Page 50 of The Human’s Heart

He waved me off. “No worries. I love cooking for my family.” He winked at me and went back to work.

I didn’t know him well, but this was pretty much like every interaction I’d ever had with him—super kind and friendly. He seemed like a wonderful person, and Zay definitely loved him, like he loved all his aunts and uncles.

I fixed my coffee the way I liked it, then walked out to the living room.

Zay’s sister, Virion, was there, and as soon as she saw me, she patted the seat beside her on the couch, so I made my way over there. She was a drow, just like their dad, Obi. I knew some people were scared of drow, for reasons I didn’t understand, but all the drow I knew were really great, including her. I didn’t know her as well as Kian and some of their cousins, but she was always kind.

Just like the rest of the family.

She reached over and gave me a quick side-hug. “How you doing, Huey?” For some reason, she liked calling me any name but Hugo. I thought it was kind of funny, so I never asked her to stop.

“I’m okay. Just… I dunno, in shock, I think.”

She nodded. “Makes sense. I’m in shock, and I wasn’t even there.” She tugged on my hair. “Wanna talk about it, Hugoton?”

That one made me snort, and she offered a small smile. I shrugged. “Not really. I think I’m all talked out at the moment.”

“Fair enough, but I’m here if you ever want an ear to listen, okay? I know we don’t know each other very well, but I like you. You’re family, and you’re a great guy. I’m hoping we can get to know each other better since my big brother’s soooooooo in love with you.”

I chuckled at that and gave her a small shoulder bump. “I’d like that.”

I felt Zaos jerk awake and panic for a second, so through our link, I said, “I’m safe. I’m in the living room with your sister.”

I could feel him taking deep breaths to calm himself. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. Just talking to her and drinking coffee while your uncle cooks what looks like a feast.”

“Sounds about right. Be out in a minute.”

“Take your time, hun.”

“I want to see you.”

It was cheesy and so ridiculous, but I loved it… because I wanted to see him too. We’d been apart for, what? Fifteen minutes tops? And yet, I missed him. I couldn’t help but wonder if it’d always be like this.

I took a look around and saw Sebastian and Ailin standing against the far wall, shoulders touching, heads tilted together as they whispered and shared an occasional kiss. Then I glanced behind myself to find Uncle Tio’s viramore, Samara, leaning in to kiss his cheek as he grinned at her before she went back to helping chop up veggies. I hadn’t even seen her come in, but I assumed she’d been outside when I was in the kitchen. She’d probably missed him the way I missed Zay right now.

I glanced out the window and saw Zay’s Uncle Thay and Uncle Toby sitting at a picnic table so close together they were practically in each other’s laps. Farther out in the yard, his Uncle Basil was throwing something at his Uncle Hiro, both of them cracking up when Hiro retaliated by running at his viramore and throwing him over his shoulder.

And yeah… so maybe it really would always be like this. And maybe I… maybe I liked that. Was looking forward to it even.

I glanced around again and grimaced as I remembered exactly why everyone was here in our home this morning.

Flashes of Phia’s head exploding in front of me, blood everywhere as her body dropped, made me squirm in my seat.

She’d been so young. She’d had her whole life ahead of her.

And Kian… poor Kian.

His girlfriend was murdered right in front of me. He’d been planning a future with her. He’d wanted to move in with her, to start a family together, to live a long and full life together.

Just like Zay wanted to do with me.

And I wanted that. Fuck, I wanted that.

I wanted forever with him.

Seeing her die like that, knowing that something could so easily happen to me, brought new light into my mind’s eye about the whole vampire thing.