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A flame licked up my wrist, making me hiss. “Fuck off, Blaise. I’m only joking.”
The flame didn’t disappear. I gestured at Toby in exasperation. “A little help here?”
Toby sighed. “Blaise?”
It vanished instantly, a quiet chuckle sounding from a few feet away.
Fucking supes. Toby hadn’t been joking when he’d pointed out there was often blood spilled during meet-ups. Given we were all territorial and possessive immortals with more power than common sense, it was to be expected.
The front door beeped. Matty was here.
I didn’t need to give everyone a reminder. They fell silent automatically, no one wanting to ruin this moment for Matty.
Peeking over the top of the chair, I couldn’t stop the excitement fizzing up. Fortunately, Matty flicked on the lights before he felt it in the bond, and we all sprang up as one.
“Surprise!”
Matty gave a small shriek, jumping back and colliding with Lucky. I laughed throatily as his shock zipped into me, followed quickly by confusion.
“Happy birthday, sunshine,” I said, striding forwards to embrace him.
He gaped around the room, taking in the decorations and everyone who came out to celebrate him. “You did all this for me?”
He still hadn’t learned that there was nothing I wouldn’t do for him. “Well, I had a lot of help.”
Everyone else took that as their cue to sweep forward and greet the birthday boy. I stepped back and leaned against the wall, happy to let Matty have the spotlight. The joy and excitement thrumming from him was reward enough for this, and the party hadn’t even started.
“Being in love suits you.”
I glanced over at Danny, who had joined me against the wall. He had a bottle of beer clutched between his fingers.
“Still not on your agenda?”
“Fuck no.” Danny snorted, swigging from the bottle. “And you know why better than most.”
That was true. Danny taking a mate would mean a return to clan life for him. Seeing as that was the last thing he wanted to do, I couldn’t see him settling down.
“Any more trouble on that front?”
“Nope,” Danny said curtly. “All quiet.”
I didn’t push him. There was no point. To my surprise, Danny and I had struck up a quasi-friendship of sorts. We’d confessed all sorts of things to each other that I didn’t think either of us had expected to share. This, however, was one topic he refused to open up about. Even Leo couldn’t get him to talk.
Matty said Danny had been acting odd ever since he’d come back from Scotland. Now, months later, he still wasn’t the cheeky, laid-back twat I remembered. There was a weight hanging around his neck, a quiet gloom that seemed to chase him out of the centre of attention and into a corner.
I’d been where he was. It was a hard place to escape. If it hadn’t been for Matty, I wouldn’t be here. I’d be sat on a roof outside, wondering why on earth a supe would throw a party for their human mate.
I’d pitied them then. Now, I pitied past me, who didn’t know what was missing.
Love wasn’t necessarily the answer for Danny though, not knowing what it would mean for him.
Matty pulled back from hugging Oscar, glancing all around. “Where’s Riley?”
“I’m here!” The man in question sauntered in, gift bag in hand. His shirt was held together by just the bottom three bottoms, leaving his whole chest on display.
I wasn’t surprised. Knowing Riley as I did now, I was amazed he’d put on a shirt at all.
“Happy birthday, Matty,” Riley said, kissing both his cheeks. “They told me to come late.”
