Chapter 1
Kainen Hotchner walked into the art gallery looking around. He was looking for some art for his house, as he had just moved here to San Francisco. That was what immortals did though, moved somewhere new every generation and he had never been to New Orleans before not even for a visit, so it was the perfect place for him to move to for this generation.
"Can I help you?" asked a female voice and Kainen had had no idea that there was anyone even around as he hadn't heard her at all, but then, there was a thick carpet on the floor, which meant that this was a very high class art gallery. The thick carpet also muffled sound of anybody walking, which had to be why he hadn't heard anybody approach him.
"That would be good," Kainen spoke, even as he still looked around the gallery, which was very nicely appointed. It was clear that nothing was cheap here. Not the furnishings, not the art, not even the carpet. A deep pile carpet was very expensive, especially in this century, even if it was an ugly, unattractive shade of brown that looked more like poop than anything else, but that dark color would also hide food stains if necessary.
"So what are you looking for as I need to know what interest you in order to help you," said the female voice.
"I need some art for my walls, as I just moved here and bought a house," Kainen offered still not looking at the woman in question, as he was examining the paintings that were within his view. "I prefer landscapes.
"Any particular kind of landscapes?" the woman asked after looking at her new customer up and down. Her customer was dressed nicely, but casually, in slacks and nice shirt in red silk, which was tucked into his pants and also nice and very expensive real leather shoes. If this man could afford such high-quality clothes, then he could likely afford to pay for expensive art.
The woman couldn't help but notice how handsome the man was, and he looked to be around her age. He had dark black hair and green eyes and was tall slim, but muscular from what she could tell. It looked like he worked out on a regular basis to get those muscles in his arms and probably his legs, though she couldn't see the latter.
"Like do you prefer beach scenes or cityscapes or country scenes? There are so many different kinds."
"I'm not particular, I just buy what I like. It needs to be inspiring to me personally," Kainen answered. "It doesn't necessarily have to be by a well-known artist either, because after all, someone who is unknown can become known with the right exposure in the art world."
"So what is your name, sir?" asked the woman.
"Oh, I guess we never did introduce ourselves," Kainen said finally looking sheepishly at the woman and his eyes immediately widening in shock. "I am Kainen Hotchner. and you are?"
"Tabitha Appleyard. I work here part time," Tabitha answered. "You can call me Tabbi.
"Tabitha what an old-fashioned name, but a lot of old names come back into usage every few hundred years," Kainen said. "I don't blame you for going by Tabbi though, as people aren't known for their manners and would likely tease you for your old-fashioned name. By the way, you can call me, Kain."
"And that's exactly what they did in grade school, tease me that is, all the way until I finally managed to get known as just Tabbi with an i instead of a y, by the time I got to high school. I was tabby crabby, which I hated by the way. It was used as a taunt to make me mad, and it did every time. Doesn't mean I don't still get called that occasionally, especially if I run into someone I knew in high school," Tabitha said. "Enough about me though, let me show you what we have in landscapes and see if you like any of them."
Tabitha led Kainen over to the section of artists that did landscapes and Kainen studied the paintings.
"I like this one," Kainen said, as he pointed at a cityscape that was New Orleans at night. The painting was so realistic and well done that you felt as if you were transported into it.
"That one is by a well-established artist," Tabitha said after she checked the tag, "and it is $250,000."
"That's a lot of money, but I suppose I'm lucky it isn't a million or more," Kainen said, taking out his wallet and then handing Tabitha his credit card.
"Good art is expensive and this particular artist Arlie Dwayne has been well established for a number of years," Tabitha said. "She's been painting for well over 15 years and has refined her technique and gotten a lot better over the years."
"I've heard of her, as I am something of an arts enthusiast," Kainen said. "I won't say I've ever owned anything by her though."
"Well, you will as soon as I run your credit card through the register," Tabitha said. "I'll be happy to have it shipped to your new address if you want."
"That's probably a good idea, as it's a little large for my backseat and I don't want it damaged," said Kaine.
"Just give me your address and it will arrive in a few days," Tabitha said.
"Before we do that, let me look around a little more and see if there's anything else I want," Kainen said.
"I would think quarter of a million would be enough for most people though we're always happy for your business. I'm not going to try to dissuade you from buying other things if you can afford it, though spending a quarter of a million on this payment tells me you can," said Tabitha.
"I can, as I'm something of an artist myself, but with metal not paint and brushes," Kainen admitted.
"So what do you do artwise?" asked Tabitha.
"I take commissions for people to do statues and things," Kainen said not bothering to explain that he used magic to melt the pieces into different shapes and then melded the different pieces together, also with magic. Metal magic was a rare talent among the magical community, an offshoot of earth witches."
"I've never heard of a Kainen Hotchner," Tabitha said.
"That's because I don't use my real name. I use a pseudonym," Kainen told her. "I just don't want to be bothered by all the art enthusiasts out there. Or possibly someone would want a kidnap me and hold me for ransom, as I'm worth quite a bit."
"Which is how you can afford such an expensive painting," Tabitha said, as she had escorted him around the store and let him look at everything the gallery had to offer in the way of art.
"I'm not the only artist in my family, as there is also my cousin Perry," Kainen shrugged. "He works with wood, but he's not really part of the art world. He just makes furniture and small items, but still, he's an artist in his way. I'm really the only one that makes my life as an artist, even if the talent does run through my family. I'll take this one too," Kainen added pointing at a country scene with rolling hills and an old-fashioned, windmill, barn and a silo in the background. There was also a river on one portion of the canvas and crops that appeared to stretch into the far distance.
"That'll be another $150,000 so that's 400,000 altogether," Tabitha said.
Kainen handed over his credit card that he had already taken out of his wallet and Tabitha ran it through the register. She noted it was a Mastercard Gold, which meant that Kainen indeed had a lot of money, as only very well off people carried that particular credit card, one with a very high credit limit.
The amount was deducted with no problems, and Tabitha handed Kainen back his card.
"Thank you for your business please feel free to come again," Tabitha said, as if by rote telling Kainen that she had said the line several hundred times before.
"Oh, I'll be back," Kainen promised smiling. "I always like to check out whenever new paintings arrive, and I have a lot of space to fill in at the house I just bought when I moved here just a few weeks ago. Now that business has been completed what about a date?"
Kainen hit Tabitha with his incredible green eyes, and Tabitha blushed bright red all the way to the tips of her ears including the back of her neck.
"That is if you're not seeing anyone or married," Kainen said silently praying that neither was the case, and that Tabitha was free for him to pursue.
Of course he had no problem using every ounce of charm he possessed if Tabitha did happen to be seeing someone whether seriously or not in order to get her to break up with her current boyfriend or to get her to divorce her husband if she had one. Normally, he wouldn't do such a thing, but she was his mate after all and so he was willing to do his best to break up her relationship if necessary. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to, though as he'd feel guilty if she was supposedly in love with her husband or boyfriend. Any mortal that was mate to one of his family had never been married before, though there had been a couple of close calls with two that had found their mates that had been married before, but luckily those relationships had ended before his cousins had met them.
Of course, being mates and everything Tabitha shouldn't be able to resist him as she would be just as attracted to him as he was to her.
Much like his father, Aaron Hotchner, he was a very handsome man and well knew it, but he didn't let it go to his head, make him arrogant. The only difference was the fact that he had his mother's green eyes, and also her nose, but the rest of him was all his father. He was as near a genetic duplicate as it was possible to be with only a few subtle differences.
Tabitha had indeed been checking, her customer out unobtrusively, while he was busy looking at all the landscape paintings but had made sure that Kainen hadn't noticed. She thought Kainen was very handsome with his black hair, green eyes and muscled frame. Her customer was very tall with broad shoulders.
"No, I'm not seeing anyone right now, as I've been too busy here as well as with my own painting and I'm definitely not married," Tabitha said blushing at Kainen's heated regard.
"So struggling artist," Kainen suggested mentally relieved to find out that his mate was unencumbered by a significant other, and Tabitha nodded.
"It's just so hard to get noticed, as there is so many artists in the same medium out there," Tabitha said. "I do pretty well, considering."
"That is so true," Kainen agreed. "I won't say I'm struggling, but I serve a very select clientele."
"Which is why I've never heard of you," Tabitha offered.
"Remember, I use a pseudonym and you don't know what name I go by when I sell my art and you might've heard of me if you knew the name I use," Kainen said smiling. "Anyway, I make more than enough to live on quite comfortably."
"I already knew that, as you bought nearly half a million worth of art and I would say that makes you more than financially solvent," Tabitha said. "I also make more than enough to live comfortably, and I'll get a commission from the two paintings I'm selling you quite a large one actually. More money is always useful."
"True enough," Kainen agreed "Now what about that date Miss Tabitha?"
"I don't know," Tabitha said hesitatingly. "I mean, you're a customer, Mr. Hotchner and you could easily get me fired if things don't work out between us. I like my position, as it gives me time to pursue my painting, and the gallery is kind enough to sell my work here. The manager is also an OK guy and doesn't try to get me into his bed. You should know how rare that is. I might not have the same situation at another place."
"True, but I would never threaten your position, as I'm not so thin skinned or that vindictive that I'm going to get an employee fired if we do happen to break up. I don't see that happening however," Kainen said calmly.
It was only right for Tabitha to be worried about losing her job if things didn't work out between them, but while he knew they would, Tabbi didn't know that.
"And how do you know for certain?" Tabitha challenged him. "You might find that we're not compatible at all other than we're both artists in our way, even if we work in different mediums."
"Because I have a good feeling about us if you would just give our relationship a try. Personally, I haven't dated anyone in years that I liked half as much as I like you," Kainen told her honestly being completely truthful. "Yes, we are both artist, even if that's in different mediums and we both like art as otherwise why would you be working in a place like this? Or even become an artist in the first place, if you didn't like art. Why don't we see what other interests we share?"
"I don't usually date customers," Tabitha said. "It's just too dangerous. They could create trouble for me like if I spurned their advances and my boss believed their version of events rather than mine. I suppose we can give it a try though I'm breaking my own rule you know. Don't make me regret it. If you make me lose this job, I will make you sorry," Tabitha threatened looking serious.
"I would never be that vindictive if we broke up," Kainen promised sincerely. "I know that plenty of people can be and petty as well, but I'm not."
"We'll see," Tabitha said noncommittally, and Kainen said nothing else not wanting to press his luck.
Kainen quickly made arrangements to have his painting shipped to his new address and then also arrange his first dated with Tabitha before he left.
~~~Kainen and Tabitha~~~
Several weeks later
"Welcome to Magical Treats," Kainen to Tabitha, as he found a parking spot after landing from the sky lanes
"I've never been here. I didn't even know this place existed and I would've become regular patron if I had as I have a sweet tooth just like most people," Tabitha said, as she looked at the large one story building that even had outdoor seating.
"Well, there are other bakeries, but I always come here, as it is owned by my family, if there's one in the area of where I'm living at the time," Kainen explained.
"I've been meaning to ask you why you moved in the first place if you were happy in whatever city you had settled down in," Tabitha said. "Yes, I know I'm being nosy, but I'm curious as people don't move for no reason."
"A lot of people move for different reasons Tabbi," Kainen explained calmly. "As for me, I have my own reasons for moving here to San Francisco from Oklahoma."
"I can actually understand why you moved, as there is not as much opportunity for artists in someplace like Oklahoma, which isn't exactly known for its culture. I won't say there aren't artists in Oklahoma, but if they want to make it big, they need to move somewhere with some culture like here in California," Tabitha said after hearing where Kainen had moved from.
"Oh, there are plenty of artists in Oklahoma, but still, San Francisco or someplace like New York is a much better than that city for my type of art."
"Why not move to New York then rather than San Francisco," Tabitha wondered.
"Because I had an offer from someone who is very wealthy that really likes my art," Kainen explained simply. "He is willing to help me get my art into places it's never been before, places like office buildings and museums. It just needs more exposure like your paintings do. My art is becoming really popular and while I'm already very wealthy, there's nothing wrong with having more in your bank account, something you have already stated yourself "
Kainen didn't tell Tabitha why he needed even more money when he had plenty for his needs and that reason for that was because he was immortal and would be around 1000 years from now hopefully with Tabbi at his side.
"Definitely not," Tabitha empathically. "Things are more expensive than they ever were, especially in places like San Francisco."
"Inflation is ridiculous and things used to be a lot cheaper, but that was hundreds of years ago," Kainen said, shaking his head.
"How do you know," Tabitha asked came curiously, "that things were cheaper back centuries ago?"
"Common sense for one thing," Kainen replied. "But I've also studied history and noticed how much cheaper things were back say in the 1800s. Prices have slowly risen as society has progressed and people have gotten greedier, wanting more and more instead of just being content with what they have. As a result, things have just gotten much more expensive."
"So you're something of a history buff, along with being an art buff," Tabitha said, and Kainen nodded before he got out of the car. Once he had put the car in park the doors opened automatically.
"It's one of my many hobbies, as I can't work all the time after all. I like to keep busy to prevent myself from being bored," Kainen said, as he helped Tabitha out of the car and then led her into Magical Treats.
The car doors automatically closed behind its passengers once they were out of range of the car sensors.
~~~Kainen and Tabitha~~~