3. Dan #3
Dan trusted Quinn too, but years of dodging danger had taught him to be extra-cautious. Maybe if I trust Jeffries with the truth, I’ll get an idea about whether it’s safe to tell Quinn.
Their meals came; chicken for Quinn and a steak for Dan. Both smelled amazing, and Dan couldn’t hide a murmur of satisfaction after his first bite.
“You were right about the food,” he told Quinn, who seemed equally happy with his entrée. “I’m betting it’s not just travelers who eat here.”
“Nah, it’s also a popular date night choice, since most of the other local restaurants are more casual.” Quinn’s faint blush made Dan wonder if Quinn considered this a date.
I sure hope so, he thought.
Quinn filled him in on his afternoon routine as a park ranger, and Dan shared what he had seen and his impressions. Before he knew it, the dining room had emptied, and the staff was starting to get ready for the morning.
“I guess we’d better go,” Quinn said reluctantly. “This was fun. If you’re not tired of me already, do you want to do dinner again tomorrow night?”
Dan grinned. “I’d love to. Maybe I’ll have all kinds of exciting news to share by then.”
He and Quinn walked to the front porch together, standing a little closer together than friends. They chatted all the way to Quinn’s truck.
“I’d like to kiss you,” Quinn said. “Is that okay?”
“More than okay,” Dan assured him, surprised at himself that it felt right. He knew it was fast but somehow not.
Quinn leaned in and pressed a soft, dry kiss to Dan’s lips before drawing back. “I like you,” he said in a deep, quiet tone. “I want to get to know you better. But I know you’ve got a lot going on. I’m not trying to rush you. Just putting it out there.”
Staking his claim? Dan wondered and didn’t mind at all.
“I like you too, and I am very open to see where this goes. Just be patient, please. Like you said, there’s a lot going on,” Dan replied.
“I can wait,” Quinn promised. “And I’ll help however I can.”
Dan waved goodbye as Quinn drove away, feeling like his heart would beat out of his chest. The strong chemistry between them scared him a little, although finding out that the attraction was mutual made him want to celebrate.
One thing at a time, be chill, he told himself.
When he got back to his room, Dan checked the time and realized it wasn’t as late as he first thought. On a whim, he logged into the Monster Network and looked to see who was online.
He spotted Calder and sent a note. Got time to talk?
Several seconds passed before a single word appeared. Yes, Calder replied.
I’d like to do a video call, if that’s okay, Dan sent back. It will be easier to explain my questions talking rather than typing. I’ll send a link. Seconds later, he opened the dialog box on his screen and sent Calder an invitation to join a virtual room.
“Dan. Start at the beginning,” Calder said. “I am listening.”
Dan sighed. “Thank you. I’m okay for now, but I don’t feel safe in Dover anymore, so I went to check out Fox Hollow. I might move there. And I met a nice guy. It’s just a lot all at once.”
“Tell me about it,” Calder replied.
Dan gave him all the details he had held back from Quinn about the photographers in the woods and being chased.
“That’s happened a couple of times lately, more than ever before.
I think they’re getting more aggressive, and one of these days if I stay in Dover, they’re either going to catch me or get a good enough picture that I’ll have to cut and run. ”
“You should not have to live that way,” Calder said.
“Your creature passes down from generation to generation. I’ve always been the ‘Beast of Bray Road.’ You have survived by remaining unseen.
If that is no longer possible, then staying serves no purpose.
If the photographers have become bolder, I would leave. ”
“Have you heard about Fox Hollow?” Dan found himself holding his breath.
“I have heard of it. Its reputation has always been favorable. If what I heard is true, it would be safer than Dover,” Calder said. “As for the guy, does he know?”
“No, we’re not to that point yet,” Dan confessed.
“Then that can wait,” Calder replied.
“Lots of chemistry between us, but we haven’t known each other long. I’ve never really dated anyone seriously before. And then there’s that zap every time we touch.” Dan wasn’t counting hookups, and any other gay men in Dover were too far in the closet to see daylight.
“Do not tell him before you trust him. Trust grows—it cannot be forced,” Calder replied. “Good luck.”
“Thanks, I just needed to vent,” Dan told him.
“Keep me informed. If you need me again, ask,” Calder said before they ended the video call.
Just having Calder hear the whole story made Dan feel better about his decision to move and helped to quiet his restless thoughts.
He got ready for bed and was afraid he would be too nervous about house shopping or going to the Fox Institute the next day to sleep, but to his surprise, he zonked out quickly and woke to daylight, feeling much better.
Another shower and a hot breakfast in the hotel dining room with plenty of coffee got the day off to a good start and helped Dan gather his courage. His phone buzzed, and he checked messages.
Quinn: Good luck today. Tell me all about it tonight.
Dan: Will do.
He appreciated the support.
Dan met the leasing agent on the hotel porch; a pleasant blond woman dressed in the outdoor preppy wardrobe that was so popular here.
“Welcome to Fox Hollow. I’m Lisa, and I’ll be happy to show you around. I got your email and the form you filled out, thanks. Can you tell me a little more about what your ideal rental would look like so we can make the most of our time?”
“I’d like to be a little off the beaten track.
Not isolated, but not in sight of the neighbors.
I work from home, so I need a good internet connection.
And I love walking in the woods, so the house should back up to trees but not to any popular trails.
I’d rather not have strangers trekking through my backyard. ”
Or seeing me shift or catching a glimpse of Wally, he thought.
“You’ve definitely picked the right place,” Lisa assured him. “I have some properties that might be a perfect fit.”
The first house was much too big for one person, or even two if luck held and he and Quinn got together. The second house seemed more suited for a summer rental than a year-round home, and the third didn’t have nearly enough nearby forest.
“Don’t give up hope,” Lisa told him. “I suspected those might be close but not quite right, but I wanted you to get an idea of what’s out there. I’ve saved what I hope is the best for last.”
Lisa pulled up in front of a green clapboard cottage with a broad porch.
“Three bedrooms, full bath and shower. Indoor fireplace, updated kitchen and appliances,” she told him.
“It sits on two acres and backs up to protected park land. The nearest neighbors are about a mile or so away. Good Wi-Fi and cell phone signal. Stacked washer and dryer. Propane heat with wood stove backup. If you have a pet, that’s okay, but it requires an extra deposit. ”
I am not a pet, Wally commented in his mind, sounding mildly insulted.
Hush, Dan replied.
Lisa quoted a monthly fee, and Dan was thrilled to find it fit his budget.
“I’ll take it,” he told her. “How soon is it available?”
“No one is renting it at the moment, so I can have cleaners go through to freshen it up a bit and be ready the day after tomorrow,” she told him.
“I need to get things in order where I’m living now, but I definitely want it,” Dan told her.
“We can do the paperwork today, and it’ll be ready when you are,” Lisa assured him.
It would require selling his house in Dover, and he hated to lose the connection to his grandfather and the memories, but his daemon insight told him Dover was no longer safe.
He started a mental checklist of what he would need to do, and other than discontinuing services, transferring subscriptions, and notifying his bank, most of the list would have to wait until it was safe.
Lived there all my life, and there’s no one who is really going to care that I move away. Probably not safe to let anyone from there know where I’m going anyhow, he thought.
I care, Wally said in staunch support. And I can’t wait to explore the woods and spend more time with Quinn.
When Dan finished filling out the forms at the leasing office, it was time to grab lunch before his meeting at the Fox Institute. He was elated to have found such a great place, and a little boggled at how fast his life was changing.
It’s worth it to keep Wally and me safe. Dan swallowed back his nervousness. Quinn will help us get settled. I’ve got a good feeling about it.
After he ate a sub sandwich and a soda for lunch, Dan drove to the Fox Institute, a large Victorian structure that was easily as big as the Fox Hollow Hotel. It sat nestled against the backdrop of tall pines and exuded grand elegance.
Dan expected to give his name to a receptionist and have a seat in a waiting room. Instead, a smiling man with dark hair that was graying at the temples and a neatly trimmed beard was waiting for him.
“Dan Connor? I’m Rich Jeffries.” He omitted the “doctor” in front of his name. “Please…” Jeffries gestured and ushered Dan past what looked like a grand parlor more than a waiting room and up a grand mahogany staircase to the second floor. He gestured again to an open door.
“Come on in. Can I get you some tea or coffee?”
“No, thank you.” Dan felt Wally snap to attention.
I’m picking up on some serious psychic power, his daemon said. I think he’s the real deal.
Dan hoped he didn’t look as flustered as he felt following Jeffries into a comfortable office. Diplomas validated Jeffries’s degrees and certifications. Dan also spotted some protective sigils subtly worked into the décor, but none of the gaudy trappings of roadside psychics.
Jeffries gave him a long, measured look. “You’re not a regular shifter. Cryptid of some kind. Rare.”