Drop Dead Single (Monstrana Paranormal Romance 1)

“Ugh, I wish that had been me. I could take a bite out of that hunk.” She gazed over her glass with a starry-eyed expression. “You know, every girl fantasizes about marrying a prince. And ever since my change, I’ve so desired to meet the mysterious Prince Viktor. But, I’m afraid I’ve just been too busy running my plantation to get out of the States and visit Monstrana.”

Cate wasn’t sure what kind of change Joy had gone through. She suspected plastic surgery. A tiny pert nose like that just didn’t seem natural.

“You run your own business?” she asked, suddenly impressed.

“Of course.” Joy flicked her wrist as if it were no big deal. “I’ve got a few thousand acres. We produce cotton, soybeans, oats, and all kinds of things. Used to be in the tobacco business, but dropped that like a hot potato when the health reports came out. What do you do?”

She shifted uncomfortably. “I guess I’m kind of between jobs at the moment.”

Cate hadn’t even stopped to consider the fact that her ex-boyfriend was now her ex-boss. She’d taken too much time off from her old job teaching at the university when her mom passed away. They’d been forced to hire someone to replace her. Her boyfriend had offered her a secretary job at his ad agency, as a sort of short-term solution.

There was no way she was going back there. So, once again she was between jobs, looking for work. It was a good thing her mom had left her a small inheritance. At least she had rent covered for the next few months.

“That’s delightful,” Joy said, her smile lighting up her eyes. “Take some time to rediscover yourself. You deserve it. I envy your freedom. Oh, you should go to Disney World. I’ve heard it’s just magical.”

Cate laughed and nodded. She liked this strange woman with the Georgian Peach accent. She talked like a child, full of wonder and innocence, but at the same time, had the knowledge of a savvy business woman. A complete paradox.

“Where do you think they’re taking us tomorrow morning?” Joy asked as a picture of Prince Viktor popped up on the television.

Cate stared at his face. Even in his royal portrait, a deep scowl marred his chiseled features. The man evidently didn’t know how to smile. “Tomorrow?”

“The first date. One of the staff said there’s a helicopter involved. I’m not sure where it’s taking us, but I can’t wait.”

She shook off her stupor and frowned. Heights scared the tar out of her. No way would they get her on that helicopter. She’d confess to murder before they’d get

her on it.

“Let’s hope not.” Cate shivered and rubbed her hands up her arms. “I like my feet on solid ground, thank you very much.”

Despite her protests, she couldn’t deny that ever since coming to Monstrana, she’d felt very much like she’d lost sight of that solid ground. The people here seemed nice enough, but leaving the US and entering a foreign country was totally jarring. Not that she had travelled much.

Something about the people in this castle was slightly off, but Cate couldn’t put her finger on it. She’d figure it out in the morning when she finally got a chance to talk to Miranda. Until then, she’d just have to forget about Prince Viktor and his sudden, unwelcome intrusion into her life.

Chapter Five

CATE WOKE UP LATE THE next morning to find cameras shoved in her face. She sat straight up, running a hand through her snarled hair and rubbing an eye. A TV crew had set up camp next to her bed, along with a hearty tray of donuts and the same blood-red wine from last night.

She blinked at the drink, wondering what kind of country served alcohol at breakfast. Maybe it was silly of her to balk at it. She’d heard that Germans liked beer with their sausages and eggs. Still, she steered clear of the beverage and headed right into the bathroom to shower.

She was never going to find Miranda with cameras following her every move. This was absurd. As soon as she found Stasia, she was going to come clean. That was it.

The scalding hot shower seemed to ease her worries as she washed away the drama of yesterday. With towel-dried hair and just a dab of makeup, she felt incredibly refreshed. After slipping into her favorite pair of skinny jeans and a silky sleeveless top, she looked herself over in the mirror and couldn’t help but wonder what kind of girl Prince Viktor liked.

No doubt, Jezebel was just up his alley. The two made great eye candy. Together, their children would rule the world. She smirked at the thought of it.

The sound of Stasia’s fluttery laugh drifted from the bedroom and Cate hurried to find her. She was sitting on the edge of a chair, chatting with the film crew. A jelly donut dripped in her right hand. She greeted Cate with a giant smile that stretched from ear to ear and waved her over.

“Have we got a surprise for you today,” she said in a hushed tone. Looking around conspiratorially, she put her hand up to her mouth. “I got us access to the hottest new club on the other side of the island. But first, we’re going to take a helicopter tour of Monstrana. Isn’t that exciting? We’re leaving in five minutes. Grab whatever you need.”

Cate opened her mouth to protest, but found a soft, frosted pastry being shoved inside.

“Oh, you’ve got to try this donut,” Stasia said, her hands all sugary. “My sister made them. She’s the very best pastry chef in the country, if I do say so myself. I can’t believe how good they are. Almost like magic.”

She nodded and chewed very fast to get the pastry down. As far as taste went, it was the very best donut she’d had in her life. But she didn’t have time for sugary treats. This was an emergency.

“Wait, I...” she called, as Stasia sped out the door. That girl couldn’t sit still for long.

“No time,” she said over her shoulder. “Helicopter in thirty seconds. See you there.”