Page 4 of Bloom
“Therewasa guy who came around a few months ago,” he answered, tipping his head. “He wasn’t sneaking, but I didn’t know him. He was nice, though; he said he was new to the area and looking for a place to settle. He commented on how nice my property was, and asked if I’d ever be willing to sell. I politely but firmly declined. He shook my hand and said it was nice talking to me, and then he left.”
“And that’s the only time you saw him?”
“Actually, he came back around last week. He offered his condolences about my crops, and offered again to buy me outand ‘take my problems off my hands’. I wasn’t as polite that time; I was frustrated with the situation and admittedly took it out on him. I told him to get off my land, and he said I’d regret turning him down.”
My fists curled into fists on my knees. “That sounds like a threat.” Anger boiled inside me; ifanyonedared to move against my mate, they’d face the wrath of the gods.
“I didn’t think so at the time,” he shrugged. “I thought he was just disappointed.” Jersey nodded towards the ground. “But I also thought this was just bad luck.”
“What was the guy’s name?”
“His last name was Hughes. I don’t remember his first name.”
I stood up, retrieved my phone from my pocket, and typed furiously. In the age of social media, anyone could be a detective. I searched the name and the surrounding area, and came up with a list of potential matches. “Are any of these him?”
I flipped the screen to face Jersey, who studied the line of faces. He pointed to a plump, smiling man with a thick gray mustache. “That one.”
“Bart Hughes,” I grunted as I clicked the photo. “He has shifty eyes.” Maybe I was biased, but I immediately didn’t trust him. Especially after I did more digging online, and learned that he was a real estate developer, known best for overseeing the construction of high rises and shopping malls.
“So this bastard just sohappensto find himself in Rose Valley,” Jersey snarled, crossing his arms across his chest, “Which is full of undeveloped land that would cost much less than that in bigger cities. He makes an offer and when it’s declined, he decides to use pressure and destruction to try and leave the poor farmer without any other options. I have a feeling that if he managed to get my land, the other farms around here would start having the same troubles.”
“I’m calling the cops.” I hovered my finger over the numbers, but Jersey stopped me with a gentle touch to my hand.
“It’s just a theory. The guy may be totally innocent. We have no proof.”
“Then we’ll get some. I say we install cameras all around your property. Whether it’s him or not, we need to find out who is responsible and nail their ass to the wall.” Jersey’s lips curled into a smirk. “What?”
“You’re cute when you’re worked up.” I felt heat spread from my cheeks to my earlobes, but it cooled when my mate’s expression fell. “Hopefully that will keep this from happening again. But is there anything that can be done to correct the damage?”
“Nothing natural or manmade can fix this, but there isoneway.” He gave me his full attention as I bent over to scoop up a palmful of crunchy soil. “There’s a couple of things you don’t know about me; who I am and why we met.” I took a deep breath and laid it all out for him. “I am a demigod; son of Chloris, goddess of flowers and new growth. I came to Earth to find my mate - the one I will love, protect, and nurture for all time. And I found that in you.”
A rush of emotions flashed across his face; confusion, disbelief, and even anger, probably thinking I was playing a cruel joke on him. The only way I knew to prove my words to him was to let him see them in action.
I focused my energy on the dirt in my hand. It warmed and vibrated against my palm as its color turned from black to rich brown. A tiny leaf peeked through and within seconds, a stalk stretched towards the sky. Pods sprouted and filled with beans. Soon, the plant was fully grown and mature.
I turned my attention from the vegetation in my hand to Jersey’s face, which had grown pale. His jaw hung open and heshook from his shoulders to his knees. I dropped the plant and stepped forward just as they buckled.
Jersey
“Breathe,” a sweet, quiet voice repeated from somewhere above me. A hand slowly stroked up and down my back as I blinked my eyes back into focus. I was on the ground, though I didn’t remember sitting down, and my head was bowed towards my knees.Did I pass out?I’d never done so before. I also didn’t remember losing consciousness, but I suppose I wouldn’t.
The reasonwhyI was struggling came rushing back to me. I’d witnessed Timber bringing a clump of dead dirt back to life with nothing but his hands. And what was he saying about being a god? My whole life, I assumed that was the stuff of legends and fairytales. But I couldn’t deny what I saw.
I wanted to ask him to explain everything to me, to help me understand what I saw and what it all meant. But the only sentence my muddled mind could form was, “What the fuck was that?” Not exactly eloquent, but it got my point across.
Timber sat cross-legged in front of me, and gave me a soft smile. “I’m sorry for springing it on you like that, but I thought the best way to prove myself was to show you instead of just telling you.”
He wasn’t wrong, but my mind wasn’t ready for all of that at once. “Now that I’ve seen, can you tell me again, and maybe…go slower this time?”
“Of course.” His pretty hazel eyes held contact as he explained, “Like I said, my mother is Chloris, the goddess of plants and new life. She lives in the Elysian Fields, a place beyond this earth, full of remarkable beauty and abundance. My mother has often traveled to this world, experiencing thewonders it has to offer. Her devotion to ‘new life’ doesn’t just relate to foliage; she joined with many men throughout the years, bearing their children and growing her family.”
“So your dad is…?”
“Human,” he shrugged, and it boggled my mind it even had to be questioned. “But I don’t know him, and I’m sure he’s not aware of my existence or her identity. My mother met him with purpose, and there was no relationship or love between them.”
“But that’s not what you’re looking for?” I asked hopefully. I wasn’t a stranger to hookups, but the thought of just being a notch in Timber’s belt broke my heart. I had a deep, gnawing need to get closer to him.
“No,” he answered quickly, and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “I came to Earth for specific purposes as well, and one of them was to find my mate. You see, every god and demigod are granted a mate by Fate. This person is their perfect match who completes them in every way. Once they meet, the demigod devotes their life to their mate’s happiness, safety, and fulfillment. They will never desire another, and will love their mate boundlessly for all time.”
