by J. L. Farey
With a laugh, Aiden patted the corner of her desk as he walked by. “You know what they say. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”
Wade was already sitting at the desk they shared, so Aiden plopped down on the chair in front of it.
“Okay.” Wade picked up his coffee mug and leaned back. “Spill.”
Aiden quirked an eyebrow in question.
“Birdie nailed it. You’re obnoxiously happy.”
“I’m just in a good mood,” he said with a shrug. “Is that against the law?”
“Nope.” Wade sipped his coffee, staring into space and smiling to himself. Finally, he put the mug down and looked at Aiden. “It’s that girl, isn’t it?”
When Aiden didn’t answer, Wade kept digging. “The hot one you picked up at Howlers.”
Aiden frowned. “I did not pick her up. She had a little too much to drink, so I took her home.”
“Uh huh. Right. That’s why you’ve been acting so weird lately.”
“Believe what you want.”
Wade smirked. “Hey, I get it. You bagged a hot babe and you want to keep her to yourself.”
The joke had gone too far. Aiden leapt up and a growl rumbled in his chest. “You show her respect.”
Wade’s eyes snapped, his pupils narrowing to slits as he stood with deliberate slowness. “Or what?”
“Boys, remember Hank’s rule,” Birdie called out nonchalantly. “No shifting in the office. It scares the tourists, and the hair is a pain to clean up.”
They both backed down and Wade burst out laughing. “I was just messing with you. Oh man, you’ve got it bad for that ba– I mean, that lovely young woman.”
Feeling a little sheepish, Aiden squeezed the back of his neck and nodded. “Yes, she is. And she might have something to do with my mood.”
Birdie piped up again. “Maybe you should share all that sunshine with the folks on the street.”
“Is that your way of telling us to get out of here?” Wade asked.
“As nicely as possible.”
“You heard the woman.” Wade walked around the desk and clapped Aiden on the shoulder. “Let’s beat it.”
Outside, the town was already buzzing. Just because Nocturne Falls celebrated Halloween all year long, didn’t mean things were dead in the daytime. In front of a sidewalk café, diners ate al fresco at glass topped tables beneath huge black and orange striped umbrellas. In the park, children in costumes ran and played, pretending to be whatever creature or character they were dressed up like. Sometimes, Aiden missed the electricity and excitement of working in the city. But small town life had its charms. There was so little crime in Nocturne Falls, he and the other officers were able to spend most of their time walking a beat and getting to know the community. It was one of the things he looked forward to every day.
He glanced at Wade and noticed he’d put on his sunglasses. “You don’t need to wear those things every time we step outside.”
“Hey, you may not care about damaging your retinas, but I do.” He pointed up to the sky and made a noise which clearly meant he thought Aiden was an idiot.
Aiden knew better. “So it’s got nothing to do with the...unique color of your eyes?”
“Give the man a prize,” Wade snapped.
When Wade shifted, he became a big cat. A snow leopard, to be exact. Most shifters lost all their animal attributes when in human form, but thanks to some genetic anomaly, Wade’s eyes were always the same. What should have been the whites of his eyes were a pale, ice blue, surrounding a deep blue iris, and a pitch-black pupil. It was striking, but could throw people for a loop the first time they met him.
“Sorry,” Wade said. “Didn’t mean to bite your head off. It’s just easier to wear the glasses than to keep making up explanations.”
“I shouldn’t have said anything. I hate that you have to hide the real you.”
They walked on in silence, smiling and nodding at the people along the street. Eventually, Aiden spoke up. “I shifted last night.”
“About time. I’ve never thought it was healthy to hold back when nature calls, so to speak.”
“Mmm hmm.” More silence, then Aiden said, as casually as if he were commenting on the weather, “Laurel saw me.”
Wade’s surprise was evident from the way his eyebrows arched above the rim of his sunglasses. “Was it planned?”
“No. I was in the woods and she was in the lake, and we sort of ran into each other.”
“In the lake?” Wade smirked. “Please tell me she was skinny dipping.”
“Sorry, she was appropriately covered for swimming.” Aiden shook his head. “One of these days, you need to shift in front of me and prove you’re not a dog.”
“And you can do the same to prove you’re not a koala bear.”
They both laughed and stopped at an intersection, waiting for the light to change.
“Seriously,” Wade said, “how did she react?”
For as long as he could remember, Aiden had been anxious about shifting. Starting with his mother’s rejection of that side of him, to the incident that made him abandon his career in New York and run away, it had been one negative experience after another. He’d gotten to where the mere thought of shifting made him uneasy. But last night, with Laurel, it had been different. When she thought he was a wild bear, she was understandably frightened. But as soon as she realized it was him, her fear was gone. And each time he shifted, there was no revulsion, no disgust. Just an acceptance of who he was.
An elbow to his side brought him out of his reverie. “Light’s green. So, are you going to answer me? How did it go?”
Stepping off the curb, Aiden grinned. “I wasn’t whistling this morning for nothing.”
* * *
Sliding one hanger after another across the rod, Laurel rifled through her closet. Again. After seven decades of getting dressed, she should have something decent to wear on a date.
“What am I going to do?”
From his place on the floor, Bailey rolled his eyes up to look at her.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought you’d say.”
She moved over to the bed and fell backward on the mattress. What was she going to do now? It was too late to go to town and buy anything. And unless she fashioned a garment out of leaves and vines, her nymph powers wouldn’t help at all.
Maybe it was a sign. Maybe, the universe was telling her not to go out with Aiden. She snorted out a laugh. Sure. For the last however-many years, the universe had systematically culled through her wardrobe for the sole purpose of keeping her from going out tonight.
The truth was, Laurel was nervous. It had been a long time since she’d been with a man for romantic reasons. She’d been warned by her older sister, Aurora, that just by being near, nymphs could make human males fall in love with them and eventually drive them mad. But Aurora tended to be overly dramatic and Laurel figured it was her sister’s way of warning her to be careful around men. It wasn’t until Laurel was with Dillon that she realized her sister hadn’t overexaggerated at all.
Now, here she was, ready to give romance another try. Finding out Aiden was a shifter should have made her feel better, but it didn’t. She had no idea how she would affect another supernatural being. The attraction between them was already strong. She was drawn to him, and from the way he acted, it seemed he felt the same way. Was it real, or just a fragile illusion spun out of magic?
There was only one way to find out.
Laurel sat up, pushed herself off the bed, and went back to the closet. There was something in there suitable for a date, and she was going to find it.
A few hours later, she checked out the result in the mirror. She’d paired a simple, black tank top with a gauzy, lime green skirt that swished around her knees. Her hair was pulled up on the sides to show off earrings that looked like delicate gold vines. Wherever he was taking her, she hoped she’d fit in.
At 7:00 on the dot, her doorbell rang. Aiden stood on the porch, a
nd when he saw her, he swallowed so hard she could see his Adam’s apple bob.
“You look gorgeous.”
She smiled. “You look pretty good yourself.”
He wore a long sleeved, charcoal grey dress shirt, open at the neck. The snug fit hugged his body and was tucked into black dress pants. Laurel licked her lips and tried to stop wondering how long it would take to unbutton the shirt and rip it off him.
“And you’re right on time,” she blurted out.
“To be honest, I got here ten minutes ago. But I stood outside and waited so you wouldn’t think I was overeager.”
Laurel laughed as she picked up her purse from the kitchen table. “Careful how much you tell me. You’ll blow your cool-guy image.”
“I doubt anyone around here sees me that way.”
She had a hard time believing that, but his humility was refreshing. “Okay, Bailey.” She squatted down and scratched the dog on the head. “Protect the house while I’m gone, okay?”
He responded by rolling onto his back and presenting his stomach.
“That should strike terror in the heart of anyone who tries to break in,” Aiden said from the doorway.
Laurel sauntered up to Aiden. “You have no idea. Beneath that calm exterior is an even calmer interior.”
She was about to walk past him when he put his hand gently on her arm and stopped her. “Speaking of calm interiors, are you nervous?”
Why was he asking? Did she look nervous? She wanted to deny it, but that wouldn’t be a very good start to the evening, or anything else that might eventually happen between them. “Yes. I am.”
Aiden nodded. “So am I.” His hand slid up her arm and to the back of her neck. As he lowered his face to hers, he said softly, “Stop me anytime.”
Without hesitation, Laurel lifted her lips and met his kiss. Unlike the first time, this kiss was sweet and slow. Mere seconds later, they broke apart and Aiden smiled.
“I meant that to put us both at ease.”
“I like how you think.” Laurel exhaled a breath. “It worked.”
He offered her his arm. “Shall we go?”
Sliding her arm through his, she grinned. “Absolutely.”
* * *
So far, so good.
That kiss back at Laurel’s front door had been risky, but Aiden didn’t want to pretend their physical attraction didn’t exist. They both knew it was there, so why fight it? With the physical tension broken, now they could relax and get to know each other better.
Their first stop was an Italian restaurant, Guillermo’s. Laurel’s face registered delight as the hostess led them through the main dining area and outside to their table on the patio. Candles flickered from the middle of every table, and twinkling mini-lights surrounded them, woven through the black iron rails of the fence. It was the most romantic setting Aiden could think of for a first date.
“This place is amazing,” Laurel said, scooting her chair closer to the table. “Just beautiful.”
A waitress came to the table, all smiles and holding out a menu to each of them. “I agree. There are so many magical places in Nocturne Falls, but I think we outshine them all. I mean, people fall in love here. What’s more magical than that?”
Aiden cleared his throat and he could have sworn a blush colored Laurel’s cheeks. “We’d like to start with a loaf of the garlic rosemary bread.”
The waitress nodded as she jotted on her order pad. “Excellent. And may I get you a bottle of wine or a cocktail?”
“I’ll just have an ice tea,” Laurel said. “A regular, unsweetened tea.”
Aiden held back a laugh. “The same for me.”
When the waitress was gone, he leaned back in his chair. “Are we abstaining tonight?”
Laurel lowered her menu far enough to look over it at him. “You certainly don’t have to. I might have a drink later, but after the last time, I think it’s wise to start slow.”
Aiden nodded. “Smart woman.”
Dinner went as well as any dinner could for two people still learning about each other. Aiden ordered salmon. Laurel ordered chicken. He used so much pepper that she sneezed. She dumped three packets of sugar in her tea. They both ate so much bread, the waitress brought over a second loaf. The conversation flowed, they told jokes and laughed. And when a man dressed to look like an old, Italian street performer came to take their picture, they leaned closer to each other with such enthusiasm that they clunked heads. They were still laughing when the flash went off and the shutter clicked.
“Ah, senor and senora, thank you. If you will-a give-a me your address, I send-a dee picture.” He set a pad and pen on the table in front of Laurel.
“How much?” Aiden reached for his wallet, but the man held up his hand to refuse.
“It’s twenty dollars. Just add it to the check.” The man looked flustered and he let the accent slip.
Laurel wrote down her address and handed him the paper. When he took it she looked up at his face and paused. “You remind me of someone. Have we met?”
The man took a step back. He shook his head so hard Aiden feared his wig might fall off, but he did remember to use his accent again. “No, no, senora, I know see-a how. Good-a night to you-a.”
The fellow hurried away and Laurel giggled behind her hand. “That’s the worst fake Italian accent I’ve ever heard.”
“Obviously, he’s going more for humor than for authenticity.” Aiden motioned at her plate. “Are you finished?”
“Oh yes. It was delicious.”
“Want dessert?”
“Oh no. I have no room.” She puffed out her cheeks and held her stomach, as if she might explode in an instant.
“In that case, we can move on to the second part of our evening.” He waved at their waitress.
“There’s a second part? What is it?”
“A secret.”
She wrinkled her adorable nose at him, and Aiden wondered why he had ever thought it possible to get her out of his mind. Or why he would ever want to try.
* * *
“You brought me to an abandoned factory.”
Laurel peered out the window of the truck, wondering if there’d ever been a shifter-turned-serial-killer. This was certainly the kind of place that brought episodes of America’s Most Wanted to mind. There were two large, boarded up windows on the side of the brick building facing them. Above that, the name Caldwell Manufacturing had been painted in white, but the letters were faded and half-missing in spots.
Aiden shifted the truck into park and cut the ignition. “Trust me, it’s much nicer inside.”
Dozens of cars were parked around the building, so unless he was part of a serial-killer club, Laurel figured it was safe. The pavement in the parking area was cracked and rough, so she held onto Aiden’s arm until they were inside.
The huge, open space was dimly lit by a few flickering florescent tubes in ceiling fixtures. A hodge-podge of old, grimy equipment covered the dirty floor. Cobwebs stretched across corners and draped from one machine to another.
If this was his idea of nicer, she might need to buy the man a dictionary.
“Are you sure we’re in the right place?” Laurel jumped as a little gray mouse scampered by her feet.
“Positive.” He took her hand in his. “This way.”
It didn’t take long for Laurel to notice that a path of semi-cleanness was cut through the dirt on the floor. They followed the path to a freight elevator. Aiden punched a code into a security keypad. There was a sound like huge gears moving and falling into place, then the doors slid open. Aiden led her inside and pushed a button. Down, down, down they went, until the elevator stopped.
When the doors opened again, it was like they’d entered another world. Neon tubes decked the walls, casting off blue light. Bare pipes ran across the ceiling and created light fixtures that were more for mood than brightening the room. Water features accented walls and played on the blue theme. Music – loud enough to dance to, but not so loud t
hat it made conversation impossible – pulsated from what had to be a state of the art sound system as people moved to the beat.
“Welcome to Insomnia.” Aiden put his hand on the small of her back as they moved through the crowd.
Several people shouted greetings to him as they passed. He always acknowledged them, but kept on going. When they came to an empty leather couch, they sat down. The music wasn’t quite as loud where they were, but the atmosphere was just as fantastic.
“What is this place?”
He put his arm around her shoulders and spoke close to her ear. “It’s a club for supernaturals. You have to be a member to come in.”
“I’m not a member.”
“I am. We’re allowed to bring a guest.” He squeezed her shoulder. “We love having the tourists around, but sometimes you just want to go somewhere and not worry about who might see you.”
Looking around, Laurel realized that while some of the supernaturals were fully themselves, some were in half-form. She could see how that would confuse the normals. It was so nice to be surrounded by others who were proud of who they were and didn’t try to hide it.
It was the most natural thing in the world to lean her head against Aiden’s chest, and she didn’t think twice about laying her hand on his thigh. He kissed the top of her head and she smiled. This would be different than the last time. She had a clear head, and she’d had a heart to heart with Horatio earlier in the day. He knew if he did anything to mess up her evening, she’d make him wait even longer to get out of that tub.
The music ended, switching to a slow song with a sensuous rhythm. Laurel stood up and grabbed Aiden’s hands, then pulled him to his feet.
“Dance with me.” It wasn’t a question, but from the way his eyes snapped, she could tell he was happy to comply.
Once they hit the dancefloor, Laurel didn’t waste any time. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed her body against his. His hands, so big they could almost span her waist, heated her skin through her tank top. She moved in languid time to the music, her hips swaying, her eyes locked with Aiden’s.
