“You better get that,” Hunter said.
“Later,” I whispered. “I’m busy right now. They can wait.”
Our eyes locked, and everything around me disappeared. An electric shock shot through my body when he slipped one of his strong, gentle hands to the nape of my neck and pulled me close, my skin grazing against his in an embrace.
He skimmed his fingers through my hair and wrapped his arms around my body. I stared up, barely able to hold his gaze, as his lips lowered ever so gently against me in a soft touch, growing stronger as sparks flew. His breath felt hot on my skin, and heat rushed to my cheeks. I still couldn’t fathom how anyone could be so irresistible. Somewhere inside my mind, a voice yelled to warn me to keep my composure, but my heart told me to switch off and just enjoy. Tilting my head, I closed my eyes, ready to melt into his embrace as I parted my lips against his.
The phone rang again. Who would be calling me at this hour? I angrily protested in my head.
“You better get it,” he said. “It must be important.”
I huffed and reached in my pocket to fumble for the phone. “Hello!”
“Hey, Zoey, it’s Pam.”
“What’s up?”
“Where are you?” Pam asked.
“Why?”
“Mrs. Duball is looking for you.”
“Crap! I’m not in the castle.”
“What?”
“I’m not kissing Hunter under the stars, that’s for sure.”
“Zoey, you’ve gotta get back here now. I’ll try and stall her, but you’d better hurry. Get to the bathroom on the south side of the castle. She’s already checked in ours.”
“Okay. We’ll head back now.”
Hunter cocked a brow. “What’s going on?”
My lips pressed into a grim line. “They’re looking for me, and they might be looking for you too. We have to get back.”
“Not good. C’mon.” He stood, then reached for my hand and helped me up.
We stared into each other’s eyes one last time, taken back by how much chemistry we shared. It was like we were born for one another. His lips brushed mine, and I threw my helmet on.
It didn’t take us long to zoom back, and Hunter dropped me off at the castle gates. I caught his gaze as he smiled at me; it was definitely more than a friendly smile—more like smiling at a woman who’d swept him off his feet. Our kiss flashed through my mind. Beaming, I intertwined my fingers with his as he pulled me against his strong chest, lowering his lips on mine for one last kiss. He cupped my face and parted my lips with his tongue. My tongue met his and danced in perfect unison.
“See you tomorrow,” he said.
“I don’t wanna go,” I said, overcome with the consuming feelings I felt for him. He made me feel like I was the only girl in the world, the only one who mattered. I swung my arms around his neck, and he wrapped his arms around my waist. “I need you more than anything,” I said.
He shot me his movie-star smile. “I can’t get you out of my head either.” He skimmed his fingers through my long hair as his sweet lips came down on mine. “Let’s meet first thing in the morning.”
I gave him the biggest grin I’d ever smiled. I felt like I was walking on air, giggly and floating. “You’ve got yourself a date.” I blew him a kiss and turned to walk up the long driveway back to the castle.
I sneaked back in and made my way to the bathroom, where I hurried out of my clothes and into the shower. The hot water felt wonderful on my skin, and I smiled as thoughts of my first real kiss with Hunter made my heart race.
A knock on the door startled me. “Zoey, get out of the shower now!”
I wrapped myself in a fluffy white towel and opened the door to find the teacher staring at me, wrapped in a black robe and wearing matching slippers. She flashed her angry brown eyes at me. “Why are you taking a shower this late at night?” she demanded.
“I couldn’t sleep, and I thought it might relax me.”
“You gave me a heart attack for nothing.”
“I didn’t mean to worry you,” I said.
“Let me guess. You came over here because the hot water isn’t working that well in the other shower.”
“Well, I—” I opened my mouth to speak, but she cut me off.
“Same thing happened to me. Now please get to bed…and no more nighttime showers.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I let out a sigh of relief as soon as she closed the door.
I knew the second I met Hunter that he was going to mean trouble for me, but I found myself drawn to him. Deep down inside, I knew I couldn’t stay away.
As I gathered up my outfit, I noticed more writing on the mirror: “Hunter is lying to you.” I glanced around and saw no one. My heart began to beat wildly. Suddenly, Shannon popped into my head. The little wench is trying to get me to doubt Hunter so she can have him for herself! She found out about our date and is just jealous! What would he lie about anyway? I let out a huff at Shannon’s ridiculously childish behavior and stomped back to my room.
I shivered when I stepped inside, because the room felt like ice. I reached for my robe and wrapped it tightly around me, then shut the window, wondering why it was open yet again. I had to wonder if Shannon was worse than the ghosts that were haunting the castle.
Chapter 19
I woke up to someone knocking on my door. My eyes drifted to my alarm clock; it was six a.m. I slipped back into my robe and opened the door.
“Zoey!” Pam said.
“Girl, it’s way too early.”
“I want details,” she squealed. “You’ve kissed…now tell!”
I smiled.
“Well? Did you make out all night or what?”
“He borrowed a motorcycle from Henry, the maintenance man.”
“He what?”
“Yeah! We rode a Harley up to this great spot. The wind was all blowing through my hair, and it was the biggest adrenalin rush ever.”
“How romantic is that? When did he kiss you? Or were you just yanking my chain?”
“We had a moonlight picnic in a meadow, and then we talked for a while about—”
“Blah, blah, blah. What about the kiss?”
“He’s the best kisser ever! Everything felt so natural…so right.”
Her entire face lit up. “I’m so happy for you, but details please!”
“It was the moment I’ve been waiting for my entire life, like a kiss out of some movie—you know, in the rain or in a million snowflakes or under some giant, towering waterfall on a tropical island. It was that kind of awesome.”
“I love those kisses.”
“He tickled my neck with his tongue and whispered in my ear. His kiss left me…uh…”
“Wanting more?”
“Transformed.”
“I know the feeling.” She smiled.
“I’ve never felt like this before about anybody. When he kissed me, the world stopped, and the kiss was perfect in every way—not just the kiss, but everything. When we look at each other, we both have these huge, dopey smiles on our faces. When he holds me, I feel safe and comfortable in his arms. The principal says I should stay away from him. I know he’s imperfect, but he’s perfect for me. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before.”
“Aren’t crushes the greatest?” she asked. “I feel the exactly same way about Eric. As a matter of fact, he’s waiting for me now. I just stopped by—”
“To get the scoop?”
“Meh, you know me. Think of it as me collecting material for the love songs I’m gonna write someday. But there’s another reason.”
“What?”
“We should explore the property for The Lady of the Lake again.”
“Yeah, maybe there’s an old statue or a well we missed.”
Her gaze narrowed. “We’re missing something. We could split up into teams again and cover more ground that way.”
I nodded. “I like it. How about Hunter and I cover the gardens and woods?”
“Er
ic and I will cover the maze and anything else we deem searchable.”
“Sounds great. We’ll all meet back later this afternoon and compare notes.”
“Love it,” Pam said.
Chapter 20
After taking a shower and getting ready, I couldn’t stay still. I paced around like a caged animal, a complete bundle of nerves. Hunter wasn’t awake yet, and I wasn’t about to beat the guy’s door down like Pam had mine. I knew he’d be up soon enough and come looking for me, so I decided to find a good place to sit and think for a while, hoping I could sort out everything.
I walked down the giant staircase and stopped at the painted Montour family tree that adorned the wall of the entrance hall. My finger drifted to Isabella’s name. I didn’t know why, but I felt connected to her. I wanted to know more of her story, more than what the history books could tell me. Letting out a sigh, I walked down the corridor and into a huge, vaulted hall filled with beautiful, gothic sculptures, paintings, and purple and gold tapestries.
I ran my hand over a charcoal-colored dragon with ruby eyes, wrapped around a decorative steel dagger that was hanging on the wall. Gazing round the room, one particular sculpture caught my eye: A dark stone gargoyle clung to the top of a gothic architectural spire. It looked like something straight out of Dracula’s castle. For all its spookiness, the castle had the most amazing décor I’d ever seen in any of my travels.
Shadows danced and flickered on the wall from the light shining from partly drawn curtains in one window. There was just enough light to see, though it was still rather dark. I began thinking things over. When I’d been accepted to the school, I was very happy about it, eager for the escape from the dark feelings I’d been plagued with. I’d fallen into a deep depression after the hurricane, and my chance to visit the castle was the light that broke through the darkness.
I remembered the plane ride, the dark, dreary sky, and the limo ride up the driveway. I remembered my wide eyes as I stepped into a real castle, and then I remembered meeting Hunter, my true spark of light. The cute guy with the dark, shaggy hair and bright blue eyes said he was crazy about me. How amazing is that? He pulled me up from my darkness with his beaming smile, his laughter, and his unique charm. I was drawn to him from the second I laid eyes on him. It was much too early for love, but I had the most massive crush a girl could have.
Hunter wasn’t perfect and had his own pain to deal with. Together, we were trying to survive and forget about the pain that had previously plagued our lives. The castle was a place for us to start fresh, to start over. Hunter tried to hide behind his outgoing personality, while I just tried to hide from the world. I didn’t know the other students very well because I purposely kept to myself. I knew it wasn’t healthy to stay in my own little world, but it was all I could do.
I couldn’t believe Hunter was falling for me. I’d never forget our first real kiss in that meadow underneath the stars. I had my castle, my handsome prince, and my perfect fairytale, but I didn’t know if I’d make it to my happily-ever-after.
Other than Hunter, the rest of the fairytale was a bit of a twisted one. I felt connected to the castle and its spirits, though I had no idea why. There was a dark force amidst those walls. I had felt it touch my soul, and I shivered whenever I realized its presence. I knew the spirits of the long-dead were trying to communicate with me, but I didn’t understand why they behaved the way they did.
“Why did you make me relive your pain?” I asked. “I felt your suffering, and it caused me great heartache, a feeling of helplessness and guilt.” I continued pacing and said, “If you want me to help you, stop playing games and show me how.” I let out an exasperated sigh. “It’d just be so much easier if you would talk to me.”
Nothing happened.
“Show yourself!” After I made the demand, I couldn’t believe those words had slipped out of my mouth, but for some unexplainable reason, I felt safe. I also felt like it was something I was supposed to do, as if I’d been called there for some otherworldly purpose that no one could have predicted—not even my mother. “Isn’t that just like a ghost? You only come out when you feel like it! You ghosts are all the same.” I shook my head. “What do you want from me?” I shouted. “I can’t deal with this anymore.” Emotion poured from my voice. “Do you want me to leave? Do you want me to pack my bags and never come back?” Tears started pouring down my face. “I just don’t know what to do anymore. I came here to escape, to get good grades so I can get accepted into a prestigious college. I didn’t come here for this, to be haunted!” I yelled. “I’m not my mother! I’m not some kind of ghost-whisperer.”
“Zoey…”
I gazed into Hunter’s eyes as he wrapped his arms around me, drawing me ever so close.
He wiped my tears away with his thumbs. “It’s gonna be okay.”
“I challenged them, but they still refuse to show themselves. Maybe they don’t want our help.”
He played with my teardrop pendant that dangled on my neck. “Maybe they’re just stuck and don’t know how to reach out to us.” He took my face in his hands and gently kissed me.
“Thanks for putting up with me,” I whispered.
Stroking my hair from my face, he gazed deeply into my eyes. “I’m here for you, Zoey…now and always.” He slowly kissed my lips—so gentle, so romantic, so amazing, and I felt all warm and safe again.
Chapter 21
Walking in the forest was one of my favorite things to do, and alone time with Hunter was priceless. I especially loved Saturday mornings. With a breeze cooling our faces, we strolled through the woodland, gazing up at the tall branches and listening to birds as they sang their sweet melodies. Farther along the bush track, the midday sun shone down on dancing meadows full of weeds. As we laughed and joked together, my heart beat in a furious rhythm, and every time his skin brushed mine, a thrill ran right through me. I was excited and so turned on, but part of me worried that I wouldn’t be able to keep his interest. He was out of my league.
We hiked for hours but still didn’t find anything.
“What’s it like to see your mom on TV?” Hunter asked as we walked.
I blushed and put my hands in my jacket pockets. “Totally embarrassing.”
“Can she really predict the future?”
“She claims she was born with the gift, but I’m not sure I believe it.”
“There’s not one psychic bone in your body?”
I playfully slugged him. “Not one.”
“I think it’d be cool to have a mom like that.”
“There’s nothing cool about it. She’s always gone, and sometimes I feel like a burden to her. When I told her about this school, she was more than thrilled to get rid of me for a year.”
“My dad’s a workaholic,” he said. “My mom and I don’t see much of him. If he’s not working twelve-hour shifts, then he’s constantly traveling across the country.”
I nodded. “Then you know exactly where I’m coming from. There’s so much more to life than working twenty-four/seven.”
He reached down and picked a tiny bloom. “Like picking a flower for a pretty girl?”
When he grinned, my heart melted. I would never get tired of his dazzling, red-carpet smile. He liked me a lot, and that made me smile right back at him. “You’ve nailed it.”
He handed me the pinkish-violet, two-lipped flowers, streaked with deep purple on a long, leafless stem. “See the intricate detail?”
I nodded.
“Nature’s beauty lies in its tiny details.”
“Yeah, and it can be easily missed. Luckily, I have my trusty cell phone to take a pic.” I pulled it out and snapped a close-up of the flower I held up with one hand. “I know hydrangeas grow in colder weather out here, but this flower seems out of season.”
“Can I see?”
I angled my cell phone so he could see the view screen.
“You’re a natural,” he said.
I started walking through the green meadow again
. “I want to be a photographer someday. I need a Nikon or Canon and a fancy zoom lens.”
“An excellent career choice. People oughtta be paid for doing what they love to do. Another thing we have in common.”
I cocked a brow.
“We both have a passion for the arts,” he said.
“Really? What’s yours?”
His gaze narrowed. “Guess.”
“Hmm. You don’t look like a writer, dancer, or painter, so I’m gonna say you’d like to be an actor.”
He jumped on top of a moss-covered log and raised his hands in the air, and I smiled at his theatrics. “I hope to make it big in Hollywood someday.” His voice echoed all around us.
“I knew it!”
He glanced down, smiling bigger than ever. “As a musician.”
“You got me, but that’s wonderful,” I said.
Again, he caught my eye with his good looks but caught my attention with his laugh and carefree attitude—something I envied. In spite of what the principal and my initial gut feelings and the writing on the mirror had told me, I knew Hunter was the type of guy I needed in my life.
I casually glanced at him and smiled widely. “So…when are you planning on kissing me?”
He smiled back. “In about three seconds.”
My heart raced at the thought of being captured in one of his amazing kisses. His hand grasped the back of my head and pulled me close. All the nerves in my body danced in celebration as my blood thumped through my veins. He kissed me gently, then softer and softer, till his lips were barely touching mine. His slow style heightened my intensity and desire, and his lips crashed against mine in a powerful, intense kiss. His mouth soon became greedy, but I loved every second of it. Our tongues swirled in perfect unison, and my heartbeat spiked as he weaved his fingers through my long hair.
I lost all track of time and didn’t even realize how long we were making out. I was so caught up in the moment; I could barely remember my own name.
My Haunted Fairytale - Book 2 (The Enchanted Castle Series) Page 15