After a series of life threatening situations, I was back to my usual routine. I had a new boyfriend; my best friend Ella was talking to me again and I stopped worrying about fiery onsets of my magic that continued happening to me occasionally. It was easier to think that my life was getting back on track and I was in control again. I met Quentin during an art exhibition at a local gallery. I hadn’t been paying much attention to what was going on around me that day, and walked right in to him, nearly enough making an absolute fool of myself then falling on my arse. Fortunately for me, he caught me before I hit the floor, saving me from another public humiliation.
We’d only been seeing each other for a month or so, but I felt good. I finally stopped walking around like a zombie and pretended that I never had a mental breakdown. It was a slow process, but I made it through. It took me a long six months to show my face in public again.
Yeah, I was stupid enough to fall in love with a guy who was emotionally unavailable, and even more stupid to let him break my heart repeatedly. I didn't understand why I’d allowed myself to fall for his charms each and every time; I thought maybe he would change for me. I should have known from the beginning that Nathaniel never planned to commit. I tried to understand why he’d put me through this nightmare, but I couldn’t find the silver lining, even months after the break up.
"What would you like to do tonight?" Quentin asked folding the paper he’d been reading for the past five minutes. I looked at him and smiled thinking that at least I could plan a bright future with him. He cared about me.
The half vampire—that pretentious cocky bastard—ripped my heart out of my chest and crushed it to pieces. He turned me into an emotional wreck and I hated him for it, but now we were over and that’s what mattered most.
Right now, I didn't want to think about Nathaniel because I had Quentin and he was crazy about me.
"Should we watch a movie?" I asked.
"Yes, that sounds good; action packed thriller or romantic comedy?"
"I hate romances, let’s go for a thriller," I said laughing.
Quentin was a full-blooded giant, originally from South Africa. He moved to the UK a couple of years ago. He was an art dealer and he wanted to settle in a country with rich history where he could find unique pieces. He arrived at the gallery in search for a rare painting that had just come on the market, and somehow, we clicked straight away. When it came to Quentin I didn't have to worry about any games or expectations. He asked me out the next day. He didn't hide the fact that he was into me. When I was around him my magic stayed calm and I felt like I could trust someone again. Quentin was a decent guy who wanted to settle down; we were both on the same page.
"Cinema it is then. I’ll book a table at our usual restaurant," he said and got up to make the phone call. He was tall; over six foot seven—a typical characteristic for giants—with soft brown hair and incredible deep ocean blue eyes, exactly like mine. Although we had completely different lifestyles we were in the process of making this new relationship work for both of us. Quentin travelled a lot, but he tried to go to most auctions in London. He often had to attend old-school parities and auctions where we both had a chance to interact with interesting and famous paranormals. I was slowly walking away from the gloom that used to be my life, seeing a bright light at the end of the tunnel.
Nathaniel was in the past and Quentin had no idea that we ever dated. He knew bits and bobs about my life, but he didn't push me to reveal more than I was comfortable with. It was easier to avoid conversations about my past.
While Quentin was on the phone I went to the kitchen to clean up the mess from lunch. Quentin was a regular guest in my apartment. He lived on the other side of London and understood that it was easier for me to get to work from Croydon rather than Watford.
I shook my head thinking how relaxed I was when he was around and started loading the plates from lunch into the dishwasher. The office had been hectic this week and I’d been working constantly since Christmas break; I didn't have much time to tidy things up. Exhaustion was slowly taking over, but Quentin was planning a surprise holiday for us, so I was looking forward to that. My excess magic rose as I reached for a plate. I felt dizzy and sweat gathered on my forehead. Slow pulsation started moving through my stomach, my breath became heavier. I looked at my hands and felt like I was falling until my vision descended into darkness.
