Mistfall Read online

  “It’s nice to meet you John, but I won’t be here long. Just some coffee and I’m back on the road.”

  “Oh. Well, it was nice to-.” His voice dropped off and suddenly he was next to my side. “Do you trust me?” John’s voice was low and full of alarm.

  “Trust you? I don’t even know you.”

  “How about a little blind faith then?” John asked before turning to his friend. “It’s too sunny, don’t you think?”

  “What?” I asked, confused as to what was happening.

  The next thing I knew John had grabbed me and hauled me to the ground. We were crouched down low when he pulled a knife from his side and thrust it into the linoleum. Lightening was streaking across the previously sunny sky, thunder bursting shortly after the flashes.

  “Hold on,” he suggested.

  Petrified, I did what he told me, thanking my lucky stars that knife went into the floor instead of me. My arms were wrapped tight around his neck when the floor dropped out from around us and we fell, straight into the earth.

  I’ll admit it, I screamed, like a little girl too. There was no ground beneath us and we were still falling. My eyes were closed tight, I was holding my breath and onto John with everything I had, legs, arms, and all. Unable to do anything else, I prayed for a soft landing.

  A soft voice laughed next to me. “It’s alright, we’re on solid ground now, you can let go. I appreciate the gentle landing, but it wasn’t necessary.

  I dared to peek one of my eyes open. Sure enough we were on the solid ground of the valley I had, moments previously, been admiring from forty feet up. Sunlight was forcing its way through the storm clouds, sending the fierce weather away.

  I let go of John and stepped away, letting the panic dwindle to nothing while I brushed dirt off of me. It was that moment when I realized I was the reason for the soft landing and he knew it too. I had been so terrified of plummeting into a dark abyss, I didn’t realize I magicked up the soft landing.

  Instead of the caffeine, I was rolling with adrenaline, which made my brain pick back up on a few things I hadn’t realized either. He’s magical too. Since when does a knife cause a sinkhole? Why did he grab me in the first place? While I was thinking about the most recent of developments to my life, John sent my train of thought into a wall.

  “So what are you then?” he asked as if he wanted to know the score of a ballgame.

  Oh no, he’s wondering where my magic comes from. My heart began thudding, like a jackhammer, though I let my defensive nature override the panic.

  “What kind of question is that? You don’t seem to have any tact at all do you? What am I,” I scoffed poking him in his, oh my, rock hard chest, “What are you?”

  He gave me a soft chuckle. “You are entirely too worked up. Again, I mean no offense and to answer your question, I’m an elf. So again, what does that make you?”

  Uh oh, what else can I pass as? “I’m a Witch.”

  “Bullshit, you’re not a Witch,” he admonished.

  “How do you know that I’m not?” My pulse was becoming so rapid I thought it starting to hit the two hundred mark.

  His voice took on a tone of exasperation at my evasion. “If you were a Witch you would have had to use your hands or cast a spell. If I remember correctly, every limb you had was wrapped around me and you were screaming. That’s definitely no spell I’ve ever heard from a Witch’s mouth before.”

  I’m not sure what the maximum beats per minute your heart can reach before it explodes, but I am there. I can’t possibly run without passing out at this point, being on the brink of a full out panic attack. I guess there are worse places to die, I thought. Figuring I should at least look him in the eye before he kills me, I took off my hat and looked at the man standing in front of me.

  Damn, death was gorgeous! He was a little taller than me with chocolate brown hair and eyes that reflected every color of green in the forest. His skin had a bit of a golden tan to it and he was close to my age if not a few years older. He was wearing a close fitted t-shirt that showed he was no slouch in the physique department. There was a tingle of butterflies in my stomach that had nothing to do with the panic still raging through me.

  He hadn’t noticed my eyes so I looked back down at me feet in a futile attempt to put off the inevitable. “I can’t tell you what I am,” I confessed.

  “Why not? Does it have anything to do with your friends up there?” he pointed back up the cliff at the diner.

  “What friends? I was drinking coffee alone before you interrupted me and sent us tumbling through the rabbit hole.”

  He walked closer, stopping just inches from me. He put his hand on my chin, lifting my face up so he could get a better look at me. His eyes widened in recognition. “That would explain your friends Violet.”

  Violet? “I was trying to go unnoticed.”

  “Well Violet-“

  “Mags,” I interrupted.

  “Well Violet, you didn’t go unnoticed,” he continued. “Those friends of yours were Elven assassins and they knew you were there. They were coming right for you. If I hadn’t plunged us down into the cliff, you would be bound for eternity or dead right now.”

  Assassins? It was the Aelfadl that Willa was talking about. Where was I going to go? What do I do now? How am I going to survive? Question after question rolled through my head while my heart continued to pound.

  John thought my silence meant I didn’t understand what he was talking about. “The Aelfadl are the best assassins, human or otherwise. They rarely lose a target.”

  That was the last thing I heard as my panic mode went nuclear and I fell into a world of darkness.

  When I woke, I was in an unfamiliar bed. I got out of bed and looked around the room, taking in my new surroundings. The walls, ceiling, and floors were made from rough hewn timbers. I must be in a log cabin, I thought to myself. Aside from the Spartan décor of a bed, night table, and dresser, the only thing of interest was the bookcase.

  On the wall opposite the bed was a built-in bookcase. I ran my hand along the bindings, reading the titles. The owner of this house had varied interests if these books were any indication. There were books on history, classic literature, science, and then there were some I couldn’t make out, being in the Elven language.

  So much had happened in so little time. I was finding my breathing restricted, as if an invisible hand was closing upon my throat. I needed fresh air to clear my head and come up with a plan, so I walked to the door leading out of the room. I needed to escape my current confines and figure out what I was going to do. I put my hand on the doorknob and was about to open it when I heard voices on the other side. I still wasn’t sure where or with whom I was with so I put my ear against the door to listen.

  “We can’t move her anytime soon. We need more time,” a female voice said.

  “Elena’s right. At the minimum, we need three more months,” an older male grumbled.

  I recognized John’s voice when he answered their concerns. “Are you sure? That’s the soonest you’ll be ready for her?”

  “Yes. We’re already rushing to get it done that soon,” the woman, Elena, responded.

  “I guess I have no choice. Mags will stay here then. I don’t trust her safety to anyone else,” John offered.

  “What about…She’s awake.” the gruff male’s voice stiffened.

  I gasped and backed away from the door as silently as I could. I don’t know who exactly was on the other side of that door and I didn’t want them knowing I was eavesdropping. I wasn’t able to make out the end of the conversation, only the shuffling of feet and a door closing.

  The doorknob slowly turned and John peeked his head in. “Hey Violet, are you alright?” he asked.

  Physically I was fine. Emotionally, I wasn’t sure. “I don’t know. So much has happened. It all seems so surreal.”

  John’s body fully emerged from the door and walked over to me, stopping about a foot away. He was wearing a white v-neck sweater
that clung tightly to his body, and jeans. His hair was disheveled and a shadow of stubble was just appearing on his face. Any other time, I may have stopped to appreciate the rugged look on him, but all I had were questions.

  “What’s going to happen to me?” I asked.

  He raised one eyebrow in amusement, “What do you think is going to happen to you?”

  “Well,” I started, “I’m pretty sure you’re not going to kill me or turn me over to those who will, even though you know what I am. Aside from that, I don’t know.”

  John laughed. “That’s a pretty fair assumption. Besides, if I bared you any ill will, I would have left you in that diner to the Aelfadl.”

  I couldn’t argue with that.

  “Why don’t you come with me into the living room, have a cup of tea and we can talk about it.” He opened the door with a sweep of his arm. “After you.”

  The living room was just as sparsely decorated as the bathroom. Aside from the usual accoutrements of a couch, coffee table, and rocking chair, there was nothing to signify the personality of its owner.

  I sat on the edge of the couch, still a bit apprehensive, but much more relaxed than I had been in the past twenty-four hours. John returned a few minutes later, with two mugs in hand and sat down beside me.

  “Here,” he handed me one of the mugs. “It’s chamomile. I kinda figured you could use its calming properties.”

  “Oh yeah, I guess so,” I laughed nervously.

  John put his hand on my arm. “Mags, you can relax. You’re safe here.” He lifted his head to meet my eyes and gave me a small smile. His emerald eyes betrayed his feelings, honesty showing itself. Between that and the softness of his voice I was disarmed. It didn’t hurt that he had used my name instead of the silly nickname he had christened me with.

  My face flushed, embarrassed to admit I had listened in on the earlier conversation. “What were you and the others talking about earlier and what does it have to do with me?”

  “You heard that.” He wasn’t asking, just stating a fact. Trepidation crossed his face as he gathered his thoughts. “Well, the long and short of it is, Willa sent us to protect you.”

  My jaw dropped. I didn’t know how to respond to that.

  He went on to explain that, aside from my little hiccup of showing up early, Willa had planned on moving me somewhere safer once I was old enough to leave home. The attacks on me had been increasing and Willa believed the Aelfadl had finally narrowed down their search for us. She deemed it too dangerous to remain among the humans, for their safety, and put a plan in order.

  Others had volunteered to help Willa in her plan for me. Not all Otherworldly creatures were against us. Willa was over a thousand years old and in that time had made many friends and champions.

  Willa had been tasked with smuggling me into the human side of the Mistfall. She made it possible, through magic and bribery for the Maguire’s (my human parents) to adopt me. Willa had kept a close eye on me, though I never knew she was there until she moved next door to us.

  John wouldn’t let me in on the plan, for safety reasons, except on a ‘need to know’ basis. I didn’t argue. Enough people had already been hurt because of me and I didn’t want anyone else put in harm’s way.

  Having eavesdropped on their conversation, I knew they were on Team Mags. With no plan of my own, I decided to put my faith in Willa and go with hers.

  He told me that I would be staying with him for the next three months, while the rest of Willa’s plan was put into order. My inner self was jumping up and down, screaming “Woohoo,” but I kept even faced when I agreed. Three months with that eye candy couldn’t be that bad. Besides, I had nothing left and nowhere to go.

  4. Fallout

  When I awoke the next morning I was still bundled up underneath the feather down of my comforter, but alone. Luca no longer occupied the chair in my room. There was a glass of brew and a note on the bedside table.

  Drink this before you come out of the bedroom. ~Melissa

  Ignoring the glass for the time being, I lay back down and stared at my ceiling. The ceiling was my favorite part of the house. Colorful stones and gems covered it in a type of mosaic that was especially beautiful when sunlight poured through the windows and made them sparkle. Rainbows of color would dance around the room. The stones kept me from being exposed. It was a type of magical insulation for jinn.

  “John,” I sighed. Looking at a particular emerald green stone I remembered what happened after my dream left off.

  A few days after my arrival at John’s, I met Jack. Jack was at the diner with John that day. He was responsible for the storm that distracted everyone while John helped me escape. They had grown up together and were best friends.

  Between the two of them, I was never alone. Jack, the more playful of the two, kept me entertained, while John insisted on my training. He trained me harder than Willa ever had, working me until I bled or collapsed from exhaustion.

  Elves are brilliant military strategists; Obstacles and distractions vying for my attention while I defended myself against the two of them were the norm. I can’t say I enjoyed the training, but I did enjoy losing a dress size from it.

  When Jack was away, John tended to relax and show his carefree side. I never did understand why he was so uptight around Jack and I never bothered to ask. Those were my favorite times. We’d usually go for walks in the surrounding forest where he would show me useful plants (magic or otherwise), picnic, or just enjoy our surroundings.

  John’s house was situated in the middle of the forest, with no neighbors. He said he built it out here for the solitude. It worked out for my situation as well, making it so I wasn’t confined to the house. Let me just say that the house wasn’t miserable to be in. It was a two story log cabin with a deck, built as a tree house. Yes, a tree house! A wooden ramp, its railings hand carved, led the way from the ground to the house. Torches lined the ramp illuminating it at night.

  John told me that he had dreamed of the home as a young child. As an adult the dream stayed with him, always lingering in the back of his imagination. One day, he simply gave into it, choosing this magical forest as his new home.

  About a month after I arrived, John and I were hiking along a rather steep hill. He had held his arm out for me to grab onto, to steady myself. I remember looking at my hands, paler against his tan and unable to encircle his upper arm.

  “Watch your step, the moss can be slippery,” he warned.

  Not even two seconds later, I slipped on a rock and fell, bringing him down with me. He had braced himself against the ground, but had fallen on top of me.

  I looked up at him, an apology forming at my mouth when my breath hitched. The sun, peeking through the trees, embraced John in an otherworldly glow. I already thought he was gorgeous and being around him generally gave me butterflies, but this was different. Here in the forest, in his natural habitat, John looked ethereal. There was none of the human pretenses we so naturally put on. He was, in a word, breathtaking.

  His eyes never broke contact with mine, but there was a hunger in them I hadn’t noticed before. I was unable to move, caught in the magic of the moment and the fact that he was on top of me.

  “Violet.” John’s voice had a low, husky, and incredibly sexy quality to it. His fingers brushed a lock of hair out of my face and slid it behind my ear. I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but I couldn’t think of any words.

  John took advantage of my hesitation and crushed his lips against mine. The hunger that had played in his eyes was translated into the passion on his lips as they moved against mine. My inner self was cheering and doing cartwheels. I ran my fingers through his thick head of hair. I pressed him closer to me, deepening the kiss, our tongues dancing against each other.

  That was the moment I fell in love with him.

  Shaking my head, I brought myself out of the daydream, ending it at the perfect point. You have to quit thinking about him, it’s been five years, I told myself. Besi
des, there’s a perfectly hot elf running around this house somewhere.

  Reaching for the glass at my bedside table, I recoiled from the stench. “Brew,” I confirmed. Drinking this stuff was never the highlight of my mornings. I held my breath and drank it down in one gulp. “Ugh, you’d think otherworldly powers would make for better tasting potions,” I said to myself.

  I sat the now empty glass back down on the table and left the confines of my cozy bed. Walking over to my mirror, I checked out the damage. Sweet Goddess on Earth, I was a mess! My face was healed, but I looked like a zombie. My hair was matted and dried blood and dirt covered my body. There were no traces of the punch I had taken last night, so I turned around to look at my back.

  It took me awhile, but I was able to take the bandages off. Welts in the shape of claw marks where David had attacked me still lined my back, but those would soon fade.

  Blood, sweat, dirt, and dried tears do not a good smelling Mags make, so a shower was first on my agenda. Besides, Melissa would freak out if she saw me right now and I wasn’t awake enough to rehash last night’s events.

  I let the hot water run down my body, washing away the grime, and soothing my sore muscles. The water, swirling down the drain, was tinged with pink. I walked away from this fight; I wonder what Lassie looks like? I thought. Fifteen minutes and a generous lathering of conditioner later, I was back to looking like my normal self.

  Even though the Elf’s healing did wonders for the repair to my body, I was still worn out. That kind of healing draws a large amount of energy from the one being healed. My ambition for the day was to hunker down on the couch and watch Jane Austen movies in between naps.

  I grabbed a pair of fleece jammy pants and a long sleeved jersey shirt and dressed. I checked the mirror again to make sure my eyes were blue so I knew the potion kicked in and headed out of my bedroom door and into the kitchen to make some much needed coffee.

  I barely made it into the kitchen when Melissa flew at me. I felt my ribs crack as she hugged me.