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“Yes, but some of that is a good thing,” I said with a smile. “Before ya became human, ya didn’t laugh much. When ya laughed in the car the other day at the temple, I decided to deal with ya just as ya are. I consider yer new sense of humor to be the silver lining to the cloud.”

“I’m sorry if I emotionally hurt you with my actions. I’m certain that wasn’t part of my plans. I can feel that in my soul.”

I saluted him with my glass. “In the time I knew ya, ya became a stand-up man when it came to apologizing. I’m glad to see it carried over through all the multiple versions of yerself.”

“So what happens to us now?”

I twirled the glass with melting cubes with my fingers. “I vote that we live as best we can. At least yer new life can unfold now without the secrets we were keeping from ya. Let Ben stay oblivious. He’ll be yer cover for what ya’ve learned. All a person can do is live one day at a time, Rasmus. Anything else is an illusion.”

“You sound like the poetic werewolf.”

I smiled at him. “I just told ya how wonderful I thought ya were. Why are ya slinging insults at me?”

He grinned at me. “How is that an insult? I thought you liked werewolves.”

“Oh, I like them fine, but I don’t want to date any. Or hang around with them too much. Isaiah wants to share power with me. That’s never happening.”

“Is that a magickal euphemism for sex?”

I laughed into my glass. “When ya talk about bedding someone of great power, it is best to speak gently of such things.”

“Does any of your attraction to me linger?”

I rose and took our glasses to the sink. I rinsed them and loaded them into the dishwasher. Fiona must have survived her exams this week because the dishwasher was empty. She’d taken on most of the house chores to spare the rest of us. I was proud of her for not letting the hard times of her life get her down.

I turned back to Rasmus. “My attraction isn’t what it was, but I still find ya appealing. Younger men were never my thing. It’s nothing personal, but I do wish ya had asked me things like that before ya did this to yerself.”

“I wish I had as well. You can’t imagine how surreal it feels to know I used to be a whole other person.”

“I imagine it feels just as surreal as the first time I met ya and realized ya were more than a demon hunter. Remember when Orlin changed from birdman to human? Ya used to do that as well.”

“Gross.”

“Very,” I said. “Well, I’m ready for bed. Tomorrow I have to start researching Venusians. I’d like to read what Zara’s been reading.”

“Can I help you?” Rasmus asked.

I nodded. “I was going to insist on it.”

I turned and headed down the hall.

“Aran, wait.”

I stopped as Rasmus headed toward me.

“Thank you for talking to me and telling me the truth.” He bent his head and brushed my cheek with his lips.

“Ya’re welcome, Rasmus.”

Before I could pull away his lips covered mine with a different intent. My mouth opened slightly and the invasion of his tongue sent my head spinning.

He pulled away and ran a hand over my cheek. “Would it sound crazy if I said I think I did all this for you?”

“No. It sounds just as arrogant as ya always were about everything ya did being right.”

He laughed, stepped back, and dropped his hand. “Thank you for the date. I know it was work, but it was also fun. I hadn’t been on a date in years.”

“I guess ya picked up the occasional bed partner the old-fashioned way before ya came here to the States.”