Atlas buried his face in his hands, his skin flushing scarlet beneath his fingers. "I can't believe I just told you that," he groaned. "You must think I'm completely hopeless."
He collapsed back into the cushions with a theatrical groan, and I couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Atlas, that's adorable. I think it's sweet you cared enough to prepare. And if we're sharing secrets..." I leaned closer, lowering my voice, "This is actually my first real date, too."
Atlas sat up, his eyes widening. “What? This isyourfirst date?”
I nodded proudly. “Yes, you are my first date. I found no one else worthy. Be proud.” I nudged his shoulder. “And the best part is, I don’t have a match tonight, so it is official, official. You got me all night.”
Chapter Thirteen
Atlas
She didn’t have her game tonight?
The coffee table overflowed with bowls of popcorn, chips, and what looked like homemade cookies. Next to the snacks, a stack of DVD cases sat, which were not the usual wildlife footage I was used to, but horror films with covers showing terrified faces and gleaming blades against dark backgrounds.
Apart from the movies, the room was comfortable. There wasn’t any harsh light, just the candles that lit the room and the comfortable seating.
She did this for me?
This wasn’t what Lucien and the rest of the Mothmen had said a female would do. Not that they had any experience. I rubbed my forehead as I watched Kassie stand up from the couch and walk into the kitchen.
At least I had the courage to tell her I wanted this to be a date. That was the only thing I had done right. I’ve said more to her than I ever have before.
Yes, I was going in the right direction.
Fortunately, the mayor had intervened with the town's magical community on my behalf. Despite their hesitation to offer more than my basic disguise, they granted me a physical human face. They warned me of consequences, given how many enchantments already clung to me.
I could worry about it later…
The enchantment they cast on me included a more potent spell to control my mating urges, something to mask my pheromones, and magic that made my human disguise solid to the touch. If Kassie reached out to caress my cheek, her fingers would meet firm skin instead of passing through the illusion to find my real face.
Which has been weird to get used to. Having your mouth in front of you where a typical human chin was, was an adjustment and not only that, a tongue so short? How does one eat their food correctly?
It would pose a problem later.
Lucien made me watch videos of humans kissing, with tongue, which added to my stress. What if Kassie wanted to do the kissing?
Humans liked to do this; it brought them closer together, not just physically but emotionally.
I wanted Kassie to have all her emotional needs met, too.
I let out a sound of distress. The illusion had taken my antennae, the parts of me most sensitive to her presence, and left me with this strange, rounded human head.
She would never want me as a moth!
Kassie returned from the kitchen, with a sway in her hips, and I watched her thighs hypnotize me as she came closer. Instead of giving me a drink from the wine I’d brought, she set down a bottle of water and a steaming mug of hot cocoa.
“As sweet as it is that you brought me wine, I think we should stay away from the alcohol and just have hot chocolate, what do you think?” She sat beside me and held her mug in both her hands. She took a deep breath, taking in the scent, and had a tentative sip.
If I did not know before, I knew now. Her light would always attract me. The one I would follow into the darkest of nights. No matter what nightmares I still had that lurked in the shadows, I would look for her.
Kassie put her coffee mug on the table. The comfortable silence between us didn’t appear to bother her or me. Boldly, I reached for her hand; she stared at me in wonder until I laced our fingers together. She smiled, and it brightened the room.
“Movie?” she asked, and all I could do was nod.
Yeah, this was all going to work out just fine.
All was not fine.
