ETHERNAL VOWS <part-1>

She stopped for a moment and listened, her heart thumping hard in her eardrums. “Show

yourself!” Her voice echoed from the trees with a courage she couldn’t feel. A shiver slid down

her spine as she pulled her radio off her belt. “Base camp to Adam. Computer screen’s flashing

like crazy. Something broke the perimeter line.”

The radio crackled and a voice answered. “Adam to base camp. What zone?”

“Zone 3. All cameras up and running, but I don’t see anything out of the ordinary. I’m

getting sounds over here—some movement too. I’m gonna check it out. Over.”

“Wait…all by yourself?” Adam’s snort carried through the static. “No way. Just because

you’re running this operation, that doesn’t give you permission to break protocol. Stay by the

fire. We’re coming.”

“Sure, bring in the cavalry.” Sarah rolled her eyes as she picked up her infrared camera.

“Listen, in the meantime, I’ll just walk around the perimeter, that’s all. Maybe I’ll see

something.”

“Roger that. Just be careful.” The radio transmission ended.

She straightened and peered around in the darkness. A branch snapped behind her, followed

by another. How many creatures are there? She switched on the walkie-talkie and moved her

fingers over the buttons; she could barely see what she was doing. “Base camp to Adam.

Something’s coming down the hill.”

Sarah pointed the FLIR camera straight ahead, then took a few more steps into the foliage. A

red amoebic-looking blob on the scanner screen began to morph, growing larger as it took on a

humanoid shape. She gasped. Oh, this time they’ll see. This time, I’m gonna have more tangible

evidence than mosquito bites and a bad case of poison ivy in places where I didn’t even know I

had places. She spoke into the radio, “Get over here NOW! I’m getting a heat signature on the

thermal. Something’s moving closer…something really freaking huge!”

“We’re on our way!” said a voice over the radio. “Stay put and be careful!”

She shouted into the walkie-talkie. “Is every team still in place? Nobody was supposed to

return to base camp without my permission. Do you hear me, Adam?”

Her radio crackled as Adam answered. “All teams accounted for. Nobody near base camp.

Wait for a team. I repeat, wait for a team.”

Her heart rate spiked. Could this really be that elusive creature I’ve been stalking? “Are you

kidding? This is what I came here for. It’s what we came for. I’ll stay within the perimeter and

proceed with caution. Trust me, I’m not leaving in a Medivac.”

The red blurb disappeared from Sarah’s monitor. She held her breath, her head whipping

from left to the right, ears and eyes straining to take in any tiny noise she could make out.

Moonlight flooded through the trees, and a cool breeze blew across her face. Crickets sang, and

mosquitoes buzzed. She held down the lever on her radio. “I’m not seeing anything. Whatever it

is, it’s gone now.” Is my mind playing tricks on me? No way. The thermal definitely picked up

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something. A bear? Possibly, and if it was, I probably spooked it off. She spun in a slow circle,

extending the thermal image camera; suddenly, there was a snap of another twig.

Strong arms gripped her from behind. She screamed, flailing wildly, sending her camera

flying into the woodlands.

“Calm down,” a voice said, laughing. “It’s only me. Might want to warn your team that I set

off some tripwires on the way here.”

“YOU!? Those growling sounds weren’t funny, you idiot! And look…you made me drop an

expensive piece of equipment. Hard to believe you’re a professional, Frank.” Sarah took a slow,

deep breath to calm her nerves.

He slipped off his leather jacket. “Oh, come on. I even bought a proper Indiana Jones fedora

for the occasion.”

Her cheeks grew hot as she stared at the safari shirt stretching across his broad shoulders and

strong chest, his sleeves rolled up at the elbow. Khaki-colored pants finished his adventurer

ensemble. His brown hair hung in shaggy waves from underneath his hat. He looked really hot,

but there was no way she was going to admit it. If he’d had a bullwhip, she would have wanted

to strangle him with it. “You hate hats.”

“What? No I don’t. Now we match—his and hers Indy hats.” The flames leapt greedily at

the logs, reflecting in his hazel eyes as he scanned her up and down with a crooked smile. “Did

anybody ever tell you how sexy you look in camouflage? And boy, you have the part of biggame

hunter nailed.”

“I’m not here to hunt any game and certainly not to kill anything. I just want to prove its

existence.” Sarah let out a long sigh. “This is my expedition anyway, so what’re you doing

here?” She reached down and picked up her equipment.

“I’m on assignment. Nobody wanted to write this article, but I jumped on it.” He wrapped an

arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. “One of the perks of the job is seeing you.”

“Even if you got lost trying to find me in this forest?”

“I could more easily get lost in those big brown eyes of yours.”

She flung his arm off. “You scared the crap out of me!”

“Hey, you’re lucky I didn’t show up in an ape suit.”

“You know I have a tranquilizer gun, right?”

He glanced down at her waist. “Yeah, and I love the holster. It’s so Old West.”

Sarah met his gaze. “I’d aim straight for your—”

“Cute butt?” he finished, grinning.

She shook her head. “Not quite what I had in mind.”

“Don’t you dare say heart, ‘cause you’ve already shattered mine.”

“I’m sorry, Frank.”

“Why don’t you answer my phone calls or e-mails?”

She huffed. “Don’t you have some ridiculous ghost story or urban legend you could be out

debunking? Shouldn’t you be killing off the Tooth Fairy for little kids or something?”

“Why do you waste your time playing head researcher in Planet of the Apes?”

Glaring, she picked up the radio. “Guys, false alarm! It’s only Frank Hedford.”

Adam’s voice crackled in the speaker. “Huh? That guy from the Daily News?”

She glared at Frank as she spoke into the walkie-talkie. “Yeah, that’s our animal. I’ll get rid

of him. Everyone back to your positions.”

“So you caught the smaller, smellier version of Bigfoot, huh?” he asked over the radio.

“Yeah, I suppose I did. We’ll be in tomorrow’s headlines—‘Bigfoot: A No Show’.”

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She recognized Steven’s voice when he said, “Throw that guy out on his big furry—”

Sarah turned off the radio.

Frank smiled. “Man, it feels good to be loved. Must be that article I wrote about those guys

mistaking a freaking elk for a Sasquatch. You know, I bet they could still get their story

published. The supermarket tabloids would jump on a juicy tidbit like that.”

Sarah’s cheeks burned with anger. “Listen, we had two reliable eyewitnesses on that case,

and—”

“And a blurry picture that didn’t add up to squat.”

“Why is it so hard to believe that a reclusive primate that hasn’t yet been documented and

studied could be out there? Are you really so shallow that you can only believe in things you’ve

seen with your own eyes?”

He groaned. “Sarah, it’s a myth. You know what that is, right? Bigfoot stories have scared

Boy Scouts around campfires for decades. Oh, and speaking of campfires, I’m assuming this is

base camp.” He tossed his backpack next to a few logs.

“You’re not invited to this slumber party,” Sarah said.

His eyes widened. “What? No stargazing and snuggling?”

She pointed away from her camp. “You can take your sleeping bag and tent somewhere else.

How did you find me and my team anyway?”

He smirked. “Your organization tried to keep this location top secret, but I’m a journalist,

doll, an investigative reporter. Took Lois Lane a while to figure out the correlation between

Clark Kent and Superman, but I’m a hundred times sharper than her.”

“Fine. So spill it. How did you find us?”

Frank peeked up at the night sky that was dotted with millions of sparkling stars. “Well, for

starters, I went back and read all the newspaper reports. Isn’t this the place where your sister

disappeared when she was fifteen? What was that, about ten years ago? Sabrino Cave? I knew

you’d hold the expedition here because you think these alleged creatures had something to do

with your sister’s disappearance. When I saw your Jeep in that caravan of vehicles over there, I

knew my hunch had panned out.”

He stretched his legs and made himself comfortable on the naked ground. She sensed he

wasn’t going anywhere, so she decided to join the party and dropped down next to him.

“This is a great place for an investigation. Bluff Creek is where Patterson took his famous

Bigfoot video.”

“Is that what you told your team?” He snorted. “You can’t fool me. Why didn’t you

elaborate on the real reason you picked this location? This has Liz written all over it.”

She tried to fight the quiver in her voice. “Look, I don’t care how ‘investigative’ of a

reporter you think you are, mister, but my sister’s off limits. You got that? You print one word

about her, and I’ll sue the living—”

His tone softened. “Now, now. Calm down. I’m sorry. Clearly, I was out of line.”

“It’s fine,” she muttered. “Just get out of here, okay?”

“You sure about that? What, are you still sore we didn’t work out?”

“Work out? Hmm.”

“You know it really hurt that you didn’t invite me to your twenty-fourth birthday party last

week. Yeah, I saw the pics on Facebook before you unfriended me.”

Sarah shrugged.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I forgive you. I have to admit, I saw fireworks the second I laid

eyes on you. It was so adorable how your face lit up like a Christmas tree.”

6

She slapped his arm. “I’m afraid you mistook that reaction. It was fright.”

He smiled at her as he snaked his arms around her. “More like awe.”

Oh, he has some nerve, this one. “Listen, I don’t need you breathing down my neck, okay?

This isn’t a joke. I take my research very seriously,” Sarah said, breaking herself free from his

smothering embrace. She sat down by the fire and scanned all eight cameras. “If you don’t mind,

I have work to do.”

He kicked off his leather boots and grinned. “Mind if I kick back for a while? I had to hike

miles and miles through the forest to find you.”

She shot him a glare. “There are some twenty-five to thirty other researchers and scientists

you can bother. Take your pick of them or go out there and try your dumb luck in the woods, but

just leave me alone.”

He winked. “Yeah, but those other campers aren’t as cute as you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh brother. What are you up to anyway? Dreaming up articles on how

to discredit my work even more?”

“I only give my honest, professional opinion. I thought that’s what you loved about me.

Anyway, listen, Sarah; let’s not dwell on the past. We’ve both made mistakes. I should’ve taken

your research more seriously.”

Her eyes stayed focused on the screen, and she saw a mysterious shadow flit across it.

“Whoa! Did you see that? Something just moved on Camera 2!” She leaned in, not believing

what she was seeing. “Right there, left of the boulders. See it?” Maybe this is the real deal.

Hunters claimed to see this beast only yesterday, right here in this vicinity.

“Where?” Frank asked.

She pointed to the left side of the monitor. “Look! It’s right there.” Her voice grew in

intensity. “Something just moved on Camera 3. There…right over there. Do you see it?”

“Yes, but need I remind you that we’re in the middle of the wilderness? In case you might

have forgotten, plenty of squirrels, rabbits, bears, and deer live out here.”

Sarah turned the knob to give more clarity to the screen. “This is me ignoring you.”

“You know, I think you’d be more into me if I stunk, had long hair, and gave off

pheromones like a gorilla.”

“Who said you don’t?” She picked up the radio, her voice urgent. “Base camp to Adam. I

got a shadow on the south side of the forest, Camera 3. I need Team 7 to check it out pronto.

Over.”

“Roger that. What was that creepy howl?”

The radio crackled. “Amy to base camp.”

“Go ahead,” Sarah said.

“Bait’s gone by Cameras 1 and 2.”

“Any other teams experiencing anything unusual?” questioned Sarah into the radio.

“Team 6, by the river. Nothing unusual to report here.”

Static crackled. “Team 3 reporting. We heard some rustling in the bushes. It stopped, but

something’s definitely out there. Could just be local wildlife, but we’re not sure.”

Another voice crackled over the walkie-talkie. “Team 9 reporting. We got some rock- and

log-throwing, but it’s too dark to make anything out. Thermal’s not picking up anything.”

“Got a visual?” Sarah asked into the mouthpiece, ignoring her uninvited guest who didn’t

believe it was anything more than a bear.

“No. We’re moving forward.”

She wasn’t comfortable with their plan. For a moment, she hesitated, considering other

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options, even though she knew there were none. “Okay. Get a visual, but stay safe.”

“This is Team 4. FLIR’s lighting up like fire,” Beth said. “We got a huge biped crawling

low in the brush. Get over here NOW!”

“I’m on my way.” Sarah’s heart pounded as she put on a pair of night-vision goggles and

began adjusting the straps. They weren’t as helpful as actual daylight, but even with that

fluorescent green hue, they sure beat tripping. Everything sharpened into focus as she blinked,

her view illuminated in neon from the high-tech gadget. She grabbed her 35mm, the FLIR, and

clipped her radio on her belt. Without another look at Frank, she darted through the giant trees,

swatting away at the brush and ferns as she went.

“Wait! I’m coming!” Frank yelled.

Sarah rolled her eyes and didn’t even bother looking back at him. She raced through the

trees and thickets of brush, trying not to slip on the wet leaves. Finally, she made her way into a

clearing and ran in the direction of Sabrino Cave.

Out of the darkness, a voice called out her name, and a beam of light shone in her direction.

“Sarah? Is that you?” Adam called out.

“Yeah.”

Adam waved a flashlight around. “Is that…why is Frank still here? I thought you got rid of

that joker.”

Frank took a step forward, but Sarah jerked his arm. “Listen, buddy, we don’t have time for

any nonsense. Capisce?”

“But he started it,” he whined, pointing at Adam.

“What are you, like five?” She then shot a glance at Adam. “Look, just don’t start your crap,

okay? I didn’t invite him, but he’s here, and we don’t have time for any drama.”

“Fine,” Adam said.

“Where’re the others?” she asked between breaths.

“Rob, Beth, and the camera dude, uh, Steven, are around here somewhere,” Adam said

glancing around.

Just then, a figure burst through the towering ferns. “I’m so glad you’re here! Oh, man, you

should’ve seen it,” Beth shouted. “I swear I almost pissed my pants.”

“No way! You saw it? With your own eyes?” Sarah met her gaze, gasping for air, her mind

unable to comprehend just yet. “Where?”

“Over there!” Beth pointed behind her. “It took off to the north, and we chased it into the

cave.”

A cold shudder ran down Sarah’s spine as she realized someone had actually seen the object

of her obsession. We’re so close! We can’t afford any mistakes now. “This is Sarah calling all

members.” She cleared her throat before she continued into her radio, her voice gaining urgency

with every word. “Be on alert. We’ve got a visual on something huge walking around. We

believe the creature is hiding in Sabrino Cave. Keep your eyes and ears open, people. Proceed

with extreme caution.”

“What’s your position?” a voice crackled back.

“I’m a half-mile north of base camp, on my way to Sabrino Cave now. All teams report to

Sabrino immediately.” She tapped Adam’s arm. “Let’s go.” Sarah jumped over the logs, ferns,

and rocks scattered along the forest floor, her heartbeat thudding in her ears. Just ahead, she

squinted at a large black mass of rock; the cave entrance came into view. Sarah stopped and

peered into the dark hole. She pinched her nose shut, trying to prevent the pungent smell from

penetrating her nostrils. “Pee-yew! I think somebody forgot to take out the garbage…like all

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week.”

“I saw this thing on the FLIR,” Beth said. “It’s at least eight feet tall. Man, it’s huge! I

wonder if it’s still in the cave.”

“Well, let’s track it!” Sarah ordered, inching closer to the jagged opening.

“Or we can just follow the stench,” Beth said. “I say we get out our tranquilizer guns, just in

case it charges us.”

Sarah nodded. “Good thinking.” She glanced at her cameraman, Steven, the bright camera

light blinding her eyes in the blackness. “Are you getting this? Everything?”

“Yeah, man, but do you think cornering Crypto Guy is such a great idea?”

Sarah shoved her goggles to the top of her head. Glancing around, she took a few steps

forward. “Look, you were hired to film this. If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen, and

we’ll find someone who can. Who knows when we’ll ever get another chance to be this close

again? Surely you want to be part of this.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Steven uttered.

Sarah turned to Adam. “Now, did we get those shrieking calls on audio?”

“Sure did,” Adam said.

“Good.”

Frank shook her shoulder. “Are you crazy? Messing around with the local wildlife is beyond

dangerous. I’m sure it’s just a bear or a big cat or—”

She brushed his hand off. “Look, Frank, you’ve done nothing but shoot down all my

research on television, in your newspaper and magazine articles, and in your new book. If you’re

so sure this is fake, some kind of staged crap, or that it’s just some nature show, why don’t you

go in and see for yourself?”

Frank took a step back. “All you’ve got here is a trapped wild animal. Sure, I was hoping to

get my shirt ripped off when I came looking for you, but not by a bear.”

Sarah ignored him and grabbed a tuft of coarse, dark hair from the cavern entrance. She

squinted to get a good look at it in the darkness. “This isn’t from a bear, and whatever it is, I’m

going to capture the thing on film. Adam, please bag this.”

“You got it, boss.”

Sarah opened up the lens on her camera and adjusted the settings. “People, we’re about to

solve one of the biggest unsolved mysteries of the twenty-first century.”

Beth kneeled, her eyes wide. “Look, Sarah. We got prints.”

Large humanoid footprints were clear in the mud, and the sight of them sent a shiver down

Sarah’s spine. It wasn’t human, ape, gorilla or chimpanzee unless they came in XXL. “Get

measurements of these. Steven, swing that camera over here and get them on film.”

Beth stretched out a tape measure next to one of the fresh tracks indented in the mud.

“Some tracks in the mud? C’mon, Sarah. You know as well as I do that this doesn’t mean

anything,” Frank muttered.

Sarah shook her head. “Anyone here wear a Size 20 shoe?” The footprints appeared to be

roughly nineteen inches long and eight inches wide with a long stride and five discernible toes.

Who’d go running around barefoot in ice-cold mud? “No one step on these prints. They’re the

evidence we need. I’ll cast them in a minute.” She focused and snapped her camera. “Frank,

myths don’t leave tracks,” she spat at him. “Wish me luck, people,” she said, turning her gaze

toward the cave entrance. “I’m going in.”

“You’re really gonna risk your life just to prove me wrong?” Frank asked.

“Well, skeptics do tend to piss me off,” Sarah said. “For all these years, you’ve claimed my

9

work is worthless, and that there’s nothing scientific about what we’re doing out here. You said

that science needed to validate the existence of Bigfoot with a live or dead specimen. You said

I’d need bones, teeth, or blood. But really, this has nothing to do with you. I am willing to risk

my life to prove me right, and this is the perfect opportunity to get all the proof I need. I’m not

waiting another second.”

Frank laughed. “Do you really think tomorrow’s headlines are gonna read, ‘I Just Found

Bigfoot’? No way! If anything, the papers are gonna say, ‘Bigfoot Researchers Torn to Shreds by

Bear’.”

She shrugged. “Well, you can think whatever you want, but at this point, I’ll take whatever

fate throws at me. I have to see for myself, one way or the other.”

“All fate’s going to deliver is a million stitches and a trip to the emergency room,” Frank

said. “These things don’t exist. I’ve told you that how many times?”

“I don’t care what you told me. Those tracks are real, that fur is real, and that’s solid enough

evidence for me to take a closer look.”

Frank cleared his throat. “Evidence? Sure. Everything but the creature itself.”

“Well, Mr. Skeptic, then go in there and prove me wrong.”

He took off his hat and ran a hand through his unruly hair. “If I do this and I’m right, you

owe me dinner—even if I’m in a full-body cast when that grizzly in there mauls me half to

death.”

“Dinner? Sure. So man up.” She whipped out her tranquilizer gun and handed it to him.

He smiled, pointed the weapon with both hands, and walked through the entrance.

Sarah followed, her smile vanishing. A scream pierced the air, and it took her only a

moment to realize it was her own.

11

“I’m not gonna kill anything. Maybe you should Google ‘tranquilizer’ sometime, Mr.

Investigator.”

Suddenly, an ape-like creature emerged from the foliage. It stood eight feet tall and was

covered from head to toe with long brown hair, matted in places. Its powerful build, broad

shoulders, and thick chest cast a shadow on the grass, making Sarah shudder. For years, she’d

studied the elusive monster, and finally, she was getting her first real encounter since that fateful

day when she’d lost her sister.

“No! It just…it can’t be,” Frank whispered. “No way! Should I admit myself into the psyche

ward now or later?”

“It exists! I knew it all along,” she said. “One picture, that’s all I need.” With shaking hands,

she brought the camera into focus.

The creature simply stared at her.

She zoomed in on its face, still wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her. It looked

like an ape with a flat, wide nose, deep-set green eyes, and a full set of lips. The lips and chin

protruded into somewhat of a snout, but nothing like a bear. She snapped the photo, knowing the

proof on that film would change the way the world looked at Bigfoot—and at her. I’ll never be a

laughingstock again. Zooming out, she took another photo.

“You got your picture. Now let’s go!”

“Frank! Calm down. Don’t make any sudden movements, or it might—” Sarah tried to warn,

but the creature had already become uneasy.

Taking slow, measured steps, the primate moved in their direction.

“Crap!” Frank aimed the tranquilizer gun and fired, striking his target.

The creature jumped back and let out a long, pained howl, then lurched forward.

Sarah gasped as Frank tugged her hand. “Move it!”

Without waiting for him, she sprinted, her heart thumping like a jackhammer. If Frank

knows what’s best for him, he’ll freaking follow me. As they darted between trees and splashed

through a tiny stream, the air behind them filled with blood-chilling howls. She glanced over her

shoulder and screamed when she realized they were being pursued by not one beast, but multiple

hairy figures gathering in the distance, darting behind them.

Suddenly, Sarah’s hiking boot caught on a fallen log, and she tripped and fell with a solid

thud on the forest floor. Crawling through the ferns, she peeked out. She didn’t see Frank

anywhere. “Frank! Frank?” she whispered. “Where are you?”

She yanked off her camera and threw it next to her, then lay flat on the ground as the howls

grew closer. Loud neighs and the sound of hooves echoed in the air, growing louder by the

second. She took a deep breath and peeked through the ferns.

The ground thundered as scores of men on horses galloped toward her. Whew, rescue!

Wherever they’d gotten the horses from, she only hoped they were fast enough to rescue Frank,

outrun those things, and get her the heck out of the Bigfoot-infested forest. The curious,

scientific part of her yearned to stay there and discover more, but without the assistance and

backup of her team, she knew it just wasn’t safe. We’ll just regroup and come back tomorrow,

she reasoned. Besides, I’ve already got two good shots of a Sasquatch. There’s no way Frank

can debunk this one, especially since he’s an eyewitness himself. Where the heck is he anyway?

“Princess, I command you to come out,” a man’s voice said in a most demanding and

condescending tone. Not only was he dressed strangely, but he had the pronunciation skills of a

bad B movie actor trying to act in a Broadway play.

Princess? A nickname of some sort? They must have me mistaken for somebody else.

12

“We know you’re here. We heard you scream,” called out the same man. “I’m not going to

hurt you. I am here to save your life. There were six of them closing in on you. If you don’t

cooperate with us and we leave, you’re as good as dead, and I guarantee you’ll never find your

way out of these dreaded woods on your own.”

Right, she thought. I found my way in here, and I can find my way out. Do they take me for

some kind of idiot? Still, she knew hiking back to her vehicle by herself, unarmed, might not be

so smart with those huge creatures running around. She raised her head a notch and noticed a

pair of dirty black leather boots with very unfashionable black bottoms; no member of her team

would be caught dead in such an atrocious ensemble. The man, whoever he was, stood less than

twenty feet away. She needed to call for help immediately. Something might’ve happened to

Frank, and she thought maybe the poorly dressed cavalry could help her.

“Those beasts will tear you limb from limb the second we depart,” continued the man. “You

know how territorial the Guardians are, and you know they have the power to destroy our kind.

One bite from those ferocious teeth, and that will be it for you.” He paused and then continued.

“It was quite the shock to see your brother alive and breathing. Your family did a fantastic job of

staging his death. If you want me to keep his secret, then it’s best you come out now. We both

know what will happen to him if I were to speak the truth.”

What was he talking about? Sarah rose from her hiding place and gazed up at the man on the

dressed horse. His appearance was odd, nothing like any park ranger she’d ever seen. From his

royal-blue tunic top, to the emblem of a crowned lion in the center, to his chainmail sleeves, he

looked as if he’d been zapped right out of medieval Europe, or maybe that she’d accidentally

stepped through some magical wardrobe. Black satin knickers with boots up to his knees? she

wondered. This guy is in need of some serious fashion intervention. She scanned the rest of the

group, and it came to her attention that they actually did look like knights in shining armor. For a

moment, she wondered if she’d ventured onto a film set, albeit a poorly funded film, considering

the D-list acting and the awful costuming. Maybe there’s some kind of Renaissance Fair nearby.

“You must come with us, Princess,” the man said. “There is no escape!”

No escape? She decided it might be a safer option to sneak back into the vegetation instead

of running off with the crazy eighteenth-century cast party. Just as she was considering it, a twig

snapped under her feet. The horse neighed, and the man jerked his head in Sarah’s direction.

Crap! There goes that plan.

She met his gaze and realized he had the bluest eyes and whitest smile she’d ever seen. His

black hair was wavy and long, but it was worn in a masculine style. In spite of his ridiculous

clothing, she’d be happy to be rescued by him anytime. Hmm. I wonder what he’s doing after

work.

“That’s it, Princess. So glad you’ve decided to come out of hiding, as it’s nice to officially

meet you. Now where’s your brother?” he demanded.

Princess? Brother? The handsome man had it wrong. “You must be mistaking me for

somebody else. I don’t have a brother. Listen, I don’t know what that script of yours says, but we

have to call 911! I lost my friend. We were being chased by these hairy creatures, and we

somehow got separated.”

“Who do you think scared them off, Your Highness?” a knight with long red hair asked.

Your Highness? Would it kill one of them to slip out of character for a second and tell me

what the heck’s really going on? “So you saw them?”

“Of course.”

Witnesses galore! The press is gonna have a field day with this. Nobody is ever gonna call

13

me an idiot again, she thought. Especially Frank. Speaking of him… “Later, I’m going to have to

get a statement from every one of you, but in the meantime, could you please make that phone

call? Really, this is serious. Get rescue out here right now! My friend could be hurt.”

“Flushing you out was easier than I expected,” the leader said.

“Well, you woulda been hiding, too, if those things were after you. Long story short, I was

hunting…er, uh, not real hunting like shooting a buck or anything. I’m a researcher for The

Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization, the BFRO. Ever heard of us?” she asked, feeling like a

fool for mentioning it to the gorgeous guy in front of her. She was rather sure there was no hope

of getting his phone number, if there ever was in the first place, because guys usually ran the

other direction when they heard what she did for a living.

A knight looked at the leader, cocking his brow. “Victor, we need to make haste. She must

consult with the healer.”

Yep, that’s it. Either I’m nuts or they are. Victor, huh? Hmm. In Latin, that means

“conqueror”. Sexy. “Listen, I don’t need a doctor—just a little help finding my friend.”

Victor swung lithely from his horse onto the ground.

She gasped at his towering height and muscular build. Talk about tall, dark, and handsome!

Who’d of thought I’d meet this medieval hottie in the middle of some forest on a Bigfoot hunt?

She scanned the stranger and then the horsemen standing behind him. “Any of you got a cell?”

They mumbled amongst themselves, shaking their heads.

Their character acting was beginning to get on her nerves. “Fine, but can one of you give me

a ride back to my Jeep? I can call for help there. I think we’re parked about six miles north, near

the main road.”

“A cell? A Jeep? What are these strange things she speaks of?” a confused knight asked.

“She is delusional, milord. She must be taken to the healer for her head wounds.”

“Delusional or bewitched,” said a knight with a white mustache and matching white hair tied

into a ponytail.

“Yes! She is spewing out these lies to mislead us!” called out another.

“Lies? I’m not lying,” Sarah said. “I know it’s a long way back to my vehicle and a big

favor to ask, but we’ll get there in no time on one of your horses. Look, I’ll even pay you to

make up for your time off the set, but if you’re not going to help me, then please at least get your

men to start searching the area. We can cover more ground if we split up into groups and look for

Frank. You three can go over that way, and I will go with Victor here to—”

A dangerous glint flickered in Victor’s eyes. “How dare you command us, princess or not?”

She hesitated, taken aback by his rudeness. He looked like Prince Charming, but he sounded

more like that caveman from those old dinosaur movies. “Listen, mister. I love movies and all,

and if you save me some tickets, I’ll be sure to come watch this little performance of yours.” She

tipped her hat. “I promise I’ll even wear something nicer for your big opening weekend and all,

but right now, we need to get moving. A man’s life is at stake.”

“Bark out another order like that, miss, and you’ll feel the sting of a whip on your back,”

Victor said.

Sarah cringed. Testy, ain’t he? Pssh! Forget the phone number and the show then, buddy.

How about some anger management classes? Or… A new thought popped in her head, and she

glanced around. “A-ha! I got it! I know what you’re up to. Where’s the hidden cameras? You

almost had me fooled. Frank’s in on this little Candid Camera act, isn’t he? Ooh, I’m gonna kill

him. Where have you got him stashed away?”

“You should’ve thought twice before you stepped onto enemy territory,” he said.

14

“You’re good,” Sarah said, pointing at him. “Stepping on enemy territory is a nice touch.

Did your producers put you up to this?”

Victor’s face hardened into grim lines. “You’re now a prisoner of war, Princess Gloria.”

She stared at his stern face and stiffened. “Look…this medieval game you’re playing is kind

of cool and all. Love the costumes and the attitude, but I really need a phone. If you’re not

playing some kind of joke, then this really is an emergency.”

Victor’s menacing gaze ran over her inch by inch. Stepping closer, he traced a finger down

the side of her cheek.

She shoved him back. “Don’t you touch me!”

“How dare you?” he roared. “Are you not aware of who I am?”

Of course she had no idea, nor did she really care. “No. Who are you?” The situation was

getting out of control. The hot guy was clearly a nutcase, and she’d come to realize that Ashton

Kutcher wasn’t going to be jumping out of the bushes anytime soon, announcing that she’d been

punk’d by Frank. It was time to run and let them get back to their jousting, or whatever it was

they did to earn their pay from the Renaissance Fair payroll office. Especially when she saw one

of the knights scanning her up and down, lingering a little too long on the skin exposed where

the two upper buttons had been ripped from her shirt by a rather intrusive thorny vine. Why the

heck did I let Frank have our only weapon? She scolded herself. What if these medieval jerks

decide to take advantage of me out here? The thought alone sent shivers through her body. If I

scream out here, who’ll even hear me? She was suddenly sickeningly reminded of every horror

film she’d ever seen where stupid teenage girls wandered off alone in the wilderness, and she

was none too happy to be that stupid girl. As the knights fanned out and surrounded her, her

heart raced.

“Stubborn woman! You know who I am,” Victor said. “Your brother might’ve gotten away,

but I’m afraid you are in our possession, whether you like it or not. It is my duty to make you

pay for warning Charles and his knights about my trap.”

Mistaken identity was putting it lightly. “I don’t even have a brother,” Sarah said, “and I’m

no rat.”

“More lies!” he hissed, his blue eyes blazing. “Did you really think I would fail to find you

just because they dressed you up like a man in clothes that blend with the trees? Foolish, foolish

girl.”

She huffed. In her line of work, she’d been called plenty of names, but she’d never been

mistaken for a male. “A man? Why, because I’m wearing camouflage pants? I’m hunting a

creature, not going to the opera. What’d you expect, some strapless mini-dress and stilettos?”

“Milord, with all due respect, the disguise is a rather ingenious idea, perhaps one we should

replicate in the future,” the blond guy behind the knight said. “Had the princess not surrendered,

we would not have seen her.”

“Surrender? Listen, you’re making a big mistake.” She suddenly remembered she’d left her

pepper spray behind, and she regretted that. “I’m not a princess. I don’t know what freaky game

you’re playing, but my friend’s going to call the police. And trust me when I say he has lots of

connections with the FBI. They’ll be swarming the place any minute!”

Victor smiled. “Is that what you call your knights? I’m afraid we dispatched this FBI hours

ago, Highness. That was how we knew they abandoned you somewhere in this forest.” He

knocked the fedora off her head and hastily jerked her bunned hair to a disheveled mess. Tousles

of long brown hair tumbled down the middle of her back.

“I told you not to touch me!” she yelled, drawing her hand up to slap him.

15

He caught her wrist. “Do not ever threaten to attack me, Princess, and you must cease with

giving orders to those who have you in custody.” A fiery blue flame burned behind his eyes.

Loosening his grip, she yanked her hand away. She realized that smacking him wasn’t going

to help her one tiny bit; all things considered, running sounded like a much better option. She

glanced around for the best escape route, but it was no use, for she was completely surrounded.

Her mind raced, terrified to think about what they might try to do to her.

Victor tugged at her holster and pulled out her radio to examine it. “What kind of magic

device is this?”

“Idiot,” Sarah whispered under her breath, rolling her eyes. “It’s a radio. I know it’s not the

newest Sony type, all slick and thin and whatnot, but give me a break. Pretending you don’t

know what it is, is just…lame.”

Victor raised an eyebrow. “A radio, you say? Is that a weapon of some sort?”

“No. It’s for communication.” Boy, was she getting tired of this role-playing. “You know,

you talk into it, and someone else’s voice comes out.”

“Witchery,” mumbled one of the knights.

Victor held up his hand to hush the murmurs of his men and then gestured for one of his

men to take it. “Take this back with us.”

A tall, muscular knight walked over to her, dangling her 35mm camera. “And what is this?”

He snapped the button, and a flash of light made the knights erupt in a choir of gasps and

shocked whispers.

“A weapon to blind her opponent!” one knight asked, blinking as if hundreds of white spots

filled his vision, like something he’d never experienced before. “Tis surely evil magic, sir!”

Sarah sighed and pointed to the digital view screen. “Magic? Seriously? Look. There are

your fine knights in all their glory. I think I’ll call this shot, Deer in the Headlights.”

The man gasped. “She paints a picture of us in the blink of an eye, yet she has no paint or

brushes! Surely she is of an evil ilk, milord!”

“Oh please. Give me back my camera,” Sarah hissed.

Victor’s gaze narrowed. “You are brave, captured yet still forcing demands upon those who

would have you in chains.”

“Fine. You can have the dang thing. But that film belongs to me!” After all she’d been

through, there was no way she was going to let her evidence go, medieval army or not.

“Film? What is this you speak of?” a knight asked. He looked at Victor, who only shook his

head and shrugged.

Victor ran his hands down her pant leg; she bit her lip to keep herself from kicking him hard,

knowing any kind of physical assault would only make things worse. It was one girl against a

platoon of nuts, and the odds didn’t look good. She was just glad he hadn’t held a knife or a

sword to her throat…yet.

“What other weapons are you hiding in your man-clothes?” Searching her pocket, the man

pulled out the thermal camera and dangled it. “Your knights left you with weapons we’ve never

seen. Too bad you didn’t put them to good use, Princess Gloria.”

“Yeah, you wouldn’t believe how dangerous a radio and a thermal camera are. And stop

calling me ‘Princess Gloria’! My name’s Sarah.” She shook her head and raised her hands in

mock defense. “Tell you what. Just keep them both. I’ve no idea what game you’re playing, and

I really don’t care either. All I want is to go home—with my film.” Her heart pounded, and her

palms dampened. She took a few long steps backward. “But if you won’t give me the film, I still

want to get out of here. So, I wish you gentlemen all the best, and I’ll just be on my merry way

16

now, if you don’t mind.”

“I would advise you to halt,” a knight said behind her.

Crap. Her breath caught in her throat, and the same thought played in her mind. What are

these guys planning to do with me—or to me?

Victor turned to his knights. “You captured her this morning, here, in the Forest of the

Guardians. Is this the same woman who escaped from you?”

“Yes, milord,” a knight said, looking slightly embarrassed. “Without a doubt, this is the

same one who escaped us.”

The others nodded in agreement, some looking at the ground in shame.

A case of mistaken identity was the last thing she needed. “They’re wrong! I can assure you

they’ve never seen me before.” She laughed. “How could they? I wasn’t even here.”

Victor scoffed. “Are you suggesting that my knights are liars, Princess?”

“No, but maybe this healer of yours should get them all some bifocals. I’m a researcher

leading a major expedition. I study these creatures, uh, these Guardians, as you call them, that

are running around this forest. I have been trying to prove their existence for a long time, and—”

“Prove their existence? You know full well they exist! That is exactly why you entered this

forbidden place. You thought we wouldn’t follow you in, but I’d risk my life to get my hands on

you. After all, you are all the leverage we need to make your stubborn father see the light.”

Victor climbed up on his horse and stared down at her, casting periwinkle daggers through her.

“Would you like to ride with me or one of them?” He pointed to his men. “I must warn you that

my men are not as capable of keeping their hands to themselves. Has been many weeks since

they have seen someone the likes of you, and men can get very lonely.”

The men exchanged glances and guffawed.

Sarah glared at them, wanting to be sick. “Well, it’s a good thing I’m wearing a chastity belt.

Never leave home without it,” she said.

“I’m not here to defile you.”

She hoped he wasn’t messing with her. “That’s great to hear.”

“You shall come with me. I give you my word that your virginity, your chastity, will remain

intact, milady. I cannot make the same guarantee for your life, however, for that shall depend on

your father’s cooperation.”

Sarah’s heart quivered, and goose-bumps traveled to the surface of her skin. “I’m not going

anywhere with any of you. You’ll have to kill me first.” She swallowed hard, wondering if she’d

made a mistake of offering him that option right then and there. It might not have been her

brightest idea. Shifting her legs to ease the stiffness only set off her internal alarms, and with

some burst of ridiculously unfounded courage, she lurched toward the forest.

A knight locked his arms around her waist and left her feet kicking above the ground. “I

believe we have a wild one here, milord,” he mumbled as he handed her up to her captor.

“I heard she was quite the feisty one,” Victor said.

“Let me go!” Sarah said.

“Listen. If you cooperate, I will keep your secret.”

“What secret?”

“That your brother is alive and well. I know you’ve never met me before, but I used to know

your mother. And because of that, I will keep your secret.”

Sarah flailed, trying to escape, but Victor pulled her into his strong embrace and wrapped

one arm around her waist as he turned his horse. He hauled her off as if she was merely a

possession, some spoil of war, in spite of her futile attempts to squirm out of his embrace. “Calm

17

down, Princess,” he said. “You will come with me now, and if your father values your life as a

father should, he shall graciously withdraw his forces from the Tastian border. If he does not, he

is a fool and will be a father no longer.”

“Frank!” Sarah yelled. “Frank, if you can hear me, call the police! I’m being kidnapped by a

bunch of lunatics. I know that’s what you think I am, but I’ve found somebody even crazier than

me.”

“Nobody’s going to save you now.” His long dark hair tickled her cheek as he bent to

whisper in her ear. “If you know what’s good for you, you will listen and obey. This is not a

game, Princess. Do you understand?”

“Milord, we must be going,” said a man with a black beard. “It is not safe out here among

the Guardians.”

She nodded. “It’s not a game for you either. First-degree kidnapping is a Class A-1 felony.

You’ll be thrown in a hole for twenty years, and I’m sure Bubba will love this little costume of

yours!” she shouted. “You let me go right now, or you’ll be the one somebody calls ‘Princess’!”

“Enough of this nonsense.” Victor’s voice turned sharp.

Nonsense? You got that right, buddy. She wondered at what point she’d fallen head-first into

the Twilight Zone. “Who are you anyway?”

“Don’t play the fool. You know exactly who I am.”

“Well, I’m afraid my memory’s a little fuzzy on that.” She scratched her temple. “I think I

hit my head and blacked out.” It wasn’t a lie, and she wondered for a minute if she was dreaming

up the whole thing. She could think of nothing better than waking up in her bed to the aroma of a

piping hot cup of coffee—or those bacon and eggs Frank had promised before he took off to

God-knew-where.

“Perhaps that explains all the strange babbling,” Victor said, pulling on the reins. “But no

matter. We shall take you to the healer for a look. Now, tell me, is ‘911’ some secret code, a way

to beckon your armies against us?”

“Something like that,” she said, sighing again. “Anyway, please refresh my memory. Who

are you?”

Victor straightened in his saddle and raised his chin a notch, the slightest glint of a smile

playing in his blue eyes. “I’m King Victor Fesque II. Your father, King William Jarod, is

currently my chief adversary. And now, thanks to you, I have all the leverage I need.”

Sarah was sure no one was going to believe any of it. She already got enough guff for

chasing eight-foot humanoids around the woods. There was no way anyone was going to find out

about this little fairytale, or she’d be labeled a crackpot for life. “Please, I’m begging you to trust

me. If you let me go now, I won’t say a word to anyone—not even a peep. My reputation is at

stake, and that means a lot to me as a scientist.”

“Scientist?”

“Listen, uh, Your Highness, you’re making a huge mistake. You have absolutely no leverage

with me, because I’m not this person you think I am! My name’s Sarah Larker. This King Gerald

or whoever you’re talking about won’t even know me.”

“In spite of your lies and your demands, Highness, it is a pleasure to finally meet you in

person, Princess Gloria Jarod.”

Sarah scrambled to her feet, staring straight ahead. Harsh and unexpected light blared

through the cavern entrance, forcing her to instinctively cover her eyes. Squinting, she raced

outside and looked up: no stars, no moon, no darkness. Instead, the sun shone brightly through

the trees, saturating the green leaves with its golden glow. The last time she’d checked, it had

been midnight. All she could assume was that she’d hit her head in the fall and passed out for a

good eight hours. Why hasn’t my team come to help me? She couldn’t help but wonder. Sure,

they’d leave Frank to his own fate, but surely they’d come looking for me. “What the heck is

going on? Where is everybody?” she asked aloud to no one in particular.

Groaning, Frank approached and rubbed his head. “What happened? Did I black out or

something?”

Sarah hesitated for a moment, unsure. “I think we both did. It looks like morning.” She

nervously fingered the black strap from her hanging 35mm Nikon. Reaching into her pocket, she

let out a sigh of relief; the FLIR hadn’t fallen out in whatever skirmish had happened in the dark.

“Are you okay, babe?” He put a hand on her shoulder. “You hurt?”

She swatted his hand away. “Don’t call me ‘babe’! I could use some Motrin, but I needed

that the second you showed up. You look like crap, by the way.”

“Thanks for the concern, but I’m fine. I just can’t figure out how we got here and managed

to miss a few hours. How’s it daylight already?”

“I have absolutely no idea.”

10

His eyes darted about nervously. “Well, in any case, let’s get the heck out of here.”

“Yeah, okay. Let me see if I can get a hold of my team first.” She grabbed her radio from

her belt and talked into the mouthpiece. “Sarah to base camp.”

The device crackled, but then…nothing.

Sarah shot Frank an inquiring look, then took a deep breath. She spoke louder this time into

the mouthpiece, “This is Sarah. If anybody’s around, please respond.”

More static was her only reply.

“Maybe they’re out of range,” Frank speculated.

Letting out a sigh, she attached the radio to her belt. “Probably. Let’s start heading back, and

my team better have one heck of an excuse for deserting us like that.”

Frank started walking, crunching dry leaves under his feet. “I’m sure they do. How about

some bacon and eggs? My treat.” He smiled over his shoulder.

“Today is your lucky day, mister, ‘cause I’m ready to eat a dozen eggs and an entire pig.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “Where’s the closest diner?”

“Hmm. Not sure, but it’s probably a three-hour walk back to our cars. We better make that

lunch.”

Startled, Sarah jumped as a shrill cry echoed nearby.

“Tell me that was some kind of bird.” Frank’s gaze settled on her, his eyes wide.

“I could, but I’d be lying. No bird I’ve ever met has made that kind of sound.” She laughed

at his expression. “Come on. Please tell me your backyard’s not the only square of nature you’ve

ever visited besides this one, city boy.”

Frank opened his mouth to reply when a growl cut through the silence. “You sure that’s not

a bird? Some kind of eagle or vulture or something?”

She shook her head as a shiver ran down her spine. “When’s the last time you heard a bird

howl like that?” The cry sounded like the Bigfoot calls she’d captured on audio six months

earlier. She could have kept quiet about that so as not to worry her ill-equipped Tarzan

companion, but she knew there’d be no fun in that. “Nothing like seeing your research up close

and personal. On the bright side, it’ll be worth watching you crap your pants.”

A twig snapped in the trees, and Frank instinctively reached for her hand like a lost little boy

wanting his mother. “We need to find cover. A bear stalking us isn’t good.”

She scanned the trees and vegetation as she whispered, “How many times do I have to tell

you it’s not a freaking bear, Frank?”

“How can you know that?” He shook his head. “Never mind. Let’s just get outta here.”

“No.” She planted her feet into the ground, just in case he decided to drag her away. “You

can go wherever you want, but I’m staying right here. I’m not out here for some nature hike. I

want proof, and I’m going to get it.”

He glared at her. “Can’t you forget about your research for one minute? I’d prefer to live.”

No way, she thought. I’ve waited years for this moment, this one confrontation, this proof

that I’m not crazy. If only my team was here to back me up, but I need to do this with or without

them—for me. “I have to see this for myself.”

A dark, hairy outline rustled in the tall bushes.

Chills rushed over Sarah. “Whoa! That thing is less than 200 feet away. You still have the

tranquilizer gun?”

Frank pulled it from the back of his hip and cocked it. “Yep, right here, but if we get

arrested by Ranger Smith for giving Yogi a death sentence, don’t be surprised when I say I told

you so.”

Sarah jumped when something resembling a cockroach—only much bigger and grosser—

scurried over her foot. Water dripped onto the dirt floor from the craggy ceiling in an annoying

and never-ending rhythm. Dark, rusty, ominous chains hung from the wall; she was glad the

knights had spared her from being bound by them. A pile of bloodied, filthy rags were clumped

together in the corner. She cringed, wondering if they used to be someone’s clothes. A putrid

stench hung thickly in the air, but even that paled in comparison to the layers of muck covering

the walls. In the opposite corner, were piles of excrement. She had to get out of this place,

preferably before her next trip to the bathroom.

A breeze whipped around her shoulders. As she shivered, her skin rippled into another fit of

goose-bumps. Sarah would have killed for her leather coat, but it was locked in the trunk of her

Jeep, along with all the other stuff that would have been useful, like her Swiss army knife and

jack. She sighed and rubbed her arms with her palms, hoping the friction would infuse some

warmth into her flesh. In the dim light, a giant cobweb dangled in one corner. Haven’t these

people ever heard of dusting, deodorizer, or bug spray? Who in the world uses a dungeon

anymore? She’d never even had a traffic ticket before, but now she was thrown into some

ancient hell hole. She leaned against the stone wall and jumped when the cool, wet slime soaked

through her shirt. An escape wouldn’t be happening anytime soon. Wherever she was, she

doubted even Google Maps could find her. She wiped her hands across her pants and shouted,

“Listen, you medieval nutcases, you’re all going to fry in the electric chair. I’ll personally invent

the thing myself. The least you could do is to leave me a can of Raid.”

The pocked steel of the bars chilled her already cold hands as she wrapped her grimy fingers

around the bars. How did a Bigfoot expedition with thirty researchers turn into a kidnapping?

I’ve been thrown down here by some kind of King Arthur wannabe! It’s not possible…is it? She

had no idea, but she was sure it all had something to do with Sabrino Cave, the same place her

older sister had disappeared from ten years earlier while on a camping trip.

Sarah and her sister had decided to go on a hike that morning. Liz had entered the cave first.

Since she was a whole year older, she thought she’d take responsibility if things went wrong. As

Sarah began to follow, a towering, fur-covered figure jumped out and grabbed for her.

Sarah shook her head, sucking in a deep breath as the scene played out, those yellow eyes

seared forever in her mind. She couldn’t help but wrinkle her nose at the memory of the skunklike

stench emanating from its matted brown fur. The thing chased her into the woods, but she

somehow made it back to her parents. Her sister was not so lucky and had not been seen since.

Nobody believed Sarah’s story, but since that fateful day on, Sarah had made it her mission to

find her sister and prove to the world that what she saw that day was real.

She rubbed her temples. Is that cave some kind of mysterious portal? Her heart raced, and

she couldn’t stop the flood of hope that ran through her veins, even though the whole thing

sounded absurd. The thought that her sister might still be alive spurred her on, and she wished

she could find a few sticks of dynamite to bust herself out of that joint.

Suddenly, a door squeaked far off to the left, followed by the sound of footsteps echoing

through the corridor.

Craning her neck to catch a glimpse, she squinted through the shadows flickering from the

torches hanging on the wall. A figure approached, its face obscured by the partial darkness. A

guard? No…something more sinister. My captor. King Victor’s blue eyes met hers, and her

19

breath caught in her throat. He wore the same Knights of the Round Table garb as before, with

two differences: a red velvet cape trimmed with black and white fur hung close to the ground,

and he topped off the ensemble with a gold crown adorned with jewels. The facets of the gems

reflected the light of the torches. Showing off, is he? Sarah could have sworn he’d been out

costume shopping on eBay.

“Where the heck are we?” she hissed, glaring at him.

He flashed her a charming smile. “Still playing the fool, Highness? We’re in Tastia, as I am

sure you already know.”

“Tastia? What map would I find that on?” She snorted as she squeezed her fingers around

the rusted bars.

He picked at his perfectly manicured nails. “Acting stupid is not becoming, milady.”

“Stupid? I’m not the one walking around in that ridiculous Halloween costume at this time

of the year,” she seethed. Finally, she managed a calming breath, “I’m not in California anymore,

am I?”

“California? I know not of such a place, and your stories will get you nowhere, Princess

Gloria. No one has ever heard of this place you speak of.”

Sarah was suddenly painfully aware of how real her situation was. There was no way even

dedicated actors would risk kidnapping charges to stay in character. By the look on the king’s

face earlier, he really didn’t know what a radio or image thermal camera was. It was no wonder

he thought she was crazy when she’d mentioned a cell phone and 911. Everything was adding

up, and she didn’t like what it was adding up to. She took a step back, clutching her chest as the

realization hit: Yeah, we definitely had to have entered through some portal, probably in that

stupid cave! The same one the Bigfoot creatures—the Guardians—use to come through into our

world, our time! It was a small wonder to her that no shred of evidence had ever been found. As

she realized what was happening, she thought she might barf on the king’s fancy leather boots.

“Why is your brother alive? We thought he died years ago.” When Sarah didn’t answer, he

let out a long sigh. “I will keep your secret…for now.”

“I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

“Your family staged his death. I’m wondering why.”

“I don’t know. This is something you should ask the real princess.”

King Victor cocked his head. “Surely you thought twice before crossing the Tastian border.”

She glared at him, saying nothing.

He continued, “We’ve been at war for ages, Highness. Why would you risk your life to

come here?”

“I followed Bigfoot…er, one of the Guardians into the cave. How could I’ve known it’d take

me here?” She jumped at the sound of squeaking as two humongous rats fought over a crust of

moldy bread.

King Victor shook his head as though he didn’t have a clue what she meant. “Just admit the

truth. You came to warn your brother about the trap I set. Was it worth it? Charles is back home

in the comfort of his warm castle, and here you are in a cold, musty dungeon facing a rather

questionable fate.” He stepped back and extended his hands in an all-encompassing gesture. “I

take it everything is up to your standards.” He touched her hand that was wrapped around the bar

in a death-grip.

“Oh yeah, sure. All the comforts of a five-star hotel.” She pulled her hand back as she

fought against the instant attraction she felt. He might have been the hottest thing she’d ever lain

eyes on, but he was the enemy—and he was a sarcastic jerk too. “You think it’s funny to kidnap

20

me and then throw me in a dungeon?”

He curled his lips into a smile. “Why, milady, you should be thanking me. I could’ve put

you in with the general population, but I feared you may not fare so well among those

miscreants. The screams are just horrendous.”

“Well, in that case, I appreciate the VIP accommodations.” She rolled her eyes. “The rats

and cockroaches are a nice touch,” she seethed. Regardless of what he thought, that stone coffin

was not her idea of a comfy stay.

“I’ve received word from your father.” King Victor locked his hands behind his back and

rocked back on his heels. He cocked a brow, waiting for her reaction as though that news should

mean something to her.

“Really? Well, how is dear old Dad? I’m trying to picture his face in my head. Funny, I

can’t. Maybe that’s because I’ve never even met the dude!”

“I would think you might be curious to know what he said, as your fate relies on his

cooperation.”

“Let me think about that. Hmm. Not really.” A shiver slid down Sarah’s spine. She looked

away quickly lest he notice her sudden realization. Whoever this Princess Gloria was, she hoped

her father loved her deeply. Sarah’s life depended on it.

He turned to the guard who had just approached. “Guard, open this door!”

The guard snapped to attention. “Yes, milord.”

“That’s not necessary, Vic,” Sarah said, taking a few steps back as the metallic clank of the

lock echoed. “I can hear through the bars just fine.” She blinked, hoping the message had

reached him loud and clear. The truth was, he’d clamped his arm around her waist a little too

close for comfort on the ride to that horrible place, and he’d threatened her life more than once.

The heavy door opened, and King Victor reached her in two strides. His gaze connected

with hers as his blue eyes narrowed dangerously. “Your father refused to meet my demands. I’m

afraid there’s only one thing left to do to show him how dire this situation truly is.”

Whatever it was, it didn’t sound good. Sarah sucked in a quick breath, her heart hammering.

Why didn’t I just stay hidden in the trees? She thought perhaps she could do some fast-talking

and flip the coin in her favor. They always say the truth will set you free, she reasoned. “Look,

like I told you, I’m not Gloria. My name’s Sarah.” She could tell by the look in his eyes that he

didn’t believe a single word passing from her lips.

He leaned in closer, his warm breath caressing her cheek as he said, “Princess, I’m sorry, but

I’m left with no other choice.”

Her heart sank. It wasn’t rocket science. He planned on killing her to get revenge on his

rival. He’d said so himself. She tried to control the quiver in her voice. “Of course you have

other choices. If you’re the king, you get to make the rules—or aren’t you that powerful?”

“Your father must pay for his sins and transgressions, and he will one way or another—soon

and very soon.” He stroked a stray hair from her eyes, but she averted her gaze. His hot breath hit

her cheek as he continued, “I think I’ll extend an invitation to him. There will be some tears

shed. That we can count on.”

“You’re all crazy and in dire need of meds.”

King Victor whispered in her ear. “Don’t act so sad. You just might enjoy it.”

What kind of sick freak is this guy? Enjoy having my head cut off by some guy with a giant

hatchet and a black hood? Some king this guy is. The only royal thing about him is that he’s a

royal pain in the—

“I can’t wait to see your father’s face.” He smirked.

21

She pushed him back, her stomach fluttering from the thought of her own execution. Will it

be quick or long and painful? “You’re nuts! How can you order the execution of an innocent

woman? No wonder this Gloria’s father is after you.”

“Execution? Princess, I’m not going to kill you.”

“Said the spider to the fly.”

“Spider? Fly? Pardon me, but I do not understand what insects have to do with any of this.”

Victor shook his head. “I have much more…pleasurable things planned.” He squeezed her tight

against him.

Her breath caught in her throat as she realized the meaning of his words. He couldn’t

possibly want… She pushed him hard. “Let me go!”

“Do you know what would make your father’s blood boil even more than seeing your pretty

little head roll?”

She didn’t need to hear the words, as the grin on his face said it all. She squirmed in his grip,

struggling to keep her wits and silence the screaming voice in her head. “Haven’t the slightest

clue.”

“Me, his most hated enemy, taking his only daughter as my mate.”

Sarah gasped, even though it was exactly what she’d expected. “What?”

“Marriage or execution. Either one will break your father, and I’m leaning toward the

former.”

“I think you’ve fallen off your horse and hit your head one time too many. This has to be the

worst proposal of all time. But out of curiosity, when’s the big day? I need some time to gather

up something borrowed and something blue.”

“When the sun sets.”

“Tonight? What happened to courtship? Chivalry? I don’t even know your bad habits, like if

you leave the toilet seat up or…” She scanned the room, at a loss for words. “What if you snore

like a chainsaw or have some psychological disorder that prevents you from refilling the ice cube

tray?”

His eyebrows raised. “Toilet seat? Ice? Forgive me, but I believe you have fallen off your

horse. Maybe we should take you to the healer after all.”

Throwing my own insults back at me. Wow. How creative. She regarded him intently, but his

expression remained confused. “Maybe we should have you evaluated and put on some psych

meds.”

“I was thinking of discussing wine selections later today.” King Victor tucked a piece of

stray hair behind her ear again, and it felt just as ridiculous as before. “Or maybe floral

arrangements. What do you think, my love?”

“I’m thinking if I ever get my hands on that Gloria chick, she’s dead meat.”

“Meat? If that is your desire, I shall send my cooks to the fowl cages. Yes! We shall enjoy a

feast of roasted quail, turtle dove, partridge, and braised peacock. And, of course, the butcher can

supply ample calves’ heads and fish if you so wish.”

“I’m going to throw up.” She swallowed the bile in her throat. “I want no part of your

delusional world.”

“Surely your knights taught you how to maintain this unpalatable guise,” King Victor said.

“I’m impressed—I really am—but you’ll eventually break. For the time being, enough of these

games. Let us address the question that has longed to escape my lips. Will you, Princess Gloria,

be my bride?”

She shoved him. “Ain’t happening. Back off, man.”

22

He grinned, revealing two strings of white teeth. “I can see you need some time to consider

your decision. Perhaps spending a little time down here will make you see things in a different

light.”

“You’re crazy!” she yelled, taking a step back and balling her fists as if she had any chance

of fighting him.

In one swift move, he pinned her against the cold concrete wall, her arms outstretched, his

hands wrapped tightly around her wrists. “I would advise you to hold your tongue,” he hissed in

her ear. “I have put up with more than my fair share from you. Nobody talks to me that way—

nobody—and if you cannot control that lashing snake of yours, I shall have it removed.”

Her heart pounded hard, and she took a deep breath. “Right back at ya, buddy! Nobody talks

to me the way you do.”

He lowered his head, and his eyes narrowed. “You are disrespectful, obviously the spawn of

your father.”

She had no idea who he was talking about, but she couldn’t resist the jab. “Guess I’m a chip

off the old block.”

“Maybe this is the reason why he doesn’t want you back.”

Her temper flared even higher, for he’d hit a soft spot. How dare he poke around in my

business like that? “My real father would never abandon me, you nutcase.”

“You might want to consider being cordial toward me. Do you have any understanding of

the power I hold over you?” The dangerous undertone in his voice didn’t go unnoticed. “I control

whether you’ll get one ounce of food or a drop of water, whether you’ll see the light of day or if

you’ll live to see tomorrow.”

No man, royalty or not, had ever treated Sarah in such a way. She clenched her hands into

fists, yet again, and pressed her back against the wall to put another inch of space between her

and King Victor. “Yeah, I got it. Life and death rest in your hands.” Her gaze wandered to the

open cell door the same moment when the king loosened his grip. She held her breath, sensing

her chance to escape. Without another thought, she spun around and darted for freedom, but

before she could take another breath, she felt his stern grip on her upper arm. “Let go of me!” she

snarled.

King Victor swung her around to face him.

Her hands balled into fists, and she pounded his chest. “Get your hands off me, you brute!”

she yelled, her voice echoing.

“Where do you think you’re going? I suggest you save your energy for our wedding night.”

He pulled her close. “I can see I need to make an appointment with my blacksmith.”

Well, well, isn’t he funny, remembering my chastity belt comment? The jerk! “In your

dreams.”

“I know you’re looking forward to it, but calm down, Princess. We have our entire lives to

spend together.”

Sarah struggled in his arms as he chuckled. She could tell he was loving every minute of it.

“This Gloria’s father wouldn’t meet your demands. He doesn’t even care if his daughter dies.

Therefore, if you kill me, what’s it going to prove?”

“You’re right. It’s best we stick with option one. Your father might not care if you’re dead,

but he will fume with rage knowing I have fathered his grandchildren, tainting his precious

bloodline. Shall we have six, eight, or ten children, Princess? There shall be no revenge better

than the pitter-patter of my sons’ feet flowing with your father’s blood.”

“If you use me like that—and remember I’m not who you think I am—your gene pool is

23

going to need a ton of chlorine. I’m not any kind of royalty.”

“Chlorine?”

“Never mind.” She shook her head. “How many kids did you just say you want? What do I

look like, some kind of breeding machine?”

“Let’s just hope they don’t inherit your smart mouth. I’ve let it slide until now, but once we

have exchanged vows, you shall control your tongue—or I will control it for you.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “And what if I don’t? What if I say whatever I want, whether you

want to hear it or not?”

“Trust me, you do not want to find out,” he said.

She glared at him, throwing daggers with her eyes. “What’re you going to do, lock me in a

dungeon and throw away the key?”

“Let me know when I can call for the priest,” King Victor said. “We will need to inform him

whether he will be performing a wedding ceremony or last rites. That, my love, is your choice.”

Sarah’s head shot back in defiance. “I’ll never marry you. It’ll never happen—not even if a

million stars fell from the sky.”

“No?” He ran a finger down her cheekbone.

Her breath caught in her throat as she pushed him away. “No.” She put as much conviction

into her voice as she could muster, but somehow, it barely made its way out of her throat.

“We’ll see about that,” King Victor said with a smirk. “Enjoy your stay. If you get too cold,

just remember my bed’s nice and warm and waiting for you.” With one last glance over his

shoulder, he slammed the cell door with his boot, trapping her in the confined space.

Sarah had plenty to think about in the drippy silence. Will he really kill me if I refuse to go

through with the wedding? She shivered as a cool breeze blew across her face. How long does

that idiot plan to keep me down here anyway? He’d only left minutes ago, but the distress of

being alone with her thoughts crept up on her, putting her in an emotional chokehold. Where the

heck is Frank anyway? I wonder if he made it out safely or if those Sasquatches attacked him.

She hoped that since he had the tranquilizer gun on him, he’d managed to escape. If not, I’m

afraid he’s seriously hurt or… She shook her head, eager to get rid of the images rolling before

her eyes. Booted footsteps echoed down the corridor, jolting her back to reality. She held her

breath and clenched her hands just in case she got the chance to attack and get the hell out of

here.

A knight held up a large ring of metal dungeon keys and unlocked the door. After it creaked

open, he took a step inside. Obviously tired of waiting, Mr. Whack Job had sent his messenger

boy.

Can’t a girl have time to think about spending the rest of her life in some medieval

nightmare? What, is Kingy Poo that desperate for an answer? She jumped to her feet and put her

hands firmly on her hips. “Tell your idiot King my mind’s made up. The answer is a big fat no.

I’m not going anywhere with him, now or ever.”

The knight’s voice came out muffled from behind his visor. “What? I slayed a dragon, swam

a moat full of crocodiles, and this is all the thanks I get for coming here to rescue you?”

24

Sarah clasped a hand over her mouth as a spark of recognition hit her full force.

“Did I mention the getaway vehicle is parked right outside the gate?” The knight held up the

tranquilizer gun. “And what kind of knight would I be without this?”

“Frank!” Relief flooded every fiber in her body.

He lifted his visor and smiled. “At your service, madam.”

She threw her arms around him, her heart racing. “I never thought I’d be so happy to see

you, of all people. How the heck did you get in here?”

“You mean past the big, hairy gorillas out there?” He lifted a brow. “Meh, they were

nothin’.”

“I’d usually be sick of your cockiness by now, but all things considered, I’m just glad you’re

here.” She smiled as she took a step back, regarding his steel attire.

“Wow,” Frank said. “Maybe you should get kidnapped more often. See what happens when

you let go of all that anger?”

“That’s a combination of gratitude and stress, not forgiveness. Don’t go getting excited.”

“Ouch.” He pretended to grab his heart.

“Anyway, get me out of here.” She peered at the open door, her eyes scanning the empty

space to the left and right as her brain considered the best possible way out.

“Wait…it’s gonna be a minute. I’m with this rebel dude who hates the king. His name is

Jules. We have to wait for him to signal that the coast is clear, and then I’ll escort you out as a

prisoner. Armed knights are swarming the place.”

“I thought you took care of them.”

Frank shrugged. “I did…sort of.”

“Hmm. So what you really mean is that you sneaked in here.” Sarah threw her hands in the

air. “Well, that’s fantastic. Let’s sneak back out then. You said the vehicle’s parked outside.

How’s that possible?”

“Well, about that…” Frank laughed. “Technically, it snorts, but at least it doesn’t create a

smog problem. I’m your knight in shining armor, right? It would only be proper that I ride you

off into the sunset on a white steed.”

“A knight on a white horse?” Gosh, could this day get any weirder?

Frank winced. “Well, technically, the horse isn’t white, but you get the idea.”

“This isn’t some romance novel or fairytale, so can you just drop me off at the nearest bus

station?”

“Well, well, aren’t you quite the little comedian? Do you know how much work I put into

this rescue mission?”

“Yes, Frank, and thank you. How’d you know where I was?” Shaking her head, she waved

her hand. “Never mind. This isn’t the time. Let’s just say I appreciate it.” She eyed him up and

down, knocking on his decorative etched breastplate. “You look like a walking tank, or maybe

some kind of ancient Terminator.”

“Careful now. This is just a loaner from a friend I just met.”

“And he trusted you? I mean, you did crash my car into a pole a few months ago.”

Frank peered out the door. She caught the nervous flick of his tongue as he licked his upper

lip. It was a telltale sign, even when he didn’t want to show his nerves. “If I remember correctly,

you couldn’t drive because you were tipsy from too much champagne. You locked lips with me

while—”

“No, I don’t remember it that way at all,” she lied. He’d looked so handsome in that tux that

she couldn’t help it. “Anyway, you can rehash your misguided fantasies later. For now, what’s

25

up with all of this? What the heck happened to us?”

“You tell me, ‘cause I never gave up on our whirlwind affair.”

She inhaled sharply. “I’m not talking about the relationship we so don’t have. I’m talking

about this place. What is it? What happened? Where the heck are we?”

“Well, I wasn’t given a handbook, but I’ve been doing a lot of research. Uh, it seems

we…uh…”

She smiled, knowing all too well that they’d entered some kind of portal, but she couldn’t

pass on hearing Frank admit it. “I’m all ears.”

He averted his gaze as though the mere thought of what he was about to say embarrassed

him. “Against all logical explanation and my better judgment, I must admit that we’ve somehow

slipped into another dimension.”

“What?” she asked with her hands on her hips again. Those words could put a serious dent

in your reputation, not to mention book sales. How can the greatest skeptic of all time admit to

something so ridiculous?”

His face twitched, and he shuffled his feet, trying to avoid her gaze. “Trust me when I say it

isn’t easy.”

“I’m not too floored. After all, I wrote a long article on how these beings use an intradimensional

portal to gain access to our world. Don’t you remember asking me in front of

hundreds of people at a conference if Chewy could use warp speed to get back to his world? And

don’t forget all the cracks you made on my colleagues.”

Frank’s cheeks turned red. “Uh, the details of that are a little fuzzy, I’m afraid.”

She knocked on his metal chest. “You remember. Just admit it.”

“Sorry about that. When we get back, I’ll apologize to your team.”

“You’ll buy them dinner too. Flowers would be a nice touch, and chocolates with a nice card

attached admitting that you’re an idiot.”

His jaw dropped. “Dinner, flowers, and candy? Are you kidding? There are thirty people on

that team of yours.”

Sarah shrugged. “Sucks to be you then. Speaking of my team, where are they?” A shadow

crossed his face, and her heart fell. “Did they come through the portal or are they back in

California? If they came in after us, we should find them and make sure they’re okay.”

Frank smirked. “Yeah, I know you wish you could squeeze everyone to your bosom, but it’s

kind of hard to do with a herd of Bigfoot on your butt.”

She pressed a palm to her chest, fighting the anxiety building up inside. What’s wrong with

being a nurturer, of wanting to take care of people? She wished she’d done the same for her

sister.

“We gotta go. We need to be in position for Jules’s whistle,” Frank said. “Ready to be my

prisoner?”

“Yep. I feel like I was ripped out of my world and just thrown somewhere I don’t belong. I

want to go home, and I have a funny feeling clicking my heels three times isn’t going to work.”

“Yeah, dirty boots can’t take the place of ruby red slippers, I’m afraid, even if I do look like

the freaking Tin Man in this thing,” he joked, thumping his metal chest.

“Well, you could use a heart.” She smiled, stepped in front of him, and placed her hands

behind her back. “Anyway, you got here in the nick of time. That psychopath thinks I’m some

princess and plans on making me his wife.”

He let go of her hands. “What?”

She spun around. “If you hadn’t come, I’d be a queen. He wants me to bear his dozen

26

offspring.”

Frank looked away, but she didn’t miss the narrowed eyes and the frown forming between

his brows as he mumbled, “I don’t believe this.”

“Don’t worry. It’s not gonna happen. I got caught in the middle of a hellish war between two

kings. The one who threw me down here mistook me for Princess Gloria, the daughter of the

other king. He wants to use me as a pawn for vengeance. The idiot could’ve checked my driver’s

license. It’s nothing more than a big fat case of mistaken identity and being in the wrong place at

the wrong time.”

“Well, come on. We can talk on the way,” Frank whispered, motioning her to step in front of

him so she could play a proper prisoner. But halfway up the corridor, he stopped. “Wait…I have

an idea.”

“I don’t know what’s running through that mind of yours, but this might be the first and last

time I’ll ever be willing to ride off into the sunset with you, so let’s just go.”

He turned to face her, lifting his visor, and let out a long breath. “What you just said changes

everything. You’ve got to go back.”

She stared at him for a brief moment, unable to speak. Why did I have to open my big

mouth? The thought of being left in that place made her gut tighten. “No! No way. You can’t just

leave me here. Why? That makes no sense.”

He pressed his hands on her shoulders, his voice softening. “You have to marry the king.”

“What the heck are you talking about?” she asked. “Do you even hear yourself? How much

ale have you been chugging with the locals?” Anger bubbled up inside her. She balled her hands,

emotion choking her. “Wow, Frank. Really, I know you’re the jealous type, but this?” She took a

steadying breath. “You’re even trying to speed things up by dumping me here.”

Frank shook his head, his eyes serious. “You’re staying.”

“He’s a lunatic. He threw me up against the wall and threatened my life.” And then it

dawned on her. “Wait…there’s something in it for you, isn’t it? Are they making you editor-inchief

of the Tastian Times or the Guardian Gazette or something?”

“No! What do you take me for? That’s ludicrous.”

She shoved his shoulder. “Then tell me why!” She started to walk off, but Frank refused to

budge. “What kind of knight in shining armor are you? You tease me with rescue only to send

me back to my cold cell that’s in desperate need of fumigation?”

“You know there’s a method to my madness. I’ve been talking with my sources. We need

that wedding ring to get back home. So you go play nice with Mr. King. Act like that princess

and bat those eyelashes a million miles a minute if you have to.”

She crossed her arms. “What about the romantic dinner date I promised you for going into

the cave? It’s not going to be so nice when I bring along my new husband, His Royal Pain in

the—”

“Yeah, that could be a deal-breaker.” He paused for a moment. “Leaving you in the arms of

another suitor really sucks, but we don’t have any other choice. Is he at least hot?”

She glared. “Very.”

His jaw set. “He’ll never lay his filthy hands on you.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “Yet you want me to marry him.”

“I’ll get you out of here before he can consummate the marriage.”

“Let me get this straight, and excuse me if I’m a tad confused.” She took a deep breath.

“You came here to rescue me, which you aren’t. Now you want me to marry King Victor, and

you promise to make some triumphant return before Kingy McJerkwad has his way with me?

27

Frank, I don’t get this at all. We should be running for the hills, but instead you’re doing a total

180 on me!”

“We aren’t going to get back to our dimension anytime soon. Those Guardians, those

Bigfeet, can go in and out as they please, but it’s not that easy for us.”

Sarah tapped a finger against her lips. “Explains why we can’t find a specimen now, doesn’t

it?”

“Seriously? Do you really want to debate Bigfoot at a time like this?” He shook his head.

“Anyway, a person can walk through the portal, but once they’re in, that’s it. There’s no getting

out, unless we have this special key.”

“Let me guess…the key’s impossible to get? We’re stuck here, just like my sister probably

is? How do you even know all of this?”

“I’ve been digging all morning and have found some reliable sources. There’s a way to get

back through, but we have to open the lock with an ancient wedding ring that only royalty

wears.”

“We’ll just find a way to steal one, to borrow it temporarily so we can get the heck outta

here.”

Frank shook his head, a shadow crossing his face. “It’s not that easy, Sarah. The owner of

the ring has to wear it when activating the portal.”

“You want me to exchange I-do’s with this guy so I will be royalty, so I’ll be handed the

royal ring? You’ve got to be kidding.”

“Once I found you, my original plan was for us to somehow kidnap a queen, a prince, or

maybe a king just long enough to open the portal.”

“You were going to hold them hostage with the…” She looked him up and down. “With the

tranquilizer gun I gave you? Brilliant, Frank. Just brilliant…and completely insane.”

“Funny. I got the same reaction from the people I’ve met here. They told me it would be a

suicide mission. Fortunately, thanks to you, we can scratch that and move on to Plan B.”

“What’re you saying? You want me to be the queen in your crappy excuse of a plan? The

only way that will happen is if I marry Mr. Lunatic King so he’ll place a wedding ring on my

finger.”

He pointed at her finger. “The vows won’t mean anything, Sarah, except that you’ll be

wearing the key to the portal.”

She massaged her temples to ease the sudden tension building inside her skull. “What if this

doesn’t work? I’ll be stuck as Queen Guinevere, married to some medieval—and I do mean

evil—whack-job for the rest of my life, taking care of his bratty little minions.”

“It will work. It has to, or else we’re both gonna be ditching our careers and putting in

applications at the Round Table.”

“That might work for you, Frank, but I’m not having it.” She scoffed. “I can fight with a

sword if I have to, even if they’ve never heard of Joan of Arc. Regardless, I’m going to get my

hands on that ring-slash-key because I’ll do anything to get back home.”

“I’ll come up with an escape plan.” Frank pulled her close. “If I didn’t think you were up for

the challenge, I’d never have asked you to do this, but I know how tough you are. If anybody can

pull this off, Sarah, it’s you.”

It was a bold and daring plan, and she had to stay strong, focused, and determined so they

could pull it off and get back home. She simply could not allow fear to creep in. “Fine. King

Victor is a royal pain in the butt, but don’t worry. I can handle him.” She touched Frank’s arm,

knowing full well she should’ve never made Frank go inside that cave. Now they were stuck in

28

some crazy world trying to pull off a jewelry heist. “I’m sorry I dragged you into all of this.”

“Are you kidding? I couldn’t let you have all the fun.” He hesitated, his gaze connecting

with hers. “At least not alone.”

She cleared her throat and inched closer, peeling her gaze away just to avoid the depth of

those hazel eyes.

Frank shook his head as if in disbelief. “I still can’t believe this place exists. You really

think your sister is here?”

“Yes. I believe she’s alive, somewhere in this medieval world. I can feel it.”

“I agree, now that I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Anyway, the first thing we need to do is

get the ring,” Frank said. “If we don’t take this opportunity, we may never get home. We’ll be

stuck here forever. Once we have the ring, we’ll go undercover and hunt for your sister.”

Hundreds of thoughts raced through Sarah’s mind, but she managed a nod. “That’s a

beginning. In the meantime, Frank, do as much digging as you can. You’re a reporter, a million

times sharper than Lois Lane, remember? And right now I need you to be my Superman.”

“I knew those words were going to come back and bite me.”

“While you’re out there, keep an eye and ear out for Liz, okay?” Sarah whispered. Her voice

came hoarse, barely audible in her own ears. For a moment, she wasn’t sure he even heard her,

but then he gave a sharp nod.

“I’ll see what I can find.”

A black beetle scurried over her foot. She squashed it, digging her boot into the dirty ground

until dust whirled up. “I don’t want to risk getting stuck here forever, but there is no way I’m

leaving without my sister—not after looking for her for so long.”

“Then you have to play along, or we’ll never get the chance to get our hands on that ring.”

“Princess Gloria seems to be in hiding, letting me take the fall. What if he figures out I’m

not the real deal?”

Frank cupped her face. “You need to bring home the Oscar at all costs, babe.”

A shudder rocked her body. “We don’t have much time. The ceremony’s tonight. Boy, I

can’t wait to see the comments I’m gonna get when I tweet and Facebook this crap.”

“You won’t really be married, Sarah. It’s not legal.”

“Whatever. He said sunset, though, so you have to hurry. Trust me, it’s the only thing he

looks forward to. The guy’s dying to knock me up with triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets, and

sextuplets.”

Frank smiled. “Wow. What a lucky man.”

“What, you want a try too?” She slapped his armor. “Focus, please. We need all the brain

cells we can get.”

“I swear to you that I won’t let it get that far. Our plan is to get the ring, break out, find your

sister, and then run like hell to Sabrino Cave—back to reality and that diner we were talking

about.”

She shook her head. “It’s doable…I think.”

He nodded. “You can do this. You’re the strongest person I know. Who goes out in front of

thousands of people and gives lectures about supposedly imaginary monsters without batting an

eyelash? Who politely tells off all the reporters and debunkers? Who got the biggest research

grant in the state of California?” He smiled. “You did, Bigfoot researcher, Sarah Larker.”

“Aw, shucks. I never knew you had so much confidence in me.” She smirked.

“You know it, Princess.” He softly kissed her hand. “I can’t believe this. I’m down here

dressed like some Lancelot wannabe in a creepy dungeon in another dimension, trying to win

29

you back. What kind of joke is fate playing on me anyway? Man, karma can do a number on a

skeptic, huh?”

“Life’s funny that way, always throwing us some kind of curveball. I mean, when I woke up

this morning, I never dreamt I’d be a medieval queen in the land of Camelot.”

A chirp sounded nearby. “That’s the signal.” Frank peeked down the corridor.

Footsteps echoed, and Sarah jumped. “Somebody’s coming.”

Frank’s lips softly brushed hers. “Leaving you is the last thing I want to do. You know that,

right?” He flipped his visor down.

She gasped, anger rising inside her once again. “Don’t feel guilty for leaving me here to

marry a complete stranger who wants nothing more than to see my stomach swollen with his

seed.”

He turned around, his eyes wide. “You’re right. I can’t do this. What in the world am I

thinking? Leaving you here is just…stupidly impossible. Come with me, Sarah. We’re gonna

find your sister and find our own way out of this Renaissance nightmare.”

Knowing there was no other way, Sarah turned and ran down the corridor.

“What’re you doing?!” Frank yelled, chasing after her.

She grabbed the door and slammed it shut, then walked to the back of the cell. Staying in

that freaky dimension wasn’t an option. She had to take a chance on marrying the nutcase if it

meant she could get her hands on that key. “Lock me in! Hurry!”

“What?”

She met his gaze through the rusty bars. “You heard me. Lock it and leave. Tell the other

knights to inform the king that I’ve changed my mind and I’d love to marry him.”

“Sarah, are you sure? You really need to think about this. I mean, you’re risking everything,

and what if we—”

“I have thought about it, Frank, and this is the best way.” She smiled. “Now go…and don’t

worry.”

“I’ll get you out of this, I swear. Just get that ring.”

“Not a problem.” As he turned to leave, she added, “I’ll be sure to say hello to hubby for

you.”

st like a second skin, raising and flattening all the right places, but she hadn’t seen that style

in any magazine in the last twenty years. She felt for the tags at the back, but the scratchy piece

of material wasn’t there. It certainly wasn’t a designer label, but with all the sequins, lace, and

fine details, it would have made a killing on any runway.

The maidservants had wasted no time preparing her for her dreaded nuptials. They scrubbed

her skin with lye soap in a tub of scalding water. Countless hands had forced her into a wedding

dress so tight she didn’t know whether she was dead as a ghost or just floating from the lack of

oxygen, and the shiny tiara that weighed a ton didn’t ease her throbbing headache either. A long

veil trailed the ground, promising to send her into a tumbling fall if she didn’t move gracefully.

30

Curls trimmed her forehead and fell in ringlets down the sides of her face. Thicker curls

hung loosely at the back of her head and neck. She played with one gingerly, marveling at how

easy it wound around her finger. So this is what hair felt like before straightening irons and all

that hairspray. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen anyone with ringlet curls, but she

was beginning to think the trend should be brought back to life.

A guard walked Sarah through the dimly lit corridor, then stopped, his eyes focused

somewhere above her chest.

Frowning, she followed his line of vision and let out a groan. The pervert’s stare at her

cleavage couldn’t have been more obvious if he’d have tattooed the words on his forehead. She

rolled her eyes. “Why don’t you take a picture? It’ll last longer.” She was certain that King

Victor had definitely picked out the winner of a dress.

The guard cocked an eyebrow. “Excuse me, Highness?”

“Paint a portrait?”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

“Never mind,” Sarah hissed. Of course they wouldn’t know what a camera was in a place

where they still knew what a chastity belt was and thought asking for a woman’s hand in

marriage meant knocking her over the head and dragging her to one’s cage.

The guard opened the door, letting her into a large room. More guardsmen stood in every

corner. She brushed against the wooden frame to avoid touching him. Her eyes fell on the iron

chandeliers holding a multitude of taupe-colored candles. Beautiful red and purple tapestries and

elaborate arrangements of gleaming swords, maces, arm poles, and shields covered the stonesculptured

walls. She took a deep breath as realization hit: She was there, in that real medieval

castle, to marry a real king.

“Wait here.” The guard motioned her to stand by the floor-to-ceiling fireplace.

Minutes later, Victor walked in. He took her hand and kissed it gently. Her stomach fluttered

as she peered from his gleaming white teeth and black, shaggy hair into his blue eyes. As much

as she hated to admit it, he could’ve stepped out of a fairytale; he was dressed like Prince

Charming himself, complete with crown, cape, short breeches tucked into high boots, and tights.

The black and white doublet, with a golden lion emblazoned on the velvet, outlined every muscle

in his chest. He was a handsome sight, even if he had the personality of a wolverine; she had

never gone for the controlling type who enjoyed threatening to murder her for his own political

gains. Against her better judgment, her knees went weak. Quit drooling! she scolded herself. She

was in a very dangerous situation with a man who could kill her at any moment if he found out

who she really was—or wasn’t. Sooner or later, he’d discover that she wasn’t Gloria, and there

wasn’t a royal bone in her body.

Slowly, his gaze traveled over her. “Princess Gloria, you look dashing…much more like a

princess now, soon to be a queen, my dear.”

Sarah knew that she had to play along if she wanted to get out of there. She returned his

smile and curtsied, hoping it looked close enough to the real deal. “Thank you, milord.”

A grin grew across his lips. “You respond to your name now?”

An incredibly sexy dimple in his left cheek drew her attention. She moistened her lips; her

breath caught in her throat. “I-I must’ve hit my head earlier and was confused, forgetting my

identity. It’s all coming back to me, but certain parts still remain unclear,” she fibbed, hoping

that would cover her if someone asked her a question she couldn’t properly answer. She had to

play the part of Princess Gloria perfectly or Plan B was gonna be a no-go.

He pointed around the room. “Welcome to my home…your home now.

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“Since you’re mentioning it, the first thing I would like to do is hire an interior designer.”

“I’ve no idea what that is.” He inched closer and touched the side of her face with a caress

so tender it sent shivers down her spine. “However, if it’s within my might to buy it for you, then

so be it.”

Sarah took a step back, her fingers barely connecting with the material of his shirt as she

placed a hand between them. Her throat felt constricted; her heart hammered in her chest. If he

wouldn’t have followed her command, she wouldn’t have had the willpower to push him away.

“You make a beautiful bride,” he said. “I’m glad you finally came to your senses.”

“Well, Victor, sitting in a cold dungeon will do that to a girl—that and threats of execution

will nudge a gal in the right direction.”

“You’re taking all of this rather calmly. Your reputation preceded you, and I expected more

of a fight.”

“My father doesn’t care if I live or die, so I hope he chokes on my new title.” She smiled

inwardly. Getting into character wasn’t as hard as she thought.

“That’s the spirit! You would never have been queen in your own kingdom. I have a feeling

your mother is going to hold on to that title for a long time.”

“Exactly, and that’s why I’ve decided to take this wonderful opportunity, though I must

admit I would have preferred a bit more romance and a proper courting.” She blinked her lashes,

amused. “May I give you some dating…er, courting advice, my King?”

“You may.” A note of amusement rang in his tone.

“It works best to woo a girl and sweep her off her feet rather than throw her in a dungeon.

When you propose, try kneeling and stating your undying love. That works better than

threatening your future bride with impending death or impregnating her with ten kids.”

Victor laughed, the delicious dimples forming on his cheeks again. “You’re here to marry

me, are you not?”

She bit her lip. “Guess you got me there,” she said, knowing she didn’t have much of a

choice.

He inched closer, a shadow passing over his features as he peered into her eyes. “You know

the consequences of the ring, yet you are still willing to move forward with the marriage?”

Yeah, she knew the consequences. She’d wear a ball and chain for a few hours before she

cut it off with a hacksaw and ran as far away from the guy as she could—no matter how

gorgeous he was. “I’m aware.”

“I knew you were, but I had to make sure. I wouldn’t want you to blame me for…” He

winced slightly. “Keeping it from you.”

Whoa! Is there more to this thing than he’s letting on, more to it than what that Jules told

Frank? She thought maybe she could play up the amnesia angle, leftover from the bump on the

head. She narrowed her eyes to tiny slits, considering her words. “Uh, just to be on the safe side,

would you be so kind and refresh my memory? Things are a little fuzzy from the fall.”

He nodded. “Of course, my love. It’s said that—”

A knock on the door interrupted him.

Victor held up a hand. “Ah, the priest. I want this done quickly.”

Sarah grabbed hold of his arm. “Wait! What about your bad conscience? You wouldn’t want

me to blame you later, would you?”

He laughed, motioning in a short man with white, thinning hair. He was dressed in a widesleeved,

kimono-style, monk’s robe with a knotted rope belt tied at the waist.

Victor shut the door, then met Sarah’s gaze. “All royalty knows about the ring’s secrets.

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And I’m certain you wouldn’t forget something so important. Let’s get started.”

“You don’t waste time,” she said. “Nothing says love better than a shotgun wedding.”

The priest bowed. “It’s nice to meet you, Princess.”

She nodded. Frank had better be right about this ring being the key we need to get outta

here. I hope his sources really are reliable, because if I go through with this all for nothing, I’m

gonna kick his butt into the next century!

“Is anyone else attending the ceremony?” the priest asked.

“No, Father,” Victor said.

Sarah chuckled and motioned around her. “I think the only guests we have are the guards.”

“I need you to stand to my left, and King Victor, please stand to the right,” the priest

continued.

Sarah moved into position, butterflies dancing in her stomach. Can I really go through with

this? Staring at all the polished swords and shields hanging on the wall, she gulped. She’d

always planned to get married in a church filled with smiling friends and family, not alone on

some King Arthur movie set. And what’s Victor hiding from me about the ring? Obviously, there

was something she needed to know, because it was something all the other royals were aware of.

The problem was, she wasn’t royalty.

“You’re so beautiful,” Victor whispered, cupping her face. “You take my breath away.”

Her heart leapt. The guy throws me in a hole in the ground and then feeds me a bunch of

compliments? She gazed into his eyes, searching for sincerity. For a minute, she thought he

actually meant it. “I’m flattered.” Then it dawned on her: There’s got to be something in this for

him, even if it is just plain old revenge.

“Your father and I don’t get along, but I bear you no ill feelings. I’m sorry I lost my temper

in the dungeon. I am fuming angry with your wolf of a father, and I should not have taken that

out on his blood.” Victor slipped his hands around her waist, his eyes glistening with something

she couldn’t place. “I know you were forced into this, and I grant you my deepest apologies. I

assure you, my love, that I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you happy.”

Gazing up at his face, she was surprised to find that he actually had a soft side. So his threats

were all a bluff? And he really wants to spend the rest of his life making me happy? Confusion

flooded through her. What girl doesn’t dream of getting swept off her feet by a handsome king

declaring his undying devotion? Even if we did start off on the wrong foot when he imprisoned

me.

The priest cleared his throat and opened his leather-bound book.

The king grinned. “Ah, yes. Let’s get started, shall we?”

The priest nodded. “King Victor Fesque II, wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded

wife? Wilt thou love her, honor her, keep her and guard her, in health and in sickness, as a

husband should a wife, forsaking all others? Wilt thou cling only unto her, so long as ye both

shall live?”

Victor met Sarah’s eyes and smiled. “I will.”

“Princess Gloria Jarod, wilt thou have this man to be thy wedded husband? Wilt thou love

him, honor him, keep him and guard him, in health and in sickness, as a wife should a husband,

forsaking all others? Wilt though cleave only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?”

The words sounded surreal, almost as though marrying a man she never met before was

nothing more than a dream. Sarah wished she’d get up in the morning and erase all memory of

the nonsense with a steaming cup of coffee. Victor looked into her eyes, and she held his gaze.

Bring home the Oscar, Sarah, she told herself. She was enjoying her undercover work much

33

more than she should have been. Hmm. Getting that ring on my finger might be easier than I

hoped. She gulped and spat out the words. “I will.”

The priest continued, “Do you take Princess Gloria Jarod to be your wedded wife, to have

and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness, and in

health, till death do you part, if the Holy Church doth ordain it? And thereto plight her thy

troth?”

Victor smiled, flashing gorgeous white teeth. “I do.”

The priest turned and repeated the vows to Sarah.

She’d never dreamt she’d be saying the words to a stranger, but she said, “I do.” Her

stomach twisted into knots, and she took a deep breath. It had all seemed like make-believe to

that point, but now it was real. There she was, in that ridiculously fancy wedding gown, facing a

man in all his royal finery, wearing a gold crown crusted with jewels.

The priest said a blessing, then joined Sarah’s and Victor’s hands, “The third finger on the

left hand has a special vein called vena amoris, which means ‘the vein of love’. This vein runs

from the ring finger directly to the heart. The special ring that is placed upon this finger is the

symbol of the sun, earth, and universe, and it represents perfection and peace. It has no beginning

and no end, just like time.” He turned to the king. “You may pledge your allegiance to your love

and undying devotion.”

Sarah smiled as Victor pulled a ring from his pocket, cradling it on his palm. Her plan was

coming together perfectly and nothing made her happier.

“The rubies represent love, and the diamonds signify eternity,” said the priest, nodding to

the sparkling gems set in a gold band.

Sarah’s eyes widened. Not only was the ring her ticket back home, but it was also drop-dead

gorgeous, a huge, hulking piece of bling. She couldn’t stop staring at it. With its four-carat oval

ruby silhouetted by shimmering diamonds, it didn’t look like a traditional wedding ring.

She cleared her throat and raised her gaze for a second. “It’s real?”

Victor shook his head, wide-eyed. “Of course, my dear. I assure you it is genuine, for it has

been in my family for centuries. Why do you ask?”

“Because…” She took a deep breath to hide her emotions. “Well, I am a real princess, after

all, and I don’t do knock-offs.” Undying love or not, she made sure to hold on tight to the ring.

The least she’d get from that forced marriage would be a small house with a nice view in a

neighborhood where she didn’t need to barricade her windows at night and sleep with pepper

spray under her pillow.

As her new husband slid the ring on her finger, a jolt of electricity raced up Sarah’s hand

and spread throughout her body. She blinked, and a flurry of spots flooded her vision. It was

weird and quite inexplicable. The sensation stopped just as quickly as it appeared, and for a

moment she stood there, flabbergasted. Wait…did I just imagine that? Granted, her nerves were

on edge, what with almost being blinded by the gemstones. Or maybe I’m just dehydrated.

The priest handed her a matching ring. Looking closer, she noticed his ruby was square,

making it look more masculine.

“Put the ring on Victor’s finger,” the priest whispered.

She’d never been through a wedding ceremony before, and they hadn’t granted her the

courtesy of a rehearsal, so she had no way of knowing what to do. With trembling hands, she slid

the ring on his finger and gazed up at his beaming face.

“We’ve done it,” Victor whispered.

Wait…that’s it? We’re…married? The cave of her mouth felt dry, almost painful, as she

34

swallowed past the lump in her throat. Is he going to kiss me? She stared at his best feature, those

full, firm, luscious lips. She couldn’t come to terms with what was going on in that head of hers.

There she was, marrying a powerful king who might keep her from ever going home, but all she

could do was stare at his mouth.

The priest broke through her thoughts. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. My King,

you may kiss your queen.”

“You’re mine now—forever. Our bond is unbreakable, the spark between us never to be

quenched.” In slow motion, she saw his face lower onto hers, their lips barely touching. His hand

wandered to the low of her back, drawing her closer, her chest pressing against his as his lips

came down harder but with nowhere near as much force as she would’ve expected from such a

man.

Sweet and gentle? That’ll work. Don’t all fairytales end with the perfect kiss? A flame

spread over her, spanning from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. He wasn’t kidding

about that spark! But she knew it was time to shut that down and go to the reception.

Victor dismissed the priest, and Sarah let out a breath of relief. The ring felt heavy on her

finger, reminding her that only the first step was done. The hard part was yet to come. She

needed to find Frank and get the heck out of there. She smiled sweetly as she peered at her new

husband. “Can we eat cake and smash it in each other’s faces now? It’s my favorite wedding

tradition.”

His mouth hovered over her lips, his hot breath giving her goose-bumps. Cake was

definitely the last thing on her new hubby’s mind. “I’m so blessed to have a bride as beautiful as

you.” Victor’s eyes bore down into hers. “I’ve been burning to touch you, to hold you, to kiss

you since the moment I laid eyes upon you.” He slipped his hands behind the back of her head,

pulling her even closer. He kissed her again, more deeply this time, pushing past her lips and

plunging his tongue deep into her mouth, demanding surrender. Sweet and gentle was out the

door.

Is he trying to prove his dominance somehow? Prove he owns me? Maybe I should smack

him, Sarah pondered, but she couldn’t deny the unexpected invasion of passion that threatened to

consume her. Letting out a soft moan, she felt a burst of heat race through her body as she

snuggled against his hard muscles, shivering with pleasure. Wrapping her arms fiercely around

his neck, she swirled her tongue over his, hot and fast. Somewhere inside her head, a voice

yelled for her to come to her senses. Why am I not trying to fight him off? She knew she was

nothing but a pawn in his game of revenge to piss off Princess Gloria’s father, yet she couldn’t

seem to do anything about it.

He broke away as she gasped for a breath of air. “Guards!” he shouted. “Leave us!”

Footsteps echoed across the room and a door slammed.

Victor ran his hands down her back while her fingers slid through his thick, gorgeous hair,

his crown landing next to him with a thud. Their tongues tangled and danced furiously in perfect

unison. Nobody had kissed her like that before, and his lip-lock drove all thoughts of Frank, the

ring, and going home out of her mind. Frank! The name jolted her out of her passion, awareness

banishing the fog inside her head. She was lucky she still remembered her name. It was time to

go, but she couldn’t force herself to stop.

Sarah wasn’t expecting that kind of kiss at all: bold, hot, addictive, and devouring. She

certainly wasn’t supposed to be enjoying it. If she kept that up, she’d be sleeping with the enemy

right there on the stone floor. She broke away, breathing hard, staring into his seductive blue

eyes as her heart pounded away. She wanted him in the worst way, and she could easily imagine

35

giving herself to him right then and there. She’d only meant to give him a peck on the lips to seal

the deal, so she didn’t understand how that passion had blossomed so quickly. Her escape plan

was backfiring quickly. Her gaze focused on his lips again, and she wondered what it would be

like to make wild, passionate love to someone so powerful and dangerous.

Victor scooped her up and cradled her in his arms as her wedding dress trailed to the ground.

“Do you want to lie with me here or go somewhere more fitting for a queen?” His disheveled

hair made him look hotter.