Pam ran her hands up and down the statue in the center of the statue. “This is the fifth fountain we’ve searched. I’m soaking wet and freezing. Can we call it quits after this one?”
“There’s nothing here,” Eric said. “No ancient markings, no treasure, no nothing.”
Hunter ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, it’s just a fountain.”
“Process of elimination,” I said. “We can check this one off the list.
Hunter stared into my eyes and smirked.
“What?”
“It’s October, and I’m sloshing around in the ice-cold water, freezing my butt off. Did I mention that I can’t feel my feet?”
“In case you’ve forgotten, this isn’t some Florida vacation. I can’t help the weather in Scotland,” I said, grinning.
“We’re complete idiots,” Pam laughed.
“Whose dumb-fool idea was this anyway?” Eric asked, making one last attempt to search the water with his hands.
Pam wrapped her arms around herself. “I’m getting out. You guys are lucky I brought towels.” She and Eric climbed out and began to dry off, their teeth chattering all the while. “We’ll catch up with you later,” Eric said.
Hunter nodded. “All right. I’m gonna give this fountain one more sweep. I’ve just got a funny feeling about it.”
“Whatever. See ya back at the castle,” Pam said. “Thanks for all the excitement, by the way. I thought this was going to be a boring year, but since I met you two, there’s never been a dull moment.”
I smiled. “I couldn’t agree more.” I waved goodbye, then again performed a fruitless search and let out a frustrated sigh.
“I can safely say it’s not here,” Hunter said.
“We’re completely soaked,” I said, bursting out in laughter.
“If you wanted to go for a dip,” Hunter said, “all you had to do was tell me.”
I playfully slugged him, and he pulled me close, pushing a strand of wet hair behind my ear.
“I must look like a drowned rat,” I said.
Water dripped from his hair, face, and jacket. “The most adorable drowned rat I’ve ever seen,” he teased.
Looking away, I glanced down and smiled.
“There you go.” He smiled widely. “You’re doing it again.”
I smirked. “Doing what?”
“Smiling when you look down, just like in the song I dedicated to you.”
I smiled. I’d listened to that One Direction songs a million times since that candlelit night, and I knew every word, every note by heart.
He grasped my hand in his. “I’m freezing, but I honestly don’t care. As long as I’m with you, Zoey, that’s all that matters. That’s how I know I’m crazy about you, because I do the craziest things without even flinching—not even for a second.”
I cupped his wet face and kissed him softly on the lips. I thought anything and everything was possible with him at my side. He wanted to hold me and call me his, and there was nothing was more amazing than that. Words couldn’t even describe what I felt. I knew I could tell him anything, and I trusted him more than anyone else in the world—even with my life. Shivering, I wrapped Hunter up in one of the big, thick towels Pam had left us.
He shot me a look and grinned as I wrapped a towel around me. “Don’t you love adventures?” he asked, smirking.
I smiled, my teeth chattering. He threw an arm over my shoulders, and we headed back.
Night came quicker than I imagined. After all those classes and fountain-searching on very little sleep, I talked to my parents for quite a while and then readied myself for bed, dressing in a pink nightgown. My bed never felt so good. I was asleep in five minutes.
Chapter 18
Weeks passed. I hung out more with Hunter and let him drag me around with his friends. I was slowly getting to know them. Pam and Eric dragged me out everywhere too, as well as Shantel.
I was getting ready for bed when my cell phone rang again. I assumed it was my mother; she was always calling me back to tell me something she forgot. I was surprised to see Hunter’s number on the caller ID, especially because he’d only texted me before and had never actually called me. “Hello?” I said.
“Hey.”
“What’s up?”
“Be outside the castle gates in ten minutes.”
“What?”
“I’ve got a surprise for you,” he said in an excited tone.
“Tell me,” I coaxed.
“Nope. You’ll have to figure a way to sneak down here and find out.”
“C’mon! Just one tiny little hint?”
“Okay…expect amazing.”
My curiosity was piqued again. “That’s not much of a clue. You’re always amazing.”
“Well, that’s all you’re gonna get. Now quit stalling and get down here!”
“Okay. See you soon.”
I hung up the phone and hurriedly brushed my teeth. I knew I shouldn’t break curfew, but I couldn’t refuse such a tempting offer by such a tempting man. I wore my hair down and threw on some makeup and a touch of perfume. I grabbed my black jacket and sneaked outside without any complications. Glancing around, I didn’t see anyone, so I walked down the long driveway and waited for Hunter by the big, stone archway. I leaned up against one of the pillars and jumped when I looked up. A stone, winged dragon with a horned head and a long, barbed tail stared down at me. I laughed, realizing I must have forgotten about the creature that looked like it was climbing down the pillar. Each pillar that guarded the arch was decorated with one of the scary creatures.
I sat down on a cast-iron bench under a towering tree, then glanced up at a sculpture of a giant winged creature looming to the left of me. When I heard the thunderous roar of a motorcycle, my gaze instinctively drifted to the Montour coat of arms adorning the black metal gate.
I looked through the bars to see who was coming. It was too dark to see down the road, so I ducked behind the stone wall. The motorcycle slowed down and came to a halt not far from where I was standing. The rider had a dark helmet on, and I couldn’t make out if it was anyone I knew. I was terrified that it was a teacher, and I hoped he wouldn’t see me. Like a deer in the headlights, I stood perfectly still; I dared not even breathe.
“Hey, it’s me,” Hunter said, taking off his helmet and shooting me a lazy smile.
I rushed from my hiding spot and opened the iron castle gate. I eyed him up and down, from the top of his tousled hair to his black motorcycle boots. He was even more smoking hot than usual in all that black leather and denim, and it was nearly impossible to rip my gaze away from him while he straddled that big black and chrome Harley, and I loved the element of danger.
“You are full of surprises,” I said, stunned.
He smiled and handed me a helmet. “Get on!”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Are you telling me you’d rather stay cooped up in some musty old castle instead of seeing jolly old Scotland the way it was meant to be seen?”
I bit my lip. “But I’ve never ridden on a motorcycle before.”
He winked. “Then you’re in for the most fantastic ride of your life.”
“I didn’t know you were a motorcycle man.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” He reached out his hand. “I’m sure you’re dying to peel away all my mysterious layers,” he said.
I met his gaze and smiled. “Cocky much?”
He grinned. “You love it.”
I smirked.
“Don’t worry. I’ve been riding for years. It’s just an escape. On this bike, with the wind whipping against me, I can forget all about my problems. I love the freedom of the open road, and it’s a lot cheaper than a shrink and safer than becoming an alcoholic like my mother.”
“A shrink, huh? Yeah, you definitely need one of those,” I kidded. “So, where’d you borrow this hog from?”
“Are you suggesting I stole it?”
“I said you borrowed it.”
“Well, in that case, you’re right. It’s the maintenance man’s. He wanted to help me sweep you off your feet.”
“Couldn’t we have done this during the day?”
He revved the engine and shot me an amused look. “And what fun would that be? No more stalling. Get on, or I’m leaving without you. It’s your choice.”
He shot me one of his dazzling white smiles and melted my heart all over again. No girl could have resisted that ride, and I wasn’t about to. I slid the helmet on my head and swung a leg up and over the chrome, then wrapped my arms around his middle.
“You better hang on tighter than that,” he said.
I squeezed tighter.
“Nothing compares to the adrenalin rush you get from riding a motorcycle.” He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes sparkling. “Ready?”
“You bet!”
He revved the engine once more, then sped away, picking up speed smoothly. We went from riding to flying in no time. The sky was studded with twinkling stars, and the cold night wind blew against my face, melting all my stress away. Hunter took the curves like a natural, then sped up again when the road straightened out. I realized we were going ten times faster than we were ever meant to go, and I was sure there was a trail of flames in our wake. The feeling of flying along the country roads, with the wind whooshing in under my visor, was the biggest thrill of my life—made all the more wonderful because I was clinging to Hunter.
Hunter slowed down and pulled off the road, then helped me off the bike.
“That was awesome!” I said.
He handed me a battery-operated lantern from his dark bag, then flung the bag over his shoulder. “I told you.” He turned on a flashlight and swung the beam to lead the way.
I noticed that he was carrying a blanket under his left arm. A thought occurred to me: Maybe he brought me here for something more. Still, I totally trusted him and felt safe in his presence. He’d been nothing but a perfect gentlemen, and I wasn’t worried one bit. “This is mysterious. Where’re we going?” I asked in an excited tone.
“You’ll see.” Smiling, he grabbed my hand and led me through a meadow that overlooked a valley and rolling hills. Moonlight shone down softly as bright stars twinkled in the sky. Hunter wrapped an arm around me as we stared at the beautiful view in front of us. I could hear a peaceful stream trickling somewhere to my right.
As I stared at the fantastic view, I was overwhelmed by emotion. Nobody I had ever dated had ever taken the time to blow me away like that. Hunter was creative and imaginative, and I was in complete awe. How he came up with that, I’d never know, but it was the coolest and most unique idea. The motorcycle was certainly a nice touch. I was so touched that I could almost feel the tears welling up in my eyes as I stood there.
“It’s mesmerizing,” I said, completely dazzled. “Can you believe we’re actually in Scotland?”
“It takes my breath away.”
I leaned into him and enjoyed the landscape in front of me.
“I figured this would be the best place for a moonlight picnic.”
My heart melted. “A picnic? Awesome!” I hung the lantern from a sturdy branch while he spread out a dark blanket.
“I bet you’re dying to hear the menu.”
I laughed. “What did you bring?”
“Rita, the cook, made us a pizza.” He opened the bag and pulled out the pizza, then unwrapped the aluminum foil. He also retrieved two cans of Pepsi, napkins, and two small bags of chips.
Hunter was always talking to the cooks, housekeeping, and other staff. They all loved him, especially Rita, a retired cook who worked at the castle to earn a little extra money. I envied Hunter’s charisma and charm, and I was sure I couldn’t convince any of the cooks to make anything special for me.
“I told Rita I wanted to take a special girl on a picnic, and she offered to make it,” he said. “She could’ve made us sandwiches, but I’m tired of those. I figured you must be too.”
“I love cold pizza, and this is wonderful,” I said, sitting down and crossing my legs.
“I thought a sunset picnic would have been nice, but there was no way I could get the motorcycle and sneak away unnoticed.”
“This is absolutely perfect. It’s nice to get away.”
“Yeah. After everything we’ve seen, I just don’t know what to believe anymore.”
“Something exists here, Hunter, and it’s not our imagination. We all saw it…and so have people in the past.”
He let out a long breath. “I know. Those Internet articles really have me thinking.”
I sipped my soda. “I want to help the trapped spirits.”
“Send them to the light and all that jazz?”
“Yeah, I guess. Whatever it takes to set them free.” I took a bite of the delicious homemade pizza, better than any thirty-minute delivery place back home. “Mmm. This is delicious.”
“Her crust is to die for. Rita is the best cook around.”
I smiled. “You have an amazing way with people.”
He smiled back, and our conversation carried on and on about all sorts of things. Eventually, we were back to discussing the odd happenings in the castle.
“Mr. Geo said something about Fonera Tablets,” he said.
“Maybe if we could find them, we could make more sense of this Lady of the Lake business,” I suggested. “Then again, they’re probably written in another language.”
“That’s what Google Translate is made for,” he joked.
“I wonder what The Lady of the Lake is. There was that movie a few years ago, but I’m sure this is different.”
“We searched everywhere,” Hunter said. “I’ve got no clue.”
“Mr. Geo also said the spirits will reveal the hidden location, that they can’t be freed from the castle without it. What do you think that means?”
“Apparently, they need this Lady of the Lake if they are to be freed from their eternal prison.”
“If that’s true, why doesn’t Isabella just tell us where to find it or what we need to look for?”
“I have no idea,” he said. “Maybe we’re completely off base.”
“Do you think Mr. Geo took this job just to get inside the castle? That he knows something’s going on here?”
He nodded. “Maybe he’s an archeologist. I mean, he is talking about ancient tablets.”
“Think he’s a good guy? Maybe he just wants to help free the poor souls.”
“I don’t trust him,” Hunter said. “We should just keep hunting for The Lady of the Lake and see how everything plays out.”
“My heart goes out to all those people. It was horrible how they were killed.”
“I know. It was a different, vicious world back then.”
“I don’t even wanna think about it.”
He pulled me down on the blanket and pointed up to the stars. “Let’s think about the beautiful things in life.”
“Like stargazing?” I said.
“I used to love to stare at the stars when I went camping.”
I smiled as he snuggled closer. “It’s beautiful,” I said, looking up at the dancing, twinkling gems in the sky.
“Not nearly as beautiful as you,” he said.
“Aren’t you the sweetest?”
He turned his head till we were lying face to face. I was looking directly into those blue eyes of his as they gleamed in the moonlight.
“I mean it, Zoey,” he said. “I can’t stop thinking about you, and I just need to know if you feel the connection I’m feeling.”
I cupped his face. “Definitely. There is…a spark.”
He smiled. “I’ve felt it every since you kicked me out of my room the first day we met.”
I laughed. “You mean my room.”
“You should’ve seen the look on your face when I told you I wasn’t going to leave. It was adorable…and priceless.”
I playfully slugged him. “I had no idea I’d spend my first night here arguing with some hot
guy.”
“Hot?”
I grinned. “Don’t even pretend. You know you are—so much so that I doubted I’d ever have a shot with you.”
He pushed a stray strand of hair behind my ears. “You captured my attention the second I laid eyes on you.”
For a few quick seconds, it felt like my heart stopped, almost like I couldn’t breathe. Those words utterly and truly amazed me. I felt tears well up in my eyes as emotions I couldn’t explain overwhelmed me. I moved closer and cupped his cheek, then whispered in his ear, “This is the most wonderful date I’ve ever had.” I placed a sweet kiss on his cheek.
Our eyes locked, and I looked down at his lips for a few seconds, then looked back into his eyes. I moved my head toward him slowly. He closed his eyes, and I closed mine. Pulling me closer, he placed a soft kiss on my lips. My heart fluttered as a flurry of more romantic kisses followed; each a buildup to the attraction I’d been feeling for weeks. We shared a fiery, insane chemistry. I tangled my fingers through his thick, soft hair as the kiss deepened into a passionate lip lock—long, fast, and intense. He poured out all his body, soul, and emotion into the mind-blowing moment, then kissed me again—this time slow, tender, and passionate, so perfect, so right, and so romantic. Sparks flew as I opened and closed my mouth to the rhythm, wanting to devour him. When we pulled away from each other, both our hearts were pounding like drums.
“Wow!” I said.
“That was amazing.”
He wrapped his arm around me, cradling me against his chest. I loved the way he held me, the way he kissed me and held my hand. It was as if we were meant for each other, and I didn’t want to ever let go.
“Zoey,” he whispered, “you’ve brought me back to life. I’ve never felt like this before.”
My heartbeat quickened at the thought, for it was all a little too overwhelming. Everything seemed to be happening so fast, but his words still managed to touch my heart. I let his arms close around mine, enjoying the tingling sensation his fingers left on my cool skin.
I snuggled into him as we stared up at the sky and talked about anything and everything. My cell phone rang and jolted me back into reality. I didn’t care and refused to break that magical moment for anybody. I ignored the call, and it went to voicemail, but then the phone started ringing again.
My Haunted Fairytale - Book 2 (The Enchanted Castle Series) Page 14