by Fiona Roarke
She ran as fast and as far as she could. At first she headed toward the little stone house she’d called home for the last month, but veered from that path to keep her pursuer from finding her new home. She hid in the woods for quite a while, circling back every so often to see if he’d followed her.
So far, he hadn’t. But she knew he wouldn’t stop. He’d keep coming until he had her. After several hours, she was tired and hungry and thirsty and ready to let the big gorgeous Thorne take her back to face whatever fate had in store.
Astrid stayed hidden in the woods, but moved closer to the clearing and Holli’s house. She would always remember this interlude as the best life she’d ever had, even as short a duration as it was.
“Astrid,” she heard Holli call out. Was it a trick? Was Thorne hiding somewhere close by?
As if reading her mind, Holli said, “Don’t worry. I’m all alone, Astrid. Come on out.”
Astrid moved stealthily toward Holli’s voice. Through the trees, she could see that her friend was indeed all alone, standing at the edge of the clearing. She walked slowly toward her. “What happened after I ran away?”
“Nothing.”
“Why didn’t he come after me?”
“He got a message or something on his cell phone or whatever that device was. He told me he’d be back later and left.”
“What am I going to do, Holli?” Run away? Where?
“That all depends. What kind of trouble are you in?”
Astrid thought about what to say. It would sound so outlandish that Holli would probably throw her out anyway. “I don’t think I can explain.”
“I’m your friend. You can tell me anything.”
Astrid pushed out a deep sigh. Holli led her inside the cabin. As Holli made tea, Astrid decided she needed to tell her friend the truth. She’d been holding it inside for so long she was about to burst.
Holli took a sip of tea and smiled. “Who is that man, Thorne, and why is he after you?”
“I’m not completely sure, but I suspect he’s a Royal Magistrate Guard.”
“Sounds like an impressive title. What does that mean? Is he Royal like from Europe? Is that where you’re from, too?”
Astrid shook her head. “Where I’m from he’s in law enforcement, much like your Sheriff Merrow.”
“He certainly is big and tall.”
“Yes, he is, even where we’re from.” Regardless of his purpose, Astrid thought he was the most attractive man she’d ever seen. Even if he was here to basically ruin the perfect life she’d made for herself at long last.
Thorne had looked at her with complete curiosity until he said her name and she morphed back into her old self. Then his expression had shifted. Not to one of anger or contempt, which she expected. No, he looked at her with interest. Like a man looking at a woman he liked and cared about.
But that was foolish. Thorne didn’t like her. He didn’t care about her. He wanted to capture her, shackle her and take her back to Alpha-Prime to face false charges. Or maybe he had been instructed to take her straight to a gulag. How unfair it was to taste a life she’d only dreamed of only to have it taken away by the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen.
“And where are you from, Astrid?” Holli asked.
“A place called Alpha-Prime.”
“Never heard of it.”
“It’s another planet.”
“What?”
“You said I could tell you anything. Well, I’m an alien from another planet.”
Holli’s mouth dropped open. After a moment, she closed it and looked thoughtful. “Surprising. I’ll have to admit that I didn’t see that coming. But then again, I’m a witch with somewhat limited ability, so I really shouldn’t be surprised by anything.”
Astrid nodded. “I figured that out when you changed my appearance so drastically after chanting a few words out of a dusty old book.”
Her friend sighed. “Sorry I didn’t use a powerful enough spell. I never said I was a very good witch. I believe we established that early on when you cut me out of my own trap.”
“Best day of my life,” Astrid said. “What do you mean about the spell not being powerful enough? I mean, it worked pretty well for quite a while.”
“Marigold said that’s why witches don’t use the fairy tale spell except for training purposes. It’s very easy to create, but also the easiest to break. I mean, say a person’s name and—poof!—the spell is gone. It was a total beginner move.”
“I don’t blame you, Holli. Not at all. I appreciate all that you’ve done for me. You’ve been a true friend. The first one I’ve ever had. And it’s been wonderful living here on Earth, but I know it’s over. Thorne will return. If he doesn’t find me here, he’ll hunt me down eventually. I don’t want to spend any more time on the run, looking over my shoulder, waiting for him to pounce.”
“Well, if you have to be pounced on by someone, I suspect he’s the one you’d choose.”
Astrid smiled. “That’s certainly true.”
“I turned around after tripping over the guy I wanted to meet and there you were, flattened on top of him.” Holli laughed. “It looked like you had pushed him to the ground to have your way with him.”
“I wish. No. I wasn’t looking where I was going and knocked him to the ground without even trying. At least he’ll be easy to look at on the journey back home or wherever he’s taking me.”
“Surely your family misses you? They’ll be glad when return, right?”
“No. I think they are the reason I’m here.”
“What? Why?”
“I thought of something a couple of weeks ago. Something I shoved to the back of my mind, hoping I’d never have to worry about it.”
“What is it?”
“Back home, before this crash to Earth happened, I was on my way to meet a lawman to tell him about something illegal that I’d seen my father’s business partner do. But on the way to that meeting someone chased me down and knocked me out. I assume after that, someone stuffed me into the cargo hold of an Earth-bound spaceship.”
“Was it Thorne, the guard who’s here now that you were supposed to meet?”
“No. It was someone different. His name was Pepperdine. I had a picture of him, so I could recognize him for the meeting, but it was gone when I woke up here. Whoever stuffed me into the cargo hold must have taken it.”
“Maybe Thorne would listen to what you have to say.”
Astrid shrugged. “Maybe. But I shouldn’t count on it.”
“Why don’t we go talk to Sheriff Merrow? He might be able to help.”
“I’d be in more trouble if anyone finds out I told you about aliens hiding out on Earth. That’s a big no-no.”
“The thing is, Nocturne Falls and the powers in charge have some secrets they keep from humans as well. You might be surprised.”
Astrid didn’t think she’d be surprised, but then again, lots of things about Earth surprised her. The biggest surprise so far was that she couldn’t get Thorne out of her mind. The mere memory of being plastered on top of his muscular, perfect body made her pulse race and wicked thoughts speed through her head. He’d grabbed hold of her arms and her belly had fluttered in joy. He said her name and the split second before her disguise was revealed, she had very much loved hearing him say it.
Was she really ready to turn herself in to the Royal Magistrate Guard chasing her because she thought he was attractive?
Chapter Twelve
<^> <^> <^>
Victoria watched Holden carefully as he woke up. The moment his gaze found her eyes, she knew he was different. He remembered his former life. And that life did not include her. Never had and, based on his grim expression, she suspected it never would.
What she didn’t know was if he’d remember what happened at Nocturne Falls General Hospital and, more specifically, with her in bed. Maybe he wouldn’t remember anything that happened after the crash. Maybe he didn’t even know her right now. Maybe she’d have a second
chance to make him fall in love with her again.
“Victoria,” Holden said. He sat up and stared a hole into her. Spuds. He probably remembers everything.
“How do you feel?” Bubba asked.
Holden looked at the big Alpha and smiled. “Thankfully, I’m mostly pain free.”
He stood up from the bed in only his shorts, stretched and nodded. “Yep. Almost back to normal.”
“Good. Now go put some clothes on.”
“Bite me.”
“And your true personality comes back. Awesome.” Bubba grinned and gave Victoria a thumbs-up. Victoria wasn’t as excited about Holden’s change in personality. She liked who he’d been. Plus, he was undoubtedly going to be cross with her for all those lies she’d told. And last night. Would he be angry about that?
Holden looked around and spotted the shirt and jeans she’d folded and placed on the dresser. He grabbed them and got dressed.
Before another word was spoken, someone pounded on the motel door. It rattled in the frame. A voice from right outside the flimsy entrance growled, “This is Sheriff Merrow. Open this door or I’ll break it down.”
Victoria leapt up and grabbed the door handle, yanking it open before it was knocked down. “What’s wrong?”
“Oh, hi, Victoria,” the sheriff said. “I wasn’t sure you were here.”
Sheriff Merrow stepped into the room, filling it with his over-tall frame. Now there were two Alphas and a big wolf shifter taking up space in here.
The Pinehurst Inn’s front desk clerk followed the sheriff in. He went straight to the bed Holden had just emerged from, threw his hand in the air and asked, “What have you all been doing in here? Butchering animals or something?”
“I beg your pardon?” Victoria said. She looked at the bed and saw one nickel-sized spot of blood on a tissue resting on the pillow.
“No. We were performing brain surgery on an alien from another planet,” Bubba said with a straight face. “That’s okay, right?”
“Very funny,” the clerk said. “Just know that you may not be getting your deposit back.”
“Why not?” Victoria said. “This room is in better shape than when I rented it even with the blood-spattered tissue.”
“Bah!” the clerk yelled and headed for the exit. “Don’t forget that check-out is promptly at ten in the morning!” Boom, he slammed the door.
“What a disagreeable little crust-fish,” Holden said.
“Crust-fish?” the sheriff asked. He narrowed his gaze and shook his head. “Never mind. I don’t want to know.”
“What are you doing here, Hank?” Victoria asked. He’d told her long ago she could use his first name, but sometimes she forgot.
“Well, one, to check on you. Two, to see if there was a guy named Thorne here.” He nodded once at Bubba. “That’s you, right?”
“Yep.”
“And you were sent to Nocturne Falls by one or more of the Grey brothers from Alienn, Arkansas?”
“Right again.”
“Were you sent to apprehend Astrid Harper?”
Bubba cocked his head to one side. “How did you know that?”
“She’s at the sheriff’s station.”
“Is she the stowaway?” Holden asked. “From the—” He stopped talking abruptly.
“Crashed spaceship in the woods a month ago?” Hank finished his sentence.
“He knows,” Victoria offered.
Holden didn’t say anything to her. He didn’t look at her. He looked at Bubba and said, “It’s possible the stowaway was not put on the ship willingly.”
“What makes you say that?” Bubba asked.
“The original guard assigned to take Draeken Phoenix to the gulag did the final flight inspection, including a check of the hold. He said we were prepped and ready to fly. But then The Calderian boarded the ship at the last moment, taking the guard’s place. We left immediately with new orders to use the express wormhole to Earth. Riker didn’t put anything on board. I suspect the original guard did.”
“What was the guard’s name?” Hank asked.
“Pepperdine,” Holden said. “Why?”
“Miss Harper mentioned a person named Jason Pepperdine in her statement. She said she was on her way to a meeting with him when she was chased and knocked out. She woke up on a crashed spacecraft in the woods. Or do you prefer the term UFO?”
“I like UFO, myself.” Bubba moved toward the door. “Let me get my things out of my room and I’ll accompany you to talk to Miss Harper. Perhaps I won’t have to capture, shackle and haul her back like I’d planned.” As he left, he called out to Holden, “Glad we didn’t kill you during the home surgery.”
Holden nodded at him once, cracking only half a smile. But he still didn’t look at Victoria. It was becoming awkward. Once the sheriff left, it would just be the two of them. She was worried. Would he ever talk to her again? Would he ever look at her?
“Are you mad?” Victoria asked Holden.
His head snapped up. “No. I’m furious.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“You should be.” Holden moved toward her slowly. “I know what you did.” Now he was certainly staring at her. In fact, his intense gaze fairly drilled a hole through her body.
“What are you going to do?” Why would you ask that? You don’t want to know.
He stalked closer. Victoria backed into the wall next to the crappy television set.
Hank put a hand on his gun. “I won’t let you harm her. I don’t care what she did to you.”
“Sheriff, this is not your business, but do please answer one thing.”
Stalk. Stalk. Stalk. They were nearly nose to nose.
“What do you want to know?” Hank asked, taking a step closer, hand still resting on his weapon.
“I need to know if there is a chapel in this odd little town of yours.”
“A chapel?”
“You know, like a chapel where folks go to join together in matrimony?”
“Uh…” Hank seemed confused. He wasn’t the only one.
“Why?” she whispered.
“We have to get married, that’s why.”
“We do?”
Holden lifted one arm and pointed at the bed. “Do you remember what happened last night? What we did?”
“Listen,” Hank said, dropping his hand from his gun holster. “I should probably go.” He didn’t leave, though. Instead, he looked up at the corner of the room like he was inspecting for cobwebs.
Victoria felt her face go hot with the help of several very amazing memories from the night before. “I do.”
“Keep those words close. You’ll need them.”
“Why?” she asked again, not daring to hope this was about to be good news.
“I love you.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“I know about the life you made up for us when you were pretending to be my wife. And I know I want to live it.” His body pushed into hers. He towered over her. He looked like he wanted to kiss her.
“But what if you change your mind when your memories come back…”
“I won’t change my mind about you, ever. Also, my memories returned when you pulled the shrapnel out of my head.”
“You remember everything?”
“Oh, yes. I remember absolutely everything, especially every kiss, every sigh…every moan.”
“And I’m leaving now,” Hank said, opening the door and closing it briskly behind him.
Holden pressed his lips to hers, barely making contact before pulling away.
“Will you marry me, Victoria?”
“You don’t even know my last name.”
“Oh, yes, I do.”
“Oh, yeah? What is it?”
“It’s Greene. Your name is Victoria Greene.”
She was shocked. “How do you know my name? We don’t know each other. We’ve never met before this mission to Nocturne Falls. And you spent most of it in a coma.”
He grinned. “Ther
e was a small plate on the underside of your Defender. It said, V. Greene. I saw it when I reconfigured it so I could use it. At the time, I thought it was your maiden name.”
“Well, it’s about to become my maiden name, because I will marry you.” Victoria kissed him hard on the mouth and he responded.
“Excellent. I want to get married before we leave this town.”
Victoria pulled away. “Oh. I don’t know. My mother has wanted me to have a big wedding since the day I was born.”
“Too bad. I love you. I don’t want to spend another moment where you aren’t my wife, let alone all the time that would take. We need to get married now.”
“We still need a witness.” Victoria tilted her head to one side. “Maybe Bubba could stand up with us.”
“Fine by me.”
“Wait. You aren’t jealous of him anymore.”
“Nope. I believe he’s got a thing for Miss Astrid Harper.”
She nodded. “His voice softens when he says her name, doesn’t it?”
“It sure does. He’s totally infatuated.” He smiled. “Also, he looks at you like a colleague, and not at all romantically.”
“Okay, we’ll get married here before we go. But we will have to let my mother plan the biggest wedding reception Alienn, Arkansas, has ever seen.”
“Deal.”
“I love you, Holden.”
“And I love you, my beautiful wife-to-be.”
<^> <^> <^>
Bubba was about to stick his head in and say good-bye to Holden and Victoria, but Sheriff Merrow warned him off. “I wouldn’t do that.”
“Why? Are they fighting?”
“Nope. He just popped the question. They’re getting married before they leave town and it’s entirely possible they just started the honeymoon early.”
“Thanks, Sheriff. Good call.”
“Here’s the report Miss Harper gave. You can read it on the way.”
“Thanks.” They climbed into the sheriff’s vehicle and Merrow drove them to the station where Astrid and another woman waited in the outer office. The women stood up when the two men stepped inside.
Merrow introduced the woman behind the reception desk as his aunt Birdie.
“Ooh, he’s a tall one,” she said, putting her nail file down on the desk and giving Bubba an approving once-over. “They sure do grow aliens big wherever he comes from.”