Marked by Shadows: MM Paranormal Romance Mystery (A Simply Crafty Paranormal Mystery Book 2)

by Lissa Kasey

  “I’d do anything for you,” I admitted. “So don’t be stupid. Stay close to me.”

  “Plan on it,” Alex said. And since the food arrived, it saved us from having to hear too much of MaryAnn and Chad gushing over how adorable we were.

  Chapter 20

  There was something different about having uttered the words. Not a bad something. More a solidifying of the bond between us. An agreement that we were on the same page. I worried that I’d become comfortable with Alex too fast, needing his calm assurance in my space to function, but he seemed as focused on me as I was on him. We still had a lot to learn about each other, but we had time for that. So long as the paranormal kept out of our business.

  After our meal and returning MaryAnn to the convention, Chad took us back to the B&B and even helped us load everything into our cabin, though the new machine had to go in the SUV. Alex insisted on covering it with fabric so no one would try to steal it. I didn’t point out that if someone wanted something to steal, a giant box covered in fabric wasn’t going to deter them.

  But getting to curl up with him for an afternoon nap? That was priceless. I slept hard wrapped in Alex’s arm and one of our quilts from home. He roused me slowly with kisses, though mostly to my face.

  “Lower,” I grumbled. “Don’t you owe me an ass kissing? Or licking?”

  “Yes, but we’ve been invited to a special event and there’s not enough time. So maybe later?” Alex sounded hopeful. “I was trying to let you sleep but it’s almost five thirty. We’ll have dinner soon.”

  “I’m not hungry and dinner isn’t until seven.”

  “Dinner is early tonight. And we both need to eat. I need more protein and some bananas. Man, I’ve never wanted bananas so much in my life as I have in the past two weeks.”

  I opened an eye to stare up at him. “Do we have any left in the kitchen?” I’d gotten him a sizable supply from the grocery store we’d stopped at before arriving.

  He flushed. “I ate them all. Dunno why I’m still craving them so bad.”

  “Potassium,” I said absently. “I think I packed some electrolyte water packets somewhere. Your brother gave them to me before we left.” My brain rolled slowly through all the events of the last few days and the morning. I sat up and stared at him, able to see most of the tiny house space from my position in the loft. The industrial machine I’d brought sat on the small table, a scrap of quilt sandwich in it, filled with designs. “Did you nap?”

  “A little,” Alex said. “About forty minutes or so. I didn’t want to wake you. Was hoping you’d wake up on your own since you didn’t sleep well last night.”

  “I’ve heard a concussion will do that to you,” I remarked without feeling. In reality, Alex had to wake me every two hours last night to check on my head. Each time I’d fallen back to sleep quickly, but it still made for a rough night. My sleep schedule was going to be really off by the time we got home. “Wait, invited to what?”

  He held up an envelope, scrawled with our names in fancy text. “Iron Cosplay?” He asked, like saying the words would bring clarity. It did for me.

  “Wow. It’s been years. Three maybe four since we did one as a group?” I took the envelope from him and opened it to read Freya’s delicate writing scrawled as a fierce challenge. “I wonder if everyone is going?”

  “Is it anything like the Iron Chef?” Alex wanted to know. He was practically thrumming with excitement.

  “You’re a super nerd, you know that, right?” I asked him. “Yes, it’s a race to create a costume with limited and shared supplies in a certain time frame. The invite says there will be prizes awarded.”

  “You love me anyway, you already said, nerd or otherwise,” Alex said.

  “I do.” I stared at him. “Odd, right?”

  “’Cause you’re not a big old nerd in disguise yourself?” He flopped over on the mattress next to me. “Are we going? Please? Can we be super nerdy and Iron Cosplay or whatever it is?”

  “Yes, we can go. There will be a handful of these type of events at the convention too,” I pointed out. We’d already browsed the brochure of event scheduling and Alex had highlighted things he thought sounded cool. I was less interested in the process of craft and more attuned to the supply. Alex, new to the entire thing, wanted it all. So we planned to make as much time for what we could.

  “But those are all with strangers. At least we sort of know these people.”

  “Small groups are less intimidating. It’s how I got my start in the group at all. Was part of the online group, networking with people while doing the photography. Before I met Tim. Went to a cosplay convention in L.A. The group invited a handful of us to meet up. We ate dinner, hung out, and did an Iron Cosplay the night before the con started so we all had something new for each day. It was a mess, and everything fell apart as we wore it, but it was a thing. It’s how I met Freya, and Chad and MaryAnn. I think the girls and Jonah showed up at the next event a few months later. We did the Iron Cosplay thing each time.”

  “Didn’t sound like it was on the agenda here. Did they stop doing it?” Alex asked.

  “Yes. I’m not sure why. I wasn’t able to make it to every event. At that point I was traveling across the world. So sometimes it didn’t happen. When I moved to the States and in with Tim, I had less time and money to do the conventions, though would go to one or two a year. I think the last one I remember having an Iron Cosplay at was right before I went missing.”

  Alex ran his fingers along my bare arm, which I hadn’t thought was soothing until that moment when the hard truth about the past crashed down on me. “Do you think they stopped because of me?”

  “No,” Alex said instantly. “You said you already hadn’t been going as much. So maybe enough of you being in one place to actually do it became an issue? Then there was that mess with Byrony. Sounds like she was never well liked in the group but often a part of it? When did she join up?”

  I shrugged, trying to think back to all the events. “Not long before I vanished, we all did a New York thing. She was there. We did an Iron Cosplay at that one, but she didn’t participate. Melissa did. I don’t think Jonah was there either though.” I frowned trying to sort through memories. “It’s hard to pull out pieces when so many events are similar and held in the same place year after year.”

  “I hear you there. Lots of military memories that all jam together. So how does this Iron Cosplay thing work?”

  “Usually we are in groups and have a set goal for a costume. There’s a pile of fabric and other craft supplies and then the sewing machines. It’s limiting because you can only use what’s in the pile. Other than thread that is. And you have to share the machines. I did a lot of hand sewing because too many of us needed machines,” I explained.

  “Well at least we’re in groups. I’d be completely useless on my own,” Alex said. “Dinner is a little early tonight, at six and the cosplay thing starts at seven. It does have a little notation at the bottom that asks no one be consuming alcohol before attending the event.”

  “Oh yeah, that happened once.” It had been the one time I’d had Tim with and sort of my fault. Tim had gotten quite drunk because he was bored by the whole cosplay thing. I’d tried to leave him in the hotel room, but he’d insisted on coming along. He’d sat in the corner muttering comments to everyone as they worked. “Yeah…”

  “Do I want to know?” Alex asked. “Drinking, much like medication, and me don’t mix. So I don’t do it.”

  “Lukas doesn’t either,” I said absently. “Maybe something in your genes?”

  Alex reached up and pulled me into his arms, rolling me over on the mattress. “Serious face,” he grumbled at me.

  “Sorry. Lots in my head, memories and stuff. Not all good.” In fact, few of the memories I had, ever popped up as positive at first. It took effort to remember the good stuff over the bad.

  “How’s your face feel? Your head? Tummy okay?”

  “Mostly fine. The nap really helped.�
�� I analyzed how I felt. My face ached with the dull echo of the bruise, but it was bearable. My head didn’t hurt at all, and my stomach was… empty. “Hmm, maybe I am hungry.”

  “Good. Sounds like it’s a make your own pizza night, but we can do pizza without cheese,” Alex didn’t sound bothered by it, as it was something we did a couple times back home, even ordering from big chains a handful of times. “Would bananas be weird on a pizza?”

  I laughed and tugged out of his embrace. “Let me find those water things. It’s supposed to restore electrolytes.”

  “I hope they taste better than Gatorade. I hate that stuff.” Alex followed me downstairs and to the kitchen area in which I’d tried to organize stuff. The packets were in the small cupboard beside the stairs in which I’d stored the coffee supplies. He took one of the packets and turned it over to read the label. “Doesn’t look scary.”

  “Not sure your brother would give us anything that looked scary. He’s more obsessed with your health than you are,” I pointed out and dug through the fridge for a fresh bottle of water.

  “He’s always been that way. But he does it to Sky too. Saw him do it.” Alex opened the packet and added it to the water, then recapped the bottle and shook it.

  “Does it to me too,” I admitted.

  “Does Lukas know about your eating thing?”

  “Yes. So does Sky. I was in rehab after I left Tim. Lukas did a lot of driving me back and forth.”

  Alex tried the water, taking a sip and then a long drag of half the bottle at once. “Okay, that’s not bad. Lemonade flavor is okay, weird aftertaste, but not bad.”

  “There are more flavors in the box. Nothing banana flavored, sorry.”

  Alex set the water down and wrapped me in a hug, breathing deeply.

  “You okay?”

  He let out sigh. “Yeah. I think. Anxiety up, not sure why. Happy you’re here with me though. Excited for Iron Cosplay and more of the convention tomorrow. Can’t believe we bought such an expensive machine.”

  “It’s actually a fairly simple one on the low end of the price range for mid-arms. They can run up to twelve grand.”

  Alex’s mouth fell open. “Holy fuck!”

  “That’s back at the shop,” I reminded him.

  He laughed.

  “Let’s go get food,” I said and tugged him toward the door.

  “And Iron Cosplay. Dun dun da-duhn….”

  “I think that noise is more indicative of a crime tv show.”

  “Okay well I’ve never actually watched Iron Chef. Is there a secret to winning Iron Cosplay? Wonder what the prizes are.”

  “Freya usually has good stuff. I won a computer one year. In fact, my MacBook,” I pointed to the computer sitting on the table, which I still had and used to this day. “Four years ago or so, I won it in an Iron Cosplay.”

  “Okay now I’m superhyped. I won’t be much of an asset though, since I don’t know a lot about sewing costumes. Maybe I’ll just watch,” Alex said suddenly looking very worried.

  “We are usually in teams. However, it’s often not teams of our choice.”

  He stared at me. “Fuck. Means I probably won’t get to team with you.”

  “Probably not. But you can sew straight lines just fine. And you have ideas. That helps. The key is to think simple. Don’t pick some crazy hard costume idea like Cloud from Final Fantasy. The simpler the outfit, the more time you can spend getting it to look legit.” I lead him out of the house and across the path to the back of the main house. Everyone was already gathering.

  “Legit. Man, I wish I were more up on what’s popular right now in anime.”

  “Doesn’t have to just be anime. Think games, cartoons, even movies. One-year Chad was a Minion. It was a hoot. He looked more like a giant Twinkie, but the effect was there.” I stepped into the kitchen where there was a bustle of activity. Grace was handing out trays of dough. A long line of toppings were set out on a table, then each one going into the oven. “Do you know what a Minion is?”

  “We watched that in the psych ward,” Alex said. “Goofy things with like one eye, working for the weird bald guy who turns out to be a big softy for kids.”

  “Yep, that’s it.”

  “I could probably be a Twinkie. Saw banana Twinkies at the grocery store recently. Wonder if those are any good.”

  “I’ll buy you a box and more bananas after we leave the convention tomorrow. We’ll stop on the way back to restock our kitchen,” I promised.

  “Hmm, banana,” Alex moaned almost sounding sexual.

  “What were you up to out there, sleepyheads?” Chad said from his spot in line. “You feel better?” He asked me.

  “Yes. Much. Don’t mind the weirdness of my boyfriend. He’s low on potassium so he dreams of bananas.” I accepted a plate of ready to top dough from Grace and found a place in line, Alex following behind me.

  “I dream of your banana too,” Alex said with a straight face, his gaze focused on the table full of toppings. They had a great variety, tons of meat, a half dozen types of sauce, ones with dairy clearly labeled, and a long row of veggies. No bananas.

  “You can have my banana later,” I said.

  He blinked at me like it took a minute to process, but grinned. “And your donut hole.”

  “I don’t want to know, do I?” Chad said.

  “You really don’t,” I agreed.

  “Ever read a gay romance?” Alex asked him. “It’s eye opening to say the least. I think I’m supposed to be sexing him up more often, but he hasn’t protested yet. Some of the novels I read have sex every twenty pages.”

  “Sounds exhausting,” Chad remarked.

  “Right? I’m not as young as I used to be. But even then, not sure I had the energy for that.” Alex said as he began to build his pizza. “Craft,” he waved at me with a spoon. “Fill your pizza with worldly delights.”

  “He’s funny when he’s had sleep,” Chad said.

  “He’s funny all right.” I made a face at Alex, not something I normally did, but crossed my eyes and stuck out my tongue. Alex copied me, making an even funnier face with his eyebrows askew. “Stop, you brat,” I laughed.

  “Yeah, yeah. Food then craziness.”

  “Oh my God,” Chad said. “You’re going to be one of those cosplay partners aren’t you?”

  “One of those?” Alex asked. I didn’t think he could put more meat on his pizza and still call it a pizza.

  “Big ideas, insane ideas that somehow you make happen against all logic.”

  “That’s him,” I agreed, choosing an olive oil and garlic-based sauce. “You can have cheese,” I told Alex. “You don’t have to skip on the cheese because I do.”

  “Hmm,” he said. “Maybe. Do we get more than one of these?” He held up his eight-inch round plate.

  “We can,” Chad said. “Just have to ask. I usually eat three.” He patted his belly. “The crust is so thin and crunchy, they are divine.”

  I loaded mine up with chicken, basil, and a half dozen veggies before making my way to pop it in the oven. Freya was on oven duty, adding pies, and taking out completed ones to pass them off.

  She patted me on the arm. “You’re staying for cosplay?”

  “Yep. We’re both pretty excited. It’s been a long time.”

  “Years since we had this much of the group together,” Freya agreed taking my pie from me to add to the oven.

  “And the last one?” I asked. “MaryAnn said you’re planning on traveling a bit.”

  “Expanding the vlog. Starting a cosplay around the world book,” she agreed. “Everyone seems to be heading in different directions.”

  “Girl, you went out of your way in prizes this year!” Jonah said as he entered the kitchen to retrieve his finished pizza. “A Tula Pink machine bundle? That machine is worth eight grand!”

  “That was MaryAnn’s doing,” Freya said.

  “The clothing line I’m working with offered it. They are giving away two more at the event, bu
t since we’re all for the most part, influencers, they gave one to us. Only caveat is that they ask we use some of their products and display some at their booth,” MaryAnn said. She got her pizza and headed to the dining room.

  Alex and I grabbed bottles of water and followed them to the table to wait for our food. Along the front wall of the dining room a table had been set up covered with prizes. The Tula Pink sewing machine was there, along with a couple iPads, a MacBook Pro, some cosplay design books bundled with patterns, and a stack of fabric bolts. Freya really had gone out of her way this year.

  “Wow!”

  “What’s a Tula Pink?” Alex whispered to me.

  “She’s a fabric designer, quilting mostly, but the machine is an embroidery machine.” I couldn’t recall him playing with one at the convention, but he’d been more focused on the space of the mid-arm, and Tula’s machine was nice, but had only a thirteen-inch neck rather than the eighteen-inch neck the machine we’d bought had. “Her machine has some really cute custom stitches, like rabbits and cats and even cat food bowls.”

  “What? No way,” Alex leaned in to look at the side of the box and the example of the stitch. “Oh those are cute. And a year worth of fabric supply. How much is that? Like a year’s worth for me is probably less than it would be for you the fabric hoarder,” Alex said.

  “I think there’s a certain amount of yardage, overall it’s not a bad machine. And I like a lot of Tula’s prints. I’ll point out her stuff to you tomorrow when we go back to the convention.”

  “I think I like the one we got better, but I can fight hard to win if you want. Well, all this stuff is pretty amazing. A MacBook, I could use that. And those design books look interesting.” Alex examined everything. “Even a few gift cards for some places that sound like fabric shops?”

  “Right?” Jonah said. “I don’t need any of that, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to work my ass off to win it.” He sat down with his pizza.

  “Oh crap,” Alex said doing a little hop and racing back to the kitchen where Freya was waiting with our pizza. “Sorry,” he said. “Just wowed by everything so far.”