Page 41 of Inhuman Nature

For some reason, that made DJ laugh again. He knew his emotions were all over the place, but it was so odd for a guy who looked like he could be picked up from Twinks-R-Usto be older than them. Bad enough that he and Rake felt ancient these days whenever they went out to a bar.

“Rake and I are twenty-six,” DJ said, working it through in his head. “Even though I know you’re a vampire, it doesn’t seem right. You look—” DJ broke off, not wanting to offend Shaun.

“As if I might pass for a student?”

Both DJ and Rake’s features twisted into twin expressions of horror. “This is so fucked up,” DJ breathed.

Shaun spread his hands out. “If it makes you feel any better, I’m pretty sure some of Lawrence’s other creations were younger than me.”

“Why on earth would that make us feelbetter?” Rake exclaimed.

Shaun grimaced. “I don’t know! Ugh. I’m not used to talking to people about this. Or talking to anyone at all apart from Lawrence. It’s not as if he let me have any friends.”

DJ burst into tears. Then he started laughing. And then he was sobbing uncontrollably as every emotion he’d experienced in the short time since he’d been woken up Far Too Early crashed down on him all at once.

Rake made a strangled noise as he put his arms around DJ’s shoulders, but it was Shaun who asked, “Are you okay?”

DJ had no idea if he was okay. Nothing about this entire situation wasokay.

“Rake? What do we do?” Shaun’s question made DJ sob harder. Shaun was the one to have so many horrid things happen to him and, yet, here was DJ making it all about himself.

“Deej is just overwhelmed. Aren’t you, sweetheart?” Rake asked.

DJ nodded.

“I’m sorry,” Shaun said. “Whatever it was that set you off. I’m so sorry.”

DJ looked at Shaun through blurry eyes. “Don’t be s-sorry,” he managed to get out between blubbers.

Shaun was silent for a moment. “Is it because I said I don’t have any friends like some pathetic loner?”

The noise that came out of DJ’s mouth would probably be considered halfway between a wail and a whine. Either way, it was embarrassing enough that he started laughing again. As far as DJ could see through his tears, Shaun looked alarmed at the whole thing.

Rake was stroking his back again. “Shaun, would you be able to pass him the glass of water, please?”

After a millisecond, Shaun stood in front of DJ with a glass.

“Thank you, Shaun,” DJ whispered, taking a few sips of water. “I should be the one apologising, even if it’s quite upsetting to hear about it all. I shouldn’t be making jokes about vampire movies and making fun of your trauma.”

Shaun frowned. “I don’t think I have any trauma,” he declared. “Joke away!”

DJ rubbed at his eyes. It was still Far Too Early to be dealing with this level of avoidance. Not that DJwantedShaun to have any trauma, but that he was sure that after over a decade of abuse, people didn’t walk away without it affecting them. Vampire or not, DJ was sure that Shaun had gone through more than most people would experience in their lifetimes. He doubted he and Rake had even scratched the surface.

“I think”—Rake rubbed his shoulder against DJ’s—“thatyou need some coffee in you. And I need a cup of tea.” Rake steered them towards the sofa, making them both sit.

“Rake, not everything can be solved with hot drinks,” DJ said.

“I think it’s a good start. Um.” Rake hesitated. “You definitely can’t drink tea, can you, Shaun?”

“Can’t digest it, I’m afraid.”

“When’s the last time you… ate? Drank? Whatever the term is.”

Shaun lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “You can use either.”

DJ and Rake waited for Shaun to continue, but he didn’t. “Shaun,” Rake said, voice taking on a more authoritative edge. “Tell me when you last drank.”

Shaun shifted on his feet. “You’re okay with me drinking people’s blood to survive?”