An Elf’s Magic Santa’s Elves Book 4

by Lynn Crain

  “Leverage. What an interesting concept. And just what do you intend to leverage me for?”

  “Come now. You’ve seen the North Pole. You’ve been to the loinnir in Scotland.”

  The comment took Ronan aback. How did they know about the loinnirs? Skulking ever closer, he knew he would be required to drop his glamour in order to get Lacey out of there.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Well played, Ms. Sinclair. I guess we’ll have to persuade you then, won’t we?”

  Ronan heard Lacey squeak when the gun appeared. It was now or never. With lightening speed, he thrashed the arm holding the gun. “Run, Lacey. I’ll bend the night to shield you,” he whispered in her ear, her eyes going wide. As if in slow motion, she turned and started to make her way out of the alley. “Faster, woman,” he yelled and turned to handle the other man.

  Ronan didn’t see her slip and fall, but he did hear her head hit the pavement, the sound loud in the silence of the night. “Damn it.” He let the glamour fall and the other man was on him in an instant. But the man’s strength was no match for his and soon he lay in a bleeding heap at Ronan’s feet. Turning, he saw Lacey sprawled out on the ground. He only hoped he wasn’t too late.

  * * * *

  Lacey felt like hell. She didn’t know where she was or why and she barely knew her name. She remembered going out for some milk then nothing. She pushed herself up in the bed and realized she was in a hospital. She looked around confused. Putting her hand to her head, she winced and immediately pulled it away.

  Obviously, she had been hit in the head. That would explain why she couldn’t remember much. Temporary amnesia. How did she know that? She turned to gaze at the nurse who came into the room. “Where am I?” she asked, her voice raspy.

  “You’re in Boston and in the hospital. Do you remember what happened? When they brought you, you were unconscious. One of your friends came with you.”

  She swallowed hard and shook her head. “When was that?”

  “Two days ago.”

  Her eyes got wide. Two days! I’ve been out two days! She just couldn’t believe it. “Two days? Has anyone come to see me?”

  The nurse shook her head. “We weren’t letting anyone in. Now that you’re awake and out of the woods, we can let you have visitors.”

  “You said a friend came with me. Is that person here?”

  The nurse patted her hand. “Your friend was lucky. She didn’t have a scratch on her. It was as if she showed up when it was all over. I don’t know what you did, but if she was there, you probably saved her because you were pretty battered up. Now that you’re awake, I’ll call her and tell her she can come and visit you.”

  Lacey felt a momentary surge of panic. “What if I don’t recognize her? I mean I barely remember my own name and now I’m supposed to remember other people.” Her voice rose a notch, indicative of the stress of trying to do something she didn’t think she could.

  “Honey, there’s no reason to panic. This woman seems to know everything about you. I would say she’s a very good friend and will accept whatever memories you still have.”

  The panic died off just a little bit and she felt better. Still, she wasn’t sure about anything. “Can you tell me anything happened that night? Anything at all?” she pleaded with the nurse.

  “No, honey, I can’t. I wish I could. Let me call your friend. She told me she could be here quickly if we called. I take it she’s not far away.”

  She nodded and watched the nurse leave. She moved the bed up to a sitting position and decided to watch some TV so she could catch up with the rest of the world. She hoped something would trigger a memory or something she could use to make her know who she was. When the knock came, she looked up, surprised by what she saw. In the doorway stood a beautiful woman, tall and willowy, with blonde hair and blue eyes. There was something vaguely familiar about this woman but she couldn’t remember what.

  “May I help you?” she asked.

  “Lacey,” the woman cried and rushed to her side, tears falling down her face. “Are you all right?”

  Lacey drew back and looked at the woman closely. “Do I know you?”

  The blonde woman just cried harder. “This is all my fault. If I hadn’t made you come home because I was so scared. I should have just left you alone.”

  Lacey sighed deeply. “Look, I don’t remember any of this. Could you tell me about myself?”

  “You don’t remember anything?”

  “I remember my name and I think I must have had something to do with hospitals because this whole thing doesn’t freak me out. Plus I seem to know what the doctors out there are talking about.”

  The blonde nodded. “That’s true. You’re a nurse. You have ambitions to become a doctor. You worked at my cousin’s clinic in the north then you went on a trip to Scotland. It was while you were there I was assaulted. I called you to come home because I was scared and needed a friend.” The blonde’s bloodshot eyes welled up with tears. “You know you’re my only real friend, don’t you, Lacey?”

  While she could feel this woman’s pain, she couldn’t remember one thing. “I’m sorry. Tell me what you know about me.”

  She listened for almost an hour as she was told about her life in college and her grandparents. She learned the woman’s name was Giselle and they had been friends for nearly ten years. Even though she had not been told, she knew they were very different. The woman exuded wealth with her cool, manicured looks. Granted those looks now looked haggard and slightly off kilter, but Giselle looked fantastic.

  “What do you do, Giselle?”

  Giselle sniffed again and wiped her nose. “Do? You mean like work?”

  “Like work?”

  “I mainly do charity work. I was hoping to work with art, but I don’t think that will be happening now.”

  “Why not?”

  “Oh, Lacey, I don’t think I can ever do anything again. The assault scared me.”

  Lacey shook her head, confused. “Do you know why you were assaulted?”

  “I-I—”

  “I think I can answer you.”

  Lacey turned to look where the sound came from…in the doorway stood one of the best-looking men she had ever seen, his very presence seemed to calm her. “You can?”

  The man came to stand by her bed. “I can.” He looked at Giselle who only sobbed more. “Giselle, you’re not helping the situation. Why don’t you go outside and wait for me, alright?”

  “Cuinn, I am so, so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?”

  He looked at Giselle with sympathy in his eyes. “I don’t blame you at all. Things happen and when they do, people tend to want those closest around them. I knew from the beginning you considered Lacey one of your best friends. I’m not blind.”

  She nodded and went to leave the room. “Do you mind if I come back later?”

  Lacey shook her head. “I don’t mind. I think I would like it if you did.” She watched as the woman walked down the hall.

  She eyed the man who’d come into the room. There was something familiar about him, what she couldn’t remember. “Who are you?”

  He sighed and slumped his shoulders. “You really don’t remember me?”

  She shook her head and watched him as he went to sit in the chair next to her bed. He looked at her with a sad expression on his face and reached for her hand. He took it gently and stared at it for a moment before he gave it a squeeze.

  “My name is Cuinn Locklin. We used to hold hands and sit next to the fire. Where we live is someplace very cold.”

  “How long were we together?”

  He laughed but it was a sad sound. “Not nearly long enough.”

  She frowned. “Do you know what happened to me? I mean no one is telling me anything. I know my name is Lacey Sinclair but I don’t know much more than that.”

  “Well, I haven’t heard anyone tell me I can’t say anything.” He watched for a moment as if searching for something. “We
were preparing to leave Scotland when we got a call from my mother. Apparently, my cousin Giselle—”

  “The woman who was just here?”

  He nodded. “Yes, the woman who was just here. Well, she had been attacked by someone and she wanted you to be with her. You came to be with her and had just taken her home when you decided the cupboards were too bare. A couple of days ago, you went to the market and you were also attacked. We’re pretty sure it’s the same person or persons who attacked Giselle. You’ve been out of it since then. Giselle and I have been taking shifts staying here with you waiting just outside the door as they wouldn’t let us in.”

  “Why?”

  He chuckled. “Well, a variety of reasons actually. First, we both care for you. Giselle loves you as a sister and you’ve been her friend for quite a long time.” He hesitated.

  “And the other reasons?” Lacey needed to know.

  “The other is because I love you. We were lovers before you got hurt and we were planning to get married.”

  “Lovers.” She made it a statement as she didn’t know what else to say to the man.

  She tried to take in everything he had said so far, tried to convince herself she would know if he weren’t telling the truth. Wouldn’t she? She looked at him with his handsome face. There was something very special about him but she wasn’t sure what. Her heart clenched each time he smiled at her. She wanted him to run his hands all over her body but she had to be sure.

  “How long?”

  “How long what?”

  “You know, the lover thing.”

  “Oh. Does that bother you?”

  She shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’m not sure of anything right now.”

  “I wish I could help but I can’t. The doctors have all agreed we can’t push you into remembering everything. You were in a coma for two days. Things might come back fast or they might come back slow. They don’t know.”

  She swallowed hard. “What do they know?”

  “They told me they are confident you’re on your way to total recovery because you woke up.”

  “Was I hurt very bad?”

  “You had some bumps and bruises. You hit your head on something hard and had a minor skull fracture. It’s why you were in the coma. Other than that, you seem fine.”

  A sense of relief washed through her. Thank goodness it wasn’t worse. Suddenly, her stomach clenched in panic. “What happened to Giselle? How bad was she hurt?”

  He smiled and caressed her hand. “She didn’t get hurt this time at all. She was told where you were and to get to you immediately.”

  “Good. I was afraid something bad happened to her as she was so emotional when she was here.” She sat there and smiled at him as warmth invaded her stomach. If her body was any judge of character, this man had been very special to her. “Look, I’m tired now and think I should rest.”

  “Do you mind if I stay?” He looked at her hopefully.

  “No, I don’t mind.” She drifted to sleep with a throbbing headache and her hand tightly gripped in his.

  * * * *

  “Oh by the gods, there’s another one!”

  Lacey moaned and tried to get to her feet. “Don’t talk so loud. My head hurts.”

  “And well it should, young lady, you had a pretty nasty fall. Do you know where you are?”

  She sat up and held her throbbing head. “You’re asking me when I barely know who I am?”

  “You’re Lacey Sinclair betrothed of Cuinn Locklin. Do you remember that?”

  She frowned. The name did sound vaguely familiar. “I guess…I’m not sure…but it sounds familiar. How did I get here?”

  “That’s what we’d like to know. You’re the second uninvited human to land in the Hall of the Elven Elders.”

  She blinked rapidly. Now she remembered. “Did that man hurt, Ronan?”

  “What do you know about Ronan?” the mist asked.

  “Could you please show yourselves? I know you’re there, I can hear you.”

  “She can hear us,” a voice mocked her.

  Slowly, she tried to stand and failed miserably again. If they didn’t come to her, she’d go to them. “I heard that.”

  The mist parted and it looked as if she were in a large chamber much like what she thought the U.S. Supreme Court looked like. Looking from one face to the other, she knew immediately who these people were. “You’re the ancestors.” It was a statement plain and simple. How she knew she couldn’t fathom but she did realize they held the fate of her in their hands.

  “Yes, we are. Do you know why you are here?” a formidable looking woman questioned. Without asking, Lacey knew this woman was a relation of Cuinn’s.

  “No, I don’t.”

  “You aren’t doing too well out there. You’ve just come out of a coma but you don’t know much else.”

  “That doesn’t explain why she’s here,” the man next to her stated.

  The woman turned to the grumpy man. “Look, I’m not the one who promised Ronan favors. You might want to ask him why she’s here.”

  “Hmmf,” he stated and crossed his arms. “She’s going to be part of that Locklin clan, isn’t she?”

  “Yes and good thing, too. It will take all of them together, human and elf, to eradicate the threat against the clans. Isn’t that the reason you gave Ronan special powers?”

  The man groaned in displeasure. “Yes, it is. I just didn’t expect him to use it this way. What’s being here going to do for her?”

  The woman shook her head. “I’m not sure, but I could almost bet she has some elven blood way back there. Maybe it will bring a power to bear.”

  “Whoa, what are you saying?”

  The woman turned back to her. “Only those with elven blood usually end up here. Elves get a choice of when to move from one realm into another. The occasional human will arrive because they are a solution to a great problem. Some humans are accorded the honor of being here because they have served the elven realm well.”

  “I don’t get it.” Lacey’s head throbbed even more. “Just where is here?”

  “The other side, young lady. Where did you think you were? “

  “Oh, I...”

  “Don’t worry, you’ll be going back. You’re choice was already made.”

  Lacey frowned. “Then what was the purpose for me being here?”

  “To make you remember and to bring your special powers to the surface.”

  “What?” She shook her head as the woman was immediately next to her. “You’re beautiful.”

  “Thank you. You are, too, my dear. Now there’s one thing I must tell you.”

  “What’s that?”

  The beautiful elf took her finger and gently pressed the middle of Lacey’s forehead. “Remember.”

  The mist overtook her and once again, Lacey was in the void.

  Chapter 14

  Lacey’s throat was horribly parched and she needed to do something about it immediately. Pushing herself up further, her head suddenly throbbed with the movement. One of her hands was caught under something. Looking down, she realized just who was beside her and smiled. It was all coming back to her.

  “Hey, I need my hand.” She tugged it out from under Cuinn’s and watched as he woke up gradually.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, concern etched on his face.

  “I recognize your face.” She reached out and gently stroked his cheek, hard bristles scrapping her hand. “When was the last time you shaved?”

  “Lacey?” he sat straight up. “You know me?”

  “Yes, I definitely know you. Come here.” She motioned with her finger, bringing him close. “If I ever forget you again, just send me back to the Hall of the Elven Elders. They’ll straighten me out.”

  “So, you made it there?”

  The voice came from the doorway and she saw Ronan standing there. “Yes, I made it. Why did you send me?”

  He shrugged. “You weren’t any good to us without your memory.”

&
nbsp; Cuinn turned to look at the man. “I take it you’re Ronan.”

  “I am.”

  “Why on earth would you need to send Lacey there?”

  “Like I said, she needed her memory.”

  Cuinn gazed at the man suspiciously. “You can’t fool me, I know there’s more. Even Aingeal saw something in her.”

  “Ah, the sister. She’s an earth intuitive, right?”

  “She is.”

  “What did she say about Lacey?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Hey, I’m in the room.”

  Ronan chuckled. “I know. I wanted to know what his sister said about you.”

  “So would I now that you mentioned it.”

  Cuinn looked from one to another before throwing up his hands in exasperation. “Alright. It wasn’t much but it was strange. She said she could feel a power in you, an elven given power, and she couldn’t understand why you had it.”

  Lacey nodded. “Sounds like what the elders said to me. The woman told me I needed to remember and then sent me back. I still don’t get it.”

  “Not now you don’t. But you will when it’s needed.”

  “What do you mean, when it’s needed?”

  Ronan looked at Cuinn before continuing. “This confrontation has started with the attack on Giselle and now Lacey. They will not stop until either they get what they want or we stop them.”

  Lacey nodded. “The elders did say all of us would have to work together to overcome this trouble.”

  “Lacey, I’m not sure I want you anywhere near the danger.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem anymore. I don’t know why but I do.” A squeal came from the doorway. Her head turned toward the sound. “Hi, Giselle. How are you doing?”

  “She’s doing fine. She’s in my care now and I take my responsibility seriously.” Ronan stood at the end of the bed and crossed his arms.

  Giselle threw her arms around Lacey as she sat on the edge of the bed. “I can speak for myself.” She leveled a look at Ronan. “He’s right. I seem to be doing fine. But he was hopping mad to find out Lacey had left the penthouse.”