The Princess Protects Her Huntsman: A Nocturne Falls Universe Story Read online

  “Would you like it warmed?”

  Frozen would be better. “Sure.”

  Arrick paid his total and stepped to the service counter to wait for his coffee and muffin. He tried to keep his mind off his acute awareness of Rhyannon’s presence, and stared blankly at the pastry display.

  You underestimated the power of irony.

  He rubbed his jaw, the day-old bristles scratching his fingertips. Boy, did he ever.

  A couple of minutes later, strong black coffee in one hand, bag with his muffin in the other, he turned toward the doors. He’d wait for Pandora outside…

  From the corner of his eye, he caught her unmistakable deep red hair aglow beneath the sunlight cutting through the windows. He paused, unable to deny himself a short glance. Seriously, it was only a second’s look.

  His throat dried up at the sight of her sitting at a small round table beside the window, back to the crowd. She stared out that window, seemingly lost in thought, if her reflection in the tinted glass told him anything. Ropes of hair had been pulled away from her face to tie at the back of her head, a very fairy style, but small waves caressed her porcelain cheeks. Her hair was a cape of red waves that poured over her slim shoulders and down her back. She twirled a lock between her fingers. A disposable coffee cup rested in the curl of her other hand.

  Arrick swallowed and choked. He took a sip of coffee to moisten his mouth as he continued toward the door.

  He made it an impressive three steps before he paused and glanced over his shoulder. He really needed to stay away from her. The more he told himself that, the harder it became to obey.

  Apparently, his feet worked on their own accord, turning him away from the door. Okay, fine. What harm would come of saying hi?

  Oh, man. You know the answer to that.

  And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to bolt out the door. Giving in to the pull, Arrick rolled out his shoulders and wove through the tables and chairs until he came up behind the forbidden siren.

  “Two days and Hallowed Bean,” Arrick said softly, trying not to startle Rhyannon from her thoughts. His heart stuttered when he received a serene and utterly gorgeous smile from the fairy as she turned away from the window. Her green eyes glowed with pleasure and kindness and everything he wanted to protect and cherish.

  “That’s right.” She sipped her drink—something herbal by the smell—her gaze dropping from his for a short moment before returning. She scorched a path down his chest with that drop. “It’s nice to see you again.”

  “I should be the one saying that.” He motioned toward her. “I don’t want to interrupt you, but I wanted to say hello. And make sure you haven’t suffered any repercussions from my carelessness the other day.”

  Rhyannon laughed, a soft, airy sound that made him dizzy with desire. The chair across the table slid out as she nudged it with her foot. “You’re certainly not interrupting me. Would you like to join me?”

  Arrick’s smile grew while the cursed voice in the back of his head warned him to take his leave before he made a decision he’d regret.

  “You’re not expecting anyone?” He moved to the chair and placed his coffee and muffin bag on the table. “I’d hate to impose.”

  Rhyannon lifted her cup and shrugged. “I have a date with my tea before I head to work in a half hour. It would be nice to have company.”

  “I’d be honored to sit with you.”

  The endearing rose that lit up her cheeks was as bewitching as her smile. And the calm in her green eyes. And her graciousness.

  I’m so in trouble.

  Arrick settled into the chair and tore the bag down the creases to form a makeshift plate for the muffin. He moved it to the center of the table. “Would you like some?”

  Rhyannon shook her head. “Thank you, no. I had a light breakfast a little while ago. So, tell me. How’s your house search going?”

  “Haven’t found anything that jumped out at me yet, but I’m not losing hope. I just started and I don’t plan on leaving until something comes across the board.”

  Rhyannon nodded once. “Perseverance. That’s a great quality to have.”

  “Guess it depends on who you ask and who appreciates it. Either way, once I set my mind to something, little dissuades me from calling it quits.” And we see how well that “stay away from the gorgeous fairy woman” path is going. His comment earned Rhyannon’s full attention. The curious, warming light behind her eyes sucked him in. “You never succeed if the slightest bump sends you off your path.”

  She rested her chin on her knuckles, her full lips set in a thoughtful grin. What he wouldn’t give to know her thoughts. To be privy to what seemed to be bothering her before he interrupted her solitude.

  Arrick leaned back in his chair and drank his coffee. He stretched out his legs to the side of the table and crossed his ankles, keeping clear of the walkway and close to Rhyannon. There wasn’t any other option unless he wanted to trip customers on their way to the tables.

  He narrowed his eyes and tilted his head, the corner of his mouth lifting as Rhyannon scrutinized him. “What?”

  “Nothing.” She shook her head and straightened up. Her eyes lowered, long lashes splayed over her cheeks. “I can definitely see that in you. It’s admirable.”

  “Tell me something, Rhyannon.” He didn’t miss the way her breath hitched when he spoke her full name. “What else do you find admirable?”

  Rhyannon lowered her head, a bashful motion if he ever saw one. He began to reach toward her, to lift her chin, but stayed his hand before he made his intentions obvious. His skin tingled with the desire to connect with her, even if the motion was as small as raising her eyes to his again.

  “What do you find admirable, Arrick?”

  He chuckled. He liked that. A question for a question. Beneath her calm and alluring demeanor, she possessed a strength he suspected many weren’t privy to. She offered him that glance, and he wanted more. The woman called to a need he was still in possession of. A wish. A dream. Happiness.

  “I suspect I owe you at least one admirable quality first, huh?” Arrick’s smile grew when she nodded. Her eyes lit with a flirtatious spark over the top of her cup as she sipped her tea. The way the sunlight dappled over her face highlighted the faintest of freckles on the bridge of her nose. He had missed them before. “Well, I find genuine kindness admirable.”

  “Many people are kind.”

  “But I sense you possess a kindness unlike any other person I’ve met. It comes from the root of what creates you. It’s that genuine. That pure.”

  Her cheeks darkened as she slowly lowered her cup to the table. “You find me admirable, Mr. Luvell?”

  “Mister?” He laughed. “Wow. I compliment you and we switch to formality.”

  “Perhaps I should ask a friend to be our chaperone?”

  He lost his smile. Rhyannon released another one of her entrancing laughs and shook her head.

  “I’m kidding, Arrick. I don’t need a chaperone. I’m perfectly capable of holding my own.”

  To that he was beginning to have no doubt. “Well, then, I suppose you wouldn’t need permission to accompany me to dinner.”

  Yep. Right there. That decision he knew he’d regret. He’d do best by her to stay the heck away. Far away. Leave Nocturne Falls, stop the charade, and let the witch punish him until he took his last breath. Instead, he lunged onto a forbidden path that he knew, just knew, had no good outcome.

  Something in his mind rewound. Would he honestly forfeit his life for this woman he barely knew?

  Looking her over, the answer was simple.

  Yes.

  Rhyannon stilled. “Are you asking me on a date?”

  Arrick shrugged, pressing his lips together in feigned thought. “I think that’s where I was headed with that request. Of course, I can arrange separate sitting—”

  “I’d love to.”

  He snapped his mouth shut and stared at her for a brief moment. He certainly wasn’t expecting
her to agree, and certainly not so quickly.

  “Tonight?” he asked.

  Rhyannon frowned. “I’m closing up the store tonight. I won’t get out until late. I’m off tomorrow, if you don’t have anything scheduled.”

  “Tomorrow is perfect. Say, six o’clock?”

  Rhyannon nodded. “Six o’clock it is.” She tipped her cup and sighed. “I have to get going.”

  “Where do you work?”

  She motioned out the window with a graceful wave of her hand. “Into the Woods. It’s a designer clothing store two blocks away.”

  “Would you like me to walk you there?” That’s right, bud. You’re burying yourself faster than you can dig your grave. And he didn’t care one bit. This sudden, explosive attraction he felt for Rhyannon defied any explanation. It went beyond reason and into the realm of fate. He cleared his throat. “I mean, I don’t want you to think…”

  “You’re not imposing.” Rhyannon smiled, pressing to her feet. She glanced down at his stretched-out legs that were blocking her in and raised her brows. He quickly pulled his feet back.

  “Sorry.”

  “I’d enjoy the walk far better with you.” She held out her hand and met his gaze. In that moment, he knew he was a complete goner.

  “Glad I can keep boredom at bay.” He accepted her hand and climbed to his feet. She tossed his muffin and coffee cup a glance on the table. Reluctantly, he released her hand, packed up his muffin and tucked it in his pocket. With his coffee cup in one hand, he offered his other hand to her, this time with the intention of holding it the entire walk. “Shall we be on our way?”

  Rhyannon dropped her hand against his palm, their fingers entwining. The rightness of her beside him was undeniable. “Should I lead the way?”

  “After you, m’lady.”

  Arrick followed Rhyannon outside and let her take a half-step lead, keeping close to her side as they walked. He enjoyed his coffee and her company even more.

  Talk was simple and light. Rhyannon shared some of her favorite aspects of Nocturne Falls, suggesting he check out certain shops and restaurants while explaining the events that took place there. Her insight into the workings of the town was intriguing, warming him to a place he would ultimately leave. He even took the time with Rhyannon to appreciate the tourists and their costumes, the authentic-appearing facades of buildings and shops to enhance the Halloweenish feel of the town, and the finer details like the color scheme and the cobweb-bracketed street lights. They had disposed of their empty cups on the way, a relief to him since now he had two hands to devote to the woman at his side.

  “Well, we’ve arrived.”

  Rhyannon slowed outside a storefront that definitely had an eerie take on a fairytale woodland scene. The door alone looked like it would break with the slightest touch. A scraggly tree branch protruded from the brick wall, and animated crows with glowing red eyes squawked overhead. Old-style lanterns hung on either side of the door and the store’s sign dangled from a bracket, swinging in the faint breeze.

  “Definitely ominous,” Arrick said.

  Rhyannon nudged his shoulder. “This is an example of the reason why you should never judge a book by its cover. Inside, it’s beautiful.”

  “Trust me, Princess. I’m the last one to judge anything or anyone by its cover.” He eased her around to face him, ignoring the spark of apprehension the careless endearment had put in her eyes. She was a real princess. A princess in hiding. She was quickly becoming his princess, a woman he would do anything to appease. “We are not a simple still-image depiction. We are the story behind the cover.”

  She stared up at him, her lips separating on a breath. He lifted his hand to her cheek, brushing his knuckles along her jaw before unfurling his fingers to slip around the side of her neck. The silky strands of her hair filtered between his fingers like cool water. Heat infused him, tunneling his focus to Rhyannon alone. He traced the corner of her mouth with his thumb.

  He leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to the exact spot he had traced. He closed his eyes, delighting in the tease of her lips and the hitch of her breath. Her scent filled his lungs and the sound of her heart racing lured him. Her hands slipped up to his shoulders, her fingers clinging. All he had to do was shift an inch to the left, angle his mouth, and he could kiss her the way he wanted to kiss her.

  You’re deceiving her.

  Arrick squeezed his eyes shut tighter for a moment, hating that damn voice that interrupted at the most inopportune time. Rhyannon made him lose himself in her, forgetting his curse, the danger he posed to her.

  An admirable man with the burden he carried would walk out of her life. He was less than admirable.

  Slowly, he straightened up and forced a grin. Her pupils had swelled and the beautiful rose across her cheeks glowed. He pulled his hand from her neck, drawing with him strands of hair that slid across his palm before the ends fell through his fingers to land against her arm.

  “Rhyannon.” He traced her brow before he stepped back, lowering his arms to his side. “Tomorrow night?”

  She nodded.

  “I’ll pick you up?”

  She nodded again. He chuckled. She was breathtaking after his kiss. He could only imagine what she’d be like after more than a kiss.

  “Do you have a cell phone?”

  Again, she nodded. A moment later, she shook her head and cleared her throat. “Yes. I, um, yes. Uh…”

  Arrick held out his hand. “I’ll put my number in it. You can text me your address.”

  She handed over her phone and he programed his number into her contacts. He called himself to save her number for later before handing the phone back to Rhyannon.

  “You can call me anytime. I’ll be looking forward to hearing your voice.” He placed a chaste kiss to her forehead. “Have a good day at work.”

  “And you.” Rhyannon reached up and brushed her fingertips over his brow, tracing the scar to his hairline. “Have a good day house hunting.”

  Her departing words struck him as she disappeared through the rickety door. He had completely forgotten Pandora. He spun on a heel and hurried back to the coffee shop.

  He was a block away when his phone rang. He answered it on the second ring. “Hi, Pandora. I’m almost there. I had something come up that delayed me.”

  How the heck did he completely forget his reason for coming into town in the first place?

  Easy.

  “Would you like me to order you something?”

  “Dark roast coffee will be fine. I’ll get you on the next one.”

  Yep. You definitely have some admirable characteristics, you lying beast.

  Chapter Five

  “Is everything okay? You seem…distracted.”

  Rhy gasped and spun away from the rack of fancy designer tops she was organizing when Dalila spoke from behind her. She tried to laugh off the fright, but the heat of the blush she felt come over her face caused her friend’s brows to lift and her eyes to sparkle.

  “Is there something you’d like to share with me?” Dalila asked, a mischievous grin pulling at the corners of her mouth. Rhy went back to neatening up the rack and adjusting shirts on hangers. “When you came in this morning, you had that look about you.”

  “What look?”

  “That”—Dalila circled her face with a finger—“look.”

  Rhy shook her head. “I haven’t a world of ideas as to what you mean.”

  “I’m pretty sure you do. So? Who is he?”

  “He?”

  Oh, what was the point? Arrick consumed her every thought since they parted ways. She had caught sight of him when he entered Hallowed Bean and wondered if he had even seen her sitting at the table, especially when he started to leave. His very presence in the building did something surreal to her mind and her body. He both melted her and made her wary. She brushed aside the latter, blaming her unease on his innocent endearment along with the wolf sighting. The moment she turned to face him, all her worries fled, leaving n
othing but warmth and comfort and a sense of perfection.

  Arrick was perfection. A perfection she hadn’t known she wanted until she walked into him outside of Marigold’s shop.

  Dalila poked her shoulder. “Don’t play coy with me, young lady. I’ve known you from the time you sucked your fingers in your vine hammock as a baby.”

  Rhy’s eyes widened. “I most certainly did not.”

  Dalila laughed. “Yes, dear. You did. It was a precious sight.” She waved her hand in a flagrant motion. “Never mind. Who is the man who’s captured your attention?”

  “What makes you think there is a man?”

  Dalila leaned in close to Rhy and whispered, “Only a man could make you hum and bring that shade of rose to your cheeks. I’ve never seen you so…how should I put it? Engrossed?”

  Rhy wrinkled her nose. “That sounds…gross.”

  “Not the most pleasant of descriptions, but it gets the point across. So?”

  Rhy gave up the fight, hanging the last shirt haphazardly on the rack. She sighed and turned to face Dalila, unable to suppress the giddy smile that took over her mouth.

  “Okay, there is a man.”

  Dalila bounced on her toes, eyes lighting up. She clapped her hands beneath her chin, a wide smile flashing across her pretty face.

  “Easy, Dalila. You’re going to pop those baubles off your wings.”

  “Oh, peat and moss, I don’t care about my wings. I care to know more about who cast a love spell on you.”

  Rhy laughed. She slapped a hand over her mouth to muffle the sound. “Oh, Dalila. There’s no spell, and it’s certainly not love.”

  Dalila wagged her brows. “Dear, I know love when I see it. You’re beyond smitten. Whoever this mystery man is, you’re head-over-heels for him. How long have you know him? A week? Two? Have you kept him a secret for a month?”

  “I met him a couple of days ago. We ran into each other, quite literally. He walked me to The Poisoned Apple and that was all. We happened across each other’s paths again today. So it is certainly not love.”

  Could love happen so fast? Could love happen when you barely know a person?