My Haunted Fairytale - Book 2 (The Enchanted Castle Series) Read online

  “No bangs,” I said firmly.

  “Fine. No bangs. Can’t blame a girl for trying.”

  I turned my head when somebody knocked on the door. “Shoot! Hunter’s here.”

  “Come on in!” Pam said.

  “But I’m not even ready yet,” I panicked, glancing in my mirror and noticing that she had my hair all ruffled up, looking like some kind of road kill on top of my head. “I don’t want him to see me like this!”

  “Calm down,” Eric said. “It’s just me.” He met Pam’s gaze. “You said to meet you over here.”

  “Oh, hey, Eric,” I said, sounding relieved.

  “What’s up, Zoey? Getting ready for your big date with Hunter?”

  “Pam seems to think I need all of this.” I then shot a look at Pam. “What did you tell him? It’s not a big deal—not even a date. Just a walk around the property, no biggie.”

  She glanced up at Eric, grinning. “As you can see, I’m playing matchmaker here. Can you meet me outside in an hour? Zoey’s never going to get her happily-ever-after looking like she stuck her finger in a light socket, now is she?” She smiled down at me. “And I mean that in the nicest way, BFF.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh, because Pam was an absolute riot, even if she was threatening me with bangs and curling irons.

  Eric ran a hand through his blond hair. “Uh, sure. No problem. Work your magic. See ya in a few.”

  She waved goodbye as Eric shut the door and left. Winding the curling iron around my hair, she added some loose curls, then used her fingers to break them up a bit so they’d look more natural. “I’m gonna sweep some hair up and back, while still showing off those long gorgeous waves. You’ll look soft and casual, just beautiful.” She teased my hair and smoothed it back, securing it with bobby pins at the back crown. After applying a liberal amount of hairspray, she spent forever applying my makeup, then met my gaze. “All done, and you look fantastic, if I do say so myself.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that,” I said, smiling.

  “Nope. No peeking.”

  “What?”

  “It is best not to look upon a masterpiece until the finishing stroke has been made,” she said, trying her best to sound like Confucius or something. “Put on the outfit I picked out, and you can have a look when the whole ensemble is complete.” She looked out the window to give me some privacy as I got dressed. “You may think this date is no biggie,” she said, “but it will help you determine if he’s worth all the trouble and worry. Sure, he’s about as hot as skillet in the Sahara, but you can’t go falling for him if he isn’t really willing to catch you.”

  I wiggled into the black skinny jeans and slipped my arms into a romantic white blouse with embroidered lace and flowing sleeves. “Great advice. I’ll remember that.” I adjusted the shirt and instantly fell in love with the sweetheart neckline.

  “There.” She smudged my cheek, as if making sure to fix every last detail. “A work of art,” she said, tying a sheer black scarf around my neck.

  “A scarf? Seriously?”

  “It’s fashionable. Besides that, it gives you a hit of goth.”

  “A hint of goth?” I laughed, and she grinned.

  “Yeah, to go with the theme of the castle. Now go have a look at the new Zoey,” she said, her voice flooding with excitement.

  I gazed into the mirror. Sweet, romantic waves of hair fell past my shoulders and were topped off with a cute, teased crown that was elegantly pinned. My skin looked flawless, the dark circles completely gone. She’d done such a brilliant job with my makeup that my lashes looked long and lush, making the color in my eyes pop. “Wow,” I said. “It doesn’t even look like me.”

  “It’s all you, girl.”

  I let out a long breath, barely able to recognize the reflection staring back at me. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

  She met my gaze and smiled. “You look like a princess. I mean, put on one of those medieval gowns from the queen’s closet upstairs and throw on a crown, and you’d pass for royalty. No doubt about it. You look like you belong in this castle.”

  “I really do feel like a princess.” I smiled back, then slipped into a pair of fashionable black boots.

  “Well, Cinderella, I’d better go. Prince Charming will be here any minute.” She looked at me, then smiled again at her handiwork. “I’ve never seen you so happy.”

  I felt like I was walking on air. “I can’t get the guy out of my mind.”

  “Girl, you’re taking quite a tumble for him! You better be careful. Don’t go getting your heart stomped on. I’ve been there and done that, and I know how much it hurts. Just take your time.” She picked up her bag and collected everything, then headed toward the door. Before she walked out, she glanced over her shoulder. “Good luck. I hope you get that fairytale you so deserve.”

  I grinned, flashing her the biggest smile ever.

  As soon as she left, Hunter walked in, and his blue eyes locked on me.

  I fidgeted with my hands. “Hunter.” Every time I saw him, my day instantly became brighter, and I wondered what it would be like to have Hunter as my own.

  “You look so…just absolutely stunning,” he said, smiling and gulping down a knot that had formed in his throat.

  “Thanks, but it was all Pam. She blindsided me and came at me with a bag of makeup.”

  He couldn’t stop staring, and shook his head when he caught himself. “You are so pretty.”

  I smiled at the ground and flipped my hair nervously. “Thank you, Hunter,” I said, grabbing my coat.

  He spun around in a slow circle, observing his surroundings. “Whoa!”

  “What?” I asked.

  “You’ve been keeping my room up. It’s spotless.”

  I laughed and playfully nudged him. “Your room?”

  He flashed those beautiful eyes. “It was mine until you kicked me out.”

  I grinned, remembering how shocked I was on the first day to find him unpacked in my room. We’d argued a little bit, and when he finally realized he was in the girls’ section of the castle, he had tried to act nonchalant about the whole thing, but it was easy to see that he was quite embarrassed.

  “Looks can be deceiving. You’d hate this room,” I said.

  “Really? Why?”

  “For starters, there’s something wrong with the electricity, because the lights flicker all the time. I guess maintenance is going to look into it.”

  “Yeah, I would hate that.”

  “Then again, you might love it. You’d be surrounded by pretty girls, most of whom are your adoring fans.”

  He smirked. “I would so totally hate this room.”

  “Right. You’d be in heaven.”

  “Zoey, I am in heaven. I only need one pretty angel in my life.”

  I smiled at the floor. “You’re a smooth talker, Hunter.”

  He ran a hand through his dark, shaggy hair and shot me a half-smile. “You ready?”

  “According to Pam I am,” I said with a grin and walked out of my room with my prince in tow.

  * * *

  It was chilly and cloudy, but it was nice to get out of the castle. I could smell the cleanness of the air, nothing but pure oxygen, entirely devoid of pollution, car exhaust, and smog. We followed a cobblestone path in the garden.

  “Isn’t that cool?” I asked, pointing out a dragon statue in the flowerbed, at least two feet long. “It looks like he’s swimming in the dirt.”

  “It’s three separate pieces. There’s the horned head and neck, then the body with wings, and then the treacherous tail.”

  We walked through the garden, and read a sign: “Tiker Castle. Knights, nobles, and royalty came to revel in its grandeur with its majestic sculptures and beautiful gardens. Grand celebrations were once held here, from christenings to coronations. This garden was a gift to Princess Isabella from Prince Alexander in 1295. Isabella and Alexander loved to stroll with their courtiers and enjoyed watching entertainment or playing games such a
s archery.”

  I looked at Hunter. “So I take it Prince Alexander was her boyfriend?”

  He blinked. “Good question.”

  “What a romantic gift.”

  “Huh?”

  “Her prince built her the most beautiful garden in the entire world. She must’ve captured his heart.”

  “She loved archery and the outdoors and looked exactly like you. What was not to love about her?”

  I playfully nudged him.

  Hunter smiled.

  We talked about everything, from the gothic sculptures to the flowers that grew in October, then headed across the field. I learned a little more about Hunter along the way. Back in Florida, he took sunrise runs on the beach every morning. He couldn’t stand to drink anything with ice in it, and he never ate anything green. He was an only child like me but had always longed for a brother or sister. He had a German shepherd named Jack, and he missed his pet terribly. I admitted dotting my i’s with a smiley face or heart and told him about my passion for swimming and the medal I’d won the previous year on swim team.

  When we arrived at the edge of the forest, he suddenly glanced at me, making me smile. “Are you sure you want to go for a walk in the woods?” he asked.

  “Sure. Why not?”

  “We’ll have to get past the guardians first, my fair maiden.” Hunter said, pointing at two upright lions with wide wings, stone sentries of the forest beyond.

  I stared at their spiny talons, razor-sharp teeth, and glaring gaze “They’re huge,” I said.

  “Fear not, milady, for I shall wield my sword and slay them before they harm one hair of thine precious head!” he said in a joking tone.

  I playfully nudged him again. “Wouldn’t it just be easier to get permission to pass? No sense slicing and dicing the poor little kitties if we don’t have to.”

  “Perhaps,” he said, glancing up at them. “They look so lifelike, don’t they?”

  “Watch out!” I said. “They might leap off their pedestals and fly into the sky with us in their talons.”

  He laughed. “I’m sure they’d happily pounce on uninvited guests and intruders, but for the time being, we live here. This is kind of like…uh…”

  “Our back yard?”

  He smiled. “Yep. These guys are our pets, though I’m sure Jack is a lot more fun to play with.”

  As we walked past the giant carved guardians, I sucked in a deep breath. In spite of the fact that they were lifeless statues, they seemed intimidating, as if they were watching our every move.

  “Which trail do you wanna take?” Hunter asked after we managed to pass the guardians safely.

  I pointed to the left. “That one.”

  We followed the path and climbed over massive fallen logs. We marveled at plants, squirrels, and towering trees.

  Being so near to him, my palms began to sweat, and I hoped my date wouldn’t reach for my hand. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my racing heart. I moved aside some branches that brushed up against my face. “I read this was the royal hunting forest, where the king and his courtiers hunted for red deer and wild boar. I love reading about the history of this place. Scotland is just amazing.”

  “There’s all kinds of adventures just waiting for us…calling our names. I really want to go backpacking in the wilderness of the Highlands. I was reading on the Internet about the hiking trails like the West Highland Way and the Great Glen. I also want to visit tourist attractions like Loch Ness and…” He burst through a patch of vegetation and gazed straight ahead. “There it is!” he said, grabbing my hand.

  “What?”

  “My spot! I’ve found my spot.”

  I saw trickling water and smiled as he pulled me to the bank, and then I laughed. “Do you suggest we walk through the water to get to this spot of yours?”

  “No. We can just hop on the rocks. See?” he said, stepping carefully from one stone to the next.

  I gingerly stepped from rock to rock, praying I wouldn’t slip and soak my shoes. My thoughtful tour guide helped me climb on top of a huge, oversized boulder in the middle of the stream, and there we sat, in his spot. Beams of sunshine shone through the trees and warmed my face. The sound of rippling water was soothing and peaceful.

  “This is my new favorite spot,” Hunter said.

  I sat in front of him, and he wrapped his arms around my waist. “It’s beautiful,” I said, meaning every word of it. Tall trees towered in the sky and swayed in the wind. I loved the quiet murmur of the water as birds treated us to a chorus of their happy little songs.

  “When I was a kid, I used to go in the woods and find a special rock. I’d sit there for hours and watch the fish swim by, watch the frogs jump into the river, and listen to the birds. It was the only thing I could do to get my mind off my parents’ divorce.”

  “Hunter, I’m so sorry.”

  “I lashed out and got kicked out of every school I attended. I’m surprised I haven’t gotten kicked out of here yet.”

  “Please don’t! If you go, I won’t have anyone cool to hang out with.”

  “Don’t worry,” he said, with a chuckle. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ve got plenty of reasons to stick around now,” he said, staring at me intently for a moment and making me squirm. “You know, it’s funny.”

  “What?”

  “Well, I’m seventeen, almost a legal adult, but I’m still doing the same thing I did as a kid.”

  “Yeah? What’s that?”

  “Looking for an escape, for my special spot. I found it today, and this time, I’ve got someone special to share it with.”

  I smiled and leaned back against him, trembling inside. Does he really think I’m so special? The thought was overwhelming, and I smiled as I pondered it.

  “You don’t ask me about my past or give me the third degree,” he said. “I feel at ease with you, like I could tell you anything and you’d still accept me for who I am and for all the mistakes I’ve made.”

  “We all make mistakes, Hunter. I’ve made more than my share of them.”

  “Yours can’t be as bad as mine.”

  I glanced over my shoulder. “I’m not the Little Miss Perfect you take me for. Truth is, I’m no princess.”

  “You’re my Cinderella in my perfect fairytale in our perfect castle, and that’s perfect enough for me.”

  I stared into his beautiful blue eyes. “Well, that’s a beautiful thing to say. I really want to believe in all that happily-ever-after stuff, but I’m sure that kind of life is for other girls and definitely not me.”

  “Do you know how beautiful you are?” he asked.

  I smirked, my cheeks burning.

  “I love the way you get all shy on me when I give you compliments.”

  “Like I said, I’m no princess, Hunter—far from it actually.”

  “You’re my princess,” he whispered in my ear, “and I’m gonna treat you like royalty from here on out.”

  “Shall we start with breakfast in bed?”

  He laughed. “Your wish is my command, Highness. Oh, wait…wrong fairytale.”

  I laughed. “Aladdin?”

  “Let’s try to stick to our fairytale.”

  I let out a soft laugh. “Cinderella, it is.”

  “Okay, Cinderella, I’ve been dying to know your story.”

  “My story?”

  “Yeah, the story Cinderella had before she got to the castle. Do you have three horrible stepsisters and a wicked stepmom? Ride around in a magic pumpkin? Glass stilettos in your closet?”

  I laughed at his humor. He was so good at breaking the ice, and I was finally beginning to feel comfortable with him. “No brothers, no sisters, and no evil stepmother. No talking mice either. I’m just an only child from New Orleans. For most of the year, it’s hot and muggy.”

  “Yeah, I know all about the hot thing, being from Florida and all.”

  “Did you find it hard to adjust to weather here?” I asked.

  “Nah, not all.” He chuckled.
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  “What’s so funny?”

  “We’re talking about the weather now. You sure are good at getting the spotlight off of yourself, aren’t you?”

  I laughed.

  “I wanna know more,” he said. “I’m gonna find a way to break through those walls, milady, one way or another. Tell me about Mardi Gras.”

  “It’s when the town gets totally crazy and declares, “laissez les bons temps rouler!” He cocked a brow and I continued. “It means let the good times roll.”

  “I know it’s one wild party.”

  “Yeah, everyone gets dressed up crazy, gaudy, and outrageous. I dressed up in this purple and gold gown and had a matching sequin mask with feathers. I lined up on the street with my friends and caught trinkets thrown from the floats.” I reached down in my pocket and scrolled through my phone. “Here’s a pic.”

  He glanced down. “You look hot.”

  I smiled. “Thanks.”

  “So it’s just a parade?”

  “There’s parades, private parties, and masked balls during the twelve days leading up to Mardi Gras.”

  He grinned. “It’s definitely on my bucket list.”

  “It’s such a blast. And if you come down, I even have a black wig with silver highlights you can borrow.”

  He laughed. “I might just have to visit New Orleans someday. So tell me more.”

  “I’ve been through a lot. For one thing, I survived Hurricane Katrina.”

  He hugged me. “I’m sorry. I had no idea.”

  “I really shouldn’t even be here. There’s no reason that I should be alive. I mean, everyone died in that collapsed building but me. And I never got the chance to thank the man who saved me. Everything was a blur and I had no idea who he was.” Hunter squeezed me tight, and I continued. “There’s more, but I just…well, I can’t talk about it right now.” The painful memories I’d drudged up caused my voice to waver. “I lost so many friends. I just feel like my heart is broken beyond repair.”

  “I can tell that you’re in pain, Zoey. I hate to see you suffer.”

  “I came here to heal, to try to return to the person I used to be.”