KERRY WANTED TO continue kissing the scruffy leprechaun in front of her, but she didn’t feel right about it while her sister was missing. She knew Arden didn’t want to hear that his friend might be the culprit, but Kerry was positive only Quinn or Paddy could have done it. They’re the ones with the grudge as well as the magic. “I think we need to go out there and look around,” she told him.
He stared at her for a moment, and at first, she thought he would refuse to take her out to the faerie knolls, but after a couple of seconds that seemed like hours, he nodded once. “Okay. I still don’t think it’s Quinn, but I wouldn’t put anything past Paddy. That one was hit with a double dose of original sin, don’t you know.”
“Well, whichever one of them has my sister is going to get hit with a double dose of Kerry Underwood,” she vowed. “Now, are you going to take me out there or what?”
Arden just smiled, and even in her anger, the sight of his smile made her sex quiver. “I’ll take you. C’mon.”
Just as quick as they entered her room, they left.
The Daydreamer Inn butted right up against the woods, so Arden led her to the back of the building and past the first line of trees. “Off in the northeast of these woods is the Drakki Manor. They own Drakki Diamonds.” He paused a moment and turned to her with a mischievous glint in his eye. “They’re also dragons.” He chuckled as he turned back around and continued walking.
Kerry just stood there a moment, staring after him. Was he serious? Dragons? The innkeeper said a dragon lived in the basement of the inn. Was it the same dragon? If so, then why wasn’t he out at the manor in the woods with the rest of them? Why was she even standing there thinking about it? “I hate this town,” she mumbled, and then rushed to catch up with Arden.
Night swallowed them completely as they entered the forest, massive dogwoods and red oaks pointing to the darkening sky. Not even the lights from the town proper seemed to penetrate the thick woods. The wind rustled the leaves above them as their feet crunched the layers of twigs and fallen leaves on the spongy earth below. Kerry could smell the decaying under layers of the leaves that already blanketed the ground, heard the rustling of a scared fox as it darted off at their approach, felt the cool night air as it caressed her cheeks, tugging her blond hair. The night would have been romantic if it weren’t for the fact they were on their way to confront Quinn and Paddy about her sister.
“Besides dragons and leprechauns, who else lives out here?” she asked. She almost said what else, but figured that would be rude. The trees were close together, barely giving them room to walk. She couldn’t believe a dragon could manage getting around in these woods without ripping a huge path through them.
“Some of the smaller faeries, gnomes, a couple of hermits,” Arden said. “There are probably others, but out here, people tend to keep to themselves, following their own customs and traditions.” He turned and glanced at her as he grabbed the rough bark to walk around the giant dogwood. “It’s also quieter out here than back in town.” He turned back around and continued walking.
“So, basically, you’re saying that every creature I thought was a figment of fairy tales and children’s stories are real and live here in Black Hollow?” she asked as she followed him, stepping over a fallen limb on the ground. How does a town like Black Hollow stay hidden for so long in today’s technological age? That Adam guy she met yesterday must really know his shit.
“Pretty much. Medusa runs her own hair salon, a gargoyle is our police chief and runs a bar, and a yeti runs the ice cream store. Hell, we even have ghosts as librarians. It’s safe for them here.” He stopped, turning back to face her, his expression soft, hopeful. “It would be safe for you, as well.” He shrugged. “You know, in case you were looking for a change or something.” He gave her a sheepish smile and then turned back around.
Kerry stood there for a second, watching his strong back walk away, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. His words pulled at her heart, stirring things inside of her that she didn’t even know needed stirring. Arden McCarthy was everything she wanted in a man, and more than she ever expected to find. They had only been around each other for two days, and most of that had been her acting the mouthy investigator. Yet, she couldn’t help but admit she found him more than attractive. When she wasn’t focused on finding her sister, she found her panties a puddle of heat just thinking about the man in front of her.
She took a deep breath and started to follow him. Could she make such a drastic move? She didn’t know anything about Arden. Not really, anyway. Not enough to even consider moving her world to Black Hollow to be with him. Yet, that’s exactly what she found herself doing. A buzzing sounded in her ear, and she swatted at the fly, ducking under a low-hanging branch as she did.
Kerry was about to ask how much further, when she heard angry voices in the air. Two men, at least, by the sound of it.
Arden held a finger to his lips, urging her to silence, as they eased through the trees toward the argument.
Kerry did her best to walk quietly behind him, but with the branches and dry leaves on the ground, it was hard not to give the arguers warning they approached. However, the men in a screaming match were too busy making their violent points to each other to notice someone walking up on them.
Arden stopped, gesturing her to do the same, as they neared the edge of a small clearing.
Kerry stepped up beside him, taking in the sight before her. Small, mushroom shaped mounds rose slightly out of the ground, a tiny wooden door in front of each, and a small window on the right or left side of each door. The mounds weren’t large, barely two feet off the ground, and they slanted downward into the earth. Walkways of odd-shaped stones made a path toward each front door, and some of the small mounds had tiny chimneys in the middle with smoke drifting out. She leaned close to Arden’s ears. “Aren’t those a little small even for leprechauns?”
He shook his head. “That’s only what’s on the surface,” he told her. “The knolls go down into the ground where an entire house exists. Each of the homes are the same, basically. Stone walls, no doors inside, and simple wooden furniture.” He turned and smiled at her. “Leprechauns and cluricauns would rather spend money on ale or whiskey than comfortable chairs and beds.”
“No wonder none of you have any females,” she said. “Women like more than just booze.”
He laughed. “That’s also why I live in the city proper. I prefer more than a place to pass out.” He glanced back to the two tiny men fighting in front of one of the mounds. “I want a life that thrives beyond the myth.”
Kerry stared at him for a moment, her heart aching at his tone. She could hear the need in his voice, and it moved her to want to give him that life. She reached out to touch his arm, wanting to assure him that all was well, when he stepped forward suddenly. “What the hell?” he asked as he moved out of their hiding spot. “That’s Quinn and Paddy fighting with each other.” He moved almost too fast for Kerry to keep up, her breath coming out as a sigh at the lost moment.
She turned and followed him, her focus on the two tiny men in front of them. Quinn was screaming at Paddy, who merely stood there, hands on his hips as he laughed at the leprechaun. Kerry tried to focus on their words, but the expression on Quinn’s face was murderous. If she was Paddy, she would have been fearful, not laughing.
“What the hell is going on here?” Arden called out as he neared the other two.
Paddy turned to face them, his mouth open to say something, but he never got the chance. Quinn struck out, his fist connecting with the cluricaun’s jaw.