This game should have been easy. All he had to do was get her to fall in love with him. What he never expected, though, was to be the one who fell.
He squeezed his eyes shut, and Melody’s lovely heart-shaped face appeared in his mind’s eye. How could he have been such a fool? He should have known from the last time he was alone with her that to get too close—to hold her, kiss her, touch her smooth, velvet skin—would mean nothing but trouble. She did things to him that no other woman had ever done. And now he’d blown it. She felt rejected, and he’d probably be the next bachelor asked to leave the island.
His chest tightened. The thought of never seeing her again hurt worse than the thought of losing his legacy. He would have to find a way to make her understand why he hadn’t made love to her tonight. And do it without telling her more lies. Guystof switched off the lamp on the bedside table and rolled onto his side. Perhaps a solution would come to him in his sleep.
Unfortunately, the next morning when he awakened, his problem still weighed heavily upon his mind. Today was the last group date and possibly the last opportunity he would have to talk with Melody.
He showered and dressed quickly and was out the door before Tommy had even gotten out of bed. Guystof hoped to beat the other bachelors to the beach and grab some alone time with Melody, but when he arrived, she was engrossed in conversation with the professor.
Melody looked as gorgeous as ever. She wore a bright yellow sundress and matching sandals. Her hair was loose and full, falling softly over her shoulders, just the way Guystof liked it best. She seemed in good spirits, laughing and flirting with Johnny. If this was how she planned her revenge, it was working. Pangs of jealousy already stabbed at Guystof’s heart. Deep down he knew she didn’t care for the professor, not in the way she cared for him, but that didn’t stop him from feeling hurt nonetheless.
Well, he wasn’t going to let her see that it bothered him. He walked nonchalantly over to them. “Good morning, Melody, Johnny.”
The professor offered a brief hello, while Melody remained silent, never taking her focus off the professor.
Guystof bristled. He understood that she was angry with him, but he hadn’t expected her to be rude. He stepped between them, forcing Melody to look at him. Her eyes, lifeless, lusterless orbs, seemed to look right through him.
He took hold of her arm. “Melody, what’s wrong with you? I know you’re upset with me, but you don’t seem yourself.”
She remained silent, simply staring past him to where the professor stood. Guystof turned, shifting his gaze to Johnny as well. The professor raised a brow, then smiled smugly. Something was wrong. Horribly so. It wasn’t like Johnny to gloat.
Guystof studied him more carefully. The professor looked pale, unusually pale, and his eyes, despite being bloodshot, held a devilish twinkle Guystof had never noticed before. Guystof let go of Melody’s arm, and she returned to the professor’s side. Whatever was going on between Melody and Johnny, he was going to find out and put a stop to it.
Tommy and the two other bachelors were approaching, along with Henry, Daniel, and the crew. It was a good thing too, because Guystof’s temper had started to flare, and he was afraid, if left unattended, he might say or do something he’d later regret, perhaps even pushing Melody further away.
“I’m glad everyone’s here,” Henry said cheerfully. “Today’s the last date, a group date, and you’ll all enjoy a wonderful Fijian Magiti. The feast will consist of lots of traditional specialties cooked in an underground oven, but best of all, it will be served beside a spectacular tropical waterfall.”
Guystof could care less what they ate or where they went. All he cared about was getting Melody alone so he could find out what was going on.
“Follow me,” Henry continued. “It’s within walking distance.”
Tommy and the bachelors fell in step with Henry, Daniel, and the crew, while Melody and the professor lagged behind enough to carry on a private conversation. Guystof took up the rear and kept a close watch over Melody.
When they came to the waterfall, the crew set up the cameras, and within a short time, they were filming the second-to-last episode of Dream Girl.
The professor was still monopolizing Melody’s time, and she was acting as if he was the only man around. Not only did she ignor Guystof, but she paid no attention to the other bachelors either. Tommy and the other men didn’t seem to mind. They must have assumed they had next to no shot of being chosen as the last bachelor and were content just to have a good time.
Guystof tried again to speak with Melody. “About last night. Please, just give me two minutes to explain.”
He shouldn’t have wasted his breath. She turned to the professor, whispered something in his ear, and the two of them walked hand in hand down to the base of the waterfall. Then, to his astonishment, she removed her sundress, revealing the same hot-pink string bikini she’d worn the day he met her. She dove into the water and beckoned for the professor to join her.
Guystof had been angry before, but it was nothing compared to the way he felt now. If he didn’t know better, he’d think the professor had put Melody under some sort of trance. His chest tightened. Could that be it? A trance. He watched as the professor stripped down to his swimsuit, and then, as if he knew Guystof was watching him, he looked over his shoulder and grinned. His eyes twinkled in a devilish way, so unlike the professor yet so familiar to Guystof.
Theo! He should have known his brother was behind this.
He waited until the professor and Melody swam under the waterfall before he headed down the dirt path toward the men’s bures. He found the professor’s quickly.
Guystof tried the door, but it wouldn’t budge. He pointed his finger at the lock, hoping his powers still worked. With the way the potion had been making him feel, he wasn’t sure about anything. But to his relief, the handle turned and the door swung open, filling the sitting room with bright sunshine. The room was neat, and nothing looked out of the ordinary. He walked toward the bedroom. The shades were all drawn, making the room pitch-dark. He flipped on the wall switch. The recessed ceiling lights came on and illuminated the room.
There were two beds, one noticeably not slept in. The professor’s roommate had been eliminated early on. Guystof went over to the bed with the rumpled sheets. He needed to find out who really slept there. If his hunch about the professor was correct, then he was about to discover that Theo was posing as Johnny.
Guystof took off his shirt and ran it over the bed, then held it over his face and looked through his shirtsleeve as if peering into a crystal ball. Theo’s handsome face emerged, confirming that he’d been using the professor as his pawn.
A vein pulsed at the side of Guystof’s neck. Theo had Melody under a spell.
He slipped his shirt back on and left the professor’s bure. When he arrived back at the waterfall, he was pleased that no one seemed to have noticed that he’d been gone. Melody and the professor were still in the water, too wrapped up in each other to notice anyone else. The other bachelors were sprawled out on hammocks, lounging in the shade of huge, lush banana trees.
A group of Fijian dancers dressed in colorful costumes waited to perform. Three long wooden tables were grouped together and set up buffet style, while one set apart from the others had place settings and chairs.
Guystof watched as the sizzling, steaming food was removed from the underground oven and placed on the tables. Though not the least bit hungry, he would make an attempt to eat while he hoped to seize upon any opportunity that presented itself to steal Melody away from the professor.
The lali drum sounded, indicating dinner. The bachelors joined him at the buffet, but it took Melody and the professor longer to arrive.
Johnny draped a towel over Melody’s shoulders and rubbed them dry; then they both slipped their clothes on over their swimsuits and strolled hand in hand over to the group, taking their places in the buffet line.
It took all of Guystof’s willpower to keep from racing over to the
m and socking the professor in the jaw. But that would serve no purpose other than to make Guystof look like he’d lost his mind.
Once everyone had filled their plates and taken their seats, a choir of Fijians began a serenade and the dancers put on a spectacular performance. There was very little chance for conversation, which was just as well since it was useless trying to speak with Melody as long as Theo had her under his control.
It was quite evident Guystof would not have the opportunity during this group date to have any time with Melody, not with the “professor” keeping a close watch over her. He would have to wait until later, when everyone had retired for the night.
— : : —
At just before midnight, Guystof tiptoed out of his bure, careful not to wake Tommy, and snuck over to Melody’s hut. He peered in through her bedroom window, and as he’d hoped, she was asleep.
Quietly, he opened her window and stepped into the room. He crept over to her bed and removed the pillowcase from the spare pillow beside her. Using it as a gag, he bound it tightly over her mouth so she couldn’t scream; then he slipped one arm under her head and the other arm under the curve of her back. As he lifted her from the bed, her eyelids flew open. Shock and terror were reflected in her gorgeous eyes and not a speck of recognition. That bastard! Theo must have wiped out any memory of him from her mind.
She struggled in his arms, trying to break free. His hold on her tightened, and he clasped her against his chest, feeling the beat of her heart and the softness of her breast. She was light as a child, and he carried her with ease out of the bedroom and across the sitting room. Pointing his finger at the front door, he used his power to open it and strode into the night, heading for the thick foliage of the rainforest. A full moon helped to light his way.
A tangle of vegetation whipped at his face as he crashed through the jungle, but he barely felt it, so determined was he to remove this terrible spell Theo had placed on Melody and have the woman he loved back. He set her down at the base of a thick mangrove tree.
“Don’t try to run,” he warned. “This forest is full of creatures you wouldn’t care to meet.”
Melody’s eyes became huge saucers, and she tilted her head up and stared at the branches above her. A choir of frogs sang their night song, and she shuddered.
“Don’t be afraid. I’ll keep you safe.” With his shoe, he drew a magic circle on the ground, then ushered Melody inside. He stepped back and waited for a cloud to partially cover the moon so that a shadow was cast between them.
“An evil creature has caused this trouble to befall us. He holds you captive, and just like the wolf devours sheep, he has turned you into his chattel. His slave. His food.”
Melody stared at him, her face pale, her lips just as colorless. Dark purple shadows of worry and fear lined her magnetic blue eyes, now empty and void of memory. She shivered and wrapped her arms across her chest, covering her breasts, nearly visible through her thin white nightgown.
“Release her,” Guystof cried into the night, “for she is mine. You have not played fair, brother.”
A flash of blue-white lightning lit up the sky and revealed Theo. He stood about ten yards away.
“Did you think your magic so superior to my own that I wouldn’t discover you were disguised as the professor?” Guystof asked. “You always underestimate me, brother.”
Theo’s mouth curled into a snarl. “I suppose I do, though you’ve never given me reason to do otherwise.”
“Release her from your trance or do battle with me. And you will never underestimate me again.” Although Theo had an advantage with his magic skills, Guystof was a much better fighter.
Theo hesitated but stepped into the circle with Melody. He removed her gag, then took hold of her hands. “You are no longer under my spell. You no longer belong to me and will have no memory of this when you awaken.” His voice was low but loud enough for Guystof to hear.
Theo looked over his shoulder at his brother. “The game is not over yet,” he spat, then blew in Melody’s ear and disappeared.
She swayed, and Guystof lunged forward just in time to keep her from hitting the ground. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into his arms.
“I almost lost you,” he murmured against her cheek.
“What happened? I feel like I’ve been asleep forever.” She studied his face. “Why did you say you almost lost me?” Before he could answer, she placed her hands on his chest and pushed back from him. “I remember now. We were on the beach. We were about to… You didn’t want me… I should be really angry with you, but right now I don’t feel anything but numb.”
“That’s good.”
She raised her finely arched brows at him. “It is?”
“Yes. Numb is much better than angry.”
She laughed softly. “I think I must agree.”
He bent his head down and pressed his mouth on hers, and he thought this to be the sweetest kiss he’d ever tasted.
When their lips parted, she looked down at her thin nightgown. “What are we doing out in the jungle, and why am I dressed like this?”
“It’s the middle of the night, for one thing, and the rest is a very long story,” he replied.
“Well, I’d love to hear it, but if you don’t mind, I’d prefer doing so back in my bure.”
“My thoughts exactly.” He scooped her into his arms and carried her through the rainforest.
Inside her bure, he placed her gently upon the bed, then pulled the covers up over her. “The nights here can be quite chilly, if you’re not properly dressed.”
“As if I had any say in the matter,” she quipped.
“I’d rather you catch a cold than have something worse happen to you.” The words came from his heart and rolled off his tongue. What was he to do? He hated the game of deception he’d been playing, and he certainly didn’t want to take her mortal life. Yet, that was exactly what he was going to do. If he tricked her into marriage, then he would be no better than his brother.
Pain shot through his stomach, and he bit his lip to stifle the groan that rose up in his throat. Damn the curse that had made him a monster, and damn that potion for burning his insides.
He looked over at Melody, her knees tucked up under her chin, her hair falling in ringlets over her shoulders, and she looked no more than fourteen, an innocent child who had no idea what fate had in store for her.
Guystof strode across the room. “I’m going to make a pot of tea; then I have some things to tell you.”
— : : —
Melody watched as Guy left the bedroom. He was a proud man, and she could tell something weighed heavily on his mind. She should still be angry with him for humiliating her yesterday on the beach, but that anger had faded and not returned. Whatever had happened to her today, whatever danger she’d been in, she owed her safety to Guy. Perhaps she’d misjudged him. Maybe he really did care for her and was thinking not of himself but of her. Maybe that was why he’d cut their lovemaking short. Wouldn’t a gentleman respect her and not take advantage of the heat of the moment?
She knew the answer to that. And she also knew that Guy was the man she’d always been waiting for. Her soul mate. In a few short hours, she’d choose her bachelor, and there was no doubt in her mind who that would be. Then she could tell Guy exactly how she felt about him and they could plan their future together.
She leaned back against the pillows and closed her eyes. Ann, Mags, and Billy would just die when they discovered she really had found the man of her dreams on a reality show. Her parents would adore him. Oh, she couldn’t wait to introduce him to her friends and family.
Melody let out a sigh of pure joy. Who knew becoming the Dream Girl would change her life so completely? She owed Ann in a big way!
Guy returned carrying a rattan tray. On it were two steaming mugs of tea and a bowl of chocolate candy kisses.
She smiled up at him. “How’d you do that so fast? Magic?”
“Hardly. You’d be amazed at h
ow well equipped this bure is. If you’re hungry, I’ll bet I could find us something more substantial.”
She shook her head. “This is fine. I’ll stick with the kisses, candy or otherwise.”
He grinned at her and set the tray on the bedside table. “Well, you’re feeling better already, I can see.” He handed her a mug. “Careful, it’s hot,” he warned as she brought it up to her mouth.
She blew into the cup, never shifting her gaze from his handsome face. He sat on the edge of the bed, his demeanor changing. His clear blue eyes darkened and became filled with sorrow. He opened his mouth to speak, then quickly clamped it shut.
Melody set her mug back on the tray and reached for his hand. “What is it? Whatever happened today, I can take it. All that matters is that I’m safe now and here with you.”
A hint of a smile curved his sensuous mouth. “Ah, my dear, there is so much you don’t know.”
“Then tell me. We have all night.”
“What I have to tell you goes back hundreds of years.”
“Then condense it as much as you can,” she said, trying to lighten his mood. “We have the rest of our lives for you to tell me the story.”
He stared at her so intensely it was as if he wanted to look straight into her soul. “You are so beautiful, Melody. And not only on the outside. Everything about you is wonderful. I only hope you can forgive me.”
Fear gripped her heart like an icy glove. She squeezed his hand. “What, Guy? Please just tell me.”
He looked at her a little longer, then stood and walked over to the window, his gaze turned to the night. “There are no cannibals on Fiji.”
Joy filled her as she studied his back. “Thank goodness. That’s wonderful news.” But something inside her told her this happiness would be short-lived.
“Unfortunately, my brother is much worse.”
She swung her legs over the side of the bed, placing her feet flat on the floor. “Brother?”
“Yes. You know him.”
“I do?” She went to him and pressed her hand to the small of his back, relief flooding through her. “Is that it? Is that what has you so troubled? Is he one of the bachelors?” She thought hard, trying to figure out which one it could be.
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