“I’ll accept any bit of gossip as a potential lead at this point,” he said. “I didn’t like the way Britta was looking at me.”
I laughed. “Not many people do.”
“Enough about stressful topics,” he said. “Let’s take a walk through the field on this gorgeous day and enjoy each other’s company.”
“Sounds like a great idea,” I said. “Where’s the footpath?” There were bursts of color as far as the eye could see.
“Over here.” Markos beckoned me to a hidden path.
I breathed in the fragrant air. “These flowers smell divine.”
“Feel free to pick any you like,” he said. “They’ll look beautiful on a mantel in your living room.”
“Maybe when we’re about to leave.” We continued to walk in companionable silence.
“Tell me about the human world,” he said. “Is it as delightful as I remember?”
“I guess it depends on your definition of delightful,” I said. “I think it's like anywhere. Some places are wonderful. Others are pits to avoid.” I paused. “So I guess you tended to be in your human form back when you were in the human world.”
“Yes, I've had the ability to take two forms for quite a long time. It was a necessity at a certain point. A matter of survival. Humans became less and less tolerant of anyone too different. In some ways, I think Spellbound is a blessing.”
“But there are other paranormal towns all over the world like this one. Why not live in one of those?” The only difference between those places and Spellbound was that those residents were free to come and go at will. Spellbound was the one with magical boundaries that kept everyone trapped inside.
“I've done both,” Markos said. “For a long time, I lived in regular human towns in Greece. Eventually I moved to a paranormal town in Southern California. The climate was closer to what I was used to.”
I laughed. “Then how did you end up in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania?” You couldn't get much further from the Mediterranean environment.
“I followed a young lady, of course,” he admitted. “Why else do we do foolish things but for love?”
I knew that all too well. Even though I didn't know Daniel when I tried to rescue him from jumping off the cliff, he was the reason I was stuck here in the first place. It somehow seemed fitting that I fell in love with him.
“I see my neighbors and their harpy forms,” I said. “Do you ever walk around in your minotaur form?”
Markos became fixated on the ground. “Not really. In the early days, I would walk around town when the mood struck me. Things have changed here over time, though. In some ways, it parallels my experience in the human world.”
I frowned. “Why? It doesn't make sense. This is the one place all of you should feel free to be yourselves. Everyone here has something supernatural about them. Wings, horns, bumpy faces, fangs. Why should anyone feel ashamed?”
Markos looked thoughtful. “I really don't know. Sometimes I think it's because the majority of residents here still resemble humans. The witches, wizards, elves, fairies, vampires. The list goes on. Their nonhuman features are so subtle that it isn’t the same as for a minotaur or a harpy.”
“What about George?” I asked, thinking of the giant yeti. “He certainly looks different.”
“That's true,” Markos said. “And George is very well-liked in the community.”
I smiled. “And so are you, in case you haven't noticed. I don't think I've heard a bad word about you since my arrival.”
Markos seemed pleased. “Is that so? Well, I guess that explains your willingness to be friends with me.”
I noticed that he went out of his way not to say ‘to date me.’
“I tend to be a good judge of character,” I said.
“Were you always like that? Did you know to stay away from the man in the car asking you to find his lost puppy?”
“I think it's a skill I developed over time,” I said. “When you lose your parents at a young age, you tend to lose a bit of trust in the world. At least I did. It forced me to pay attention to people, to try to understand their motives. I questioned a lot of things.”
“And I suppose that skill only became more developed once you were a lawyer,” he said.
Flowers bent in the breeze and brushed against my legs. The field was so peaceful and calm. I’d have to remember this place.
“I hate to say it, but I really became jaded after only a couple of years. I definitely saw the negative side of people fairly quickly.”
“What kind of law did you practice?” he asked. “I remember hearing that you had no criminal law background.”
“No, I worked in public interest law. I often represented people who got tangled up in a bureaucratic mess. They didn't necessarily have the education or knowledge required to get themselves out of it.”
“So you weren't raking in the cash like corporate lawyers or litigators, I imagine,” he said.
I suppressed a smile. “No, I certainly can't say I was raking it in. In fact, I was struggling to pay my bills on top of my student loans. Even though I went to a state university for law, I still had to take loans to foot the whole bill, plus living expenses. You can't have a job when you're in law school. There simply isn't time to do both.”
Markos studied me intently. “Were you always such a hard worker?”
“I had to be,” I said. “There wasn't any other choice. My grandparents were dead at this point and it wasn't like they had money to leave me. We weren’t exactly wealthy. Anyway, it doesn't matter. You do what you have to do to survive. You know that.”
He nodded gravely. “I like to think it builds character.”
Me too. “So who was the lady you followed to Spellbound?” I asked. “Or am I overstepping?”
“It isn't possible to overstep with me,” he said. “That’s something I want you to know. I'm pretty thick-skinned and I know you would never say anything intentionally cruel or hurtful.”
I softened. “So who was she?”
He inhaled deeply, gazing skyward. “Her name was Eden. I met her in California. She was very beautiful, which was obviously the first thing I noticed about her. People say looks don't matter, but they can certainly get someone's attention.”
I was inclined to agree. Although my love for Daniel developed once I got to know him, it was definitely his looks that first drew me to him. Literally drew me right out of my car and almost into a lake.
“What was she? A fairy?”
“No, she was a succubus.”
Oh, that explained it. “That must've been an interesting relationship.” I wasn't even sure if the succubus was capable of maintaining a relationship with one person. It seemed like their needs were too overwhelming. Then again, I didn't really know one well enough. Only what I’d read in books.
“It was, needless to say, an intense relationship. When she announced she was going to see her sister in Valley Ridge, I jumped at the chance to join her.”
“She didn't mind?” I queried.
“I think she believed I wouldn't want to come. I loved the California sunshine and I knew the weather would be different here.”
I glanced up the warm, shining son. “Turns out that it’s not so different after all, huh?”
“Only since the curse took hold,” he said. “When it was still Valley Ridge, we had all the seasons. Lots of snow.”
As you would expect in the Poconos. “So what happened? Is she still here?”
“She got trapped here, same as me.” He lowered his gaze. “Eventually she died.”
“Oh, Markos. I'm so sorry. Do you mind me asking what happened?”
He gave me a rueful smile. “I told you. You can't overstep with me.” He paused, remembering Eden. “We paranormals are pretty good at fighting off diseases. We have magic, healers, our own immunities. Incubi and succubi are more prone to pick up infections because of the nature of their…Well, their nature.”
I think I knew what he wa
s trying to say. “But if you were her partner, how…?”
He gave me a hard look and I understood. She’d been unfaithful. And she paid a steep price for it.
“She didn't just lose me,” he said, shaking his head. “She lost her life.”
I felt a rush of sympathy for him. “Markos, that's terrible. I'm so sorry. There was nothing anyone could do?”
“There would have been, had she confessed sooner,” he said. “But she tried to keep the truth from me. She was so afraid of my reaction. It cost her her life.”
“Have you been in love since Eden?” I asked.
“No,” he said sadly. “I like to think I’m open to the possibility, but, after all this time as a bachelor…I must be more closed off than I realize.”
“You don’t seem closed off to me,” I said. “You seem very honest and comfortable to be with.”
He stopped walking. “That’s because I’m in human form. You probably wouldn’t say that if I were in my minotaur form.”
I gazed up at him. “Is it possible for you to turn into your minotaur form at will?”
“I can shift between them at will,” he said. “Why?”
“I'd like to see if I’m comfortable with the real you,” I said.
He splayed his hands. “This is the real me. Whenever you speak to me, you get the real me. The outside is just a shell.”
“That may be true, but I’d still like to see you in your natural state. If we’re going to get to know each other better and become good friends, I don't think we should hide who we are.”
He hesitated. “Things are going well. I don't want to put you off.”
“Have you seen what I live with? Magpie is allegedly a cat. Trust me, your minotaur form is nothing.”
He chuckled. “That is one unfortunate beast.” He sucked in a breath. “You’re sure about this? What is seen cannot be unseen.”
I nodded vigorously. “Bring on the horns.”
He closed his eyes and I watched as bones began to crack and shift.
“It sounds painful,” I said. “It doesn't hurt, does it?”
He gestured with his hand to wait a moment and I realized that he couldn't speak during the shift. Hair began to sprout all over his body and it reminded me of when I’d seen Alex shift from human to werewolf form. He’d gotten stuck in his half form because of a potion he drank. I shuddered remembering the pain he’d suffered.
Horns broke through his head. Not little nubs like the satyrs or centaurs had, but huge twisted horns larger than any I’d seen in Spellbound. His face changed from fully human face to something between a man and a bull. A ring appeared in his newly wide nose. His muscular arms and legs grew even bulkier. He was already extremely tall in human form. Now I had to crane my neck even further to see him. When the transformation was complete, he kneeled down, his cloven hooves hidden behind him.
“So what's the verdict?” he asked. “On the hideous scale of one to ten, where do I fall?”
I reached up to touch his horn. “May I?”
He lowered his head slightly and I ran my fingers along the curve of the horn. It was beautiful.
“I didn't know there was a hideous scale,” I said. “Whatever it is, you're not on it.”
“You don't have to be nice, Emma,” he said. “I'm a realist. I can take it.”
I moved from the horn to touch his face. The fur looked rougher than it actually felt. It was soft like a cashmere blanket. I imagined he could keep someone quite warm on a chilly night.
“Thank you for having the courage to show me,” I said. “I feel like you must trust me and that means a lot.”
“Of course I trust you,” he said. “You've never given me any reason to doubt you.”
“But we don't know each other that well,” I said. “Aren’t you hesitant to trust people after what Eden did?”
“Eden succumbed to her nature,” he said. “I try not to color every woman with the same brush.”
“And yet you're still a bachelor. A very popular, desirable bachelor.” I studied him, not the least bit afraid. “You know what, Markos? As social as you are, I don't think you've been willing to give someone else a real chance.”
His thick, furry finger touched my cheek. “Maybe not, but I am now.”
“I understand you've been out with Markos again,” Catherine said.
“Holy Therapist Spy,” I said. “Do you have someone tailing me?”
“Of course not. I’m a therapist. People pass along information every day.”
“Yes, I’ve been out with Markos. He's got a lot going on right now.” Not to mention emotional baggage. “I think he could really use a friend.”
“Are you sure that’s wise? Doesn't he have a romantic interest in you?” Catherine fixed me with her unrelenting stare. Unlike Demetrius’s sexy vampire gaze, Catherine's was intimidating and, at times, downright frightening.
“I've been very clear with him where the boundaries are,” I said. “I'm not going to abandon him during a time in need just because he might want to kiss me.”
“And how are you feeling about the engagement? Have you had more time to process?”
“I've been working on a theory, if you must know,” I said. I’d been doing my best to keep it to myself, but Catherine was bound by client confidentiality. If I told her, she would be duty bound not to reveal it to anyone.
“A theory? What kind of theory?” She looked genuinely intrigued. Anything to spice up a boring therapy session.
“You have to promise not to tell anyone,” I said. “I don't care how drunk you are.”
She pretended to lock her lips. “It's in the therapist vault.”
I leaned forward and lowered my voice. “I think Elsa may be using some kind of Obsession potion to keep Daniel's interest.” I sat back and waited for the information to settle.
Catherine hesitated briefly before bursting into laughter. “Nice try. Is that type of wishful thinking how you get through life?” She picked an imaginary piece of lint from her shirt. “I suppose it is. Emma, you know what Elsa Knightsbridge looks like, right? It's hardly surprising that he's obsessed with her.”
I balked. “But she's awful. Everyone thinks so. She’s spoiled and mean. She left Jasper in the lurch the second she got her hooks into Daniel.”
“Meow,” Catherine said, pretending to scratch the air. “I didn't know you had a catty bone in you. Consider myself schooled.”
“I am not being catty,” I said, hearing the exasperation in my voice. I didn't care. I was exasperated. “I think she’s mixing a potion in his drink every day. I'm going to try and figure out how she's keeping him under her spell.”
“Have you shared your theory with anyone else?” Catherine asked.
I nodded. “Sedgwick agrees with me.”
Catherine arched an eyebrow. “Your familiar? That's your support?”
“Not just Sedgwick,” I said. I felt my cheeks getting redder by the second. “I swear to you that he is not himself. Daniel and I spoke about her the day we ran into her. I left the house when they were mid-conversation and, by the time he left, he was smitten. It doesn't make sense.”
Catherine tapped her red fingernails on the arm of the chair. “Emma, let me diagnose this. You're being delusional. You need to let him go. Markos is a perfectly nice option. You should really consider him for that tight butt alone.”
“The way you considered other suitors besides Lord Gilder?” I snapped. I hadn't intended to mention him. I was going to keep what I’d noticed to myself, but the information burst out of me in anger.
Catherine reeled back. “What are you talking about?”
“I saw you at the engagement party. I saw the way you were watching him.” I recognized that look because I wore it so often myself. “You’re in love with Lord Gilder. He’s your unrequited love.”
Catherine tipped back her glass and drained it. Then she slowly set the empty glass on the coffee table in front of her. “Lord Gilder is the head of
the vampire coven. I have great admiration for him. That's all.”
I folded my arms and glared at her. “You can admire someone and still want to get into his pants.” I knew this all too well.
“Emma Hart, bite your tongue or I'll bite it for you. I haven't had fresh blood in ages.”
“How long have you felt this way?”
“I told you,” she insisted. “I feel nothing except admiration and respect.”
“And sexy thoughts,” I added. “I told you that I saw the way you looked at him. You were undressing him with your eyes. I'm pretty sure you even ran your tongue across your upper lip. You definitely wanted to bite him in a sexy way.”
Catherine jumped to her feet and stomped over to the bar to pour herself another drink. “Stop it. You're being absurd.”
“Am not. How did you meet him?”
“He was my neighbor when I first moved to Valley Ridge, before it became Spellbound. I had just gotten out of a bad relationship and was living on my own for the first time in ages. I’d forgotten how to take care of myself. It was embarrassing. It was then that I swore I would never rely on another person ever again.” With her eyes and mouth briefly closed, she appeared entirely human.
“I take it he was a helpful neighbor,” I said.
“More than helpful,” she said, heaving a deep sigh. “He went out of his way for me. He knew I was too proud to ask for help, so he would come around and make up reasons to do things for me. He always made it seem like it was beneficial to him in some way.” A faint smile touched her lips. “As the town grew, he ended up moving elsewhere. The head of the coven needed a more impressive place, you see.”
“Spellbound is a pretty small town,” I said. “It isn't like he moved hundreds of miles away. Why did that change anything?”
“It was the daily interaction that stopped,” she said. “I realized how much I missed it. Running into him at coven meetings or at the Wish Market wasn't the same.”
“He isn't with anyone,” I said. “What kept you from asking him out?”
Catherine shook her head adamantly. “Lord Gilder is a highly respected member of the community. He’s on the town council. He’s the head of our coven. He's much too important for someone like me.”
Better Than Hex (Spellbound Paranormal Cozy Mystery Book 5) Page 11