1. Angela

CHAPTER 1

Angela

I whistle softly as I whip up a new recipe for a devil's food cupcake that will practically set the town on fire.

I bought my new bakery on the outskirts of Magic, Wyoming. At least twenty minutes from that strange shifter town. I knew that I didn't want to move to the little town of shifters. My best friend, a waitress who's been out of contact for a couple of weeks now, moved to the town and told me about some strange stuff happening in the town.

But then I lost contact with her and I've heard some strange things since moving here.

I can't get near the town though. There's some weird magic happening that I couldn't pass through. Like some kind of barrier.

I'm a woman who believes in unusual, funky things being alive and well in the world. And maybe that's why I'm not a big fan of Halloween. There is a dark, spooky element to the holiday that makes me cringe just a little bit. I'm more of a Christmas Eve magic kinda girl. Give me presents and candy canes and sparkling lights in the dead of night and I'm a happy girl.

Witches and ghosts and dark magic all around? No, thank you.

I have my favorite Christmas music cranking and I'm whistling and singing to Last Christmas. Yes, I know it's probably boring and cliche to love that song but too damn bad! It's so bouncy and fun! I can't help but smile and tap my sneakered foot while I dance around in my blue jeans and t-shirt. A fluffy peach apron with sheer ruffles on the edges covering my clothes.

Tonight is going to be so much fun. There's a ball in the town square tonight. I already know that the weather is going to be perfect. Gold, orange and brown leaves are falling from the trees and it's seventy five degrees with a cold breeze moving in. The chill feel of autumn just barely chasing the night-time heat of stifling summer out. The bare branches shake and shimmy like a bony band of dancers in the wind and the watery light of a full moon that's bathing the town. Last night it was almost full and I have to admit, the ambiance was so spooky that my little heart raced when I stepped out the doors at three this morning to get started on my baking.

I'm totally engrossed in this new recipe. I've added the heat of chiles into the batter and honestly? I feel like a cartoon skull and cross bones should be wafting out of the bowl while an evil chuckle rings out into the air. I stir and stir, the heat from the batter burning my nose and making me chuckle. I'm gonna fool some people with this one.

I screech and almost drop the metal bowl onto the floor when the phone rings. At four in the morning?

I right the bowl and wipe my fingers off on the dish towel beside the dish. I reach out with shaking fingers. I should just let the machine get it. Even as I think it, something pushes at me. A niggling want under the surface that has my heart rate skyrocketing.

"Hello?" I say with a soft voice, clearing my throat nervously. "Tricks and Treats. How may I help you?"

A rough, growling voice echoes down the quiet line. The room goes still and my head spins. "I need cake. What's your best one?"

"Deep Dark Chocolate cake but I'm afraid that we're all booked up for this Halloween. This is kind of last minute, you know." I can hear the stiff challenge in my voice even as I try to put the phone down.

"For future reference, you should order your Halloween goodies at least two weeks in advance if you want to make sure that the bakery has time to get your order ready."

He grunts and it's like a huge boulder moving. I swear I hear the earth shift under me like this man is gathering momentum. Like a boulder moving downhill, accelerating until it gets too close to move out of its path.

"I can't do that. I-I'm only in town for one day a year."

Huh. That's weird. "Even if you're not in town, you can place an order online or over the phone," I insist. I take a metal baking pan and place my signature peachy liners in the pan. Then I place my phone down and hit speaker.

I pick up the spoon and begin filling the cupcake liners. "I've got some Devil's Food Cupcakes that are new and you could try them."

He growls and I almost drop the spoon on the ground, shuddering when the sound rolls over me. My body is on fire and I start to wonder if I'm getting sick. My belly flips and my eyes close.

"No. I need that cake. I will pay triple what you usually charge. And I'll add in a hefty two hundred dollar bonus just for your trouble."

I drop the spatula on the ground and stare at the phone. "You must be joking."

"I am not. It has to be today."

My mind is racing and I run through all the things I have to do today to get ready for this crazy open-air ball in the square.

"I suppose that I could try. I'm not making any promises because this is very last minute."

"Don't try. Just do it. I'll be there at six tonight. The sun is going down then and that's when I'm most mobile."

My eyes widen. "What?"

"I'll see you later tonight." He hangs up the phone and I'm left staring at it. Then my phone dings and I see that I've received a website payment for Deep Dark Chocolate Cake from a Granite Zephyr.

I shake my head and finish the cupcakes, placing them in the oven and setting the timer. I turn and wash my hands and start grabbing ingredients for the cake but I'm still sneaking peeks at that order. The amount of money he paid is huge! For a cake?

But it's the name that really catches my eye. Such a strange name. And there's something familiar and yet foreign about it.

Like I've met him before. How weird is that?

Couldn't be.

But I'll meet him later tonight and then I'll know for sure if we've met . And hopefully the strange fire that's heating up my core will have cooled and I can think clearly.

But as I begin preparations, that gravelly voice rolls through my mind and my body is overcome with shivers of anticipation, my belly flipping like I'm on a roller coaster perched at the top and facing a huge drop, staring into the abyss.

This Halloween seems like it's about to have some very strange surprises waiting for me.