“I love the way you look at me before you kiss me,” he said. “It’s adorable.”
I grinned. “Well, your gorgeous smile always lights up my day.”
He laughed and then faded into a pinkish blush of his own. “Do you know how hard it was for me to leave you last night?” he asked. “I thought morning would never come.”
I kissed him again. “It never comes fast enough.”
Ever so gently, he pushed a strand of hair away from my eyes. “Wanna get outta here, maybe take a walk on the grounds?”
I smiled, then reached for my jacket. “I’d love that,” I said, “and I always come prepared.”
He smiled. “All right, but there’s one rule.”
“What?”
“No talk about ghosts or hauntings. This is gonna be about us and only us.”
“Only us? I think I can handle that.”
He softly kissed my lips, and we headed out to the garden. The sky was the brightest shade of blue, without a single cloud. The chilly wind blew across my face, crisp as peppermint, and I loved the way it whipped Hunter’s dark hair around his broad shoulders.
I reached for his hand and led him to a bench on the other side of the garden. ”Let’s sit and talk,” I said.
“Zoey, you’re so beautiful,” he said, gazing at me as if I was fine art.
I was blown away by the sun glistening in his dreamy blue eyes, making them sparkle like sapphires. I smiled. “Thanks, but I could say the same about you.”
We chitchatted about school, our friends, and our stay at the castle. He listened intently as I babbled on and on about my life and my feelings about my parents. I was angry that they hadn’t attempted to stay in contact with me, and it felt good to be able to talk about that hurt with someone I trusted.
“I don’t think my mother really loves me,” I said.
“You’re her daughter. Of course she loves you.”
Tears welled in my eyes. “It hurts that she hasn’t bothered to call or anything, Hunter. It feels like she doesn’t care anymore.”
He hugged me. “I know,” he said, “but I’m sure she has her reasons.”
“Sorry. I’m a little emotional right now, I guess,” I said. “I know you said this is supposed to be about us.”
“It is. I’m learning about you, and if I’m gonna be there for you like I want to, I need to know what hurts.”
“Thanks,” I said sheepishly. “I also have all this guilt.”
“Guilt?”
“All those people died in the hurricane, but I didn’t. Why me? Why did I get to live?”
“You’re here for a reason, Zoey.”
“But I don’t feel like I should be. What makes me so special anyway?”
“Do you think the others would have wanted you to die? No! They’d be happy that you are alive and well.”
“I guess, but it’s hard to deal with all these demons. I’ve worked so hard to get on my feet, to get past it, but it hurts so bad. That’s why I wanted to come here, to escape my reality for a while. Back home, everyone looks at me differently, like I’m some kind of miracle. On top of that, my mom and I just don’t get along anymore. I couldn’t take it anymore. I just needed to get away, so when I found that brochure for this place, I had to jump on it. I wanted a fresh start, a way to escape the pain and to put some distance between Mom and me. She travels a lot, but I figured if I was so far away, she would realize just how much she loves me and…” My voice trailed off, and a bitter tear slipped down my cheek.
Hunter softly wiped the salty droplet with his thumb, then captured my mouth in a soft, gentle, slow, intimate kiss, pouring all his feeling into it. The fact that he listened and cared so much only strengthened our bond, and an incredible rush shot to every part of my body. As he held me in his strong arms, I felt safe and wonderful. We didn’t need to talk; he somehow just knew that holding me was what I needed right at that moment, and that love was so powerful.
I listened to the wind and the squawking peacocks. “Home sweet home, huh?” I said.
“Where the ghosts and the peacocks roam,” Hunter said with a coy smile.
I chuckled. “Yeah, well, I still don’t wanna leave.”
“Good, because I can’t hack it here without you. If you go, I’ll freak out and do something stupid and get kicked out in a heartbeat.”
“We can’t have that.”
“No, we can’t.”
“Hey,” I said, “what about your mom? Did she call last night?”
“Yeah,” he said.
“That’s nice. Did you guys catch up? I know you’ve been waiting to hear from her.”
“Yeah. She said she’s just happy I haven’t gotten the boot yet.”
“Wow. That wasn’t a very nice thing to say.”
“Well, she’s never been nominated for Mother of the Year,” he said, half-smiling. “I wanted to talk to Dad, but he was at work, as usual. He’s only sent me one text, not even a letter or an email after that. It really sucks.”
“Why don’t you email him and see if he answers?”
“I really don’t care,” he said, pretending to be tough. “If he doesn’t have time for me, I’m not gonna make time for him.”
It was clear that Hunter and his father had a troubled relationship, but I also knew he loved his dad very much. Hunter was deeply hurt that his father seemed to choose work over him. He didn’t open up about much, but from what little he’d told me, I was able to gather that.
“I have to stick it out here,” he said. “I have to show my parents that I can make it through a whole year without getting suspended or expelled.”
“You haven’t gotten in too much trouble.”
“Yeah, well, I’m on my best behavior,” he said.
“Me too.”
He winked. “I’m inspired by a beautiful princess who resides at this castle.”
I grinned. “You are? Anyone I know?”
“I’m pretty sure you know her well.”
I batted my eyelashes. “Do I?”
He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it softly. A sexy smile spread across his face. “It’s you, Zoey. It’ll always be you and nobody else. No fair maiden can even compare.”
“I’m completely swept away by you,” I said.
“Good,” he said, “because I need you.” He then wrapped his arms around me, and we were entwined once again..
“And I need you.”
“I’m…broken, Zoey.”
“So am I. You know what they say about birds of a feather. I guess we make a good pair.”
“There’s so much pain. I wish there was a way to let go of it, some secret formula to help me bury all the feelings that have left me scarred.”
I cupped his face. “There’s no magic, Hunter, but we have each other. If we just hold on to that, we’ll come out victoriously in the end.”
“I know it sounds kinda corny, like something outta one of those chick flicks, but with you by my side, I really do think anything is possible.”
“Me too.”
We walked into the woods and around the garden, then lounged by the labyrinth of topiaries, under a big tree.
After we laughed and talked some more, Hunter rubbed his six-pack and asked, “What’s for dinner tonight?”
“Roast beef,” said an eerily familiar voice, “and you may not wish to consume it, as it was prepared by Sandy. She nearly set the castle on fire the last time she prepared a meal.”
I tried to ignore the grinning William and continued my conversation with Hunter. “Roast beef,” I said.
“The meat will be like leather,” William butted in. “Shall we place a friendly wager that it will be burnt to ash?”
I glared angrily at the interrupting ghost. “No bets.”
Hunter cocked a brow. “Huh? Bets about what?”
I smiled and blushed, embarrassed for talking to what appeared to be thin air. “Uh…nothing. I just thought you might wanna bet how bad the food might be,
since Sandy’s cooking it.”
He laughed. “We all know the answer to that one. Compared to her, Rita’s like Gordon Ramsay or something, only without the British temper tantrums…and I’ve never heard Rita call anyone a donkey.”
I laughed.
“Do not ignore me, Zoey,” William demanded, quickly wiping the smile off my face.
I paid him no mind and continued lovingly looking at Hunter.
Infuriated, William seethed, “Zoey, perhaps you should consider that while you are frolicking about with your young lover, having a merry old time, I’m in literal Hell.”
“A bit dramatic, isn’t it?” I asked.
“No! I’m not kidding,” Hunter said. “Rita’s an amazing cook, but I’m pretty sure Sandy couldn’t pull off a proper bowl of ramen.”
Again, I refused to give the specter a reaction, and I hoped he would get the point and leave.
William shot me a side-glance. “You must send him on his way. We have much to discuss, and time is of the essence.”
“Stop ordering me around like that!” I finally said, no longer able to take it.
“Huh? Uh…I’m sorry,” Hunter said, confused.
“No, baby. Not you.” I then turned to the left. “I’ll talk to you, but I need a little more time.”
“This cannot wait, in spite of your lust for this lad. We must speak now!”
Hunter squeezed my hand. “He’s here, isn’t he? William?”
I nodded.
“What does he want?” he asked.
“To talk about something he says is important.”
“It is beyond important. It is urgent!” William screeched. “My subjects would never get away with ignoring me the way you do.”
“I am not one of your subjects, William. You’re not my prince. That title belongs to Hunter.”
“We are facing a serious problem that affects everyone on this side, including my sister, Isabella. If you care anything for her, you must forego your youthful romance and help me.”
I turned to say something, only to find that William had disappeared. “He’s gone,” I said to Hunter.
“Doubtful,” Hunter said, smirking.
“What? Can you see him?” I glanced around.
“I do not need to see him,” Hunter said in a Scottish accent.
“Why are you talking like that?” I asked.
“For the time being, I am him.”
I tilted my head to the side and gazed at my boyfriend. It was then that I realized William had stooped to the lowest level, possession of Hunter. “William?” I slowly asked.
He stared at me hard. “My apologies, but this seems to be the only way to get your attention.”
Livid, I demanded, “Get out of Hunter’s body! Give him back right now! You’ve got no right to—”
“Do not speak to me of rights. We were in this castle long before you got here. If you continue paying me no attention, I may have no choice but to reside here. It is actually quite cozy,” he said, moving Hunter’s arms around like he was trying on a new suit.
“Fine. You have my complete and undivided attention,” I said.
“Now I do,” he said, smiling.
“Get out of him, and I’ll send him away. Then we can talk for as long as you want. I promise.”
“Won’t you just hold my hand? I haven’t held a woman’s soft hand in centuries.”
“You are pathetic!”
“Perhaps you would prefer to kiss. I have seen the way you feast on his lips.”
“Hunter’s, not yours!”
“But I am Hunter. We are now one and the same.”
I rolled my eyes. “Cut the games, William. Let’s just get on with it.”
“I’ll release this body, but you must swear to meet me here, without him, in an hour.”
“Deal.”
Hunter gasped deeply, then fell to the ground.
“Hunter!” I screamed, running over to him. “Are you okay?”
“Wh-what happened?” he asked.
“It was William. He sorta jumped into your body.”
“He what!?”
“He kind of…occupied you.”
“Possessed me?”
I bit my lip hard. “Yeah. I’m so sorry. He wants to talk to me alone. I’ll walk with you back to the castle, but I have an hour to get back here.”
He stared at me hard. “So I’m supposed to just let my girlfriend rendezvous with some jealous ghost in the woods?”
“You have to, Hunter. Besides, he’s harmless. He won’t hurt me. He just needs my help.”
“You have no idea how dangerous he is.”
“Well, we can’t just have him jumping back into your body, can we?”
“I don’t care. I don’t like this one bit, Zoey, these secret meetings with a ghost.”
I gripped his hands. “You have to trust me.”
“Yes. Trust her,” William said.
I turned my head. “I thought you left.”
“He’s still here?” Hunter asked.
William tapped his chin. “I said I would release the body, which I have done. I didn’t say I was leaving.”
Hunter touched my face. “We can’t get rid of this guy, can we?”
“I’m afraid not. He sort of pops up whenever he feels like it.”
“On the contrary,” William threatened, “I could quickly dispatch this Hunter of yours.”
“Don’t you dare touch him! You said I have an hour.” Furious, I turned in the direction of the ghost. “Did you lock me in that bathroom and write that nasty message on the mirror?” I asked. I took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “What kind of sick freak are you?”
“That was not my doing. Perhaps you should be questioning your lover instead. Hunter is lying to you about another matter as well. “Do not be taken in by his good looks, my dear.”
“What are you talking about?” It was then that I remembered the writing on the bathroom mirror. A ghost had tried to warn me that Hunter was lying to me.
“Did you scroll that message on the mirror?” I asked.
“It wasn’t me. But it’s common knowledge that Hunter’s heart is set on another. He has been receiving messages from another maiden back home, and he has spoken with her more than once since he came here.”
I inhaled and felt a sharp pain, like a knife right through the heart. My gaze drifted to Hunter as my jaw dropped. It can’t be true, I thought, but no words would come out. I didn’t know whether to believe William or not, but I certainly didn’t want to.
“Zoey?” Hunter said. “I’d say you look like you’ve seen a ghost, but that’d be a bit too cliché right now. What’s going on? Talk to me.”
“Is it true, Hunter?” I asked.
“Is what true?”
“Have you been writing to your old girlfriend? Have you been talking to her on the phone?”
He swallowed hard. “Who told you that?”
“William, the not-so-friendly ghost. He just told me you’ve been talking to her.” I shook my head in complete disbelief. “Is he telling the truth?”
Hunter nodded and winced. “Yes.”
“What!? Get away from me!” I yelled, shoving him. “Just leave me alone.”
“Zoey, listen. Let me explain. It’s not like you think. I just—”
“No! I don’t wanna hear it. I poured my heart out to you, and you’re nothing but a player, like every other guy I’ve ever known. Did anything we had… Was it even real to you?”
He gripped my hands. “Zoey, wait. I—”
I jerked my hands away. “No, Hunter! Just leave.”
“Fine,” he said. “I’ll give you some space for now, and we’ll talk later.”
After he stormed off, I kicked the nearby tree as hard as I could. “You got your wish!” I shouted. “He’s gone, and I hope you’re happy, because you just shattered my heart.”
“I am sorry,” William said. “I did not want to tell you, but I needed him to go. It seems the
words tumbled out of my mouth before I could even stop them.”
“Save your sorry excuses for another time. Just tell me what is so urgent.”
“Elizabeth said you saw the symbols etched under the window.”
I pondered. “The little girl?”
“Yes.”
“Yeah, I saw the symbols, but I’ve got no idea what they mean.”
“I need you to recant them.”
“To what?”
“To speak them, say them out loud.”
“I just told you that I don’t even know what they mean. How in the world do you expect me to recite a foreign language I cannot even read?”
“Ignore the symbols and speak the words, even if you don’t know what they mean.”
“What will it do?” I asked.
“It shall offer protection to the castle spirits, create a protective barrier, of sorts.”
“Against what?”
“Against the evil spirits who have come in through the portal. It will keep the foul ones out of our castle, create a sanctuary here.”
“Why didn’t Isabella tell me this herself?”
“She is drained from fighting one of the demons.”
“Oh my gosh. Will she be okay?”
“She will survive. For a spirit, such a thing is similar to being ill and bed-bound. We need the castle as a sanctuary, a place to hide from the demons. They continue to come in vile hordes, and we are trapped here, with no place to go. If you can help us, Zoey, we will be forever indebted to you.”
I met his gaze. “I will help you in any way I can. These demons are causing lots of havoc on my side too.”
“You have our undying gratitude, Zoey.”
“Well, reading some ancient language shouldn’t be too hard.”
“There is…a little more to it than that.”
“Of course. What is it? Do I have to give my newborn son to some entity, sacrifice a sheep or something?”
He smiled. “You have such a wit about you,” he said. “If only you had been around in my time.”
“Yeah, yeah. I could have been your court jester,” I said.
His eyes glittered as he stared deeply into mine. “Not at all, though I would have been happy to make you a real princess.”
“Wow. That was sweet, in kinda creepy way.”
“Creepy?”
“You’re way too old for me.”
Enchanted Dreams - Book 3 Page 13