by C. C. Wood
As I set off down the sidewalk back to the coffee shop, I wondered what sort of person lived in a fairytale cottage and took the time to create a whimsical garden despite the amount of upkeep it had to require.
Considering we were about to become neighbors, I was certain I would soon find out.
Chapter Two
Savannah
I opened the door to The Magic Bean and the scent of freshly brewed espresso immediately washed over me.
“Good morning!” Ava called from behind the counter.
“It’s too early for you to be so cheerful,” I grumbled beneath my breath.
“What was that?”
I approached the counter, moving around to join Ava behind it. “It’s too darn early for you to be so cheerful,” I repeated, raising my voice a little.
Ava smirked at me as she handed me a cup and saucer, the froth on top decorated in a pretty design. I figured it was witchcraft because no matter how much I practiced, I could never get any design I tried to turn out right.
“You are a goddess,” I breathed, accepting the cup and lifting it up to take a whiff. The perfume of espresso, vanilla, and bourbon hit my nose, perking me up. “Why do we have to open at the crack of dawn anyway?” I asked her after I took a sip.
“Because most people like to drink coffee in the morning, not at noon,” she replied, going back to the antique glass case to finish arranging the pastries and scones inside.
“Any true coffee lover drinks it any time.” I set the cup to the side and stowed my purse beneath the counter. As I pulled my apron from its hook on the wall, I glanced around the store. “Um, there’s no one here now.”
“That’s because it’s after eight. The worst of the morning rush is over.”
I scoffed and picked up my latte. I wanted to give her a hard time for having me come in when she clearly didn’t need me, but I wouldn’t. Ava was my boss and my landlord, but most importantly, she was my friend. Even though I had to be awake earlier in the day than I liked, I still enjoyed spending time with her.
Ava Amaris saved me from myself. When I met her ten years ago, she took one look at the trembling wreck that I was and held out her hand. She was an exemplary woman. She was also the easiest person for me to be around. With my condition, I found proximity to people for prolonged periods to be exhausting and wrenching. The constant bombardment of emotions, the minute changes in mood that accompanied everyday life, they wore me down.
Not with Ava. I’d known as soon as I met her that she was much more than an exceptional person. She was magical. In the literal sense. It hadn’t taken me long to see that there was more to Ava Amaris than met the eye.
Her emotions and her moods were never overwhelming. She soothed me. I knew that part of the reason we fit so well together was because she wasn’t a typical human.
“Also, I wanted to tell you about your new neighbor.”
That got my attention. “What? Neighbor?”
She smiled as she closed the glass case, brushing her hands over her apron. “Yeah. A man rented my house across the street from you. Haven’t you seen him?”
I shook my head and drank more coffee. “When did he move in?” I asked, curious about him.
“Last week. Surely there was a moving truck.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I never saw one.”
“Strange,” she murmured.
I waited for her to elaborate but she remained silent, using a clean, damp towel to wipe down the counter. “Why is it strange? And don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Hm?” She hummed in the back of her throat, her face the picture of utter innocence, which immediately made me even more suspicious.
I squinted at her. “I know what your game is, Ava. You brought him up for a reason.”
“Well, he’s single and new in town.” She stopped speaking, but I waited. “He’s…different.”
“Different?”
“Like you and me. He has power.”
“Oh.” I wasn’t sure what to make of that. In my experience, most supernatural beings avoided me. Secrets, thoughts, even emotions were carefully guarded in this community. Knowledge like that could be dangerous for magical creatures of any kind.
Ava glanced at me, her expression wry. “No need to be worried, Savannah. I’m only mentioning it because he could use a friend and I didn’t want you to be surprised the first time you met him.”
“Well, if he’s been living there a week, I probably should have seen him by now. I’ve been in the front garden every day.”
Ava didn’t say another word, her focus on the counter she was wiping down.
I drained my latte. “You didn’t tell me much else about him. Is he younger, older? A warlock?”
“He looks young,” she answered cryptically.
I studied Ava, reading between the lines. “Appearances can be deceiving.”
We exchanged a glance. I wasn’t sure exactly how old Ava was, but I knew she hadn’t aged a day in ten years. She still looked about twenty-five years old. The weight behind her emotions told me more about her true age than her appearance. Though she shared pieces of her past on rare occasions, I could feel how each experience had left its mark on her psyche.
“He’s lonely,” she stated quietly.
I bit my bottom lip and looked down at the counter, something twisting inside my belly. I knew the feeling of loneliness all too well. Empathy welled within me that had nothing to do with another person’s emotions and everything to do with my own. “I’ll stop by and introduce myself,” I stated.
She smiled. “Good. I have a feeling you two will hit it off.”
Immediately, I knew she was up to something, but the door to the shop opened before I could reply. I decided to let the matter drop. Just because she wanted to play matchmaker didn’t mean that I had to comply.
A few hours later, I leaned a hip against the counter and rubbed my aching temples. I took slow, deep breaths, focusing on inhaling and exhaling as my head throbbed. The shop had been surprisingly busy all morning. A steady stream of witches and warlocks came through the doors for coffee and supplies for potions and spells. Most of them were skilled enough that their mental blocks were strong, but there was still a constant buzz of emotions all around me. It was exhausting and it had finally caught up with me.
To my relief, the flow of people slowed until the shop was empty. Ava glanced at the clock then at me.
“It’s two. Go ahead and go home. Spend some time in your garden, maybe take a nap.” I started to argue, but she lifted a hand. “You’re a part-time employee and your boss is telling you to go home.”
I relented because the pressure behind my eyes grew with each passing moment. All I wanted to do was close the blackout drapes in my bedroom and crawl into bed. It would be stupid to argue about this when it was what I needed anyway. “Fine, but I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon.”
“You’ll do tarot readings tomorrow and that’s it,” she said firmly.
I took off my apron and hung it from the hook. Ava and I could have this out tomorrow when I was fresh and not wishing for a bottle of ibuprofen and a dark room.
“See you tomorrow,” I said.
“Go home and rest,” Ava replied, giving me a squinty look that said she didn’t believe I truly would.
“I will,” I promised, utterly sincere.
I stepped out of the shop and hissed as the sunlight hit my eyes. Quickly, I dug my dark sunglasses out of my bag and slipped them on. Grateful that the house I rented from Ava was close by, I focused on putting one foot in front of the other and headed home.
Though her bossiness was sometimes annoying, I adored Ava. I knew she had my best interest at heart. I might have been able to get by without her help and her presence, but my life would have been far emptier. My grandmother left me a small inheritance that would pay my bills if I lived frugally. But I needed a job for more than money. Even though the emotions of others were difficult to take on a
regular basis, being around people helped dispel the excruciating loneliness. Being an empath, I required a great deal of isolation to recover from any kind of social situation, but as a human being, I still needed friends and conversation. Chatting online was nice, but it didn’t replace the need to look into another person’s face and share a meal.
It also didn’t replace physical contact. Despite the pain it might cause me to be in the presence of others, I loved to be touched. Not necessarily in a sexual way, though that was something I missed as well, but just a quick hug or holding hands. Even an absent caress on my arm or leg. I craved the contact.
As I walked home, the beautiful spring day soothed the frayed edges of my spirit and eased the pain in my head, but it didn’t lift my mood. Talking about my new neighbor with Ava had brought my own loneliness to the forefront. I knew she’d intentionally brought up his seclusion because she wanted me to empathize with him but it also highlighted my own issues.
I loved Ava like a sister, but the woman knew exactly which buttons to press when she wanted me to do something. She tended to push me when I needed it and the outcome was usually for the best. I would never admit that to her because she was already convinced she knew what was best for everyone. There was no need to feed her ego. She was bossy enough as it was.
Even though I knew that Ava had an ulterior motive, she accomplished her goal anyway. As I approached my house, I looked across the street at the little blue cottage Ava also owned, thinking about who might be inside. It had been vacant for the past few months and I’d wondered if she even wanted to find a tenant.
It was strange that I’d never seen the man who rented it, even in passing. I spent a lot of time outside in the front garden. I should have at least caught a glimpse of him coming or going, maybe getting his mail, but I hadn’t. As far as I could tell, the house still appeared vacant.
I hesitated on my front porch, my eyes scanning the structure across the street. Then I decided to do something impulsive, even though I was tired. If I hadn’t seen my neighbor, then he probably hadn’t left the house much since he moved in. The thought made something in my belly twist again. I hated the idea of someone feeling the same loneliness I did when I could do something to dispel it.
I went inside the house and grabbed my shears. I would take my new neighbor a bouquet of flowers from my garden to welcome him. Then I wouldn’t spend most of the evening mulling over Ava’s words about his isolation and feeling as though I should do something about it.
Chapter Three
Rhys
The doorbell rang. At least I thought it was the doorbell. I’d never lived in a home that had one before.
Putting aside the book I’d purchased at the shop down the street, I got to my feet, went to the door, and put my eye to the peephole. Even though Cornelius had been dead for nearly a year now, my suspicious tendencies had yet to be broken.
A woman stood on the porch, her head bowed. All I could see was a tumble of dark brown hair and a bundle of flowers clutched in her hands.
Sensing no danger, I unlocked the door. Her head lifted as the door swung open and I stopped moving as surprise washed over me. I could see her aura. Despite my abilities to see into the spirit of a person, I very rarely saw auras. Every person I’d met who had a visible aura had been remarkable in some way or another.
Good or evil, their abilities or personality were stronger than a typical human’s.
However, I had never seen an aura like hers before. White light radiated around her body, shot through with threads in a rainbow of colors, as though she experienced every emotion simultaneously. Except around her head. Shades of grey, brown, and black surrounded her skull like a halo. Thin strips of red shimmered among the darkness. She was in pain. For some reason that realization upset me. I didn’t like the idea of this woman hurting in any way.
My eyes focused on her face and very little of that discomfort showed in her expression. Her brown eyes were wide, staring back at me in surprise, but she recovered quickly.
“Uh, hi, my name is Savannah Baker. I live across the street. I work for Ava and she mentioned that you moved in, so I thought I would introduce myself. I mean, she suggested that I introduce myself because you just moved here and you haven’t had a chance to make friends yet.” Her eyes widened again and a bright pink flush spread intriguingly from her cheeks down her neck, to cover the skin of her chest that was exposed by the slim straps of her dress. My eyes wanted to linger on the vee neckline as I wondered exactly how far down the blush extended, but the choked sound she made caught my attention. “And I’m babbling. I’m sorry.”
Savannah lifted the bouquet toward me. “Anyway, I just wanted to bring you some flowers from my garden as sort of a welcome to the neighborhood.”
I stared blankly at the colorful explosion of blooms she held out for a moment and then realized I was supposed to take it. I lifted my hands, my fingertips brushing hers as I took possession of the glass vase she held.
She made another sound, almost a squeak, and released the vase before I held it securely. Quickly, I grabbed the glass before it crashed to the porch, droplets of water splashing my hands and forearms.
“Oh, my God, I’m sorry,” she groaned. “I’m glad you caught that.” Savannah hesitated, cleared her throat, and gestured to the house opposite us. “Anyway, I live right across the street. If you need anything or want someone to show you around, feel free to knock on my door any time.”
I studied her face as another brilliant blush washed over her pale skin, highlighting the freckles on her nose and cheeks. She lowered her lashes, shielding her eyes from me. Immediately I felt the loss of her gaze, which also surprised me. I liked the idea of her eyes on mine. I wanted her to look at me again and never look away. I inhaled sharply at the thought. Determined, I shook it off and studied the small woman standing on my porch.
Now that I was no longer dumbstruck by her aura, I noticed that Savannah Baker was a very pretty woman. Her dark hair flowed down her back in long waves and the freckles that dotted her cheeks were also visible on her chest and shoulders as well. The loose dress she wore hid most of her figure and legs, but I could see the curves of her breasts and hips beneath the material and I knew she would be soft in all the right places.
The sudden rush of attraction took me by surprise. It had been a long time since I’d felt anything other than tepid interest in a woman.
“Okay, so it was nice to meet you and I’m just gonna go,” she murmured, stepping back.
My first instinct was to stop her. I didn’t want her to leave. I opened my mouth to ask her to stay, to come inside, but she kept speaking.
“I hope you enjoy the house. Ava is a really good landlord. I’ve been renting from her for a few years. If you have any problems, just give her a call and she’ll get them taken care of quickly. Enjoy the flowers.”
With that, she turned and scurried down the steps as I stood frozen on the porch, still holding the flowers aloft. I could hear her muttering beneath her breath as she walked away and it sounded as if she said, “Way to make an idiot of yourself, Savannah.”
It wasn’t until she’d crossed the street and disappeared into her own house that I realized I hadn’t spoken a single word the entire time she’d been here. She likely thought I was rude or peculiar.
I carried the flowers inside and shut the front door. I wanted to walk across the street and tell her my name. I wanted to talk to her longer, learn more about her. I wanted her to look at me again because, with her eyes on me, I felt as though someone was truly seeing me for the first time. Savannah Baker interested me more than any other person I’d met in a few decades.
Strangely, I was unsure what to do. I avoided people, even women. The need to feed was the only reason I would bother to talk to anyone, and even then I chose those who carried excess pain or torment. This was an alien situation.
Feeding was always a tricky process. Gaius had made me into a vampire of sorts. I needed to feed off t
he very life force of a person rather than their blood. Essentially, devouring their soul. Cornelius, my brother, would consume a soul in its entirety. He believed it gave him greater power. He was right, but it increased his madness and deepened his conviction that he could become a god among humans and supernatural creatures alike.
I discovered long ago that feeding from the pain of others would keep me alive. It wasn’t as potent, but it kept me from fading away. It also relieved the suffering of my victim. Yes, even though I hoped to help them, I still considered the people I fed from to be my victims. Emotional vampirism was still an invasion, still a theft of life force.
By choosing those who were in agony, I could live with what I did. I was probably deluding myself, but it helped me come to terms with what I was. What I still am. Not completely human, yet not the monster my brother had become. No, I was a monster of a different sort.
Moving slowly, I carried the flowers into the living room and set them on the table in front of the chair I’d been sitting in earlier. I sat down and stared at the colorful blooms. They reminded me of Savannah’s aura. Every color of the rainbow was represented and they were vibrant, almost shimmering with life.
A strange sensation settled in my chest, a heaviness that made it difficult to breathe. I needed to avoid Savannah Baker, regardless of how interesting I found her. It was for the best.
Chapter Four
Savannah
As I walked home, I berated myself under my breath. I couldn’t believe I’d acted like such an idiot. My only defense was that my new neighbor had the kind of good looks that rendered even the brightest woman utterly brainless.
It was a new experience for me. Most of my interactions with people were based on their emotions rather than their appearance. I always felt their mood before I even saw their face.