Myth and Magic. Mae Clair

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      Cover Copy

      AS CHILDREN THEY PLAYED GAMES OF MYTH AND MAGIC…

      Veronica Kent fell in love with Caith Breckwood when they were children. As a teenager, she was certain he was the man she was destined to marry. But a traumatic event from Caith's past led him to fear a future together. He left Veronica, hoping to save her from a terrible fate. Twelve years later, Caith, now a P.I., is hired to investigate bizarre incidents at the secluded retreat Veronica manages. Returning to his hometown, Caith is forced to face his nightmares—and his feelings for the woman he’s always loved.

      THEN ONE DAY THE MONSTERS BECAME REAL.

      After the callous way Caith broke her heart, Veronica isn’t thrilled to see him again. But strange occurrences have taken a dangerous toll on business at Stone Willow Lodge. Forced to work together, Veronica discovers it isn’t ghostly apparitions that frighten her, but her passion for a man she has never forgotten. Or forgiven. Can two people with a tarnished past unearth a magical future?

      Visit us at www.kensingtonbooks.com

      Books by Mae Clair

      Weathering Rock

      Twelfth Sun

      Myth and Magic

      Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation

      Myth and Magic

      Mae Clair

      LYRICAL PRESS

      Kensington Publishing Corp.

      www.kensingtonbooks.com

      Copyright

      Lyrical Press books are published by

      Kensington Publishing Corp. 119 West 40th Street New York, NY 10018

      Copyright © 2015 by Mae Clair

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

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      Lyrical Press and the L logo are trademarks of Kensington Publishing Corp.

      First Electronic Edition: June 2015

      eISBN-13: 978-1-61650-721-3

      eISBN-10: 1-61650-721-7

      First Print Edition: June 2015

      ISBN-13: 978-1-61650-722-0

      ISBN-10: 1-61650-722-5

      Printed in the United States of America

      Dedication

      For Gina Rutledge

      For all the goofy things we’ve done, and the girl talk we’ve shared

      From kids to adults and what the future will bring!

      Acknowledgements

      Thanks to Karen Fedderly who was there at the beginning, along with KK. Our Sunday circle was the starting point of this book, and I still remember it fondly.

      A shout out also to my wonderful critique partners, Mary E. Merrell and Laura Lee Nutt for all the valuable feedback and for cheering me on through the writing process. Your input and help made the work fun.

      Finally, to my wonderful editor, Corinne DeMaagd, who made working through edits and galleys a pleasure. I can’t say enough about your impeccable eye for detail. Thank you for working so hard to make my story shine.

      Chapter 1

      “Stone Willow Hounded by Dead Dog”

      Veronica Kent frowned at the newspaper headline. She’d hoped for a diversion from monthly budget projections, not another tabloid report to fan her irritation, but should have known better. Stone Willow Lodge and Breckwood Industries made it into Kelly Rice’s Coldcreek Herald so frequently she’d been forced to become a regular reader in order to counter fallout. Managing the lodge for BI made it a necessity.

      Standing, she pressed her hands to the small of her back and stretched. The clock on her desk read 9:14, an hour supported by the creaks and groans of the old house as the lodge settled around her. Her office was comfortable, a stroll down the hall from the main reception area, tucked around the corner from her suite. She should call it a night and curl up with a book on her couch. The budget reports weren’t due until the end of the week and quitting time had been hours ago. If she had any sense at all, she would have met Merlin at the Jade Club.

      Her gaze returned to the newspaper and its revolting headline. Curiosity got the better of her and she sank into her desk chair, focusing on the article.

      “Stone Willow Hounded by Dead Dog”

      Unexplained circumstances continue to escalate at Stone Willow Lodge where everything from random thefts to rumors of supernatural occurrences plague the struggling corporate retreat. Yesterday, the mutilated carcass of a dog was discovered in a guest suite. Avoiding specific details, Sheriff Duke Cameron would state only that the grisly remains, likely those of a stray, were found by a guest Tuesday evening. Not your typical turndown service.

      Damn, the witch! Veronica bit her lip, silently fuming as she continued to read.

      Site manager, Veronica Kent, was unavailable for comment, but Breckwood Industries chief operations officer, Aren Breckwood, insists the corporation has the situation under control. According to Mr. Breckwood: “Our primary concern is for the safety and continued enjoyment of our guests.”

      Stone Willow Lodge remains an established landmark in Coldcreek. The retreat incorporates part of the original Warren Barrister House, the site where Barrister brutally murdered his wife and children on a winter night in 1873. Coincidentally, an employee of the lodge claims to have seen Barrister’s ghost, while several guests have reported the apparition of a sobbing woman roaming the hallways at night.

      Fantasy or hoax? Either way, Breckwood Industries has managed to ensure their dying retreat is in the limelight once again.

      Veronica flung the paper on her desk. Kelly Rice had been a thorn in her side since high school when they’d butted heads over everything from boys to clothes to grades. Kelly was determined to share Stone Willow’s misfortunes with the rest of Coldcreek, writing up every mishap and problem as headline news.

      Incidents had begun several weeks ago when one of the guests had spotted a “glowing apparition” by the lake. A woman in a long white veil, the guest, Kay Porter, had said. When she’d tried to speak to the mysterious woman, she’d retreated into the surrounding woods and vanished.

      Other incidents followed: disembodied lights weaving through the trees, a room that stayed frigid despite attempts to heat it, locked doors yawning open, creaks and groans that had nothing to do with the settling of the lodge, even spoiled food and missing items.

      Let me