Page 10 of Newly Undead in Dark River

We searched the area together once more and then decided to call it a night. I felt emotionally raw, but somewhere in my emotional explosion, I had made a decision. I wouldn't risk my family and friends lives. If I were just declared missing, they would eventually move on. I needed to do what was best for all of us, and having their blood on my hands would haunt me for eternity. Literally.

I was silent on the ride back to town, lost in my own thoughts. I knew I'd have to make a decision this year, but I thought it would be about whether to join a sorority, or whether to do pre-med or pre-law.

“I've made my decision,” I said into the silence of the police cruiser.

Walker didn't take his eyes off the road. “Yes?”

“I've decided I want to break from my old life and live in Dark River if you will have me. Even though, somewhere, one of them could possibly be my maker, I can't spend my life in fear. So, make me pledge allegiance, or reciteI'm A Little Teacupnaked, or whatever the process is, so I can start moving on from this shit storm.”

I let the anger bubble up under my skin. All my life I had been the good girl, the peacemaker, and look where I ended up. My new life was going to be different. I was going to be different. I wasn't going to be obedient, I wasn't going to conform. I was going to be who I was supposed to be, the person I'd buried deep beneath social expectations. Because you only live once, well twice, and I wasn't going to spend eternity being a doormat.

Chapter Four

When we'd finally gotten back to town, Walker pulled up in front of a bakery. The lights inside the Immortal Cupcake Bakery were blazing, and as I stood on the footpath, I fell in love.

The bakery had split windows, the bottom half intricate leadlight designs in the shape of the sun rising over the ocean, and the top was normal glass. The other window had a panorama of golden horses running across a green meadow, and the detail took my breath away. They were works of art.

Once you stepped through the heavy oak door, with its ornate lion’s head door knocker, you stepped into the heavenly aroma of freshly baked cookies. Straight in front of the door, were large glass cabinets filled with every delectable pastry you could think of. Cookies were stacked high in jars, perfectly frosted cupcakes sat like sculptures on sliding racks. Danishes and individual fruit pies sat side by side next to the world's most ornate chocolate cake. Fresh breadsticks were packed into wicker baskets, and crusty baguettes were filled with meat and salads and wrapped in decorative paper and tied with a string.

I'd just died and come to carb heaven. Walker gave me a little nudge, and I walked between the tables. I noticed an archway, and through it were floor to ceiling bookcases, jammed with everything from romance novels to leather-bound tomes. A gold railing ran across the top of the cases, a shiny mahogany ladder hooking over it.

“I'm really dead, aren’t I? Because I'm pretty sure this place can't possibly exist outside of heaven.”

“I don't know about that. My devil’s food cake is positively sinful,” someone laughed beside me. Wow, these people were really stealthy. I turned to look at a shortish woman, with curling red hair that stuck up at odd angles on her head. She looked Irish, with her shining blue eyes and ruddy skin. Maybe in her mid-twenties, but I knew she would be far older than that. Her teeth were slightly crooked, but her smile was wide and warm.

Walker leaned over and kissed the woman on the cheek. “Mika, I'd like you to meet Angeline. Owner, operator, and baking goddess of this little piece of temptation.” There was genuine warmth in his tone, and I briefly wondered if he and Angeline were a couple. Jealousy surged within me before I realized how stupid that would be. This was a small town, and if Doc Alice was right, it was a small town full of people with overactive sex drives. Did I honestly think Walker had been sitting around waiting for me to die? Plus, there was something about Angeline that made me want to hug her. Maybe it was that she smelled of sugar and chocolate. But I wanted to be friends with her. I knew that instantly.

“I think I might love you,” I blurted out. “This place is amazing.” Angeline laughed, and it was warm and deep.

“And you haven't even tried mymille-feuilleyet. Usually, the declarations of love come after that.” They must have been good because Walker let out a little groan of appreciation. She plucked a cupcake out of the case. It had an impossibly high buttercream crown, complete with shiny silver sugar sprinkles. When she handed it to me, I could only stare.

“One for the road. Let me show you around.” She walked through the archway. “Walker tells me that you are considering staying in Dark River, and as such, would need a job within the town. I just happen to need a projectionist/librarian for the shop. Now that I bake all the bread for Bert and Beatrice's diner, I don't have as much time as I did. I'm run off my feet.” She stopped and eyed me still gazing reverently at the cupcake. “Don't just stare at it, take a bite, Sweetie. The real magic is in the first mouthful.”

I did what I was told, peeling back the delicate foil paper and taking a large bite. I let out a moan that resounded around the room. “Oh. My. Freaking. God. This tastes like unicorns vomited rainbows and carebears onto my tongue, and everyone is having a party. This is the best thing I have ever put in my mouth.” I wasn't exaggerating. I took another slow bite, savoring the taste and then another. And another. Angeline and Walker waited patiently for me to finish eating. Walker looked amused and reached out to wipe pink icing off my nose.

“I'll do it.”

Both Walker and Angeline looked confused. “Do what, Sweetpea?” Angeline, the baking goddess, asked.

“Whatever you want. Be your librarian/projectionist, sell you my kidneys, give you my firstborn, whatever you want. Just pay me in cupcakes.” Angeline laughed and rubbed my back.

“That won't be necessary. I'll pay you a real wage. It'll be small, but you can have the apartment above the store for free. I lived there up until a few years ago, when I decided I wanted a little cabin out in the woods where I could enjoy nature.”

Walker scoffed. “Little cabin, my butt. Your place has an industrial kitchen and a jacuzzi in nearly every room.”

Angeline punched Walker's arm. “Who said I couldn't enjoy nature in a bubbling outdoor hot tub set at a perfect 104 degrees?”

As they bantered, I looked around the room. Apart from the books that lined the walls, there was a large white screen taking up the entire back wall, bracketed by deep red velvet curtains. A state of the art projector was fixed to the roof. Behind me was an open fire that smoldered low in the grate. I breathed a heavy sigh. I could be happy here.

“I'll do it. I can't thank you enough.” I gave in to the urge and hugged her tightly. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and hugged me back.

“No need to thank me. It's what we do here in Dark River,” she said warmly. “Now, I was going to offer you the apartment, regardless of whether you took the job or not, so the townspeople have pulled together a few things to help you on your way into a new life. Just little things, clothes, shoes, some toiletries, and makeup. I took most of my kitchenware with me, so Bert and Beatrice gave you some of their old stuff, some old pots and pans. However, all my furniture is still up there, so you should be fine for now. If you want to change anything, go ahead. It's your home now.” She pulled a set of keys out of her apron and handed them to me.

Tears welled in my eyes, and I worried I was going to break down right here in the shop. But I'd embarrassed myself enough for one day, so I blinked rapidly and just muttered a thank you. Angeline patted my arm gently. “Think nothing of it. Now go check out your new digs. Just go through the kitchen and up the backstairs. There's a back entrance as well, so you don't have to traipse through the shop all the time.”

She shooed me away and went to serve a customer who had been waiting patiently. I didn't blame him. I would wait an eternity for one of Angeline's cupcakes.

At the back of the kitchen were internal stairs that led to the second story. A security door at the top made sure no one could just wander back from the store and into the apartment.

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