Chapter 2
Zaos
After we finished eating, I went inside the house with Hugo so we could grab a minute together before he left for work and I went into my bedroom to study and finish my homework.
Luckily, Granddad and Grandpa stayed outside. I was pretty sure they knew I wanted a few minutes alone with my viramore.
But I knew anyone could walk in at any moment, so I ushered Hugo into our bedroom—I loved being able to call it ours.
“You okay?” he asked me as soon as I shut the door.
Instead of answering, I pulled him into my arms, holding him tight against my chest as I buried my nose in his hair. “I’m better now.”
He snorted and wrapped his arms around me, melting into my embrace and making my heart flutter with his trust.
Hugo didn’t trust easily, so even this small gesture, this small part of him that willingly let me hold him up, was a big deal. And I cherished it. Like I cherished him and every part of him he let me see.
After a minute, I slowly released my tight hold on him and leaned back, although I kept my arms around him, and he kept his around me. It made me smile at him.
“What?”
I shrugged. “Nothing. Just… you.”
“Just me what?”
I grinned and pecked his lips. “I love you.”
I could practically feel his insides melting at that statement the way they always did. “I love you too.”
With that, I melted right with him.
Another few seconds passed before I said, “My Uncle Julius is bringing that blood over tomorrow after my Uncle Del makes one of those portal things in the shed.”
“The shed’s gonna be finished by then?”
It didn’t pass my notice that he skipped over the whole blood thing. “They promised Granddad it would be, so I can only assume it will.”
He inhaled deeply. “Right. And this portal will take us straight to your coven land once it’s set up?”
“Our coven land, but yes, it will. They already have one set up to go from coven land to Uncle Remi’s backyard in Gauhala, so we know it works. And if we ever want to go to Gauhala, we can just step through our portal to Granddad and Grandpa’s, and then walk through the other portal to Gauhala.”
He made a face before shaking his head in something that looked partially like amazement, partially like fear, and partially like he maybe didn’t believe me.
“More than half my family has gone through the portal to visit Uncle Remi, Uncle Tan, Uncle Bel, and all the others that are now a part of our family over in Gauhala. It’s literally one step, and you’re on the other side of the world, or so I’m told.
” I hadn’t wanted to leave Hugo when I’d been invited, and he hadn’t been able to get off work to go, so we’d stayed here.
Hopefully one day, we could visit. I’d never been to Gauhala before, so it would be a fun adventure.
Hugo shook his head. “That’s insane. And incredible, but also insane.”
I chuckled and shrugged. “That’s my family for you.”
He snorted at that, then tugged me back into a hug where he buried his face in my chest. After a few seconds, I heard him sniffing.
“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.
He meant it. He truly meant every word.
I sucked in a breath, relieved beyond words. He really did want to stay with me, didn’t he?
I examined our bond, sifting through his emotions again and letting them soak into me, letting them reinforce his words.
He did. He really did want to stay with me.
I rested my forehead against his. “Thank you.”
He squeezed my hips. “I’m sorry I made you think I didn’t want to… live longer or however you want to say it.”
“It’s okay.”
“It’s really not.” He released one hip to cup my cheek, rubbing his thumb across my skin. “I’m sorry.”
After taking a breath, I gave a nod. “Thank you.”
He kissed me lightly before backing away again. “I’m so sorry, but I have to leave before I’m late for work. But… are you okay?”
I gave a genuine smile. “Yes, isa mezelie. I’m great.”
His answering smile was sweet. “I love you.”
“Love you too.”
After walking him to the front door, he gave me one more kiss and ran off to my car.
He didn’t have a car, so I’d insisted that he use mine when I wasn’t using it.
I hated the thought of him walking home alone in the dark, which was exactly what he’d do rather than call a taxi or a ride…
to save money. That he didn’t need. Sigh.
The only way I could convince him was to suggest that he could drive Jett to and from work as well, since he also always walked. Because of course Hugo’s best friend would do dangerous things like Hugo did.
Those two definitely drove Ward and me insane with protectiveness on a regular basis.
I was planning on buying Hugo his own car so he’d always have one, but I wasn’t sure he’d accept it.
Actually, I knew he wouldn’t.
He was too stubborn, or maybe too proud, perhaps a little of both.
He acted like every time I bought him something, I was doing it for charity—even when it was something as simple as a candy bar.
But that wasn’t it at all. I wanted to help him.
I wanted to do things for him. I wanted to give him nice things.
Was that really so hard to understand?
Sigh.
I knew it was for him. After the way he’d grown up, I shouldn’t be surprised by any of it. Though thinking about it made me want to hug him again—everything made me want to hug him.
Maybe I could buy myself a new car and then give him my old one.
Hmm. I might be able to work with that.