6. Amber

Chapter 6

Amber

I woke up feeling more refreshed than I had in months. The deep sleep that had eluded me since fleeing Baltimore and my ex-boyfriend had finally found me in this strange little town. As I stretched, my eyes automatically drifted to the library across the street and the gargoyle statue on the top of the library. Somewhere deep inside, I knew he was the reason for my peaceful rest. Knowing that he watched over me and ensured that I was safe allowed me to rest and feel safe. I gave a little wave, feeling foolish since he was a statue and couldn't see me.

I turned back to my room, shaking my head, chuckling at my imagination. Just a few short months ago, I worked in a library in Baltimore, no monsters in sight, except for the orcs in our building. Now, everywhere I looked, there were monsters, yet they seemed nicer than many of the humans I knew from outside this small town. Also, I dreamt about a gargoyle, imagining him watching over me, keeping me safe from the real monster chasing me. I didn't quite understand how a statue came to life and became the man I had a wonderful conversation with last evening, but I knew deep inside, the gargoyle on the roof was Xavier. I didn't have to understand it. This was Beastly Falls and all sorts of strange things were possible. Maybe I was even safe here.

Thinking about Xavier brought a remembered heat, a slow burn of desire that I hadn't felt in a long time. Xavier may be a statue during the day, stone and forbidding stance, but in the evening, he was all hard muscle and intense eyes, with a sharp mind, someone willing to even read a romance on my recommendation. My cheeks flushed as I remembered the way his shirt had clung to his broad chest, how his strong hands had gestured as he spoke passionately about the books he loved. There was definitely nothing stone-like about the man, except maybe his chiseled jawline.

I shook my head and got ready for work. I had no business thinking about any male, physically gorgeous, remarkably intelligent, or anything. I was only here temporarily until I could figure out my next steps, though a part of me wondered if I could stay for longer, maybe even permanently.

As I headed downstairs, Esme Red, the sweet werewolf owner of the B&B, greeted me with a grandmotherly smile. "Sleep well, dear? I have your dinner ready for you."

"Better than I have in ages. Your rooms are so comfortable. Thank you so much. I didn't expect dinner. I was going to grab something on the way to the library," I said, feeling embarrassed that I had slept so long. I never expected to sleep the day away, but somehow I had slept long past when I thought I would wake up and now it was almost time for my shift and I had no time left to explore the town and pick up any essentials.

She waved her hand in the air as if brushing off my protests. "Don't worry, dear. You need something to wake you up in the morning. I thought you might need a few things since you were light on your luggage when you checked in. If you have any laundry, you can leave it in the hamper in your bathroom, and I can take care of that for you."

I felt tears prick my eyes at her mothering ways. She saw my glistening eyes and hurried over, enfolding me in her arms. "I didn't mean to make you cry, dear. I'm sorry."

I shook my head, sniffling a little. "You didn't. It's been so long since anyone has done anything nice for me. Most people just go about their business and ignore everything going on."

Like the time Kevin tried to drag me into his car. People walked by, averting their gaze and moving to the other side of the street to avoid us, as if nothing was happening. I only got away because he heard sirens and dropped my arm. Sadly, the sirens had nothing to do with us, but I had escaped.

"Nonsense, dear. You're here in Beastly Falls. We look out for our own here. And now, you're one of us," Esme declared. "Now, sit and eat something. Just a warning. It's a full moon tonight, so things may be a bit more rowdy in town than you're used to."

I wasn't sure I could eat anything, but I obediently sat at the table and dug into a delicious dinner of fluffy pancakes, crispy bacon, and mouthwatering fruit. "More rowdy? Things were pretty active at the library last night."

I didn't want to think about all the offers for dinner and coffee from various males, or how Xavier had stepped in, even from his chair. I wasn't sure I was ready for anything more than that tonight. Esme paused in her cleaning the kitchen, slowly turning an amused look on me .

"I heard you had quite a few patrons last night. Don't worry. It won't be anything like that tonight. Most of the shifters in town will be running in their fur. The witches and magical beings often have ceremonies to perform. Leaving a few for their own worship, as it may be. But some of the fur beings might run loose from the forest and come through town, especially if they sense a newcomer among us. If you see them, stand firm. Don't run. And firmly tell them, no. They'll listen." She paused, her lips quirking in a small smile. "Or stay close to Xavier. He'll handle any issues."

I blushed and refocused on my dinner, unsure how to respond to that. After a moment, I had to ask the question that had been bothering me. "Esme, what can you tell me about the curse?"

Her hands dropped in the dishwater, and she sighed, staring out the kitchen window. "It's a sad thing, Amber. A result of people interfering where they shouldn't. Love is beautiful, and those in love should never be forced to choose."

The pain in her voice hurt my heart. "Did you lose someone?"

She came and sat at the table. "My mate passed away several years ago, after the curse took effect. I had many years with him and we had children. But they have not found their mates. They haven't been able to leave Beastly Falls to find someone, nor has anyone come into town to test the bonds. I had hoped that you… well, that's neither here nor there."

I cocked my head, puzzled by her unfinished thought. "What do you mean, Esme?"

"Only mates can come into town. We have seen a couple of new people come into town and they have only been able to find us because they have a bond with someone here. They must choose to remain with their mate or be banished forever."

Her words caused a chill inside of me. Xavier had not mentioned this part of the curse. "What happens to the mate who remains?"

"If the bond is rejected? No one knows for sure, but we suspect the mate dies."

When I was done, Esme handed me a bag for lunch at the library and pushed me out the door, pointing me in the right direction to ensure I knew where to go. The sun had set and shadows were lengthening along the sidewalk. While I would have been nervous in a city, I felt perfectly safe here in Beastly Falls. I pulled my jacket a little tighter around me against the evening chill and headed down the front path to the sidewalk.

Just as I reached the front gate, I spotted Xavier waiting on the sidewalk, leaning against the large oak tree, his wings flared slightly. My heart did a little flip.

"May I walk you to the library?" Xavier extended his arm like a cavalier gentleman from a bygone era, and I was enchanted. "I haven't finished the book yet, but Elizabeth has just rejected Darcy's proposal. I suppose I understand why she rejected him. He didn't exactly propose for the right reasons."

We dove into a lively discussion about Elizabeth and Darcy, and whether she should have accepted him or not, both of us agreeing that she should have declined, and before I knew it, we were at the library. Strangely, there wasn't a soul in sight.

"It's the full moon," Xavier explained, noticing my confusion. "Many of our residents have ceremonies to attend or are affected by it, like our shifters. It'll be a quiet night."

"Esme mentioned that. I guess I won't have any suitors tonight, so no protection needed," I teased.

As we stepped inside, the heavy doors slammed shut behind us with an ominous thud. A click sounded with a finality that made my heart pound in my throat. I spun around and tugged at the handle, almost frantically. It wouldn't budge. I swallowed against the lump in my throat, trying to calm my breathing and not spiral into a panic attack that I sensed was looming at the thought of being trapped in a building with unknown people.

"Xavier," I said, striving for an even tone, "I think we're locked in."

Xavier narrowed his gaze at me, then frowned at the door. He joined me in the small foyer, his arm brushing mine and sending a shiver down my spine. "That's unusual," he muttered, giving the door an experimental push, then harder as he leaned into heavy wood.

We were standing close together, the warmth radiating from his body in the cool library air. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to relax, but darkness flirted along the edges of my vision, narrowing my sight. Xavier laid a heavy hand on my lower back, the warmth and weight an immediate grounding for me, comforting me. Despite the bizarre situation, I felt an inexplicable sense of calm at his touch. Maybe being locked in a magical library with a handsome, possible-gargoyle man wasn't the worst thing that could happen.

"Are you all right?" Concern echoed in his tone and I pasted on a bright smile, already feeling more centered with him there.

"Well," I said, attempting to lighten the mood and to keep the panic from spiraling inside of me, "I guess we'll have plenty of time to discuss more books, huh?"

Xavier studied me for a long moment as if he wasn't sure he believed me, then his serious expression softened into a smile that made my heart skip a beat. "I suppose we will," he agreed, his eyes never leaving mine.