Lost in Magic (Night Shadows Book 4) (2 page)

Chapter Two

Allison stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror on the back of the bathroom door. She’d donned a nice dark green pencil skirt and billowy, sleeveless cream-colored top. Her light brown hair was loose around her shoulders, the natural waves giving it a soft poof. She pursed her lips. Her heart was racing in her chest like a giddy schoolgirl’s.
It’s just drinks. With a stranger.
She shouldn’t be feeling so excited. There hadn’t even been a need to dress up.

“You’re allowed to look nice,” she told the mirror. As if hearing the words aloud made it better. “You do not have a crush on a man you just met.”
It’s a good thing my reflection can’t talk back to me.

Releasing a breath in lieu of rolling her eyes at herself, Ali tugged open the bathroom door and stepped into her suite. A quick glance at the clock on the nightstand assured her it was time to find Ol’ Salty. Fortunately there was a ship directory in the top drawer and she’d had the foresight to memorize the way before changing. Allison snagged her clutch, complete with room key, and slipped into her favorite wedge sandals with a thick green strap over the foot. She didn’t own a pair of high heels so she’d packed the wedges as a substitute, even though she intended to wear flip-flops for most of the cruise.

She slipped from her room and made it halfway down the hall before a man she didn’t recognize fell into step at her side.

“Afternoon,” he said as she came to a stop to look up at him. He was only a few inches taller than her, about five-eleven, with sturdy, lean shoulders above a matching torso. His white t-shirt was stretched perfectly over his chest and tucked into the waistband of his khaki cargo shorts. He held out a hand, his pale blue eyes sparkling in the hall lighting. “I’m Warner. Warner Mansfield. I’m sorry if I startled you.”

Ali shook his hand with a small smile. “Allison Drake,” she said. “You’re forgiven.” Was everyone on this boat so chatty?

“You look like you’re headed somewhere,” he said as his arm fell back to his side. “But I have to ask, could I buy you dinner? Maybe tomorrow night if you’re busy?”

Ali pulled in a breath and schooled her expression to mask her surprise. She never would have expected to be asked out on her vacation—let alone twice!
He is cute…
An image of Mick, who was waiting on her, flashed through her mind and she nearly sighed. Warner was handsome, it was true, but Mick was more her type. Still, she didn’t want to blow him off. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I am busy. And it’s too soon for me to promise tomorrow.”

He smiled and hooked his thumbs in his pockets. “If you say so,” he said. “I’ll keep an eye out for you, in case you change your mind.”

She laughed faintly and adjusted her grip on her clutch. “That’s reasonable. Have a good evening, Warner.” She smiled and resumed walking, unsurprised to note he didn’t follow. She didn’t know whether or not she’d want to go to any kind of meal with Warner, no matter what happened with Mick, but it was flattering to know she had options. Her whole intent with this vacation was to find a good distraction. Now she may have found
two
.

****

Mick sat forward when he saw Allison walk through the pub doors. He swallowed as he took in the sight of her all dressed up. It had only been a couple of hours since he’d met her on the top deck. He knew that wasn’t what she’d been wearing earlier. He’d have remembered with amusement how good she looked in green. The flatteringly tight pencil skirt emphasized her long, toned legs with the help of those shoes she was wearing.
Damn.
He lifted a hand in a casual greeting as their eyes met across the room. He suddenly felt rather underdressed in his faded blue denim jeans and simple black tee.

Standing as she approached the table he’d snagged minutes earlier, Mick smiled and pulled out her chair. “Glad you made it,” he said. “I was a little worried I’d come on too strong.”

She graced him with a smile of her own and accepted the seat. “I like a man who knows what he wants,” she said. “But I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”

Mick reclaimed his chair across the small round table with a grin. “Nope, not at all.” He ran a hand through his brown hair. “You look great, by the way. Way better than anyone else in this place.”

Allison laughed, the sound tinkling and soft and warm. “You don’t need to flatter me,” she said, “I’m already here. But thank you.”

With an exaggerated shrug Mick replied, “I only speak the truth.”

A waitress in cut-off jean shorts and a tighter than necessary tee emblazoned OL’ SALTY across the chest sidled up, taking their drink and appetizer orders. Mick took the liberty of requesting onion rings, figuring they were a fairly standard appetizer choice, and grinned when his companion ordered herself a classic margarita.

“Tell me about you,” he asked when they were alone again. “What brought you to this cruise, where are you from?” He leaned forward as he spoke, resting his elbows on the table.

Allison tapped her clean, unpainted fingernails over her clutch. “I’m taking some time off from medical school. I’ve got one year left before my residency. I’ve lived in Baltimore my whole life.”

“That’s a big endeavor,” Mick said. “What got you interested in medicine?”

To this Allison shrugged her slender, half-bared shoulders. “I’ve always been ambitious. Medical school seemed like a worthwhile investment, and when I did some preliminary searching I became fascinated with the precision and expertise required of surgeons. So that’s what I want to be, a surgeon. Maybe I’ll travel the world once I’ve got a little experience under my belt, or maybe I’ll find a smaller hospital in need of a good surgeon and stay there. I haven’t decided yet.”

“That’s impressive,” Mick said. And he meant it. The only surgeons he knew were also lesser witches who worked for the Council. But everyone knew it took dedication and skill and a lifetime of commitment to be good at a job like that. He’d admire anyone whose eyes sparked with drive when they talked about their goal—and hers did. Her beautiful hazel eyes had lit when she’d started talking about her plan and the light flared as she continued. It was obvious she was sincerely driven by her dream. In truth, he was a bit jealous. His job had been chosen for him. He’d received a private, specialized education to accomplish someone else’s goal and that was it.

“Your turn,” Allison declared as her margarita appeared before her. “Who is Mick?” She said with an adorably enticing little grin that sent a wave of desire licking through his blood.

Mick wrapped a hand around his beer, using the coolness as a distraction, and said, “I guess you could say I’m in between jobs. Or, rather, I’m in between assignments. I do investigative work mainly.” He paused and studied the foam-covered beverage in his hand. “Honestly, I’m tired of it. I’m given orders to up and go here or there and my boss doesn’t believe in giving time off.” Mick released a breath, took a swallow of his beer, and said, “I didn’t even get permission to be on this cruise. I just up and left. It was the only way to get some time to myself, you know?”

Allison was frowning when he looked back up at her. It wasn’t a sad or frightened frown but a thoughtful one. Her lips were slightly puckered, her brows scrunched, and she was fingering the stem of her margarita glass absently. The same way one might roll a pen around between thumb and forefinger. “Aren’t you worried you’ll get fired?”

Grinning humorlessly, Mick replied, “Not really. If they fire me I’ll just have to start living off the money my parents left me when they died.” And they’d left him plenty, but he opted to let that remain unsaid. He was attracted to this woman, sure, but he didn’t know her well enough to blurt that he was ridiculously wealthy.

Her expression softened. “I’m sorry,” she said. And for as much as she didn’t know him, her apology sounded genuine. Not full of pity but sympathy.

His grin faded even as its sincerity grew. “Thank you. It was several years ago, don’t worry.” He took another swallow of his beer. “Do you have family in Baltimore?”

She smiled. “Yes, my parents. Although I don’t see them much. Medical school keeps me busy.”

“I imagine.” He cut off what he might have added as their onion rings arrived and the young, flirtatious waitress asked him if they’d like to order anything for dinner.

****

She actually blushed when Mick pressed his lips to the back of her hand later that night. He was grinning mischievously, his enchanting green eyes holding her captive.

“Thank you for the company,” he said as their hands fell apart. “I’d love to do it again.”

Allison fought to maintain her calm composure. No need to let him know how eager she was to agree. Although she imagined he’d be surprised if she declined, since they’d wound up eating dinner at Ol’ Salty and talking until after eight o’clock. “Me, too,” she said. “And thank you for dinner, Mr. Darringer.” She hadn’t intended to let him pay, but he was surprisingly insistent.
I’ll pay next time.

Mick chuckled. “You earned it.” The elevator dinged around them and he cut a glance to the readout. “This must be you.”

“It is,” she confirmed as the doors rolled open. She quickly stepped through and turned to wave goodnight at the man still in the elevator. “Goodnight.” He returned the sentiment as the doors slid together again and she released a breath.

I can’t believe we talked so long.
It’d been a while—a long while—since she’d gone on a date, but she doubted she’d spent over four hours on her last first date.
Is that what that was?
Did people date on cruises? What was the etiquette for that?

She was still mulling those questions around in her head, and wishing in vain she could call Veronica to talk about it, when another vaguely-familiar voice beckoned.

“Allison? Is that your room?”

Ali paused, key card in hand, and turned from the door she’d been about to open to see Warner standing just outside of arm’s reach. “Ah, yes,” she said, caught off-guard by his arrival. “You haven’t been stalking me, have you?” She said it teasingly but couldn’t think of another reason why he might have been there at that precise moment.

Warner laughed and shook his blond head. “No, I swear,” he said. “I was just heading out to grab a couple drinks.” He jerked a thumb further down the hall. “I’m two doors down and across the way.”

“Oh.”
Duh.
She smiled, embarrassed by her own stupidity. “Then I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other around.”

“I don’t doubt it,” he said. “Hey, did you wanna get a drink? Maybe do a little dancing?”

Allison shook her head. “Thank you, but no. I’m actually planning on staying in tonight.” It was true. She was looking forward to a good soak in her whirlpool tub and then reading under the balcony light until her eyes got blurry.

“Okay, okay,” he said with an almost silent laugh. “Well, goodnight then, Allison.”

“Goodnight,” Allison replied before slipping into her room. She closed the door quietly, flipped the Do Not Disturb switch, and kicked off her shoes. It had been a surprisingly long, but good day.

She reflected over all the friendly people she’d met—from the old man on the dock to Mick—and smiled to herself as she stepped out of her clothes. Yes, she liked Mick. She could see herself liking him a lot. But was it stupid to invest that kind of attention into someone she met on a cruise? Someone who had recently left California but hadn’t decided where he wanted to set down roots yet?

“Be beautifully happy.”

The haunting memory of her final words to Veronica, nearly a year prior, echoed through her. She’d been talking to her best friend, a woman who was more like a sister to her. Her friend had gone through more than anyone should need to and then promptly been turned into a real-life vampire. She’d had to fake her death and leave Baltimore.

For the past nine months Allison had been tortured by the memory of that June. She’d lost her two closest friends almost back-to-back. Both, in their own ways, to vampires. A part of her wished she’d said something different to Veronica that last time. Maybe it hadn’t been too late. Maybe there was a way Veronica could have stayed.

But it wouldn’t have been the same.
She’d already been a vampire by then. Something like that couldn’t possibly be reversible.

Maybe those words, those parting words, were better used for herself. Maybe
she
needed to find something that made her beautifully happy.

Chapter Three

Allison was still shaking internally from the familiar nightmare she’d had when she slipped into line at the breakfast buffet. Every time she blinked she saw her friend Mandy’s body. Curled up in the fetal position, shoulders pushed back. Throat torn out. Just lying there, screaming up at the ceiling without making a sound, waiting for someone to find her. The blood had been everywhere, just old enough that the stench of it came wafting out of the old shack when Veronica had opened the door.

Sometimes Ali swore she could still smell it.

“Fancy meeting you here.” Ali jumped and turned to see Mick standing behind her, a plate of food in his hands. His grin turned sheepish when he realized he’d startled her. “Hey, sorry,” he said. “You okay?”

Allison released a breath and picked up a plate. “Yes, sorry,” she said. Too quickly. “I was … distracted.” But she wanted to be distracted from her distraction, so she paused in front of the pancake station and asked, “Do you have anyone to eat with?”

Mick’s grin returned, lighting his beautiful green eyes. “You tell me.”

Turning to slide a blueberry pancake onto her plate, Allison said, “Why don’t you grab us a table? I’ll meet you when I’m done here.”

“Sure. Just leave room for the quiche, I hear it’s amazing.” He winked and walked off, striding toward the spread of largely occupied tables.

Allison heated when she realized she was staring at his ass and quickly looked away. She’d let a gap develop between herself and the woman ahead of her, undoubtedly frustrating the people behind her. She moved forward, grabbed the pre-filled little container of syrup, and angled her head down the table to look for the quiche. She didn’t normally eat a large breakfast, but he’d said it was supposed to be good.

Once her plate was loaded with two blueberry pancakes, a Styrofoam container of maple syrup, and a single, narrow slice of quiche, Allison made her way into the eating area. The hum of murmured conversation grew louder with the increase of people but she tuned them out and quickly zeroed in on the man she was looking for. Mick Darringer was settled at a small table off to the side, near the windows, his back to a support pillar. Today he wore dark brown cargo shorts and a tight, white tee. His thick dark hair seemed to be naturally messy, but it looked good on him.

Oh who’m I kidding? The man is hot.
It was hard not to shake her head at herself as she set her plate carefully onto the table. She didn’t want to spill her syrup before she was ready for it.

“I see you took my advice,” Mick said with a nod toward her plate. He held up about two bites worth of a slice of quiche. “It was good advice, by the way.”

Allison smiled, refraining from giggling like a child, and reached for her own. “We’ll see,” she said. But he was right. She knew it as soon as the melted egg, soft crust, and thin layer of spinach mixed with cheese landed on her tongue.

Mick chuckled and she realized the moan of pleasure she’d heard had come from her. “Glad you agree,” he said, something entirely dangerous and inappropriate flashing through his eyes. It was gone as fast as it appeared but her face heated all the same.

Once she’d devoured the delicious quiche Allison reached for her syrup. “Tell me, how many young women are you charming on this cruise?” She wasn’t sure why she asked that. It had occurred to her last night, while she was trying to read and succeeding more in thinking about Mick, that it was possible she was just one of several women on his radar. He certainly was good looking enough to take his pick, and he had plenty of charm to boot. Allison had never considered herself the kind of woman to hold the attention of a man like him. Not that she was unattractive. She just didn’t see anything special when she looked in the mirror. Light brown hair, hazel eyes, and a fit body. She didn’t have an hourglass shape or excessively large breasts or even a sugary voice. Nothing that
should
have drawn the attention of a gorgeous, apparently wealthy man like Mick.

The same Mick who was giving her a funny look. One dark brow had lifted on his forehead and a beat of silence stretched by before he reached for his orange juice. “Just one,” he said. He swallowed and looked into her eyes. “Promise.”

Something tingled down low in her belly and Allison crossed her ankles beneath the chair. “Sorry if that was weird,” she said. “I don’t know where that came from.”

Mick’s grin returned, a little lopsided this time, and he shrugged. “Don’t worry about it.” He chomped on a piece of bacon as she popped her first bite of pancake into her mouth. She watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed it down. And she had the strongest urge to trace the ridge of it with her tongue.

Good grief, Allison.
What had gotten into her this morning?

“What are you up to for the rest of today?” Mick asked, seemingly oblivious to the trail of her thoughts. Which was probably a good thing.

Reaching for her own juice, Allison said, “Oh, I haven’t decided really. I want to check out the
Euphoria
Lounge, maybe get in a game of mini golf, or just spend some time around the pool. There are so many options.” She even wanted to explore the shopping level, just to see what kind of souvenirs or other items a cruise ship carried. Supposedly they were stocked enough that she could replenish her entire vacation wardrobe and then some if she wanted.

“That all sounds fun,” Mick said. He paused to finish his last slice of bacon. “Mind if I keep you company? I promise I don’t bite.”

Allison felt her heart do a dance in her chest. She most certainly didn’t mind keeping his company at all. “I suppose that would be all right,” she said instead. Best not to seem
too
eager. She really wanted the chance to see him in nothing but a pair of swim trunks.
Or is he a speedo man?

****

Mick drew a deep breath as Ali approached him on the pool deck shortly after breakfast. She was wearing a robe-style swimsuit cover over a stylized one-piece suit. He couldn’t make out the details, but he could tell from the darker color protruding through the ivory cover that it was more like a bikini with connecting strips of fabric. He was going to have a hard time breathing when she took that cover off.

“I managed to find two loungers,” he said when she stopped before him, a beach bag slung over one shoulder. He indicated the two chairs he pushed a little closer together, one of which boasted his towel.

Ali looked around, taking in how crowded the area was, and turned a beautiful smile to him. “I’m impressed. Did you have to bribe someone out of them?”

“Not telling,” he returned, holding his hand out. “Let me help you set up.”

Allison obligingly reached into her bag and extracted a green and white beach towel. The pattern appeared to be leaves of varying styles and shades layered around each other over a white background. And the fact that the theme was leaves was not lost on him as he spread the towel over her lounge chair. He tucked the top edge between two of the plastic slats to hold it in place and adjusted the back into a semi-relaxed position.

“Perfect,” Ali said, setting her bag down between the two chairs. “Thank you.”

He grinned. “You ready for a swim?” Jerking a thumb in the direction of the pool to his left he said, “It’s only gonna get more crowded.”

The gentle sound of her light laughter drifted to him and she reached for the belt around her waist. “True. But you just want to see me in my swimsuit, don’t you?”

It was hard not to stare at her body in anticipation after a comment like that. He managed to only briefly glance down before looking back into her eyes and gesturing at his shorts. “You’ve seen mine.”

“Fair enough,” she said, her own gaze dropping down his body. He swore he felt it like a physical caress.

Then her robe fell away as she set it down over her beach towel, revealing a dark green suit. As he’d suspected, it was more like a bikini with connecting strips. The top wrapped around her neck like a halter and a thin piece of material trailed down from between her breasts, connecting to the bottoms which were slung low on her hips.
Damn.

“Ladies first,” she said as she started toward the far end of the pool.

Once she was past him Mick let his gaze drop to her tight ass. The suit clung to her cheeks, emphasizing her roundness, and her hips swung with each step. Most of her back was bare save for the tie behind her neck and a thin strap around her back below her bosom. Her hair was loose and sweeping along the skin just above the strap, teasing him. He wanted to run his fingers through it and brush them down her spine. He wanted to taste her lips and feel that body up against his.

He needed to get in that damned pool.

Mick trailed behind Allison until they reached the diving board. She threw him a wink over her shoulder and climbed the short ladder. He watched from the side as she made her way down the plank and rolled her shoulders back. She swept her arms out and around, bringing them forward, and pushed off with both feet. Her body arched shamelessly in the air before splashing down into the pool below. And then it was his turn.

Not being all that poised of a diver, Mick opted to go for the cannonball instead.

Ali was laughing at him when he popped back up.

Mick frowned dramatically at her laughter, took a breath, and ducked under the water. He was pretty sure he heard her startled shriek when he caught her calves and tugged her down. She was still grinning when they popped back up and she splashed him square in the face.

“That’s for dunking me,” she said.

“I don’t remember dunking you,” Mick said. “That was more like an underwater tackle. But I
could
dunk you if you’d like.” He made to reach for her and laughed when she immediately back-peddled.

“You’ll have to catch me first!” Then she was under the water, swimming away like a pro. For a moment he could only watch, admiring the way she moved under the water. And maybe for a heartbeat he wished he’d been born a water witch, but he banished the thought and gave chase instead. Just because he could manipulate the earth didn’t mean he didn’t know how to swim.

****

Warner watched from across the pool while the woman who’d caught his eye flirted with another man. He’d spotted them on their way to the diving board earlier and he’d been watching them ever since. He’d barely looked away. They hadn’t noticed. Allison hadn’t once turned in his direction, her attention seemingly occupied with the man beside her.

So that’s who she turned me down for.

He didn’t understand it. The man was broader than him, sure, but in Warner’s mind that was a detraction. The man Allison was currently laughing for had too much muscle and no style. It was obvious the guy was only interested in her body. And she wasn’t helping, flaunting it around in that mockery of a one-piece. Allison was wasting her time on that guy. Guys like him were only good for one-offs. If they could get it up at all.

I’ll just have to get her attention.

They were temporarily neighbors. It couldn’t be that hard to get her alone. He’d just have to try a little harder if he wanted her to forget about her current infatuation.