Page 37 of Inhuman Nature

“Rake? Why are you up so early?” DJ’s voice was rough from sleep. “Come back in. I want my turn at being the little spoon.”

Rake sat on the bed, DJ grabbing at him and trying to pull him back under the duvet. “Shaun’s here,” he said.

“What?” DJ asked, blinking lethargically.

“He’s hurt, but he’s not saying much.”

That got DJ sitting up. “Hurt? How badly?”

“He’ll be okay, from what I’ve seen.”

“Where is he?”

“Living room.”

DJ threw the duvet onto the floor in his rush to leave.

When Rake entered the living room right after DJ, Shaun had a guilty expression on his face. Rake assumed it was because he’d been eavesdropping. He didn’t mind. There was nothing he’d said to DJ that he wouldn’t want Shaun overhearing.

DJ hurried to Shaun’s side, setting himself down on the sofa and opening his arms in invitation. “Hey,” DJ said. “I’mglad you’re here. I missed that face of yours.”

Shaun fell into DJ’s embrace, the tense set of his shoulders relaxing as DJ held him. “It’s good to see you too,” Shaun murmured.

DJ gently pushed Shaun back, holding him at arm’s length whilst he looked him over. “You look like shit.”

Rake rubbed at his brow. He’d been going for tact, but DJ apparently hadn’t got the message.

Shaun, however, let out a bark of a laugh. “Yeah. I don’t doubt it.” His face wasn’t looking as bad as Rake thought it had even ten minutes before, but he still looked rough.

“What happened?” DJ demanded.

Shaun gathered the blanket closer around him as he stood up, teeth gnawing at his cracked lips. “If I tell you something, you can’t tell anyone else, okay?”

DJ nodded. “Of course we won’t. You can trust us, Shaun.”

Shaun’s gaze bored into Rake. “You have to promise, too.”

Rake pursed his lips. “I promise I won’t tell anyone anything without your consent, as long as it won’t put you in harm’s way.”

Shaun gave him a flat look. “No caveats. This information cannot go further than this room.”

DJ stood up and came over to Rake, taking hold of his hand. “Rake, let him set his boundaries,” he said softly.

Rake understood, though it still rankled. But with both DJ and Shaun pleading with him, he was helpless. “I’ll respect your wishes.”

Shaun nodded, casting the blanket onto the couch and muttering to himself under his breath.

“Shaun?” DJ prodded after a good few seconds had gone by.

“I’m a vampire,” Shaun announced.

Right. So Shaun was going through some sort of mental break because of the assault. This meant theyreallyneeded to get him to the hospital.

“Are you serious?” DJ squeaked.

Rake scrubbed a hand over his face. “When did you start to believe this?”

Shaun sighed. “You think I’m crazy, don’t you?”