Cowboy's Fake Fiancée: A Single Dad & A Virgin Romance

by Piper Sullivan

  “That’s right,” he begins, “she was killed. She drowned in the dining hall, but there is no water near her and she is in her human form.” I look at my feet and take a seat. Jasmine was also a mermaid, so the only way to drown her is to ensure she doesn’t shift forms, and only someone with extremely advanced abilities would be able to kill a mermaid with water.

  If even a drop of the liquid were to have fallen on her skin, she would have transformed into her fishlike form. If she had gotten wet, she would have been able to breathe both water and air, making it impossible to drown her. As a mermaid, we are able to control water and weather elements, so in theory, an exceptional mermaid should be able to use someone’s internal body fluids to drown them. After all, a human is roughly sixty percent water and a mermaid is eighty percent.

  Out of everyone, I am the only person in the school that should be able to accomplish such a thing.

  “Sir, I would never kill someone. You have to believe me,” I beg. I can’t bring myself to harm a fish, let alone a person.

  “A month ago, a vampire was killed. His head was torn from his shoulders, and the only person strong enough to tear off a vampire’s head is another vampire. The Elite was framed. A week ago, a shaman was killed by a horde of angry spirits, and the only person able to do so is the Elite. Do you see a pattern, Miss. Annesley?” I stare into his silver eyes for a moment and nod.

  “Or an assassin,” I whisper.

  “Precisely my point. If the assassin were a magician, he would have access to the spells necessary to kill his classmates and frame the Elites,” the Headmaster says. He is a powerful magician, so he knows exactly what can be accomplished with a spell book.

  Magicians can achieve almost anything with their books, but if they are also an assassin, they are far more powerful, thus able to mimic the abilities of another species. If we are dealing with an assassin who is a magician, it will be exceedingly difficult to find the party responsible—especially if the magician is being controlled by another creature.

  Assassins can be any species, but they must be bound to a master. A magician ties the two together and the assassin becomes invincible. The assassin is then forced to obey every command of his master. He becomes mindlessly enslaved. We have a few known assassins in the school. Their masters are all intelligent, level-headed individuals, but it appears that one pair has gone rogue.

  “Can’t you just evaluate each pair and find out who is committing the crimes. You know that the assassin must be a magician,” I say.

  “That is the problem. No known assassins are magicians, and this one is covering his tracks very well,” he says.

  “What would you like me to do?” I ask, knowing that I was not brought to his office for a mere discussion.

  “This problem is much larger than just you, Miss. Annesley,” he says. “I am enlisting the help of each of my Elites.”

  “Do you mean the Elites from each species?” I ask, realizing what that means. I will be working alongside people I have never attempted to associate with. How does he expect us to get along? None of the species hold any form of respect toward one another. We can tolerate each other, but people from different species have never gotten along well. We habitually remain with our own cliques.

  “Yes, the Elites from each species,” he says, “but before they arrive, there is an urgent matter we must discuss.” I nod for him to continue, still shocked that I will be working alongside so many different people. “When you become marked, you have the right to any of the items you were left with as a child,” he states, pulling a sealed envelope from the table beside him.

  I feel an overwhelming sense of betrayal and shake my head. My parents left me at the doorstep of the school as a newborn and never came back. I don’t want the letter they had left. “Keep it,” I say. I feel nothing but spite toward my long-lost family.

  “After your assignment you may change your mind,” he says with a knowing smile.

  The door to his office opens with a creak and a line of students step through. I don’t recognize any of them, but I know immediately who they are.

  “Hello,” the Headmaster greets each of them with a smile. “Please, take a seat,” he says, signaling to the couch. I don’t make eye contact with any of the students as they take their seats, each spaced out enough to avoid contact. In total, there are six individuals seated around me. I am the only mermaid.

  “Why are we here, sir,” a loud, graveling voice asks from the end of the couch. I can’t help but veer my attention in the direction of the guy. I gasp when I take notice of his appearance. He is handsome in a rough, unkempt way. His charcoal hair falls past his ears in a mess of waves and his sharp jaw looks as if it is forged from stone. I can tell from his pale skin and thin build that he is a vampire, but his lack of muscle is deceiving. Vampires are abnormally strong creatures.

  “Mr. Lancaster, you know exactly why you are here,” the Headmaster states cryptically. “As for the rest of you, I will explain.”

  He explains that people have been murdered and the Elites have been framed for each of the killings. He goes on with a long explanation, blaming an assassin duo for the shenanigans. “But with you six, I have the utmost confidence we can catch this killer,” he says.

  “What do we need to do?” The vampire asks, cutting straight to the point.

  “I need five of you to leave the academy and gather the ingredients necessary for a tracking spell. The Elite magician,” he looks at the magician beside me, “will stay here and set up the spell.”

  “Isn’t that dangerous?” A girl beside the vampire asks. Her shrill, whiny voice indicates that she is a pixie. They are very innocent creatures, but the kindest of everyone. Of all the species, fairies have the most diverse friend groups.

  “It is extremely dangerous but very necessary. Do you all accept the proposition?” The Headmaster asks. Nobody protests, knowing that this is the reason behind our intense training. We have been taught to fear the outside world, yet we are all eager to experience it from outside the academy walls. “Great. Let’s get started.”

  Chapter 3

  We are each given a means to hide our true selves and blend into human societies. What we wear is disgusting and inhumane. I wonder why it is necessary. Is it common for people to dress in such filthy clothing? We are given the proper clothing and sent to a group dressing room to change. In the midst of changing, I notice the vampire’s eyes locked on my marking, but ignore him completely. We must learn to coexist with one another, and scolding him for looking at my marking is no way to make a friend.

  Once we are wearing our intentionally soiled clothing and back inside the Headmaster’s office, the Elite magician gives us each a list of ingredients we need to fetch. He appears to be uptight and unfriendly with his round glasses and immaculate posture. He looks down his nose at each of us as though we are here simply to serve him. “It is exceedingly important that you get each of these components,” the magician says. “Locater spells are challenging and I need each of these ingredients to get it right.”

  I look at my small note card and read each of the ingredients. Witch’s spell book, demon’s spirit, ogre’s tear (small capsule), troll’s tooth x3. “How are we supposed to find all of these things?” I ask anxiously.

  “That’s not my problem,” the magician says obnoxiously. “Just get everything in three days.” My initial judgment was correct. He is an uptight prick and I scoff at the tone he uses. He can’t order us around like we are objects.

  “Wait, why in three days?” The vampire asks with a stiff tone.

  “There is a full moon in three days. It’s the only time I can do the spell in the next month,” he responds as if the answer to the question is overly obvious.

  The Headmaster makes sure the magician is secured in his office before he escorts us to the front door of the academy. No non-graduated student has left the confines of the building’s walls for years, so as we walk through the doors in our disguises, I look ba
ck at the building in awe. It’s unkempt with moss growing up the side of all four walls. From the outside, it looks like a stone palace surrounded by lively, overgrown trees and bushes. It is a fortress of nature and I am unable to look away from the scene. The school is breathtaking.

  We have three days to conclude our journey, and I’m unsure if we can find the ingredients in double that time.

  Chapter 4

  We walk down the desolate streets of the outside world and I can’t believe what I’m seeing. We had learned in our history classes that The Great War had destroyed the majority of the United States and laid the ground for what soon became The Western Nation. I saw pictures of the world as it used to be, but not what it has become. Seeing it now is devastating.

  The buildings are all either concaved or rustic and worn. Compared to the Academy, everything else is outdated and revolting. People sit on the street with filth covering their faces and torn clothing hiding their bodies. Nobody looks pleased with how their lives have progressed, so I attempt to mimic their expressions. A person with adventure in their eyes demands attention in a crowd of people who have given up on their lives.

  I wonder if they are all human.

  “I never got your names,” I say to the small group as we walk down the street. I need a distraction.

  “I’m Domino Elvy,” the pixie introduces. Looking at her now, I realize that she is unusual for a fairy. She’s petite and childlike, but she is tall. Most pixies are tiny by nature. “I’m twelve,” she says as though it’s an accomplishment to be such a young age.

  Nobody else speaks as we continue to walk through the street. I roll my eyes and look at Domino, who is strutting by my side happily. “I’m Snow Annesley and I’m nineteen as of today,” I introduce. She gasps.

  “You’re a mermaid. I thought you were the shaman. That’s awesome. Mermaids are beautiful. I should have known,” Domino says with a happy squeal.

  I grin and pat her back. “I’m Kole,” I hear from behind me. I turn and look at the vampire that has been following me closely since we left the academy. Kole is such a strong name for a strong person. “And I’m twenty.” I find it interesting that Kole is in my age range. Vampires live long lives, much like mermaids, so establishing a relationship with them isn’t exactly looked down upon.

  Unfortunately, they are commonly known for expressing intimacy only with their soulmates.

  We continue down the street and the other two Elites remain silent. “We need to find all of these ingredients and I have no idea where to look,” I admit.

  “Trolls are typically found in caves and there is only one cave near here. We can check it out,” Kole suggests.

  And with such a trivial suggestion, we head in the direction of the mountains bordering the village. Kole leads the group and I follow close behind him. I am repeatedly drawn to the marking that peaks from above his torn, gray sweater. It calls for me to decipher it, but I push my yearning aside and settle for doing what needs to be done. We need to find the troll’s tooth. I notice Kole turning his hazel eyes in my direction every few seconds and try hard to ignore it.

  As we near the woods, the few people who were inhabiting the streets disappear. Even the buildings are scarce. For the most part, there is only empty land near the woods. “We must be getting close,” I state absentmindedly.

  “Clearly,” a rough looking man says from the back of the group. He wears an eyepatch over his left eye and scars mar the entire side of his face. Other than the scars, he has a baby face with hair only on his eyebrows.

  “Are you planning to introduce yourself, shaman?” I ask, narrowing my eyes. I receive no response. We near the tree line and I put on a brave face, but I am secretly terrified. Trolls take vengeance in cruel, ingenious ways, so they are typically avoided by all other creatures, including humans.

  When he doesn’t speak, Kole turns his head and grins sardonically. “That’s Keagan Degray,” Kole says.

  “Damn it, Kole,” Keagan shouts angrily. I flinch and feel uncomfortable with my back to the man. They provide an excellent distraction for my soaring thoughts as we enter the lush forest and approach the mountainside.

  “I know you don’t like to talk—unless it’s with your imaginary friends, of course. I’m just helping a friend out,” Kole says in a conniving way. I wonder whether they are friends or passive-aggressive enemies.

  “Spirits,” Keagan corrects tersely.

  “Guys…” Domino says in a panic. My attention snaps forward.

  “Is this the cave you were talking about?” I ask Kole.

  He nods. “Did the bones give it away?” He asks, referring to the variety of both animal and human bones overtaking the floor of the cave. They are noticeable from even here.

  “What are the odds that those are his teeth?” Domino asks rhetorically. Without any warning, she jumps in the air and transforms into her fairy form. She is roughly six inches long with wings the same size, but she still looks like herself. Her wings are beating the air rapidly, much like a hummingbird’s.

  I stare at the cave ahead of me. “Did we come up with a plan?” I ask. We are literally walking into the troll’s den empty handed.

  “Get three of his teeth,” Keagan says sarcastically. I look into the dark, musty cave. I can’t see further than a few feet inside. Seeing through darkness is an essential mermaid skill, so once I’m inside, I will be able to navigate quickly. I can’t say the same for everyone else.

  “They sleep through the day,” I recall, thinking back to my species classes. “If exposed to sunlight, they will petrify. They eat people, but they really enjoy children. They’re supposedly large and robust, but dim-witted. I guess we’ll just have to go inside and improvise,” I say with a shrug of my shoulder.

  “Let’s go,” Kole says with a nod. I take the lead, knowing that I can see through the darkness much easier than the rest of the group. If the shifter were to change forms, he may be able to navigate equally as easily, but he hasn’t been at all helpful.

  Bones crack under our feet and I silently hope the troll won’t hear us coming. It smells of must and rotting meat as we enter the depths of the cave. The walls are moist and the ceiling is dripping, so I take extra caution to avoid any falling droplets of water. Nothing significant lays in our path and I navigate around uprooted rocks and jagged cave walls. Domino sits on my shoulder, trusting me to be her means of transportation.

  Domino illuminates the air around her, making it much easier for the Elites to follow. I jerk backward when I almost step on what looks to be a large rock. I fall into the chest of the person behind me and instantly know who I am touching. Kole wraps both arms around my waist and pulls me to the side of the rock before releasing me cautiously. I begin to walk and halt in my tracks. “What is it?” Domino asks, whispering directly into my ear.

  I point to the rock—or what I previously assumed to be a rock. It extends across the cave and separates into four limbs and a midsection. The cave above our heads is over twenty feet tall. I suck in a deep breath when I realize what I am facing. The foot of the beast is clearly in a rock state, but its body is made of skin, bones, and blood.

  We are face-to-face, or rather face-to-foot, with the troll.

  Chapter 5

  The troll is snoring and I thankfully note that he is sound asleep. “Someone has to go pull those teeth quickly,” I whisper. The shifter shakes his head in refusal, which comes as no surprise, and Keagan takes a step backward. I look at Kole, praying that he won’t leave me alone.

  “I’ll do it,” Kole whispers. “I’m stronger than all of you and can pull them out in less than a second.” I dislike that he plans to put himself at risk, but I agree with a nod.

  Domino flies from my shoulder and lands on Kole’s, whispering something in his ear. His hazel eyes lighten and he shakes his head. She comes back and perches on my shoulder, not saying a word. Kole turns to the beast and I turn my attention to her. “What did you say?” I ask curiously. She pulls a sly
grin onto her face and shakes her head.

  My attention is entirely on Kole when something else becomes apparent beyond him. It looks like rope laying on top of the bone fragments. It piques my interest and I wonder why there would be rope lying beside a sleeping beast. It’s not like he needs a rope to capture his victims. It is the only human item, other than bones, in this cave. I allow my eyes to follow the rope across the cave floor and up the wall.

  And I finally come to the realization that there really shouldn’t be rope lying around.

  “Kole, stop!” I shout. He takes one more step before stopping, but it’s too late. His weight triggers the rope mechanism and a metallic net surrounds him, lifting him from the ground effortlessly and dangling him above the troll’s head. The snoring stops and the troll sits up, looking around the cave curiously.

  “Visitors,” he moans before standing to his full height. His head doesn’t come close to the cave’s ceiling, but he has to be ten feet tall and five feet wide.

  “We need a plan,” the shifter says from behind us. Domino flies from my shoulder and grabs a jagged rock from the ground before flying upward. She lands on the rope above Kole’s net, beyond the reach of the troll, and begins cutting.

  “Oh, now he speaks,” I reply angrily. The troll looks at Kole and then back at us, ignoring him for the moment. “Hey, uh, Mr. Troll,” I shout up to him. He looks down at me as though I’m a speck of dust. “Can I ask a favor of you?” I ask kindly, hoping that he understands kindness.

  “Are we friends, now?” He asks with an ounce of hope in his voice.

  I cough into my hand, smelling his disgusting breath from a distance. “Of course. We can be friends,” I say to him. “But I need a favor.”