It hadn’t yet gained a name even while they ate dinner, and as they cleaned up the dishes and locked up the cabin, a portion of Shawn’s brain fought against accepting something so ludicrous. They held hands the entire walk down to the lake, a comfortable – if pensive – silence settling over them and even then, Shawn couldn’t figure out how to vocalize even the half-baked question his subconscious had dreamed up. Maybe it was the light, he told himself, catching the color of Edwin’s eyes in a peculiar manner again, much the same as it had on the fire escape several months beforehand.

“I could use a swim,” he blurted out, for no apparent reason other than to fight the rebuttal his mind had already drummed up.

Edwin nodded. “A swim sounds good,” he said. His hand released its hold on Shawn, so he could wrap his arm around the shorter man. “Maybe after that, we can get things started.”

“Yeah.” Shawn looked up toward the heavens. When he laughed, it was more at himself than at the sight of the almost-full moon hanging pregnant in the sky above them. “You told me you and your folks make three days out of this.”

“The nights right before and right after are almost as important as the night itself. The same magic is in the air, they say.” Shawn saw him nod toward the sky in his periphery. “They taught us some sort of folk lore which talks about a three-day-long festival that our ancestors used to hold. One day for each of the goddesses.”

“Whose night is this one?”

“Doesn’t have to be specific. But my folks always start with Artemis.” They descended from atop a hill and as they did, Shawn saw the water glisten in the moonlight. Edwin straightened his posture, letting go of Shawn so he could run down the hill, laughing while he stripped off his shirt and carried it with him toward the lake. Shawn couldn’t help but to mirror the whimsy, and while he didn’t barrel down the hill with the same gusto, he sprinted once he reached the bottom and likewise took off his shirt.

Edwin reached it first, however, and dove in with his shorts still on.

Shawn laughed. As he reached the lake’s edge, Edwin emerged from beneath the water and motioned for him to join. “Don’t worry about stripping,” he said. “The water’s cold anyway.”

“Alright,” Shawn said, kicking off his shoes. As he deposited them beside Edwin’s belongings, he tossed his shirt and phone onto the ground and ran for the pier jutting into the lake. Edwin laughed when Shawn lifted his feet and did a cannonball into the water. Shawn submerged, the cold water rushing over him and nearly causing him to spring to the surface as a result.

He sputtered while Edwin swam over to him. “Damn,” Shawn said, “how does that temperature not bother you?”

“You get used to it,” Edwin said. Both men treaded water in front of each other, Edwin leaning in to kiss Shawn. “Race you to the shore,” he added after the brief union of their lips.

“You’re on,” Shawn said. They both swam off at about the same time, but Edwin quickly pulled ahead of Shawn, pouring everything he could into the race and collapsing onto the grass several seconds before Shawn emerged from the water. As he rolled onto his back, Edwin sprawled out onto the ground and by the time Shawn reached him, his whimsy had been replaced by something serious and nameless.

Once again, Shawn fought against the irrational thought knocking at the door to his brain. “We forgot the stuff to build a fire,” Shawn said.

“Not if you know where to look. Want me to show you?”

Shawn raised an eyebrow and Edwin laughed, lifting to a seated position before standing. Dirt and grass clung onto his back and legs, making him look like he’d been pulled away seconds before starting to roll across the field. Shawn couldn’t help but to smile and follow him in wonder, both dripping wet and the thought of a fire a welcomed one. Edwin gathered sticks and kindling, remarking that this would be more difficult if it had rained anytime recently.

“There’s that fixation on fire again. You must have gone camping a lot as a kid,” Shawn said.

“This is my life nearly every month,” Edwin said. He led them back to the lake and deposited the kindling they had gathered several yards away from the lake’s edge. Shawn watched him concentrate on the pile, his actions fastidious and conversation halted until he had surrounded the collection of sticks and brush with rocks. Two, he left out of the collection, holding them in hand and taking a deep breath.

Sparks flew when he struck them together. Shawn laughed, and while the first strike failed to ignite the brush, the second caught the twigs from a birch tree and started to catch. Edwin grinned, accomplished, and while Shawn watched, he carefully spread the fledgling flame around the rest of the pile. The whole thing bordered on supernatural.

“I don’t understand it,” Shawn finally spat out, looking from the fire to Edwin. “I mean, maybe it’s because I’m a city guy and I always have been, but I’ve never know anyone who could do that so quickly.”

Edwin shrugged. “I have a lot of practice,” he began, but he stopped after speaking the excuse and shut his eyes. “No, I’m sorry. I promised honesty. That’s why we’re here after all.”

“Well, one of the reasons, yeah.” Shawn swallowed hard and though he felt his own nervousness increase, he still reached for Edwin’s hand and interlaced their fingers. “Whatever’s been bothering you, please let me know. I promise I’m not going anywhere.”

The look in Edwin’s eyes turned sorrowful. “I’m not just the outdoorsy type. I gather you’re beginning to suspect that.”

“Nobody’s that good without being an Eagle Scout.”

“Would you believe that I’ve never been a scout?”

“Yeah, I would.” Shawn swallowed hard. The reality his mind had been fighting scratched at the door and as he heard the absurdity of what it whispered, he dared himself a step closer. “Your eyes changed color earlier. I don’t know if you know that it happens, but I saw it one other time.”

Edwin took a deep breath and nodded. “I know. That happens when my instincts get a bit riled.”

“Is it crazy that I’m beginning to wonder if you’re human?”

While Edwin fell silent, the alarm in his eyes also didn’t carry any evidence he intended to rebut the accusation. Instead he exhaled a quiet chuckle, lifting his free hand to brush his fingers through his hair. “Is it crazy for me to say you’re on the right track?”

“Yes, it is, but I’m trying to keep an open mind.” Shawn shifted closer to Edwin, and as he did, Edwin pulled him onto his lap. Edwin’s arms circled Shawn and while the two men sat there, Shawn resting his head on Edwin’s shoulder, Shawn grinned. “I’ll still take care of you even if you’re nuts.”

“Me? You’re the one who said you thought I might not be human.”

“I don’t know how to make sense of you otherwise. Maybe it’s catching.”

“Or maybe you’re perfect. That’s a distinct possibility, too.” Edwin paused, and while Shawn wondered if it was to gather his thoughts, the way he tensed made Shawn furrow his brow, lifting his head to look when Edwin remained silent. Edwin stared beyond him, toward the woods, and while his eyes didn’t look like they’d focused on anything, he still seemed to be aware of something lingering out there.

“What is it?” Shawn asked.

“I heard footsteps,” Edwin said. When Shawn stood from his lap, Edwin rose to his feet, too, and together the duo looked toward the hill. Shawn strained to make out a figure in the shadows, but not even the light of the moon could help him. As he looked at Edwin again, however, Edwin’s expression went from uncertain to curious only seconds before a twig snapped in the distance. When the bushes on the edge of the tree line rustled, Edwin took a step forward, prompting Shawn to do the same. It didn’t take long, but a small group of unfamiliar people emerged from the other side.

They descended the hill in near unison, lacking the frivolity Edwin and Shawn had exhibited while doing it. Shawn counted three of them once they reached the bottom, and though they cast a quick glance at him, one of them immediately trained his focus on Edwin, causing him to do the same. “Forgive us if we’re interrupting,” the ringleader said. “We heard people out here and decided to say hello. Who are you guys?”

“Edwin Chambers.” Edwin extended a hand and while he tried to look confident, Shawn saw a hint of apprehension in the way he greeted them. It carried through even after an amiable exchange with each member of the trio, and while Edwin did his best to relax, something about it all made Shawn tense. “Is this your area?” Edwin finally asked.

“More or less,” the leader, who had introduced himself as Cameron, said. “It’s not that we’re against visitors, but usually they say hello to us, first.”

“I promise it wasn’t our intention to trespass. I can check in with your folks tomorrow, if it’s okay.”

“Might be.” Cameron raised an eyebrow. “You said Chambers, right? Like, from Lancaster?”

“Yeah.” Edwin tensed again. “Does my family know yours?”

“Pretty well, actually. The last name is Laurent. Haven’t you been home lately?”

Something about the surname made Edwin bristle. He stepped closer to Shawn, the action instinctual, and placed a hand on Shawn’s shoulder. “I was home last month, but nobody said anything to me then. I thought your family and mine had reached an understanding.”

“Temporary arrangement. At the same time, we’ve been considering our options.” Cameron pointed in the direction of the main road. “I think you should come with us. My folks wouldn’t like it if I didn’t take you back to see them, considering the circumstances.”

Cameron encroached on them a step. The way that Edwin reacted – tugging them both one step back – told Shawn this wouldn’t be a friendly discussion if allowed to happen. “Edwin, should I –?” Shawn began to say, but Edwin shoved him behind him, stepping in front of the other man. When Edwin snapped his fingers, Shawn marveled at the sight of a spark jumping from Edwin’s hand, then recoiled as it hit the ground and exploded into a line of fire. Flames licked heavenward, stunning Cameron backward, and giving them a needed distraction.

Shawn gasped, but before he could speak, Edwin grabbed him by the hand and yanked him away. They both ran in the opposite direction, with Shawn pausing only once to steal a glance over his shoulder. “What just happened?” he asked, gripping onto Edwin’s hand. “How did you do that?”

“We were in the process of admitting I’m not exactly human, right?” Edwin asked.

“Yeah, but that was insane. You made a wall of fire.”

“I could have done worse, but we’d be in more trouble if I hurt them.” He, too, looked over his shoulder before expertly leading them around the lake, running parallel to the shore. “They’re going to be gaining on us, fast. I could outrun them, but not like this.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was trying to explain, but I don’t have the time.” They broke through the tree line for the forest, and while dodging limbs and struggling over rough terrain, Shawn tried to stay on his feet and nearly tripped in the effort to keep up with Edwin’s pace. His lungs burned, heart pounding, and when they stopped, it almost came as a mercy. Edwin hid them behind a larger tree and turned to face Shawn.

“Do you love me, Shawn?” he asked, placing both hands on Shawn’s shoulders.

Nodding emphatically, Shawn gulped in air and coughed before responding. “Yes, of course I do,” he said. “Though that’s one hell of a question to ask right now.”

“I promise it’s necessary. I need to do something, but I don’t know if I should, and I can’t think of any other way to resolve this.” He frowned while their eyes met. “I’m sorry. I wish I could explain.”

“You owe me one hell of an explanation when this is done.”

“I do. And I will spend the rest of my life apologizing to you for doing this.”

“For doing what?”

Edwin didn’t pause to explain. He yanked their bodies flush and, before Shawn could pull away, bit down into Shawn’s shoulder. Shawn yelped, from equal parts pain and surprise, his fingers digging into Edwin’s back while the other man latched onto his shoulder and continued bearing down. What felt like razors passed through Shawn and though the sensation to waver on his feet overcame Shawn, he fought against it, trying to discern what Edwin had just done to him. Edwin had blood on his lips when he pulled away from Shawn, his eyes flickering golden again before settling back into their normal hue.

“Get out of here,” Edwin said. “Drive back to Philly and call my cousin. Rob will know what to do.”

“Edwin, what are you –?” Shawn asked, but Edwin pushed him down, forcing him onto his backside before running back toward the lake. Shawn saw the trio approach the woods at the same time Edwin emerged from them, but the world turned fuzzy, Shawn’s head swimming first before his whole body pulled him down onto the forest floor. The more he struggled to stay conscious, the more difficult it became until fatigue became quicksand and pulled him under. Face pressed against the dirt, Shawn felt his eyes roll back.

Within seconds, he had fallen asleep.