A Bear For Christmas Read online

  “How did you sleep?” she said seriously, both of us completely aware of the elephant in the room.

  “Really well,” I smiled. “In fact, excellent.”

  She beamed and rubbed my shoulder.

  “I’m so glad,” she said, “I was worried.”

  “I don’t think we need to be anymore,” I assured her.

  And I meant it.

  I had churned it all over so many times, and I had done my thinking. It was time to move on. It had been an accident and now I wanted to never speak of it again.

  “So,” Marianne sensed my wishes and changed the subject, “What are you going to do on your first day back in Valport?”

  I looked out of the window and at the beautiful light resting on the lake.

  “I honestly don’t know,” I said. “Maybe I should unpack and go and have an explore.”

  She smiled and nodded her head in encouragement.

  “I have clients all afternoon,” she said as she stretched and I heard the bones click in her shoulders. “So I’m afraid I won’t be of much use to you today.”

  “That’s okay,” I said. “I’d prefer to be on my own anyway.”

  “You can take the car,” she said as she got to her feet and picked up a long wooden spoon. She wandered over to the stove and lifted the lid on the cauldron before she stirred it and moaned.

  “Smells amazing,” she sighed. “Shame it’s not for me.”

  “One of your clients?” I asked.

  “Sure,” she said, “I am a healer after all,” she winked and closed the lid.

  “What do you the young people of Valport do for fun around here?” I asked with a giggle.

  My aunt raised her eyebrows and shrugged.

  “What do they do anywhere else?” she laughed. “Hang around, drink, smoke and have sex no doubt.”

  She tutted at me and shook a finger.

  “So maybe you should just stay here for the time being young lady,” she said in jest.

  “No chance,” I laughed, “But don’t worry, I’ll leave the drinking and smoking to the rest of them...”

  I watched her out of the corner of my eye awaiting her reaction, and she smiled until she realized I had left out sex too and then she picked up her book and tossed it at me across the table.

  “Cheeky,” she said. “Just you be careful.”

  I got to my feet and laughed. The fact that Marianne was only fifteen years older than me meant that we had a bond that was fun and lighthearted. She was more like an older sister to me than an aunt and I knew I could tell her anything if I was in trouble.

  I went back up to my room and decided to get myself ready for the day. As I unpacked my bags and boxes and made the place feel more like home I suddenly got the uneasy feeling that can sometimes grab you when you know something isn’t quite right. I had woken up so happy and I had forgotten as much as I could, but occasionally the memories would resurface, or I would remember the fact that my mom was in a rehab facility hundreds of miles away, and it would grip me tight like a snake and squeeze the air out of me. So much had changed and even though I had Marianne, I still felt very much alone.

  I’d been given a lovely room on the back of the house which overlooked the lake. It had an adjoining bathroom just for me and I gathered up my toiletries and arranged them all along the side of the sink leaning up against the white tiles. Multicolored bottles full of lotions and potions littered the side of the bath and around the sink and I flicked on the light as I squinted at myself in the mirror and began to scrutinize each part of my face.

  I looked exactly the same as I always had, yet something inside of me felt so different. I had been worried before I left to come to Valport that the fire inside of me was ready to die out, but since I had arrived it was now burning stronger than ever. I stared at myself hard in the mirror and my eyes were glistening green. I felt more alive and more awake and I was ready to get out there and see what the town was all about. I may have visited it many times before, but it had long been locked away in my memories and I was eager to see how much it had changed.

  After I showered I wrapped my hair up in a towel whilst I put on my make-up and picked out an outfit. Even though it was on the verge of summer there was still a slight chill in the air, so I pulled on a pair of tight jeans and a low cut, black jumper. I outlined my lips with red liner and filled them in with a lovely burgundy, before I blotted them and picked up my purse. It was just noon and I was starving so I decided to head into the center of Valport and find somewhere to eat.

  Marianne left the keys to her car on the table for me in the kitchen. I swiped them and made my way outside, stepping over piles of books and ornaments that lined the floors of the hallways.

  As I slid into the car and put the keys in the ignition I looked up at the house again. Woodmont was so impressive, so grand and ancient, it was hard not to be seduced by it. It was hidden away in that beautiful forest and it stood tall and proud. I loved looking up at the unique details that seemed to be present at every turn. Quirky gargoyles lined the roof of the third floor, their mouths hanging open to spit out collected rain water and flush it down into the drains. The spikes of the railings even seemed to be completely different to anything I had ever seen before, they were jagged and yet elegant at the same time.

  I put the car in reverse and turned it back to face the driveway. As I edged down into the tree lined road that led to the gates I watched the house disappear in the rearview mirror and then I gripped the wheel as the darkness descended the deeper I went into the forest.

  I had never driven into town before, but I knew all I had to do was take a left after the gates and follow the road until I came to Main Street. Valport was small and quaint and even though it could become busy with tourists over the summer months, Marianne had assured me it was still quiet enough for me to not feel intimidated about exploring.

  I crawled along slowly as I looked up at the sunlight breaking through the trees and listened to the drawl of the country music on the stereo. As I got closer to the outskirts of town, the more cars seemed to pass by and I realized that I was excited. I smiled and tapped my fingers along the edge of the steering wheel and hummed along to the tune. It had been such a long time since I had felt unencumbered with the heartache of the breakdown of my parent’s marriage and now I was able to concentrate on myself and feel as if I was having a fresh start.

  As Main Street came into view and I moved slowly forward into the hustle and bustle of small town life I felt tingly all over and my heart began to pound. I could see a grocery store and a gallery, boutiques selling unique pieces of jewelry and clothes, and most prominently a book store which I could tell without question that I was going to love for its quirky wooden exterior. I caught a glimpse of a space available between two trucks and I slowed down and put the car into reverse. As I swung it in I felt weirdly proud of my ability to maneuver despite the fact I hadn’t driven in a hell of a long time. I clapped my hands together and turned off the ignition.

  As I stepped out of the car the warm rays of sun shone down on me and I looked up to the sky. It felt so refreshing to be able to walk around and to know that no one would recognize me. Even though my family and Marianne had ties to Valport Springs that went back generations, there was surely no way that anyone would link me back with them, even with our vague similarities of long black hair and striking green eyes. To be sure I pulled a pair of shades out of my purse and slipped them down over my eyes.

  I walked down Main Street with a smile on my face and I took my time exploring all of the nooks and crannies that the various shops had to offer. I made my way to the book store first and loitered outside as I ran my hands along the spines of some of the most beautiful antiquarian collections that I had ever seen.

  “See something you like?” the voice of a woman came from behind me.

  I spun around to see an old lady with silvery white hair tied up into a loose bun.

  “I like everything,” I smiled. �
�These books are stunning.”

  “One of a kind,” she agreed, “Mind you, I’m sure your aunt has a pretty big collection of her own.”

  I tensed up and put down the book I had been holding.

  “My aunt?” I asked.

  “You’re Marianne’s niece,” she said matter-o-factly, “There’s no mistaking it.”

  I reached up and touched the glasses that were covering my face and the old lady smiled wryly and winked at me. The woman’s eyes flashed green and I felt a familiar tingle undulate throughout my entire body.

  I stretched out my fingers to try and shake the feeling before I turned and walked away slowly, unsure of what to say.

  Maybe Marianne had told people I was coming… Maybe she had been down in town speaking with people before she had set off to come and get me. Maybe she had told certain women around the town so that they could help me settle in properly… Or maybe, just maybe, there was much more to Valport than I ever could have imagined.

  Chapter 5

  When I took a table outside at the coffee shop I kept my head down and I opened a magazine that I had been carrying around in my purse for almost a year. Its pages were crumpled and frayed at the bottom and as I bent back the spine and flattened it out in front of me I finally felt like I could relax.

  The waitress came over and took my order. I asked her for a latte and blueberry muffin. I had pretty much been starving myself since the day dad had left, and so now I was out in the big wide world and starting again I thought it wouldn’t do any harm to give in to a little treat.

  She seemed to be back within seconds with the steaming coffee and the warm muffin. I basked in the sun’s rays and let my head loll back slightly as I looked up to the sky.

  The air around me fizzed with power and it made the skin on my arms tingle. I felt him before I saw him, I know that now. But in that moment I was so caught off guard that I almost didn’t know what the hell was happening.

  “Lovely day,” a strong, deep voice came from somewhere to the side of me.

  My skin was tingling and his words echoed in my ears. It was so powerful my nerves felt electric and when I turned and looked over my shoulder in an instant everything changed…

  My whole life flipped.

  This man in front of me…

  He was… incredible.

  He wasn’t the kind of guy I ever thought I would be attracted to, but the second our eyes locked, something was sealed. I felt my heartbeat begin to quicken and the blackness of his eyes pulled me in and swallowed me whole. I knew my mouth was hanging open, but I couldn’t find the strength to close it. Something had paralyzed me with lust and I couldn’t look away.

  He was older. Maybe in his early forties, and he was tall, broad and obviously strong. His skin had a gray tint to it and his profile was pronounced with a sharp nose. His thick black eyebrows were heavy on his head and matched his jet black hair. I swallowed hard, trying to take in the dark features that could almost mirror mine and I realized my palms were sweating.

  “I haven’t seen you before,” he said deeply. “Are you just passing through?”

  When he said it, a smirk flashed across his lips and his eyes glistened. It was as if he was joking, like he knew the answer and was toying with me by asking it. I finally managed to close my mouth and I smiled. I could tell I was blushing and my hands had started shaking, but I tried to still myself and pull myself together.

  “No,” I shook my head meekly, “My family live here.”

  “Oh really?” he leant over closer to my table and I could smell his cologne. It was something a real man would wear. It was heavy and strong, woody and masculine. I breathed it in deep and bit my bottom lip.

  “And who are they?” he asked as he placed his cell phone down on the table and put his full attention on me.

  “My aunt,” I say without a second thought, “Marianne Black.”

  His eyes flashed again, and he smiled.

  “Of course,” he stroked his chin and raised his eyebrows. “There’s quite a resemblance.”

  “So you know her?” I asked with intrigue.

  “This is Valport Springs,” he said, “You’ll know everybody soon enough.”

  He smiled at me again and his eyes were so intense they were burning into me. Even though we were no longer speaking, neither of us looked away and I felt my cheeks flush with shyness.

  “How long have you been here?” he said finally.

  “Just since yesterday,” I said.

  “That explains it,” he smiled, “I would have sensed you if you had been here any longer.”

  I had no idea what he meant by that, but at the same time I felt as if he had reached inside my soul and was gripping onto my heart.

  He got to his feet and walked to the side of my table.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said as he held out his hand.

  As it slipped into mine the heat that was running through him could have burned. I winced but he gripped me tight and my fingers caught up in his.

  He could see my shock and weak struggle and it seemed to excite him.

  “And your name?” he asked smoothly.

  “I’m Aradia,” I whispered, barely able to breathe.

  As he held my hand, I was his. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t think, I couldn’t comprehend even for one moment what was happening to me… but I knew it was amazing. His big, hot hand grasped mine and I felt as if I was in a trance.

  “Aradia,” he whispered. His voice was so controlled, smooth as silk and intimate, it almost felt as if it came from inside my head.

  A wicked smile flashed over his lips and my pulse quickened again.

  “I’m Lucifer,” he said.

  The second I heard his name it all made sense. He had to be the Devil. He was tempting me into sin, I could feel his claws pulling me under… right down into hell to burn along with him.

  “Lucifer,” I whispered. The letters slipping off my tongue like they were meant to be.

  “Hopefully we’ll bump into each other again soon,” he smiled. “Good bye Aradia.”

  He let go of my hand and turned on his heel.

  I watched him as he walked away and I could still feel the imprint of his burning palm on mine. I shivered, the cold taking over me now his heat had left me. Even though I hadn’t touched the coffee or the muffin and I was a mess of desire and confusion, I quickly got to my feet and left ten dollars on the table before I scurried off back to my car.

  Chapter 6

  I drove back to Woodmont like a girl possessed. I flew around the country roads and couldn’t concentrate on anything other than getting to Marianne and finding out who the hell that man was.

  I crunched up onto the gravel and turned off the ignition before I jumped out of the driver’s side and ran up the steps to the house. There were no other cars there and the place looked deserted, so I could only assume that Marianne didn’t have any clients with her.

  “Aunt Marianne!” I called as I stepped into the hallway.

  It was cavernous in there and my voice seemed to echo on for an eternity.

  “Are you here?” I called again.

  The chandelier in the middle of the gallery above started to shake and I could hear footsteps coming down from one of the corridors upstairs.

  “Aradia?” she called back. “What on earth is the matter?”

  She hung her head out over the balcony and stared at me with surprise.

  “Who is that man?” I asked her.

  She looked at me blankly before an expression of realization flooded her face.

  “He’s found you already?” she asked quietly.

  “Who is he?” I said seriously and crossed my arms over my chest. “And who are the rest of these people? How do they know who I am?”

  Marianne sighed and held up her hand to signal that she needed a moment.

  She drifted around the landing and stood at the top of the stairs before she came down them silently, one by one.

&nbs
p; “The man,” she said as she got to the bottom, “I can only assume we are talking of the same person…”

  I looked at her deep in the eyes and scowled.

  “Who is he?” I asked.

  I held up my palms and looked at them. Her eyes flitted to them and she dropped her head and nodded.

  “Lucifer,” she said calmly, “He’s the head of one of the oldest families of Valport Springs.”

  “The head?” I asked confused. “But he doesn’t look old enough…?”

  “His parents, grandparents, entire family…” she sucked in air as if to brace herself, “Are all dead.”

  “But why?” My stomach felt as if it had hit the floor.

  Marianne shook her head and sighed.

  “It was a tragedy, it happened many years ago… Long before my time… Lucifer has been here for as long as I can remember… I’ve heard stories of what became of them… but no one really knows for sure.”

  “But who is he?” I asked angrily. “What does he have to do with me?”

  “Well,” she said, “That I’m not quite sure yet…” she trailed off and looked into the distance.

  “Aunt Marianne,” I grabbed hold of her shoulders and tried to get her to focus. “This is serious… he did something to me… he… I don’t know how to explain it… it was as if he collected my soul.”

  Her eyes glazed over with tears and she swallowed hard.

  “Lucifer is probably the only man who would ever withstand the Black Family curse,” she said warmly, “And he’s been waiting for someone like you his whole life…” She bit the tip of her thumb.

  “What do you mean?” I gripped her shoulders tightly.

  “An innocent,” she whispered, “A girl of tragedy… a young soul… someone he can corrupt.”

  My skin prickled.

  “Corrupt me?” I said with confusion. “In what way?”

  Her face flushed pink and she shook her head.

  “Stay away from him Aradia,” she said, “For as long as you can…”

  “But why is he so bad?” I was determined to get her to tell me the truth.

  “He’s not like us,” she said as she brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “He’s powerful… but in a different way.”