have been
given for serving Ilithyia .”
“You tamper with memories?” She was a bit in awe of
that.
Michael nodded. “If a human sees something they should
not have I can make them think they saw another animal, or they drank too much
and had some strange dreams.”
“Why?” She thought she may already know, and the
answer didn’t sit well with her.
“Imagine if it was common knowledge that there were
humans in the mountains that could shift into animals? Most humans who hunt are
no different than we are.”
Cassie looked at the scenery as they drove by. They
were high up in the mountains now so not many peaks were visible anymore. Some
were in the distance, but the winding highway wrapped around solid rock walls,
brownish dried vegetation, and trees.
The road leveled out, and they passed the hand painted
sign that read “Welcome to Pleasant Cove”. It was not much longer before the
highway widened for the main street she had seen the night she was dropped off
at the motel.
She blinked when she saw another little man like the
one she’d seen while walking down the sidewalk. In the light of day he really
was an ugly little guy. No wonder he was so grumpy. His nose was huge, and his
grey hair poked out every which direction. His clothes looked like dyed burlap
sacks that had been sewn together rather crudely, and his shoes looked to be
leather. “Who is that? He sure is in a bad mood a lot.” Cassie craned her neck
to keep her eye on the man.
Michael laughed and took her hand in his. “That little
fellow is Orfallyn . He is one of a handful of trolls
that live among us.”
Cassie laughed, really laughed, for the first time in
days. “A troll? A real troll?”
“Yes, you may have seen some fairies as well. We have
more fairies living among us, than other magical beings.”
“I did. She was playing in the pollen.” Cassie smiled
at the memory of childlike happiness on the fairy as she jumped in the flowers.
“Fairies are very childlike in their play. Imps you
have to be careful of. They like to cause trouble. They will get into an office
and change all the settings on the computers, and may even cross electrical
wires so the wrong lights come on.”
Cassie was so busy thinking about these magical beings
she had never seen before that she did not notice they had pulled up to the
restaurant.
“Here we are. It is the fanciest place to eat in town.
Marsha is an amazing cook, and thankfully loves to make a lot of her delicious
food.”
Michael got out quickly and got to her side before she
got the chance to get her seatbelt off. He opened her door and held his hand
out to help her out of the car.
“Thank you,” she said, smiling at him.
Michael opened the door of the restaurant then put his
arm around her. Cassie shrank into him a little when so many of the patrons
turned to look at him. Some did double takes and had shock on their faces. Many
of the older couples in there smiled at them. Some looked at her as if they
were judging her by her appearance. She picked at her clothes and hoped she
didn’t look like a ragamuffin. If they only knew what she had been through the
last twenty-four hours, then maybe they would not judge her by her looks.
Michael ignored them and led her to a table.
“You are a popular guy around here,” she murmured
after he sat down across from her.
“I am the guardian. Many shifters and humans alike are
interested in everything I do. Including taking a mate.”
“So this mate thing. What is
it?” Her stomach flip-flopped a little as he regarded
her.
“In our case, it is Ilithyia herself pairing us. Do you feel a draw to me you can’t understand?”
“Yes.” She had
since she had been wanting him since the moment the
pain was gone. Even now once she’d had a chance to have sex with him it was
still there, an undercurrent of desire that made her want to stay at his side.
“That is a soul bond. It is rare, but when it does
happen the mated pair shares
given for serving Ilithyia .”
“You tamper with memories?” She was a bit in awe of
that.
Michael nodded. “If a human sees something they should
not have I can make them think they saw another animal, or they drank too much
and had some strange dreams.”
“Why?” She thought she may already know, and the
answer didn’t sit well with her.
“Imagine if it was common knowledge that there were
humans in the mountains that could shift into animals? Most humans who hunt are
no different than we are.”
Cassie looked at the scenery as they drove by. They
were high up in the mountains now so not many peaks were visible anymore. Some
were in the distance, but the winding highway wrapped around solid rock walls,
brownish dried vegetation, and trees.
The road leveled out, and they passed the hand painted
sign that read “Welcome to Pleasant Cove”. It was not much longer before the
highway widened for the main street she had seen the night she was dropped off
at the motel.
She blinked when she saw another little man like the
one she’d seen while walking down the sidewalk. In the light of day he really
was an ugly little guy. No wonder he was so grumpy. His nose was huge, and his
grey hair poked out every which direction. His clothes looked like dyed burlap
sacks that had been sewn together rather crudely, and his shoes looked to be
leather. “Who is that? He sure is in a bad mood a lot.” Cassie craned her neck
to keep her eye on the man.
Michael laughed and took her hand in his. “That little
fellow is Orfallyn . He is one of a handful of trolls
that live among us.”
Cassie laughed, really laughed, for the first time in
days. “A troll? A real troll?”
“Yes, you may have seen some fairies as well. We have
more fairies living among us, than other magical beings.”
“I did. She was playing in the pollen.” Cassie smiled
at the memory of childlike happiness on the fairy as she jumped in the flowers.
“Fairies are very childlike in their play. Imps you
have to be careful of. They like to cause trouble. They will get into an office
and change all the settings on the computers, and may even cross electrical
wires so the wrong lights come on.”
Cassie was so busy thinking about these magical beings
she had never seen before that she did not notice they had pulled up to the
restaurant.
“Here we are. It is the fanciest place to eat in town.
Marsha is an amazing cook, and thankfully loves to make a lot of her delicious
food.”
Michael got out quickly and got to her side before she
got the chance to get her seatbelt off. He opened her door and held his hand
out to help her out of the car.
“Thank you,” she said, smiling at him.
Michael opened the door of the restaurant then put his
arm around her. Cassie shrank into him a little when so many of the patrons
turned to look at him. Some did double takes and had shock on their faces. Many
of the older couples in there smiled at them. Some looked at her as if they
were judging her by her appearance. She picked at her clothes and hoped she
didn’t look like a ragamuffin. If they only knew what she had been through the
last twenty-four hours, then maybe they would not judge her by her looks.
Michael ignored them and led her to a table.
“You are a popular guy around here,” she murmured
after he sat down across from her.
“I am the guardian. Many shifters and humans alike are
interested in everything I do. Including taking a mate.”
“So this mate thing. What is
it?” Her stomach flip-flopped a little as he regarded
her.
“In our case, it is Ilithyia herself pairing us. Do you feel a draw to me you can’t understand?”
“Yes.” She had
since she had been wanting him since the moment the
pain was gone. Even now once she’d had a chance to have sex with him it was
still there, an undercurrent of desire that made her want to stay at his side.
“That is a soul bond. It is rare, but when it does
happen the mated pair shares
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