Page 40 of Wanderer

“Me neither. I’ve got a good feeling about this place.”

Our first date was later that day. While I got ready, my brother’s words echoed in my mind. He was right to have that feeling about Greyhaven, because since I’d been here, my nightmares had settled, with only one the night before keeping me awake. I blamed not having Gareth next to me and my memories being near the surface.

Gareth came to pick me up at my new, warmer cabin. “This place feels much better. Are you more comfortable here?” he asked, looking around the place. It had pretty much the same layout as the last one, yet it held a more welcoming vibe.

“Yeah, it was great not to wake up as an ice cube,” I joked, suddenly nervous about our date. The draw from the bond tugged at me, making me want to skip this getting to know you phase and just go straight to the orgasms, because they were a bonding activity, right?

“Did you have another nightmare? You had one the other day.”

“I did?”

“You didn’t fully wake up, so maybe you didn’t realize. I just held you for a bit. You settled down not long after.” Gareth’s cheeks were flushed. I was sure mine were the same.

“Sorry—”

“Don’t be. We’d just been talking about your past. It was sure to stir things up.”

“Are you sure you want to do this date thing? I’m a mess, Gar. You might not like what you—”

“Of course I am!” he cut in. “Honestly, I think we went about this backwards. This bond between us is intense and I don’t regret those nights with you, but at the same time, if we want to build something real, we’ve got to get to know each other.”

“Alright. Then show me what you’ve got planned, then.”

“You’ll need to wrap up. This is an outside date.”

A few minutes later, Gareth led me up through the woods lining the town. “Are we going to the ward stones again?”

He laughed. “No, I’ve got something slightly more romantic lined up for our date.”

His hand squeezed mine when I let out a gasp at the sight of the little gazebo lit up with fairy lights. “Wow! This is nice.” In the freezing winter air, I could see the ripples of heat. “Magic or tech?”

“A mixture, and not my magic, just in case it wouldn’t work.”

“You’ve thought of everything.”

“I tried. There’s a picnic waiting for us. Debra made some brownies. They’re honestly the best you’ll ever taste. Like, ruin you for all other brownies.”

“Well, I need to taste those immediately.”

“First, you need to see this view.” He led me around the gazebo to an uncovered walkway that faced the town. We could see everything below us. Gareth tilted my chin up toward the sky. “Look up. It’s a perfect night to see them.”

The sky was like a dark velvet blanket strewn with diamonds. Stars glittered at us from high above us, making me feel so small next to something so awe-inspiring.

“There’s supposed to be a meteor shower soon. Get ready to make a wish.”

When the first shooting star lit up the sky, I didn’t wish for the curse to end. I wished to have many more nights like this with Gareth.

Once the show was over, we sat under the gazebo for hours and just talked while we ate. I learned that my mate was allergic to shellfish but had learned a healing spell when he was young so he could still enjoy it. He avoided it now after a lecture from the ER doctor who had treated him when he couldn’t perform the spell. “I’ve learned my lesson,” he said with an embarrassed grin. “Both for taking my magic for granted and for putting my life in danger.”

I told him about the shit I used to get up to by changing forms multiple times and breaking into places I had no business being. “Looking back, I took a lot of risks. It’s a miracle I didn’t get caught.”

Gareth walked me to my door after hours in the gazebo and kissed me softly goodbye. While I wanted more, I got what he was doing. We needed this to build a solid foundation.

Our second date was lunch at a nice restaurant in town before Gareth took me to the town’s museum. It was a tiny building next to City Hall that held the story of Greyhaven. He talked me through the exhibits as if he’d done it a hundred times before, telling me how Hestia had come to the US after establishing supernatural sanctuaries in Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America. Hestia had tried in Australia and Central America, but those places had gods there willing to set up their own sanctuaries.

Basically, Greyhaven was one of many such towns in a network that covered the globe. All were run by deities from every pantheon, or by demi-god offspring of the original group who established the first places where supernaturals could be safe.

Seeing Gareth’s passion for his hometown and its history woke something in me. It was a desperate need to make this place my home and see it flourish.