Page 38 of Glow

Quinn reached out with one hand and gently stroked his fingers down the daemon’s arm. It quivered at his touch but didn’t move away. He got the same tingle he did from Dan’s human form and smiled at the realization that the daemon was part of their connection.

Emboldened, Quinn skimmed the flat of his palm across the smooth chest, devoid of nipples or defined muscles. The body beneath felt toned, not soft.

Finally, Quinn let his fingertips brush the daemon’s face, a gentle touch like a whisper. The creature’s eyes pulsed a brighter yellow, and he made a sound like a purr from deep in his chest.

“Mine,” Quinn said quietly, hoping his tone, touch, and gaze conveyed the depth of his feeling.

Everyone has a monster of some sort inside, Quinn thought. Old hurts, unresolved trauma, failed expectations. Relationships that work out involve making peace with your own monster and accepting your partner’s. Dan’s doesn’t need to be healed, so he’s a big step ahead of the rest of us.

Quinn wasn’t prepared for the strong rush of protectiveness that washed over him, wanting to stand between Dan’s creature and the bounty hunters, photographers, or curiosity seekers who might harm him or reveal his secret. He had never felt anything like that, and its intensity surprised him, although he welcomed the responsibility.

“May I kiss your cheek?”

The creature’s eyes flickered, and then it gave a solemn nod.

Quinn leaned in and pressed a light, dry kiss to the daemon’s face. He picked up a faint musky scent, unusual but not unpleasant.

The daemon didn’t move, but the intensity of the light in his eyes softened. Quinn stepped back, out of the creature’s space, and looked him over again from head to toe, this time walking all around for the full view.

“Marvelous.” Quinn felt a true sense of awe. “Thank you.”

The creature reached out a thin-fingered hand, and Quinn folded it gently into his. “I’m yours, too,” he said, guessing the silent meaning.

After a moment, the daemon stepped back, and their hands dropped away. He fixed Quinn with his bug-eyed stare as if regarding him in a whole new light as well. Then he turned and went back to the bedroom, bumping the door closed behind him.

Quinn let out his breath. That was intense. Good, but it’s going to take a bit to process. I think I’m ready for that wine now.

Despite everything Quinn had done to try to communicate acceptance and love, Dan emerged in human form looking scared and vulnerable.

“Come in the kitchen,” Quinn invited. “There are snacks. And alcohol.”

That got a smile, and Dan followed him in, taking a seat across the kitchen table from Quinn.

“Was that what you expected?” Dan asked after a gulp of wine.

Quinn had anticipated the question but wasn’t completely sure of the answer. “Yes and no. I had looked up drawings online, and I’d seen the podcaster’s video, so I had a good idea about the head and body, and those big eyes. I’ve never seen anything like it, so I’m not sure how you can fully prepare for something like that. But he didn’t scare me.”

Dan managed a wobbly smile. “That’s good. What else? He didn’t really come with an instruction manual, just some things my grandfather told me so I wouldn’t freak out or get myself killed. And he can speak in my mind, so he tells me what I need to know.”

“Like what?” Quinn asked, utterly intrigued. “All I got from my grandfather was a pocket watch.”

That made Dan laugh, and he relaxed a bit. “Stay out of the sun. Keep away from people. Don’t scare the livestock. Dogs will usually run away, but don’t push your luck. Avoid cameras. Don’t go too long without shifting, or you won’t feel good. Be sure to eat before and after a shift to keep up energy. Fairly common sense, even though they’re directions for how to be a monster.”

“Creature,” Quinn corrected gently. “Not monster. There’s a big difference.”

Dan took a deep breath and let it out. “I never thought about it, but you’re right. We’re not quite the same as other shifters because he’s a separate consciousness, not just another side of me,” Dan noted. “Wally belongs to the family line. But he still considers you ours.”

“Glad to know that,” Quinn said. “Words matter.” He paused, then asked his burning question. “Does your daemon have a mouth? Can you eat and poop?”

Dan laughed, and this time it reached his eyes. “I’ve never tried to eat in that form, so I haven’t needed a bathroom. But there is a mouth, it just seals so tightly I guess you can’t see it. Don’t worry, the teeth are pretty dull, and I don’t have claws, so I guess I’m a vegetarian. Definitely not a hunter or carnivore.”

“I wasn’t worried,” Quinn replied, but it was still good to know.

“I try to shift at least once a month,” Dan said. “If I go out and spend several hours walking around the woods, that usually does it. I’ve been lucky that I haven’t had to skip a month or stretch it out too long between.”

“Could you ‘hear’ me when I reached out with my daemon whisperer senses?” Quinn asked.

“Sort of.” Dan had a look of concentration as if he were parsing through what he had just experienced. “We were very aware of your energy. It felt safe, not a threat. Some impressions came to mind, ones I’m guessing you sent. Not exactly words, but thought pictures. I think if we practiced, we could get better at sending and receiving and figuring out how to ‘code’ a message to not need language.”