The Red Shoe Chronicles : A Fantasy Romance Anthology

by N. R. Larry

  Lee inspects his former high school nemesis. “Still running in circles around the gym, I see.”

  Mal wraps an arm around me. “At least I’m not running from my responsibilities.”

  A dark chuckle shakes Lee’s chest. His jaw ticks the way it does when he’s angry. The gloves are about to come off. “Are you two dating?” His eyes bear into mine. “I didn’t think you were into losers.”

  My heartbeat quickens. “I dated you, didn’t I?”

  Charlize gasps. Lee squints at me, clearly stunned. I was never mean with him, never. He was the love of my life and my best friend.

  A bright smile illuminates Mal’s face. “Now fuck off, Leblanc.” He captures my hand in his and pulls me outside on the balcony.

  I hold my hand to my mouth to stifle a nervous giggle.

  “Did you see his face? Sour as a lemon!” His hands encircle my waist like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “We should really make him pay tonight, if you’re game.”

  I arch a brow. “Make him pay how?”

  “We are the hottest couple here, how about we start with a very public kiss?” He leans in closer. “Come on, the fucker is still watching.”

  Mal plants a fierce kiss on my lips, and I screw my eyes shut. I can’t quite forget that half the town will be talking about this tomorrow, but Mal deserves his reputation as the best kisser in St-Claire.

  Barron doesn’t count, of course.

  Lee stares at us sporadically throughout the meal. His gaze burns holes in my cheeks, my neck, my chest. I gulp down one too many flutes of champagne, trying to calm my beating heart and soothe my feverish skin, but it’s no use.

  He’s jealous. I can see it clear as day in the way he follows me through the room and tenses whenever Mal touches me.

  Barron’s words echo in my mind. According to him, I can have whoever I want tonight. Lee or Mal? The choice could break me. I can follow Mal’s lead and dance the night away, or seduce Lee into dumping his precious date. Despite my better judgement, the latter thought is appealing. She was supposed to be my friend, and yet…

  The stares and whispers of people I’ve known my entire life crawl under my skin. They discussed my reunion with Lee over dinner last night, I presume. Did they wager on the outcome of the night? How many of them bet against me?

  I’m torn, and the more agitated I become, the less clear I am on how to proceed.

  After the main course, Mal grabs my hand and leads me to a secluded corner of the balcony. The terrace lights twinkle in synch with the stars above us, but what was supposed to be the best night of my life is quickly turning into the most complicated.

  Mal pushes a strand of hair behind my ear. “You have never looked so beautiful.”

  My breathing hitches, and my stomach is all in knots. Is he continuing what we started last night, or is he acting this way because of the shoes? The question haunts me.

  He squeezes my waist. “You know Maddie, I think I’m falling for you.”

  A hiccup rocks my throat. It doesn’t sound like him. It’s too quick, too cliché. Unease seeps beneath my skin.

  The night of my life. At what price?

  Mal bends down to kiss me, but I put a hand over his mouth. “Wait.”

  Lee appears from nowhere and peels Mal off me. “Leave my girl alone.” The bow-tie is nowhere to be found, and his face is flushed.

  My mouth opens.

  Mal places his body between Lee and me. “Get away from her. She’s been through enough.”

  “You only want her because I had her first,” Lee says.

  The tepid scent of his inebriated breath turns my stomach.

  A fist flies. Another follows.

  “Stop!” I shout, trying to avoid a scene but only attracting more attention.

  Soon enough, Mal and Lee turn over a table, and everyone stops chatting and dancing. I tug on Mal’s vest. “Come on, Mal. Let’s go.”

  “He doesn’t deserve you,” Mal roars. “Let me teach him a lesson.”

  Lee snickers. “Deserve? You’re an air-brained womanizer with two pennies to his name.”

  “And you’re a rich asshole who can’t keep it in his pants. Maddie wants me.”

  Lee serves Mal a right hook that sends him to the ground. Blood spurts out of his nose, and my pulse swirls.

  The nefarious energy from before is back. It ripples in the air like a gong, seeps through my nostrils, my throat, my lungs. I feel the magic in my bones, and I know that I’m responsible for this. Adrenaline muddies my vision as I rush off the balcony, desperate for an escape.

  Lee runs after me around the building. “Maddie, baby, look at me.”

  The cedar hedge now shields us from view, and I slow down.

  His voice turns quiet. “I messed up hard. I didn’t know how to help you—how to reach you. When you got the news, you retreated into your own world, and I couldn’t deal with it. I never wanted to hurt you, but I needed someone and you weren’t there.”

  My heart cracks open. “You betrayed me.”

  “I was lost. I asked you to postpone the wedding, and you refused. I didn’t know what to do.”

  “You asked for time to think. And then you fucked her.” Disgust rolls off my tongue, but it feels good to finally let it loose.

  “I see now how selfish that was. I should have fought for you. She means nothing to me. You and I, we’re soulmates.”

  There’s real love written across his achingly handsome features. It’s a love that I thought was dead and buried, and yet nostalgia oozes inside my pores. The curve of his mouth is damn familiar, and I used to live for his smiles. He’s saying the things I thought I wanted to hear, but I feel empty. He’s only saying them because of the magic, because of the damn shoes.

  “I want nothing from you anymore. Nothing.” The words liberate me. All this time, I wasn’t sure what I wanted. I was stuck on an equation that made no sense anymore. Lee plus Maddie doesn’t equal forever. The only infinity I crave is to be free of him. “I never want to see you again.”

  “Tell him Maddie!” Audrey barrels toward me, shooting Lee a nasty glance.

  Kyle is right behind her. He grabs a fist of Lee’s tux and pulls him away from me. “It’s time to leave, man. I’m calling you a cab.” He brings his phone up to his ear. “Sober up, or I’ll find a new best man.” His voice is hard and rough, and he points his cousin in the direction of the parking.

  They exchange a glance. At last, Lee’s arms fall at his sides, and he walks away.

  Aud searches my gaze. “What did he say? Are you going to be okay?”

  I rub the chill of the night off my arms and nod.

  She tightens her scarf around her shoulders. “I’m going to take my idiot brother home. Looks like it’s going to rain, anyway.”

  “That’s a great idea,” Kyle says.

  With a sad grimace, Aud leaves the way she came.

  The groom looks positively exhausted. “Well, I guess it was bound to happen.”

  All my energy drains out in an instant. “I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault.”

  “Hey, come here.” Kyle wraps me up in his arms, just like he did when my dad died. He’s the big brother I never had.

  “Where is Jill? Is she mad at me?” I scan the porch for my best friend, but we’re alone. “I guess she’s holding back the harpies that hope to feast on the scraps of my life.”

  “Why would she be mad at you? You’ve done nothing wrong. Those two will sober up, and everything will be fine.”

  Shame burns my ears. “Thanks.”

  “Shh, it’s okay.”

  I run my hands over my eyes. “Don’t worry about me. It’s your night. Return to your bride.”

  He bounces from one foot to the next. “There’s one thing I needed to talk to you about before the big day. Do you have a minute?”

  I want to retreat to my room, tear off my fucking magical red shoes and take a bath, but I say, “Sure. Do you need me to pick up something tomorrow?” />
  The trees rustle in the growing wind, drowning out the chatter of the party. I’ll never hear the end of this. Never.

  Remember that time when Maddie ruined Jill’s wedding? That poor little girl is a wreck.

  So much for a night of hot sex and revenge. I’ll kill Barron tomorrow.

  Kyle guides me to an alcove under the stairwell. “It’s—Fuck! There’s no easy way to say this.” Before I can ask what is making him so anxious, Kyle crushes his lips to mine.

  My eyes almost bulge out of their sockets, and I forcefully tear myself away. I take one step back, then another.

  Kyle tugs on his hair. “Don’t go, Maddie. I’ve had doubts for weeks.”

  I’ve known this man all my life, and he has never uttered a single lie. He’s looking at me with puppy dog eyes and a sweet, sweet expression that isn’t supposed to be directed at me, but I can see he believes it.

  He cocks his head to the side. “Remember that night we hung out, just you and I? It was so fun, so easy. I have feelings for you, Maddie.”

  I shake my head violently and sprint toward the pier.

  Oh no! No no nononono noooooo!

  What have I done?

  Thorns

  A furious wind blows over the bay. The clouds roll over my head as though they’re about to spill over, and the dark sea glimmers dangerously on the horizon. I erupt onto the pier and stomp onto Barron’s boat.

  The tall Scot is lying on his back near the mainsail. Eyes closed, he’s bathing in the moonlight, arms tucked behind his head.

  “Here. Take. them. back.” Following the sharp rhythm of my words, I pry off the red heels and throw them at his wicked face.

  He catches one shoe in mid-air right before it rams into his forehead, and the other one falls flat on the ground. “Ouch! Why so mad, lass?”

  “Keep your magic! It’s a curse! I didn’t want any of this to happen.” My arms fly into the air. “You tricked me!”

  He walks slowly in my direction, his fingers trailing against the boom. “You wanted revenge. Didn’t you get it?”

  “I wanted—I just—” Angry tears stream down my face. “I wanted to be loved, not find my fiancé in bed with my friend. I wanted him to regret it. To feel as lost and humiliated as I felt, but what’s the point? I ruined everything!”

  He scratches his stubble. “The point was to have the night of your life. To feel alive again.”

  His words ring so true and yet so impossible. “By having every man make a pass at me?” I snicker. “You’re a devil.”

  Lightning flashes in the sky.

  Barron motions me along. “Come. We shouldn’t linger in the storm.”

  I turn my back to him. Painful breaths pass through my lungs. Dark waves swell in the distance, past the rocks, and I’m half-tempted to meet them. Cold raindrops pinch my skin like tiny needles, and my mouth opens to taste them.

  There’s no need to plunge, I’ve been drowning for quite some time.

  “Come, Maddie,” Barron repeats calmly. “You haven’t finished yelling at me.”

  I follow him into the cabin. The atmosphere isn’t as stuffy as before. An empty wine glass sits on the table, and a plate is drying by the sink.

  Barron tucks the red shoes in their evil box and leans against the wooden countertop. “I apologize. They weren’t supposed to act up this way. I guess I should have suspected that they wouldn’t work quite the same on you.”

  I cross my arms over my chest. “What do you mean? Why wouldn’t they act the same on me as everybody else? You played with me, you took advantage and—God! You’re enjoying this.”

  He strolls forward. The muscles of his back roll under his black shirt. “I’m enjoying the passion I see in your eyes now. You haven’t lived a day since he left you.”

  “How would you know?” But he’s right. After Dad died, I retreated even deeper into myself. Tonight was supposed to change that, but how foolish was I to think that weird, magical shoes would suffice?

  “I’ve heard your call, Maddie. Your pain is the thing that drew me to this harbor.”

  My mouth opens and closes. I sense the truth in his words just like I felt the magic on the balcony. A current of energy passes between us, his body inches away from mine. My arms shake. “Then take it away! The pain. Take it! Don’t you have something here that would work on me?” I motion to his collection.

  “I’m afraid nothing here works on you quite as it should.”

  He’s so close now that I need to look up to see his eyes. “What are you implying?”

  His grey stare drills into mine. A rough thumb brushes against my cheek. “The sky weeps when you cry, the wind rises with your fury.”

  I shake my head no.

  “Deep down, you know you’re not one of them, lass.”

  “I’m no demon!” I hiss.

  “My father called us druids. Warlocks, witches, demons, sorcerers; however you choose to call us, nature bends to our will. Yer father was one of us.”

  I pace around the cabin. “Stop!”

  “He gave the life up to raise you when yer mother passed, but he was old when he died. Older than you thought he was, and older than humans think possible.”

  Lighting blazes across the cabin, highlighting the red, black, and blue scarves that hang from the ceiling. I want to deny everything, but I’ve seen things. Throughout my life, my childhood, I’ve seen things that don’t quite fit. Dad believed in sorcery, and he’d tell me stories… As an adult, I wrote it off to his Celtic origins, but I’ve felt things too.

  Barron leans into my ear. “Feel your fury electrifying the air.” His hot, heavy breath flutters against my neck. “Your father was one of us. It means that you can be, too. You’ve got the genes—and better yet the pain—to do this job well. I could teach you.”

  I draw back. “You could teach me how to ruin people’s lives? How to prey on their weaknesses?”

  The corners of his mouth curl up. “Tell me, lass. Is yer life ruined?”

  There’s a challenge in his words.

  My pulse hammers in my ears, and I raise my chin. “You promised me the night of my life. You didn’t deliver.”

  A genuine, jaw-dropping, deliciously corrupt smile breaks on the sailor’s lips. Fear and thrill swirl inside my bones as Barron pulls me flush against him.

  Our second kiss isn’t quite as quick as the first.

  My lips, my breath, my very soul resides in this moment. In the scrape of his teeth against my bottom lip, in the stroke of tongue against tongue. His kiss is the tinder that sparks my life anew.

  Like a phoenix, I will rise from the ashes of my broken heart, my broken faith, and my broken spirit.

  He licks my neck on his way up to my ear and presses me against the carpeted fiberglass wall. The blaze of his touch enthralls my senses. My fingers explore the skin beneath his shirt, following the hard ridges of his abs down to his belt. I pause on the trail of dark brown hair under his belly button.

  His palm travels from the back of my thigh to my ass and up, up across my back, never leaving my skin, bringing the silk of my dress along with it before he passes it over my head. My hair falls across my neck like a wave, and I shiver under his intense scrutiny.

  I’m left only in my matching lace bra and underwear. My chest heaves in agony and anticipation.

  I shouldn’t be here, but there’s no place else I’d rather be.

  With another sleight of hand, he unhooks my bra. The fabric falls to the floor with a discreet tap. His scorching hand palms my right breast without hesitation, his jaw clenched. “I will ruin you, Madison Hellis.”

  Need coils like a spring between my legs.

  When he devours my nipple, I lose all reason. My knees give out beneath me, the rush too heady to be endured. I haven’t felt such rage, such passion, in forever.

  Barron uses and worships my body, plying me to his needs and trampling the limits of pleasure. He delights himself in each gasp, each moan, each scream until I am undone.<
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  I touch, lick, bite every inch of him, my inner animal all too glad to be unleashed.

  Whether he’s a devil or not, no one has ever set my body ablaze this way. I gladly melt against the fires of hell, or wherever he’s from.

  Hell's Bells

  “Dearly beloved, we are all gathered here today to celebrate the union of Jill and Kyle.” The priest announces.

  His calm, soothing voice resonates across the rows of wooden benches.

  Jill is splendid in her empire-waisted dress. The ivory train runs down the marble stairs of St-Claire’s church. Kyle beams by her side, and I hold my breath until both of them say “I do.”

  The crowd rises in cheer, and a sigh of relief escapes me. At least, I didn’t ruin everything.

  I lean closer to Barron. “Should you be here? It’s a church.”

  His fingers dig into my sides. “As long as you don’t spray holy water on me, I’ll be fine.”

  I arch a brow, wondering if he’s kidding.

  He wraps his huge hand over mine and brings it to his lips.

  Audrey wiggles her brows at me suggestively from the altar. Lee stiffens from behind the groom. A nasty bruise near the top of his left eye is quickly turning from red to blue. Every few minutes, he glances at the man next to me with a pout, but I find the intrusion more bothersome than thrilling.

  I brought Barron to the ceremony so he could work his magic on Kyle and make him forget last night’s fiasco. It’s one of the simple tricks he claims he could teach me if I agreed to explore my heritage. The Scot delivered better results today, and my sore muscles finally relax.

  All is as it should be.

  Barron and I fucked all night—and this morning. I could not wear heels today even if I wanted to.

  For the first time in a long time, the thrill of an unknown future dances in my chest. Barron or no Barron, magic or no magic, I’m free from the weight of my past failures.

  The guests stream out of the church, many curious eyes fixed on us. For once, I don’t care about the whispers. Sunshine bathes across the baby-green lawn, and the air is as sweet and warm as my current mood. The church’s powerful bells ring in cheer for the happy couple.