page photo of her barefoot, in the wine stained dress, and Rock proudly carrying her out of one of the local walk-in wedding churches. Off to the side of the photograph was Aria holding the huge chocolate bouquet with some missing candy, and an enormous grin on her face.

Totally humiliated, Keke dropped her head forward, pressing her forehead against the flat surface. Her words were muffled against the table top, “This cannot be happening to me. I cannot be married to HIM. The enemy.”

Stasia pushed the teacup back toward her and laughed, “I’d say it did, and with him.

She groaned and sat up. “I can’t remember a darn thing from last night. I recall we’d had a bottle of champagne and then a bottle of wine, which led to two, maybe three...” her sentence drifting. “I’m such an idiot.”

“A marriage license you can annul, but the important thing is, did you clear the air? Get the answers you needed?”

Keke shook her head. “We didn’t get that far.”

“Wow. Your interrogation skills are incredible,” sarcasm dripped from Stasia’s comment. “What happened to confronting him and finding out why he left?” She bit back a smile as she added, “At least you now have plenty of time to pry it from him.”

“Thanks for the support.” She picked up the tea and drained the cup. At this point, she’d try anything to get rid of the throbbing headache. Sure enough, within minutes she wasn’t feeling sick or squinting. The elixir worked like a charm and she was coming to her senses.

Keke handed the woman the empty cup. “You know, Stasia, you’ve got a gift with crafting tea.”

“What can I say, it’s an ancient trade passed down from generations,” she said vaguely. “Now, what are you going to do about Rock?”

“Thank goodness he went in to work today. It’ll give me time to figure a way to get out of this mess.”

“I’ll tell you what. You can tell me your plans while I cook breakfast. No sense trying to think on an empty stomach.” Stasia walked off to pull out some pans and ingredients.

Keke observed the woman and realized through this entire ordeal, she’d managed to make a new friend. She no longer saw her as just a neighbor, but someone who cared even though she acted unconcerned. There was still a long way to go before they would ever be as close as she was with Luna, yet she appreciated that Stasia had been there for her during this time. Knowing that she had someone to talk to was comforting.

“What made you come to Nocturne Falls?” Keke asked without thinking.

The woman had mad skills in the kitchen. She worked efficiently and with a gracefulness as she whipped the eggs, and readied the skillet. “I was here on an assignment a while ago and my client introduced me to this place.”

“Anyone I know?”

“Maybe.” Stasia wrinkled her nose. “Chef Zar. I guess he’s some hotshot three Michelin-starred chef these days.” She pulled the perfectly cooked bacon from the oven.

Keke perked up at the name. “For real, you know him? You’re talking about Chef Balthazar Dash?”

“I’m afraid so,” she said in a bored tone. “He owes me big time, so I’ll be collecting soon.”

“My friends call him Chef Hottie.” Keke continued firing questions, “He owes you? The hunky Iron Chef who has a bunch of syndicated cooking shows and a zillion endorsements? That one?”

“Yep. The one and only.” Stasia deftly finished up the omelet and plated up. She carefully garnished the dish, then turned on the coffee maker. Stasia pushed the beautifully arranged breakfast toward Keke. “You’re a married woman now, so you can stop drooling.”

Keke frowned. “Thanks for the reminder.”

“Bon appetite.” The chef handed her a fork and gave an honest to goodness smile.

Rock wondered if he was coming down with a bug. His stomach was queasy and he thought the room felt like a furnace. He chocked it down to the rough morning after a night of binge drinking and blacking out. He wasn’t complaining about waking up next to Keke. He just wished he could remember the racy evening. He’d probably take some meds after this appointment, but for now, he’d tried to focus on his task. His body started to ache and perspiration beaded his brow. He grabbed a paper towel and wiped away the sweat before throwing it into the wastebasket.

While washing his hands, he noticed the faux band was still on his wedding finger. Somehow, he entertained the idea of Keke as his wife, so he couldn’t bear to dispose of it just yet. Rock dried his hands and picked up the file on Ramis Warbly, scanning the form before his finger stopped at the handwritten sentence. The big, curly scrawls noted: Tummy ache the past few days.

“Let’s see what’s going on with Ramis.” Rock gently ran his fingers over the standard areas he needed to check. Pressing and feeling around the sections that he decided to evaluate more thoroughly the second time. Nothing seemed to trigger any warning signs, except that the canine carried a few extra pounds. He glanced at the paper and read the weight, which was highlighted, and he quickly made notes.

He inspected the dog’s delicate belly and didn’t notice any strange discoloration or cysts. “Word around town says you’re off the market,” the little Shih Tzu dressed in suspenders and a plaid bowtie said between pants as Rock pressed lightly on his round tummy.

Rock stopped and eyed the dog. “Seriously. How did you find out?”

Wagging his tail, the pup didn’t hesitate to spill the beans, “Mrs. Markle the poodle heard it from Randy the choco lab, who heard it from hamster Giles,” he paused for a second to catch his breath before continuing, “who heard it from cockatoo Ed…who overheard it from Professor Hyde. Coincidentally, who belongs to the newly Mrs. Winthorpe.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. It just happened last night,” he said incredulously.

“Yep, but it’s splattered all over the Tombstone. You’re not so good with being discreet, I see,” the dog howled in laughter. “If you have to get someone drunk to marry you, you’re not the ladies’ man we thought you were.”

“Thanks,” he sighed.

“I’m sure this isn’t the last time you’ll hear about this incident today.” Ramis shuddered, trying to hold back the laughter. “Animals and humans, alike.”

“I’m sure it won’t,” Rock responded.

He could deal with being the talk of the town, but he was feeling overprotective of Keke. He didn’t want anyone to make assumptions. He’d already heard rumors about her serial dating but he could bet on his life she wasn’t what she led others to believe. The woman he knew would never do anything to hurt her father’s feelings, especially after her mother’s death. Even if Keke was marked as the town’s seductress, she was secretly a prude when it came to any kind of intimacy. Her parent’s loving relationship had been an inspiration, one that shaped her views on love, and she’d wanted to hold to the same standards.

He let out a weary breath. The intoxicated elopement wasn’t what bothered him. It was the fact that he now couldn’t properly win Keke’s heart as planned. He couldn’t propose to her the way he’d intended to, all because the town news spread like wildfire.

Truthfully, from the moment he laid eyes on Keke again, he knew right then and there, he’d do whatever it took to get her back. His chest constricted in anguish, she’d never forgive or trust him again after this epic muck up. His plans had totally backfired and now he’d have to come up with a Plan B. If it was even possible.

“How’s the tummy, doc? It still hurts.” Ramis barked, “Tell me the truth, is it really bad?”

Rock murmured miserably, “Yeah, it’s pretty bad.” The animal squirmed in his arms.

“Am I dying? Tell me I’m not dying!” the Shih Tzu whimpered,

Rock snapped out of his brain fog. “Nothing that laying off Halloween sweets won’t fix.” He finished the check-up and adjusted the dog’s bowtie. “You could use a new organic low-fat meal plan to get you back in tip-top shape.”

The animal snarled at the suggestion. “You’re killing me. No more sweets, and now you want me to be a tree hugger, living on a cardboard based diet. No thank you.”

“Were you talking to me?” Mags, the 50-year-old rotund brunette asked, fluttering her lashes in an attempt to flirt.

“I, um, was communicating with Ramis. He’s excited about the new food plan I have for him.”

“Wait a minute. You’re supposed to be on my side,” he yipped in objection. “That’s so wrong.”

Mags’ eyes widened, almost swallowing her face. “That’s incredible! Wait until I tell my girlfriends you’re a bona fide Animal Whisperer. What did my babycakes say to you?” She rubbed at her dog’s face and made silly kissy noises.

“Hey! Hey, Animal Whisperer! Can you tell my owner I hate it when she does that?” he growled. “I also despise when she forces me to wear costumes year-round.”

Rock grabbed the script pad and scribbled a few items as he handed it to her. “You’ll need this, and I’ll have my assistant email you instructions on his restrictions.”

“Yes, of course.” She took the script, her fingers holding on to his for way longer than necessary. She giggled, “I’ll do anything you say.”

He cleared his throat and pulled his hand away. “Oh, and this precious guy says he absolutely loves when you use baby talk.” Rock hesitated and added, “He also adores it when you dress him up for the festivities. Isn’t Red, White, and Boo coming up?”

Rock should be satisfied he was able to get the Shih Tzu back for the earlier insults, yet he was ready to get the day over with. In fact, he was consumed with the desire to go search for the newly titled Mrs. Winthorpe.

His bride.

TEN

Keke paced the living room floor and Professor Hyde was mimicking her actions on the mini bar counter. She stopped and pulled her cell out of her back pocket. It was way past nine o’clock and still, Rock hadn’t come looking for her. Where was he? She’d been ready to face him to discuss the steps to annul their wedding but he was nowhere to be found. She gnawed on her lower lip, trying to decide whether to go confront him or let him come chasing after her.

“Has it occurred to you that in less than ten days your mating season ends?” Hyde asked.

“We’ve done the deed, so wouldn’t that mean I’m in the clear?”

The owl flapped his wings and pushed up his glasses higher onto his beak. “Not exactly. Based on the information contained in the database, once you’ve chosen your mate and both parties have mutually consented to consummating the union, then you will be ‘in the clear’.”

“That’s horse manure! I can’t believe there’s such a disclaimer.”

“Have you forgotten that you did not choose your mate? You spent a drunken night with a man you despised, and coincidentally, ended up in a highly publicized announcement of your walk-in nuptials.”

“Do you really have to recount every humiliating detail?” she asked in exasperation.

He puffed his chest out and the feathers ruffled. “I’m not the one who got myself into that predicament.”

“Professor Hyde! I don’t need you lecturing me. I will get myself out of this fiasco,” she assured.

Keke peered down at the time on her cell and tapped her foot.

“Perhaps he’s waiting for you to cool down before addressing the situation,” Hyde rationalized.

“I guess that’s reasonable.” She blew out a sharp breath. “You can’t blame me for being shocked. You’re right, maybe I could’ve handled things in a levelheaded manner,” she admitted. “But, I wasn’t expecting to ever marry...especially not to Rochester Winthorpe.”

Hyde flew over to the armrest of the sofa. “Some things are unpredictable and can’t be controlled. As your watcher, it’s time for you put more effort into resolving your issues without running from them.”

“I hate it when you’re right.” She scowled.

The bird bounced, his eyes showed a hint of elation at the small victory. “I never thought I’d see this day.”

She switched the subject so Hyde’s head wouldn’t swell up any bigger than it was now. “Gosh, it’s getting late,”

He stilled and his demeanor changed. “Maybe you should take matters into your own hands and resolve this?” he suggested. “Go find him.”

Keke moved her foot over a non-existing speck of dirt on the hardwood floor and nodded. “I guess I should go before it gets too late, right?”

Hyde bobbed his head and stretched his wings before tucking them back in place. “You’ve come a long way, Keke.” His tone turned tender, “I sincerely hope that tonight you’ll finally get the answers you’ve been waiting for.”

She blew him a kiss before heading out the door.

The stars were glowing in the night sky as if to light the path to Rock’s cottage. Her house was literally a few minutes’ walk away and her feet seemed to carry her briskly as the familiar building came into view. Another few steps and that’s when she slowed down. Her senses were heightened as she noticed the back door was wide open.

Shards of glass and broken pieces of wood lay scattered on the ground, and some of her flower beds appeared to have been trampled on. Alarm bells sounded off in her head and she rushed inside. Panic rose when she caught a glimpse of damaged furniture and décor strewn across the floor.

She’d heard of incidents happening in Nocturne Falls but she never had a reason to worry. The town was heavily patrolled by supernaturals disguised as humans, and any newcomers were under the watchful eyes of those in the know. Yet, the destruction inside showed signs of struggle, yet some clues outside belonged to an animal—or beast!

“Rock!” she called out. “Rochester!” she bellowed again, louder. She ran into every room in search of him. Her heart raced as she made her way through the entire cottage. Keke was concerned that she’d been so preoccupied with Rock since his arrival that she may have missed updates on burglaries in or around town. This may be a fun holiday mecca for tourists, but there were still unforeseen incidents that had taken place over the years. Some magic related. Some human related.

“Rochester!” she called out frantically, over and over. “Where are you?” she yelled until the echo reverberated.

Keke was paralyzed by fear as the memories she’d tried to block away since childhood came rushing to the surface. The scenario replayed in her mind of Estee LaFleur, in her fully transitioned form, forcibly restrained by chains and was dragged away by the Shadow Trackers, bounty hunters of the Dark Forest.

Her precious mother had been ripped from her home and never to be seen again. Keke had seen the entire event through the peephole of a secret closet. The loss of her mother had devastated her father and almost destroyed their relationship.

Keke prayed Rock wasn’t targeted for his special abilities or his connection to her. Perhaps she’d been discovered and they went after him, an innocent victim, much like her father had been. She had to find him! She needed him to be safe and she wasn’t going to hide behind her secret anymore. Rock was her past, and now her present. She didn’t know what the future held for them, but she was going to make damn sure they’d have a chance to at least see a future together.

The best way to track a human required all her senses to be activated. That meant she’d have to break the rules. Keke ran out the back door and quickened her pace, her bones and muscles strained and stretched as she ran, until she fully shifted into the white mare with the glowing horn. Her nose immediately picked up on Rock’s scent, except there was something peculiar about his smell. She charged in the direction of the freshly formed trail and it led her to the glass greenhouse.

Some of the windows were shattered near the entrance but the door was still intact. There were no signs of a break in so she used her hypersensitive nose to sniff the man out. She whinnied. Scraping her hoof across a patch of soil, but his scent held a hint of another unfamiliar one.

Keke cautiously made her way further down the path toward the ancient grandfather tree. A shadow moved and she halted, stepping back until the thing came into focus. Her nostrils flared and she took a whiff of the scent. The wild black beast bucked and then kicked up its front legs. Keke didn’t know what compelled her to move, but she ambled toward him without fear. When she approached him, he seemed to quiet down, yet she could hear the rapid beating of his heart and the rush of blood through his veins. She craned her neck, her eyes locked on the most magnificent black stallion she’d ever seen. His golden horn glowed, illuminating in the dark, and its magic activated her silver one to an equal intensity.

“Keke,” he called to her. “What have I become?”

Keke tenderly brushed the soft blond hair away from his forehead and placed the damp cloth across it. Not long after she’d discovered Rock, he’d shifted back to human form. She’d managed to find a blanket in the greenhouse and covered his naked body. Since Stasia was an expert on herbs, Keke naturally asked her for help. The woman didn’t hesitate and they’d gotten the unconscious Rock safely to the neighbor’s house.

She held onto his hand and closed her eyes, propping her head against the edge of the bed. Keke was relieved she didn’t have to relive what happened with the Shadow Trackers. She’d been running since she was thirteen years old, and she didn’t want to have to run anymore. She went as far as to sever communication with her father in order to keep him safe. Keke would do anything to spare him from harm.

Swallowing back the pain, she returned to the past and that night in the stables. She hadn’t known it then but her species faced transformation timelines. When a female le’ema, unicorn, turned thirteen, they entered into the cycle of womanhood. This required a slow death in which the body goes into hyper slumber, much like sleeping beauty, in order to regenerate and harness its magic. The matriarch would perform a ritual that included gathering of herbs from the Sacred Forest. Her mother had been the one, yet Keke had lost her long before.

As the transformation process began, she couldn’t maintain the human form. She knew Rock had been searching for her all night after he’d heard from her father she hadn’t returned home. He had found her in the rundown stable that was no longer in service, and which sat on his family’s property. The place they’d spent most of their youth playing hide-and-seek in. He’d also walked in exactly when she’d shifted.

Keke had been conscious for those few minutes, when she’d been briefly coherent; she’d witness the horrified look in his eyes. She begged him to help save her but she’d lost focus. In her delirium, she’d caught a glimpse of a woman bending over her. Keke had felt her body float as the elixir was poured into her mouth right before she’d blacked out. When she’d woken up, she’d stared into the haunting eyes of the reaper who could see into the soul.

She bolted upright and twisted around to face Stasia. “It was you.”

The reaper stood in the doorway in full black attire, her silver aura glittered around her like a halo. “I admit, I haven’t been completely honest with you.”

“Why did you save me?” Keke asked, agony rocking through her.

Stasia’s usual cool stare revealed a hint of sorrow. “I kept a promise I made to your mother.”

Keke stood up. “What? Explain it to me. Don’t I have the right to know?” The torment was overwhelming and she could feel the teardrops roll down her face.

“Very well. I was assigned to collect you.” The reaper took a deep breath. “I was never good with rules,” she smiled sadly. “I believe some things aren’t meant to be coveted by the mortal world, so I gave her a chance to return to the Sacred Forest where your species roam free.”

“What happened to her?” Keke demanded.

“She refused to go. Estee was adamant to come back for you, but she was too weak. She begged me to protect you.” Stasia’s voice lowered, “She traded her life for yours.”

The sentence echoed in her head and Keke swayed, feeling dizzy. She sat back down on the chair and she clutched her heart. She was angry with herself for living when it wasn’t her fate to. Her mother had made the ultimate sacrifice by choosing Keke over her father. Had the love her parents shared been enough? Her heart broke as she wept. Her shoulders shuddered as she tried to stifle her cries.

This was the first time she’d mourned for her mother, and yet she was also mourning on behalf of her father for his loss. He’d loved her unconditionally, however, he never had the chance to say goodbye to his beloved wife.

Stasia walked over to her and held out a square locket. “This was what your mother wanted you to have. It was her last wish.”

Keke opened it up and inside was a photo of her parents holding hands as children. Her eyes swept over the other side and she gasped. The other photo was of Keke holding Rock’s hand. The first time she’d met him. The first time she’d known he would someday be hers forever.

ELEVEN

Rock had awakened to a full recovery through the transition, as if he’d never been ill. There were so many unanswered questions that he and Keke had been looking into with the help of Professor Hyde. The truth was that they only uncovered one or two documented instances in which a human acquired the ability to shift. It was rare and this was exactly the challenge the owl seemed to want to tackle.

“I’ve discovered in the encrypted files that when unicorn’s blood is mixed with a mortal’s, the reaction is very similar to that of a person being transformed by vampire’s bites.” Hyde recited the data, “After three occurrences in which blood is exchanged, the human will undergo a cell transmutation. If the person survives from the compatibility of the regeneration, they will possess the abilities of their maker.”

“You’re saying that all the finger pricks you forced me to do turned me into a unicorn?” Rock eyed her. “You are my maker?”

Keke heaved a sigh, “That’s exactly what he’s saying.”

“It doesn’t have anything stated here about reversing the action,” Hyde added. “Welcome to the world of immortality.”

“This is insane, but not really insane. If that makes any sense?” Rock appeared happy about the information. “I’m like a superhero now!”

Hyde shook his head. “I suppose it would feel like that in the beginning, but one day you’ll wake up wishing for mortality. Calling for Death to make an appearance.”

Rock frowned at the bird, “Way to pop my bubble, Daniel Downer.”

“Did someone call my name?” Stasia walked into the living room carrying a cup of tea. “I’ve made a special blend that will help you repress the urges.” She shoved it at Rock. “The transformative state will send your body into a mating frenzy. You know, you’ll be in heat all the time.”

“You’re serious?” He reluctantly took the drink and eyed the tea with suspicion. “Nevermind. I don’t need a reaper and a cursed pueo owl going into sordid details about my body’s overactive libido.” He held his breath and drained the liquid. “That’s bloody awful!”

Keke laughed. “She never said it would taste good,” she mimicked Stasia’s bored tone.

“Someone’s on the porch,” Stasia commented.

“I didn’t hear anything.” Keke turned in the direction of the door just as she heard a hard rap. She got up to answer it.

Aria gave her a cheerful smile. “Boss man here? I’ve already rescheduled his patients and brought paperwork for him to review.” She breezed through the door and stopped in front of the owl. “How’s Professor Hyde today?” she asked in a cutesy tone, then rubbed his neck and he made a sound similar to a purr.

Keke made a mental note that this was definitely a secret weakness of Hyde’s. She leaned against the door and watched the scene before her. All her fears of a lonely existence had dramatically changed in a matter of weeks. She’d gained new friends, reconnected with an old one, and even gotten to know another side of Hyde that strengthened their relationship. During this short period of time, each one of these people had impacted her in various ways and now she wasn’t sure she’d be able to go back to where she’d been.

Rock and Aria spent a few minutes discussing business and how to diffuse all the tabloid gossip. Apparently, the elopement was doing wonders for his image. Who knew a scandal would actually make Rock more desirable? The tabloids found his romantic streak irresistible. She imagined he had an excellent publicist and team of attorneys.

In fact, he’d been asked to be in a high-profile celebrity magazine as one of the ‘Sexiest Men Alive’. She had to admit, she could see that. When the man wasn’t a serious pain in her backside, he was extremely charming, even funny. Rock also had the full package thing going on, if she didn’t know him, and hadn’t met him for the first time.

Keke suddenly felt the need to get some fresh air so she slipped out while everyone was preoccupied. She stood on the pier and stared out into the water as she reflected on what would happen between her and Rock. A little over a year ago she’d been standing in the exact spot witnessing the impossible. Luna had been a mermaid and miraculously, Ace had been given a second chance at life. He’d received the gift of transformation from Quan Yin, known as the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion. A blessing few people would witness in their lifetime.

The gentle breeze was perfect, caressing her skin and bringing a sense of peace after the ridiculous few days she’d endured. She closed her eyes and decided to listen in on the sounds around her. The muffled conversations between the tiny creatures made her smile at their innocent perspectives from the little corner of their lake.

“Penny for your thoughts.”

Keke opened her eyes and Rock was standing next to her, so close she could feel his warmth. She didn’t want to focus on how his closeness was affecting her. “Did you get everything wrapped up?” she asked.

“Yeah. Actually, I used the eloping thing as an excuse. Aria made sure everyone knew I wanted to take some time off to be with my new bride,” he said sheepishly.

“You did?” She whipped around to face him. “This is getting out of hand, Rock. Shouldn’t we be trying to get this wedding annulled?”

Rock shook his head. “I don’t want to.”

“Do you really want to be married to me?” She swallowed hard and straightened her spine. “Do you even love me?”

He reached out and gently cradled her cheek in his palm. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t.” He responded tenderly, “Keke, I’ve loved you since the first time you walked up to me in the playground, grabbed my hand, and took charge of my life.”

Her lips quivered. “Really?” She was so confused. She’d despised him for so long, had been angry for even longer. She wasn’t sure what was real anymore.

“Really.” He kissed her forehead and pulled back as if he knew what she was thinking. “Are you going to let me tell you a story that may change your mind about this misunderstanding, once and for all?”

She blinked and he took her hands in his and walked her to a nearby bench. They sat down and he began, “Once upon a time there was a scared boy who happened to be searching for his princess who was lost.”

Keke’s lips curved into a smile as she listened to the heartfelt story.

“He remembered she loved to hide in this one barn that was little more than a dilapidated shack.” Rock licked his lips and continued, “When he rushed to find her, he arrived just as this princess was transforming into a beautiful unicorn. He noticed something was wrong and he was terrified she would die, so he ran away to find help.”

“Oh, Rochester,” she breathed.

“When he got to his house, the cops were waiting at the door.”

He inhaled deeply and Keke could feel he was reliving the past, suffering as much as she was. “The boy was told his parents had been in an accident and he’d need to go with them. Which left him no choice except to leave,” Rock’s voice cracked. “He’d begged anyone who might listen to go help the girl. He even returned to the barn where he saw a woman helping the princess. She told him to leave and he was torn.”

“I’ve been so wrong.” Her eyes fixed on him. “You don’t have to do this,” she said.

His tone was raw and full of emotion, “No, Keke. Our story isn’t over yet.” He took another deep breath, his eyes welled up as he spoke. “He chose to walk away in order for the princess to live. Sadly, his parents didn’t make it and now he was forced to return to London. Can you imagine how this boy felt? He’d lost everyone he loved in a twenty-four-hour period. He ended up living with his grandmother and taking over a legacy. A business. He had to become a man. The boy made sacrifices to do what he thought was the right thing.”

She hugged him close and laid her head on his chest. “What happened next?”

“He worked his ass off, of course.” He propped his chin on her head. “Then one day when he was in high school he started to think he was going crazy. The world became a strange place and all the animals wanted to speak to him. So when he got to college, he did the only thing he could think of. He became a veterinarian in the hopes that he’d be led to his princess again.”

She pulled away to look at him. “You became the Animal Whisperer so you could find me?”

He curled his fingers around her hips and dragged her body toward his. “I scoured the world looking for you and when I thought you were gone, that’s when I found you.”

“I’m sorry for not believing you. I’m so sorry, Rock.”

“Hey. You didn’t know,” he whispered. “However, you could start doing a little bit of groveling to make up for how you’ve treated me.”

“How about his?” Keke wrapped her arms around his neck.

“For starters, that works.”

She pulled his head toward her. “How about this?” she said, planting her mouth on his.

The kiss was gentle yet she could feel their rapid heartbeats follow the same pattern, the same rhythm. They were completely in sync and that’s when she realized that she’d officially chosen her mate.

They broke from the kiss and she could feel the half-moon glowing on her forehead and her eyes widened when his half-moon activated, revealed for her to see.

They were now a complete moon.

His eyes locked on hers. “Did you feel that?”

“I did,” Keke answered breathlessly.

His gaze shifted to her forehead before he touched the spot on his. “That tingles. Is it normal?”

She bit her lower lip and nodded.

“Don’t do that. It’s mighty tempting,” he warned.

“Maybe I’m trying to tempt you.” She moved closer to him.

Rock stepped back to create a gap between them. “I know you don’t want to rush into things.”

“Say what?” She was confused by his actions. “Didn’t you like kissing me?”

“Yes, I did.” He coughed, “A lot more than I should.”

She reached for him and he held onto her hand. “No Keke, I want to do what’s right. Instead, of chasing you, I plan on making you fall in love with me all over again.”

“But—”

He pressed a finger against her lips to silence her. “Hear me out. We still have nine days left and I plan on making sure that every one of those days count. Do you trust me?”

“I trust you, Rochester.” She squeezed his hand. “I’ll never doubt you again.”

And she meant it with her whole heart.

Rock had spent most of his life trying to reinvent himself. He’d run through the emotional gamut when it came to Keke. From guilt, to anger, to sorrow.

Guilt for leaving her when she needed him.

Angry for giving into his family obligations and not being able to find her.

Sorrow for missing out on the most important years of their precious lives together.

Now he had a chance to create a new identity with the woman he loved. Always loved.

That’s why it was so important for him to make up for those lost years. He’d gone the simple route of wooing Keke by getting to know her and discovering what she loved. Their dates ranged from subtle to extravagant and it would lead to the last day, which happened to fall on the same day as Nocturne Fall’s annual celebration.

Rock had even enlisted the help of Aria, Hyde, and Stasia to secretly dig up things Keke enjoyed doing. He’d compiled the data and threw his own twist on them. One event included Rock shadowing Keke in the greenhouse. It was her wish, and he had a new appreciation for flowers and the rigorous steps to produce such exquisite works of art. He’d learned about her hybrid floral business from all aspects. He’d even helped lend a hand with the field workers, planting the fragile bulbs after it’d gone through her extraordinary fusion process. He’d been enthralled by her intelligence and ability to reach her dreams on her own terms.

Henri LaFleur would’ve been proud.

They finally reached the finale of the ‘Twelve Days of Keke’ in the magical time machine. The Red, White, and Boo Festival would start earlier, but the fireworks were set to go a little later in the evening after all the activities took place. It reminded him of attending a state fair with plenty of fun things to do and too many junk food options. Bad spontaneous choices that would lead to overindulging, and bellyaches the next day, yet still be stupidly happy.

Rock was proud to say he was going to pull off the most memorable date in the history of dates. He was nervous just reviewing everything in his head. It had to be perfect. Go big or go home. Well, he hadn’t planned on the latter. He was starting to get fond of this quirky town and its colorful citizens. Even Hugh Ellingham had agreed to go along with his plans.

“Showtime.” He knocked on Keke’s door and Aria opened it. “Wait, why are you here and not at the festival?”

His assistant winked. “Keke asked me for an opinion.”

“Mine, too,” Stasia peeked her head from behind Aria.

“It’s starting to feel a lot like prom,” he mumbled as he came into the house. He noticed the reaper was taking photos with her cell.

“Not too shabby, Winthorpe.” She gave him a thumbs-up sign.

Aria nodded her head in agreement. “You even bothered styling your hair. Nice touch.”

Stasia was deep in thought one moment, then blurted, “Considering I’ve never been to prom, I can pretend to give you a warning about bringing her home at a decent hour.” Her eyes flashed and she pointed at him with a bony finger, her tone dead serious, “Or else you will have to pay the reaper for your disobedience.” Then she broke out in eerie laughter.

Even the Ice Queen was thawing.

He forced a teeth-baring grin and laughed, almost terrified that under other circumstances, she was dead serious. Stasia was one woman he was glad was on his corner.

“Oh, brother,” Aria laughed with them. “He’s already taken her to third base, so that’s a moot point.”

Rock fidgeted with the lapel on his dark designer suit and waited for Keke to come out of her room. He was fixing his cuff links when he straightened up, his eyes zeroing in on the woman of his dreams. He didn’t realize he’d held his breath until she walked toward him, only then did he dare exhale. He was afraid this was all an illusion and that Keke would disappear as she once had.

Keke appeared as ethereal as the mythical creature from the Sacred Forest should. Nothing about her was ordinary. Her face had subtle silver glitter sprinkled like faerie dust around her eyes and cheekbones. She wore and off the shoulder flesh-colored mesh gown with heavy floral embroidery splashed throughout the fabric, and an elegant cluster of them wrapped around the sleeves. Greek goddess meets unicorn princess. Her hair was in a sensual yet earthy up-do style with vibrant wildflowers on her head like a crown. Loose strands fell out in just the right places and her four-inch heels brought him close to eye level.

The women were gushing about her beauty, but the world around them seemed to disappear, and all he saw was Keke.

“You’re stunning,” he praised as she faced him.

She let out a nervous laugh. “You are equally pleasing to the senses, Mr. Rochester.”

“Is that so?” He made a step toward her.

Aria stepped between them. “Don’t you dare, Rock! You’re going to be late for your big date and miss the fireworks if you both don’t get going.”

“I get the hint.” He held out the crook of his arm for Keke to take.

She accepted gracefully. “Why, thank you.”

And then they were off.

Rock drove her through a longer route he called scenic. They pulled off to the side and parked his vintage Bronco right next to the path that led to the falls that the town was named after. Tonight’s plans were still on target.

Keke had been confused by their impromptu stop. She asked, “What are we doing here? You told me you arranged for a romantic dinner at Guillermo’s and then we’d watch the fireworks.”

“We are, and we will,” he confirmed. “This is our first adventure of the night.”

He helped her out of the vehicle and before she had a chance to speak, he scooped her up in his arms and she wrapped her arms around his neck to keep her balance.

“Why is it that I have a feeling you’re up to no good, Mr. Rochester?”

He’d wanted to delay their arrival in order for Stasia and Aria to have time to make it back into town, but also for another significant reason. Rock carried her to the lush grassy edge with the patches of wildflowers scattered throughout the path created a romantic element. The gorgeous view with its tranquil waterfall was the focal point. It flowed calmly and fluidly, while splashes of liquid bounced off the uneven rocks like raindrops.

Rock lowered her to the ground and they noticed a tribe of fireflies encircling them, creating an illusion of tea lights, as if swaying softly from the light breeze. He stroked her cheek and stepped back. “I know that I may have managed to screw up a lot of things but the one thing I don’t regret is making you my bride.” He laughed. “Granted we can’t remember that night so I’m going to call that a dream. However, I’m going to try to make up for the debacle by constructing a new dream that you’re awake for.”

“What are you trying to say?” She gave him a questioning look.

His heart filled with love as he dropped down to one knee, and Keke came undone. Fat unshed tears formed at the corner of her eyes, she covered a hand over her mouth.

“Keke LaFleur, would you do me the honor of becoming my forever bride?” He pulled out the object from his inside suit jacket, opening the leather box to reveal the unique unicorn head shaped diamond. It glittered even under the magical lights generated by nature’s delicate creatures.

“I never thought I’d see the day—Hell Yes! I will make you my forever groom,” she responded excitedly.

Her hands were trembling as she held out her left hand for him and he noticed she’d still been wearing the battered and twisted aluminum ring. His heart soared at the knowledge that she wanted to be his. He quickly pulled out the unique diamond ring from the square box and replaced it with the flimsy faux band.

Rock took her hand and pressed the ring onto her forefinger, then gave it a gentle push until it fit snugly in place. He got up quickly and palmed her face between his hands, moving in for a sweet kiss. “I love you. I always have. I always will,” he whispered against her lips.

She murmured back, “I love you too, Mr. Rochester.”

They continued to celebrate the perfect moment for at least a good twenty minutes of lip-locking. He’d never felt more complete in his life. Although he had a lot to learn about the magical world of the le’ema, he had Keke and Hyde to lean on. He was finally going to have a whole family again. He only wished his parents could witness their happiness, yet he felt as if somewhere out there, they did.

The crowd appeared more massive than usual and Keke wondered if the Ellingham’s had something new planned for the fireworks show this year. They’ve become more experimental over the years with adding innovative special effects or testing original firework designs. She watched as Rock navigated his vehicle easily through the crowd to the parking lot that held his mobile clinic. He helped her out and that’s when a black vintage horse-drawn carriage with the cob web embellishments rolled up. Attached to the door was a bouquet of pastel rainbow flowers that matched her original hair color, and they distinctly looked like her hybrids.

“Hey, aren’t they…”

Rock winked. “Guilty as charged,” he answered before removing the bouquet and handing them for her to take. “Didn’t you mention that you preferred handpicked flowers to store bought? For this special occasion, I chose these beauties over wildflowers.”

She raised a brow at him. “What are you planning Rochester Archibald Winthorpe?” Her lips set in a wary smile.

“Let’s move the chit-chat into the carriage. We have a few more stops to make.” He helped her get settled in and then whistled for the driver to take off.

Keke didn’t have a clue of what Rock was planning but she always knew he possessed a big imagination so she was curious and filled with excitement at what he would come up with. Perhaps he prepared a private symphony or maybe another go at the picnic they’d had.

“Maybe you shouldn’t try so hard to figure out what I’m up to.” He kissed her forehead and pulled away. “It’ll give you permanent wrinkles.”

She playfully hit him on the chest and he trapped her hand against his heart.

“Stop number three.” The horse slowed to the curb in front of Guillermo’s where her friend Basil stood.

“You’re late,” she complained as she handed Rock a small tin box. She glanced over at Keke. “But, you look absolutely gorgeous! Love the new hairdo. Blue is totally your color.”

“Thanks, Basil. It’s growing on me,” she agreed.

Rock interrupted, “Sorry ladies, we have to dash on to the next location.” He tapped on the side of the carriage to alert the driver.

The hairstylist stepped back. “See you at the fireworks!” she called after them as they pulled way.

Keke was dying to know what her fiancé had up his sleeve. “So what’s in the tin?”

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with yet.” He smiled, showing his pearly whites.

“You’re going to keep me on edge until the end?”

He swung and arm around her shoulder and she leaned back against him. “Let’s enjoy the last few minutes on this ride since we’re nearing our final destination.”

She relaxed and took his suggestion. The night was turning out to be mysterious yet dreamy. Even the town’s decorations added to the atmosphere. Tiny skull lights were hung around storefront windows, while Halloween decorations were cute and tasteful rather than creepy and dark. The magic was in how everything seemed to blend into one another seamlessly and without turning this holiday themed town into too much of a gimmick. It was a nice balance and that’s one of the reasons why she loved Nocturne Falls. It was a world of its own, from the people she’d learned to love to the local shops and establishments unaffected by big business. There was certainly something for everyone.

The horse slowed to a stop and that’s when the entire mystery hit her like a ball of unicorn dust. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, so she reigned in the emotions to maintain her composure. Keke couldn’t help grinning from ear-to-ear. Rock appeared impatient and jumped out before the driver did. She let him assist her in exiting the carriage, threading his fingers between hers.

He tilted his head toward her and whispered, “Shall we fast forward to the ending of your fairytale?”

Keke thought she’d fallen into a daydream. Her eyes froze on the elaborate production in the center of the square. The streets were closed off and the space was decorated with more of her florals. Sheer fabrics with spider web patterns were hung beautifully around the parameters, along with glitter and sparklies everywhere. The small orchestra set up nearby played soft romantic music as they took their time toward the makeshift altar near the popular Gargoyle fountain. She’d been so focused on the aesthetics that she finally noticed the townspeople closing in around the landmark.

They reached the decorated arch near the fountain when she heard Stasia ask, “Are we having a wedding, or are we having a wedding?”

Aria added, “What’s a wedding without bride’s maids?”

She whipped around and caught sight of the reaper in a black, yet elegant dress with a silver flower in her hair. Aria stood next to her in a matching outfit and flower.  Professor Hyde was perched on her shoulder, a black bowtie around his neck.

Keke’s lips had stretched into a big smile since her arrival and even though it was starting to hurt, she didn’t care. Today was everything she’d dreamed of and more.

Rock handed her the tin box and she opened it. Inside was a lock of pastel blue hair with dried aged gum stuck to it, matching custom wedding bands with miniature unicorns engraved in them, and a garter that she recalled had belonged to Luna from her wedding.

“Something Olde, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue,” she recited the traditional Old English rhyme. “Thank you,” she mouthed to him.

Rock winked at her. “Let’s get this party started,” he howled and the crowd went wild.

It wasn’t surprising that Stasia also officiated the wedding. And as the enchanted ceremony came to an end, an explosion of fireworks filled the night sky in the images of stars and flowers.

Stasia announced, “Now you can kiss—”

But Rock didn’t wait for the sentence to end. He grabbed her and planted a sweltering kiss that made her legs buckle, but he held her firmly in place against him.

“Whatever.” Stasia chuckled. “Just keep kissing the bride!”

The deafening roars and happy cheers of the hundreds of guests didn’t break their kiss. Not even when the last of the fireworks ended. They were in a sacred universe of their own and nothing would tear them apart.

“Ahem.” Someone cleared his throat and tapped Rock on the shoulder.

They reluctantly pulled apart and Keke let out an enthusiastic squeal. She pushed away from Rock and reached for Luna, who was equally thrilled to be witnessing the event. Yet, Mrs. Conall sported an oversized belly which made it tricky to hug.

“O-M-G!” Keke bounced and awkwardly hugged Luna again.

Luna exploded, “Twins! Can you believe it?”

Ace Conall shook his head and clapped Rock hard on the back. “Welcome to married life, lad. Looks like you’ll get your new bride back in time before the honeymoon.”

The men busted out into laughter.

“Rock Winthorpe, Animal Whisperer,” he introduced himself and they shook hands.

“Ace Conall, Prince of the Kingdom of of Draíocht.” The man appeared impressed at the firm grip. “Yer mighty strong. You’ll bear some good sons.”

“Nice title,” Rock commented. “I don’t think we’re at that stage yet.”

“Well, yea. That’s what I said after our wedding.” Ace shook his head as if he sympathized with Rock. Then his eyes lit up. “Wanna go have a pint to pass the time?” Ace suggested. “Women. It could be a bit.”

Rock shrugged, going with the flow. “Why not? Everything about our life leading up to this point has been unconventional.” He turned to leave with his new buddy when he felt a feminine hand gripping his forearm.

“Whoa, horsey. Not so fast, Mr. Rochester.” Keke didn’t give him time to react as she flung her arms around his neck. “No offense Luna, but I think I’m ready to be whisked off on my honeymoon.”

“None taken, Keke,” the woman said in a melodic voice. Ace affectionately wrapped an arm around his wife’s waist and they stepped back.

“That’s the best idea ever, Mrs. Winthorpe!” Rock beamed as he placed a sweet kiss on her lips. “Maybe you’d like to throw the bouquet first?” He raised a brow and Keke giggled.

She turned her back to the crowd of eager women who’d heard the request and counted down from three, then threw the bouquet into the air. She didn’t know how high it went or where it had landed until a distinct Irish brogue swore from the crowd. “What the heck am I gonna do with a bunch of flowers?”

Keke pivoted around and broke out in hysterical laughter. Ace’s hot six-foot-four blond bodyguard Kearney was eying the bouquet with horror, oblivious to the single ladies starting to fight to catch his eye.

A light tug on the fabric of her dress made her turn her head. Rock’s eyes glowed even brighter in the darkness. “I don’t think that tea Stasia gave me is working.”

She licked her lips and lowered her voice so no one could hear them. “Perhaps we’ll delay the honeymoon for a few hours and cut to the horseplay,” she hinted sexily.

Those were all the words he needed to encourage Rock to literally sweep her off her feet and make a run for it.

This was the flawless fairytale ending they’d written together.

ABOUT JAX

USA Today Bestselling Author Jax Cassidy followed her dreams to Paris, then Hollywood to pursue a film career but managed to fall in love with penning sexy romances and happy endings. She is Co-Founder of Romance Divas, an award winning writer’s website and discussion forum. Jax is also known as one-half of the retired writing team of Cassidy Kent. She is represented by Roberta Brown of the Brown Literary Agency.

To learn more about Jax, visit her online:

www.jaxcassidy.com

www.facebook.com/AuthorJaxCassidy

www.instagram.com/jaxcassidy

www.twitter.com/jaxcassidy

If you enjoyed THE GROOM CHASES HIS UNICORN,

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THE MERMAID CATCHES HER MATE

Nocturne Falls Universe

CHAPTER ONE

LUNA NEEDED WATER like mortals needed air to breathe. She swam effortlessly across the lake, propelled by the pure force of her powerful fin. She broke through the water’s surface and twisted in mid-air before diving back into the deep unknown. The splash created an illusion of a light rain shower and she laughed as she reveled in the freedom of her natural form.

Mermaids have always been depicted as mythical creatures known as seductive, yet deadly sirens. That was, until the pop-culture-made-cutesy version turned them into the latest trend. Now everyone couldn’t get enough of them. Created by the benevolent Goddess Quan Yin to balance, heal, and protect the majestic waterways and its creatures, her immortal species had quietly existed under the radar for many millennia. The law assigned to these ancient mermaids and mermen was specific, with rules preventing them from living among mortals.

Luna’s family was an exception.

As the mer-tale goes, her great grandfather had saved the life of a Fae disguised as a mortal. She’d slipped off the mountain’s ledge on a stormy day and fallen into the sea. Instead of letting her drown, he’d interfered with the pact between the worlds and pulled her to safety without fear of being punished. In return for his selfless act, the Matsya lineage was blessed with the ability to integrate with humans. Unlike other mer-people, who could only stay on land for a handful of hours, the Matsya could live within both worlds. By learning from mortals, it would be easier to protect the bodies of water and creatures from further destruction. Some of the clan had become teachers and ocean activists, while others infiltrated the scientific world to help preserve the oceans and its inhabitants.

However, there were rules to abide by in order to maintain this valuable gift.

Cinderella’s magic may fade at midnight, but her problems could be easily solved by a glass slipper and a Prince. For Luna, if she were to fall in love with a mortal man, and he didn’t love her in return, her body would gradually forfeit immortality. Within three months, her mermaid’s heart would no longer beat again, and she would be destined to die alone without knowing true love. Once a Matsya chose her mate, it was forever.

Luna made it a mission to never give her heart away. Her hand balled into a tight fist just thinking about that day she had witnessed first-hand what it had done to her aunt. The heavy emotion still weighed on her chest like a ton of bricks. The memory was as vivid in her mind as it was that fateful day years ago, although she struggled to remember the secret she’d overheard. There was one way to reverse this tragic fate—this came from the mouth of the very Fae that blessed her family.

“Feels more like a curse, to me,” she scoffed.

Luna shook off the gloomy thoughts and floated on her back. She stared up at the beautiful full moon as it shined brightly above. She closed her eyes and allowed the soothing sensations to flow through her. Her body hummed, glowing almost as brilliant as the moon, rejuvenated by the water’s sacred powers. This had become her nightly routine for the past five years since arriving in Nocturne Falls. It was a no brainer for her to choose a town that proudly touted, “Where every day is Halloween”. The kind of place she easily blended in without her parents pressuring her to take over the family business. Time was winding down and she’d have to give her answer by her twenty-seventh birthday. Roughly three months away.

The scales on her once dull mermaid tail were now a glittery spectrum of green and blue hues. This change always alerted her that her time in the lake had come to an end. She dove beneath the ripples, but the sound of muffled voices, echoing from a distance, made her quickly resurface.

“What in Neptune’s name!” she spat out. Her eyes zeroed in on where the commotion was occurring.

Several vehicles were parked carelessly over the property line that separated the Ellingham’s land and her private lake. The door of the red Range Rover hung wide open. Her perfect vision latched onto the handsome dark haired man deeply engaged in conversation with another burly one. Her ultrasonic hearing automatically tuned into the frequency of the voices and every nerve ending in her body lit up in alarm.

“Pike, the tent must go up first thing in the morning,” Mr. Tall and Delicious instructed. “Got it?”

“No problem, Ace. It’ll all be taken care of,” the henchman replied.

She didn’t know who gave these men clearance to construct some kind of tent near her property, but she’d get to the bottom of it first thing in the morning. Whether this was temporary or not, this would make it tricky to indulge in her nightly swims without being caught.

Luna didn’t wait to hear any more of their ridiculous discussion. Her temper flared and she swung her tail in anger, slamming it across the water with a loud thud. The strength of her action kicked up a makeshift rainstorm. The heavy droplets drenched the men and she couldn’t help feeling a bit of satisfaction for squelching their conversation.

“What the h—” Ace pivoted around and his eyes widened, riveted on her.

“Crap!” Luna squeaked and ducked down. “Could he really see me?”

She watched him blink several times, praying he chocked it down to a late night hallucination. Better yet, perhaps he’d had some of the magical spring water that shielded mortals from seeing her true form. Thankfully, the burly man hadn’t spotted her, too. Within seconds, Luna high-tailed it out of there, swimming hard and fast as if sea Daemones were snapping at her tail.

CHAPTER TWO

“Here you go, Luna. The Scare-The-Frap-Out Latte with an extra helping of whipped cream. Just the way you like it.” Jordie, the cute and quirky seasonal barista, slid the icy drink towards her.

She mumbled her “thanks”, not in the mood to make small talk with the chatty teenager today. Luna walked out of the Hallowed Bean, the best coffee shop in town, and onto Black Cat Boulevard to head to work. Even with the quirky town catering to Halloween, the place was growing on her. She passed the familiar building that was deliberately angled to make it look rickety. Glancing at her wristwatch, she was relieved she would still make it to Hair Scare on time to take her regular client.

Being a hairstylist had turned out to be the perfect gig for her. She had flexible hours and a busy schedule that made it easy not to overthink much about anything. She could step outside the box with her artistic talents and be recognized, which was highly rewarding. She had quickly become a trendsetter and the town’s most sought after stylist, but not without some secrets to her success.

She hastened her steps while replaying the morning’s entire conversation with the town officiate, Sebastian Ellingham. Luna still stewed over the news that her objections about the enormous tent being constructed weren’t going to make a difference. Apparently, the traveling magician’s show was being built on the Ellingham’s property, and did not cross over onto hers. Thus, she could protest all she wanted, but couldn’t do a darn thing about it.

To top it off, Nocturne Falls was the last stop in the leg of their tour so she’d have to tolerate the nuisance for the next six months. Six months! She’d have to find a quick solution on how to swim in her own private lake, which wouldn’t be private any longer. She cringed at the thought of the media publishing photos that would capture her home on the other side of the lake.

As if the Universe was conspiring against her, she noticed the oversized posters and flyers that were plastered along the storefront windows, the streetlamp with a metal bracket in the shape of a cobweb, and even on the tourist trolley that passed by on her walk to the salon.

Her eyebrows furrowed together in annoyance. “What kind of name is Ace Conall, anyway?” she grumbled.

There was no escaping the smug, yet handsome face of the celebrity magician staring back at her. Sure, she’d heard about him, but had never seen any of his performances on television. In fact, she worked long hours and on her days off she focused primarily on her own brand of haircare products. She didn’t have much time for anything else.

Luna passed a group of young women excitedly gushing over the man’s photo and rolled her eyes. She was certain he was all airbrushed with fancy tricks to make him appear more mysterious and alluring. He probably was short in person. His image was all Hollywood smoke and mirrors, anyway.

She quickened her pace and rounded the corner a little too sharply, tripping on an uneven patch of sidewalk and lost her balance. The drink went flying out of her hand, her ankle gave out, and her body contorted ungracefully in the fall. She squeezed her eyes shut, expecting her face to kiss the pavement. Miraculously, something or someone had broken her fall.

Her eyes flew open and she found herself in the arms of a rather masculine stranger. Luna couldn’t get a good look at his face, since most of it was concealed by a baseball cap. His lush lips revealed a hint of a smile as melted coffee and clumps of whipped cream dripped off his hat and onto her sundress.

She let out something that sounded akin to a dolphin’s screech. Instead, of being angry at her, he seemed to find the incident amusing.

“Do you mind?” she blurted, squirming out of his arms since he was still holding her in a way that reminded her of those romance cover poses.

He helped her up before pulling off his cap to shake off the liquid. “A ‘thank you’, would be a preferred response.”

She opened her mouth to speak but her mouth went dry. Why did he seem so familiar? Holy, Aphrodite! Not only was he the same man who’d spotted her last night, but the one and only Ace Conall in the flesh!

“You’re—”

He interrupted, “Running late.” He winked knowingly before putting on his hat, pulling down the stiff brim and briskly taking off down the sidewalk.

Luna watched his lithe, yet toned body maneuver expertly through the crowd without being recognized. Frankly, she was relieved he didn’t seem to remember her. She smiled to herself at the knowledge that, although they may be from two different worlds, they both had the same goal in mind. To be left alone.

“Thank goodness, you’re here!” The part-time assistant’s British accent was more prominent when she was in panic mode. Her worried expression disappeared when Luna arrived.

“Gracie Johanssen at my station?”

“Yep. Told her you were running late, and even made her a spot of tea. She’s all good.”

Luna nodded. “Thanks for the save, Basil.”

The young woman in her usual retro 1940s fashion raised a brow as she eyed the front of Luna’s dress. “Looks like you’ve had your morning coffee.”

Luna didn’t have time to deal with the coffee stain or provide explanations. As if Basil sensed her mood, she pulled out an apron from a nearby cabinet and handed it to her. “I’m not even going to ask.”

“Might be wise.” Luna quickly slipped her head through the loop of the fabric and tied the straps behind her as she headed over to her client. She smiled at the older woman. “Sorry I’m late.”

Gracie’s eyes lit up. “No need to worry, dear. I’m in no rush.”

“Well, if it’s any consolation, I’ve got a new hair color that will be fabulous on you.” She took the empty teacup and set it aside before securing the vinyl cape around the woman’s neck. “Just give me a couple of minutes to set up and I’ll be right back.”

“Certainly. I always love whatever you do.” Her smile brightened. “Besides, I enjoy making the women at the club green with envy. I don’t know how you do it but the color lasts forever!”

Luna bit back a smile as she walked into the back workroom to prepare the mixture. She opened her locker, pulling out the items she needed. She twisted the cap off the container that held the organic ground ingredients and poured them in the mixing bowl. She’d spent many free days meticulously collecting the land and sea plants for her special products. Some ordinary, some rare. As she stared blankly at the thick paste, she focused on what combinations would work for Gracie’s hair color. In her mind’s eye she imagined the perfect shade and texture of a horse’s mane, then stuck her finger into the concoction and twirled. It transformed from white to a warm chocolate brown with reddish sparkles throughout.

She wiped her finger on the hand towel. “Perfect.”

Luna may not be able to control the soon-to-be-built tent situation, but she could certainly use her mermaid magic to her advantage. The Fae that had given her family legs had also given them unique abilities, making the Matsya clan truly distinctive from the rest of her species.

When she went back to her station, she gave Gracie a quick shampoo. They chatted while she worked and she was quickly caught up with the latest gossip in town. Luna then prepped and applied the magical chestnut color and was pleased with how well it matched the woman’s fair complexion. She knew in the sunlight the shade would be fully enhanced by the lighter streaks. The striking red tones would pop nicely. It would also remain soft and silky until their next appointment.

Gracie moaned, “Your product always makes my scalp tingle…in a very wonderful way.” She laughed. “I may be fifty-five but I swear you take off a good ten years with your products. I look and feel marvelous whenever I leave the salon.”

Luna grinned. “I try to work my magic.”

Gracie’s eyes sparkled then turned serious. “That’s why you should sell your products outside of the shop. Why don’t you take it online or into a larger market? You’d be bigger than that fellow, the celebrity stylist with the choppy hair and overdone tan. Whim or Wham, whatever his name is that’s found on the home shopping network.”

She shook her head. “I’m perfectly happy selling it exclusively here. I guess I’m not ready to sell out and trade my peaceful existence for celebrity status. Who wants to live a life being scrutinized and constantly running from the paparazzi?” She waved the brush in the air and her eyes landed on the television segment highlighting the most talked about magician in town. “Unless you’re someone like…”

“Ace Conall?” a rich Irish brogue suggested.

Luna pivoted around and her wet brush fell out of her hand, landing with a splat on the floor. What is he doing here? She hadn’t expected seeing the man three times in the past twenty-four hours. Twice was a coincidence. Three times was an omen she didn’t want to think about.

“I see you have a knack for dropping things, lass.” He grinned broadly, his tone more intimate than it should sound. The kind that could mislead others into thinking they actually knew each other.

He gave her a familiar wink and watched her shift uncomfortably.

“Excuse me?” she squeaked.

Did he have to make every action resemble a shark eyeing his prey? He was the enemy here! She had to remind herself that Ace and his henchmen were gearing up to make the next six months of her life a total misery.

Her frown deepened, not liking how her body’s reaction was betraying her usually level head. She was no better than the women she’d seen ogling the poster. Did he have to look so charming? His piercing ice-blue eyes held a hint of flirtation. She was more annoyed with herself for finding him super-hot in the fitted grey t-shirt and dark jeans molding to his lean, muscular frame in ways that shouldn’t be legal.

Ace no longer had on the baseball cap or loose outfit from earlier. He’d cleaned up. Too good. She could bet her sweet kelp that he probably knew he had that effect on women and he ran with it.

Luna noticed that Gracie remained quiet during this whole scenario, while Basil had been glued to a spot near her station with starry-eyed wonder. Boy, this was the most entertainment she’d been involved in since she arrived in Nocturne Falls. Luna wasn’t particularly thrilled about the forthcoming inquisition from her enrapt audience.

Someone cleared their throat and Luna finally noticed the stunning blonde standing beside him. She pursed her lips, obviously not pleased with witnessing their exchange. She gave Luna a quick once over before dismissing her, as if Luna wasn’t even in their league.

“Are you acquainted with Ace?” she asked with a plastered on smile.

Luna feigned innocence. “Not exactly. We sort of bumped into each other.”

“It doesn’t matter, but what does is that Ace requires the salon’s services for the rest of the afternoon.”

“Huh?” She glared at her front desk assistant.

Basil let out a nervous laugh, “About that…”

“I’m Natalia, Ace’s manager,” she cut in. “You must be Luna Matsya. I’ve heard you were the best hairstylist in town.”

“That’s right,” she agreed, distracted by the woman’s shade of bright red lipstick. If she wasn’t a blood sucker, she sure as heck would fit in as one. She let loose a smile at the thought and immediately realized she must’ve sounded cocky.

“Modest are we?” the blonde bombshell added, “I’m one to hold judgment until after I’ve seen the results.”

Touché. Natalia didn’t mince words. Nor did she hide the fact that she wasn’t impressed by Luna.

“It’s only natural I get the best,” Ace said with a Cheshire smile. Was he trying to break the tension? He continued, “Seeing as to how much free publicity you’re getting from me, just by showing up here today.”

Ace wasn’t wrong. She knew everyone at Hair Scare would benefit from having a celebrity singling out the salon, which meant more clients and recognition in town. Which translated to more stress and expectations. Her body tensed at the idea of increased business coming from tourists and immortals when the media got wind of this. Her quiet existence would soon be a thing of the past.

Luna smiled stiffly. “It must have slipped my mind. I just need to finish up with Gracie,” she said through clenched teeth.

Natalia stated, “Just know that Ace has an interview with the local television station at four. He can’t be late.”

Luna eyed the large clock on the wall and realized it was already a little after one. She gave Basil a hard stare for not giving her a heads up. She knew there was plenty of time to get Ace ready, but she didn’t appreciate being put on the spot.

“Perhaps you’d like Darcy to work on you first,” she said as she gave him a critical once over, her eyes stopping at his fingernails. “After all, your delicate magician’s hands need a manicure.”

“Aye,” Ace laughed. “We can’t have that. Appearances are everything. Who knows if I’ll need these ‘delicate’ hands to rescue a damsel from falling and spilling her coffee on me.”

She could feel the heat rushing to her cheeks.

He addressed Natalia, “Let’s go with this plan.” He glanced over at Luna. “I like the idea of saving the best for last.” The blonde let out a huff, pivoted on her heel and headed back toward the lobby with Basil quickly following behind.

“I think she’s warming up to me, don’tcha think?” Luna smirked.

“She’s all bark.” He gave Luna a big smile that revealed some serious dimples. “Natalia isn’t used to not having things her way.”

Oh, my. The man certainly knew how to fight dirty.

Snap out of it! She reluctantly glanced away, telling herself she was unaffected.

“Maybe it’s time she accepts that she can’t always get what she wants.”

“Luna Matsya, you’re becoming more interesting than you already are.” Ace grinned. “See ya in a wee bit.”

She watched him walk back to an impatient Natalia, taking those secret weapons with him. She felt the woman’s angry glare and actually enjoyed the idea that perhaps she was seen as competition. Even with her short temper, Luna had stayed out of trouble while living here. Maybe knowing in a few months she’d be returning home, she entertained the thought of playing with fire to pass the time. She had nothing to lose. Being waterproof could prevent her from getting burned.

Luna refocused her attention back on Gracie. “Let’s get you rinsed, cut, and styled.”

“Ace is quite a handsome young man, isn’t he?” The older woman’s eyes glittered with laughter.

“He’s handsome enough,” Luna murmured.

Gracie bit back a smile. “He’s exactly what this town needs. Shake things up a bit. I can name a few ladies who need to be taken off the market, and who wouldn’t want to have a successful and gorgeous man to parade with?”

“You forget that he’s only traveling through,” she huffed. “It’s only been a day, but I’m sure he’ll make Julian Ellingham look like Prince Charming. Besides, the only parade I’ll ever participate in is the Panic Parade, thank you very much.”

“I can see you’ll be just fine guarding that heart of yours.” Gracie laughed as if she knew a secret Luna didn’t.

She quickly glanced over at the man that had thrown her life into turmoil since his arrival. Her pulse raced and she cursed her body’s reaction. Ace wasn’t exactly hard on the eyes, she’d give him that. Her beef with him was that he’d waltzed right into Nocturne Falls and already charmed everyone with his Irish hotness. He was getting everything his way, including a piece of her lake.

Heck, no. She wasn’t going to allow him to get his way any longer. She’d do whatever it took to send him and his crew packing.

She’d make darn sure this was one mermaid Ace Conall would regret ever tangling with.

ALSO BY JAX CASSIDY

Nocturne Falls Universe Series

The Mermaid Catches Her Mate, May 2017

The Wizard’s Mistletoe Magic, December 2017

The Chef Caters To The Reaper, January 2018

Sweet Romances

Psychic’s Beast

Seoulful Kiss

Shibuya Moment

Erotic Romances

Wanderlove

Brush with Desire

Devil’s Heart

Siren’s Seduction

writing as CASSIDY KENT

Sunset Key

Raleigh in Rio

Dolce & Diana

Sunswept

Santa’s Helper

Dear John

What Lies in Winter

One Wicked Winter

Table of Contents

FORWARD

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

ABOUT JAX

(Untitled)

ALSO BY JAX CASSIDY

Table of Contents

FORWARD

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

ABOUT JAX

(Untitled)

ALSO BY JAX CASSIDY