He brushed my hair back away from my face, cupping my chin with his fingers. “You’re so beautiful. Every night when I wake up, I give thanks that you’re in my life.”
As much as I reveled in the compliments and flattery, I couldn’t help but snort. “All right, what did you do now?” But I laughed as I said it.
“Enough, wench. So what’s for dinner?” Vampires could eat if they wanted to, though it was merely for pleasure. But Aegis liked to eat. Thanksgiving had been wonderful, thanks to his deft touch in the kitchen.
“Pot roast and your apple pie. By the way, Kelson wondered if you could throw together a batch of dinner rolls? We’re eating at six, so you have about ninety minutes.”
“Of course I can. How was today? How is your rib doing?”
“Fairly good, and sore. Sandy and I went out shopping for our trousseaus, and we picked out the flowers for the wedding. Oh, and Franny has brought home some stray ghost. She wants to know if he can hang around.”
“Why?”
“So she can help him figure out who he was and how he died. I told her yes, but to keep him out in the garden. And remember I told you about the Santas brawling down on Main Street last week?”
Aegis rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I remember.”
“Well, they were at it again. Sandy and I had a front-row seat. Delia had to break them up. I guess it’s a turf war thing.” I realized that I was out of energy. “Can you make me a mocha? I could really use the buzz. Three shots? Please?” I fluttered my eyes at him, and Aegis laughed.
“All right, one mocha coming up. What flavors?” He headed over toward the espresso machine as I returned to the table.
“Peppermint, if you would. That sounds good.” I was dreading telling him about the letters, but I figured that I had better do it now, instead of putting it off. The longer I procrastinated, the harder it would be. “I need to talk to you about something.”
“What’s going on?” He began to pull my shots.
“When you finish my mocha, we can talk. Before you ask, it’s nothing to do with you. You didn’t do anything, and I’m not upset. I just… Something concerns me.”
Aegis fixed my mocha, then took a seat next to me. As he waited, I pulled out the letter from my pocket, then retrieved the one from my purse and set them on the table in front of him.
“I received these over the past week and a half. One arrived today, the other a few days ago. At first, I thought it might be a joke, so I didn’t say anything. But now I’m not sure what to think.” I took a sip of the peppermint mocha, closing my eyes as the cool mint cut through the dark chocolate.
Aegis opened the letters, reading first one, then the other. As he skimmed them, crimson rings formed around his eyes and I could tell he was upset.
“Who the hell sent these?” He slammed them on the table.
“I have no idea. It seems to be someone I know, given what the last letter said. But I don’t know what to think.” I stared at the envelopes, trying to recall where I had seen the handwriting before, but the memory eluded me.
“You don’t think it’s Fata Morgana, is it? She was in love with you.”
The thought hadn’t even occurred to me. But it was true, Fata Morgana had been in love with me. She carried a torch for me, and had taken to the sea when I rejected her.
“I don’t think so. When she left a few months ago, we were good. We parted on easy terms. Besides, she’s turning into a goddess now. She’s got enough on her hands to deal with.” I bit my lip, trying to think of who else it could be. “Craig’s dead, so it can’t be him. And as far as I know, nobody else is carrying a torch for me.”
I had no idea who my secret admirer was, but it was creepy as hell.
“If you get any more of these, show me immediately. I think you should talk to Delia. She can start a case file, just in case something happens.” Aegis leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. He was wearing black jeans and a black muscle shirt, and he looked absolutely delicious. I wanted to tear off his clothes, but any sudden movements brought more pain than pleasure.
Kelson entered the room at that moment. “Hey, Aegis! Can you make the rolls for me?”
Aegis grunted, then handed me back the letters. “Call Delia tonight.” He turned to Kelson. “Sure, I’ll get them started now.”
I bit my lip, not wanting to bother the sheriff with something that was so nebulous at this point. “I’ll talk to her tomorrow. Let her have the evening to rest. She swamped, given it’s the holidays. By the way, a string of lights on the Yule tree on the grand tree went out. I need you to fix them, because I can’t.”
We had a massive Yule tree in the grand ballroom, and a private one in the living room. I had also splurged and bought a smaller one for the dining room. They were all gorgeous, decked out in glimmering gold and silver. One of them was themed with blue-and-white ornaments, another with red and gold, and the third with multicolored ornaments.
Aegis laughed. “Put it down on my honey-do list. I’ll take care of it after I finish making the rolls.” He headed over to the counter, where he put on his apron. As he pulled out the flour and yeast, I tucked both letters in my purse. Kelson was starting the roast in the pressure cooker, and the intern was due any minute. Feeling as though there were one too many cooks in the kitchen, I decided to head to the office, to take care of business for the day.
Chapter Four
The next morning, while I was in the office sorting out the ledger, Kelson appeared at the door.
“Ralph Greyhoof is here. He’s asking to see you.”
“That’s just what I need,” I said. Ralph and I were getting along better than before, but a visit with him still wasn’t my favorite way to spend an hour.
I stood, wincing. I was wearing jeans and a turtleneck, with an underbust corset, but my rib cage still ached. Aegis and I had spent a good hour in my bed, doing everything we could without actually having sex. We managed, but I was frustrated, and tired of hurting. I just wanted to get back to normal, and back naked in Aegis’s arms.
I headed for the living room, taking it slow. “After I’m done with Ralph, can you bring me the Ache Begone?”
Kelson laughed. “Get too active last night?” she teased.
“I wish. I just want this bruise to heal up. It’s better than it was, though. Jordan told me that in about two weeks, I’ll have full movement in my hip again. He’s given me some physical therapy exercises to work it out. The rib has a while to go, though.”
As I entered the living room, Ralph stood. He had acquired a lot in the way of manners ever since he started dating Ivy Vine, a wood nymph. She was whipping him into shape and I hoped the relationship would last.
“Ralph! It’s so good to see you.” I didn’t mind exaggerating a little when it came to Ralph. He wasn’t a bad person—or satyr, rather. He was just denser than a fence post, and too suspicious for his own good.
He was holding a gift-wrapped box, and he held it out to me, almost shyly. “I brought you an early wedding present. I hope you like it.”
I blinked. This was the last thing I had expected. I eased myself onto the sofa next to him. He hadn’t tried to come onto me for quite some time, so I felt comfortable sitting next to him.
“Are you still hurting?” he asked.
I nodded. “My rib isn’t fully healed, and my hip is still bruised. Craig did a number on me. I don’t mind telling you, I’m glad he’s dead.”
About six weeks ago, my ex had kidnapped me, intending to kill me. Franny had actually saved my life, in an odd set of circumstances. But she hadn’t been able to keep Craig from kicking the shit out of me.
“If he was still alive, I’d go after him myself.” Ralph’s eyes glimmered. “Men who beat up women piss me off.”
Most satyrs adored women, too much so in many cases. I had dated several of them, a couple centuries ago. Or, rather, Sandy, Fata Morgana, and I had spent an orgy-filled year with a group of satyrs and wood nymphs. In
all the time we’d spent with them, I had never seen one satyr raise his hand toward any woman. And contrary to most mythology, the satyrs I knew had never assaulted women. They always tried their best to seduce, but none I knew had ever forced himself on a woman.
“Well, thank you. I appreciate the sentiment. So, what’s this?” I held up the box.
“Maddy, we have such a checkered past. I just wanted you to know how happy I am for you and Aegis. This is from Ivy and me.”
Touched, I pulled on the satin ribbon that was holding the box closed. The box was beautiful, with an embossed ivory pattern on it, and I decided I’d keep that as well. When I took the lid off, I couldn’t help but gasp. Inside was a small painting, framed, of Aegis and me. A portrait of our faces together. I looked up at Ralph, not sure what to say.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
“Like it? I love it. When did you have this done? It’s so beautiful, and they got Aegis’s likeness perfect. Mine too, but I imagine you had a photograph to work off of for me.”
He nodded. “I’m so glad you like it. Yes, I gave them a photo of you that I took sometime back. And don’t give me that look—I took the picture before I met Ivy. I asked the painter to go with me to a show that Aegis’s band played. Remember the gig before Thanksgiving? Anyway, Umber drew a few sketches while we were there, and he worked off of those. Do you think Aegis will like it?”
“I know he will. Ralph, this is one of the most thoughtful gifts I’ve ever received. Thank you so much.” I paused for a moment, then let out a sigh. “I’m sorry we got off to a rocky start when I moved to Bedlam. I hope you understand that I’m not trying to steal your guests.”
He shrugged, but gave me a nod. “Yeah, I do. And I’m sorry for my part in everything. I have a short fuse.” He paused, then asked, “Can I ask you a question, Maddy? And I want an honest answer.”
“That’s loaded. All right. I’ll do my best, if it’s something I’m willing to answer—or can.”
“Do you think that Ivy and I have a chance to make it? Long term, I mean?” He sounded so sincere I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Satyrs looking for a monogamous relationship were fighting an uphill battle. Their sexuality was like a loaded gun, ready to go off at any time.
“Well, some of your people manage it. I think, if you really want it to work, and if Ivy really wants the relationship to work, then there’s always a chance you can make it. So much depends on what you’re willing to compromise on, and what your definition of ‘long term’ is.”
“What do you mean?”
“Take Aegis and me. We’re getting married. We love each other…so much that I can’t even fathom being apart. But neither one of us will ever commit till death do us part. I’ll live for hundreds of years—I’m headed toward four hundred as it is. Aegis has been alive for over two millennia. We’re bound to live a lot longer, unless something unexpected happens. What if we can’t keep those promises? Neither one of us wants to make an oath that we might have to break some time in the future.”
“So what will you pledge?” Ralph asked.
“We’ve talked it over and decided that we’re going to commit to each other as long as love shall last. That’s an honest assessment of what we can promise, and we’ll do our best to make our love last as long as we can. But whether we’re together for ten years or a hundred, or even a thousand, the fact is we love each other right now and we want to be together.”
Ralph thought about that for a while. “That makes a lot of sense. Ivy’s been hinting around about wanting more of a commitment. I’m not about to get married at this point, but I’ve considered offering her a promise ring. What do you think?”
I wasn’t surprised. Ivy had practically taken over every aspect of Ralph’s life except for the inn, and while he had improved for the better, I wonder how long it could last. While I wasn’t about to encourage Ralph to return to his former behavior, the fact was, I wasn’t sure just how healthy it was for him to sublimate his entire life to her.
“I want to ask you something, Ralph. You don’t have to answer me, now or ever. I just want you to think about this for a while. Are you really happy? I know you love Ivy, but do you like who you are when you’re around her?” I paused, biting my lip. “I think when you’ve answered that, you’ll know whether or not you should give her a ring.”
Ralph gazed into my eyes, and for a moment I thought he was about to cry. But he just sighed, and looked away.
After a moment he turned back to me. “Sometimes you’re too perceptive, Maddy. I’m not going to answer you. But you’re forcing me to think about things that I have swept under the rug. Let me ask you a question. How do you keep changes that you like in yourself, when you don’t have somebody flogging you to stay that way? In other words, without somebody on my back, how do I make certain that I’m able to keep the changes that I like?”
Ralph had answered my question, whether or not he realized it.
“I guess it depends on how much you want to change. Habits are hard to break, especially the ones that aren’t good for us. I suppose the answer is you remind yourself how important the changes are. You set yourself up a reminder system, or maybe even something to motivate you. You know, dangle a carrot in front of your nose.” I paused as he stared at me. In that moment, I saw the vulnerable side of Ralph.
“Look, Ralph. Nobody can make you a better person, except for you. If it doesn’t come from inside, then nothing you can do will make those changes stick. If you really like some of the changes that you’ve made while you’ve been with Ivy, then you have to decide how much they mean to you. Because what happens if she decides to leave you? Are you going to just throw everything to the wind?”
I could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he held out his hand. I took it, and he raised my fingers to his lips, kissing them gently and then letting go as he stood.
“Thank you, Maddy. I’m going to say this once, and I don’t want you to say anything. You said that the painting was one of the most thoughtful gifts you’ve ever received. I just want you to know that over the past few months you’ve given me a lot of advice. I couldn’t receive any greater gift than that. And now, I’m going to go home and have a long discussion with Ivy after I think through what I want to say.” He laughed, winking at me. “See? I’m trying to think about what traits I want to keep.”
And on that note, Ralph headed toward the door. “Don’t bother seeing me out. I can find my way. You rest that rib. You want to be in good shape for your wedding.”
As I heard the front door close behind him, I sat back against the sofa, thinking about our conversation. Ralph was making headway. Given the loutish oaf he had been when I first moved to Bedlam over a year ago, that was saying something. Yawning, I picked up a magazine off the table, but at that moment my phone rang. I dropped the magazine and pulled out my phone, glancing at caller ID. It was Delia.
“Hey, what’s up?” I asked, hitting the speaker button.
“Maddy, I have a problem and I wondered if you could help.” She sounded frazzled. A little frantic, actually. “I know you still hurt, and if you say no, that’s fine.”
“What’s wrong? Are you having problems with the Santas again?”
“No, actually, it’s something entirely different and I’m not sure what to do about it. I’m downtown near the town square. A group of gnomes landed right near the fountain. There are ten of them, and they’re extremely confused.” She cleared her throat.
“Gnomes? You’re not talking about the red-capped little creatures out of children’s books, are you?”
Gnomes actually existed, but not the way most humans saw them or portrayed them. They weren’t tiny little people with red hats and jolly personalities. Gnomes were actually a form of forest Fae, and they could be quite terrifying when angered. They were small, and they did wear toadstools as hats, but they had very little to do with humans. They were mostly around to help wounded animals inside of the woodlands.<
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“Yeah, I’m talking about the storybook gnomes.” She paused. “Do you remember when Snow White showed up last year?”
“Of course I do. That was Ralph’s fault. He’s the one who gated her out of the fairytale and tried to stick her and her dwarves in a raunchy porn movie.” Yeah, Ralph had changed for the better.
“Well, somebody brought these gnomes out of some book or TV show. They have no clue of what they’re doing here, or why. I’m trying to round them up, but they’re racing around like a pack of puppies on espresso. They won’t talk to me other than to ask, ‘Where are we? Who are you? Why are we here?’ And every time I try to round them up, they manage to slip out of my hands. I hate to sound crude, but it’s like trying to run down a pack of greased piglets.”
“Piglets and puppies, that sounds delightful. All right, where are you exactly?”
“Near McGee’s pharmacy. You’ll come down right away?”
“On my way. Let me just grab a latte.” I pocketed my phone. Yeah, this was just another day in Bedlam.
Chapter Five
The city streets were filled with bustling throngs of shoppers. Bedlam’s town square had a fountain in the center of it, and during the warmer months the water streamed up, shifting colors through the spectrum of the rainbow.
Near the town square was the central park, where most of the community events were held. A roundabout guided cars to circle the central fountain, slowing traffic so that no one could speed through the center of town.
I parked in one of the parking slots across the street. Delia was in the center of the square, next to the fountain. From here, I could also see the gnomes. They were around two feet tall and their red hats glittered in the fluttering snow. I zipped up my jacket and using my cane for balance, I cautiously made my way across the slippery crosswalk. If someone wanted to run me over, that was their problem.
Demon's Delight: A Bewitching Bedlam Novella Page 3