Spooks & Specters: A San DeLain Short Story Collection

Chapter Three

THE FOOD was excellent, and so was the company. Doc Terry had the dark hair and eyes that all daemons had, which of course Axel knew, but it was like he was seeing it for the first time.

And Axel had a thing for tall, dark, and handsome, and Terry fit that description. Odd that he’d never noticed that before now.

Of course, it had been at least a hundred years since he’d last seen Terry, and the last time he had seen him? They had not gotten along. Of course, Axel hadn’t gotten along with any of Kage’s clan, which had been completely and entirely Axel’s fault.

“Did you make these?”

Axel asked, taking a big bite out of his second steak burger.

Terry laughed softly. “I wish I could claim responsibility, but unfortunately, no. I ordered our lunch from Rafferty’s and then had it delivered. It’s a chain of restaurants—a bar and grill type eating establishment. There are several around San DeLain.”

“Oh. It probably wasn’t around when I was.”

A lot of things existed now that hadn’t when Axel had last been there. It was amazing how things could change in a hundred years.

“Most likely not.”

Terry wiped his mouth with the napkin, then cleared his throat. “There’s an extra burger if you need it.”

Axel glanced at the brown paper bag. He had smelled the extra food, of course. “I thought that was yours.”

“No. I got you three. I know shifters need calories after a shift.”

And Axel was already suffering from malnutrition, so he especially needed the calories. Terry didn’t say that, but Axel heard it clearly.

“Thank you. I appreciate that.”

It bothered him that he had no way to pay Terry back, but that wasn’t something he could worry about right then. But one day… one day he would make it up to Terry.

“But it bothers you, doesn’t it?”

Axel shrugged.

“You’re my patient, Axel. Of course I’m going to take care of you.”

Warmth fluttered in Axel’s chest before he ruthlessly stomped it out. Most likely what Terry meant was that Kage was taking care of him, which he had offered to do.

The why of it still confused Axel.

It bothered him to have to accept charity, but on the other hand, he was so pitifully grateful that there was someone who actually gave a damn about him, he didn’t know what to do. It had been so long since someone had. Before now, the attention he’d garnered had been less than... kind.

Terry reached across the table and patted Axel’s hand. “Is everything okay?”

Axel shoved the stupid thoughts out of his head and looked at Terry. “Everything’s fine. I was just having an internal debate.”

Which he was. He was also mildly surprised how his hand tingled when Terry touched him. He was touch starved, but that wasn’t what this was.

This was something he certainly hadn’t felt in a very long time—interest of a romantic nature. Which wasn’t surprising, considering he spent all this time just trying to survive.

“Internal debate, huh?”

Terry asked.

“Yup.”

“I argue with myself all the time, and I rarely win.”

A surprised laugh escaped Axel at being called out. “Yeah?”

“Most definitely. There’s me, the doctor, then there’s me, Terry, the daemon. The doctor part is all about schedules, charts, and always learning new techniques so I can improve my patients’ care.”

“I can see that. You’re very good doctor.”

“Thank you. I like to think that I am. Then there’s me, Terry. The man who spends too much time reading medical journals and not watching movies.”

Axel blinked in shock. Of all the things he’d been expecting Terry to say, this was not it.

“The man who hasn’t had a date in he doesn’t know when,”

Terry grumbled.

Axel completely understood that too. But for him, he could remember the last date he’d had, and it had been a complete and total disaster that took a hundred years of his life. That was a track record nobody wanted.

“The man who can’t remember the last time he had lunch with somebody.”

Horrified, Terry stared at Axel. “And, wow, I can’t believe I just told you that. I’ve completely forgotten how to act in civilized company.”

Axel snorted. “I don’t know that I would consider myself civilized company, but thank you.”

Terry groaned. “I had forgotten your wicked sense of humor.”

Axel didn’t know if he had a sense of humor, wicked or otherwise, then or now. “Well, I don’t know about the rest of that, but I can answer one thing.”

“And what’s that?”

“Last time you had lunch with somebody was today, and I was the lucky guy who got to have it with you,”

Axel said, toasting Terry with his soda. “And I’m having a blast.”

Color rushed across Terry’s cheeks.

For a second, they stared at each other. Time sort of ground to a stop. Terry looked shocked, and Axel couldn’t believe what just came out of his mouth. Seriously, he was nowhere close to being civilized company. But then, the only company he’d had for a hundred years had been his own.

“And, you know, we’re kind of in the same boat as far as movies go. I’m woefully behind too,”

Axel joked.

It was all he could think of doing to break the staring contest they’d had going on. Not that he particularly wanted to end it. Staring into Terry’s eyes had been… comforting.

He was pretty sure no one, ever, had thought that about a daemon. They were known as one of the scariest paranormals for a reason. The shit that they could do with shadows was terrifying.

Terry blinked, then cleared his throat. “Same boat, huh?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know about that, but it does seem like something we should rectify. What do you think?”

Be cool. Be cool! What did he think? Was Terry kidding him? He thought that was a wonderful idea. Absolutely fabulous. In fact, they should rectify that tonight. Then a tidal wave of doubt washed over Axel. Was Terry being serious? Or was he just making conversation?

Unease crossed Terry’s face. “Then again—”

He is serious. This isn’t just him being a good doctor, and by the gods, I’m fucking it up. “I’m a little bit behind the times, so could I depend on you to make recommendations?”

Terry suddenly smiled. “I think I can handle that.”

Axel knew right then that he wanted to see Terry smile a lot more. In fact, he planned to spend significant time trying to achieve that goal. A part of him was concerned, there was no denying that.

He was weak, living off charity, carrying a lot of baggage, and most likely would have a werewolf pack targeting him soon. He had nothing to offer anyone, and who knew where his life was going now.

Terry was not his fated mate. Axel knew that.

If Terry had been, Axel would have known as soon as he met Terry a hundred years ago. Fated mates were one of the things—one of the numerous things—that had ended him and Kage because Axel had made it an issue. A hugely significant issue that it hadn’t needed to be.

But Axel was not the wolf he was then. All that arrogance had been beaten out of him. Finding his fated mate was no longer the brass ring he sought. Too much had happened to him over the past one hundred years, and he had a greater appreciation for the more simplistic things in life, like compatibility. Like contentment.

Those were two things Terry brought to Axel’s life.

“Good. I’m glad to hear that you can handle that because I’m certainly looking forward to it.”

Axel suddenly grinned at Terry. “I’m really behind the times on the advancement the food industry has made too.”

Terry snickered when Axel took another big bite out of his steak burger. “I believe I can educate you on that as well.”

“Now you’re talking!”

“Great, we’ll plan on dinner and a movie then. I’ll come back at seven, and we can decide on what to watch,”

Terry suggested. “Is that okay with you?”

“I think I can’t wait. Do I need to do anything?”

“No. I’ll take care of everything.”

Again, there was a time that a sentence like that would have ruffled Axel’s fur. But now? He was glad there was somebody who gave enough of a damn to take care of things for him.

Terry picked up one of the extra napkins, stared at Axel for a moment, then gently wiped a dollop of mayonnaise off Axel’s lip. Axel blinked as Terry slowly lowered the napkin and color once again washed across his face.

That warmth that had fluttered in Axel’s chest earlier? Well, that flutter had just sparked into a small flame. Maybe he and Terry would be just friends. Maybe they would be something more, but Axel was willing to take whatever Terry was willing to offer.

Pain and suffering had shaped Axel into a different wolf. He’d been pieced back together into a jumbled mess, but maybe that wasn’t the worst thing ever. Maybe, maybe he was a better person now. Or maybe he could be eventually.

Axel was torn and tattered, but he’d been given a second chance at life, and this time he was going into it with his eyes wide open.

A Bitter Kiss

Warning: There is an argument, and one character puts his hands on another in anger.