“Yikes.”
“Yeah. I’m making an argument that we should adopt the cat and her eventual kittens, but turns out my mom is super allergic. My job’s not pulling in enough for a place of my own, and ‘because I want to make sure kittens aren’t abandoned to the streets’ is sort of a thin excuse. Actually, it’s hard to figure out if it’s a ‘hey, I think I’m feeling an animal kinship vibe’ or ‘any reason to move back out of the house will work.’” Blake rooted around in her bag.
“I have a question I’m dying to ask, but I recognize it’s rude,” Zack said.
Blake raised an eyebrow. “You know that’s like the hallmark of something you should keep to yourself.”
“Yeah.”
“But now I need to know if your brain came up with a complete asshole question.” Blake groaned. “Fine. Ask. But I reserve the right to glare.”
“Family lore has it that supernaturals and domesticated animals don’t get along,” Zack said. “Does this cat like you?”
“I knew it was going to be something like that.” Blake rolled her eyes. “Like any animal, even human beings, you can train them to do just about anything. According to Dr. Wolfe—and go ahead, have a poke at Dr. Wolfe, the werewolf psychologist researcher.”
Zack held up his hands. “No poking. Promise. Go on.”
“I’ve been reading these amazing research papers and books. She’s been working with shifters, primarily wolves who have trouble controlling their forms, and pairing them with specially trained emotional support dogs. Typically, they use huskies or Akitas, not because they’re closer to wolves or anything, but because they’re bigger dogs and can keep pace with a shifted wolf. The dog is essentially a pack buddy who helps them realize they’re in danger of shifting or guides them home if they do shift.”
“That’s incredible,” Zack said.
“It’s some pretty inspiring stuff. I’m thinking about going back to college and switching my major to psychology. I’ve been looking for supernatural therapists, and there’s really so few compared to the huge community we have.”
“That sounds like a great idea.”
Blake narrowed her eyes. “But?”
“No buts,” Zack said. And he meant it, at least so far as Blake’s idea for herself. But he couldn’t help wondering about his own future. He’d never had a plan for what happened outsideof the family because he was supposed to be a hunter like the rest of them. Was he going to stay at Roger’s side forever? Would Roger kick him to the curb when he got old? Would he be able to stomach his boyfriend staying young while he aged? Nothing he really wanted to think about. “What were you getting into your bag for?”
“Oh, right!” Blake withdrew a wrapped gift and a card envelope. She took her purse off the table before sliding them over to him. “I know it’s tomorrow, but happy birthday.”
“How did you know that?” Zack finished sliding the presents to his side of the table.
“Night Deets. And it’s easy to remember since it’s Halloween.” Blake flashed a smile at him. “Mine isn’t until May, but don’t worry about it.”
“Oh, I’m going to remember.” Carefully, Zack opened the envelope and took out the card. Blake had gotten a funny one with a werewolf pun on it, which made him snort. Her gift turned out to be a vampire fiction book that was well-known and had recently been adapted for a streaming service.
“You haven’t read it, have you?” Blake asked. “I know that stuff was banned in your house.”
Zack ran his hand over the cover. “Only the first couple chapters. I borrowed a copy off my first boyfriend, but Mom threw it out.”
His mother had been furious. She hadn’t just thrown out the book; she’d grounded him for a month. After he released a vampire during the family hunt in Detroit, she’d scoured his room for any more of the “heretical vampire propaganda.” He’d had a couple of books, a few comic books, and a set of Blu-Rays that weren’t his, and they had all wound up in the garbage bin. His boyfriend had been pissed and broken up with him.
“You’re making a face.” Blake winced. “Sorry to bring up bad memories.”
“Naw. It’s fine.” Zack slid the present off to the side, not out of sight but out of the center of the table, and brought his coffee to his lips. It’d cooled enough that he could risk taking a sip. “Seriously, Blake, this is great. Coffee, book, and time with my bestie. Perfect present. Don’t stress.”
“You know that’s usually code for ‘oh my God, I’m on the verge of a breakdown, but I don’t want you to know,’ right?” Blake said. “I think it’s universal.”
“Eh, more like ‘please switch topicsbeforemy impending breakdown flares bright and ruins our afternoon,’” Zack replied.
Blake pursed her lips, then sighed. “Fine. But only because we are in a public place, and youknowyou can call me if you need to talk. Or you could drop by the house. We can steal a cat together.”
“Deal,” Zack said with a laugh he didn’t feel.
“So, what’s Takashi like?” Blake said around a sip of her coffee.
“He’s … different.” Zack slowly spun his coffee cup while he thought through what he wanted to say. “He’s hot, sure. I haven’t met a vampire who isn’t ridiculously gorgeous. But he’s more grounded than the other vampires I know. I wouldn’t say he thinks like a human, but he’s got this intelligence and experience, and that makes him incredibly intuitive. Roger’s charming because he has this way of making you feel sexy. Takashi’s charm is like he sees your whole package and likes it.”
