Matchmaking the Entertainer and the Firefighter by Cami Checketts

PROLOGUE

Ariel Chadwick dug her fingernails into the backs of the hands encircling her neck. It was the only defense she could come up with after being awakened by a monster trying to kill her. Her nails didn’t faze the beast. It was too dark in her bedroom to see his features clearly, but she could see—and unfortunately, feel—how massive the man was, like a giant only produced from nightmares. Like Dracula but tougher, this flesh-and-blood beast oozed evil.

Sadly, the polish-sausage fingers cutting off her air supply were all too real, and she needed to focus on the real world, not Fairy Kingdom, or she was going to die.

Maybe she should’ve taken the threats seriously. Her best friend Jaleen was going to kill her. Her parents were going to kill her. Her six younger siblings were going to kill her. Especially her brothers, who begged her to visit reality on occasion.

Oh, wait. This beastly man was going to kill her first.

“Please,” she tried to squeak out, but the word wasn’t even loud enough to be considered a squeak.

Death looked painful in the movies, but she’d never realized how deeply hands could press into her tender throat. Any moment now, her bones would snap. Her skin would disintegrate. Even with the soft pillow below making it impossible for him to completely cut off her oxygen supply, she was fading fast.

This was a horrific way to wake up. It would be a horrific way to die.

Please help, she begged heaven above.

Ariel had never needed guardian angels with her secluded, private, yet blasted all over the world, life. The only time she left her house was to walk on the nearby beach or go to Fairy Kingdom. Not much danger at the ‘best place on earth’ or her formerly secure, gated neighborhood across the highway from the glorious Newport Beach.

Dang. If she died tonight, she wouldn’t get to have that private tea with Ariel on Thursday. She loved teas with all the characters, but Ariel was her favorite, namesake and all that. And who would take over her social media sites? She and Jaleen had worked so hard to hit that hundred-million follower mark. All it took was faith and a little bit of pixie dust and a lifelong Fairy obsession. That day had been a fabulous one. Today wasn’t looking so hot.

Ariel, focus!The scream in her head was desperate and sounded like her brother Aladdin.

Oh yeah. Dying soon. Very little oxygen getting through.

Please help, she begged the good Lord. I know I’m too innocent and naïve, but I don’t really know anyone in heaven and my family would be devastated by my violent death. I think I’d prefer to stay on earth a bit longer.

Oh, she sort of gasped in her mind. Sorry. You’re right. I do know You and my Savior well. So can You help?

The brute said nothing, which was terrifying in and of itself. He simply leaned over her, pressing against her tender neck until she was certain she’d pass out soon and then … death, apparently. If the Savior and her Heavenly Father were too busy to help, she’d get to meet them soon.

At least then the pain would stop. It was an intense, unending pressure against her neck and throat. The inability to draw enough oxygen into her lungs was definitely the worst part of the experience. She should black out soon. That would be a tender mercy. Maybe she should pray for that, as earthly rescue did not seem imminent. Too bad she had no gallant hero in her real-life world.

Pepper spray.

The words whispered into her mind, and she didn’t know if it was heavenly inspiration or some common sense smacking her upside the head. Her brothers would say she had no common sense, so she was betting on heaven coming through like the champion it was.

She released her right hand from the man’s and reached for the small canister of pepper spray sitting on her nightstand. Why hadn’t she thought of it before?

Please, please let this work.

Her fingers brushed the small bottle and she fumbled to push the lever with her thumb like her brother Triton had taught her when she had started receiving all the death threats a few months ago. Triton had brought her a case of the little canisters and hadn’t rested until she practiced with him. He had her spray targets around her backyard. Then he’d stashed the small bottles everywhere—in her house, her car, on her keychain, and in her purse.

Bless you, practical brother.

The man must’ve realized she’d reached for a weapon, as he released her neck and tried to grasp for her hand. She drew in a breath of blessed oxygen, then quickly put her left hand over her face, closed her eyes, and held her breath as she pressed and held the button.

The pepper spray was a direct hit. The man cried out in surprise and yanked away from her. She kept shooting it at him as he lumbered off the side of the bed and crashed ingloriously to the floor.

Ha! Served the ogre right. She tried to think the best of people, but it really wasn’t in good form to kill a princess in her bed.

The beast spit, cursed, and writhed. She could hear him crawling away from the spray and toward her closet.

Ariel kept her face covered, her eyes closed, and slipped the opposite direction off the bed, landing on the floor on her knees. She scrambled to her feet and sprinted for the bedroom door.

“Stop!” the attacker hollered at her.

Yeah right. Did the man not watch Fairy movies? Princesses of old could wait prettily for their true love to rescue them, but the modern-day heroine fought bravely by her hero’s side.

Unfortunately, with heroes in short demand, it was all on Ariel. That wasn’t a cheery thought. The recent move with the pepper spray was the bravest thing she’d ever done. She doubted any more valor would happen again tonight. It was time to run.

She rushed out her bedroom door and into the living area. Her three brothers would be so proud. She’d fought, she’d run like the wind, and she was genuinely living in the real world now.

She didn’t like the real world so much.

Finally daring to take her hand off and uncover her eyes, she coughed and her eyes stung as tears streamed down her face. Even keeping them covered, she’d gotten some residue from the spray.

The man crashed out of her bedroom, beelining for her.

Ariel screamed and bolted for the front door. Her phone was plugged in on her nightstand. She should’ve grabbed it, but getting away was the top priority.

Sprinting through the living area and front entry, she twisted the deadbolt, flung the door open, and raced onto her front porch. It was a gorgeous May night in southern California. The warm air embraced her, but freedom from death embraced her more.

Her house alarm split the night air with a wrenching scream. Nothing had ever sounded more beautiful. Why hadn’t the stinking alarm gone off when the man had come in? Who cared right now?

She ran across her cool, damp grass and out into the street. The small pebbles and dirt and sand residue on the concrete stung her bare feet.

Please send someone brave to help me before Dracula bursts out that door, she begged.

His evil swirled toward her, oozing, reaching … No!

“Help,” she tried to scream, but it came out as a croak. Her throat was too raw to produce words, let alone cries for help.

Her head hurt from the lack of oxygen and her legs were weak, but she couldn’t stop. She shuffled down the street toward the gated entrance where the security guards’ office was. One of them did rounds every hour in their truck.

Please let them be on their way now.

She looked over her shoulder at her wide-open front door. The light poles that lined her picturesque street gave her a good view of the yawning opening. Any second now, that monster would lumber out and chase her down, tackle her, and finish the job. Death was coming.

Where were the security guards? How could everyone on the street be sleeping through that alarm?

Please, please help me, she begged heaven.

“Hey!” a yell came from behind her.

She jumped and screamed. Her aching throat begged for some ice to slide down it and soothe the ache.

She looked back. The yell had to be from the monster. He was coming. He would outrun her, tackle her, and kill her for good this time. No! Her legs were too weak to support her, but she had to keep moving if she hoped to survive.

A man stepped out from under the shelter of the porch across the street from her house. A normal-looking man in a T-shirt and boxers. He held a cell phone in one hand. “You okay?” he called to her.

“No,” she croaked out.

He hurried down the porch steps as his wife appeared at the porch railing behind him, clutching her robe around her.

Ariel angled back toward their lawn. It was terrifying to go back in the direction of the scene of her nightmares, but this man would help her. She knew it.

He was also her only option at the moment.

She heard the man speaking into his phone as she approached. “Call 911.” The grass of the lawn was cool and soft on her feet.

“A man,” she croaked out, pointing back at her house. The front door yawned open, still with the alarm screeching like a demented haunted house nobody wanted to enter. Some vapor or curling smoke would complete the picture. Any second now, the beast would leap out of the darkened opening. The haunted house at Fairy Kingdom wasn’t nearly terrifying enough. It hadn’t prepared her for something like this.

The neighbor she’d only waved at as she took out the garbage or got the mail, never formally met, stepped in front of her and gestured her behind him. “It’ll be okay. You’re safe now,” he told her. The call must’ve connected because he started speaking quick. “An intruder is in my neighbor’s house.” He rattled off his address.

A vehicle buzzed down the street. The security truck. Finally.

Ariel sank to her knees in the cool grass. The man stood in front of her, shielding her in case the monster appeared. A real-life hero. His wife hovered on the porch, looking nervous, but somehow her being brave enough to be out here screamed the level of trust she had in her husband. This good, worthy man would protect the both of them if need be.

Other lights popped on around their street and other doors started opening. People spilled out onto their beautifully decorated porches to see what the fuss was about.

The security guys raced to her. Her courageous neighbor, who was going to get the largest gift basket Harry & David offered on their site, explained what he’d seen.

She’d lived. The men were all asking her questions, but she just bowed her head and thanked heaven above. She’d lived.

But obviously, the ugly death threats she’d deleted and tried to ignore weren’t simply threats.

That monstrous beast had gotten into her ‘safe’ neighborhood, past security fences and guards, and somehow bypassed her home’s security system and deadbolts. She’d survived tonight because of heavenly intervention, her brother’s purchase of pepper spray, and a brave neighbor.

Ariel touched her aching neck and tried to respond to the questions through her scratchy throat. But only one question kept pinging through her mind.

How would she stay alive when he came after her again?

She would need more than faith and pixie dust.