Page 70 of Moonlight Hearts

That was a surprise.More than a little surprise.“Soyer did?My Soyer?”

“No other Black Shucks around, Amory.I was surprised you didn’t know—I thought he’d tell you, but he didn’t.Ella and I don’t have the same mom.Mine was a succubus.Ella is all human.”They picked at their tights.“It’s a mess of a situation.Or it would be, if not for all this, for you guys, for the Moonlight.I don’t have custody, but Ella cannot go back to her father.I’m sure you can imagine why.My skills at channeling desire are good, but not like if I were fully supernatural.It’s frowned upon.We’re seen as exploitative.”

I was about to ask why they were telling me this, then remembered.“That’s why you asked me if I minded incubuses.Incubi?”

They nodded.“Yeah.Cubi make people wonder if what they feel is real sometimes, and people like me are often seen as using what skill we have to get what we want.”They tugged a strand of their hair back behind their ear.“That’s why I really appreciated that you didn’t know anything about me.Before getting to know me, you know?”

I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I picked up their latte concoction and took a sip.It was pretty good.

“The good thing about being me is that I really don’t know anything.The only reason I know about St.Auguste is because they have an ad up on the escalator that I’ve taken down to the underground twice now.”

Rae chuckled.“He’s really protective of you, isn’t he?”

“Calling my fiancé overprotective now?”

They gave me a raw, sappy sort of expression.“One thing I can do really well is sense when someone gets turned on by another person.It’s like magnetism, not always under either party’s control.But your Black Shuck?I’ve never felt that from him for anyone who wasn’t you.Same for you, although Kasey said you two were very nearly flirting that once.”

“Uh, I just thought his snakes were cool, that’s all.Rae?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re a badass of an older sibling.”

They sighed.“You don’t know everything.I just tried my best.It wasn’t enough, but it was all I knew to do.”

Gummi worms.I remembered sharing gummi worms with my sister.Could I have done anything to make her understand, see my side of the story?Or did I accidentally leave her an only child in a home that wasn’t good for anyone?

“I don’t need to know everything.I know you, okay?That’s enough.And I don’t mind—what’s the word—cubi?You’re family.”

“Ugh, fuck.I didn’t use the waterproof eyeliner.”They stood.“Look, I’m going to storm out now, okay?”

“Yup, that’s fine.”

They nodded and made for the door, then stopped.“Thank you for inviting us.Ella’s really excited.”

They left.I sat there for a good minute before putting the folding chair away.Then I had more of the latte and pulled out my phone.

You did something very nice for Rae and Ella, didn’t you?

Not that I can remember.

My Soyer was a bad liar sometimes, but I didn’t mind one tiny bit.

Thaeros hung around till nine.He was ready to head out into the madness of big fluffy snowflakes in a long royal blue coat and a beret in the same color by about quarter after.His long scarf was just a shade lighter than the rest of his outfit.

“Enjoy getting snowed in,” he said, one hand on the door.

I raised a hand in goodbye.“Enjoy getting snowed on.”

He frowned.“This is the kind of thing that’ll ruin a nice hairstyle.Anyhow, toodles.”

The bells above the door twinkled with his exit and a flurry of white and cold blew in.

Rae looked up from their phone.They were leaning on the counter next to me.“Ugh.That’s real wintry.”

The guy at the counter, who was engrossed in his novel and on his second slice of pecan pie, looked up as well, as if he hadn’t even realized it was snowing.

He looked at me.“Hey, do you have a cozy-like drink?”