Page 19

“I hate it!” Carver said. “I’m always hungry, I miss the sun, I…I…hate this!”

The poor boy. That statement at least proved that Carver had been turned against his will. It could come from regret from agreeing but after the state of starvation and scenting real despair, Dante was going with this wasn’t Carver’s choice. “It’ll get better. I’ll help you get through this.”

Carver cried harder.

There was a gurgling croak before Dante’s familiar swooped down.

“What?” Carver waved a hand in front of them. “Go away.”

“No,” Dante said. “That’s Syn. She’s checking on us.”

“She?” Carver turned and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. “Syn?”

Dante smiled as Syn croaked before landing on the rail in front of them. His familiar did have awful timing. How was Dante going to explain that she just didn’t like anyone but him. Dante didn’t want Carver to take Syn’s attitude personally.

“Oh wow.” Carver leaned closer before jerking back when Syn flew to Dante’s shoulder. Right between them.

“She won’t hurt you,” Dante assured. Although his familiar was quite a brat and often attacked Nicholas, so maybe Dante shouldn’t promise that.

Carver wiped his eyes. “She’s very pretty.”

“She has been with me for a very long time,” Dante explained. “She is my familiar.”

“Hi, Syn,” Carver said with a sniff. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Syn fluffed out her feathers before hopping down Dante’s arm and closer to the boy.

“Do you think she likes me?” Carver asked. There was a small smile filled with hope.

Instead of answering, Dante watched as Syn flew over to land carefully on Carver’s wrist.

Carver froze, staring at the black raven with wide eyes.

Syn gave a quiet caw, then rubbed her beak against Carver’s tearstained cheek.

“Oh!” Carver made a happy sound. “I think she does like me!”

Crisis averted. The boy was smiling again. Plus, Syn seemed to at least tolerate Carver, which was a step in the right direction.

Dante would try again in the morning with Carver. He needed answers. And there was still a mystery to figure out. Time. Dante needed to show his patience and give Carver more time.

Syn continued to rub against Carver’s cheek.

Truthfully, Dante had never seen Syn react this way with anyone other than him before. It reminded Dante of when the raven had first found him.

“Vampires have familiars?” Carver asked quietly as he continued to run one long finger over the tip of Syn’s small head.

“We used to,” Dante said. “Back in the old days. An animal could bond with a vampire and become their familiar. They would look out for the vampire and the vampire shared their life force.”

“You give her blood?” Carver sounded scandalized.

“No,” Dante said with a low chuckle. “The magic that connects my clan also allows us the ability to bond with a familiar.”

“Oh.” Carver huffed out a breath. “Every time I think I’m learning something, there’s something else to remind me I have no freaking clue about this new life.”

Dante wanted to assure Carver that he would love to teach him everything.

Watching his precious and somewhat of an asshole raven begin to groom Carver stole the words away.