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  THE SHADOW BELLS

  by Tawdra Kandle

  The Shadow Bells

  The Serendipity Duet, Volume 3

  Tawdra Kandle

  Published by Tawdra Kandle, 2015.

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  THE SHADOW BELLS

  First edition. October 20, 2015.

  Copyright © 2015 Tawdra Kandle.

  ISBN: 978-1516375592

  Written by Tawdra Kandle.

  Also by Tawdra Kandle

  Always Love Trilogy

  Always For You (Coming Soon)

  Always My Own (Coming Soon)

  Crystal Cove

  The Posse

  The Plan

  The Path

  Recipe for Death

  Death Fricassee

  Death A La Mode (Coming Soon)

  The King Series

  Fearless

  The One Trilogy

  The Last One

  The First One

  The Only One

  The One Trilogy Box Set (Coming Soon)

  The Perfect Dish Books

  Best Served Cold

  Just Desserts

  I Choose You

  The Serendipity Duet

  Undeniable

  The Shadow Bells

  Standalone

  It's A Ghoul Thing

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Also By Tawdra Kandle

  The Shadow Bells (The Serendipity Duet, #3)

  The Shadow Bells

  Other books in the Serendipity Series

  Tawdra Kandle writes romance, in just about all its forms. She loves unlikely pairings, strong women, sexy guys, hot love scenes and just enough conflict to make it interesting. Her books run from YA paranormal romance through NA paranormal and contemporary romance to adult contemporary and paramystery romance. She lives in central Florida with a husband, kids, sweet pup and too many cats. And yeah, she rocks purple hair. | Follow Tawdra on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and sign up for her newsletter so you never miss a trick. | If you love Tawdra’s books, become a Naughty Temptress! Join the group here for sneak peeks, advanced reader copies of future books, and other fun.

  Further Reading: Undeniable

  Also By Tawdra Kandle

  The last time Nell Massler was in the town of King, she left in a straitjacket. But it's Christmas, and her boyfriend Rafe deserves to be surrounded by his family. Nell agrees to go for the holiday, not knowing that their visit home will include a trip down memory lane with two lovers who act like the Ghosts of Christmas Past. The spirits give Nell and Rafe glimpses of their history, before they have to make decisions for their future.

  The Shadow Bells

  A Serendipity Short

  Copyright © 2015 by Tawdra Kandle

  ISBN: 978-1-68230-209-5

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Cover by Once Upon a Time Covers

  “Christmas in King? Are you out of your freaking mind?”

  Nell turned from the bookshelf and glared at me. I had to admit, when she looked at me like that, I still got just a little quiver of terror. After all, I’d seen up close and personal what this chick was capable of doing. And although I felt fairly confident that she liked me most days, maybe I just hadn’t crossed that line yet. The one that would result in me going up in flames or being turned into a rat.

  Hmm. Could she turn people into rats? It wasn’t something I wanted to find out firsthand.

  So I stayed where I was, leaning against the door frame that led into a massive library.

  Working for Carruthers Initiative Institute didn’t require us to be on site daily, and we only made the trip to Harper Creek, the Institute’s headquarters, when it was necessary for research or for classified meetings. Nell had dragged me here today because there were some ancient books kept in the library, books that had to stay within the confines of the mansion.

  I’d been trying to work up to this conversation for the last few days. It was the second week in December, and my grandmother had asked me again, in our last telephone call, whether or not we had made our plans definite, as she put it.

  She was much too hands-off to push the issue, but I knew she wanted us home for the holidays. And home meant King, the tiny mystical town in the center of Florida, where Nell had grown up, where I’d spent my last year of high school, and where both of us had heaping helpings of complicated family history.

  “I know.” I decided playing along was the right tactic. “It’s the last place you want to be. Believe me, I’m not jonesing to go back, either. But...” I let my voice trail into what I hoped sounded like resignation. “My grandparents are there.”

  She had turned back to the books, and now, frowning, she pushed the heavy volume into the stacks.

  “And you want to see them?”

  I shrugged. “Well, yeah. I’d like to. They’re my only family, unless you count my mother, and I really don’t.”

  Nell winced slightly, just enough that I was kicking myself for touching the mom nerve. I pushed off the door jam and ventured over to stand behind her, to wrap my arms around her waist.

  She didn’t turn away from me, but she became absolutely still. I had learned in the past months that this was Nell’s default when she was dealing with emotion. I waited, and after a beat, she covered my hands with her own, twining our fingers.

  I felt that pulse of desire, the same rush of passion, slide over me, and I held her tighter, pulling her so that she could feel me against her back. She drew in a deep breath and dropped her head against my chest.

  “It’s crazy.” I bent my head so that my lips were next to her ear. “I keep waiting for it to change. Every time I touch you, I want you. I could lay you out here on the floor of this library...”

  I caught her earlobe between my teeth and then used my tongue to trace slow circles on her neck.

  “God, Rafe.” It was more of a moan.

  “Hmmm.” I slid my hands, still wound through hers, up to her breasts, palming them as she sucked in a breath.

  “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

  Nell jumped, just enough that I could feel it, but I didn’t move. It wouldn’t have been a good idea for me to turn around at that point, so I kept my lips on Nell’s neck, lowered my hands and tucked her more closely against my front.

  “Well, Cathryn, since you mention it...” My voice sounded strained.

  “Sorry. You two do have your own house, right? You don’t need to come to Harper Creek just to make out in my library?”

  Our boss’s tone was acerbic. I knew she had crap going on in her own life, and it had been a long, difficult year for all of us at Carruthers. But Cathryn had standards, and she seldom let down her guard in front of her co-workers.

  “Nell needed a boo
k that was here, so we drove in for the day. And we were just talking about Christmas. About going to King for the holiday.”

  Nell broke away from me, frowning. She ran her hand along the spines on the shelf, but I knew her eyes weren’t seeing the titles.

  “Really?” Cathryn came into the library and sat down on one of the overstuffed leather chairs. “That sounds interesting.” She turned to me. “Going to see your grandparents?”

  “That’s the plan.” I glanced sideways at Nell, who remained intent on the books.

  “It would be good for you both to have some down time.” Cathryn swiveled her eyes to Nell. “Think a little quieter, please. Or work harder on your shielding.”

  I felt the magic quiver around Nell’s hands, but she reined it in with a deep breath. Cathryn’s ability to hear thoughts required us to keep up strong guards on our minds. Sometimes emotion made it more difficult to keep those veils in place.

  “And no, you didn’t ask my opinion.” Cathryn shot a too-bright smile at Nell. “But you’re getting it anyway. Rafe hasn’t been back to see his grandparents in over a year. They’ve been very patient. I don’t think it would be a bad idea to spend Christmas with them.”

  Nell swallowed. “Did you stop to think, either of you, that the last time I was in King, they drove me out of town in a strait jacket? That I almost killed two people? I don’t expect them to throw me a welcome-home parade.”

  “Actually, the last time you were in King, you saved someone’s life.” I dared to reach out and sweep Nell’s heavy black hair away from her face.

  “Only one person really knows that, and she’s not in King anymore.”

  “Be that as it may.” Cathryn rose, smoothing her hands over her straight gray skirt. “You might want to think about Rafe and why he needs this. It’s only a few days, after all.” She met my eyes, and I saw understanding in hers. “As long as you’re both on site, we’re having a short meeting upstairs in about fifteen minutes. I’ll see you there.”

  Her heels clicked out of the room. Nell nudged out another book, checked the title, and laid it open on the mahogany table. I sat down, watching, waiting.

  “Sometimes I wonder what I’d have to do to see her... you know. Freak out a little.” Nell didn’t look at me, but I could see the brooding expression on her face as she spoke.

  “I don’t think much throws Cathryn off her game.” I remembered the whispers I’d picked up here and there. Something had happened over the summer to the unflappable young woman who was our de facto boss. I’d overheard Zoe, another Carruthers asset, say something about heartbreak. Cathryn didn’t seem the type, but then again, who really knew? I looked over at Nell. She had stopped reading—or pretending to read—and was resting her forehead against heels of her hands.

  “Hey.” I touched her shoulder, wrapped one dark curl around my finger. “We don’t have to go to King. It was just an idea. We can go to...” I cast my eyes, thinking. “Nebraska. We’ll spend Christmas in the Cornhusker State.”

  Nell turned her head to look at me. “Nebraska? What the hell would we do there?”

  I cocked an eyebrow. “I have some ideas.”

  She brushed a small white hand over her head. “You’re crazy, you know that?”

  I shrugged. “Says the girl who was committed when she was seventeen.”

  “Low blow.” She rolled her shoulders, looked up at the ceiling with its ornate plaster fresco.

  “All right. I’m going on record now as saying I think it’s a huge mistake, but okay. Let’s go to King for Christmas.”

  “How much longer?”

  Rafe pressed his lips together, which meant I was annoying the hell out of him. Good. My plan was working.

  He leaned slightly and tapped the GPS unit built into the dashboard. “Look right here. That’s the time left. Can you see it?”

  I glanced away. “I can see it. But I wanted to hear it from you.”

  “An hour. A little less than.”

  “Hmmm.” I looked out the window at the trees we were speeding past. People tend to think beaches when they consider Florida, but most of our state is forested. Or at least it was. I’d spent considerable time in the woods near my hometown. I could almost feel it singing to me now, as we approached. I closed my eyes and let the music only I could hear carry me...

  “Are you nervous?”

  I jerked upright, my eyes flying open. “What? No. About what?”

  Rafe shrugged. “Being back in King. Meeting my grandparents. Last minute Christmas shopping. I don’t know, take your pick.”

  I rolled my eyes. “No last minute shopping. Everything is wrapped and ready.” I looked at our back seat, which bore more than a passing resemblance to Santa’s sleigh. Okay, so I may have overdone it on the gifts. As much as I pretended not to care, there was a definite need to please. I wasn’t above buying acceptance.

  “So it’s the grandparents?”

  I turned to look out the window again. “It’s not like I haven’t met them before. It’s King. I know who they are. But that was before I was—” I pointed at Rafe and then again at myself. “You know. With you.”

  He smiled, that slow curl of his lips that made my stomach bottom out. “They’re going to love you, Nell.” He reached across and ran just the tip of his finger down my arm. “I do.”

  I snorted. “Well, we already know you’re damaged. Only explanation for why you can stand me.”

  He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “And we’re back.”

  I didn’t answer. We each stayed lost in our own thoughts until I began to see some familiar landmarks. We passed the sign for Sawood Nursery, and I watched Rafe’s face for any reaction. There was a chance Tasmyn and Michael were there, visiting Michael’s family for the holidays. Did he sense her? Would he want to see her?

  “Nell, seriously. Calm down. I can feel you vibrating from all the way over here.”

  I bit my lip. “This was a bad idea. Too much history here.”

  He grabbed my hand and held it so tight that my rings cut into his fingers. “History is over. We make our own future. There is nothing in this town, or even in this world, that I would choose over you. Don’t you believe me?”

  I swallowed over pain. “I want to believe you.”

  “Well, that’s something.”

  We approached the town limits, and Rafe slowed the car. He wound through the newer houses and into downtown, which had been transformed into a winter wonderland, or at least, how Floridians envision such a thing. The windows of each shop were decked out with fake evergreen and spray-on snow. A jolly stuffed Santa sat atop an antique sleigh, apparently ignoring the fact that the nearest cold weather had to be five hundred miles away.

  I spied a small wooden hut on the green adjacent to town hall, and a memory long-forgotten flitted through my mind.

  “See that?” I pointed. “My mother took me there to see Santa. It was the last Christmas before... it was her last Christmas with me. We had one of those weird December cold snaps, and she dressed me up, then she took me to sit on Santa’s lap. We stopped for hot chocolate after.”

  Rafe smiled at me, rubbing his thumb over the top of my hand. “That’s a good memory.”

  “I had forgotten.” So many things I’d pushed away after my mother went crazy and was taken away from me. I’d had to forget, because remembering was much too painful.

  Just outside of the business district, we passed the road that led to my home. I turned my head away, not wanting to even catch sight of it. It was mine now, for all intents and purposes, though apparently some of my aunts still lived there. I wanted nothing to do with it. No happy thoughts from that place.

  The Brooks manor was only a few moments away, across the neighborhood of stately homes that were the very first built in town. My stomach clenched as we pulled into the long driveway.

  Rafe stopped the car and took the keys from the ignition. He lifted our hands, still joined, and pressed a kiss to my fingers. He studied me with a f
rown that I knew came from worry over how I might react.

  “Ready?”

  “As I’ll ever be.” We climbed out of the car and headed for the front door. The house was imposing, but familiar; though I couldn’t say precisely when, I knew I’d been here for a party or some sort of first families gathering.

  I had one foot on the porch step when the door flew open. A tall woman stood with the light behind her. I couldn’t quite see her; I only had the impression of white hair, piled on her head, and arms outstretched.

  “Rafe!” She enfolded him into those arms, and even though he towered a good six inches above her, she patted his back as though he were still a little boy.

  I stood to the side, awkward and uncomfortable, the buzz of power just beneath the surface of my skin. Rafe must have picked up on it, because he broke away to grab my hand again.

  “Gram, you remember—”

  “Nell!” It was my turn. Caroline Brooks held me close, and through her touch came love, warmth and welcome. She stood back after a moment, smiling at me. “You were always a pretty child, but look at you now. Breathtaking.” She glanced at us, one to the other, beaming. “I must tell you now, before we even go inside, how grateful I am to you both for making this trip. I know it wasn’t easy for either of you. It means so much to Gramps, and of course, to me.”

  She studied us both for another beat and then shook her head, smile still on her face. “Look at me, turning into a sentimental old woman. Come in. Are your bags in the car? I’ll have them taken up to your room.”

  I glanced at Rafe. “We have gifts in the back seat.”

  “I’ll bring everything inside, Gram.” He pulled me to him and kissed my lips, fast and hard. “Go on inside. I’ll be with you in a few.”

  I followed Caroline through the foyer into a lovely sitting room. It was decorated for Christmas, with live greens swagged across the mantle and poinsettias of every color clustered here and there. A huge tree stood in the corner of the room, bare but for a red skirt around the trunk.