“This is…” Rhys bit his lower lip, “So cute! Everything looks amazing!”

Cane threw his head back and laughed before he wiped the sweat from his neck with his shirt. His rock-hard, chiseled abs were visible for a brief moment and Rhys had to turn his eyes away in embarrassment. Cas is so lucky, he thought with a small laugh.

“It’s definitely a different vibe in here than I’m used to. It’s cozy, it’s… what do the kids call it? Cottagecore?” Vic noted as he slid the worn copy of Interview With The Vampire into the empty slot of the newly built shelf next to Dracula.

“It doesn’t even feel like the same cabin,” Cane replied as he set his screwdriver down. He took a moment to appreciate his handiwork.

The bookshelf was full of well-loved novels and nicknacks, placed near the entrance across from the bathroom entrance. The elaborate plant stand took up the majority of the wall by the front door, with tiered holders for pothos and monsteras that seemed happy in their new environment. It was obviously the most expensive item Rhys bought for the move, and it showcased just how important his botanicals were to him. A small cube dresser was placed near the foot of the bed and Rhys’ minimal wardrobe was carefully organized in the containers.

The bed was properly made, the towels were hung on new hooks in the cramped bathroom, and the kitchen necessities were given homes in the crooked cabinets. Rhys finally found his solar powered lanterns and placed them outside on the porch to get some sort of charge before night came again.

“So, we need t’find a place for this workbench you want and I need t’work on somethin’ for the curtains in the window seat. And you need some chairs for the porch, somewhere t’eat and all that,” Cane said, mostly to himself as he jotted down notes on a small spiral notebook.

“I was going to purchase a kotatsu but I didn’t get to order one before I moved,” Rhys noted sheepishly.

“Cas has one of those, they love it. They’re easy to make so I’ll add that t’the list. I think that does it for now, unless you can think of anythin’ else you need? I want t’peek into the shed before I head home so I can know what I’m gettin’ into. I need to hurry, Cas was pretty upset ’bout me leavin’ again so I want t’make sure I’m there for them.”

Rhys gasped, “Sorry for taking up so much time.”

“No worries, kiddo. We made good time, you’re in a good place t’get settled, and now I get t’go home and take care of them, and that means the world t’me. It’s what you do when you’re married, you gotta give them your time when they’re stressin’ and my pumpkin is always stressin’, so they’ll always have the full of my attention when I can give it and I do so willingly. I’m plannin’ on makin’ some eggplant parm and watchin’ a movie with them, and they’ll be happy as a lark. So, you don’t need t’apologize, you get yourself settled and get me the list of things you need me t’grab on my city trip tomorrow—”

“Could I come with you? I think it would make me feel less awkward than giving you a list, I’m more of a visual person, anyway. I’d also like to know where the city is in case I need something for my medical issues. I also don’t know what kind of lights I want… I…” Rhys sighed in frustration.

“It’s okay,” Cane reassured softly.

“I rushed into things and I’m realizing I’m really unprepared,” Rhys admitted.

Cane cocked an eyebrow up, “That’s fine, it happened fast and you were obviously rushed. I don’t mind takin’ you, but are you okay t’be out in the sun?”

Rhys chuckled, he hid his laugh behind his hand and shook his head. Vic, who had been watching silently from the other side of the room, felt his heart race aggressively at the soft, gentle sound.

“I’m not going to catch fire or anything, I just get sick and develop a bad rash. With how weak my immune system is it takes a while to bounce back from it, but I can cover up my skin. It’s still nice enough that wearing long sleeves won’t bother me, and so long as the windows are tinted I’ll be good,” he explained.

“That works. I usually leave pretty early so I’ll pack us some breakfast and we can head out ’round six or so. I get overwhelmed by smells ’cause of the whole werewolf thing, so I try t’be at the stores when they’re not as crowded. Let me know if you need anythin’ before then,” Cane replied with a smile. He started packing up his tools, “That reminds me, if the weather gets bad or you feel unsafe in any way, you come over. You hear me? Cell phone signal is weak out here but you call if you need me and you don’t be afraid t’come over, alright? The door’ll always be open for you.”

Rhys sat down on the edge of the bed and nodded firmly. He was utterly in love with his new home and so distracted by how excited he was to start making teas and soaps again that he hardly paid the slightly unnerving warning any mind. He started making a mental checklist of the things he needed to buy, things that would help him survive the coming summer so he could tackle the pesky garden and make it flourish.

Vic stood awkwardly in the doorway, unsure of whether or not he would be allowed to stay. He cleared his throat and turned to look at the farmer, “Um, do you need any more help?”

“I think I’m okay for now, thank you. Are we still going to head into town later?”

“Yeah! Yes, of course. Mols really likes you so she’ll be happy to see you again, and I think you’re kind of going to have to work with her shop, she’s been dying to add tea to the menu but she’s… um…” Vic struggled to find the right words.

“Flighty as hell. Molly has a lot of energy and is the warmest, nicest person you’ll ever meet, but takin’ the time for the fine details ain’t her strong suit. She could use some help—not that you need any more on your t’do list—and the town will absolutely eat up a new product, especially if it’s homegrown,” Cane explained as he slid his tool bag over his shoulder.

“Her little shop is always busy but she likes the pastries and cakes more than the cafe, so having something new to offer would help her out a ton. The moment you mentioned you made tea, you sealed your fate. She’s going to bug you until you give in, so you may as well give in,” Vic said with a smile.

Rhys couldn’t help but smile back, “Do you… want to stay and help me bag some tea up then? To… bring to her? Like… samples?”

Cane laughed and headed toward the door. Oh, they’re both hopeless, he thought as he waved goodbye. He walked out into the muggy mid-afternoon air and made his way toward the shed to try and assess the damage. Vic closed the door to the cabin and walked over to the kitchen to look at the glassware. Everything was an auburn color, and he quickly took notice of the fact Rhys seemed to like orange. His bedspread, the towels, and even his kitchenware were various shades of orange. Even the stars woven into the rug beneath his feet were a warm pumpkin color.

“Do you… like Anne Rice?” Rhys inquired as he walked toward his yet unpacked box of tea equipment.

“I do. I like a lot of vampire literature, honestly. It’s funny to see who gets it right and who doesn’t. Not that any one vampire persona is more accurate than the other. We’re just like human beings; we have cultures and traditions, things that vary from place to place. But Anne Rice was one my favorites to read, that’s why I changed my last name to du Lac when I moved to the Wood,” Vic noted.

“What was it before?”

“Walsh. My father was Irish and my mother was from the Caribbean. I got bored of being Seamus Victor Walsh after living with that identity for so long, so I dropped the first name and picked up a new last name in the… oh, I guess in the early 80s.”

“How old are you?”

“126, I got turned when I was 29—”

“Wait, so you saw both World Wars? And… the invention of the car? And the first space ship take off?!”

“Oh yeah, and a lot of other neat things, too. I’m one of the oldest people in the Wood next to Byron.”

Rhys picked up a container of thin coconut shavings, “Who is Byron?”

“Byron Matthews, he’s our pharmacist… and a Sasquatch.”

“Shut up, a Bigfoot?”

Vic chuckled as he walked toward Rhys, “Yeah, we’ve got a Sasquatch, a family of half-gorgons, and a few Fae folk. There’s another vampire named Carliel, and the Monroe family that helped found the town is still in the area so you’ll see a lot of wolf pups about, things like that. The Wood’s got about forty people living in it; I’d say a good dozen are human, so you’ll see a wide variety of folks out and about. Most of the shops open around dinnertime since we’re a night-focused place.”

Rhys handed Vic a jar filled with small flower petals and the container of coconut shreds and asked him to set them on the counter. The young herbalist followed with his hands full of other equipment. As he laid out his tools across the kitchenette, a seriousness overtook his gaze.

“Do most people work in town, too?” Rhys asked.

“Depends; most of the supernaturals do but a lot of them have human partners who work in nearby towns or the city. Molly, for example, is dating a human who works in the lumber mill in the next town over. Less dangerous for everyone that way, and a lot of our residents are wary of interacting with humans even though most of us can hide it well. Carliel, the other vamp, was almost burned alive by a mob of angry humans so he stays far away, even from us, and we have to respect that. We respect each other's boundaries and space here.

“We have a lot of connections with local businesses in the surrounding areas that we export our products to, kind of like a ghost farmer’s market. We exist, but not in a tangible way where people can come and shop around. We’re not a tourist spot by any means… except for the festival season; we get busy during the holidays and when our big festivals roll around, you’ll see a lot of traveling creatures and cryptids wander through the Wood around then.”

“This is all so fascinating. Would you mind grabbing the container of stars from the box?”

Vic looked over Rhys’ shoulder and studied the tea, “The what now?”

“Oh, sorry, there’s a little glass container in that box of ingredients that has tiny marzipan stars in it, could you grab it for me, please?” Rhys clarified.

Vic walked over to the carefully packed box and studied the various containers and objects inside. He saw several glass jars of flowers, unknown earthen-bits, and other various necessities used to make teas. The tiny mason jar of white, edible stars was tucked up in the corner beneath several bags of wood wicks and essential oils. The black label on the front held a delicate label that read ‘Tiny Stars’ in cursive handwriting.

“You’re really into this stuff, huh?” Vic asked as he handed it to Rhys

“I am; it’s a nice mixture of artistry, gardening, and science, so I learn a lot while I work on new tea blends or make soaps. I’ve been so lethargic lately I haven’t had time to do much other than sleep, so I’m glad I have a chance to slow down and take things at my own pace,” Rhys replied as he popped open the mason jar. He grabbed a spoon from the drawer beneath him and scooped out a small bit, dropping just a few into each bag he laid out.

“Fancy,” Vic said a bit playfully.

“It’s a special blend, and it was my mom’s favorite. The butterfly pea flowers turn the tea blue when steeped, so it looks like the night sky with dancing stars that vanish as the heat dissolves them,” Rhys explained with a soft, longing-filled smile.

“Yeah, Mols is going to love that. Hopefully you feel at home here, I know it hasn’t even been a day—and it’s been weirder than you anticipated—but I hope we did enough to let you know you’re welcome here.”

“You did, and it’s nice.”

Rhys tied together the sweet tea blend and held the bag up to look at it. The folds of the bag were perfect, crisp, and the smell of floral and fruity notes lingered in the air. He added a personalized tag and set it inside a little cardboard box adorned with a stamp. All the while, Vic simply watched, observed, and took in the way Rhys so carefully crafted the concoction.

The vampire’s eyes were drawn to the menagerie of plants in the nearby windows, and he began wondering what amazing things could be made with the bundles of petals and leaves just waiting to be picked. He then thought of the farm, of the many crops that would soon be growing there, and the life that would return to the cold, lonely land with Rhys now occupying it.

And all the while his mind drifted to his late husband, to the shadowy, faded image of him sitting in the window seat with a cup of coffee and a large book as the rain came down around him. And he felt a bit sad, but not as much as he once did. Somehow, he knew that Cassius Wylder would be pleased to see such amazing things happening in the cabin he loved so much, and it brought a peace to his soul as he grappled with the torrent of feelings in his undead heart that seemed to beat too aggressively for his liking. He felt alive, and wasn’t sure he liked it much.