“You know me as the proprietor of the general store in town but I’m also the resident witch in Prosper Woods and I’ve been protecting this town and the people who live in it for the last hundred years.”
I wasn’t that shocked. In my experience witches lived for centuries. When I felt Romeo squeeze my hand, I turned to him, noting the surprised expression on his face. He spun around to look at me.
“Witches are real too?”
Sid chuckled but I ignored him, nodding at my lover. “Yes, witches are the most powerful of all the supernatural beings in nature. He claims to be one and I believe him.” I glanced away from Romeo and at my broadsword lying on the couch beside me before looking back at him. “He says he’s here to protect you from the werewolves outside.”
“Those howls I heard came from werewolves and they’re outside your house right now?”
I nodded. “Yes, they’re here to kill me though I suspect if you get in their way, you’ll be killed as well.”
“It won’t happen,” the witch said, drawing our attention to the old man, relaxing back in the oversized easy chair across from us. “The sheriff’s magic is stronger than yours and mine combined,” he said, glancing at me.
“Why do you say that? I’m not magical. I’m human,” Romeo replied.
“No, you’re not,” the witch said. “I need you to trust this to be true. You can kill every living thing in this town with your magic but apparently no one ever taught you to use it.”
“You’re a fucking liar,” Romeo said, stiffening beside me. “If I was a magical creature, don’t you think I would know it?”
“Not if it’s a recessive gene,” I said. Romeo looked over at me, frowning. I liked it much better when he smiled. “You probably have an ancestor somewhere back in your line and you aren’t even aware of it. I sensed the magic in you. Remember when I told you that I knew you were special?” I reminded him.
“Yeah,” he said, hesitantly. “That’s what you meant? That I was one of the supernatural creatures in this town?”
“Yes, Romeo, I scented it on you the moment we met. Then, when we touched, I knew your magic was very strong.”
He just stared at me.
“He’s right,” the witch said, drawing our attention again. “When we shook hands in my store, you felt the jolt of electricity going up your arm though you dismissed it as your imagination.”
Romeo frowned. “How do you know that?” he asked.
“I’m a witch. I know things,” Sid said.
A howl interrupted our conversation and I felt Romeo’s hand tighten on mine for the second time. Other howls joined the first until a cacophony of sound seemed to surround my house.
I glanced at Sid. “I have to go out there. Will you protect Romeo?”
“You’re not going out there!” Romeo shouted, standing and pulling me up with him. He grabbed both of my biceps and stared into my face. “You told me those werewolves are here to kill you. Do you think for one second that I would let you sacrifice yourself for me?”
“The werewolves can be reasoned with,” the witch said.
We both turned to look at him.
“How?” Romeo asked.
“The ones who killed poor Buck Walters in the forest and then left him as a warning to you are not that difficult to defeat,” the witch said to me. “If you don’t already know this, the alpha in Prosper Woods is Floyd Reardon. If you convince Reardon you mean no harm to him, the rest of the pack will listen and obey their alpha.”
“Hang on a minute,” Romeo said, vibrating with rage. “You’re saying Floyd Reardon, the owner of the saloon, is the leader of a pack of werewolves who are in turn responsible for the murder and dismemberment of a human who happened to wander into their proximity last night?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying,” the witch said. The howls started up again, and I felt a chill race down my spine. “He must have gotten his drink on, wandered too close to the border of Frederick pack lands, and ended up as their answer to your presence. They sliced him and diced him, leaving him as a warning just the way the vampires did to the Frederick pack a hundred years ago.”
“So, what you’re saying is that Prosper Woods is in the midst of a fucking hillbilly hick-town feud?” Romeo was practically shouting.
The witch smirked and pointed a gnarled finger at his nose. “Right on the nose, Sheriff.”
“Goddamn it!”
The witch grabbed his staff and used it to help him rise from the chair. If I hadn’t known any better, I would have guessed that he was someone’s doddering crazy old uncle. His magic told me otherwise.
“Listen, I realize this is all new to you,” the witch said, “but for the sake of peace and harmony in this town, I am telling you right now that you need to go out there and deal with Floyd to get him to back the hell off… that is, if you want the attacks on innocent humans to stop.” He paused, exchanging a glance with me before looking back at my lover. “Then, there’s also the sheriff to think of. He might get in the way, get hurt because he doesn’t know how to control his magic, or then again, he might just kill them all. That would bring the outside authorities and Prosper Woods would be no more.” He looked at Romeo. “You’re the only one who can stop this. You have to let Vincent kill the alpha.”
“I’m not going to let Vincent just go out there and kill Floyd Reardon regardless of the fact that he’s a werewolf,” Romeo said. “Not only that, killing Reardon won’t matter when the rest of the pack will only replace him with another alpha. Once that happens, you can bet they’ll be back to kill Vincent and most likely me as well. There has to be another way.”
Sid smirked, hooking a thumb at Romeo. “He learns quickly.”
I frowned. “Suggest another way to get the werewolves to back off,” I said. “Now that they know I’m here, they’re not going to let me live.” I turned and cupped my lover’s face in both hands. “You don’t understand how it is between vampires and werewolves. We’ve been sworn enemies for centuries and there’s no choice in the matter. It’s the only way to settle things.”
He stared at me for a long time, something working in his deep brown eyes. I loved how intelligent he was. He finally nodded, having come to some decision. I dropped my hands. He immediately turned to face the witch.
“You said I was more powerful than both you and Vincent combined, right?”
The witch smirked. “Ah, very good, Sheriff. I was hoping you’d come to the right conclusion on your own.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
The witch continued to stare at my lover but Romeo broke their eye contact and turned to me.
“If I can figure out how to do it, I’m going to show them who they’re dealing with. Then, I’m going to demand that the werewolf pack remove Floyd from his position of power and drive him away. If they don’t, I’m going to have no other choice but to arrest him,” Romeo said.
I choked out a laugh. “Arrest him? And do what then? I hope you know that a werewolf in a human jail is a danger to everyone. If he turns while behind bars, he’ll kill everyone,” I said.
“You’re right. Then, I’ll have to make this work, won’t I?”
He reached out and took my hand, sending me a smile that made my heart ache for him. I was falling so hard for this beautiful man that I knew I’d do anything for him. I sighed. “Fine. If you’re going to do this, I’ll be by your side.”
He frowned. “That’s not a good idea, Vincent. They’re already hostile enough. Seeing you at my side will most likely just anger them more.”
I smiled. “I can be very persuasive.”
The howls began again and someone pounded on the front door. “Vampire! Come out and face us!”
We all turned toward the door before I squeezed Roman’s hand. He twisted to look at me.
“It’s time to go,” he said. “You’re not going to listen to me and stay inside with the witch, are you?”
I shook my head. “Not on
your life.”
He sighed and we walked to the door together. When he threw it open, Floyd Reardon stood on my lawn about ten feet from the front door. The moment he saw me, sharp claws sprang from the tips of his fingers and his face elongated and turned into the muzzle of a wolf. Massive fangs magically appeared as he gnashed his teeth. His eyes glowed iridescent yellow and hair sprouted from every inch of exposed skin as he grew taller right before our eyes. I’d never seen an alpha in his half-shifted form and if my heart had been beating, I know it would have seized right then and there.
He snarled and lunged before either of us had the time to react.
Chapter Nine
Prosper Woods Chronicle. Letters to the editor:
“Someone should do somethin’ about the wildlife around here. Last night a cow ridin’ a unicorn nearly ran me off the road. I spent an hour lookin’ for ‘em to explain how they should obey traffic signs like everyone else.” Signed, “Where’s the beef.”
Vincent
The second Floyd came at us, Romeo threw out both hands to ward him off. The move was purely protective instinct. That I knew. What I’m sure neither of us could have anticipated was the bright purple light that shot from both of his hands. I watched in awe as the werewolf’s yellow eyes widened in shock. A split second later, he was lifted into the air by an invisible force and thrown back where he landed on his ass right there on my grass. I was more surprised when the hand I’d been holding a moment before morphed into a horse’s hoof as Romeo’s entire body shifted. An instant later, I was standing beside a massive white unicorn.
“What the fuck?” I muttered.
He swung his large head to look at me and as he did, his brightly colored mane whipped around his sleek white neck. I spared only a moment to gaze into the dark brown eyes I knew so well before lifting my eyes and staring at the most magnificent horn I’d ever seen. Its spiral of rainbow colors seemed to sprout from the center of Romeo’s forehead. It was perfection as if made on some modern-day lathe by a master sculptor. I was in awe.
My stunned perusal was interrupted by a low chuckle coming from behind me. When I turned to find the witch standing there leaning on his staff, I frowned.
“You knew what he was all along?” I asked, sounding more accusatory than I probably meant to.
“Okay, yes, I knew… well, I suspected as much.” The witch held out his hand and waved it at Romeo. “He had that sparkle all about him. I suppose you didn’t see it but then again, you weren’t really looking all that hard.”
I turned back to look at Romeo. The witch was right. As he tossed his head at me, tiny little stars seemed to radiate in the air all around him. He literally sparkled. Behind him, the wolves who’d gathered around the house were all on bended knee. Floyd lay on his ass right where he’d fallen, changed back to a man with wide eyes as he stared in awe at the magnificent beast in front of him.
“What the hell?” Floyd said. “A unicorn? I thought they were a myth.”
I reached up and grabbed Romeo’s mane, twining my fingers in it, loving the feel of the strands that were so soft they felt like silk. Laughter bubbled up and burst out of me as I dragged my gaze away from my lover and back to the naked werewolf lying on the grass.
“Throughout history, unicorns have been associated with purity, virginity, and cleanliness. In the middle ages, unicorns were thought to cure disease, heal animosities, end wars,” I said. Everything I told the werewolf was true. In my travels with the crusaders through Europe and the Holy Land, rumors of unicorn sightings persisted everywhere we went. People were always claiming to have seen them in forests, drinking from poisonous lakes only to realize afterward that the waters had been purified by the unicorn’s magic. A unicorn throne was made for Danish kings and the unicorn horn has always been thought of as the most priceless object a mere mortal could possess.
Floyd got to his feet as the werewolf pack stood and gathered around him. “So, you think that just because he’s a unicorn, we’re not going to war with you, vampire?”
Romeo tossed his head and I felt the blast of magic swirl in the air around all of us. Floyd’s eyes widened as he was lifted from the ground like a feather on the wind. His naked body slowly turned in the air, spinning several times before he was gently returned to earth. The look on his face was priceless and I had to hold back a laugh. The minute his feet touched the ground, he stumbled back. All I could do was smile as Romeo stood there looking as regal and proud as any beast I’d ever seen. He was magnificent and I was so proud to call him mine. I glanced back at Floyd.
“I guess that answers your question, werewolf,” the witch said as he came to stand on the other side of me. “You cannot defeat a unicorn. His magic is more powerful than your entire pack put together. Now, leave and take your wolves with you.”
“We’re not fighting that, Alpha,” a large, tattooed pack member said. I was certain he had to be Floyd’s second. The alpha stood there defiantly, looking completely stunned as his wolves began slinking away. I was certain if they were in wolf form, their tails would be between their legs. One by one, we watched them desert the alpha, melting back into the trees as he watched them go, his hands balled into tight fists. The pack had no more quarrel with me as long as Romeo was by my side. When they’d finally gone, Floyd turned back to face us, rage all over his face.
“This isn’t the end, vampire,” he hissed under his breath.
“It is the end, werewolf,” I said. Romeo had already promised to force Floyd out of the pack if he wouldn’t step down. He had no idea what was about to come at him but standing next to the most powerful creature I’d ever seen, gave me great hope that Prosper Woods would indeed live up to its name. “If you harm a human just to send me a warning again, we’ll both come for you. That’s the only warning you’ll get.”
Floyd sneered. “You think I’m afraid of a fucking vampire and his pony?”
Romeo tossed his head and magic once again surrounded Floyd, lifting him from the ground and carrying him over the trees until he was out of sight. Seconds later, Romeo stood in front of me, changed into the beautiful sheriff whom I was falling head over heels for. I threw my arms around his naked form, noting for the first time the pile of shredded clothes at our feet. The witch laughed beside us. When I finished hugging the life out of my unicorn, I let go, looking up into his eyes. They were sparkling with mirth and I was almost sure I saw magic twirling in his pupils.
“Did you kill him?”
Romeo shook his head. “No. I set him down on the main road just before the turnoff to your house.”
“He’s naked as the day he was born,” I said, grinning.
“He’ll no doubt change into a wolf and run back home to his poor packmates to make them miserable for a while. I doubt he’ll be bothering you anymore.”
“For a while anyway,” I said.
Romeo threw an arm around my shoulders and squeezed, leaning in to kiss me on the cheek. “We’ll cross that road when we come to it.”
“Well, I’m off,” the witch said. “It’s nice to know I was right about you both.”
“What were you right about?” I asked.
“Vampire, if I told you that, it’d take all the fun out of things, now wouldn’t it?” He reached out and shook my hand. I had to smile as he turned and took Romeo’s hand as well. He was the strangest man I think I’d ever met.
I watched the witch walk away and then get into the rusty old VW bug he’d parked behind Romeo’s truck. He started the engine with a roar and backed out of the driveway. When he was gone, I turned to my lover and took his hand.
“Let’s get inside before you catch your death of cold,” I said.
He smirked. “I like being naked around you though.”
I leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips, lingering there as he kissed me back, holding me tightly against him. When he finally broke the kiss, his erection was poking hard at mine. I smiled.
“Let’s go back to bed. I want you under
me right now,” I said, “then afterward, we’re going to talk about your unicorn-ness.”
He threw back his head and laughed as I tugged him toward his front door. “My unicorn-ness. That sounds like it just might be fun.”
I smiled. Life with my unicorn was just getting started and I looked forward to learning everything about him. As we stepped inside my house and closed the door to the world outside, I was still marveling at how well things had gone. If Romeo had been a lesser creature, the werewolves might have killed us all. Floyd Reardon and his pack might turn out to be trouble in the future but at least for now, at least for today, I’d sleep with my unicorn by my side.
I couldn’t have been a happier vampire.
A little sneak peek from True Mate (Prosper Woods Chronicles book 1) coming soon…
Prologue
Prosper Woods Chronicle. Letters to the editor:
“During the night I saw a rabbit watering his front lawn while wearing a red cardigan. No one ever told me Prosper Woods was Mr. Roger’s neighborhood.” Signed, “Buttons are so last year!”
Romeo
Vincent flashed across the clearing and even in my supernatural form, I did my best to track his movements. It was a futile effort at best. My powers may be stronger, but I was no match for my vampire’s speed. He’d assured me that my strength and resolve were the only things that had saved us from Floyd and his gang of werewolves, but I wasn’t so sure about any of that.
Sid had been instrumental in helping me come to terms with what and who I was. Finding out I was a magical creature had initially been a shock to my system, but I was learning a lot about myself as my vampire faced off with me in the open field. He may be able to flash across the clearing faster than my eyes could track, but in my unicorn form, there was no doubt I would never be in danger from any vampire, especially this one. He liked me just a little.
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