Read Online Swamp Magic (Crimson Romance) by Bobbi Romans - Free Book Online Page B

liquor, he faced the mob, and the frantic cries of the childless mothers sobered him into action. He promised the return of the children and took off in search of the lost boys and his young bride.”
    “He never found them, did he?”
    “Patience,” Grace tsk’d. “Hear the story out.”
    Beth rolled her eyes and barely managed to restrain an exasperated sigh. Yes, she needed to hear the whole story, but at a much quicker pace. The way Grace retold the story left Beth feeling as if she should be sitting around a campfire while some counselor tried to scare the heebie-jeebies out of her.
    “The remaining settlers claimed strange, frightening noises erupted through the deafening darkness. Many swore the swamp itself came alive in search of souls to claim. All hopes for the safe return of their lost children waned in those dark, bleak moments. Come morning, however, the young bride of their leader appeared with the rising of the sun. They say she appeared as an angel would, caressed in the rays of a new dawn, and with her were the missing children, all of them. None of the children had any memories of their night lost in the swamp, nor how they came to be back at the camp.”
    “What happened to the young man? Their leader?”
    “He was never to be seen alive again. Many years later, his heartbroken young bride had him declared dead and, according to records, she died a short time thereafter. Her heart, they said, never recovered from the tragedy.”
    “How heartbreaking. No rumors of what became of him? A gator or bear attack? Someone went looking for him, didn’t they?”
    “Nope, at least nothing on record. Strangely enough, the settlers claimed no memory of when the children came back. However, locals swore the swamp witch who was rumored to inhabit the area had caused the tragedy. Testimony from locals mentioned the disappearance of young, virile men out hunting in the swamps was a common occurrence. Legend tells that after a bad storm, if you listen close enough to the toads croaking, you can make out the pleas of those lost men begging to come home.”
    “Uh, toads? You are joking, right? Isn’t that a little cliché?”
    Grace shrugged, uncertain. “Maybe after she’s had her way with them and they start to bore her, she returns them to the swamp? Just not in the way they’d hoped.”
    “So what are you saying? She’s a horny old toad?” Beth couldn’t stifle the erupting snicker. But she noticed her aunt didn’t laugh. Didn’t even crack a smile. To the contrary, she sat stone-faced, and the cocked eyebrow not a good sign. “What? I was kidding. You don’t seriously believe some horny-ass old witch in the swamp was stealing men and turning them into toads, do you?”
    Beth realized what she’d questioned. How did she doubt anything supernatural after what she’d witnessed firsthand with Moss? He’d turned into some sort of a reptilian type of creature right before her eyes, and she was going to doubt the plausibility of a witch turning virile men into toads? Her mind drifted back to Moss, and the image alone had her nipples puckering to tight, sensitive nubs as a slow warmth pooled in her center. Well, hell, Beth supposed she could understand the draw of anyone wanting to keep Moss all to themselves. Especially if that someone was a supposed conniving, horn dog old witch.
    “You originally said you suspected who he was, yet when you started the story you said his name was never mentioned. What did you mean?” Beth asked, remembering her aunt’s choice of words.
    “You always were quick.” Grace beamed. “And yes, you are correct,” she continued. “As far as the legend goes, no name has ever been applied to the fearless young leader. However, local historical archives list one Mr. William Francis Markley as unaccounted for in the records of one Mrs. William Francis Markley. Only a note referencing the death of her husband turned up. No records reflect a Mr. Markley settling here. But