Page 31 of Curvy Alpha Bride
“Yes, son,” she replies, smiling and patting my cheek. “We’re just creatures of habit, is all. It’s tradition to be inside before full dark, and not leave shelter until dawn.”
“On a new moon?”
“Any night, really. But especially a new moon.”
“Why? Is that when the town would most likely be attacked?”
“Yes, son.”
“By Gryphon Eyrie?”
I lay the last question down like a challenge. The war with Eyrie should be the only thing they need to defend against, so my question isn’t needed, but I’m hoping to dig deeper into the mystery.
“Of course,” Finnah says tersely. “Hurry and pack your things now. Even though we’re safe, it will take time for us to let go of these old superstitions.”
As she finishes talking, Finnah looks up towards the nearby peaks. I see a shiver run through her.
Whenever we talk about danger, everyone looks up towards Kootenai Peak. But Gryphon Eyrie is in the other direction.
“Isn’t it wonderful?” Dove asks, coming over to me with her arm around Mabel. “We don’t have to be scared anymore because of you!”
“Yes, honey,” Mabel says, stroking Dove’s hair. “We’ll protect you. No more of these silly rules. You can stay up late, even on a new moon night.”
Dove’s eyes brighten, and she hugs Mabel. “Thank you for being our luna! You’ve changed our lives forever.”
I have to look away from the exchange, because all I can think about is how Mabel is planning to leave and is currently lying through her teeth.
I help the others pack up, keeping an eye on Mabel the whole time. She looks so happy and comfortable, it’s even harder for me to believe this is an act.
As the last of the light finally drains out of the sky, I get in the car with Mabel to drive back to the cabin, and I can’t dousethe hope in my heart that maybe, just maybe, she could decide to stay.
Chapter 11 - Mabel
All the way home with Xavier, I feel uneasy. The way the mood shifted so suddenly at the party sets my nerves on edge and enhances the strange behavior of all the people in town.
Even though Xavier’s explanation for the lack of children makes sense, somehow it doesn’t ring true. And I don’t think he believes it, either.
By the time we get to the cabin, the darkness is so dense, I can barely see the tree line. An aura of menace hangs over the valley, so powerful that claws seem to be reaching for me out of the shadows.
This place is creeping me the fuck out on every level. No matter the circumstances, I couldn’t stay here longer than a week. So much for a relaxing vacation.
As we go inside, I spare a moment to wonder if Iris Porter is completely off her rocker. She looks like the most together woman I’ve ever seen, but maybe that’s just how she hides her crazy.
“I’ll get a fire going,” Xavier says. “And get the stuff out of the car. I forgot to get groceries, but we still have all the gifts from the townsfolk.”
“Sounds good,” I answer. “I think I’ll make some hot chocolate.”
While I go to the kitchen, Xavier goes back out to get some wood and unload the car. Even though the scene feels normal, maybe even homey, I can feel the tension bubbling under the surface.
I have to ask him about this. If we are both getting seriously bad vibes from this place, we should talk about it. We might end up laughing it off.
As I heat the milk and stir up two large mugs of chocolate and sugar, I know that’s extremely unlikely, but I still want to hope that my feelings of dread are not based on actual fact.
Xavier has the fire roaring by the time I bring the hot chocolate over to the living room, and he’s opened a gift basket of biscuits and cakes. For a few minutes, we sit quietly, enjoying the food, and I feel my nerves beginning to settle.
“I also found this,” Xavier says, pulling out a small, pretty glass bottle filled with pale amber liquid.
“What is it?”
