Chapter 25 — My Last Boyfriend

The jeep took three tries to start. Thanks to the uncontrolled power I’d used last night. It was more embarrassing than anything. Lana looked at me worriedly until if fired up with a gout of exhaust from the tailpipe. My shoulders relaxed and I shifted it into gear and backed up slowly. First and reverse were short touchy gears, but I made it look easy. Exhaust filled the cabin for a moment as we reversed, the open back and absence of doors allowed the contaminated air to blow in over us. The roar of the engine and the early morning air bit at my ears and I regretted putting my beanie in the backpack. I’d also loaned my thick jacket to Lana to help her stave off the cold but it would only be a short drive. We bounced down the rough roadway of the alley. It was too loud to carry on a comfortable conversation, but Lana managed to direct me the few turns to her home.

It was a nice place. A wrap-around porch covered the front and at least one side of the house, the others concealed behind a fence. Ivy grew over the lower brickwork, and it had several aged maple trees in the front yard which were busy dropping leaves. The house was well maintained if a bit old. The leaves lucky enough to still cling to the old trees were various shades of red, yellow, orange, and a few stubborn branches clinging to green despite the cold autumn air. They wouldn’t be able to hold out for much longer.

I pulled up on the driveway and turned off the engine.

“I can wait—”

“Come in,” Lana said, jumping free of her seat. My lifted tires made getting out a bit of a jump, even for me, but Lana managed just fine. She slid out of my jacket and tossed it at me. I stuffed it in my backpack which I then flung into the back of the jeep.

I hoped out, taking in the yard. Further behind the house was a large separate garage that could hold at least two cars and a bit of a shop or storage. The home looked to have a basement with a few low windows poking up through bushes and shrubs. The backyard was long and spacious with more trees, bushes, and a big lawn. The foliage was so dense you couldn’t see much more than rooftops from the nearby houses. We walked to a side door which Lana opened.

Inside was like stepping into the past. We were in the kitchen, with an old stove, oak drawers and cabinets with a granite countertop which surrounded most of the room. Aged rugs adorned the hardwood floor.

It wasn’t the open concept of newer homes, or open like my shop. Each room was its own space. I mentally focused on controlling my power, forcing it inward. I really needed to make an inhibitor—something I could probably craft— to limit magical spillover from my body so it didn’t damage things around me. The problem was, it would be damn expensive and take a few weeks to prepare. It would probably also inhibit my senses and ability to use my powers when worn which would put me at a disadvantage. I’d never considered needing one before… as it would be basically like wearing handcuffs all the time in regards to my abilities. That meant more danger… but it might be worth it to spend time with Lana, in her home, without fear of breaking anything.

“Feel free to help yourself to anything in the fridge,” she said. I took a large step away from the fridge making it clear I didn’t want to destroy it. She showed me around the house, the front room looked untouched and rarely used. Doily’s sat under two tabletop lamps, nestled against a retro-styled sofa. While old, each piece was immaculate and well cared for.

“The whole house needs some serious renovations.” Lana said with a nervous laugh, her eyes tracing everywhere I looked. “But I’ve found myself hesitant to change it from the way it was when I grew up and visited. It’s like losing the last memory of how life was before everything changed.”

I nodded, sensing her own heartache, “Its lovely.”

“You seem to have some good style. Maybe you could help me, with the hard parts?”

“If that’s what you need, I’d love too.”

We perused a few more rooms. The house was spacious with at least three bedrooms on this level. “I have changed my bedroom from what my grandma had,” she said, biting her lower lip. “You can come see that if you would like—or are we in too much of a hurry?”

“—No hurry at all,” I said, my voice sounding a little gruff as that was likely going to be the most intimate part of her home to show me. “Bu—” I started before she leaned in and kissed me once on the lips. It was soft, strong, and jumbled my mind. The electric energy of it damned any concerns I’d had. I’d been about to tell her some of the things she needed to know about me and how I would age, the threats that would always target me, the powers of the world that would be against her simply by being associated with me. But instead, I stopped and looked at her. Lana’s eyes were wide and scared, as if the impulsive kiss had been an accident and she was now unsure what the consequence would be. I answered by wrapping my arms around her warmly, she leaned in, and we kissed again. Her lips felt amazing, soft, and warm. She pulled away before things could too passionate. Her cheeks flushed, and slightly out of breath.

“I’m sorry,” she said, looking at me coyly through her dark eyelashes.

“Don’t be.”

“No, that came out of nowhere,” She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as if trying to center herself. “I’m prone to jumping into things. My… my dad always warned that could get me into trouble and it has.”

I nodded, “I’ve jumped into things too quickly too. It’s fine Lana. We go the awkwardness of a first kiss out of the way.”

“First two kisses,” She agreed, then her tone grew vulnerable. “It’s just… Well, usually I have guys coming onto me too quickly, and I know they are the wrong type. Fancy cars and trust funds, obsessed with themselves and what they have. I know deep down it’s not what I want, and that it’s not going to work out in the long run. With you… It just feels different. But that makes me want to be careful— and then I go do something like that. You just looked really cute, and I acted on reflex. I’m sorry.”

My heart soared at hearing she thought I was cute, “Lana, its fine. I feel like this is something different too, something specia—”

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

One of the nearby lamps let out a buzzt and died in a flash of light, dropping us into soft darkness.

“Oh, no!” I said, unsure how to continue as the moment had been broken, before realizing that we both had a bigger problem, a much bigger more annoying all-consuming problem. “Fren is going to be incessant for details…he’s going to feel this, this deeper connection between us.” I said, annoyed at the actual panic in my voice.

“Wait, what?” Lana said, brow furrowed as she considered the non sequitur and the burned-out bulb.

“He’s going to know we kissed, it’s going to be written all over my aura and our pheromones or however he does it. He’s going to ask nonstop questions and give us both a million pointers we don’t need.” I could tell she didn’t understand the seriousness of the problem, and I didn’t know how to bring home the magnitude of it for her. I was worried I wouldn’t get any sleep for the next week.

“Really,” She said carefully as if internally reconsidering everything she’d said before, “How would he even know what a kiss is like?”

“Exactly,” I said pointing a finger. “He’ll go on and on and on! And none of it will make any sense. It will be all ‘I’ve deeply reflected on the human condition in regard to love’, then he’ll jump into dryad this, dryad that—Then, he’ll try to get into specifics with things he’s seen and overheard.”

Lana shook her head laughing. “I’m glad you make me laugh or we’d be in trouble.”

“I’m not joking!” I said seriously, “We really are in trouble.”

She grabbed my hand to dispel the rant, dragging me towards a set of stairs and presumably her room. The tactic worked though I was going to need to get some coke pronto, though that marginally worried me that Fren would make his way to her house to ask for all the details since she had no such protection. I’d have to set some special wards.

Lana looked gorgeous as she led me up the stairs to a single large attic-like space she’d converted into her bedroom. It was spacious and had an inviting bed of white linin with some burnt orange throw pillows. The drapes over the windows were pulled back but showed only the long backyard surrounded by trees. Privacy with a view.

“What do you think?” Lana asked, with no small amount of nervous energy as she bounced in place.

The room was clearly a space she had made all her own. The decor didn’t match the rest of the house, and most of it looked new. A few plants dotted the room, rich woods, and simple colors mostly consisting of white, cream, or autumn orange. The bed looked as soft as a cloud, a large mirror and antique vanity adorned one corner. Several plants dotted the room giving splashes of green color. Even better, she had three bookshelves filled with well-worn, well-used books. It looked inviting and like a place I would never want to leave.

“It looks wonderful. I like your style,” I said, considering the bohemian vibe with her own flares, which was similar to but also uniquely different than my own home.

I strode to the bookshelf and got my own wicked grin as I discovered each and every book I could see was a romance novel of some variation.

“Real dearth of Sci-fi and Fantasy novels?” I said, mimicking her comments from my own room.

“A girl has her needs,” she said slyly from beside me, perusing them as well. “And a few of these could be considered romantic fantasy.”

I grinned, but when one of the nearby lamps flickered, I stepped back from her and the shelf on instinct.

Lana let out a delighted snicker, “I’m sure I’m going to get sick of that at some point, but right now it’s really fun —Oh, I should move these,” she said, gesturing to a laptop on a short nightstand beside the bed, as I nodded.

“How far away?”

“Honestly the further the better,” I said, taking another careful step back.

“Then I’ll be right back,” she said bending over far further than what was necessary, her back to me tauntingly as she gathered up the devices. I didn’t mind the view, but I did mind the mock disapproving look she gave me when she stood back up. Before I could say anything to explain myself Lana quickly turned and descended the stairs with her valuable electronics.

I sat on the edge of her bed, focusing on my control and racing heart as I looked around. The closet was open, and I could see the shelves were full, lots of blacks, reds, and olive greens. Solid dark colors.

A picture of Lana and her dad I assumed rested on the nightstand. He was dressed in a military uniform; they were at some formal event or another. He looked strong… sturdy in ways that only someone ready for combat at any moment can be. He had a bright smile. Lana looked exuberant beside him, if much younger and more naïve than she looked now. She stood in a form-fitting black dress that looked incredible. Her hair didn’t have the slight auburn maroon tint that it did now. Instead, it was black as midnight and much longer going clear to her waist. She looked—joyful. I could see with that comparison alone, that the past few years had been hard. Loss weighed on people, she looked gaunter now, her cheeks narrower. Her beautiful eyes now held a note of caution. Some of the changes could simply come from growing up, but I doubted it was all from that. Lana had had a few rough years, and I internally promised to protect her as our lives collided. My goal to keep this area safe redoubled, especially now that she was blooded by to the unseelie. I had to find the entity causing trouble.

“I’ll keep her safe,” I vowed to her dad in the picture, hoping that wherever he was, he would know I meant it. I needed to tell her more about myself, and what a relationship with me would also entail.

“Shit!” I heard Lana yell from somewhere in the house.

“What is it?” I said, jumping up and going towards her voice.

“I opened my laptop to check it, and my work has been trying to get ahold of me!” She said, running past me up the stairs and into the room to gather a few things. “I’m so sorry.” She said, as she ran to her closet and began to change her shirt, uncaring that I was present in her hurry.

I turned away, giving her privacy, despite the changing we’d done at my place.

“It’s about the murder,” she continued, voice a little more stressed than I’d heard before. I knew she liked to excel at things and not showing up to work when she was needed must have thrown her off. “My phone was… well, dead after last night and I didn’t work today so I didn’t think about them calling me in, but they did! All hands-on deck to help the FBI with their investigation and they want me present.”

“Sorry about the phone,” I said with a grimace. “And that you missed all of that because of me.”

“Not your fault, or, well it is ­—but it’s not like you tried to break it,” she said, dashing about the room to grab her uniform and other necessities for work”

“I can still drive you if you need. I can drop you off at the station?”

“Thanks for the offer, but I have no idea what I’ll need to do or how long I’ll be there. I’ll take my car. I’m so sorry we have to rush out like this,” She paused looking me deep in the eyes.

“Maybe I’ll see you up there?” I asked, “I was going to start near the inn and see what clues I could find.”

“No, follow me! I’m going to the inn! We can clear your name with the FBI while were there. I actually know the guy running the case, it’s why they specifically wanted me in on this,” she said, as I hastily glanced away while she changed her jeans. She didn’t seem to mind, but I felt like I was invading her space now that she hurrying to get ready.

“Wait, FBI?” I said, refocusing on what she’d said. “You know the agent?”

She grinned, having watched me turn she changed and likely knew the reason I hadn’t grasped all the details at first. “Yeah, the FBI manages all murders in the national parks, there are only a few of them on this case.”

“And you know one?” I said as I tried to keep up. She led the way downstairs, grabbing her purse, some food, and a water bottle from the fridge, offering me one which I declined.

“Yeah, his dad and mine were friends. We dated once or twice in high school, then again, a few years ago. If I’m being fully honest… it never really went anywhere, but you should know he was my last boyfriend two years ago.”

“He didn’t find you amazing?”

She smiled, taking my praise for what it was, “He did, I just didn’t find him as amazing. Now follow me, if you think you can keep up!” She said with a wink.