by Daisy Dunn
“Don’t be discouraged. Tonight could be the night. Now go tell the girls about going to the pub, then go home, get yourself looking hot for tonight, and we’ll pick you up at eight o’clock.”
“Sounds good. See you guys then.” Skye waved to her friends and ran out of their house, headed to Elemental Magic to let the other ladies in on the plan.
Chapter Two
Conner walked for hours up and down the streets of the charming, little town of Chemainus, located on Vancouver Island. Brightly colored murals adorned many of the buildings in town with various scenes such as three Native American men, a pod of killer whales, and a train running through a forest. He found himself caught up in the beauty and art work of this community.
Focus, Conner. Get your head out of the clouds and scan the town. Shaking his head, he berated himself for not staying on course with his mission. He had arrived in town early this morning with his brother, Dillon. As always, the first thing they did before settling down had been to search the town for traces of evil. So far, he’d wandered through the business side of Chemainus, while his brother shifted into a black panther and scoured the forest areas. He hadn’t heard from his brother yet, so he assumed Dillon hadn’t come across anything out of the ordinary.
Something suddenly caught his eye on the main street. Coming toward him walked a vision of absolute adorableness. Upon nearing her, he surmised she stood about five feet four inches tall, while he easily towered over her at six feet two inches. Her blonde hair had been piled up on her head haphazardly, and soft tendrils wisped around her delicate face. He noticed her crystal-blue eyes hidden behind her dark, rectangular glasses, and she wore a pair of hipster denim jeans, a white V-neck T-shirt, and black ballerina flats. She stole his breath away.
Unable to pull his gaze away, they passed each other on the sidewalk. A coy grin crossed her lips as she looked at him and said, “Good morning.”
“Hey,” he replied. I see the most beautiful creature around, and all I say to her is hey. Idiot! God, shoot me now. He turned to run up to her, hoping to find out her name, anything, but she quickly disappeared into a shop. Pausing, he looked at the name of the store, Elemental Magic. What an interesting shop.
Conner noticed a bench sitting about two store fronts down from where she entered with a folded newspaper lying on the seat. Since he needed to be surveying the town, he thought watching this blonde should be part of his observations. Sitting down, he started to read the newspaper, and waited for her to come out of the shop.
After about twenty minutes, the door opened, and she stood in the entrance calling back to someone inside, “So I’ll see you two at McLeod’s Pub tonight.” She waved, and a moment later, walked passed him again, but this time he held the newspaper up, hoping she wouldn’t see him.
I’m going to have to find out where McLeod’s is located. I do believe I’ll be meeting her again tonight.
* * * *
The cool, damp vegetation of the forest floor soothed the paws of the weary black panther trudging through the brush. He’d scoured the area for hours, searching for any signs of an enemy, mainly the Hunters. They were a syndicate of evil men, looking for werewolves, shifters, and anything not considered normal human society. They had a malevolent smell of depravity swirling around their auras, but one could only sense their kind if they really concentrated. So far, Dillon sensed nothing.
He continued to pad through the forest area with some residents’ homes backing up into the trees. Abruptly, he stopped, peering into the backyard of one home. Catching his attention, a metal object had been attached to the wall of the house, beside the sliding glass doors. He took a few steps closer to make sure he saw the item clearly. He had. An alchemical symbol for air hung on the wall, a triangle with a horizontal line running through it near the top. A shiver ran down his spine as he thought about the recent words a shaman had spoken to him, “You will see the air symbol first and then you will know you’ve found the air elemental. You must protect her at all costs.”
His brother convinced him to go to the shaman after Conner had seen him. They were not supposed to discuss their visits with each other, but he felt a strong need to relay this information to him. The shaman didn’t tell him why he needed to protect this elemental, but with the Hunters rumored to be on Vancouver Island, he assumed they might have something to do with the ominous words of warning.
Conner, where are you?
I’m searching the business side of town where you told me to look around. Why?
Have you seen anything out of the ordinary or sensed anything yet?
Not really, but I did see an odd store in the middle of the main street in town. It’s called Elemental Magic. I’m sensing it has something to do with spells and potions, not card tricks and pulling rabbits out of hats.
Interesting…elemental you say?
Yes. I thought the shop seemed quite progressive. Usually people playing at being witches are in the bigger cities, not the smaller towns. So have you found anything?
I might have, but it’s not a Hunter. We’ll talk about it later. I think I’m done for the day, and I’m heading back home.
Okay, I’ll meet you there. You know, since we’ve been scouting all day, and we don’t have anything unpacked yet, I don’t feel like cooking tonight.
What do you suggest?
I heard people talking about a place called McLeod’s Pub. Why don’t we have a dinner and a pint tonight?
I like your thinking. I’ll meet you at home in few minutes.
Dillon rubbed his head and body all over the trees by the air elemental’s home. With his scent permeating the air, he knew it would scare off any other cats running wild in the area. If he had to protect her, he might as well start somewhere. Since he didn’t sense anyone in the house at the moment, he vowed to show up later tonight to see if he could catch a glimpse of her.
He padded away toward home on his tired paws, and a twinge of guilt filled his heart. This is a complication I really don’t need.
Dillon went back to his home and arrived at the place in the forest where he had stashed his clothes. Shape-shifting back into his human form only took a matter of a few seconds. Poised on all fours, he straightened up and languorously stretched his arms to the sky. His body had become accustomed to the constant shifting he put it through, ever since he had discovered, at the age of twenty-one, he could become a black panther. He always had agility, strength, telepathy, and could see in the dark, but when his father told him and his brother who they really were as teenagers, he finally understood these gifts.
Conner had only been a year younger than Dillon, so he helped him eagerly with his transformation and how to control the wild cat inside. Dillon had been an anomaly, mastering the beast inside of him. He had a take-charge attitude with great discipline, while he found himself envious at times of Conner’s easygoing nature. Since their mom had passed away when they were quite young, their dad taught them what they needed to know to survive, and about the Hunters. Unfortunately, their father died at the hands of these beasts, while the brothers had gone out of town about five years ago.
The brothers were now thirty-three and thirty-two years of age, with too much experience around violence and loss. Dillon found himself quite protective of Conner, even though he knew deep down his little brother could handle things on his own. The thought of losing him had been unacceptable, so they remained a tight unit, together, ready to face any challenge.
Dillon quickly dressed and headed into his new lodgings. They’d rented a furnished house but still had boxes to unpack. When he entered the front door, he could see Conner sitting in the living room on the couch, unpacking family pictures and looking at memories of happier times.
“Hey.” Dillon waved casually.
“Hi,” Conner responded. “So, what do you have to tell me about your scouting adventure?”
“I saw something today. It unnerved me.”
“You? Unnerved? I can’t believe what I�
�m hearing.”
Dillon sat down on the mismatched chair facing the couch. “Remember our visit to the shaman?”
“Of course I do. Why?”
“Something he said to me came true today.”
“You’re not supposed to talk about it.”
“I know, but if mine already came true, then wouldn’t it be all right to mention what happened?”
“I guess, but I’m still not telling you mine.”
“Keep it to yourself. I don’t mind.”
“So, what did you see?”
“The shaman had warned me I would see an air alchemical symbol and when I did, I needed to protect the woman, an air elemental, at all costs. Well, today, I saw the symbol on the back of a house. It’s not everyday someone decorates their home with these things.”
“Do you think you need to protect the woman living in this house?”
“I didn’t see anyone inside the home nor did I sense any type of evil. However, I’m going to go back there later on tonight and see if there’s a woman living in the home, and if so, watch her for a while to make sure she’s not in any danger.”
“Always the gentleman.”
“I have to know if the message is real.”
“All right, we’ll both go later tonight, but we have to go to McLeod’s first.”
“Okay. Why don’t we unpack some of our belongings, clean up, and leave around seven thirty?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
* * * *
The brothers sat at the bar while they ate their dinner and drank their ale. The place seemed to be hopping tonight as a hockey game blared from a big-screen, plasma TV in the back of the bar, mixed with the intermittent cheers of the crowd.
The locals readily embraced the brothers and chatted casually with them, hoisting a beer, on several occasions, to their health. Conner loved this town immediately from the camaraderie of the community to the smile he received earlier today from the cute blonde. He looked toward the door for what felt like the hundredth time, hoping she hadn’t changed her mind on showing up tonight.
“What’s up, Conner? Are you sensing something?”
Conner turned away from the entrance to look at Dillon. “What? No, ah, nothing. Why?”
“You keep looking at the entrance. There’s no dine and dash while you stick me with the bill, buddy,” Dillon said as he slapped his brother playfully on the back.
“No, I’m not planning to leave you with the bill. I’m just keeping an eye on things. Don’t forget, this is our first night here, and we don’t know what to expect.”
“Well, so far, I have to admit I like the people and the town. Barring any unforeseen matters, I have a feeling we might be able to stay here for a while. What do you think?”
“I’d love to stay here.” More than you know.
The bartender walked up to the brothers with another man and introduced him, “Boys, this is the owner of this pub, Stuart McLeod. Stuart, these two are new in town. This is Conner, and the surly-looking one is Dillon.”
“Nice to meet you, boys. I always love to meet new members of our growing community. I hope you enjoy it here as much as we do and stick around.”
“Wonderful to meet you, Stuart. We’re planning on staying,” Conner said before Dillon had a chance to speak. They all shook hands in greeting.
The bartender continued, “Now Dillon told me he loved older cars, so I thought maybe you might want to show him old Betsy.”
“What’s old Betsy?” Dillon asked, his eyes lighting up.
“She’s my fifty-seven Chevy, the pride of my collection.”
“Collection? You mean you have more?”
“Oh, now you’ve done it, Stuart. You’ll never get rid of him,” Conner said, shaking his head.
“Never mind him. Can I see her?”
“Absolutely, come outside with me. I have a few cars in the back you might enjoy looking at,” Stuart stated proudly.
“I’ll be gone for a few minutes,” Dillon stated.
“No worries. Take your time.” Conner waved at his brother.
Stuart and Dillon left the pub together, leaving Conner all to himself. He turned back to the entrance, hoping she would come in soon. He hadn’t been disappointed. The door opened and the petite beauty came into the bar. She wore a short black shirt, high-heel black boots and a soft, pink sweater. The swell of her breasts jutted obviously from the low, rounded neckline. She wore her hair the same way as he’d seen her earlier, and her glasses added to her sexy librarian look. She took his breath away. A few seconds later, a dark-haired woman and two men joined her. Dammit. She’s with someone. I should have known a woman as stunning as her wouldn’t be alone. His heart sunk, but he still couldn’t take his gaze off her. She looked around the room as if searching for something or someone.
Not seeing anyone, she sat down at a round table close to Conner, and her companions followed behind. He noticed the two men didn’t go anywhere close to her, but both of them were holding hands with the attractive brunette. He observed a little bit more of their interaction from his peripheral vision and noticed the men each take a turn at kissing the brunette passionately, while the blonde didn’t seem to care.
I think this little town is more progressive than I thought. Ménage relationships, very interesting. I think she might be single after all.
With his hopes lifted, he signalled for the waitress to come over to him.
“What can I get for you, hon?”
“Can you get the blonde lady sitting at that table a drink from me?” He pointed toward her table. “Anything she wants.” Conner usually never made a move like this on a woman, but he knew this hadn’t been just any woman. His cat roared under his skin, feeling the need to possess her and make her belong to him. He knew he would have to keep a tight reign on his feline since he didn’t dare want to risk losing her in any way.
Chapter Three
Skye glanced around the bar for her friends, Flame and Raine, but they obviously hadn’t arrived yet. Late as usual. The waitress had taken their order and now returned with their drinks. She delivered the different concoctions to Ivy, Luke, and Levi and came to Skye last.
“This white wine is from the gentleman at the bar in the black sweater.”
“What? Really?”
“Yes, hon, he took an instant shine to you. Is there anything you want me to say to him for you?”
“Ah, yes, no, wait, I don’t know.”
“Why don’t I leave this drink with you, and when you get your thoughts together, you can thank him yourself.”
“Okay. Thanks, Sally.”
“No problem, Skye. He’s a cute one. Good luck.”
“Go over and talk to him,” Ivy urged her friend.
“What do I say? Oh my, I’m so nervous.”
“Thank him for the drink and introduce yourself. Let him take it from there,” Luke gave his advice.
Skye took an unladylike gulp of her wine, hoping liquid courage worked instantly. Sadly, it didn’t. She breathed in and out deeply, trying to calm the nerves and excitement coursing throughout her body. She watched her friends giggling at her. “You’re not helping.”
“Sorry, Skye, but you’re so cute when you’re nervous.”
“I’ll show you guys cute.” Their mockery worked, giving her a momentary bravado to face the gorgeous man at the bar. Standing up, she grabbed her wineglass and marched toward him boldly, tapping his shoulder.
He turned around in his seat and looked at her with the most amazing golden eyes she’d ever seen. Even with her standing, he towered over her small frame, making him appear sexier, more desirable to Skye. His black hair looked finger combed, and his skin had a healthy glow to it as if he’d been in the sun for a few weeks. Looking down briefly, she enjoyed the way his jeans formed casually to his body. She checked out his hands next, noticing strength and manliness in them as well as no wedding ring. Yes.
She stood before him, speechless and feeling a complete fool
. Say something, Skye. Speak! “Thank you for the drink.” Phew, much better.
“My pleasure. My name’s Conner.” He held out his hand to hers.
“I’m Skye.” Shyly, she placed her hand in his and felt his fiery touch all the way to her toes. They held onto each other’s hand longer than usual, and when she finally let go, she felt an odd sense of loss.
“I’m thrilled to meet you, Skye. I don’t mean to take you away from your friends, but would you mind sitting with me for a few minutes?”
“Sure, I guess I can join you for a while. By the way, it’s nice to meet you, too. I haven’t seen you in here before. Are you new to the area?”
“I’m very new. My brother and I arrived early this morning.”
Okay, he’s very new in town, extremely hot, and somehow familiar.
“Is your brother coming to meet you tonight?”
“Actually, he’s here. He met the owner of the pub, and they’re outside looking at some of his classic cars.”
“Stuart loves to show off his cars. I can’t blame him though, they’re in beautiful condition. You know, I can’t seem to put my finger on it, but I think I’ve met you before.”
“You did. We crossed paths today before you walked into the store, Elemental Magic.”
“Oh, I remember you now. Small world.”
“Well, I have a little confession to make.”
“What’s that?”
“I heard you say to some friends you were coming here tonight. I actually came here tonight to meet you. I hope I didn’t come across as creepy as I sounded.”
Oh my God, he came here looking for me. Okay, keep it together. Act casual. “I’m flattered and shocked at the same time.”
“If tonight goes well, I hoped I could see you again.”
Skye smiled at him, enjoying his company and charm. She touched his forearm, about to say something, when the heat reared its sensual head and took over. Her body craved his instantly with a burning passion. She pulled on his arm, and he leaned down toward her. She reached up with her free hand and placed it behind his head. Pushing his head forward, she leaned into him. Her lips crushed against his while her tongue slid into his mouth. She could taste the beer on his breath, which only fuelled the fire sparking inside her core. At first, he didn’t reciprocate her advances, but after a brief moment, he wrapped his arms around her, engulfing her tiny frame. Only Conner existed in the room, or so she thought until a familiar voice could be heard by her side.