by R. E. Butler
“Yes, but not here. After we eat, I’ll tell you everything I know.”
Which honestly wasn’t much. Phoenix and Westlan had been flying with him, but they hadn’t seen him get hit by anything, and when he’d dressed after waking, he hadn’t seen any marks that might indicate he was shot or injected with something. But Hadlee’s healing abilities were astounding considering he’d been near death when they reached the mansion. He had no memory after he shifted to human. He only knew one thing: someone was out to get him, and he needed to figure out who and why soon.
“I can maybe help,” she said.
“Maybe?” he gave her a smile. What he wanted to do was kiss her, but he knew if he kissed her, he’d want to keep doing it and she was hungry.
“Well, I think so? There are a few spells I can try that might help us divine who has it out for you.”
“Any help you can offer would be much appreciated.”
“I just got you. I don’t want you to get hurt again.”
“The feeling is entirely mutual.”
“So, I have to ask,” she said as they resumed their walk down the hall toward the stairs.
“Ask me anything.”
She hummed with a chuckle. “You obviously have to live here. You’re the king.” She chuckled again. “I can’t believe that my mate is the king of his people. My mind is still reeling.”
They paused at the top of the stairs. “I’m just a man, Hadlee. I might be the leader of my people, but the title isn’t any different than an alpha for wolf shifters. Don’t think of me like some stodgy king in a castle because that’s not what I’m like.”
“All right,” she said, gifting him with a beautiful smile. “I won’t.”
“But you’re right. I have to live here on Cygnet, I can’t live anywhere else without abdicating my throne.”
“Well, I don’t want you to do that. I’d just need to go to Sable Cove on the important spell casting times like the solstices and equinoxes. Plus birthdays and stuff.”
“I’ll happily accompany you. I’m looking forward to meeting your friends.”
“Me too.”
Osiris darted ahead of them, making his way down the stairs. “He’s happy here I think,” he commented as they followed.
“Well, you had your cook make him fresh fish. I think it’s safe to say you’re on his good side.”
They walked into the kitchen where his mother was speaking in low tones to the cook Dretti, who was one of Anders’ most trusted males. His mother turned around and smiled broadly.
“Oh! Welcome, welcome!” she said, wiping her hands on her apron and coming to them. “I’m Darla, Anders’ mother.”
She hugged Hadlee who grinned. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Hadlee. That’s Osiris.”
The cat was sitting next to Dretti, looking up at him expectedly.
“Hello mister,” Dretti said, dropping a piece of bacon. Osiris caught it and purred loudly as he chewed.
“Oh wow, he’s going to weigh a hundred pounds in no time,” Hadlee said.
“Let’s sit,” Darla said. “This is my favorite place in the house. I call it the nook.”
While his mother called it the nook, Anders called it the alcove, where a table and chairs sat in a windowed corner that overlooked the backyard. The tile floor was gray, offset by the pale pine woodwork and the dark green valances over the windows.
“It’s lovely, and the view is great,” Hadlee said. They sat and Dretti served them.
“Broccoli quiche, home fries, bacon, and fresh bread in the basket.”
“Thanks, Dretti, it looks great,” Anders said.
“Wow, thank you. I normally have cereal.”
“Well, it’s your first morning here,” Anders said. “You can have whatever you like. Dretti cooks when we ask and stocks the pantry and fridge.”
“Speaking of,” Darla said, “When’s the next run to the mainland?”
“A few days,” Dretti said. “I’m still waiting for everyone to get me their orders. I wish there was an easier way to do things than running to the different houses and asking what they need.”
“What are you talking about?” Hadlee asked between bites of food.
“We have a small grocery on the island,” Anders said as Dretti excused himself and left the kitchen. “We make a boat run to the mainland twice a month for supplies and things that aren’t stocked at the store. Dretti is in charge of it, but he dislikes having to get orders from people and then listening when they complain if something is wrong.”
Hadlee fixed her cup of coffee with flavored creamer and sugar. “I can help with that. Make an app or a website so it’s easier for him and also maybe partner up with some of the shops on the mainland for personal shopping so there’s less to do when the people are there.”
“You’re good with computers?”
“Very. I handle the website for the familiar rescue agency I run with my two besties.”
As if he heard the word familiar, Osiris meowed, and Hadlee took a small plate and put some bacon on it then set it on the floor.
“That would be amazing,” he said.
“But first we figure out who tried to take you out. That’s far more important than groceries.”
“Agreed.”
“Do you have any thoughts about it?” Darla asked.
“Not yet. Phoenix, Rezik, and Westlan are investigating, but all we know at the moment is that I was poisoned with a curse, which according to Hadlee is a powerful spell. I don’t know who would have the ability to do that on the island.”
Or who would want to take him out so badly.
Chapter Seven
Note to self: Comfortable walking shoes should be worn at all times, just in case one is abducted wearing shoes that pinch the toes.
After breakfast, Anders took her on a walking tour of the island. Osiris came with them, strolling next to her as if he was king of the island and not a guest. She still couldn’t believe that her mate was a king. It boggled the mind. That and how dang sexy he was.
The island was loaded with walking paths between clusters of homes, with a main road through the center of town. The grocery Anders had spoken about was on the main road, and it looked like a quaint mom-and-pop store. They reached boat docks, and she could see the harbor boat they’d stolen tied up at the end of one dock. White sand beaches stretched out to her left, and she could see Anders’ home in the distance.
They stepped onto the sand and faced the water. The sunlight glinted off the waves as they rolled lazily in, lapping at the shore.
She opened her mouth to ask him if they could have a picnic lunch on the beach when a rumbling sound came from behind them.
Turning, she saw two swans.
“Oh! They’re so big,” she said. “I’ve only seen them in the water, not out walking around.”
“They have nests in this area. They stay close to the beaches, but they do circle the island occasionally and we’ll find them in other places walking around. The male’s name is Steven and the female’s name is Sasha. There’s another young female around somewhere, she’s usually near Steven and Sasha.”
She held out her hand but didn’t approach, not wanting to spook them. The pair looked at her curiously and then both bobbed their heads as if they were saying hello. They waddled close and let her pet them before they moved away with another rumbling sound which reminded her of a purr.
“Where did their names come from?”
“Some of the kids in town named them. The school did a contest to name the couple for an anniversary celebration we had a few years ago. The kids came up with a handful of names and the nest voted.”
“That’s so cool. It’s neat they let me pet them,” she said. “Delaney is more inclined to befriend animals than I am, as her main witch power is related to animals. Familiars specifically, but she can get closer to normal animals too.”
“Tell me about being a witch.”
She smiled as they walked the lengt
h of the beach and she told him about her life. The child of a witch and a warlock, she was raised by her warlock father in Sable Cove. Her mother split to join a coven from her college days, and Hadlee hadn’t spoken to her since she was a teen and her mom had invited her to join her coven in Texas. Hadlee hadn’t been willing to leave Sable Cove, not only because her father was there, but also because of her two besties, Delaney and Kinsley. She had joined the witch coven once she came into her powers as a teen. Her father, Troya, had belonged to a small warlock coven about an hour from Sable Cove and traveled monthly for their meetings.
“Then one night—the fall equinox when I was nineteen—he didn’t come home. I’d been with my friends because of our coven’s spells, so when I got home and he wasn’t there, I waited up for him but fell asleep. In the morning I was woken up by the police, who told me he’d died in a car accident.”
“I’m so sorry,” Anders said. “I guess we’re two of a kind, having lost our fathers before their time.”
She nodded. “So I’ve been at the familiar rescue agency since I graduated from high school. I went to college for computers, and I like to code in my spare time and mess around with websites and apps.”
“I have zero knowledge about computers or coding. I’m not even sure what coding is.”
With a chuckle, she said, “I’ll teach you.”
“Good.” They reached the end of the beach and headed back toward the center of town. “Since you don’t have anything but what you’re wearing, I wanted to take you to visit our nest’s seamstress and then to the store for any toiletries you might need to make it through the week.”
“Sounds good to me.”
The seamstress’s home was on the main street. It was a pale pink-colored bungalow with navy shutters and an arbor at the sidewalk filled with ivy. Anders knocked on the front door and it was opened by a middle-aged female.
“Sire,” she said, lowering her head. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Hello, Devorah, this is my mate Hadlee. Hadlee, this is the best seamstress on the east coast, possibly the entire country.”
“You’re very kind,” she said, extending her hand to shake Hadlee’s. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Please come in.”
“I’m going to walk to Westlan’s home and see how the investigation is going,” Anders said. “You can pick whatever clothes you like, just make sure there’s a nice outfit for tonight.”
“What’s tonight?” Hadlee asked.
“The all-important first date.”
“And a mating gown as well?” Devorah asked as she opened the door wider and Hadlee stepped inside.
“Absolutely.”
Anders pecked Hadlee’s cheek. “I’ll be back in an hour. If you finish early, Devorah can walk you to Westlan’s home.”
“Bye,” Hadlee said.
Devorah closed the door with a smile. “Welcome to the island and to my home, Hadlee. Would you like some lemonade? I make my own, special family recipe. Then we can look at clothes.”
“I’d love some, thank you.”
The lemonade had slices of strawberry and mint leaves floating in the pale liquid. It was easily the best lemonade Hadlee had ever had.
Devorah told her she made clothes for special occasions like mating ceremonies, birthdays, and anniversaries, but she also made casual clothes and sold many of her creations online.
“I use an online shop,” Devorah said as she led Hadlee into her workshop at the back of her home. “It’s a little tough because I can only ship once a month when I can take things to the post office on the mainland to mail. And I wish my online shop were a little nicer too. I feel like I could do more if it looked more professional.”
“I’m great with computers, so once I get some things done for Anders and get settled in, I’d love to help you out.”
“Oh you would? That would be fantastic.” She clapped her hands together. “Let’s start with the outfit for the date night. Our females wear everything from leggings and long tops to jeans to dresses. I make mostly special occasion items, so the first question is, do you want pants or a skirt for tonight?”
“Well, he didn’t say what our date would consist of so I’m not sure. Do falcons have dating traditions?”
Devorah hummed and walked to a rack of dresses arranged by size and color. “Dating, no. Mating? Definitely. The mating gown will be easy—for the royal family, the gown will be the house colors of navy blue and silver. Anders will have a matching coat and pants to the dress. Our people date like humans, but since our instincts tell us when we’re with our mate, we don’t necessarily date for very long.”
“And you all probably know each other from being on the island and growing up together.”
“True. There are other falcon nests in the States that we visit with for the purpose of looking for mates. That happens once a year, and we call it the Gathering.”
“Are you mated?”
“I was. He was with a group of males heading to the mainland for supplies when they were caught in a storm and the boat capsized. He and another male were lost at sea.”
“Oh how awful, I’m so sorry.”
“It was ten years ago. I’m not sure I’ll ever mate again, but I’m thankful to have my friends and family on the island. How about this for tonight?”
She lifted a hanger from the rack with a pale green dress. The dress was ankle length and had short, draping sleeves, a cinched waist, and a deep V that was sure to give good cleavage.
“Wow, it’s so pretty!”
Devorah smiled. “You can change behind the screen. I don’t make shoes or anything, but you can borrow some sandals.”
“Thanks, that would be great. These boat shoes I’m wearing are honestly killing my feet.”
Hadlee stripped from her clothes and tried on the dress, which fit like a dream and looked like a million bucks. When she stepped from behind the screen, Devorah’s eyes lit up. She rested her hand on the side of a tall mirror on a stand, and Hadlee moved toward it and stopped to stare at her reflection.
“Holy cow,” Hadlee said. “It looks wonderful! How did you even know my right size without asking?”
“Years of experience.”
“Well, I love it. It’s perfect.”
“Lovely! Now let’s get you some casual things and I’ll get your measurements for the ceremony gown.”
They spent the hour trying on clothes and taking measurements and talking about the island and the falcon people. Anders returned as Devorah was finishing the last measurement for the gown.
“How did you fare?” he asked, giving Hadlee a kiss on the cheek.
“Awesome. I feel very pampered.”
“Just wait until you see the crown you’ll wear for the coronation after your mating ceremony,” Devorah said. “Then you’ll really feel pampered.”
Hadlee giggled at the thought of wearing a crown. A real dang crown!
She gave Devorah a hug. “Thank you so much for everything.”
“I’ll send word when I’m ready for you to try on the gown in a few days.”
“The ceremony will be Friday night. Then we’re heading to the mainland on Saturday to meet up with her friends.”
“It will be ready,” Devorah said. “As will yours.”
Anders nodded and carried the bag containing the dress and a large paper sack full of shorts, shirts, skirts, and pants plus the sandals out of the house. They stopped at the grocery and she was able to find packages of underwear which made her super happy since she’d have to go commando otherwise. After finding some facial soap, a vanilla and lavender body wash, and a tube of mascara, Hadlee declared she had everything she needed for the week.
“Here, sire,” Nostru, one of the shop’s workers, said as he came to him with a paper sack. “If you need anything else let me know.”
“I will, thank you.”
Hadlee carried the bag, peeking inside to find several white paper-wrapped items. “What’s this?”
&nb
sp; “I thought we could have a picnic on the beach for lunch.”
“What are you—psychic?”
He laughed. “You thought the same thing?”
“I totally did, but we got sidetracked by the swans and then Devorah and the grocery. I’d love to have a picnic on the beach.”
Once they’d dropped off her new things in the third-floor suite, they walked to the beach where they sat on a colorful blanket and had sandwiches and chips. Osiris chased a butterfly around after nibbling on some of the roast chicken from Hadlee’s sub.
After spending the day with Anders and learning about his people and the island, Hadlee was one hundred percent certain that she was meant to find him and be his mate. It was amazing that a kidnapping could have such a silver lining, but she couldn’t deny that being on the island with Anders was the most wonderful, amazing thing that had ever happened to her.
If she’d written a story about meeting her forever guy, she never would have written about his friends abducting her and locking her up. But here she was, half in love with the sexy falcon and excited to see what the night would bring.
Chapter Eight
Anders hadn’t dated much. As part of the royal family, he’d expected to find a female from another ruling family to mate with, although he’d never felt connected as a mate to any of the female rulers that he’d met. It didn’t matter to his people if his mate was a falcon or not, and he was thankful that unlike some shifter groups, falcons didn’t have rules related to mating. It just happened that the falcons on the island preferred to mate with other falcons, but there were no hard and fast rules.
He didn’t care that Hadlee was a witch. She could’ve been some kind of hybrid or a human for all he cared. She was beautiful and kind and could make him laugh. And her cat even seemed to like him. If he needed to feed the cat plenty of fish to win him over, then that’s what he’d do.
“About tonight,” Anders said as he paused at the entrance to the bedroom.
“What about it?”