Page 20 of Seduced By Moonlight

Kayden looked human. Smelled human. If it walked like a duck and quacked like a duck, then it stood to reason it was probably a duck, right?

Wrong.

Kayden was as far from a human as a human could get and yet still be considered human. Confusing, right? Well, join the crowd, because that confusing bit of nonsense was absolutely how paranormals thought.

They were wrong, of course, but you couldn’t fix stupid.

Kayden was a teek, a term previously used as an insult but now embraced by people like him. While some would refer to Kayden as a psychic, that term encompassed a wide range of talents.

He possessed telekinetic abilities, the power to control matter with his mind. He could manipulate and move objects at will without ever having to physically touch them.

His power was both wondrous and terrifying, allowing him to bend reality to his will and defy the laws of nature. It was as if he held the universe in the palm of his hand, a master of all things physical and material.

But with such immense power came great responsibility—and every action he took had the potential to create chaos. Need a piece of fruit that was in a bowl in the kitchen? No problem, he could float it out to you. Or whack you in the balls with it at terminal velocity.

Was someone’s truck blocking you in a parking lot? Kayden had ya covered. He’d drag that sucker out of the way, no problem. Or implode it. Whatever worked.

For a sufficiently skilled practitioner, the size, weight, distance, and mass of a targeted object seldom hindered their ability to influence it.

But.

There was always a but, wasn’t there? But a practitioner must first convince their mind that the size, weight, distance, or mass of a targeted object didn’t matter.

In fact, he had “mind over matter” tattooed on the back of one hand, and the words “overcome” across his knuckles on the other. Mental state, doubts, and lack of belief in self absolutely could affect a teek’s capabilities.

Having confidence and unwavering belief in one’s skills were crucial. Teeks could lift objects ranging in size from an eraser to an airplane.

They could also manipulate liquids and dispel gaseous substances. Kayden believed a teek advised theStar Warsfilmmakers on the scene where an X-wing was submerged in a swamp.

Pretty awesome, right?

Except for the fact that the paranormal community didn’t consider them paranormals. Make it make sense. He was born that way, but people like him occupied a strange gray area, labeled as nonhuman. It was confusing and frustrating. Kayden took another drink of his beer.

Fuck paranormal society and the horse they rode in on.

He wasn’t sure about other nonhumans, but the shifters on his construction team claimed he smelled just like a regular human. But unlike them, Kayden possessed the gifts of faster healing, better hearing and eyesight, a better sense of smell, and a significantly longer lifespan.

Kayden was not immortal, though. He aged but at amuchslower rate. Most teeks typically lived up to one hundred and twenty years.

His unique existence often left him feeling isolated, a sentiment not unfamiliar to many who dwelled on the fringes. The paranormal community kept him at arm’s length, and human society, well, they were blissfully unaware of what lurked among them.

It was a lonely existence for someone like Kayden, who just wanted to belong somewhere. Despite this, Kayden had carved out a semblance of normalcy for himself.

His business, Lancaster Construction Company, employed a mixed crew of humans, nonhumans, and paranormals, each selected not just for their skills but also for their ability to accept differences, an essential quality needed to work for him.

They were more than just his crew. In many ways, they were family—found family. The camaraderie among them was unmistakable. They shared jokes, meals, and even personal struggles. It was within this makeshift family that Kayden felt closest to belonging.

He often found solace in that, if nothing else, he’d built a mini sanctuary where those who were either misunderstood—or miscategorized—could find acceptance and purpose.

Mutual respect and shared experiences forged the crew’s bond. They worked together seamlessly, a well-oiled machine that tackled each project with precision and care.

As the soothing waters of the hot tub eased his tense muscles, he finished his beer. His thoughts meandered to the upcoming job that Ward had outlined.

Speaking of muscles, the gargoyle king was stacked. Jesus, he had to be at least seven feet tall in his true form. Also, it just so happened that midnight blue was Kayden’s favorite color. Wouldn’t you know it?

But those piercing brown eyes of Ward’s that reflected light were also fascinating. And sexy. And those wings of his—black and leathery, with clawed digits at the tips—were mesmerizing despite their monstrous size. The thought of them wrapped around him sent a shiver up his spine.

And those leather pants were going to star in some of Kayden’s fantasies. Ward had a tail too. What kind of trouble couldthatget into, right?

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