Darlings of Paranormal Romance (Anthology) (25 page)

The girl motioned her behind a giant
divider for privacy. “Please hurry, my Queen.” The way the girl’s
eyes darted about, Sarah knew who would bear the brunt of the
punishment if she did not do as she was told.

Sarah stumbled over the hem of her
dress as she joined the girl. “Listen…I don’t need your
help.”

“
Yes you do, Sarah
Larker.”

She
gasped. “What? You know my
real
name?”

The girl nodded. “That and much more.
Frank told me King Victor has mistaken you for Princess
Gloria.”

“
Frank? Oh my gosh! You’ve
met him! Where is he? Is he here?”

“
I’m working with him. He
is currently hiding in the forest.”

“
So you’re really here to
help me with more than my dress?” Sarah gripped her hands, relief
flooding through her. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

“
Frank said you went
through with the marriage only to obtain the ring.”

Sarah flashed her hand with a huge
smile. “Mission accomplished, baby.”

“
Good, for that is the one
key back to your world, according to legend. Now, are you ready to
switch identities? We’re pretty close in size. Even our hair is the
same length and color. Your true lover, Frank, said I would pass
for you with no problem, as long as we are careful.”

“
Lover?” She shook her head
and laughed. “Frank’s not my boyfriend.”

“
Why not? He seems to be a
nice man. We met only this morning, but he couldn’t stop talking
about you.” The girl unbuttoned Sarah’s dress in the back,
groaning. “This is tricky.”

“
Why are you so willing to
help us?” Sarah heaved a huge sigh as the cumbersome dress fell to
the floor, happy to breathe freely again.

“
My father’s dying, and
Frank promised to obtain some minerals that will cure him if I help
you.” The girl slipped out of her far less expensive leather
dress.

Sarah thought Frank nuts to make such
an outrageous promise, and she almost felt sorry for the girl for
falling for it. “What?”

“
There’s an ancient legend
about the Gold Minerals of Life. I’ve spent years looking for them
to help my father, and I’ve finally found where they’re hidden. It
is said they shall heal any person who swallows them, no matter the
person’s affliction, but only a royal with a ruby wedding ring can
see the minerals. I told Frank the secret location. I will help
you, but you must help me in return, as Frank promised. There is
nothing I would not do for my father.”

Sarah
hated being put in such a position, but she had no other choice at
that point. “Get me the heck out of here so I can find my sister,
and I will give you anything you want.” She knew she’d have to find
those minerals to make good on Frank’s promise, and she felt like
slugging Frank for that—and for referring to himself as her “true
lover”. She was no fan of him making crazy deals that’d just keep
them in that world even longer.
And what
if these minerals didn’t even exist? We don’t have time for this.
Once I make my escape, the king will be hot on my trail.
All she wanted to do was find her sister and get
the heck out of that dimension or wherever the heck they were. In
spite of her disdain for his crazy ideas, Sarah wished Frank was
there. “Any particular reason why Frank didn’t come to this little
Halloween party himself? He’d make one heck of a Robin
Hood.”

The girl squirmed into the flowing
wedding gown. “It would be far too risky for him to venture inside
the castle.”

Sarah hurried into the leather dress.
“I’m not sure this plan is going to work. My eyes are brown, and
yours are blue.”

“
No one will notice. I’ll
keep them closed.”

“
What’re you going to do
when they discover you’re not me?” Sarah had a pretty good idea,
and she wondered why the girl would risk her life; she understood,
though, because she’d risk her own for her father’s in a
heartbeat.

For a brief second, a shadow passed
the girl’s face. Then she shrugged. “I can talk my way out of
anything.”

She must
be quite the con artist.
Sarah tied the
leather strings in the front. “What do you know about this
king?”

“
Only that he is one of the
Immortals, like all royalty.”

Sarah took a deep breath and pondered
her strange words, which sounded like something out of a comic
book. “That’s a rumor, right? I mean, some ancient people in my
time used to say they were gods, but they only claimed that to
control their people.”

“
No, it is entirely real.”
The girl flinched. “Ouch! That pinched. Can we hurry this
up?”

“
I’m trying,” Sarah said.
“Do you know how many buttons and ties are on this dress? Please
tell me more about the king…and what is your name?”

“
My name is Mia. The king
is one of the most dangerous of the Immortals. He is feared by many
throughout our world. I think it’s best that you get as far away
from him as possible and never look back. This will be no easy task
though, since you’re bonded to him now for all eternity, or so the
legend says.”

“
Not sure I can buy all
that.” Sarah pushed and pulled the corset strings on the wedding
dress till the girl squeaked. “I saw a soft side to him during the
ceremony, especially when I kissed him.”

“
You
kissed
him?” Mia asked in a shocked tone,
shuddering.

“
Not intentionally. I tried
to dodge the bullet, but he just laid one on me.”

Mia shook her head. “That is not good.
You’ve only strengthened the bond. Now he’ll be able to jump into
your head and control you.”

Sarah scowled. “What? This might be
news to you in your misogynistic day, but nobody controls me—and
you shouldn’t let any man control you either.”

“
I told Frank all of this,
but he doesn’t believe it.”

Sarah thrust her crown into the girl’s
hands. “Are you suggesting that Frank is stubborn? Well, you ain’t
telling me anything new.”

Mia slid off her thick copper
bracelets. “Put these on. Servants are required to wear them. You
know, your lover Frank is a wonderful man. He went through a lot to
ensure that this rescue would happen.” She reached for a long
leather bag and then froze for a minute. She snapped out of her
trance as her hands ran over the satin material on her
dress.

“
What’s wrong?” Sarah
touched her shoulder, wondering if the girl was getting cold feet.
She certainly wouldn’t have blamed her.

“
Just enjoying my thirty
seconds as a queen and being in such a luxurious gown, one like
I’ll never see again in my lifetime. I hate myself for what I’m
about to do.” Mia lifted up the leather bag and poured a red liquid
all over her face. It dripped down her dress, leaving tiny puddles
on the floor.

As much
as she hated the idea of marrying King Victor, it was a shame for
Sarah to watch such a beautiful gown go to crimson ruins. “What’re
you doing?!” Sarah stared in shock. It felt like she’d jumped onto
the set of
Carrie,
only John Travolta was nowhere in sight. She was pretty sure
even Stephen King woulda been running for the hills if he was mixed
up in all that mess.

“
I am simply playing dead.
Relax! It’s only scarlet dye, and it is all part of the plan. I
will tell the king that your…er, Gloria’s brother made me switch
clothing, drenched me in dye, and then knocked me out. We have to
shock them and distract them, or our plan will not prove
successful. Please do well in your role of a horrified servant,
Sarah.”

Sarah tucked the last strand of hair
into her leather hairnet. “Got it. I can do hysterical.”

“
A man named Jules, on a
brown horse, is waiting outside for you.”

“
Jules? Frank mentioned him
to me earlier. I’m assuming I can trust him?”

“
Of course! Jules is the
love of my life. My father told him that if he would do this deed
for us, it will prove his loyalty to our family, and his prize
shall be my hand in marriage. Of course, that will be a prize for
me too, for I adore Jules and want to spend my life with him once
my beloved father is healed. My Jules will take you to a carriage
three miles away, where your love Frank is waiting.”

“
How many times do I have
to remind you that he is not my love?”

Mia lay on the floor and closed her
eyes. “Forgive Frank if you can, Sarah Larker. Life is too short to
hold grudges against those who hold you dear in their hearts, as
Frank clearly does. Any man who would risk his life for yours
deserves some consideration, don’t you think?”

She had a point, for Frank had done
plenty to prove himself. There was no point in being held hostage
by anger, and Sarah knew it was time to move on and apologize. But
at the moment, there were bigger fish to fry. She was tasked with
another Oscar-worthy performance, and she couldn’t remember the
last time she’d gone from prisoner to queen to servant girl all in
the same day. It was the role of a lifetime.

Sarah covered her face with her hands
and ran out screaming. “Help! Somebody! Anybody! The queen’s been
attacked.” She shrieked with hysteria, tears running down her
cheeks. At some point, her lungs constricted, burning like they
were on fire, but she didn’t care. To make it seem authentic, she
had to let go of any pain and fear.

A soldier gripped her by her arm.
“What happened, girl?”

“
She’s bleeding! A man—no,
more like a ghost—just appeared before my eyes and—”

He darted off before she even had a
chance to finish her makeshift explanation.

Everything played out in slow motion. Soldiers headed toward
the dressing room. People gasped, heads turned, jaws dropped, and
screams echoed. Every instinct told Sarah to run immediately. She
had just spun around on her heels to leave when she noticed Victor
racing in her direction, terror etched on his face. Glued to the
spot where she stood, her heart pounded with each step he took.
Part of her felt bad for deceiving him in such a way after the
tender kiss they’d shared, but the greater part of her wanted to
live and to have her old life back. She wasn’t in her world, her
life, and she refused to be controlled by some tyrant, regardless
of how hot and how good of a kisser he was. Sarah swallowed past
the lump in her throat as he swept her a quick glance, his troubled
blue eyes piercing holes in her heart.
Why
do I even care? There’s no way to soften the blow from a battle
axe. He’s just gonna have to man up. He hasn’t even known me for
more than a day, even if I was his bride.
She threw herself into the character of horrified servant, and
covered her face with her hands and sobbed as he passed
by.

Thrusting the door open, Victor let
out a loud shriek. “Get the healer in here now!”

The emotion in his voice made her
shiver as she walked away, clutching her chest. Through the crowd
of people, directly into the dressing room, she could specifically
hear his voice. She wondered when she’d gained the power of
superhuman hearing.

“
Secure the perimeter!”
Victor said. “Nobody comes in or out.”

“
I feel a pulse throbbing,”
a man said. “She’s alive.”

“
Thank goodness, but
something’s not right. Why don’t I feel her pain?” Victor asked. “I
should’ve felt this happening the moment it began. We are bonded,
one to another, by the ring!”

“
Maybe the ring has not
taken effect yet,” someone suggested.

Feel my
pain? Is he talking about the emotional pain of forcing me into
marriage with a stranger?
Sarah forced her
mind into action and swiftly walked through the crowd of people.
Dashing off like Cinderella after the ball at the stroke of
midnight, she hoped she wouldn’t lose a glass slipper, or rather, a
leather shoe. She focused on forcing her way through, her eyes
fixed on her feet so she wouldn’t trip. Something brushed her back,
but she didn’t halt. Somebody yanked her arm, jerking her back, and
she gasped, startled.

Chapter 7

Sarah’s
labored breathing echoed in her ears. It was even louder than the
excited chatter of the crowded room. She took another step forward,
pushing against a bulky peasant, when she felt another tug on her
arm. Gasping, she turned, shudders running through her body. A
large man towered over her, his bulging eyes fixed somewhere below
her head.
Great. Busted.

The man grinned. “Whom do we have
here?”

Holding her breath, she clenched her
fists, ready to fight.

The woman standing next to her pressed
an empty goblet into her arm yelling, “More wine, girl!” Sarah
stared, unbelieving. “Chop, chop.”

The man narrowed his gaze, staring
from the woman to Sarah.

Rolling her eyes, the woman glared at
her, enunciating each syllable. “I said, more wine. Well? What are
you looking at?”