Charm Me Again, page 1
Table of Contents
Excerpt
Praise for Tena Stetler and…
Charm Me Again
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
A word about the author…
Thank you for purchasing
Also available from The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Suddenly, the wind changed direction, a thin maroon line formed along the flat bottom of the dark clouds spreading across the sky where moments before there’d been only a few fluffy cotton ball clouds in a sea of blue. The maroon line widened then switched to vertical and spread open to reveal a shimmering interior.
Shadows emerged from the cloud then disappeared. As he was about to comment, huge raindrops plopped on the ground followed by pea size hail that grew to softball size.
Josie ran for cover and he followed. Protected under a ledge, she cupped her hands over her ears as the roaring of the storm combined with huge ice balls smashing against rocks echoed through the canyon. She elbowed him and cocked a brow in question, pointing to the vegetation that remained unharmed.
His eyes narrowed. Something isn’t right. I can feel it. Magic is spinning this storm. But who—how and why? At a loss for answers, he shrugged and urged her further under the ledge to wait out the storm. Brushing the wet strands of hair out of her face, he smiled. She looked like a drowned rat but the fragrance around her reminded him of sweet spring flowers. He leaned into to her and brushed his lips over hers. Immediately, he straightened and backed away. Her eyes were still closed. Maybe I could’ve lingered…
Her eyes blinked open and she licked her lips. After a beat, she waggled a finger in front of him. “Not a good idea.”
Praise for Tena Stetler and…
A WARLOCK’S SECRETS
“A phenomenal world! It’s one where I fell in love with a Warlock & believed in the beauty of a gryphon.”
~Author Mary Morgan
~*~
A WITCH’S JOURNEY
“What a nice surprise to discover a well written paranormal romance with a touch of fantasy.”
~Books & Benches
~*~
AN ANGEL’S UNINTENTIONAL ENTANGLEMENT
“One will dive into this book and get wrapped up in this incredible story of mystery, love, angels, wolves, & demons.”
~InD’tale Magazine
~*~
A MAGIC REDEMPTION
“With plenty of twists and turns, intricate magic-driven action scenes and a full cast of characters, this is a must-read!”
~N.N.Light’s Book Heaven
~*~
MYSTIC MAPLES
“A magical and heartwarming story with captivating characters takes place in a wonderful setting that exudes magic and romance.”
~InD’tale Magazine, E.L. Hurley
Charm Me Again
by
Tena Stetler
Charm Me, Book 2
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Charm Me Again
COPYRIGHT © 2019 by Tena Stetler
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Contact Information: info@thewildrosepress.com
Cover Art by Kristian Norris
The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
PO Box 708
Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708
Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com
Publishing History
First Black Rose Edition, 2019
Print ISBN 978-1-5092-2972-7
Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-2973-4
Charm Me, Book 2
Published in the United States of America
Dedication
To my READERS, for whom I write the stories!
To all the supportive people in my life,
personal and professional, who help me realize
my dreams every single day.
Special thanks to my own hero, my husband,
who shines as bright as my characters
regardless of the situation.
My editor, Lill, who goes above and beyond.
You Rock! Thank you!
Chapter One
A Surprise Visitor
In the dusky light, a shadowy figure stalked up the sidewalk in a neighborhood of predominately large turn-of-the-century homes. One stood out from the rest. The building had obviously been remodeled. Taking a closer look, Daylan finally spied the hand-carved wooden sign with large sweeping letters: Welcome to Earthbound Yoga Studio. The sign complemented the house’s architecture, and something was familiar with the style. Shrugging, he crept closer. This had to be it. All his research indicated this was where she’d surfaced.
The windows were dark as he climbed the three steps leading to the porch and eased down on the top stair. A streetlight in the middle of the block blinked on and off, casting shadows from the large trees surrounding the area. How can I do this? What makes me think… He’d spent most of the night sitting there trying to figure out how to execute his plan. Yeah, it isn’t much of a plan, either. At least the Scotsman hadn’t made an appearance…yet. He blew out a breath.
The sound of a vehicle caught his attention. The street was awash in headlight beams as the truck coasted to a stop in front of the building. He jumped up and sprinted to the north side of the house, blending into the bushes, his heart nearly pounding out of his chest as he waited.
A chime sounded as a tall muscular man opened the driver’s side door. Light spilled onto the street as he stepped out followed by a large furry dog. The canine hesitated and sniffed the air, a low menacing growl rising from its throat.
Daylan froze as the dog crept in his direction, nose to the ground, hackles raised. The man sauntered to the passenger side of the truck and tugged open the door, offering a hand to the person inside.
“Piper, you get back here. Right now,” a woman’s voice commanded. She had one foot braced on the truck’s running board and took the offered hand to step out of the vehicle. The dog stopped in its tracks and turned toward the voice.
He breathed a tiny sigh of relief. The dog continued to growl, turning its massive head back a couple of times as it hesitantly returned to the truck.
“What’s the matter, Piper?” She bent down and rubbed the dog’s ear as the man glanced uneasily up and down the street. “Come on, girl.” Letting go of his hand, she motioned the dog to her side and took several steps before the man reached out and caught her elbow.
“Just wait a minute.” The man stood a few yards from the SUV and drew in a long breath. “There’s an unfamiliar scent lingering. Probably what has Piper on guard. I’ll check the perimeter of the building after you get inside.”
The woman’s hair was longer than the last time he’d seen her. Her melodic voice floated in the air, and her no-nonsense gait made him sure it was Summer Rylie.
She turned her head, looking up and down the street. “I don’t see a thing.” Pausing a minute more, she shook her head. “Don’t sense anything either.”
The man held her arm, leaned in, and gave her a long affectionate kiss. “I’ll walk you inside. Don’t want those unruly yoga mats to attack you in the dark.” A deep resounding laugh wafted through the early morning air.
Yanking her arm from his grasp, Summer swiped at him. “You’ll never let me live that down, will you?”
“Nope. It’s way too entertaining.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and whistled for the dog who’d wandered off the sidewalk into the grass with her nose to the ground.
“Piper would rather stay outside sniffing than go inside. I’ll take her for a walk after sunrise.”
She hesitated, closed her eyes, and reached out with her magic to scan the area. When she opened her eyes and took another quick look around, she shrugged. “Nothing unusual.”
“I’ll take Piper with me to check the area just to be sure.” Her male companion followed her to the door.
“Probably a good idea. Josie will be here within the hour. She has an early morning class. I promised to have the studio open and ready since I’d be in early to do paperwork before we leave.”
The keys jangled as she took them out of her backpack and unlocked the intr
“Damn.” He cursed and disappeared, reappearing on the other side of the street, re-masking his magic signature as well has his scent. That went well. Not.
A second later the door squeaked open and light flooded the front yard as man and dog walked around the house. When they finished, her companion shoved open the door. “Nothing out here. I’ll pick you and Piper up around noon. Then we can head up the mountain to the cabin for the weekend.”
“Sounds great. See you then.” She stood in the doorway with the dog at her side and waved.
After she closed the door, the man drove off. It was a good thing he waited a few minutes before crossing the street. The SUV circled the block again, driving by slowly before it continued down the street. This time he remained hidden until the red taillights were no longer visible.
Crossing to Earthbound Yoga, he walked up to the door and shoved it open. The door groaned his arrival, and a dog bounded across the floor growling and snarling. He stopped dead in his tracks, threw a freeze spell at the dog, and yelled, “Summer, call your damned dog off.”
Summer rounded the corner from the office into the open studio floor. Her eyes flew open wide and her mouth dropped open. Quickly regaining her composure, she fisted her hands on hips. “What the hell are you doing here? You didn’t just spell my dog—did you?” She rushed to the dog, who was frozen in an aggressive stance. She narrowed her eyes, never taking her gaze off the man, and waved her arm, deactivating the spell, and the dog rushed forward. “Halt, Piper, sit.”
The dog’s butt hit the ground, but she continued to growl menacingly with her ears pinned against her head.
“Summer, I’m sorry about showing up here unannounced, but I had to talk to you. I wasn’t sure—hell—I didn’t know how to contact you after you disappeared.”
She knelt beside the dog, scratching its ears, her head tilted to keep an eye on him. “There’s a good reason for that. How did you find me?”
“That’s not important. What is—is that I need your help.”
“Figures.” After getting to her feet, her hands resting on hips, she gave him an eat-shit-and-die look while surveying him from head to toe. “What kind of trouble are you in this time?” She strolled to the huge stone fireplace that took up nearly one whole wall and with a wave ignited the logs stacked in the hearth.
“Not really trouble, more like…need a change of scenery.” He paused, jamming his hands in the front pockets of his jeans and swallowing hard. She’d always assumed the worst. He gave a mental shrug. Guess I’ve given her reason for that reaction.
Her eyebrows drew together, and eyes narrowed to tiny slits. “Yeah, right. Now out with it.”
A bead of nervous sweat trickled down his temple. He wiped it away with the back of his hand. “See, there’s this seventeenth-century Highland ghost who seems to have attached himself to me. No matter what I do, where I go, it won’t leave—I mean he won’t leave.”
She whirled around to face him. “A ghost? So you’re being haunted? I suppose you brought the ghost with you. Here,” she said incredulously, adding emphasis to the last word.
He leaned back and shifted from one foot to the other. “Not exactly. I’ve not seen him since I left Martha’s Vineyard. But I feel him. I know that sounds crazy, but…”
“Downright creepy.” She tilted her head to the side and peered at him, her curiosity obviously piqued. “Do you know who this ghost is or why he has attached himself to you?” She hesitated at the door to her office. “If you want to talk, you’ll need to come in here, and make it quick. I’ve got a lot of paperwork to do before leaving at noon.”
The front door banged open and a tall willowy girl rushed in. “Sorry, I’m late. That damn Kurt was lurking out in front of my apartment this morning. I had to climb out the back window and shimmy down the fire escape to avoid him. Missed the last step and fell on my ass.” She stopped and brushed at her behind, fingering a tear in her pants.
Her long raven black hair hung to the middle of her back in a thick braid. Her enormous turquoise eyes widened as she continued her tale. “Couldn’t get to my car, so I had to walk here. Thank God it’s only a mile or so. I was afraid he was going to catch me.” She shrugged out of her coat, tossed it on the rack beside the door and turned, almost crashing right into him. “Guess I’ll… Whoa. Who are you? Where’s Summer?” she sputtered, back-peddling several steps.
Mesmerized by her, he had trouble pulling his gaze from the girl…woman with bronze skin. She’d nearly collided into his chest. He took a step back. Long, thick, dark eyelashes framed her beautiful eyes and accentuated her sculpted facial features and high cheekbones. Dimples appeared in her cheeks as a shy smile curved the corners of her full pink lips. He shook his head.
“Josie, I’m in the office. You’re probably staring open-mouthed at my brother, Daylan.” Summer snickered as she stuck her head out of her office.
“Not the one that was—involved with the woman you didn’t like?”
“I only have one brother, Josie,” Summer said curtly. “Let’s not rehash ancient history.” She eyed Josie’s disheveled appearance and the tear in her clothing. “Better get changed. Students will be arriving soon.”
Josie’s gaze wandered over his face for a moment, then switched quickly to Summer. “Boy howdy, the family resemblance is strong.”
“Yeah, well, we’re twins,” he offered. A slow smile curved the corners of his mouth as he took a few steps toward her. “Pleased to meet you, Josie.” He extended his hand to her. “Is that short for Josephine?”
She grinned and took the offered hand. “Nope. Named after a cartoon character. Ever heard of Josie and the Pussy Cats?”
“A long time ago.” He grinned, brought her hand to his lips, and brushed his lips over her knuckles. “Well, that’s unique, like you.”
“Oh my,” she breathed. Red patches bloomed on her cheeks.
“Don’t let him fool you,” Summer called from her office. “Daylan is a devil. You better run upstairs and change your clothes. Do you have spares here?”
“Yeah, I think so,” Josie stammered, still staring at him.
“If not, there may be a couple of pairs of yoga pants I left in the apartment for emergencies.”
“Thanks.”
“What kind of emergencies do you have in a yoga studio?” he asked incredulously, then released Josie’s hand and winked. “I’d better get back to my sister, but it was a pleasure to meet you.” Turning on his heel, he strode toward the office door where Summer was waiting, tapping her foot lightly. He paused in the archway and gave Josie a long appraising look as she rushed up the stairs. His sister grabbed his arm and hauled him into the office.
“What’s her story? Is she seeing anyone?” he asked.
“None of your business. She’s off limits. Understood?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He nearly brought his hand up for a sloppy salute, but at the last minute thought better of it. I need her help.
“What do you expect me to do about the ghost?” she hissed. “Very few people know what I am, and I want to keep it that way.”
“Who’s the big brawny dude that dropped you off?” He gave the dog a wide berth as she trotted into the office, curled her lip in a silent snarl, and positioned herself between him and Summer.
His sister slipped into her chair with a smug look indicating she was enjoying his discomfort. “I’ll ask the questions. How long are you planning to stay?” Shuffling the papers on her desk, she glanced at him over the computer monitor and nodded to the chair in front of the desk. Reaching over, she turned on the computer and waited as it buzzed and whirred to life.
He slid into the chair, still keeping an eye on Piper. “As long as it takes to get rid of him. I’ve spent the last several months trying to convince him to leave.”
“Months?” she huffed. “And you’re just now enlisting my help?”
He leaned back in the chair, arms crossed. “You were a bit difficult to find. At first, he appeared once in a while at my forge. It was distracting, to say the least. Nearly jumped out of my boots the first time he appeared. He seemed to know a lot about the trade. Actually, he taught me a few things about sword and knife smithing.” He paused for a beat.
