The Girl Who Never Cried, page 28
THE GIRL WHO NEVER CRIED
AN OF FATES AND FABLES NOVELLA
BAM SHEPHERD
HEATHER HILDENBRAND
CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
All About Bam
All About Heather
What To Read Next
CHAPTER 1
I smirk as I take in the dopey grin on Romy’s face. Of course, I knew the trailer for her movie would air tonight. It’s why I insisted Lynch and I make it back to Somerville in time to watch Anna’s TV appearance with the rest of our family.
Well, it’s one of the reasons.
Since graduation, Lynch and I have led a life of adventure, spending most of our time traveling from one mission to the next, but Somerville will always be where we call home. Lately, the constant travel has been wearing on me, but one glimpse of Lynch mid-mission–his moss-colored eyes filled with mischief– and it’s easy to push those feelings aside.
Hell, it’s easy to do ’most anything if it makes Scruffs happy. That asshole is my heart.
My stomach dips with nerves as I think about the conversation I want to have with him tonight. Yet another reason for coming home.
Just thinking about it makes me want to toss my cookies. I’d rather torture a suspect slowly with a rusty fork than have this particular talk. Hell, I’d rather be the suspect.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I hold in a sigh. Yeezus forbid we have a night off. My gaze darts to the message on the screen, and alarm shoots through me when I read the words.
“I need to step outside for a second,” I say to the others.
Before any of them have the chance to object, I cross the room and head into the backyard. Once I’m certain that I wasn’t followed, I pull out my phone and check the message again.
A~ I need your help. Await my call under the moon.
I glance around, my feet wide in a stance that’s both relaxed and ready. My nerves stretch tighter the longer I wait, and I grit my teeth in frustration.
“I don’t have all night,” I yell at the sky. When nothing happens, I huff and turn to head back inside.
A flash lights up the sky, and I turn, already reaching for the dagger I keep in my boot. My mouth drops open as I catch sight of the moon. A beam of moonlight glitters, swirling until it solidifies into something I can’t quite make out. It floats closer to me, and I act on instinct.
A flick of my wrist has my knife out and zinging toward the suspicious material.
The sharp blade slices through the object, pinning it to a tree as I stalk closer. I peer into the darkness, laughing when I realize what I’ve done. Reaching forward, I yank my knife from the tree with one hand and catch the papers with my other.
I walk from under the canopy of the trees to read the words written on the silvery slips of paper. It takes some maneuvering since they have a hole in them from my knife–a magical blade from my favorite witch, Birdie, for my last birthday–but eventually, I’m able to make out the shimmery script.
On the front, in an elegant font, are three simple words.
The Monster Ball
I flip the paper over and read the inscription on the back.
Just as the moon has brought me to you
So shall the moon bring you to the ball
All Hallows Eve
The Witching Hour
The second paper is exactly the same as the first; matching invitations, which means I’ve been granted a “plus one.” I shake my head. Ever since she found out I became a werewolf, A has become so extra in the way she communicates. At least, she remembered to include an invite for Scruffs. A gesture I should be grateful for considering I declined the last time she offered to send me tickets. Still, if it were anyone else, I wouldn’t think twice about telling them no. I sigh, stuffing them both into my back pocket.
“You owe me, bitch,” I call out, not caring if she’s even able to hear me. Though, I suspect she does. A hears everything.
With a deep breath, I turn and head back to the pack house to grab Lynch.
Looks like we have one last mission after all.
I step out of the portal and into Lynch’s waiting embrace. Finished with our supernatural commute home, together we turn and wave to Romy and Kash.
“Quit moping,” I tell my best friend. “This is a one night only engagement. We’ll be back in Somerville tomorrow.”
“That’s what you said last time,” Romy says with a frown. “In case you forgot, that was three weeks ago, and you barely made it home in time to see Anna’s show. You didn’t even get a chance to tell us how your last mission went.”
“Aw, come on. Cut her some slack, Red,” Lynch says, his voice rumbling through his chest and into my back. “What happens in Columbia stays in Columbia.”
Romy’s face looks ashen, and I smirk. As much as I love her, she’s not one for the details of our missions.
I watch as Kash leans forward and whispers something in her ear. Her face flushes, and my lips twitch as I fight to hold in my grin. They are the cutest couple ever. Well, second cutest.
“We’ll see you two tomorrow, but word of advice, make sure to stretch before you try that shit,” I tell her, enjoying the way her mouth pops open in an “O” of horror as she realizes we heard what Kash said. “I know you like to say you’re Gumby or some shit, but vag cramps are no joke. Toodles!”
Lynch’s laughter erupts as I pull him out of the closet in our spare bedroom and shut the door on Romy’s shouts of protest.
Birdie was nice enough to install a portal in our New York penthouse as well as the cabin in Somerville to allow us to travel between both of our residences. After one too many times of portaling into awkward moments, Romy and I had both moved our mirrors into spare bedrooms. It’s been tough balancing my and Lynch’s duties as Betas of the Somerville pack and our roles within my father’s company, but with the help of a little magic, we’ve managed to make the last few years work.
The moment we’re alone, Lynch’s fingers close over the button on my jeans.
“Not so fast.” I push him away and pin him with a glare.
“Fine, fine. We’ll go slower,” he says, grinning, “But remember, you’re the one who asked for it. I was offering a quickie.”
I shake my head. “No funny business, Scruffs. I’m going to shower and get ready. You can get ready in the guest bathroom. We’re on a tight timeline and can’t be late for our rendezvous.”
“What’s so special about this party?” Lynch asks, genuine curiosity in his features. Surrounded by our friends all night, I didn’t have time to do more than mention my moonlight attack earlier.
I shrug as I slip out of my shoes. “I don’t know. My friend throws it every year.”
“Some friend if she’s never invited you.”
“Humans aren’t allowed to attend. I only became eligible in the last couple of years.”
Lynch chokes, and I glance up in confusion to find him wiping whiskey from his honey-colored beard.
“Are you talking about The Monster Ball?” he chokes out.
I pull the invitations from my back pocket and cross the room to hand them to him.
“Yeah,” I say with a quirk of my brow. “You’ve heard of it before?”
“Everyone’s heard of it, Trouble.” His eyes gleam in the city lights from our open wall of windows, and I smile at the excitement I see there. “It’s the party of the year for the supernatural community. I’ve always wanted to go. I hear the details that The Proprietor puts into her parties is the stuff of legend. I’ve always wondered how she was able to put together such elaborate celebrations in secret.”
I reach up onto my toes and place a kiss to his lips.
“Well, you can ask her yourself,” I tell him as I turn and head to our bedroom. “If you hurry up and get ready,” I call over my shoulder.
Lynch races to the spare bedroom, and laughter falls from my lips. I should’ve known those were the key words. Scruffs would do anything for a good party.
I shake my head and slip into the large bathroom attached to our suite. Time to get ready for the party of a lifetime.
“Whatcha doing there, Trouble?” Lynch’s gravelly voice sounds from just outside the closet, and I glance up from where I’m doing lunges to find him leaning against the door with a smirk.
I stand quickly, realizing how insane I must look as I contort in all directions in order to find the perfect dress.
The sound of ripping fabric echoes throughout the small space, and I frown as I take in the sight of the torn silk from where my Sai have pierced the gown. With a sigh, I rip the dress off and throw it on top of the pile of other dresses I’ve already discarded.
“I’m trying to find a dress that will hide my weapons,” I call over my shoulder. With my hands on my hips, I face the row of hanging gowns and try to remember where I put the red number I have in mind.
Lynch’s hands are on me in an instant, spinning me around and backing me into the rack of clothing. His eyes rake me over, and my pulse speeds at our closeness. Shit, we don’t have time for this. But damn, do I want to make time when he looks at me like that.
“Woman, you know what it does to me when you add weapons to your lingerie,” he growls.
I roll my eyes even as butterflies spring to life within me.
“Custom made to torture me,” he mutters against the column of my neck before peppering kisses along my collarbone.
I close my eyes as Lynch trails his nose up the side of my neck, his whiskers tickling the sensitive skin there. His teeth scrape against my shoulder, sending shivers of desire through me.
“You’re going to make us late, Scruffs,” I warn him even as my hands curl into his hair and pull him closer.
“Not even the prospect of attending The Monster Ball can make me pass up this moment with you, Trouble.”
“All right,” I tell him, using my leg to swipe his feet out from under him. Lynch lands on the pile of discarded dresses with a thud and gazes up at me with a heat that sets my soul on fire.
“Just remember, you asked for this,” I tell him right before I pounce.
CHAPTER 2
I hurry onto the balcony, breathless after the rush to get ready. My limbs still feel a little wobbly after the quickie in the closet, but damn if I’m going to complain. Lynch Foster knows exactly how to make me lose all control.
“Lynch, get your ass out here,” I say, glancing from the torn tickets in my hand to the moon that’s already risen high above us. Hopefully, them being slightly damaged doesn’t affect the magic in them, but I have a backup plan, anyway.
“I’m coming, woman.” His tone is impatient but also tinged with excitement. Before I can reply, he appears in the doorway, tux pressed and shoes gleaming. When my eyes finish their perusal, he winks at me. “You can’t rush this kind of perfection.” Then he finally registers my gown, and his eyes bulge as his mouth drops open. “Hot damn, you look delicious.”
I recognize that familiar gleam in his eye and back away, glaring. “Whoa, back off, marathon man. We don’t have time for another round.”
His gaze flicks to my thigh and the slit that exposes my bared leg yet still manages to hide my dagger. His eyes narrow, and I know he’s noticed the slight bunch of fabric where the hilt sticks out. “Is that a Sai or are you just happy to see me?”
I roll my eyes. “I’m serious, we don’t have time for another–”
The whir of a chopper grows louder until it drowns out my words completely.
Lynch steps closer, wrapping his arms around me and pulling my back against him so he can talk into my ear. “I thought the invitation said the moonlight will deliver us,” he says, frowning up at the sleek black helicopter hovering directly above us.
“Forgive me if I don’t trust magic these days,” I say, turning in his arms so I can look up at him. I bite the inside of my cheek as I think of the way Brody and his werebros used magic for douchey and nefarious purposes not so long ago. Not that A would do anything to hurt me, but my father spent my entire life training me to be self-sufficient and prepared for everything. ‘Always have your own transportation’ was one of his cardinal rules, along with ‘never leave home without lethal weapons,’ and ‘always carry a secret stash of bourbon.’
His strategies hadn’t failed me yet.
“You’re being paranoid again.” Lynch snatches his ticket out of my hand and looks expectantly down at it. When nothing happens, he brings the paper to his face and sniffs.
“We prefer to call it prepared in this family,” I say, shaking my head at the way Lynch runs his nose along the crumpled invite. “And at least I’m able to hide my crazy.”
Overhead, the helicopter noise dies down as the chopper lands on the roof and shuts off its engines. Our private access door is just down the hall, but I don’t move. Lynch is right. I need to give A’s way a chance. If that doesn’t work, the chopper has a spelled GPS system that can override any magic. Thanks to Birdie’s efforts, that baby can find any party, even the most glamoured ones. If A needs me, not a damn thing is keeping me away.
I owe her that.
Even if it means putting off my important conversation just a little longer.
Out of the corner of my eye, something sparkles, and I shove aside my own thoughts as I catch sight of a beam of moonlight shimmering brighter as it casts a wide beam over Lynch and me.
“Oh, shit, this is it.” Lynch grabs my hand and holds it tight.
A slight tremor runs through his body. I have a feeling part of it is out of some inkling of protectiveness, but mostly the weirdo is just out of his mind with excitement. My lips twitch at the wide-eyed look he wears as he leans into the moonbeam currently glowing brighter and bigger around us.
With my other hand, I grip my invitation while also doing one last pat-down of my torso and thighs to make sure I haven’t forgotten any weapons. When I’m satisfied, I brace myself and wait for the magic to zap us away or whatever the hell is supposed to happen.
After a moment of no movement, I sigh.
“It’s not working,” I say.
Lynch frowns. “What if you damaged the spell when you maimed the invites?”
He holds up his invitation, and I purposely don’t look at the rip where I impaled it with my knife earlier.
I scoff. “If A’s spell can’t handle a little wear and tear, she’s not as good as I think she is.”
Around us, the moonlight starts to fade, and I can feel Lynch’s panic in the way he squeezes my hand, cutting off my circulation.
“You know that I love you more than anything, but if I miss this party because of your crimes against these invitations, I’m going to have to–”
“Choose your words carefully, Scruffs. I’m loaded down with more weapons than a Die Hard movie, and I’m not afraid to use them.”
Lynch falls silent, and I smirk in satisfaction. But a second later, he tugs on my hand, and I realize he’s too busy disappearing to answer me. I watch as first his legs and then his torso vanish before my eyes. I can still feel his hand in mine but I can’t see it.
“What the actual fuck?” I say, and then a second later, my own body disappears too.
I stare wide-eyed at Lynch’s floating head. “What in the Ichabod Crane kind of shit is this?” I demand.
Lynch grins. “Baby, you’re a head above the rest.”
I groan.
“Maybe we’ll be ahead of the line?”
“No.” I roll my eyes.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
“Just stop.”
And he does–as a blinding flash silences us both. A second later, we’re both sucked away by whatever delayed magic has finally found us and stolen us.
My insides flip, and I hear Lynch groan as we tumble through some sort of portal. I have the sense of tumbling ass-over-elbows and am glad I didn’t eat anything earlier. But when the spinning stops, I open my eyes and find myself standing upright, Lynch’s hand still firmly gripping my own. A salty wind whips around us, a slight chill pricking at my bare skin. What this dress doesn’t cover, the salty air coats with a sticky layer of humidity.
I look over at Lynch, blinking to get my bearings, and see his hair ruffling in the breeze.
“You okay?” I ask, giving him a once-over for injuries.
“I think so.” He pats his hand down his own torso and then cups his man-parts. He sighs in obvious relief. “Yep, everything made it.”
I bark out a laugh of amusement and shake my head. “Why would that be the thing that didn’t make it?”
“One can never be too careful with his sex pistol,” he says earnestly. I want to laugh, but his brows furrow in confusion as he glances around. “Where the hell are we?”
We both turn to check out our surroundings. Underneath our feet, warped wooden boards creak as we move. The sound of ocean waves finally registers in my scattered brain, and I realize we’re surrounded on three sides by water. In the darkness, the land at our backs is obscured by a wall of fog. Or at least, I assume there’s land nearby. Who the hell knows?
Spires rise on either side of us, and behind us, the fog is so dense we’d never find our way out, making it clear that our only option is to move forward.
