Magic, New Mexico: A Touch of Curiosity (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read online

  Chapter Three

  Cé flung open his eyes to bright sunlight. Pain shot through his body as if he was down in Palmer’s hell hole being tortured.

  It hadn’t been a dream. He wasn’t at sea. He lay in the shade of an arid pink and rocky landscape. His head was cradled on something soft. He stared up at a woman with brown hair pulled back into a queue, and she had brown-colored spectacles covering her eyes.

  She brushed his hair off his hot face. “I’m sorry, I’m so so so sorry. Are you okay?” Her voice was feminine and desperate.

  He realized she cradled his head in her lap. Her complexion was tanned, and he could count the freckles across her pert nose. He was surprised that she didn’t use mercuric salt and rice powder to hide her imperfections like most gentle bred English women. But she didn’t seem to have the slightest care. She pulled out a handkerchief and poured water onto it from a flimsy clear bottle.

  He’d learned long ago that kindness was never given freely. He raised himself up on his elbows. “Bloody hell, what the hell did ye to do to me?”

  She blushed, turning her brown cheeks to a warm ruddy. “I...I...I was performing a spell that didn’t go very well. I heard somebody scream and lost concentration. I didn’t mean to drop you.”

  Lord, he hoped the damn spider hadn’t snatched anyone else. Unless of course, it was Palmer—the cod-sucker. He lifted his eyebrow. “Yer a witch?”

  She lowered her head. “I’m afraid I’m not a very good one.”

  “Dona worry. I’ll survive.” He slowly pushed himself to a sitting position with the lass trying to help him. A scent of saturating sweet confections overwhelmed him and made his stomach shift uneasily. “God, what is that smell?”

  She stiffened, and her face turned five shades of red. “I’ve been hiking, and I can’t—”

  He shook his head. “I dona mean ye.” He sniffed. “It smells as if honey smothered this valley.” He looked at her. “Dona ye smell it?”

  She avoided his eyes. “I guess so.”

  Cé had seen that guilty look too many times. Every time a fool lost his wages in the gambling hall. He didn’t know what she was hiding, but she was hiding something. “What’s yer name, lass?”

  “Pandora Athens. Yes, my mom was into Greek Mythology.”

  “I dinna say anything. ’Tis a name to be proud of. My name’s Jackman. Cé Jackman.”

  “Nice to meet you.”

  She dabbed his back with the cloth, and although it stung, he’d liked her soft touch.

  Her smile melted the pain better than the rag she used to mop his face. It had been so long since anyone had cared about him. This little witch must want something. He sighed. He’d soon find out. He swallowed, but his throat was drier than this desert. He looked at the bottle filled with water lying slumped over on the dirt and licked his parched lips. “Can I have some water?”

  “Yes, yes.” She grabbed her bag and pulled on a tiny lever that made a zzzz sound. He’d never seen anything like this. She reached in and pulled out another clear bottle with a white cap.

  He examined it. “How do ye open it?”

  She blinked. “You don’t know how?” She chuckled as she took it and twisted the cap. “Here.”

  He took it, and this time, he did a double take. He had seen all kinds of women: all shapes, all sizes, with or without corsets, silks, and buntings, that suggested seductive, chaste, and flirtatious...but this one was shamefully dressed, only wearing a shift and a man’s cut-off trousers. Not even Captain Kane O’Brien’s woman would wear such revealing attire. It had been three lonely months since he’d been to port, and he had to fight every pirately depravity not to take the lass. “Why are ye out here half-naked?” His husky voice shook with desire.

  “Excuse me?”

  “’Tis na proper for a lady to wear only a shift and cut-up men’s breeches.”

  She stiffened. “For one thing, it’s over a hundred degrees. And this is not a shift. It’s a tank top, and these are not cut-up trousers—they’re shorts. Why are you dressed like a pirate? Did you just come from a Halloween Party? It’s the middle of July.”

  “I dona celebrate such pagan festivals. I am a pirate.” He took a long swig of the water. It didn’t have the normal, bitter sediments, and it was cool and fresh. He’d never tasted anything so pure.

  She frowned. “You’re putting me on. You’re not from around here, are you?”

  He put the bottle down that he’d accidentally crushed in his hand. He’d never encountered anything so delicate. “I am from the seventeenth century, if you must know.”

  “Really? That’s pretty cool. How’d you get here?”

  “Yer not surprised?”

  “No, this is Magic, New Mexico. Strange things happen everyday. So, how’d you get here?”

  “A demon’s time spider flung me through time.” He looked around, hoping the beast wasn’t hiding in the dark shadows.

  “A time spider?” She scanned the canyon. “It must have been big.”

  Her voice was uneasy, and he’d no doubt she’d run screaming if she saw the beastie. Not wanting to think of it, he asked, “Can ye get me back home?”

  She hesitated. “I don’t know. I’d have to look in my spell book. You like being a pirate?”

  “I have unfinished business there.”

  “What will you do if you finish it?”

  The corner of Cé’s mouth lifted into a bitter smile. “I’d give anything to be given a chance to be a carpenter again, to be a man.”

  “You don’t like being a vampire?”

  “Ye ask many questions.”

  “Oh, sorry. My curiosity always gets me into trouble. Are you missing a silver box?”

  “No. Why?”

  “Just wondering.”

  She was holding something back, and he needed to see her eyes. He had talent for knowing when someone was lying. “Is there something wrong with the sun? Why do you hide your eyes?”

  “Oh, these are sunglasses.” She took them off. “They shield your eyes from the sun’s rays.”

  Instead of being shifty, her eyes were the gentlest, curious brown he’d ever seen. He was tempted to count the patch of freckles on her cheeks. He wanted to gaze into those warm eyes, but then she put her glasses back on, dousing the warmth. “Can you walk?”

  Cé glanced at his bloody legs. “I can. Slowly.” If he had to, he could change into a bat and fly.

  She clutched his arm. “I’ll help you.”

  “Thanks.” He didn’t need help, but he liked her walking next to him. He pretended to lean against her. ’Twas not a total lie. His legs hadn’t completely healed, and each time he took a step on the rocky path, pain jarred up through them. He took deep breaths as if his lungs couldn’t get enough air. Agony throbbed in his side. He must have a couple of broken ribs. Hell, he was a bloody mess.

  Halfway up, he put his hand on the wall. “Wait a minute. I need to catch my breath.”

  “Your color is pale.”

  “Dona worry, lass.” At least, he hoped he would heal.

  “Take as long as you need.”

  He inhaled deeper. “At least the damn sickening stench is gone.”

  “You’re right. It’s gone.”

  “What grows here that’s so sickly sweet?”

  “Nothing. I’ve never smelled anything like that.” Her voice faded, and she wrinkled her nose.

  There it was again. She was lying. He wanted to call her out, but he inhaled her feminine scent—a budding rose. For once, he didn’t want to think of lies. Her cheeks reminded him of the soft petals of a pink rose. A glisten of sweat seeped down between the valley of her breasts and the tank top—as she called it—hugged her amble bosoms, and thin waist, leaving nothing to a man’s imagination. Her attire was more revealing than the brothel whores’, and she claimed this was normal dress for woman. This was definitely a strange land where temptation ruled and a man had to battle his demons to keep from taking what he wanted. And he wante
d his sexy little rescuer.

  Unease swept over him, and he eyed her suspiciously. “Where are we going?”

  “To my SUV. It’s parked in the lot nearby.”

  “What’s an SUV?”

  “It’s a car.” She held up her palm. “A type of carriage.”

  “Grand. I dona think I could walk much further.”

  “Let me help you.”

  Pain throbbed in his back. He shook his head. “No magic.”

  “I promise.” She saluted him. “Scout’s honor—no magic.”

  He wasn’t sure he totally believed her. “No tricks.”

  “I said I wouldn’t,” she said, as she slipped his arm over her slender shoulder.

  He tried not to bear too much weight on her, but his misery intensified, and he slumped next her. She wavered but braced her boots, and side by side, they edged along the trail. Sweltering heat beat down on him, and he wanted another bottle of water out of her knapsack, but being indebted to someone was not of his nature. He skidded on some loose pebbles and nearly brought them both to the ground.

  “Sorry, lass.”

  She clutched his arm. “We’re almost to the top. You can rest at the edge, and I’ll drive my SU...I mean carriage.”

  He nodded and forced his trembling legs to move. Blood thumped between his temples, and he gasped for breath. Damn Zuto and his pet spider. He didn’t want to think of them. Only a few more feet...

  When they reached the top, he froze. There were flashing red lights on top of a metal carriage and a tall muscular man inspecting two other metal carriages. He’d never seen such strange devices. They looked like they could crush a human. “What are those things?”

  “My SUV. Cars.” Pandora put her hand over her mouth. “Oh, God, Theo! Something’s wrong. Lisa’s truck is parked next to mine, but I don’t see her.”

  Cé scanned the scene. A man inspected one of the metal carriages, then got on his hands and knees and looked underneath. With his vampire smell, Cé knew what the man had discovered—a human.

  A dead human.

  Chapter Four

  Pandora’s chest tightened at the crime scene unfolding before her, complete with flashing lights, a sheriff, and a distinctive sweet, metallic smell that made her grimace. Theo, Magic’s town sheriff, squatted and looked under Lisa’s blue Chevy. He had his large hand on the bumper as if to balance his large frame.

  Lisa Curtain had been Pandora’s best friend since junior high. They’d been inseparable, always getting into trouble. Lisa was a psychic, and her visions always led her and Pandora to all kinds of trouble—from knowing the answers on a geometry quiz to finding out where the werewolves would gather to do their secret initiation. Lisa was a short, round butterball—no matter how many diets she went on. But she dressed cute and never lacked dates.

  With her abilities, she would have known Pandora had decided to go on a hike—probably even knowing when Cé the mystery pirate would have arrived. Lisa was powerful, and her forecasts had never been wrong. But where was she?

  “Theo!” Pandora waved her arm.

  Theo glanced over his shoulder. His hat and usual dark sunglasses hid his face, but he wore a frown that made her pause. He held up his hand. “Pandora, stay where you’re at.”

  His hard voice piqued her fear. Theo never talked in such a gruff manner unless there was something seriously wrong. The last time he had done so had been when Frost the Glacian had arrived and outwitted him in his jail. A shape-shifting dragon, Theo didn’t like to be made a fool of.

  Her chest constricting, Pandora lowered Cé to the ground. “Wait here, please. I have to find out what’s wrong.”

  Cé tightened his grip on her arm. “He said for ye to stay here. I dona think ye should go over there.”

  She wiggled to get away from his cement-like grip. “That’s my best friend’s car, and I’m going to find out what happened. Now, release me.”

  Cé wasn’t looking at her. He watched Theo intently. “Pandora, please stay. ’Tis not safe over there.”

  His low voice lifted the hairs on the back of her neck.

  Like always, she pushed the warning signs back. “I’ll be fine. Believe me. Theo would never let anything happen to me. Now, please, release me.”

  He glanced back at Theo, his stare intense, and Pandora felt his grip lessen. She jerked her arm quickly and bolted toward Theo, who now stood in front of Lisa’s car like an unmovable boulder.

  Cé lunged for her, his fingers scraping the back of her shirt. “Pandora, no!”

  Her heart jolted at his fierce words. Something was wrong. And it obviously had to do with Lisa.

  Theo leapt toward her, but she ducked low and missed his huge swinging arms. She reached Lisa’s car and skidded to a stop, dust flying around her feet. A limp hand lay out from underneath the car. A snake ring was on the middle finger. She knew that ring. She put her hands over her mouth. “Lisa.”

  Her usually tanned hand was so white, ghostly white.

  Tears welled in her eyes, and she couldn’t breathe.

  Strong arms wrapped around her. “Pandora, I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to see this.”

  “What happened?” Her voice choked.

  “I don’t know—yet. I’ve called in my lab boys, and we’re going to find out. She hasn’t been dead that long.”

  She whirled around. “She’s dead. You’re sure?”

  “I’m sorry, Pandora. She’s gone.”

  Pandora broke down and cried. This must be what Topper had warned her about. She had to undo what she’d done.

  Theo held her and rubbed her back. For such a hard-as-nails sheriff, he was surprisingly gentle.

  “Who is your friend?” His voice rumbled against her head.

  She pulled away slowly. She’d forgotten about Cé and wiped her tears. Topper’s riddle said that she wouldn’t be able to complete her task without a stranger—one that wanted to go back to his time. She cleared her throat. “His name is Cé, and he’s a pirate.”

  “I can see that.”

  Cé hobbled toward them, his legs still bloody. He stumbled and fell.

  Pandora glanced at Lisa’s hand and closed her eyes. “I better go help him.” She felt like a yellow-bellied traitor, yet she couldn’t be with Lisa and didn’t want to know how she’d died. Theo had been looking underneath the car. Had there been blood?

  Theo released her. “I’d like to talk to him.”

  She rushed over to Cé, who had managed to drag himself to a standing position. Cé allowed her to slip underneath him and wrap his arm around her shoulder.

  “Theo would like to talk to you.”

  “Aye, I am sure he does.”

  Cé couldn’t have killed Lisa. He was down the ravine hurt, right? Lisa came after her. She didn’t even know that Lisa was coming. What if he wasn’t here alone?

  She looked around. “The time spider couldn’t still be here, could it? How big is it?”

  “Monstrous size,” he panted. “Believe me, lass, if ’twas here, ye would not miss it.” His body was sleek from sweat. He looked down at her, and his eyes filled with sorrow. “I am sorry about yer friend. Ye were close?”

  Unwanted tears snaked down her cheeks. “Since junior high. She was my best friend.”

  “I’m sorry, lass. ’Tis hard to lose someone ye care so much about.”

  She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Thank you.”

  Squad cars and an ambulance rolled down the road, tires making dust clouds. The coroner’s white van made it official. Lisa was dead. She wasn’t ever coming back. They would never go to Starbuck’s together for an early morning chat, take a hike along the desert hills of New Mexico, or watch horror movies until dawn.

  Theo’s men got out of their cars and approached Lisa’s. Pandora wanted to run over to see Lisa’s face. God, she hoped she’d died of natural causes. Lisa was overweight, but otherwise healthy. Why was she hiding underneath her car? Was she hiding from someone or something?

  M
aybe Cé was wrong. Maybe his time spider was here and had killed her. What if it hadn’t been the spider, what if it hadn’t been the smoke? Smoke couldn’t kill. But she couldn’t shake the feeling it was unnatural. If it had been the smoke, then it was her fault Lisa was dead.

  Cé didn’t say anything else, and she directed him over to her SUV that was parked beside Lisa’s. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out her keyless remote.

  He stopped and reached for his sword. “What was that sound?”

  “Cool it, pirate. It was my keyless remote that unlocks my car doors.” She opened the door and realized he had pulled out his sword. “If you don’t put that away, Theo’s liable to toss you in jail.”

  “You’re right.” Theo came up behind Pandora. “Who are you—friend?”

  Cé squinted his eyes at Theo. “Jackman. Cé Jackman—friend.”

  Theo took off his sunglasses and gave him a cold stare. “What happened to your legs?”

  Cé motioned with his hand down his cut and torn legs. “I obviously fell.”

  His short and rapid response didn’t improve Theo’s disposition.

  “Your wounds don’t look like they happened from a fall.”

  Cé leaned his head back on the seat. “Dona ye have something better to do than question me?”

  “Actually, I can’t think of single thing I have to do. Now, you have a choice. You can answer my questions here or you can answer them down at the station. Your choice.”

  Cé lifted his head and scowled. “What do ye want to know, lawman?”

  Theo cast his gaze. “What is your business here?”

  “I dona have any business here. I am stuck here.”

  “Meaning?”

  Cé rubbed the bridge between his nose. “Ye wouldna believe me if I told ye.”

  Theo crowded Pandora away out of the doorway with his large frame. “Try me.”

  “A gigantic time spider flung me through time during a battle with a demon. Believe me now, sheriff?” The sarcasm wasn’t going to endear him to Theo.

  Theo folded his arms across his chest. “Pandora, did you see a supposed gigantic spider?”