Page 35 of Infernal Hearts

And there it is—all of the apprehension and fear behind his behavior.

I lower my voice, proceeding with caution. I don’t want to cause him pain, but I want to fully understand. “What happened?”

“It was a chimera. Broken leg. She went to assist my dad when its owner called him for help.”

“But things went wrong.”

“Big time.” He bites his bottom lip. “My dad thought he’d tranquilized it enough. But when they went to reset the bone, it woke up and bit her. Chimera venom is lethal, and so is its blood. No antidote for humans. She died within seconds.”

“Jason, I’m…so sorry.” I truly don’t know what to say. The pain vibrates off of him so loudly that I don’t even need magic to sense it.

Empathy has never been my strong suit, but losing your mom in such a horrific way sends a jolt through my heart. I had a horrible relationship with my parents, but I always wondered what it would be like to have a loving family. People to raise me and care for me.

My stomach hardens at the thought of how he’d had what I’d always wanted. Mine were just deeply religious and horribly cruel. I’ve been trying to forget about them ever since I was a teenager.

But Jason? He clearly loved his parents. They raised him right, if his kindness is any indication. Losing someone so terribly can wound a person forever. It’s something you can come back from, but it takes some intense processing and healing. From the look of it, he’s still lost.

“I didn’t even get to say goodbye.” His voice breaks as he wipes his nose on his sleeve. He opens his mouth to say something but closes it again and chokes down a sob.

“So that’s why you left magic. It’s why you went into the normal world. But just because you left magic doesn’t mean you left behind what was important to you.”

He turns to me, brown eyes finding mine. “And what might that be?”

I put my hand on his thigh. For once, he doesn’t pull away. Maybe he could really use some comfort. So I just let it sit there. “You love your family and you love helping. It’s what makes you, you.”

It’s his calling. He was raised for it from even a young age, from the way things seem. His dad probably always saw it in him and fostered it the best he could. It’s a shame things ended the way they did.

“I guess you’re right.”

“Can I ask another uncomfortable question?”

He laughs, wiping his teary eyes and leaning back. “Since we’re at it, sure.”

I shift a little on my seat, carefully thinking about how I should word my question. “How serious were you and Michael?”

Jason looks at the ceiling, letting out a deep breath as he lays his head back. “We were together for a long time. We even talked about getting married. But he ended up walking out when he realized I wasn’t going back to magic.”

My jaw drops open. “Just like that? Without a word?”

His lips form a firm line, and he tentatively nods. “Basically. Broke my fucking heart.”

“You can do so much better. Trust me.” As far as I’m concerned, Michael is officially the worst.

He grins, voice growing soft. “Thank you for saying that. Maybe one day I’ll believe it.”

“I really hope you do.” I squeeze his leg in comfort. “All I know is that you saved my life and that I wouldn’t be here without you.”

He places his hand on mine, and for some reason, my heart skips a beat. I can’t remember the last time that happened. “You know, you’re not so bad when you’re not being an asshole.”

I try to mash down the strange feeling I just got from him touching me. “I’ve been called a lot of things, but I’m not an asshole.”

“No, you’re not. Just not very serious… I’m not used to that.”

“If I’m not serious enough, you’re way too dire. You need to lighten up. When’s the last time you had a night off?”

He stifles a laugh. “I don’t take nights off. I stay busy with work. Easier to cope.”

“That’s the problem! Go out, see a movie, have a drink. Something. Self-care. You deserve it.” I’m not sure why I’m saying this. Do I need him in his best form to help me find my brother? Or am I actually starting to care about how he’s doing? It’s an interesting thought. I don’t usually put much into others’ needs, but I really do want him to stop stressing.

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