Page 4

POE

M y flames extinguish the moment I see them reflected in Beau’s eyes.

“I remember that day.” I squeeze my eyes shut, so I don’t have to look at Beau’s sweet face. He’s definitely grown up, but had he not told me his past, I never would have realized this was the boy the strange human asked me to raise.

Edward, the old man, had stood on his knees looking up at me, begging for me to take the boy to the creche. He could have asked for immortality. Could have asked for any number of things, but he wanted me to raise the boy as a crossroads demon, which I couldn’t do. The boy would have been the only one in the creche. All of my crossroads demons were grown or assigned by that time.

“Edward wasn’t a born witch, was he? He didn’t know about the sanctuary towns, otherwise he would have taken you to one.”

Beau shakes his head. “I don’t know what he was, if anything. After the death of his wife, I think he was as lost as I was. I still am.”

“And why are you lost? Why aren’t you living in a bat colony? There are so few of you, surely?—”

“I lived with my parents until—” He shakes his head as he falls back onto the couch. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”

I drop to my knees in front of him. “Beau, I know it hurts, but talk to me.” It’s always better to talk things through. At least that’s what I told my demons when I needed them to give me information. Our numbers have dwindled drastically, though. Aside from myself, there are only two crossroads demons left and I’m the only one that knows the truth of us all. All of our— my —secrets.

“I can’t.”

I swipe his hair from his eyes. “I promise talking helps. Have you ever talked to anyone about whatever happened?”

“Edward.” His eyes drop and he fidgets. “Sparkle knows some.”

“Did Edward know you were a shifter?”

“Yes, and he encouraged me to be bat as much as possible when we were home.” There’s a faraway look in Beau’s eyes. “He told me all about his wife and how she was the one to teach him about shifters and witches and all of us. I think she was a born witch, but he talked about her about as much as I talked about my family.”

“Beau…” I take his hands. “Did something happen to your parents during a storm? Is that why?—”

He yanks his hands free and tries to pull away from me.

“It’s okay to be afraid of storms. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“Really? Just one rumble of thunder has me shaking . I’m in my twenties! No one is afraid of storms in their twenties.”

“How did it happen?” I ask softly.

He sniffles and shakes his head. Tears stream down his face and he roughly wipes them away with the heels of his palms. “I was off on my own, flying around, playing, and I thought nothing of it when it started raining. I don’t like rain, so I headed back to the family tree. The rain got harder, and I had to land because I was too heavy. I kept going though, shifting to my human to walk home. But—” He shakes his head over and over. “I can’t. I can’t.”

“It’s okay, Beau. It’s okay.” I sit next to him on the couch and he wraps his arms around me to bury his face in my chest.

I rub his back as he cries. I’ve been in this position so many times with my crossroads demons when they were younger.

“I couldn’t help them. Couldn’t save them,” he mumbles against me. “The lightning hit the tree, and it burned. They were stuck because of a fallen branch and I couldn’t get to them.” He clings to my shirt. “I still hear the sounds they made, the tree, the storm. It’s my fault. Mine. If I could have gotten to them?—”

“ No , Beau, it’s not your fault. You were a child. You did what you could.”

“I couldn’t do anything .”

“I’m sorry that happened to you.” I want to kiss the top of his head, but refrain, keeping myself as professional as possible.

I let him sob until his shoulders stop shaking. My shirt is soaked, but I don’t care. If I can give Beau a small bit of comfort, it’s worth it. He sits and wipes his nose. “Sorry,” he whispers.

“Don’t be.”

His head falls to the back of the couch and he looks up at the ceiling. “Every time it storms, I tell myself I can get through it, just this once, but I never can. What if someone else gets hurt? What if I can’t help them? No one should have to go through that.”

“I agree. No one should. And I know it’s supposed to storm for several days in Hex.”

Beau stiffens at my words. “I know.”

“I’d like you to stay here until they blow over. It’ll give me time to get you properly registered with the town and find you accommodations more suited to you.”

“I can’t do that.” He pushes away. “I need to pay rent to Mrs. Boots. If I don’t work?—”

“Mrs. Boots didn’t ask for your permit? Or the grocery store?”

Beau shakes his head. “No one has ever asked me for a permit. I didn’t know I was supposed to have one. I flew in through a hole in the wards?—”

“There aren’t any holes in the wards, I check them myself.”

Beau gives me a look, the kind that says how did I get in then, and I shut my mouth.

“I flew in through a hole in the wards. I saw it with echolocation. Then I flew around to see if I liked Hex. I kinda maybe stole a shirt and pants from a clothesline. Found a job at the grocery, then overheard Mrs. Boots saying she needed extra income and was planning on renting the basement. I casually strolled around the corner and asked if they knew where I could find a place to live. She gave me the first month for the cost of doing two months of laundry for the house until I could get money from my job. It was a bargain. And Sparkle is my best friend.”

What feels like the thousandth time today, I pinch the bridge of my nose. I have a lot of investigating to do.

“What did I say?”

“Nothing, but I need to find out if we have more stowaways than just you. We really do want Hex to be a haven, but to make sure we have everything we need for the residents, we need to know they are here. Plus, now I need to know where the weak spots are and why they’re weak.”

“I just added to your workload.” Beau’s shoulders drop and he looks genuinely sad. “Sorry. I should just go. I can leave Hex.”

As he pushes to stand, I grab his wrist and tug him back down. “No, out of the question. You belong here now.”

“I could have belonged here nine years ago,” Beau mumbles. “Why didn’t you offer Hex when you refused the creche?”

It’s a good question. “We’re only allowed to work on one deal at a time.”

“You are the king. Surely the rules don’t apply to you.”

How wrong he is. I ignore the statement and continue my explanation. “Edward summoned me for the creche. It was a no. For me to take you to Hex, he would have had to summon me again and specifically ask for it. We are tight with security. Only people that need to know, know.”

“And he had no idea otherwise he would have asked you to take me to Hex back then.”

“Exacly.” I rub my temple. “Who was his wife? Do you know her maiden name? If she knew all about shifters and witches, I have to wonder who the hell she is.”

“Calista?”

I shoot up. “Calista Magefeld?”

“Yeah! Did you know her?”

“Fuck. Actually, yes.” I sink deeper into the couch. “And I’m the reason she’s dead.”