Page 66 of Black Hollow: Awakening

“Just because.” Liam was as casual as ever. “I like seeing other people’s rooms.”

“Okaaaay… It’s just that it’s a huge mess, so…”

“Doesn’t matter. Upstairs?”

“Uh… Yeah.”

Liam was already heading up the stairs, so Will followed him, then pointed him to the right room. They went inside.

“It’s not messy at all.”

“You sound disappointed.”

Liam chuckled. He looked around Will’s bedroom with interest.

“So what’s the verdict?” Will asked, feeling self-conscious under the scrutiny.

“I like it,” Liam declared, then walked over to the shelf where Will kept his manga collection. “Do you like horror?”

“Not really, but I love Nakamura’s manga. He’s a true genius when it comes to building atmosphere. And he has a great art style.”

“Don’t know him, but I like manga. I’m reading a series called ‘Trace of the Past’ right now. It’s pretty cool. My brother got me into it.”

“Is that the one about samurai, but in a more steampunk setting?” Will asked, and Liam nodded. “I heard it’s great, but I haven’t had a chance to read it.”

Liam moved around the room.

“It’s weird to think you have this big-ass house to yourself.”

“It’s not that big.”

“Mine’s smaller, and it’s me, my parents, and my three brothers. That’s why I have to share a room with one of them.”

Will thought he was starting to understand the interest in his bedroom. He smiled slightly.

“Well, you can always move in here. As you know, I don’t have a roommate anymore.”

“Yup. But you wouldn’t want me as a roommate.”

“Because?”

“Because I’m lazy and I make a huge mess,” Liam announced with disarming honesty. “Besides, knowing my brothers, they’d be dropping by five times a day with every possible stupid thing.”

“I wouldn’t mind.”

Especially if they were as handsome as Liam. In that case, Will would be more than fine with it.

“Are they all younger than you?” he asked.

“One is three years older. Another is a year younger, and the third is only fourteen.”

“And which one is the werewolf?” he asked, and Liam looked at him in surprise. “Norma mentioned only one of them is like you.”

“The youngest. His transformations started recently, but he’s handling it well. Much better than I did at his age.”

“What’s it like living with so many people under one roof?”

“Why do you ask?”