“How can you identify it in this darkness?” He grinned as she grew more upset. His Hannah could shift between emotions without provocation. He let go her hand when she tugged and gave him her version of the famous “look.”
“Any woman can recognize this type of sandal, but who the hell wears expensive footwear in the fucking woods?”
He lifted an eyebrow but swallowed his laugh in the face of her anger. “Such unladylike language.” He prodded into her mind, amused to see the riot of purple, green, and yellow that was her displeasure.
“I’m sorry.” Her shoulders slumped. “When I get very tired, I tend to resort to profanity if humor isn’t available. But that’s a very rare occasion. I’m a very irreverent person.”
“Yes, I know.” He glanced warily at her, then added a curse of his own when he stumbled over the shoe’s companion. As he retrieved the second one, he studied the footwear. In his opinion, there was barely enough silver leather to hold the shoe to a woman’s foot.
“Oh, please Edwin. I think they’re very cute and strappy.”
“You are certainly entitled to your opinion.”
She snorted. Would they make my ankles look slimmer or my legs appear longer if they were my size? Would you enjoy it if I wore the shoes?
“Vanity is said to be one of the Seven Deadly Sins,” was Edwin’s only comment as he handed her the errant shoe.
Hannah stuffed the footwear into her bag. “So is arrogance.”
He halted abruptly, grunting when she ran into his back.
“You’re going to have to stop doing that.”
“Hush.” Urgency gave life to the word as he flung out his arm to prevent her from moving. “Do not say anything else.” Annoyed when she jockeyed around his arm in order to see, he tried to block her. “Hannah!” He stiffened when a dark shape darted across the path to vanish into the trees.
“Who, or what, do you suppose that was?” She gripped his arm with cold fingers. “Do you hear that?”
“What part of ‘do not say anything’ did you not comprehend?” He reached for her but she slipped out of his grasp to dance just beyond his reach. “Hannah.”
“I think it’s… giggling.” She sniffed the air and groaned. “Someone is cooking actual food!”
He scowled into the darkness when she shuffled toward the smell. He had to admit, the aroma of roasting food made his stomach rumble in sympathy, but the need to be vigilant outweighed squelching his hunger. “Please have a caution.” Edwin pulled on her hand, swinging her around to face him. “It could be a trap. As much as you desire food and water, I would not put it past you to ignore any sort of warning you may feel.”
“It’s nice of you to be concerned, Snookums, but I can take care of myself.” She patted his stubble-covered cheek. “I’ll be fine.”
“I would ask you not to call me Snookums in the future,” Edwin said stiffly, but he allowed her to draw him through the trees toward the noise and revelry.
“Fine by me. If you let me bum some food off of these folks, I’ll call you anything you want.”
He once again checked her progress when they reached the periphery of the camp. “We will err on the side of caution and play it safe. I believe we have just located our quarry.” He grasped her hand tightly then tugged her into the camp.
*****
The light from the bonfire illumined a rather motley crew.
“Horace the Black, I presume?” Edwin’s baritone voice was deceptively low and friendly, but even Hannah knew the silken danger his voice hid.
She looked into his face. Little thrills raced up and down her spine as his eyes darkened to a stormy grayish-blue color. One of these days, I hope to see you in action. She smiled with anticipation. All those muscles rippling, sweat glistening over his dusky skin, locked in a fight to the death. She shivered with imagined delight, the needs of her stomach momentarily forgotten.
When I am engaged in combat, you would not find it glamorous, spatzi. There are times when I am wounded and times when I am forced to kill. Real life does not resemble a Hollywood movie.
Roasted meat and campfire smoke perfumed the air, and she sighed. I don’t mind you tapping into my thoughts, but at least leave my fantasies alone.
The goat man’s unrefined voice yanked her out of her fictional dreams. “Ah, that depends on who wants to know, doesn’t it?” A hint of an Irish accent roughened his voice.
Horace approached them, walking upright on his hoofed back feet. Rich mahogany colored fur, mottled and coarse, covered his lower body, from waist to hoof. The upper half was that of a rather stout and potbellied man. His chest hair appeared to be the same red color of his fur. His whole being reeked of a septic tank backup after a hard rain. Two small horns sprouted from his receding hairline and grease glistened on his lips.
Hannah wrinkled her nose as he paused before them. Obviously, he’s never heard of deodorant or bathing!
Edwin lifted an eyebrow at her comment but held out his hand. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Edwin Mason, and this is Hannah Weybourne. We are merely travelers passing through the area in search of a missing princess. It is our hope you can show us a bit of hospitality and provide us with a meal before we journey onward.”
She knew Edwin possessed manners, but she had no idea he could be so eloquent with his speech. “Good evening,” was her only contribution to the conversation. As she shook Horace’s sticky, sweaty hand, she resisted the urge to wipe her palm on her jeans afterwards. She didn’t want to offend him – much.
The goat man’s laughter was robust and barking. “You are hardly mere travelers. I’ve heard the stories about you, Edwin Mason, bounty hunter. The Forest Witch sent out a notice two days ago advising me you were in the area with your ah, companion of the moment.”
Edwin growled. “You will deal with me alone. Hannah is off limits.” He pressed his lips into a thin line.
“Interesting.” Horace turned his pudgy face to Hannah. She fought down her revulsion when he winked. “Since I have nothing to hide, feel free to enjoy all I have to offer. It’s not every day someone as honored as you lowers themselves to dine with me.” His dark eyes flashed in the flickering light. “Perhaps your lady friend will find the accommodations here much more to her liking than following you around the forest. She would be a refreshing addition.”
Edwin’s grip on her hand tightened until she cried out with pain. “We would be grateful for the chance of a meal, but I have to disappoint you regarding Hannah. She will leave when I leave. You will need to look elsewhere for another woman to rut with. She is mine.”
Hannah blinked as his voice went from silky to downright antagonistic in the space of two seconds but she took exception to his possessive claim. “Wait just a minute.” She planted her hands on her hips. “When did I become your property?”
He recaptured her hand. “I am making a point to our overzealous host.”
Somewhat mollified, she squeezed his fingers in thanks. “I’m hungry, Edwin. Why don’t you leave off with the posturing? Let’s investigate the food.”
Horace roared with laughter and moved aside. “Feast and enjoy! You may want to freshen up in the small hut there. I find humans are more finicky about hygiene than other creatures of the forest.” He clapped his hands. “Cessily will assist your lady friend with her bath. She would be happy to help you with yours if you should require her, ah, services.” There was no mistaking the hidden meaning of the goat man’s words this time.
“I need no assistance.” Edwin stiffly moved past the goat man. He pulled Hannah along behind him, his shoulders rigid with indignation.
The hut, which was their destination, was just that. A small thatched roof covered a shack-like structure made of tree trunks and vines. It appeared to be five feet square in total floor space. Obviously, Horace didn’t believe in living large.
They followed Cessily through the door.
Hannah tried to hate her for her thin figure and clouds of lush blonde hai
r, but she couldn’t summon up enough jealousy. The girl had the face of an angel and the mannerisms to match. It took the wind out of her sails to be mean-spirited. She stared again. Pointy ears poked out from the clouds of that wonderful hair. Was she part elf? Her breath caught with excitement. Do you think Cessily would let me interview her?
Leave it alone.
“This is the bathing area.” Cessily moved aside.
Chapter Ten
Hannah’s interest in Cessily faded as the glory of Horace’s bathhouse spread before her. Once again, she had under-estimated the trickery magical beings employed to build their residences. “This is wonderful!”
It was as if a European spa had landed in the middle of the Indiana Dunes State Park. Sunken concrete baths steamed invitingly in the room. Women clothed in white robes wandered through the maze, some receiving massages on heavily cushioned tables from impossibly gorgeous men. Another group enjoyed fruity herbal-scented facials, while another small pod ate plump, juicy fruit from the chilled bowls on a banquet table as they chatted with hunky half-elves.
Cessily motioned Edwin to a door on the left side of the corridor. “The men’s bathing area is through there. I will return Hannah to you in an hour.”
Streaks of pea green painted themselves across Hannah’s consciousness. Edwin was worried. A swift splash of vivid brown interrupted the green. Now, he’d started to panic. She attempted to tap into his mind, but met nothing but blank grayness. The bounty hunter had shut her out.
As Edwin turned to her, his eyes blazed with icy intensity. “I know this seems fantastic, but sometimes appearances are deceiving. I ask that you be constantly vigilant. Do not let your guard down, no matter how tempting it may be to do so. If something is too good to be true, it usually is.”
She dismissed his concern. “I promise to remain safe. Please don’t worry about me.” She patted his arm. Her attention already meandered toward the steaming aromatherapy baths. “I’ll see you later.” Hannah left him to stand by himself at the door to the men’s bath area. She followed Cessily through the rows and rows of inviting tubs and grinned.
“This bath belongs to you for the next hour. You should find it quite relaxing with lavender and geranium to sooth your cuts as well as a touch of lemon oil to invigorate your senses. There are numerous soaps and lotions for you to choose. When you are finished soaking, there is a small hand-bell at the edge of the bath. Please ring it, and I will return to escort you to the next treatment.”
Ignoring the trepidation that danced in her stomach, Hannah wasted no time in shedding her clothing then sank into the wonderfully warm and scented water. “This is heaven.”
A frown pulled Cessily’s lips downward. “If you will just let me have your bag, I’ll be off.”
“Uh, no that’s all right.” A spiral of warning bounced around the inside her stomach. Remembering Edwin’s admonition, she vigorously shook her head. “I’d like to keep the bag with me, if you don’t mind.”
The bath attendant shrugged. “Suit yourself. There are fresh clothes for you in this basket as well as shoes. Ring the bell when you’re finished.”
“I will.” Hannah sighed with relief as Cessily finally left the area. She lay back against the smooth limestone of the tub. Life couldn’t possibly get any better. Her original plan had been to spend every second of that precious hour reclining in the lovely warm water, but Edwin’s warning put a damper over her ability to enjoy the respite. She procured a razor from her makeup bag then shaved her legs, figuring that at least she could strive to be a bit more feminine even if it was just to continue to trek through a forest. Of course, if she and the bounty hunter decided to indulge in a little adult-oriented entertainment, she’d be glad she spent some time on grooming. Her cheeks heated at the thought. Did she want their relationship to progress to that level?
Hannah, we need to leave.
She smoothed bath gel over her arms and frowned. How much work would it take if she decided to seduce the starchy vamp? Go away, Edwin. You’re ruining my bath.
I am sorry, but I do not trust Horace. Something is not right in this camp. There is an aura of magic here that is not friendly.
I’m not finished yet. Now, go away. She closed him out of her mind, sighed, and tried to unwind in the water of the bath. “Damn it!” She glanced around the spa area, glad no one seemed interested in her outburst. Anxiety settled like a rock into her stomach with a thud. He’d ruined the experience.
Hannah spent a good amount of time lathering her hair. She shivered when she pulled a dried leaf from the bubbles. What else was in there? For her own peace of mind, she lathered, rinsed and repeated at least twice. She inhaled the sweet rose scent of the shampoo, completely happy to soak her trouble away but when wrinkles turned her fingers and toes into wanna-be prunes, she exited the now-dirty bathwater with a regretful glance. She dried off with the fluffiest soft towel she had ever used then stroked a corner of the white material over her cheek. She’d definitely missed the little luxuries of life.
Edwin, you need to travel with one of these optical illusion huts. It would make hiking through the forest much more enjoyable.
Starbursts of ruddy brown twinkled in her mind. I am bathing under duress.
Now is not the time for sarcasm. Her laugh echoed off the concrete baths. When she spied her old clothes folded neatly on a side table, she grabbed them and stuffed them into her bag, marveling that they’d been washed and pressed. Old clothes were forgotten in the face of a new outfit. A grin slid over Hannah’s lips. Cessily had provided new under garments of a black lacy variety, but she didn’t dwell on why they were black or lacy. They were fresh and clean, and that was good enough for her. At least there was still some sort of feminism left in the world.
She slipped an ankle-length dress over her head, sighing as the cool, soft cotton whispered against her skin. Short sleeved and of a raspberry hue, it was pretty but very plain. The only thing remotely fashionable about the garment was the scooped neckline that bared a rather indecent amount of breast. With a shrug, Hannah dropped the long chain with the pendants under her dress. The pair of ballet flats she slipped on was equally unremarkable with the exception they were made of very soft and pliable tan leather.
With a smile, she arranged her short locks into spiky disarray with the same hair gel she used at home. Tiny alarms clanged in her head. Why does the spa have my hair products? Another glance at the happy women did little to quell her apprehension. With a last look of longing at the scented bath water, she rang the bell as her unease multiplied like rabbits.
“Are you sufficiently refreshed?” Cessily inquired seconds later. Hannah nodded then followed the woman through the bathing room to a long banquet table filled with food. “Please, partake of the bounty you see before you. I will return in fifteen minutes to reunite you with your companion.”
“Thank you.” Hannah sighed with disappointment but grazed through the mountains of fruit in spite of it. She’d hoped Cessily would indulge in a girl talk. Apparently, there was no time for such luxuries in the spa. She dumped a few apples and oranges into her bag for later, then squirreled away a couple of handfuls of almonds as well as two bottles of high-end water. After being on this quest with Edwin, her learning curve improved. Food was very hard to come by, so she had to stock up when she had the chance. Hannah rearranged the contents of her bag so the freshly laundered clothing hid the stowaway fruit. She’d even packed a couple bottles of exquisite lotions and soaps from the bath. Cleanliness was a big necessity.
Too soon, Cessily returned. With the crook of a forefinger, she beckoned Hannah into a small alcove nearby. “You must leave this place. It’s not safe!”
Hannah narrowed her eyes. “What are you talking about?”
“Horace is not as kind as all of this suggests.” She waved her hands wide as if to encompass the whole spa. “He holds us captive and forces us to be slaves to his vices. You must get away before he binds you into submission as well.”
<
br /> She pressed something into Hannah’s palm, her eyes wild. “Quickly. I must return you to him now!”
With a quirked eyebrow, Hannah opened her hand. A two-inch crystal of amethyst quartz winked back. It was a powerful gem. The amethyst would promote calm and the quartz would intensify psychic powers. It swung on a long black silken cord. Hannah tied it about her waist as a belt. “What is it for? Am I supposed to use it somehow?” When she received no answer, she slung the handle of her bag across her chest with a frown. “Where are we going?” Again, no answer. She followed Cessily out of the room and into the camp area where the high-spirited revelry was still going on. All thoughts of Cessily and Horace were thrust from her mind as Edwin came into her line of vision.
He cleaned up well. Exceedingly well—disturbingly so. Gone were the dark clothes he favored. In their place, he wore a simple mossy green tunic of what appeared to be a linen-cotton blend. It skimmed the hard planes of his chest and left nothing to the imagination.
Her fingers itched to touch it to be sure. At some point in her many moves all over the country, she had worked in a clothing shop. She knew her fabrics.
The loose fitting tan pants were most likely made of the same material. She flicked her gaze over the leather boots on his feet then back to a vest of buttery-soft doeskin. Desire slammed into her chest as she continued to stare. She hoped she wasn’t drooling.
You are not drooling, Hannah, but you do look very nice in that dress. I am honored to be able to share this quest with you.
“You don’t look half bad yourself.” She smiled as she reached his side.
*****
Edwin guided her nearer the fire and accepted a plate of some sort of roasted meat from one of the women who worked the camp. “I would imagine you are still hungry. Eat now. We may not have a chance later.” His gaze lingered briefly on the creamy expanse of her chest. He swallowed around the lump of need lodged in his throat. Willpower would be needed to resist the charms she offered.
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