Page 20 of Glow

Dan let out a defeated breath and wished he could crawl under the table. “Can we talk somewhere else, please? I promise I’ll tell you everything.”

He and Quinn walked to a bench looking out across Fox Lake. They sat quietly for a moment or two, sipping coffee, putting off the inevitable.

Finally, Dan broke the silence. “I’m the Dover Demon. Actually, a daemon, nothing infernal,” he added reflexively. “It’s been a partnership down through generations in my family for a long time.

“My daemon—I think of him as Wally—is a protector. We don’t hurt anyone, or eat pets, or attack people,” Dan continued. “For over a hundred years, people told stories, but no one tried to catch or kill the daemon. It didn’t pass to my father because he died before my grandfather passed on the legacy, so it came to me.”

Dan finished his coffee and set the cup aside. “I’m fond of Wally. We look out for each other. It just means that every so often, I need to go into the woods and shift so he can wander around. I don’t know much about other types of shifters, but I’d guess it isn’t all that different except for the kind of creature I turn into.”

“Not much, from what I’ve heard,” Quinn said.

“I was going to tell you, once we got to know each other a little better,” Dan replied. “Dr. Jeffries guessed, but I suspect he’s got some psychic ability, given that he runs the Fox Institute. I think Liam suspects that I’m a shifter of some sort, but he didn’t ask, and I didn’t volunteer.” He kept his eyes on the lake, not ready to see disgust in Quinn’s expression, bracing himself for the breakup.

“It’s rather convenient with you being a daemon, since I’m a daemon whisperer,” Quinn broke the silence.

Dan looked at him sharply. “What?”

“I told you I had some ‘abilities’ just like you said you did,” Quinn replied. “And I didn’t lay all the information on the table right off the bat, either. I suspected there was more to you than the weather sensing, but I figured you’d tell me when the time was right, and I could explain more about what I can do.”

“You talk to demons?”

Quinn chuckled. “Daemons. Nature spirits. In my case, it’s not a shared consciousness, more of being able to tune into feelings and impressions from the world around me, which includes the weather, plants and trees, animals, and cryptids—people, not so much.”

“Can you read minds?” Dan asked, intrigued.

“No. I read energy. It makes me a very good observer, but I can’t ransack anyone’s thoughts,” Quinn laughed.

“That’s pretty interesting. So…you’re okay with me being…me?”

Quinn smiled. “Yes, are you okay now that you know more about me?”

“That doesn’t change a thing,” Dan assured him.

“Then we’re good.” Quinn reached over to take his hand. “Because I think we’re fated mates. That zing when we first touched…” He looked apprehensive, as if he was worried about how Dan might react.

“I’ve been thinking the same thing.” Dan squeezed Quinn’s hand in return. “I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it, or me, or us, since everything is so new, so I was waiting for the right moment to say something…and I guess this is it.”

“I always thought the whole fated mates thing was just a romantic legend. I never thought it would happen to me,” Quinn confided. “But I’m so glad you’re mine.”

“I’m glad you’re mine too.” Dan leaned in for a kiss.

CHAPTER 4

QUINN

Quinn helped Dan carry his belongings into the hotel, quietly surprised that everything he’d need for the move fit into his car.

I’m living in a cabin in the woods, and I think even I’ve got more stuff. He travels light. That’s not good or bad, but interesting.

Maybe he’ll feel safe enough in Fox Hollow to put down roots and move in completely, Quinn thought as they finished.

Quinn’s phone alarm went off as they finished unpacking. “That means I need to go to work,” Quinn told him. “Will you be okay finishing up?”

“I’m going to sleep as soon as you drive away,” Dan said. “I might sleep all day. I’m really glad they could get me into the room already.”

“Call me when you wake up, and we can do dinner.” Quinn leaned in for a lingering kiss. “Glad you’re back.”

“Glad to be here.” Dan followed him to the door.