Page 38 of Inhuman Nature

“I don’t know if you’re meant to use the word ‘crazy’ anymore,” DJ said.

“Well, either way, I’m not.” Shaun pointed to his mouth. “Look.”

DJ grabbed hold of Rake’s hand when Shaun’s canines elongated. Rake was dumbfounded. Shaun held up his hands, his nails lengthening and becoming claw-like at the ends of his fingers. And then Rake blinked, and Shaun was gone.

“Proof enough for you?”

Rake whirled around, bringing DJ with him as he turned to face Shaun, who was, inexplicably, behind them.

“Oh my god!” DJ screamed.

“Uh. Maybe I could have gone about this a different way,” Shaun said, running his fingers through the tangled mess on his head and grimacing when his fingers got stuck in his matted hair.

“You’re avampire,” Rake said, not quite able to believe even his own words.

“Oh my god!” DJ screamed again, apparently unable to utter anything else.

Shaun’s teeth retracted. He looked like a normal person once more.

“I don’t know how to react,” DJ said. “How are you real? I mean, I can see you’re real, you’re right in front of me. Vampires, though. They’re not real. Oh my god. Vampires are real. What is happening.”

“Breathe, Deej,” Rake said, rubbing at his back to comfort him. He wasn’t sure why he was so calm himself, but now he knew Shaun wasn’t imagining things, the information made things slot into place like they hadn’t before. “Lawrence…” he said slowly, coming to a conclusion. “He’s a vampire too?”

Shaun nodded curtly. “My creator.”

“And he attacked you?”

Shaun didn’t look happy about admitting it, but he inclined his head.

“Because of what we did together the other day?” Rake didn’t want to hear the answer, but he had to find out if this had all been his fault.

“Partly,” Shaun admitted.

DJ made a noise like he’d been punched in the chest. Rake didn’t fare much better, his stomach churning with guilt. “You don’t want to be with him at all, do you?” he asked.

Shaun took a few moments before answering. “No.”

“He made you a vampire, and he’s been hurting you.” Rake said it more to himself than as a question for Shaun, who said nothing. His face was answer enough.

DJ squeezed Rake’s hand so hard he thought he might break a bone. “If you don’t mind me asking,” DJ said. “Do you have any family?”

Shaun started fidgeting with his hands. “Yes. Parents.”

“Do they know what you are?”

“No.”

DJ seemed unable to stop himself from asking more questions. “Are they looking for you?”

“No.” Shaun hesitated. “Lawrence compelled me to write a suicide note, then left it with my phone near a river. I’m pretty sure everyone thinks I drowned myself.”

“Christ,” DJ breathed.

Shaun shifted on his feet. Even Rake could sense he was uncomfortable with the current direction of conversation, but he didn’t know how to move on from the revelation.

“Are you going to eat us?” DJ asked, surprisingly placid, given the nature of his question.

“Fuck no.”