Page 14 of Glow

“I’d like to be a little off the beaten track. Not isolated, but not in sight of the neighbors. I work from home, so I need a good internet connection. And I love walking in the woods, so the house should back up to trees but not to any popular trails. I’d rather not have strangers trekking through my backyard.”

Or seeing me shift or catching a glimpse of Wally, he thought.

“You’ve definitely picked the right place,” Lisa assured him. “I have some properties that might be a perfect fit.”

The first house was much too big for one person, or even two if luck held and he and Quinn got together. The second house seemed more suited for a summer rental than a year-round home, and the third didn’t have nearly enough nearby forest.

“Don’t give up hope,” Lisa told him. “I suspected those might be close but not quite right, but I wanted you to get an idea of what’s out there. I’ve saved what I hope is the best for last.”

Lisa pulled up in front of a green clapboard cottage with a broad porch. “Three bedrooms, full bath and shower. Indoor fireplace, updated kitchen and appliances,” she told him. “It sits on two acres and backs up to protected park land. The nearest neighbors are about a mile or so away. Good Wi-Fi and cell phone signal. Stacked washer and dryer. Propane heat with wood stove backup. If you have a pet, that’s okay, but it requires an extra deposit.”

I am not a pet, Wally commented in his mind, sounding mildly insulted.

Hush, Dan replied.

Lisa quoted a monthly fee, and Dan was thrilled to find it fit his budget.

“I’ll take it,” he told her. “How soon is it available?”

“No one is renting it at the moment, so I can have cleaners go through to freshen it up a bit and be ready the day after tomorrow,” she told him.

“I need to get things in order where I’m living now, but I definitely want it,” Dan told her.

“We can do the paperwork today, and it’ll be ready when you are,” Lisa assured him.

It would require selling his house in Dover, and he hated to lose the connection to his grandfather and the memories, but his daemon insight told him Dover was no longer safe. He started a mental checklist of what he would need to do, and other than discontinuing services, transferring subscriptions, and notifying his bank, most of the list would have to wait until it was safe.

Lived there all my life, and there’s no one who is really going to care that I move away. Probably not safe to let anyone from there know where I’m going anyhow, he thought.

I care, Wally said in staunch support. And I can’t wait to explore the woods and spend more time with Quinn.

When Dan finished filling out the forms at the leasing office, it was time to grab lunch before his meeting at the Fox Institute. He was elated to have found such a great place, and a little boggled at how fast his life was changing.

It’s worth it to keep Wally and me safe. Dan swallowed back his nervousness. Quinn will help us get settled. I’ve got a good feeling about it.

After he ate a sub sandwich and a soda for lunch, Dan drove to the Fox Institute, a large Victorian structure that was easily as big as the Fox Hollow Hotel. It sat nestled against the backdrop of tall pines and exuded grand elegance.

Dan expected to give his name to a receptionist and have a seat in a waiting room. Instead, a smiling man with dark hair that was graying at the temples and a neatly trimmed beard was waiting for him.

“Dan Connor? I’m Rich Jeffries.” He omitted the “doctor” in front of his name. “Please…” Jeffries gestured and ushered Dan past what looked like a grand parlor more than a waiting room and up a grand mahogany staircase to the second floor. He gestured again to an open door.

“Come on in. Can I get you some tea or coffee?”

“No, thank you.” Dan felt Wally snap to attention.

I’m picking up on some serious psychic power, his daemon said. I think he’s the real deal.

Dan hoped he didn’t look as flustered as he felt following Jeffries into a comfortable office. Diplomas validated Jeffries’s degrees and certifications. Dan also spotted some protective sigils subtly worked into the décor, but none of the gaudy trappings of roadside psychics.

Jeffries gave him a long, measured look. “You’re not a regular shifter. Cryptid of some kind. Rare.”

Dan’s eyes widened. “Yes. I’m the Dover Demon. Daemon, really, not infernal.”

Jeffries chuckled. “I understand. Since you’re here, I’m guessing you’ve heard about Fox Hollow and the Fox Sisters, how we became a sanctuary for ‘special’ people.”

“A little. I wanted to make sure I’d be safe here…and welcome. Liam said I needed to talk to you.” Dan felt relieved to get the words out. “I’m not going to look like anyone else, but I swear I don’t hurt people and I won’t harm the other shifters.”

Jeffries paused as if he was listening to someone only he could hear, and Dan guessed that was a real possibility. “No, I don’t believe you would hurt anyone. Even our shifters who are more dangerous creatures—wolves, coyotes, bears and the like—follow a simple, essential rule. Thou shalt not eat thy neighbor.”