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“You should have called me,” Daniel insisted when Laith told him about the hunters. “I could have done some real damage.”
“How much more damage is there beyond dead?” Laith asked.
They were seated on a bench in the park, under a large tree that provided plenty of shade. Laith didn’t think Daniel’s father would come after them in broad daylight. That wasn’t his style. He liked doing shit under the cover of darkness.
That was Laith’s hope, at least.
“I could have formed a monsoon over their heads,” Daniel said. “Drowned them.”
“And the forest,” Laith replied. “Poor woodland creatures wouldn’t have had a chance.” He turned sideways. “What exactly can you do with your water power?”
Daniel looked away. “I’m working on getting better. I’m still a young demon, learning.” He smiled at Laith. “Hopefully, one day, I’ll be able to command the oceans.”
Laith chuckled. “Okay, Aquaman.”
With the back of his hand, Daniel slapped Laith’s stomach. “You’re not allowed to make fun of me. I’ll make it rain on you for the next week.”
Laith laughed and held up his hands in mock surrender. “All right, I take it back. No Aquaman jokes.”
They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, watching families pass by in the park. Children laughed and played on the jungle gym while parents kept a watchful eye.
“How are you holding up?” Daniel asked eventually, his tone gentling. “Really, after everything that happened?”
Laith considered the question. “I’m okay,” he said. “Shaken up still, but okay. Tillman being there helped a lot.”
Daniel nodded. “I’m glad you two have each other.” He nudged Laith with his elbow. “Never pictured you with a bear shifter, but hey, love is love.”
“Yeah,” Laith said, unable to keep the soft smile from his face. “He’s pretty great.”
“Just promise me you’ll call next time something happens,” Daniel said seriously. “Day or night. I’ll be there.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Daniel frowned. “You still don’t fully trust me.”
Laith shrugged. He might not fully trust Daniel, but he also didn’t want to hurt the guy’s feelings.
“Look, I get it.” Daniel pointed to himself. “I was a shit boyfriend.”
“Daniel.”
“No.” He held up a hand. “I can admit that. We should have never crossed that line.”
Laith didn’t know what to say. It was the truth. They’d been amazing best friends, lousy lovers. From the moment of their first kiss, things had been a weird between them. Laith missed having Daniel as his best friend, but he wasn’t one hundred percent sure he could trust him.
Daniel stuffed his hands into his front pockets. “I get why you’re guarded.” He looked around. “Man, this really is a nice town, Laith. A hell of a lot better than Arrowvale. It just feels more…wholesome.”
Laith nodded in agreement. Midnight Falls did have a certain wholesome charm to it. The people were friendly, the shops quaint, the streets clean. It was part of why he’d been drawn here, that and the fact that Daniel’s father had driven him out of Arrowvale.
“I know you have no reason to believe me,” Daniel continued, “but I really did just come here to warn you. We might have made lousy lovers, but I still care about you.”
“I thought you said you never caught feelings for me,” Laith reminded him.
“Not those kinds of feelings,” Daniel replied. “But I did care about you. As my best friend.”
Laith decided to change the subject. He wasn’t comfortable talking to Daniel about any kind of feelings. He still didn’t fully trust Daniel, and if the guy was playing some sort of sick game, Laith didn’t want to give him any ammunition.
