by Donna Kunkel
Steve looked at Alex then looked back down. “He’s that good. The man’s a genius when it comes to writing an interesting computer game. His fans anxiously wait for his next game to get released. But he did inherit some money. That money gave him the chance to work on his own. He lived in a cheap broken-down apartment and never went out. Especially when he was working on a project. I got him to invest his money and finally move out here. He does a lot better here; he’s not as obsessive. Now he works more normal hours and gets out among the neighbors. You saw how he checks up on everyone. You wouldn’t know it but he’s a millionaire already.” Steve looked up at Alex. “Are you going to be more interested in him now?”
Alex avoided looking at Steve. “No, I was just wondering about him.” She picked up the brush and started brushing Anna Belle. “I’m not interested in him.”
“Good,” Steve whispered.
Alex brushed for a few minutes in silence. “How’d you meet?”
“As a prospector, I spend the summers collecting aquamarines and smoky quartz like my mother did. We met at one of the gem shows where I sell my specimens. He bought some of my crystals and we started talking.”
“So why doesn’t he have a significant other?”
“He’s shy around women, and they aren’t attracted to him enough to give him a chance. He’s a great guy once you get to know him.”
Alex nodded. “I get that. I would have given him a chance; he’s a nice guy. If I hadn’t met you that is.”
Steve stopped milking and stood up. He reached out for Alex’s arms and pulled her closer. The moment she was close enough he kissed her. As he plundered her mouth, she reached out to grab the front of his shirt. She was instantly on fire. They kissed until Anna Belle shifted, breaking them apart. Steve continued to look at Alex, his eyes never leaving hers. “If Anna Belle wasn’t between us, I’d do more, a lot more.”
Alex nodded and took a step back.
“Have you decided what you want yet?”
“Not yet,” Alex whispered. “Everything is so different.”
“Different good or different bad?”
“Definitely good.” She moved a few inches closer and placed her hands on Anna Belle’s back.
Steve clasped both of her hands in his. He brought them up to his mouth and gently kissed the palms. He breathed in deeply then looked at her. “This whole situation might have been the weirdest twist of fate ever. I know we shouldn’t get involved but I want to make love to you.” He lifted one of her hands up and ever so gently swiped her palm with his tongue.
“I know,” she answered. She’d never had a palm licked in her life, except by an animal. It might seem like the weirdest thing in the world to do, but it felt so…so intimate. Her body heated up and tingled all over.
Steve inhaled deeply. “You want me too, admit it.” He teased her palm with a slow stroke.
She closed her eyes and moved closer. Her pulse raced as she imagined what it would feel like to have his tongue working on other places of her body. Damn, but she wanted him, all of him. She almost moaned.
“Kiss me.” His breath tickled her ear.
Without even realizing it, she had already moved her head close to his. She placed a hand on each side of his face and kissed him with all she had. She entwined her fingers in his hair and deepened the kiss.
His hands found the side of her chest and slowly slid up.
Anna Belle moved so much they broke apart.
They were both breathing hard and focused their eyes on the other.
“I’ll wait until you’re ready.”
Wait? What was he talking about. She wanted to wrap her legs around him, even here in the barn. She wanted to be as close as she possibly could. Why would she want to wait? Oh yeah…that whole normal versus magic thing. For once she regretted her common sense forcing its way into her mind. She hadn’t completely decided to live a normal life yet; until then she needed to wait. Alex stepped back, “Yes, we should wait.” She strode back into the cabin before she changed her mind. Even after Steve went to bed, Alex continued to work on her story. She had to slow things down. She couldn’t risk being near him tonight, not if she wanted to wait.
The next day Alex kept her distance. She took care of the hens and was making good progress on cleaning the barn. A faint pop happened and the demon hen was sitting on her shoulder. Alex screamed, grabbed the hen, and tossed it away. The hen remained stock still for a minute then shook. All of its feathers were standing straight out. Alex eased over to it and reached out a hand. The hen didn’t move, so Alex used a finger to stroke the feathers down. The second her finger moved away the feathers popped straight out again. “Oh no,” she groaned. She sat down on the nearest bale and the hen jumped up into her lap. Alex started stroking the feathers down. “I’m so sorry. I’d never want to do this on purpose. I’m surprised you don’t hate me for this.”
Just at that moment Steve walked back out into the barn.
Alex placed both hands around the bird and turned to try and hide the poor creature.
Steve stopped and looked. “What the hell happened”—he pointed to the hen—“to its feathers?”
He’d seen the hen so there wasn’t any use in trying to hide it any more. She let the hen go and it jumped up to her shoulder. The hen’s talons gently squeezed Alex’s shoulder. “I…I…don’t know. I looked up and the hen looked like this. Must be static electricity. I’m sure they’ll eventually flatten out again.”
Yeah right, I am so full of it. I can only hope the feathers will flatten again. Otherwise there’s going to be one strange-looking chicken.
Steve walked over and reached out and stroked the hen. The feathers popped straight out again the moment his finger released them. He tried a couple of times, but nothing changed. The hen continued to sit on Alex’s shoulder, head up high. “Isn’t this the hen you refer to as the demon hen? Why is it perched on your shoulder?”
“I guess she likes me now.” Alex petted the hen and it extended its head even higher.
Steve shook his head. “I thought you and the hens didn’t get along?”
Alex held her hands straight up in the air and rotated them. “No more oven mitt. I guess we needed some time to get used to each other.” Actually, it was the popcorn that won them over, but there wasn’t any way she could tell him that.
“What is going to happen next?” He shook his head and got busy milking.
The whole time Alex worked, the hen remained on her shoulder. Several times, the hen would lean forward to get a better look at what Alex was doing. Before Alex went back into the cabin, she gently lifted the hen down and placed her back in the henhouse. She’d no sooner shut the cabin door when there was a pop and the hen was on her shoulder again.
Alex lifted the hen down and held her with both of her hands. She looked the bird in the eye. “I guess I’ll have to start calling you Houdini Hen from now on. I sure don’t know how this happened. I’ve never heard of any spell like this.” She turned the bird to look at each side. “Maybe it’s you. No, that can’t be. There’s no such thing as a magical hen.” The hen clucked a couple of times. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Alex shook her head. “You can’t keep doing this. This popping up out of nowhere. Steve will notice.”
Alex eased the door to the barn open and poked her head in. Steve was still busy milking. She snuck across the barn with the hen. When she’d placed the hen back in the coop she whispered, “You have to stay here. I’ll let you ride on my shoulder whenever I’m doing chores. Okay?” The hen just looked at her, so she shut the door. Alex slipped back into the cabin and breathed a sigh of relief. “What will that hen come up with next?”
Mandy looked at Alex and thumped her tail.
Chapter 14
Sunlight streamed in the windows for the day of the party. Alex had helped Steve prepare some deviled eggs the night before. They rushed through the chores, only doing the minimum so they could leave earlier. Alex pulled out her nicest
shirt and sweater. She took extra time putting her make-up on and doing her hair. Steve was ready in his usual amount of time. How could men get ready so fast? Alex pulled a pair of sweatpants on over her jeans so they wouldn’t get wet. They loaded the snowmobile with the eggs and some milk and headed to Peter’s.
As they drew nearer to Peter’s house, Alex could see some type of shape made out of a large mound of snow in front of his door. When they got closer, it became more distinct. A long tail appeared and disappeared in the snow leading up to his house. A large fanged head rose up in front of the walkway and shone in the sunlight. A long heavy body stretched out behind the head with plates on its back. Then the scales along the body came into focus.
“A dragon. He’s made a dragon out of the snow,” she shouted even though the snowmobile drowned her out.
Steve parked the snowmobile with the others outside the snow sculpture. To enter the house, you had to walk through the dragon’s gaping jaws. “Now this is something else. How did he do this in so short a time?” she said as she ran a hand over the sculpture.
“He’s got way too much time on his hands and likes to go all out for a party.” Steve handed her the food, stowed their helmets, and they headed toward the dragon’s jaws.
Alex reached up to touch one of the fangs jutting down. “It feels like it might snap the moment we enter and swallow us like helpless prey.”
Steve took her hand and gently pulled her into the gaping jaws. “I can’t wait to see what he’s done inside. He usually carries the theme on. Maybe we’ll be knights saving a princess or something gory like entering the dragon’s stomach.”
She shuddered at the thought of being in a stomach. The idea of knights and princesses would be so much more appealing.
Peter greeted them and took their coats after they’d put the food on the kitchen counter. A row of dishes was already spread out. There was the traditional green bean casserole, tuna casserole, several other veggies, some finger food, and a cake with blood red icing. At the end was a bowl of ice cubes with several different beverages. All the ice cubes were different colors, making them look like large raw jewels or crystals. Peter came back after depositing the coats, carrying crowns cut out of gold paper. He placed one on each of their heads. “Welcome to the feast, Lord Davis and Lady Klein. We will be observing the rules of the gentry.” He bowed to them. “Welcome to the castle of His Highness.”
Alex giggled and Steve nudged her. “He means it. The rules of the party,” Steve said.
“So we have to say lord and lady all night?” Alex managed to contain her fit of giggles by concentrating on fixing a drink.
Steve nodded and started fixing one for himself. “And don’t forget His Highness.”
Peter took her under his wing and introduced her to the other valley residents. He introduced the gay couple, Daniel and Henri. They had a large greenhouse attached to their home where they grew fresh produce which they shared with the others. They were always laughing and telling jokes, the life of the party. They didn’t have to work after inheriting some money, so they spent their time with their vegetables and orchids.
Alex choked on her drink when Peter introduced her to Victoria Vickens and William Dickens. They always went by their pen names. He was a bronze sculptor while she was an oil painter. They were retired but still sold their work for some extra money for summer vacations. Being a sculptor, he could repair metal and she helped decorate their houses.
Peter finally steered her over to Emily and Vincent Gibson. The children, Thomas and Caroline, begged Peter to let them play a computer game. He took their hands and led them back to a computer to get them set up. “Peter, er His Highness, was telling us that you lost your job and were looking for something better,” Vincent said.
Alex told them what she’d been doing at work and her college education where she’d majored in English combined with some business.
“He mentioned that you might be interested in doing some editing. I can put you in touch with our editor. They’re always on the lookout for good people. I’ll see what I can do.”
“That would be fantastic!” Alex answered. “Peter mentioned that you both also wrote.”
“I’ve written a few children’s books.” Emily touched Vincent’s arm. “Vincent helped me get published with his company.”
“What about you?” Alex asked Vincent.
“I’ve written a few action novels, but I really enjoy working with writers getting their manuscripts ready,” Vincent said.
Emily leaned closer to Alex. “He’s written twelve so far and is working on number thirteen.” She patted his arm. “You’re too modest.”
“I’ll see what I can do. After all, no harm no foul,” Vincent said.
Steve joined the group. “I see you’ve met the Gibsons.”
Alex said, “Mr. Gibson—”
“Vincent please.”
“Vincent was telling me what he did,” Alex said.
Emily giggled. “I’m sorry, Steve. I can’t get used to seeing you without that face full of wild whiskers. Especially in the winter. I don’t think you’ve ever shortened your beard in the winter before.”
Steve stroked his chin. “I thought I’d make a better appearance for Alex.”
Emily winked at Alex. “He did this for you?”
“How long are you usually trapped in the valley like this?” Alex asked, trying to deflect attention from her warm cheeks.
Alex had asked this of the others and the consensus was that they didn’t feel trapped. They all said that they enjoyed the solitude and peace. The general agreement was from between two to three months before they could venture out.
“How do you go that long without any outside contact? You must have families you talk to?” Alex asked.
“Oh, we have contact. We all have at least one solar panel for electric so we can e-mail and visit with our families. Only Steve here doesn’t have a panel,” Emily said.
“I was going to try and get a panel this summer if I find enough worthwhile crystals,” Steve said. “I like to consider all options carefully as to if I really need them or not.”
Peter called them all to the feast. After eating, Caroline cornered Alex.
“I saw a unicorn the last few nights,” Caroline said while tugging on one of the ears of her stuffed cat.
“A real honest-to-God unicorn?” Alex asked.
Caroline looked around to see if anyone was paying any attention. “Yup. He was all white with a long horn, just like you see in all the books.”
Alex knelt down so they wouldn’t be overheard. “Cross your heart and hope to die?”
Caroline nodded. “But no one believes me. They think I imagined it.”
“Why?”
“Cause I’m always reading about unicorns, dragons, princesses, princes, elves, fairies, and witches.” She looked up at Alex. “Why do so many of the witches get a bad deal? Why can’t they all be pretty like Glinda?”
“Maybe they are. Did you ever consider that? Maybe they look just like you and me,” Alex whispered.
“That’d be so cool. If only I was a witch, like the boy wizard.”
“You like those wizarding books?”
“They’re my favorites. Do you like them?”
Alex nodded. “I know, since no one else believes us, why don’t we make a pact?”
“What kind?”
“We swear that we’ll only talk about this, you know, the unicorns and all, with each other.”
“A pinkie swear?”
Alex held out her little finger and Caroline hooked hers around it. “I swear,” Alex said.
“I swear,” Caroline answered back.
“So where did you see this unicorn?”
Caroline looked around again to see if anyone was paying attention. “I saw him at the edge of the trees across the valley. But each night he was a little closer to here. If he goes much farther, I won’t be able to see him.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for you.
If he keeps on moving down the valley I might be able to see him.”
Caroline’s face brightened up. “You’ll tell me if you do?”
Alex held up three fingers then crossed her chest with them. “Cross your heart and hope to die?”
Caroline’s brother dashed over and pulled her away to play another computer game. Steve moved over and held out a hand to help her up.
“You two were having some chat,” he said.
“Girl talk, that’s all.”
“I think you have another fan there. If it wasn’t for all this snow, she’d be riding her bike down to see you every day.”
They visited a little longer. Sunset was fast approaching, so everyone got ready to leave. Alex and Steve thanked Peter for all his help and the great party. They headed out to leave. The sun lit up the snow that covered the mountain’s ridges and crevasses as it sank behind the top edge. As they rode back, Alex rested her head on Steve’s shoulder, arms snug around his waist. His warmth was a delightful contrast to the crisp air.
In some ways it seemed like only yesterday when she fought the snow driving in here, but a month had already passed. In other ways it felt like it had been a lifetime ago. So much had happened since she’d entered the valley.
Fingers of deep shadows already stretched across the valley. They bounced over a ridge, and Alex squirmed around enough to look back at Peter’s house. All his windows were still ablaze with light, casting yellow streaks across the now dark blue snow. She could barely see another snowmobile heading off down the valley. The shape became a bouncing ball of light as it got farther and farther away. The moon wouldn’t rise for another hour, so the landscape quickly darkened as they got close to the cabin.
Thank goodness Steve knew where he was going. His cabin was a black shadow among the folds of dark blue snow. She shivered as she remembered when the cabin’s light had gone out and she could only locate the cabin by looking for a dark shadow. One thing for certain, she’d make sure she’d never be in that predicament again. Mandy’s faint barks grew stronger as they approached the cabin.