Whatever the reason for the payout, Zach had taken it and very quickly spent a good chunk of it. He’d purchased the house—insisting that it be put in both their names—paid for all of Drew’s university fees, and then bought Aunt Harriett a small apartment in Victoria. There was still enough left over that he didn’t need to work for a living, so he spent his time helping out at the Nightingale Collective and volunteering for several different organisations.
Even if he’d never come clean about his past, there was no way Drew would have continued to believe that Zach was a demon. He was just too damn nice.
He did, however, pass well as a Canadian.
The house was nicer than Drew had ever imagined he’d have. It was located in the university district, in a quiet neighbourhood, and was the first in a row of two-storey townhouses, with a small fenced yard at the front and a garage at the back. It had four bedrooms and three bathrooms. Three! What did people do with three entire bathrooms? Zach had pointed out that one of the bathrooms on the main floor was more of a “powder room” so guests wouldn’t have to either use their en suite or go downstairs to use the bathroom there. Drew still thought it was two too many bathrooms for one couple, but it’s not like they’d built the house from scratch. He hadn’t had a say in how many bathrooms the house came with.
He let himself in through the wooden gate from the road, then crossed the yard to the three steps up to the front porch. He couldn’t help but grin as he slid the key into the lock—it was his place. Zach might have paid for it, but he’d made it clear it was theirs, and holy fucking shit, Drew owned a house!
That was never getting old.
The downstairs consisted of two bedrooms, a laundry room that connected to the garage, and a bathroom. One of the bedrooms they had set up as a guest room for when Harriett came to stay with them. Zach had plans to turn the other room into a reading room, but they’d not gotten much further into that project than to buy some flatpack bookcases which were still in their boxes.
Drew toed off his shoes and then climbed the stairs to the upper storey, where he dropped his keys into a bowl that sat on top of a long wooden cabinet. The main living space was a large open-plan area with high ceilings and large windows that let in lots of light. The kitchen at the far end on the right had wooden benchtops and shiny stainless-steel appliances that made Drew feel very grown up. Off the kitchen was a covered balcony that overlooked the park across the road, which made the place feel even more luxurious. Drew had never lived anywhere with a nice viewbefore. It had always been the wall of the building next door, or if he was lucky, a parking lot.
They had turned the second bedroom upstairs into a study of sorts, with desks for both of them. Zach used his desk to work on various projects for Grand Master Bartholomew Kensington, who was the head sorcerer for the Nightingale Collective, and Drew used his space mostly for his university studies, but also his magical studies.
It turned out that Drew came from a long line of witches and he had magic in spades. Kensington had been awed when he’d gotten his first read of Drew’s magic, but he’d also been worried about so much raw power in an untrained individual. He had quickly agreed to teach Drew so he didn’t inadvertently injure someone, and they met once a week for magical lessons. The house that was used as the Collective’s headquarters in Ladysmith wasn’t exactly Unseen University, but Drew didn’t need a decrepit Tower of Art, a High Energy Magic Building, or a library full of L-space run by an orangutan. As Kensington’s only student, his education was catered specifically for him and he didn’t need an entire university of indolent and inept old wizards. The one-on-one learning could sometimes be a little overwhelming, but overall Drew was progressing in leaps and bounds.
Glancing at the fancy wrought-iron clock on the wall, Drew saw that he still had almost an hour until Zach would be home, so he headed down to their bedroom. He pulled open the top right-hand drawer of their shared dresser, where he kept his socks, and Drew dug through the pile until his hand found the small ring box. He pulled it out and then went to sit on the end of the bed before he flipped the lid open.
The band inside was simple, and it didn’t cost as much as most engagement or wedding rings did. Drew couldn’t afford anything pricey, but he’d put a lot of thought into what type of ring would suit Zach, and he was certain this ring was perfect. It was made from black zirconium and had a small ruby inlaid in the centre. The colour combination wasreminiscent of Zach’s beautiful wings. It was elegant and stylish, just like Zach himself, and the metal had been subjected to extreme temperatures and yet emerged transformed into something truly beautiful.
Just like Zach.
Drew knew his inexperience with relationships made him uncertain at times, but in this he was positive he had made the right choice. He couldn’t wait to get down on one knee and offer Zach this ring in exchange for forever with him. Marriage wasn’t for everyone, and Drew had honestly never thought he’d ever want to get married, but for some reason, it felt right to him now.
He heard the front door close and jerked in surprise. “Hey, sweetness. I’m home!” Zach’s voice drifted up the stairs.
Drew swore and snapped the box shut, then quickly shoved it back into the drawer, burying it under his socks. He hurried down the short hallway into the living area just as Zach appeared at the top of the stairs. He was looking gorgeous as usual, his dark hair perfectly styled, his golden whiskey-coloured eyes bright, and his tall frame draped in a tailored shirt and suit pants that clung to every muscle. His wings were hidden, but Drew knew they could appear at a moment’s notice whenever Zach wished. “Hey,” he said with a big smile, crossing to Zach and tilting his head up for a kiss.
“Hey,” Zach murmured against his lips.
“You’re back early,” Drew noted.
“Yeah. Kensington and Simon got called off to some sort of disaster somewhere, so I figured I’d call it a day.”
Drew frowned. “Is everything alright?”
Zach shrugged. “They didn’t look too stressed, so I don’t think it’s apocalyptic or anything.”
Rolling his eyes, Drew said, “As long as the world isn’t ending, I guess we’re not supposed to be concerned.”
“There wasn’t a supercell full of harpies hovering over the island, and I haven’t seen any hobbits with an unhinged, anemic stalker trekking over to Mt Baker to destroy a ring, so I think it’s okay,” Zach assured him. “Besides, if the shit really hits the fan, they’ll call us in for backup.”
“I’m not complaining that they haven’t. I am totally on board with not having to be on call for end-of-times catastrophes. I’m very happy to leave that up to the experts at the Collective. One big disaster a year is enough for me, thank you very much.” And it was true. Drew may have discovered he’d inherited a strong magical ability, but no matter how much Kensington hinted that Drew was perfectly suited to join the Nightingale Collective, he wasn’t particularly interested.
Not yet at least.
Sure, in ten or twenty years he might consider it, but for now he wanted to keep his life as normal as possible. He’d finish his degree, find a job, and live life as an everyday Joe. Kind of. As much as one could when they were dating—and would hopefully be engaged to—an ex-angel, had magical lessons once a week, and knew about the existence of the paranormal.
Drew didn’t have heroic aspirations. He didn’t want to be the one who rode in at the last moment and saved the day. He just wanted a simple life. Drew knew that the cards he’d been dealt meant his life wouldn’t truly be simple, but he could mitigate the craziness to some degree, couldn’t he?
Fuck, he really hoped he could.
“Did you still want to go for a walk?” Zach asked.
“If you don’t mind.”
