Page 6 of The Human’s Heart

“Uh, are you smelling me?”

“Uh-huh. You smell good.”

I laughed. “Thanks. You okay?”

He sighed. “Yeah, I just wish I could stay home today.”

“You could call out sick.”

He shook his head, gave me a squeeze, then backed up all the way out of my arms. “I can’t. I took off way too much already this year, and I need the money.”

I ground my teeth together to stop myself from arguing with him. It was an argument we’d had many, many, many times over the past few months. I’d told him a million times that my money was his money, that it was our money, but he refused to see it that way and even insisted on paying rent. Even though I didn’t even pay rent. My grandparents bought me this house outright, so I’d never even paid a dime.

He didn’t know it, but the rent he’d been giving me was going straight into a savings account for him. One day I’d convince him that everything that was mine was also his, and then I could surprise him with a nice sum of money that he could do whatever he wanted with.

Maybe we could go on a nice vacation or something.

I had my own money, my own accounts, that my parents and grandparents set up when I was first adopted, so it wasn’t like I was completely reliant on my family. One of my aunts invested and did who knew what to all our coven money so we had plenty to go around. Of course, everyone had their own accounts too since everyone worked or whatever, but as a whole, our coven money alone was enough to keep all of us fed and clothed for a very, very long time.

My family had been smart with their money from the very beginning—when Granddad had taken over and adopted all my aunts and uncles—which was wonderful for all of us kids who wanted to pursue different things. But Hugo didn’t seem to grasp that not only were we well off, but Hugo was officially a part of our coven too. Which meant he was well off. He’d never, ever, ever go hungry or want for anything ever again.

At least not if I had anything to say about it.

And honestly, not if my dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins, and everyone else in the coven had anything to say about it either.

Not only was Hugo my viramore, but everyone loved him because he was a fantastic guy.

“Well, it sucks that you don’t want to call out, but I get it. I have a lot of homework and studying to catch up on tonight, anyway.”

“I know you do,” he said as he gathered his bag and checked he had everything he needed inside it.

“Are we not going to talk about it?”

He paused, then sighed, straightened, and faced me as he slung his bag over his shoulder. “Talk about what? The fact that you want me to drink blood?”

I held in another sigh. “It’s vampire blood.”

“And I told you a million times that I don’t want to be a vampire.”

I tried not to let the hurt show on my face or through our bond. Every time Hugo said that, it made me feel like maybe he didn’t want to extend his life to match my lifespan. Like maybe he didn’t care if he died, and I was left here alone… although I doubted I’d survive long without him.

I tried my best not to let any of that show on my face, through our bond, or in my voice. “It won’t make you a vampire, but it’ll help extend your life a little bit and make you a little… hardier.” It’d make him harder to kill.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I know that. I just… the thought of drinking blood makes me want to vomit.”

“You won’t even taste it. We’ll mix it in with a drink or with some food. And you won’t be alone. Jett’s supposed to drink it as well.”

His best friend found his viramore in a bat shifter named Ward, so we had to worry about extending Jett’s life as well. He wasn’t as horrified at the thought of becoming a vampire as Hugo was, so that might be a viable option for him.

But not for Hugo.

I wasn’t sure what we were going to do… if he even wanted to do anything at all.

Some of what I was thinking must’ve pushed through our bond because Hugo’s face fell, and he stepped forward, grabbing onto my sides and pulling me close.

“I’m sorry, Zay. Of course I want to figure something out. I want to live with you for a billion years, okay? I just… I don’t like the idea of needing to drink human blood for the rest of our very long lives.”

Closing my eyes, I let the truth of his words sing through my veins and straight into my soul.