by Rhys Ford
“Thanks. Pretty sure you just made me blush,” KJ said as his face warmed.
“There’s no ‘pretty sure’ about it.” Thomas’s smile grew brighter, and he offered KJ the food menu. “It’s all good. I’m going for the mushroom-smothered swiss burger with fries. Like I told you, I am not a vegetarian.”
“That sounds great. I think I’ll get that too.”
THOMAS TOOK a long sip from the pear cider, enjoying the cold as it worked its way across his tongue, and then let out a blissful sigh, watching KJ while he tasted his beer. Out on the terrace, as the sky darkened, he could see more of the shimmer that he’d caught in the shop. There was definitely something special about Star’s teacher, and it wasn’t only that he was very cute.
Neither one of them was a skilled practitioner of social graces; that much was obvious. It was hard for Thomas to blend in with normals. He didn’t do it outside of the shop often enough. He was simply too busy between being a dad, running the shop, and keeping San Diego safe from the things that went bump in the night.
“So tell me,” he asked to break what was turning into an awkward silence between them, “how did a history teacher, with a PhD, for that matter, end up hosting a YouTube channel about the supernatural—especially on the side that thinks it’s real?”
“I like to keep people guessing?” KJ said with a small laugh before pushing his glasses back up his nose. “With my education, I do read like someone who would think it was all bullshit, but maybe I am a sensitive like you asked at the shop…. I’ve always known it was real. When I was a kid, I’d have a dream about someone I hadn’t seen for a long time, and then they’d show up. My mom stopped telling me that couldn’t be true about the fourth time I got it right.” He rubbed his thumb along the condensation on his mug, and Thomas could see he was trying to decide how much he could say without looking crazy.
“I know it’s real, KJ,” Thomas told him dead seriously, meeting his eyes over the rim of his own mug before taking another sip. “And that’s not something I’d tell just anyone, but I feel like you need to hear that from me, which is not how I normally handle this sort of situation.”
“You mean first dates?”
“Gods no, I’ve never… not like this.” He set his bottle down when the waiter returned with their burgers balanced along his arm and placed them in front of them. “Good thing you’re not a reporter.”
“No, but I do have my channel. Not that I’m going to blast you all over it.” They lapsed into silence once more as they sank into their meals. Thomas cut his burger in half while KJ fought with the entire thing. He closed his eyes and licked his lips. “Damn, there is nothing like a good bar burger. Thanks for picking this place.”
“My pleasure.” Thomas wiped his fingers clean and then reached across the table to catch a dab of ketchup from KJ’s chin. It was forward, but Thomas was in no mood to play it safe. He only had two weeks to squeeze in some personal time, and if that time was spent with KJ Beshter, that was fine with him. But when KJ seemed to be lost after watching Thomas lick the bit of ketchup off his thumb, Thomas began to worry he’d broken the poor man. Instead of saying he was sorry, which he wasn’t, he decided it’d be best to get them talking once more. “Did you notice anything odd at my shop?”
KJ WAS glad when Thomas started talking again, even if it was to ask him a question. He was buzzing, and it wasn’t from the beer. He’d drunk half of a mug, and it took a lot more than that to get to him.
It might’ve been Thomas’s company. The man pushed all his typical physical buttons. Tall, broad shoulders, but not overly muscled. He wasn’t lanky. He was more a swimmer or martial artist—not like the jogger from the park that morning who needed to look good. The buzz was probably because Thomas believed in the supernatural. He’d been told that before. Hell, David believed, but this was different. Thomas Anders was magical. KJ could taste it!
“I noticed there was an aura on some of the stock. It wasn’t always there, and it’s hard to tell that time of day. There was so much sun coming in, making the dust motes dance, and who’s to say some of them didn’t have tiny little wings and faces, right?” He leaned closer toward Thomas to make sure no one overheard him. “I also noticed that the things I bought had a shimmer to them, and so did the gift card, but that went away after you put them in the bag. When I got home, it was still gone. They were inert. Just ceramics from wherever.”
“Oh, you are good.” Thomas’s eyes had widened, as had his smile. “You’re definitely a sensitive. No one’s taken the time to train you, have they?”
“Who’d do that? My mom sent me to therapy after I insisted I saw witches at Boy Scout camp for all of high school, and when I got to college, I stopped talking about it. I think the only person at the university who believed me, besides Dave, was the librarian. Not because I told him, but because I think he could see the old lady in the history section who hovered between the shelves too.” KJ shivered and busied himself with some of the bacon from his burger. “Ghosts, I don’t like. They’re so lost or angry. I don’t see them often, which is a good thing. I’m no Danny Torrance or the kid from The Sixth Sense. I’ve seen the Lady in White in Pioneer Park a couple of times over the years, but I’ve never managed to record her. Never been able to record any of them. Caught a few dishes flying once in a haunted house in Vegas, but that’s about it.”
“No one’s trained you, and you’ve managed to believe without driving yourself insane. That is impressive, KJ.” Thomas reached for his hand and brushed his fingers over the back of it before giving a supportive squeeze. It wasn’t a romantic gesture as far as KJ could tell. Thomas was almost in teacher mode, which was an operating procedure KJ knew well. It’d been a very long time since anyone had shown him that kind of support, and it was the first time ever for the paranormal side of his life.
“Thanks.” He smiled and decided not to move his hand away from Thomas’s unless the other man moved first. Then he’d scramble and pretend it hadn’t happened, but only if he had to. “I like to think I’m grounded. It probably helped that while I believe in the supernatural, I didn’t let it become my obsession. It didn’t distract me from studying history, and sure, my thesis might’ve been on the hidden wars between the Church and the witches… but I still got my doctorate. How ’bout you? You’re a witch?”
“WHAT I am, and what Star has inherited from me, is complex. How you all see us isn’t how we see ourselves. I put together spells. I mix potions, but I also have some abilities of my own.” Now that the conversation moved to him, Thomas drew his hand back, once again picking up his mug, although there were barely dregs left. He needed to focus, decide on not only what he could tell KJ but whether he should. It wasn’t forbidden to share the truth with trusted friends, and it wasn’t unheard of to trust someone on sight.
He’d been drawn to KJ months before when they’d first met. Thomas knew he could be a good friend, if not more, and he hoped it would be far more. It was obvious that Star had spelled the gift card to force them together, which meant she believed in KJ Beshter a great deal. As much as Nation liked to think he was the most important person in her life, Thomas knew that he held that position, just as she did for him.
“My daughter is far more gifted than I am,” he said, meeting KJ’s gaze. “She spelled that card before she gave it to you, which I’ll be talking to her about. She’s not supposed to do that, and I’m disappointed she broke the house rules. But I’m not angry that she did it.”
“Me neither, I guess. I liked you when I met you at the school. So it’s not like that.”
“No, no, if she’d broken that rule, we would not be on a date, and I’d be on my way to her camp to have one hell of a serious talk.” Forcing emotions on another was considered dark magic even if the result was meant to be a good thing. One did not break the free will of another. Of course, one also didn’t bring anyone or anything back from the dead, but since Nation was wearing Nate’s skin, Thomas had managed to find a looph
ole to protect his daughter and her abomination.
“We can consider it lightly massaged kismet.” Thomas shrugged and took the time to order them refills. They’d been talking so much he was surprised to find his plate empty. “Do you want to get dessert? I must admit to being an ice cream junkie. Pretty much do anything for a pint of New York Super Chunk Fudge or a trip to Coldstone’s.”
“Wow, you must really like me,” KJ said with a bright laugh. “You told me your weakness. I, too, am a lover of ice cream. Why don’t we finish our drinks, pay the bill, and I can drive us to the nearest Coldstone? We can talk more and enjoy the night.”
“Excellent plan,” Thomas said, tapping their mugs together in a toast to an enjoyable night. “Dinner’s on me. Ice cream’s on you.”
Ten
KJ AIMED the Toyota down the narrow alley that ran behind Equinox, keeping an eye on the slightly leaning wooden fence on one side and the scattered dumpsters on the other. Between the dumpsters there were occasional cars, some nicer than others, or vans with company names painted on their sides.
“We’re almost there,” Thomas said as he shifted in the passenger seat to get his keys from his pocket without taking off his seat belt. “You can turn left after the next telephone pole and park behind my car.”
“Okay,” he said with a nod, not needing Thomas’s directions at all because he could see a shimmering purple glow coming from just down the alley. It grew brighter as he drove them closer, and it was sparkling when he pulled in behind a sleek black Lexus. KJ shut off his car and then pulled his glasses off to wipe them with the front tail of his shirt. He knew it would help with the light show, but he wasn’t sure if he should say something or not.
“Home sweet home,” Thomas said, undoing his belt and unfolding from the seat as he got out of the small car. KJ watched him stretch, appreciating the brief glimpse of pale skin he was graced with when Thomas’s pullover drew up from his waistband.
This was it. He took a few breaths and put his glasses back on before extracting himself from the driver’s seat. He stretched too, although he doubted he was giving Thomas any kind of show with that. His shirt stayed down, and with the car between them, there wasn’t much for the other man to see anyway.
“I could tell.” He rubbed at the back of his neck and set the alarm on the car after they both closed their doors. “It looks like the Main Street Electrical Parade to me. It’s even stronger than what I can see on you, which has been getting brighter all night.”
Thomas shrugged as he started up the exterior steps that led to the outside entrance to the apartment. “Once we talked at dinner, I stopped trying to block you. Didn’t make much sense for me to waste the energy. You told me the truth, and I shared with you.”
“And I appreciate it,” KJ said as he took the steps behind Thomas, once again enjoying the view. “I like looking at you.”
“Do you?” Thomas left his keys dangling in the lock, turned, and captured KJ’s mouth in a kiss.
It wasn’t awkward. It was fast, but it wasn’t rushed. KJ could taste the chocolate from Thomas’s ice cream on his lips. He was down a step from Thomas, and since he couldn’t reach anyplace convenient on the man, he gripped the stair railing instead. Between the magic, the sugar rush, and the kiss, he was feeling a bit off-balance. “I like that too.”
“Thought you might.” Thomas turned his attention back to the door and popped it open, with KJ following closely behind.
The air inside the apartment was warm and smelled of spices. KJ blinked a couple of times to clear his vision, but it didn’t help as much as he wanted it to. He had to pause, leaning against the doorframe after Thomas closed the door, and breathe. “Did you guys let a unicorn puke all over the place?”
“No, no unicorns, and the only one who pukes is the cat—not that he does it that often.”
“Since he’s hairless. I saw him in the window when I came shopping.”
“You saw Nation?” Thomas got a look on his face that was not at all encouraging, unlike the other looks he’d been sending KJ’s way all night.
He narrowed his eyes at Thomas with his hands tucked into his pockets. “He was in a sunbeam. He’s not a ghost cat, is he?”
“Nope, not a ghost.” Thomas stepped closer, took KJ’s hands in his, and brought them to his lips to brush a kiss across his knuckles. “Is it too much for you? We can go to your place if it is.”
“Naw,” KJ said, his stomach fluttering with each word and touch Thomas graced him with. “I’ll get used to it. I promise not to make up for the cat’s lack of puke.” Way to go, KJ, ruin the mood. “I can focus on you. Ignore the rest. You’re what matters.” The words were the truth. KJ had no idea how they’d connected so quickly, but he knew it felt right. If it took him years to get used to the unicorn sparkle vomit, he’d live with that. Being near Thomas in the middle of a small apartment kitchen felt like heaven.
“I don’t know what it is about you, Thomas, but I need you in ways I can’t wrap my brain around.”
“We can blame the ice cream,” Thomas said before capturing his mouth in a biting kiss. “You taste like cinnamon candy and waffle cones.” His fingers hooked in the hem of KJ’s shirt and he tugged upward, drawing it over his chest, shoulders, and head without dislodging KJ’s glasses. “I want to know what you taste like other places too.”
“That’s something I’d like to find out too, but on you, not me.” He was flustered, but since his hands were over his head, it seemed like the right time to run his fingers through Thomas’s thick, wavy hair. “I’m not going anywhere tonight except where you take me, Thomas.”
“Where we take each other.” Thomas dropped KJ’s green shirt on the kitchen table and then hooked one of his belt loops to lead him toward his bedroom. “I want to see what you can teach me.”
THOMAS GENTLY tugged KJ toward his bedroom. They passed by the front room with its circular carpet that hid floorboards scratched by years of casting magic circles, as well as the scorch marks from a few errant candles. Nation’s glowing eyes shone from the corner of the bay window, and the cat stretched on his side to twice his regular length, but much to Thomas’s joy, he didn’t get up or speak his opinion about the human in their midst.
“Thank you,” Thomas mouthed in Nation’s direction as KJ started working to take Thomas’s shirt off. Nation shrugged and turned over to watch traffic, and Thomas reached down to help KJ. “Your fingers are cold.”
“Are they?” KJ looked at Thomas’s top, tossed it onto an old rocking chair, and then started to fumble with his belt. “I know how to warm them up.”
“So do I, but not out here. I’d prefer not to entertain the cat on our first adventure.”
“I like that you call it that.” KJ’s cool fingers traced a lazy circle over Thomas’s skin, and he shivered. “An adventure.”
“I know.” Thomas wondered who’d made KJ so defensive. It seemed to be a habit of his to clarify what he meant or if he was joking.
He used his shoulder to push the door to his bedroom open, then stepped back to let KJ walk in. KJ’s eyes widened as he took a good long look at the room, slowly walking around the large bed that dominated the space. Thomas noted where he locked his eyes and where he stopped, seeing KJ’s untrained magical ability track almost every item or sigil of power in the room.
“Fuck,” KJ said in a hushed whisper when his gaze was drawn to the tarot cards painted on the ceiling. “They move!”
“Do they?” That surprised Thomas. “My parents had them painted there before I was born. I’ve touched them and the wards they carry over the years, but I’ve never seen them move.”
“It’s their eyes. She’s watching you,” he said, pointing at the Empress. “The Knight of Swords is watching me. Should I be nervous?”
“You’ll be fine.” Thomas hoped. He seldom gave himself the time to enjoy a lover, and he couldn’t remember the last time he’d brought one home. Strangers didn’t come upstairs at Equinox. He’d had a
hard time letting Star bring school friends over in case one of them saw and said too much, but they hadn’t had any trouble. He knew how lonely it could be not to have friends welcome in your home. That was how he and his sister were raised.
“Mostly they’re to protect the house and block magic that’s not mine.” He moved behind KJ and kissed one shoulder and then the other while wrapping his arms around his waist. “Which comes in handy when my sister or Star make a mistake.”
“Oh, so the unicorn puke is their fault?” KJ relaxed against Thomas’s chest, and Thomas breathed in the scent of him.
“Oh yes, very much so. My sister was a hellion growing up, and Star is tap-dancing in her footsteps.” Thomas kept his mouth moving over KJ’s body, a nip here and there, while he worked open KJ’s pants. “I promise you, you’re safe with me. No one and nothing will harm you.”
“Promises are pretty big, Thomas. Shouldn’t you be careful about that kind of thing?” KJ said, then gasped when Thomas pulled him tighter against him. “Magic binds with words too, according to my research.”
“It does, but I don’t think I’ll have anything to regret.” He turned KJ around until the backs of his legs were against the side of the bed and moved in front of him, never taking his hands off him. Once Thomas was sure KJ wasn’t going to trip or lose his balance, he focused on undoing their jeans. “Let me take care of this. Kick off your shoes, and I’ll get the rest. You can lean on me or the bed if you need to.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ve done this before.” KJ shifted, lifting one foot and then the other as he toed off his shoes. Thomas had already left his shoes behind someplace on their trip to the bedroom—one in the kitchen, the other in the front room. “But now it’s my turn to promise—it’ll be amazing, Thomas. Going to blow your mind and other things.”
Thomas grinned up at KJ as he sank onto his knees in front of him and pushed his pants to his ankles. He trailed his long fingers over a tattoo spread over KJ’s thigh. The ink was vivid but not fresh, showing red roses entwined around a compass. “That’s pretty.”