Chapter Three
“We Don’t Rescue Dinosaurs”
It was hard to believe the Sylva Annual Fair had begun just an hour ago.
To Henry, it felt like ten.
“It’s just one day,” he muttered to himself, folding his arms for what felt like the tenth time that morning and sweeping his gaze around at the townsfolk that moved past. “One day, and it’ll all be over.”
Not that it made him feel much better. Time seemed to be moving agonizingly slowly today.
A whole day was starting to sound like an eternity.
Breathing a sigh, he looked around the park.
Only an hour into the event, and the fair had already come fully alive.
Color and sound spilled about, the wet grass already littered with wrappers, popcorn and bits of cotton candy.
Dozens of stalls lined the winding pathways, colorful canopies fluttering slightly in the morning breeze.
The air was still cool from the rain, and the petrichor carried with it the scent of popcorn and hot dogs.
Trees towered over the tents like awnings, and every now and then, Henry felt droplets of rain on his skin as the leaves shook.
He wasn’t the only vendor standing outside his stall.
Several others did the same, calling out to potential customers with practiced cheer.
Old Earl from the hardware store was trying to show a man the difference between a precision screwdriver and a regular one.
Sally from the bakery was offering free cupcake samples to whoever was interested.
Even the barmaid from Rubicon Valley, Angelica, was present, inviting adults for a shot of rum or whiskey.
“No kids allowed!” she chirped, a smile plastered on her face as she tapped a sign next to her. “Nuh-uh, Jordan. Adults only. You’re barely sixteen. Now, get out of here or I’ll tell your parents. That goes for you, too, Pete—scram!”
It seemed that the entire town was present today.
Kids and adults alike wandered between the stalls, the former darting about excitedly, enjoying ice cream cones, or pointing at brightly lit stalls while tugging persistently at their parents’ jackets.
A few of the adults already had looks of exasperation on their faces, although some couples were beaming, holding hands as they approached the vendors.
Henry could empathize with their exasperation.
The fair was the last place he needed to be right now.
As an animal rescuer, he’d always done his best work in the field—just not when the field happened to be a fairground.
He’d rather be in Paradise Woods, rescuing injured or trapped animals before they died from blood loss or starvation, or back at the sanctuary, watching the vet patch them up in the clinic.
Another sigh parted his lips. At the rate this day was going, he just might end up heading to Angelica’s stall for a drink or two.
He turned then, facing his own stall. It had taken him a little over thirty minutes to set up the animal rescuer tent, but Henry thought he’d done a great job.
The tent was green, its interior visible through the wide entrance.
A couple of tables and chairs sat close to the entrance, a donation jar and a stack of flyers atop one of them.
On the other sat one of the boxes of T-shirts he’d packed earlier, along with other souvenirs and some animal feed.
A few animal crates sat outside, just under the shade of a green tarp, next to a small sign that read: PETTING.
The tent’s interior smelled slightly of hay and fur. It was quieter in there, except for the occasional bark or meow from the animals inside.
Henry stared at the donation jar for a second, pressing his lips together at the sight of the few crumpled notes and coins inside.
Green Sanctuary had barely made any sales so far.
A couple of townsfolk had stopped by to pet the animals, and had reluctantly bought T-shirts or promised to return, but most people walked right past.
Yeah...securing five grand before the end of the day was starting to sound impossible.
At least his day hadn’t been a complete bore so far, he thought, recalling the witch who’d fallen out of the sky. Not to mention he hadn’t come to the fair alone.
He stepped into the tent. Nora sat inside on one of the chairs, her face betraying some tension.
She was strikingly beautiful, with a round face and full lips.
Her jet-black hair swept down to her shoulders, silver streaks framing her face closer to the front.
It was still wet from the rain, and though her clothes were mostly dry, her nipples still poked through her clothes.
From where he stood, Henry could make out the curve of her hips, her thighs thicker as she sat.
His heart beat a little faster as he watched her. Henry felt a light stirring sensation in his pants, and clenched his jaw. You’re supposed to be protecting her, not ogling her.
In his defense, it was hard not to. He’d come across his fair share of beautiful women, but this...this one was different, somehow. Was it because she’d literally fallen into his clutches? Henry wasn’t sure, but she’d occupied space in his mind ever since he laid eyes on her.
It occurred to him that Nora was staring at him. Henry stiffened for a second, then cleared his throat.
“Need anything?” he asked her. “There’s some water and orange juice in case you’re thirsty, and if you’re hungry...”
The witch shook her head, her gold irises still fixed on him like she was appraising him. “I’m fine, thanks.”
“You don’t look fine. You look like you’ve got a lot on your mind. Which isn’t a surprise, considering what you told me.” He took his seat on one of the other chairs. “Speaking of which...we should talk some more.”
They hadn’t spoken much since she hopped into his truck earlier.
Maybe talking would help pass the time. Not to mention he still barely knew a thing about this witch.
All she’d told him was her name, and that she was being hunted because her coven was trying to kill her.
Looking back on it, maybe he should’ve interrogated her some more before agreeing to protect her.
Then again, he’d had little time to spare.
Besides, it wasn’t every day a gorgeous witch fell out of the sky and asked for your help. This woman gave damsel in distress a whole new meaning.
“About what?” She blinked at him.
Up close, she looked even more stunning. Her breasts heaved slightly, and Henry felt his cock twitch in his pants. He was suddenly very grateful he’d sat down.
“You, of course. You say you’re being hunted.”
“Yeah. He’s been after me for more than a month now. He’s not going to stop.”
“You never mentioned why he’s after you.”
Nora swallowed, and her expression instantly turned guarded. “I...I don’t...why are you asking that?”
She was hiding something, Henry realized. He took a deep breath. “I have to know who exactly I’m protecting. For all I know, you could be some kind of criminal. Why would your coven want you dead? Why would they send someone after you? I need an explanation, and you haven’t given me anything.”
Guilt flickered in her golden eyes, but she shook her head. “I don’t think I want to talk about it.”
“Yeah, well, you could’ve told me that before asking for my help. If you still want it, you’re gonna have to fess up.”
Nora bit her lip for a moment, still staring at him. Then she let out a heavy sigh.
“It’s because of who I am,” she said. “What I am.”
“A witch? Why would they hate one of their own?”
“No.” She shook her head again. “I’m not just a witch. I’m...I’m a hybrid.”
Her words hit him like a sucker punch to the gut. The air suddenly felt colder. Henry stared at her for the next few seconds, waiting for her to burst into a grin or shout, “Kidding!” But she did not, and he felt his insides begin to shrivel.
“Did you say...a hybrid?”
She gave a nod. “I’m part witch, part wolf shifter.”
He looked away briefly, hoping his eyes hadn’t betrayed the way he was feeling right now. The word hybrid rang through his mind, awakening memories he’d fought for so long to keep buried at the back of his mind.
“I know, it’s shocking, right?” Nora gave a shrug. “We hybrids aren’t common, even among supernaturals. We’re not really supposed to exist. That’s part of why we’re hated so much. No doubt, I’m the first you’ve come across.”
She was not. Even as he stared at her, another face was slowly solidifying in the forefront of his mind, longer and darker, with green eyes and silver-blonde hair.
He’d met Carmen less than fifteen years ago, back when he still lived in Chicago.
She’d been a swimsuit model, and in all honesty, when he hit on her in that bar that first night, he hadn’t even figured she might be a supernatural like him, much less a hybrid.
It wasn’t until she’d accidentally sunk her fangs into his shoulder in the middle of sex that he realized she was a vampire. More than that, she was also a witch.
She’d been fascinated to find that he was a dragon shifter, as if she wasn’t the rarer kind of supernatural.
For some reason, she’d seemed even more attracted to him.
And Henry? He’d been thirty and single at the time, drifting between jobs, and she’d suddenly become the newest, most interesting addition to his life.
He’d had no issue with her being a hybrid.
If anything it had somewhat fascinated him—a vampire who could walk around in daytime and cast spells.
They’d gone steady for the next nine months, and by the time Henry realized something wasn’t quite right, it had been almost too late.
For a few weeks, he’d noticed her pulling away, engrossed in some magic she’d been studying.
The distance had bothered him, but when Carmen suddenly suggested they take some alone time together, camping out in the woods over the weekend, he’d been beyond excited.
Looking back on it, he should have been terrified.