Chapter Eight
Sirius
Sirius stood outside the house of the address that Calista gave him days earlier.
He’d been putting things off for reasons he couldn’t explain. Maybe it was because he was visiting a coven for the first time and wasn’t sure what to expect. He knocked and waited patiently for someone to answer the door.
On his drive over, he could see the last remnants of the holiday season as they took down the giant Christmas tree and the decorations from the gazebo. He’d spied the skating rink not far and hoped to be able to enjoy it before the weather changed. He didn’t know how to skate but with a new home came new experiences.
The atmosphere around Vale Valley made him feel as if this was where he should have been all along. Alphonso told him that the town was unique, not because of the different people and shifters living in it. But because they cherished life and what they had, which was why they went overboard celebrating every holiday that came around.
I can’t wait to see what they are going to do for Valentine’s.
Alphonso also told him that since coming back to Vale Valley he could see the dream his grandparents had for the town. It was still a work in progress and will continue to be for a long time as the town grows more secrets will be revealed. Sirius had also learned a few secrets about the town other than the ones he’d figured out, like the lake that will never freeze, or that he could see ghosts that had yet to crossover to the other side. All things considered, he was handling things a lot better for someone who’d just gotten into town.
Sirius tilted his head to the side and hissed, his neck was a bit sore from the last mating bite. Alphonso went to heal it, but Sirius wanted to feel remnants of their mating. Alphonso had spent the night, leaving before the sun rose to be home just in case Tamia woke up. Sirius could still feel the warmth of his mate’s caress every time the man came to his mind.
He could hear Alphonso’s deep voice whispering in his ear as they made love. He was having a difficult time fighting against the bond that was pulling them together and telling him to find his mate. He hadn’t realized how strong the bewitching was until he experienced it. He hated that his mate had to leave his side even if it was to attend to his child, when all he wanted to do was have Alphonso wrap him up and keep him in his arms.
“Can I help you?”
Sirius was pulled out of his thoughts and stumbled back in shock that he hadn’t heard when the door open.
“Whoa there, are you okay?” The guy asked as he reached out and helped Sirius to steady himself.
“Yeah, sorry,” he said after a few minutes.
“It’s all right. You looked as if you were lost in thought when I answered the door. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Sirius looked up and studied the man in front of him. He was handsome with dark curly hair, dark brown skin, and deep chocolate eyes.
“Wow, are all the men in Vale Valley handsome?” Sirius snapped his mouth shut once he realized that wasn’t said in his head.
The man chuckled. “Not all of us.”
“Sorry, sometimes my brain forgets to filter before it reaches my mouth.”
“Not to worry about it. If we all kept things bottled up inside of us, we might spontaneously combust,” Nicholas said in a kind voice that put Sirius at ease. “So, what can I do for you?”
“I’m looking for Nicholas DiMarco, Calista sent me to speak with him.”
“You must be Sirius Henson?”
“I am.”
“I’m Nicholas, and it’s nice to meet you finally. Cal’s been talking about you non-stop.”
“Cal, who’s that? And how would they know me?”
“Calista, she wanted me to balance out your aura. But looking at you now, I can’t seem to find anything wrong with you. Anyway, come on in and let’s talk, there has to be some other reason she wanted me to see you.”
Sirius walked into the house and took in the scenery. Soft, calming colors filled the room, and it put him completely at ease. Again, the feeling of belonging came back to him and familiarity as if he’d been there before when he was certain he hadn’t.
“Let’s go in the kitchen, and we can talk while I make some tea.”
As if knowing where he was going, Sirius turned and walked in the direction of where he knew the kitchen should be. Instead of sitting at the table, he went to the cabinet and pulled out a glass mug and stared at it for a few seconds.
What the hell am I doing?
