Page 36 of The Human’s Heart

Beatrix gave a shy wave. “Hi. Thank you, guys, for letting me come.”

“Of course,” Lilac said, smiling. “You’re always welcome to join us.”

Beatrix grabbed onto my arm, giving a squeeze, and I decided to take that as a thank you. Her hand lingered there for a minute before I feigned needing something out of my bag and was able to pull away.

“You okay?” Hugo’s voice in my head didn’t surprise me. He’d clearly picked up on my unease.

“Yeah. Just Beatrix being all… um… I mean, she just grabbed my forearm, but it was weird.”

“Need me to come punch her for you?”

That made me bark out a laugh by accident, and everyone at the table stopped talking to stare at me. “Shit, now everyone thinks I’m crazy ‘cause you made me laugh.”

I could hear Hugo’s chuckle in my head.

Ignoring him for a second, I said, “Sorry, my viramore’s being, uh, goofy.”

Everyone grinned at that, and Rovra picked the conversation back up, shooting me a little conspiratorial wink.

After a few minutes, we dove into studying with Rovra leading the group like she always did, and Beatrix seemed more engrossed with her work than with me… thank the Mother of All.

By the time I made it home, I was starving and very ready for whatever grilled thing my viramore and our friends had made tonight.

I was even more ready for Hugo cuddles.

I opened the front door and stopped short when Hugo was standing right inside the door.

“Hey,” I said, relief making my shoulders lose all their tension.

Before I knew what was happening, Hugo launched himself into my arms. I only had half a second to realize what he was doing so I could brace myself and catch him.

I hugged him tight to me, and he wrapped his arms and legs around me, so I rubbed his back.

“Everything alright?”

“Mhm. Just missed you.”

Warmth as strong as the sun filled me, and I felt my incubus side stir and even reach out toward him. I was so happy that I let it. “I missed you too.” I kissed his hair—the only thing I could reach. “Might wanna let me step into the house next time so we don’t risk falling down the porch steps, though.”

He laughed and tightened his hold on me. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. This is my favorite greeting ever.”

He snorted and held onto me for a minute longer before he slid back to the floor, pecked my lips, took my hand, and led me toward the back door. I dropped my bag onto the kitchen island as we passed by, pulled my incubus magic back so I didn’t offend anyone, and followed my lovely viramore outside.

Jett and Ward were sitting at our table on the deck, so I said, “Hey, guys! How’re you doing?”

Jett smiled at me. “Hey, Zay! Did Hugo tell you about the new person at work? They’re super cute and kind”—Ward scowled at his viramore calling someone else cute—“and I think they have a crush on Quinn.”

Hugo jerked back. “What? They do?”

Jett stared at my viramore for a long moment, then rolled his eyes. “Oh my god, you are so blind to love.”

“I am not.”

“Uh-huh.”

Jett went on to explain all the cute things this Arzu person did all week, and Ward and I exchanged a look. He shook his head at me, sighed, then reached over and picked Jett up out of his seat. Jett only looked startled for a beat before he wrapped his arms around Ward’s neck and kept on talking without missing a beat.