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  “You sound like my mom. Is that the point?” I wasn’t used to guys like Clyde. I’d grown up alongside the royal members of The Society, the highest paranormal elite there was. None of them worried about water or proper clothing choices.

  “I’m here with an invitation.”

  “An invitation?” I arched an eyebrow.

  “An invitation to a whole new world, man. I’m telling you, this is the real deal.”

  “It sounds like you’re offering me drugs or a prostitute. I don’t want either.”

  He laughed. “Good one. That’s a good one, man.”

  “Does that mean the invitation is for something else?”

  “Let’s just say I have some capital for an investment that can’t go wrong.”

  “Oh yeah? An investment that can’t go wrong? Sounds likely.” I crossed my arms. I was getting impatient.

  “What does Coleville lack?”

  “Good seafood.”

  “Come on, seriously. What don’t we have that every other town out there has?”

  “Get to the point, Clyde. I don’t have all day.”

  He shifted his weight from foot to foot. He was wearing cowboy boots. As if the hat wasn’t enough. “A bar.”

  “We have a bar. It’s just not running.”

  “Exactly. We need to reopen it.”

  “And you want my help?”

  “Yes. You don’t have to contribute any money. Like I said, I have the capital.”

  “Then what do you need me for?”

  “Your presence. You know how much everyone in town loves you. They’ll sign anything if you’re in on it.”

  “I see. You want my influence.”

  “Maybe.” He shoved his hands in his back pockets.

  I looked at the kid. He wasn’t technically a kid at twenty-two, but he seemed so young. I was only a few years older, but I’d been through enough to make those years seem a hell of a lot longer. “What’s in it for me?”

  “Free booze, access to the hottest spot in town, and of course the money.”

  “There’s no money in Coleville. We both know that.”

  “There’s some, and we’ll bring in more. We need to make Coleville the hottest tourist destination this side of Denver.”

  “The only way to make Coleville that way would be to develop a ski resort. I doubt your capital is going to get you that far.”

  “This is only the start.”

  “I need to think about it.” I didn’t. I wanted nothing to do with his little bar, but I also wanted to get on with my day.

  “All right. That’s fair. Call me when you’re ready.”

  “Sure thing.”

  He tipped his hat. “See you around. Looking forward to doing business with you.”

  “I never said I was going to.”

  “No. But I’ll make that maybe a yes.” He hurried off back to his truck.

  He wasn’t a bad kid, just over eager, I reminded myself as I walked back behind the cabin. I waited until I heard his truck pull out toward the road before transforming. I always felt better with my wings out.

  I took off into the sky, my long black wings taking me higher than the tree line. Luckily altitude sickness doesn’t bother Pterons. We once shifted into crows, but evolution had different plans. We’ve been spotted a few times, and people seem to think we look like fallen angels. We aren’t angels—fallen or not.

  There was nothing that could compare to the feel of flight; the wind rushing around my wings, the sensation of weightlessness, and the knowledge that all of my troubles and worries were miles below me. I’d been flying since I was a kid, but I knew I’d never get tired of it. My wings were part of me. They represented my strength. In a perfect world I’d never have to hide them, but this world wasn’t perfect. Not by a long shot.

  I landed down by a small stream high in the mountains. I left my wings out. There was no one around for miles.

  I started walking with no destination in mind. I usually didn’t have one. Maybe getting involved in Clyde’s plan wasn’t a bad idea. I needed something to do, and a reason to keep me from going back to New Orleans. I wasn’t ready to face my real life yet.

  I noticed a pop of color on the other side of the stream. I walked around the long way.

  I bent down and touched the stem of the pretty purple flower. “A daisy. A wild daisy.” Just saying the name of the flower brought me back to the kiss again, back to my Daisy. At least that’s what I thought of her as. I didn’t know where she was. She could have been married by now for all I knew, but I’d still always think of her that way.

  I’d never told my friends about the kiss. They made fun of me enough. I didn’t need to add fuel to the fire, but I got the sense that my friend Jared knew that the girl meant something to me. It would be easy to find her if I’d bothered to ask for her last name, but finding her again had been the least of my worries that night. I had needed her to promise to stay quiet and keep our secrets.

  I released the flower. There was no reason to pick it just so it could die. I turned and headed back the way I came still thinking about Daisy and one long ago kiss.

  Chapter Five

  Daisy

  Owen was gone. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks as I wandered around the quarter. I glanced at my watch. It was eight-thirty. Technically I still had time to meet Evan for drinks. I debated with myself. I had no interest in seeing him, but my conscience wouldn’t let me completely stand him up. It wasn’t the poor guy’s fault he’d fallen victim to magic. I knew the feeling. After a few minutes of deliberation, I decided to leave him a note. That was the polite yet smart thing to do.

  I hesitated for a moment before stepping into the Old Absinthe House. There was always the chance he was there early. My escape plan was to get lost in the crowd. I’d probably attract more attention, and I’d get away that way.

  Someone knocked into me on their way into the bar, so I finally walked inside. I pushed through the crowd, looking down to avoid catching anyone’s eyes and headed straight for the bar.

  I pulled out a pen and scrawled a note on a cocktail napkin. I waited for the bartender to notice me.

  “Can I get you something?” the female bartender asked with a smile.

  I handed her the napkin. “If a guy comes in looking for a girl named Daisy, could you give this to him?”

  “Sure.” She read over my sloppy note. “Poor guy.”

  “Nah, he’s luckier this way.” I headed for the door.

  “Leaving already?” A male voice asked from behind me.

  I groaned internally. Of course he’d show up early. I turned around slowly and came face to face with Evan. “I left you a note.”

  “Looks like you won’t need it.”

  I sighed. “Would you do me a favor?”

  “Sure,” he replied way too eagerly.

  “Could you let me off the hook? I’m having a bad night, and I have a big day tomorrow.” If I could avoid having to use the escape plan I’d prefer it.

  “Instead of letting you off the hook, why don’t I help make things better? I’m a good listener.”

  “No thanks.”

  “Come on. Just have a drink with me.” His eyes were hungry, and his voice had lost the lightness from earlier.

  “Leave her alone.”

  I glanced around the dark bar for the source of the female voice. The only person looking at me was a girl wearing a hoodie sweatshirt with the hood up. She was sitting at a nearby table with two guys. One had a hood on as well. The other had on sunglasses.

  I glanced from the girl in the hoodie back to Evan. “I’m going to go.”

  He touched my arm. “Just one drink.”

  “She said no.” The girl in the hoodie stood up and headed toward us. She pushed off her hood when she reached us. I blinked a few times. This girl was gorgeous. Her long black hair fell down her back in waves and her brown eyes were surrounded by lush, almost impossibly long eyelashes. She was the kind of gorgeous
that makes movie stars look plain. She looked to be in her early to mid-twenties, maybe a year or two older than me. “I’d love it if you could leave her alone.”

  Evan’s face went blank, and he started nodding. “Okay.” He backed away from us.

  “Thanks.” I looked over my shoulder to where Evan was hightailing it from the bar. That had been far too easy. I guess the words of a drop-dead gorgeous girl could cut through the effect of Seduction’s Kiss.

  “No problem.” She smiled lightly. “He seemed to be coming on pretty strong.”

  “I tend to attract those kind of guys, but I’m sure you deal with it even more.” A girl who looked like that would have to be used to it.

  “I have my share.” She seemed to be studying my face. “Come join us. We don’t come on too strong.”

  I followed her gaze to the table she’d just left. The guys were now looking at me. Neither had a hood or sunglasses on anymore.

  “We’ve got a pitcher we don’t mind sharing.”

  “Oh that’s okay.” I replied while squinting to get a better look at the guys now that they were showing their faces. They stared back at me with broad smiles. They each had that same ethereal beauty that she had—although more masculine with those chiseled features that make a man classically handsome.

  The girl pulled my attention back. “There’s nothing in the pitcher if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  “That’s not what I was worried about.” I was concerned about that, but the simple answer would be not to drink. I just wasn’t sure whether I wanted to socialize with anyone.

  “Hugh, come over here please,” the girl said in a sing song voice.

  One of the guys stood up and walked over. He had light brown hair that he wore slightly long. He’d been the one wearing the sunglasses. “Hi there.”

  The girl turned to him. “She doesn’t want to sit with us.”

  Hugh narrowed his eyes at me. “Why not? You don’t think we’re worth your time?”

  “It’s not that,” I found myself explaining quickly. “I was getting ready to leave.”

  “Just come sit for a few minutes.” Hugh reached out and took my hand. “I promise we don’t bite.”

  There was something hypnotic about the way he spoke that made it impossible for me to say no. I nodded. “Sure. I can do that.”

  Hugh pulled out a chair for me at the table. “Roland, this is…? What did you say your name was?”

  “Daisy.” I snapped out of my trance after my name left my lips.

  “Pretty name. It looks like we have another flower, Violet.”

  “Your name is Violet?” I looked closer at the dark haired beauty.

  “Uh huh. We do have names in common.”

  What was I doing? Why was I sitting here chatting with these people? They had some strange pull on me that made me immediately nervous. Now that I knew non-humans existed, I was wary of anyone who made me feel strange.

  “Where are you from?” Roland asked. “Wait. Let me guess.”

  “Okay…”

  “Milwaukee.”

  “Nope.”

  “Hmmm. How about Cincinnati?”

  “No, listen to her accent. She’s southern.” Violet patted my arm. “Is it Alabama?”

  “I’m from North Carolina.”

  “Oh, I was going to guess that next.” Roland pushed out his chair slightly.

  “Where are you guys from?”

  “Originally?” Violet asked.

  “Sure.” I didn’t notice a trace of an accent on any of them so far.

  “I barely remember anymore.”

  “I guess you move around a lot?” Either that or the girl was being overdramatic.

  “Constantly. Who wants to stay in one place?” Hugh leaned back in his chair. “No matter how great a city or town is, it always gets boring.”

  “Even the best people eventually get boring.” Roland sat up straight. “But not you. I bet you never get boring.”

  “I do. Trust me.”

  “What’s your story?” Violet turned to me.

  “My story?”

  “Yeah. Why are you attracting guys like that? What kind of witchcraft are you mixed up in?”

  My body froze for the tenth time that day. “You can tell?”

  “Yes.” Violet smiled. “Of course we can.”

  I was right. There was something strange at work. I should have known by the way she’d sent Evan running from the bar. I’d managed to survive a vampires’ nest. How much worse could these people be? “You’re the first people to get that.”

  “That’s because we’re not average people.” Hugh smirked.

  “Meaning?” I tried to keep the nerves out of my voice. I had to play it cool. This might be my only chance to find out more about Owen.

  “We can’t talk about it here.”

  “Why not?” I looked around. No one was paying attention to us at all.

  “We can’t, but maybe you could tell us why you have magic on you.”

  “Not until you tell me how you know.”

  Violet sighed. “You’re upset. I could tell from the moment you walked in. Is it all because of that guy?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “And I’m fine.”

  “Let it go, Violet.” Roland crossed his arms. “If she doesn’t want to talk about it, she doesn’t have to.”

  “But then we can’t help her.” Violet narrowed her eyes.

  “We can help her later. Right now we can talk about something else.” Roland slid his chair slightly closer to mine.

  “What else do you want to talk about?” As strange as this meeting was, I found I was fascinated by them. The thought of walking away from the table seemed like an impossible task. Besides, they were willing to acknowledge a paranormal world existed. They might be more willing to help than Levi.

  “You.” Roland looked right at me. “Let’s talk about you.”

  “That’s not going to be a particularly interesting conversation.”

  “Sure it is.” Violet crossed her legs. She was wearing boot cut jeans that fit her like a glove.

  “It isn’t. If you knew the half of it you’d think I was crazy.” Had I just said that out loud?

  “Then tell us all of it. If half the story would make us think you were crazy, the full story might just convince us that you’re sane. That’s the problem. People never wait to hear someone out before making judgments.” Roland sipped his beer.

  “That makes sense. Kind of.”

  “You’ll get used to Roland.” Violet leaned in. “He likes to think he’s deeply philosophical.”

  “Who says I only think it?”

  “Everyone who matters. Even the girls who hang on your every word are only doing it because of your pretty face,” Hugh taunted.

  “Daisy sees me for more than that.” Roland put a hand on the table in front of me. “Don’t you?”

  “Oh yeah sure.”

  Violet laughed. “I was right. She isn’t affected!”

  “I think she is a little, but not like other people.” Hugh refilled his cup. “It’s like she can turn it off when she wants to.”

  “Are you affected?” Violet touched my arm. “Just a little?”

  “What are you talking about?” I stared blankly.

  “You didn’t seem surprised when we hinted we weren’t average people, does that mean you could tell we were different?” Violet asked.

  “You’re hard to stay away from.”

  “But you’re talking to us coherently.” Hugh leaned in.

  “Yeah, but her eyes got hazy a few times,” Roland added.

  “I did feel like I was in a haze before, but then it went away.” I went with honesty. I wanted answers from them, and hopefully if I showed some of my cards they’d show some too.

  Violet pursed her lips. “So it affects her initially, but she can get rid of it. Interesting.”

  “Maybe we should experiment,” Hugh said excitedly. Someone should not get excited when
talking about experimenting on another person.

  “No thanks.”

  Roland laughed. “Don’t worry, we’re not going to hurt you.”

  “No offense, but you saying that doesn’t change anything. I don’t know you guys.”

  “Are you attracted to us?” Roland asked.

  “Oh. You guys are definitely attractive, but I’m not ready to jump you or anything.”

  Violet clapped her hands. “This is fantastic! The initial fogginess you described will go away. I’m sure of it.”

  “This is a new level of low. People are clapping because I don’t want them.”

  Roland laughed. “And she even has a great sense of humor. Perfect.”

  “What’s perfect?”

  “Don’t mind Roland.” Hugh refilled his glass with beer. “Are you ready to tell us more about why you were upset?”

  “How did you know about the magic?” I needed to know what they were. Knowing they were more than human wasn’t enough.

  “We can sense it.”

  “Can you sense other paranormal things?”

  Violet looked over her shoulder. “We should get out of here if we’re going to talk about this.”

  “Where can we talk?”

  “I’ll show you.” She stood up. “Sorry you never got a drink.”

  “Don’t worry. I didn’t need one.”

  She laughed. “I like you.”

  “That’s good… I think.”

  “It is.” She stood up.

  “That doesn’t mean I’m leaving with you.” I wanted information, but I wasn’t a complete idiot.

  “You have to.”

  “I don’t have to do anything.” I crossed my arms.

  Violet leaned over. “Do you want to know what we are?”

  I nodded.

  “Then come. We’re not going to hurt you.”

  “How do I know?”

  “You don’t.” Hugh shook his head. “But what’s the alternative? You reek of boredom and misery.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  “What he means is that we can tell you want answers. We might have them, but you’re going to have to trust us.”

  “Trusting people never works out well for me.”

  “Suit yourself.” Hugh turned his back.

  I knew I should have stayed exactly where I was, but what if these people could help me find Owen? I’d already spent two years going mad looking for him. How much worse could things get? “Fine.”