Northwoods Magic (Northwoods Fairy Tales Book 1) Read online

  There were so many more things to talk about, some of them actually pressing, but he didn’t want to dampen the mood that had been created between Quinn and himself. Their bond had been as fragile as a piece of glass, cracked and about to shatter. Now though, he felt like they were really and truly connecting. He was almost embarrassed by the way his ironclad anger had fallen apart when he had been close enough to touch her skin and know that she was real. He didn’t want to scare her off telling her stories about dead birds in the forest. He didn’t want to send her running when she didn’t even understand herself. She thought she was weak, but Corbin knew she was strong.

  Only a strong woman would climb out from under the weight of her fears, wean herself from strong medications that it usually takes people years to do if they ever could at all, and then drive across the country alone to tackle missing memories based on a dream like Quinn. Hell, many people who only took half of the medication cocktail Quinn was taking ended up with a terrible addiction or worse. At the very least, recovery required a long period of time under the supervision of a medical professional. Did she even understand the strength it took for her to do it all on her own? That right there proved she had superhuman abilities.

  Quinn was fighting for her life and future, and Corbin was going to help her. He had two weeks to convince her to stay with him. He wouldn’t force her, but if it were his choice, he would never let her go again. He wanted to wrap her safely in his arms and tell her everything would be all right, but he knew that she had to come to that conclusion on her own. She was a fighter though, his Quinn. She just needed a little extra help to see that.

  They were going to have to go see the old man, and Corbin wasn’t too pleased about that because if they went to see the old man, they were going to have to talk about the other things that were going on and that was a whole other problem. Corbin was entirely in the dark about what was killing the ravens and wasn’t sure that the conclusion he and the old man had come to was even the right one. All he knew was that if it were somehow connected to Quinn, he would do whatever he had to, sacrifice whatever form he had, and bleed his last drop of blood to keep her safe.

  The inside of the main part of Happ House was a big open space. As soon as she walked through the front doors, Quinn was greeted by the front desk directly in front of her and to the left, a hallway that led to the “lodge rooms” for people that were just looking for an overnight stay, like a regular hotel. Directly to the right was a grand staircase leading down to the lower level and to the other side of that was the lodge kitchen. Amazing smells were coming from the kitchen, and Quinn’s stomach gurgled, reminding her that the only thing she had eaten all day had been half of an egg salad sandwich. Past the kitchen, the floor opened up again to a beautiful indoor balcony dining room that overlooked the lower level of the lodge. From the top, she could see the lower level, with its large overstuffed furniture and massive stone fireplace. The walls on either side of the fireplace were large glass windows that looked out onto Happ Lake, the lodge’s namesake. It was beautiful. Quinn was in love with the scenery and, for once, not frightened of the trees and the plants growing in the woods. Corbin had told her that her power was a gift, that she wasn’t a freak. He had told her she was beautiful, kissed her tears, and held her hand. He told her that the green man would help her, and she believed him. This was a good place; she was meant to come back here.

  “Oooh! Lookie what the birdie dragged in!” a loud feminine voice hollered across the room. Behind the large front desk stood a curvy dark haired woman wearing a bright red t-shirt with a picture of a lumberjack on it that read “I heart Lumbersexuals” who was waving frantically at Quinn.

  “Come over here, girl! I wanna squeeze you!”

  No one had ever told Quinn that they wanted to squeeze her before, and it sounded like it might be nice. Blushing from the sudden attention, she made her way over to the ornate wooden registry area, and the bright-eyed woman leaning so far over the desk that her very full breasts rested on the countertop. Suddenly shy and at a loss for words, she clasped her hands behind her back.

  “Hi, I’m Quinn. I’m staying in cabin twelve, you probably know that because I had a complete meltdown in front of you last night and made an ass out of myself. I don’t do conversations very well. I like your shirt though. What’s a lumbersexual?” The last part came out in a rush, Quinn was a bit out of breath and was getting excited. She was talking with face to face with people. And not freaking out! Talia was going to be so proud!

  The lovely woman with the sparkling green eyes and amazingly perfect eyebrows smiled a conspiratorial smile like she was about to share a deep dark lady secret. “Some people think a lumbersexual is just a hot hipster in flannel” she stated. “What it really is, though, is a big burly bear of a man that can work outside all day and still have the energy to lift you up off the floor and give you an orgasm before your feet hit the ground again. He can look just as good in a suit as he does in a work shirt and preferably has a big beautiful beard.” She pronounced the last three words like they were each their own sentence so Quinn could tell the beard was critical to her.

  “My name is Rose, by the way. Did you like my note? Miss Benny is my Grandma. Let’s be friends.” Quinn wanted very much to be friends with the bubbly vivacious creature in front of her, but before she had a chance to answer, the swinging door to the kitchen opened up, and a black-haired head popped out.

  “Hi Quinn, you look sexy. You know I was lying earlier, I like your flippies. Your toenail polish is cute. Also, Rose, don’t talk pervert to her, she’s perfect, and you will corrupt her with your… beard talk.”

  Rose stuck her tongue out at Corbin, and Quinn was amazed at the easy back and forth banter with the two, almost sibling-like. Or what Quinn would imagine a sibling relationship would be, since she didn’t know for sure because she had been in the foster system since she had been a baby. You didn’t stay in one place long enough to develop sibling relationships.

  “So much talent in the kitchen,” Rose clucked her tongue and shook her head in disappointment. “So many flavors in the universe and you have be salty about beards just cuz you can’t grow one.”

  “Don’t give me any shit, Rosie Posey, I was going to ask for a taste tester, but since you want to be mean to -”

  Quinn had never seen anyone move so fast in her entire life. One minute she was looking at Rose from one side of the counter, and then next, she was having her shoulder used as a lever for the other woman to vault herself up and over, legs already pumping for the kitchen before her feet hit the ground. Holy moly, she must really like Corbin’s cooking.

  “Better hurry, Quinn!” shouted Rose from over her shoulder. “I don’t know what he’s making, but I’m gonna eat it all!”

  The hell you say, Quinn thought to herself, but before she could take off running after Rose, Corbin popped all the way out of the kitchen with a tray.

  “Hold onto your panties, ladies, because I think I outdid myself this time,” Corbin crowed to the two practically salivating women, chest puffed out and a cocky smile fixed on his face. He held the tray up high in the air and walked past Rose, keeping it just out of her reach. Rose pouted but followed behind him, and Quinn acted like she didn’t see the middle finger that Rose aimed at Corbin’s back. These two were fascinating. Was this was “being friends” was like? This was fun. Quinn was having fun.

  The scent from the tray hit Quinn square in the nose, scrambled her brain, and leaped straight to her stomach. Whatever was on that tray smelled divine, and Quinn wanted it in her mouth right now. She looked hopefully up at the plate that Corbin was still holding out of reach and gave him what she hoped was her most provocative look in the hopes that he would feed her first. She bit her lip and looked up at him through lowered lashes, pretty sure she looked like a complete goober, but she was hungry and was willing to play dirty in an attempt to get the treats before Rose. Food was number one.

  She didn’t know what she
expected, but Quinn was still surprised by the heat in Corbin’s gaze as he looked at her like she was the only person in the room. His eyes blazed metallic as he stared a hole straight through her. For the first time in her life, someone was looking at her with barely disguised lust, and Quinn liked it. She liked it a lot. Licking her lips nervously, she took a step toward him but stopped in her tracks when Rose cut in.

  “Oh my God, you two knock it off, I’m hungry. And holy shit, Corbin, do you have a boner? Don’t carry my food with an erection, you ass!”

  “Jesus Christ, Rose, we were having a moment. And don’t say boner! You are a lady, for fuck’s sake.”

  Rose wrinkled her nose in disgust as she swiped the tray out of his hands. “Whatever, just don’t have eye sex in front of me. I’m trying to keep my appetite.” She ran back over to the reception area and set the tray on the counter, taking up a protective stance in front of it.

  “Oh my God, it’s bubble bread!” she squealed as she tore a piece off and popped it into her mouth, closing her eyes and groaning in pleasure. “You are gonna want some of this, Quinn,” she said, but it was hard to understand with her mouth full of food.

  “Gross,” came from Corbin as he came up behind her and snatched the tray away from her, ignoring her protests and ultimate pout when he strong-armed her into letting go. “Don’t talk with food in your mouth.”

  Corbin brought the tray over to Quinn and gestured for her to hold out her arms. When she did, he placed the plate onto her outstretched hands and smiled wickedly at the confused look on her face.

  “If your hands are occupied, then I can feed you,” he said, and ripping off a small round piece of bread from the knobby loaf, he brought it to her open mouth and slowly slid it past her lips.

  Quinn had just swallowed a gift from heaven; it was the first thought that popped into her mind. The pillowy bite of bread was warm and soft on the inside, with just a bit of chew in the golden crust and what the hell was on the top that tasted so orgasmic?

  “I make my own herb butter. I grow the greens in the garden behind my cabin,” said Corbin, as if he had read her mind. He grabbed the tray out of her hands and moved it out of reach again as she made to grab another piece.

  “Don’t fill up, that was just a taste test. The real surprise will come at dinner, and then you can gorge your little bellies. I’ll let you come tomorrow if you’d like,” Corbin said. “To my garden,” he added quickly.

  Rose giggled at the obvious gaffe. Quinn knew what he was actually saying though; he was asking her to come see his home, his personal space. Quinn wanted very much to see that part of him, the place he called his own, so she just nodded her head and smiled.

  “Good.” Corbin suddenly ducked his head and gave her a swift hard kiss on her mouth, which then fell completely open in surprise. He just kept shocking her! What happened to the angry stranger that wanted nothing to do with her and yelled at her about her shoes?

  He smacked her on the bottom and whispered “twenty-one” into her ear before he turned and headed back toward the kitchen, the noise of the door swinging shut the only thing registering as she stared at the space he had previously occupied.

  She turned back to Rose to find the other woman looking at her with an odd, thoughtful expression on her face. “Are you going to let him keep you?” she asked.

  “I really like you, Quinn, and I know Corbin is smitten, but to be honest, I can’t watch him suffer like he did for the last decade. I want nothing more than a happily ever after for him. I love him like a brother – no, better than a brother, but if you leave him alone again to break, I will punch you in the vagina, I swear to God.”

  Quinn did not want to get punched in the vagina, and she had no doubts that Rose would be someone who would follow through on the threat, but she was living in a fantasy world here. She felt the bond with Corbin, felt that fragile glass shard of connection become encased in steel as they had sat there on that loveseat in cabin twelve and shared their stories and soft touches. But there were still unanswered questions and still so much fear. Quinn didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, much less any further into the future. Would she be able to keep Corbin? Quinn didn’t know. One thing that she did know was that she could never just return to her old life back in Toledo. She was forever changed for coming back here, and she was not ready to give that up.

  Quinn didn’t have an answer for Rose, but she was saved from having to reply to the woman by the opening of the door. A tiny bell above the door gave a jingle to signify a guest entering, and in walked the most breathtakingly beautiful woman Quinn had ever seen up close.

  Her skin was so pale as to be almost translucent, and her hair was so light blonde that it only saved from looking white by being a scant few shades darker than her skin. She had light blue eyes framed by long blonde lashes, and her brows were arched perfectly, as delicate as the rest of her. She wore a pale green peasant dress covered in tiny flowers, and Quinn thought that she must be looking at a real live fairy for surely someone this ethereal didn’t exist as a human.

  The tiny woman fluttered into the lodge and looked around Quinn to Rose.

  “Hi Rose, is William ready? I borrowed his truck today, so I’m here to pick him up.”

  Quinn couldn’t imagine anyone that petite and lovely driving around in a big old pickup truck. Maybe a unicorn or a magic carpet, or at the very least a Volkswagen Beetle, but not a truck.

  “You know, Mara? I know he’s here today, but to be honest, I haven’t seen him in a while. He’s been kind of busy today, what with someone slacking off all day,” she raised her voice for the last part and projected her words towards the closed kitchen door.

  “Reasons!” floated the muffled reply from inside the kitchen, seconds before Corbin came back out the door with a dishtowel thrown over his shoulder. Quinn had never seen anyone look so manly wearing a dishcloth before. She wondered if he put the towel on his shoulder like that when he cooked at home. She wondered if she would ever get to witness it.

  Quinn watched like an outsider as Corbin walked up to the little newcomer and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Want to stay for dinner, Mara?” he asked. “I was going to ask your brother too, but I haven’t seen him in a bit. He definitely covered for me today when I was otherwise occupied.” There was a faint blush on his cheeks as he said that, but he didn’t elaborate. Quinn noticed the way Mara’s eyes had lit up when Corbin came out of the kitchen and wished that he would introduce her so she would quit feeling like the odd man out.

  “Did you text him?” The question came from Rose.

  “Oh, I don’t have a cell phone,” said the gossamer beauty. “I’m sure William will be here shortly, and I would love to stay for dinner.” She patted Corbin’s arm, and Quinn wanted to rush up to her and yank the offending appendage away. She felt awful inside watching her flirt with him, then felt terrible for feeling that way. She didn’t have any right to be angry or hurt, she had just got here. Corbin had said there was no one else for him but Quinn, but maybe Quinn had just shown up too soon. He certainly wasn’t pulling Mara’s hand away, and he was smiling at her like he hadn’t yet smiled at Quinn.

  Tears she didn’t deserve to shed threatened to fall down her face, and like a coward, she turned for the door before anyone could see them. Before she could beat a hasty retreat, the door opened again with a jingle, and Quinn almost ran right into the solid brick wall that was William as he came inside carrying a black bag in his hands.

  “Oh I’m sorry!” she said quickly as she backed away from him in surprise. “I wasn’t looking where I was going!” She craned her neck to look up at the bigger man and was shocked at the scary look on his face. He looked downright terrifying. Did he hate her? What had she done? She didn’t mean to almost run into him, but she hadn’t even touched him.

  “Oh Brother, there you are!” Mara called from the center of the room. There were now five of them congregated in the lobby area in front of the desk, but William counted for
two people size wise, and it was getting cramped.

  “William and Mara are brother and sister,” Corbin said as he moved closer to Quinn and put his arm around her waist. Quinn was grateful for the physical touch, and it made her feel like he was acknowledging her in front of the others. It was one thing for him to kiss her in front of Rose, but she desperately needed for him to draw a line in the sand between himself and the beautiful creature that was William’s sister. Quinn was not proud of how she was feeling right now, but she could tell by the look that Mara gave the space where Corbin’s arm now rested that she had reason to be concerned. Mara had a thing for Corbin, and no matter how kind a person she was, that made Quinn her enemy. Even if she was super-duper sweet and everything about her was wonderful, a frenemy was still an enemy.

  Corbin squeezed her affectionately around the waist before saying “Mara and William, this is Quinn. It’s been awhile since I have seen her, but she’s my…” he faltered a minute as if he couldn’t find the words.

  “…she’s mine. Quinn’s mine.” He finished. That was all. Simply said, he had staked his claim, and Quinn felt relief and embarrassment flood her body. Relief that he had publicly claimed her and embarrassed that she had so desperately needed it to for her heart to feel settled. She was such a hot mess.

  Mara’s expression never changed, but Quinn could see William standing next to her, and his face got even angrier and darker if that was even possible. Mara looked over at her brother and the bag he was carrying and asked,

  “William, what’s in the bag?”

  It was an innocent question, but anyone would have thought she had asked him to take his pants off and play the piano with his genitals the way he reacted. He looked horrified that she would even mention the bag in his hands, and he quickly moved it behind his back and out of her reach.