by Jade Waltz
He smiled. “We only serve coffee and treats here.”
Scanning the cafe, we were the only two people in sight, meaning he was the only worker in the dead cafe.
I huffed and stomped over to his table.
“Look here. Today is my thirty-third birthday. Instead of enjoying a relaxing day off, it has been a disaster after disaster.” I leaned over, aggressively tapping his table as I stared him down. “My car broke down outside of town, and I ran all the way here because your forest is creepy as fuck. Now that I’m here, I’m looking for a cup of something hot to warm my cold ass and advice on who to call to tow my broken piece of shit car to a repair shop.”
“I’m sorry. You’re right, I shouldn’t have said that… I’m just worried about this cafe and what I should get Amber for… never mind.” He sighed as he combed his hair with his fingers in frustration. “How about you sit down, and I’ll make you a drink, then you can tell me exactly what you need from me?”
I stepped back, confused by his sudden change in attitude and the reasoning of his offer. Plus, I was unsure whether I should trust myself with something hot. How could the day become any worse? He could poison me, but he would be doing me a favor, putting me out of my misery.
“Here.” The barista handed me a steamy white mug and a delicious looking dessert on a matching plate. “Try my Chase Carrot Crumble and our famous Pumpkin Spice Latte.”
“Chase?” He nodded in reply as I sniffed the cup and gagged. “Pumpkin Spice? You mean you want me to drink a cup of allspice?”
“I can promise, it doesn’t taste like that.”
“I will have to challenge you on that,” I scoffed, placing the sugary treat on the table as I absorbed the warmth radiating from the cup, hesitant to try it.
“Don’t tell me you’re one of those girls who only buy blended ice drinks that are more sugar than coffee.” He scanned me once more. “You don’t look like the type who posts their drinks on social media, thinking the world cares.”
I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to keep my hand from throwing the steamy concoction onto the offensive male. “Just because I prefer a peppermint white chocolate mocha or matcha latte doesn’t mean I’m whatever you think I am.”
Chase raised his hands in defeat. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. I was just trying to lighten the mood.”
“Well… you failed.” I sighed. “Let’s start over.” Forcing a smile, I stuck out my hand. “I’m Emerald. And yes, that is my real name. My parents thought it would be funny to name me after their favorite color.”
Returning the smile, he shook my hand. “I’m Chase, the afternoon barista and part-time computer whiz.” He winked, let go of my hand, and returned to his seat, gesturing for me to do the same.
Biting my lip, I hesitated, eyeing the chair. Everything would be closing soon, so it might be better to find a place to stay tonight and call places in the morning. Perhaps I should go to bed early so I could start tomorrow fresh in hopes it would be a better day.
The latter won. As I placed my drink on the table, I noticed a familiar stone engraved underneath the words “Jewels Cafe” as I slowly took off my outerwear.
“What’s up with the emerald? This place doesn’t look like a type of place to have china.”
“I noticed the green streaks in your hair and figured it was your favorite color.” He shrugged and opened his laptop. “And the reason why we have such fancy china? My… umm… love, Amber, wanted drinkware to match the quality of drinks we serve and having a different gemstone to match anyone’s tastes. Sadly, the only kind we can afford are these cheap knockoffs.”
“So, you’re saying your drinks are gourmet?” I asked slowly, trying to figure out why on Earth someone would give me a free expensive drink and treat on a whim.
“Correct. The best in the greater region. Amber wants to make this cafe known nationwide.”
I bit my tongue. Reaching for a dream and actually succeeding were two different things—something I knew well. He was young, and by the twinkle in his eyes, he still had a lot of learn about the real world. Ten years ago, I was in the same boat, freshly graduated and ready for the big world. If only I could be in his shoes and go back to the time I was starting my career, instead of frantically searching for a replacement job to somehow get by.
Free is free. I wasn’t in the mood to care about what the drink tasted like anymore, not when I was homeless and jobless. Even if it tasted like liquid all-spice, it was something warm and a kind gesture. I was being rude and needed to stop, especially if he was going to help me with the answers I needed.
Slowly, I closed my eyes and picked up the Emerald themed white cup. The warmth of the cup felt nice as I breathed in the pumpkin spice scent before taking a sip.
Hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove blended smoothly with a mild pumpkin flavor, assaulting my taste buds. This must be what fall tasted like—even though it was mid-December. I took another sip, and a tingly sensation passed through me, traveling down my spine to the tips of my toes.
“Wow. You were right. This is good.” Something about the drink was addicting, making me crave more. I couldn’t resist the fantastic taste and allowed the liquid to send another jolt through me. “I’m sorry for doubting you.”
“It’s okay.” He smirked. “I know how it is to have a bad day… and would probably feel the same way if it was my birthday.” He paused, typing rapidly before peering over his screen. “Now tell me—what’s your story? And what can I do to help you?”
“We should be able to make a run two nights from now. If we go during the blizzard, you’ll have enough time to prepare your next shipment for your last-minute Christmas shoppers,” Chryso mused, surveying the scarce jewelry display.
Cosmic Gems was widely known for its exotic, one-of-a-kind, custom-made jewelry, created by the store’s own designers. “Out of this World Jewelry for the Shooting Star in Your Life…” was their motto for a reason—no one on Earth had their expertise when it came to the gaudy baubles.
The Cosmic Gems corporation was a cover for their actual operation—creating jewelry for those who are willing to pay their inflated prices for unique, exquisite pieces. It was how they supported themselves among humans and their counterparts. They gathered their basic materials and designed pieces based on what was found, executing it flawlessly.
Chryso’s triad was part of a small Alzaqi population that resided in Silver Springs. While each Alzaqi triad in the area worked for Cosmic Gems in some form or another, Chryso and his brothers had decided to branch out and manage their own Bed and Breakfast. They’d wanted their own place outside of town, away from its general population while at the same time keeping a cover for their actual position within Cosmic Jewelry since they were rarely seen in town.
“How big of a load do you think you guys can gather?” Saire asked.
Chryso studied the short broody male, unafraid to meet his piercing golden eyes. Saire was an astonishing businessman, the head of the triad that owned Cosmic Gems, and the unofficial leader of the Silver Spring’s Alazqi population. The Alazqi were the ones who had discovered Earthlings loved precious gems and rare stones—and how to live among them.
“Enough to cover the rest of the month. We haven’t even put a dent in our new location.”
“Really?”
“Yes. You should see it sometime.” Chryso smirked, remembering the wondrous feeling that came from the thrill of discovering such a find. “But don’t wait because Maw wants to harvest it all as soon as possible before the new moon.”
“The Celestial Void?”
“Correct,” Chryso said, eying the black diamond necklace and earring set before them.
A pair of dings filled the room, breaking the growing tension. Chryso shot a concerned look to his brother Vesuv as he shuffled through his pants pockets, searching for his smartphone.
Vesuv looked up from his smartwatch and chuckled. “It seems Chase from across the street is asking for
a favor.”
“No,” Saire hissed. “I am not interested in creating a ring for his carrot.”
Chryso did a quick scan of the email from the offending male. There was a human woman in need of a room for the unknown duration it would take for her car to get repaired.
“It seems we have the answer to our problems,” Chryso mused, placing his phone back in his pocket. “We will let you close up shop as we investigate this damsel in distress.”
“Should we be expecting your return in three days?”
Chryso paused in the doorway’s threshold and saluted Saire. “We will make sure Maw contacts you, but I don’t see any problems.”
“Wait!” Saire rushed over and stuck his head outside. After surveying the streets, he sighed before stepping back inside. “If you see an overly dressed redhead, don’t make eye contact with her. She has been trying to get her hands on anyone with money.”
“A gold digger, huh?”
“More like a spoiled diva.” He jerked his head toward the cafe. “Rumor has it, she tried to put them out of business—all because she wanted to play house with her childhood friend and was jealous of his crush.”
“Isn’t that highly illegal?” Vesuv asked.
“Correct.” Saire crossed his arms. “She’s upset with me because I refuse to allow anyone to give her a discount, claiming the absurd idea she can promote us for free on social media and create more business than what our products are worth.”
“Is that so?”
“Look,” he replied with hardened golden eyes. “Just watch out for a woman named Minerva and see what Amber’s carrot wants. I know we don’t have the best relations with them, but I don’t want them gone either. Oh, and whatever you do, don’t drink anything there.”
“Why would I even try?” Chryso shivered and gagged from the thought. “You know how bad that stuff smells. I wouldn’t be able to stomach it.”
The retired assassin’s eyes softened. “Because we have had an increase in demand for engagement rings and other love trinkets, and from what has been overheard, they all had some sort of special drink there. I’m wondering if they have a love potion or something. Earthlings love the thought of love at first sight so much, they have a mascot for it.”
“Cupid?” Chryso chuckled. “I thought you loved his holiday. It is one of our larger ones.”
Sairo growled.
Stepping outside, Chryso adjusted his vest, laughing as he studied “Jewels Cafe.” He always enjoyed teasing Sairo. The serious male needed to relax. Each member of the Silver Springs Alzaqi community was exceptionally well off, and outside of the supes having some sort of civil dispute, they had nothing to worry about. Life was good, and even though Earth wasn’t their original home, they certainly did their best to fit in.
“I want you to update Maw while I do the talking. It would be nice to have a guest who isn’t connected to Silver Springs in any form, but I don’t want to blindly invite her to stay just because we want easy proof for the town folk that we are normal.”
“I don’t see why we can’t just tell them,” Vesuv remarked, his mental voice laced with annoyance. “They already know we’re Kraken shifters and need frequent trips to the ocean to stretch out our tentacles.”
“Them believing we are Kraken is the only reason why no one has questioned our establishment,” Chryso replied, opening the cafe’s door. “Besides, no one around here wants to release the Kraken.”
Chryso’s laughter died as the horrendous odor of the ground coffee assaulted his nose and his pores. He didn’t know how such a nasty smelling thing could be responsible for the caffeinated beverages Earthlings loved so much. The place was empty except the offending male sitting at his usual table with his laptop closed and a green striped, brown haired woman sitting across from him—who was definitely not Amber.
Amber was known for being a nervous wreck, and stressful situations triggered her chameleon shifter powers, which she had always struggled to keep under control. It was safe to assume the female sitting in front of Chase wasn’t his mate in another form. The seated pair weren’t sitting together as if they knew each other or acting like they were mates, which meant Chryso’s original observation was accurate.
“I heard someone was in need of a favor.”
The woman gasped and jerked around. Her hair fanned out behind her when her hazel eyes met his as time slowed to a stop. Words failed him as he struggled to sort through what to say with his mouth dropped ajar. He always mocked the couples in his entertainment videos for their absurd notion of “love at first sight”—but at that moment, he understood.
She was perfect. Her hazel eyes locked him in place as her long hair framed her face, draped onto her black peacoat. The Stars above guided her to follow Fate's path and graced her presence before him.
A cough broke his trance as his gaze met its culprit.
How dare the male interrupt his moment! Chryso collected himself. A part of him wanted to turn this rabbit shifter into a stew—but he knew those were his mating instincts calling. These were Earthlings, and while the supes had their own biological trigger that drew them to pair up with their perfect match, he knew he shouldn’t be reacting the way he was.
Male Alzagi weren’t drawn to their Sylex until the female chose them to be her nestcarers. His triad was unmated with an empty nest and hadn’t even presented themselves to a female yet. So, why was he being pulled to this human female?
“Do you feel it too?” Chryso called out to Vesuv.
“Yes,” he replied, voice strained. “What does it mean?”
“It was my understanding, your brothers run a bed-and-breakfast outside of town. Do you have any openings by chance? I know you’re an invitation-only establishment, but I figured I could ask a favor.” Chase gave a weary smile. “Perhaps we can start a business arrangement? We provide coffee to your guests and recommend folks to apply to stay at your place?”
“That doesn’t work,” Vesuv chuckled. “We only serve tea at our place. In fact, Chryso grows it.”
“See it as us being self-reliant,” Chryso explained. “If we grow our own, we can control the quality, and since we don’t sell it to anyone, we aren’t competing with your cafe.” He peered over to address the female, needing to look at her once more. “I take it you need a place to stay?”
Biting her lip, she glanced at Chase before meeting his gaze. “If you would have me.”
“Tell Maw to prepare a room.”
“As long as you need a place,” he promised.
There was something definitely wrong with this town.
Why else would it be secluded in the middle of the woods?
“Why again am I following you?” I rubbed my arms as a gentle breeze blew through my hair, sending shivers through me. “And why can’t your brother pick us up in town?”
I kept my gaze locked on both brothers during the journey. Something about the entire situation seemed off. I saw—and read—too many spooky things to make my current predicament feel like deja vu. Here I was, acting like the token female, trusting strangers in the middle of nowhere, alone and in the dark.
“Perhaps I should call—” I cut myself off, wincing at the remembrance that my cellphone was currently dead.
“An Uber? A Lyft?” Chryso peered over his shoulder. “How is it you’re willing to be driven by a complete stranger, but you’re worried about us taking you to our place?”
“Possibly because they do background checks on their drivers?” I rolled my eyes. “I mean, they track who is picking up who and their trip.”
“Stop teasing her,” Vesuv scolded, coming to a stop. “She has good reasons to be nervous, especially with everything that has been going on lately.” He glanced down at his smartwatch. “Maw should be here any moment now.”
The full moon beamed brightly in the crisp winter night sky. The only other light came from the town in the distance and the lights alongside the road that led to the parking lot on the outskirts of town. We s
tood next to the bus stop shelter in silence.
Loud howls filled the air.
I gasped, jerking closer to the brothers as I searched the surrounding woods. I hadn’t fabricated seeing amber eyes earlier…
My back pressed into something hard as arms wrapped around me. Chryso stepped closer, scanning the distance with hardened eyes as he sandwiched me between them. Warmth enveloped me, radiating from the brothers’ bodies.
“It’s okay, Emerald,” Vesuv breathed against my ear. “They won’t get closer.”
For some reason, I believed him. Here in his arms, I felt safe as these strangers shielded me from the winds and whatever was out there in the forest.
Bright light beams broke around the corner, followed by a deep rumble.
“Took him long enough,” Chryso quipped, watching the vehicle rapidly approaching.
A black concept car pulled up beside them as the passenger side window rolled down.
The interior glowed green, highlighting everything inside.
The driver leaned over. “Sorry. Dinner took longer than I thought it would, but it is done now and will be waiting for us when we return.”
“It’s okay.” Chryso pulled away. “Maw, this is our guest, Emerald. She’ll be staying with us for a while.”
“And somehow you have a new business deal offer from the Jewels Cafe,” I interjected with eyebrows raised as Vesuv’s arms fell from around my waist. “Can you tell me why you couldn’t pick us up there?”
Maw shrugged. “They don’t want to deal with the damage vehicles and their drivers do to the environment.”
“Silver Springs has always been known for its unique, close-knit, small-town feel,” Vesuv explained. “Anyway, let’s get your things and something warm in you.”
I crossed my arms. “Something warm in me?”
Vesuv cringed and shook his head, muttering something under his breath.
Chryso slapped his shoulder. “Really?”
“I meant food,” Vesuv pleaded. “Sorry. Please believe me, it came out wrong.”
Studying the three brothers, it was clear they were triplets. Each was attractive with short black hair, equipped with different shades of green eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness—just like their car.