Page 59 of D'Vaire or Nothing
Heathcliff's Heart
Chapter 1
Brynewielm Duke Heathcliff D’Vairefenix walked out of the King of Clubs restaurant hours after arriving at the beautiful resort aptly named Deck of Cards. He wondered if his stomach had ever been so full.
“That was delicious,” said Heathcliff’s beloved brother, Kieran D’Vairefenix. He took the hand of his dark warlock mate, Scheredin D’Vaire.
“I ate so much,” remarked Scheredin’s familiar, Brexton. “But I have no regrets.”
“Me either,” added Jena, the familiar of Scheredin’s sister.
Kieran’s silver eyes that occasionally flashed a soft purple met Heathcliff’s. “So, where are we headed now?”
With a shrug, Heathcliff stuck his hands in his pockets. “I don’t know.”
If Heathcliff was being honest, he’d assumed his dinner companions would suggest something lively to do in the resort. That would give Heathcliff the perfect opportunity to feign tiredness so he could sneak upstairs to read the latest mystery by his favorite author, which had been released that morning. Heathcliff loved books and had waited impatiently for months for the next installment in the series he adored.
“I think from the way Heath isn’t making eye contact with anyone that he definitely has something planned,” Scheredin commented as he watched Heathcliff with his inquisitive green gaze.
“New book,” Kieran said with a smirk. “I’d bet you anything he has something exciting to read and wants to ditch us.”
Brexton gasped dramatically. “Ditch us? But we’re your family, Heath. We’re here in beautiful, vivacious Las Vegas together to celebrate this incredible resort our beloved Emperors have painstakingly worked on for probably years. And you want to escape to your room to read a book?”
Since Heathcliff refused to be anything but blunt and honest, he nodded. “Yes.”
“Usually, we can force him to stay with us to protect us, but the resort is family only,” Jena remarked with a purse of her lips as she absentmindedly braided the end of her thick ponytail. “Somehow, the Grand Duke is allowing us to walk around wherever we want without Dukes or sentinels.”
“Didn’t stop him from following our High Kings around, but whatever. As for Heath, we’ll have to find something to do that will interest my brother,” Kieran told their companions.
“My book interests me,” Heathcliff muttered.
“What if we make you a deal?” Scheredin asked. “I can appreciate the lure of a good book, so I don’t blame you for wanting to go read it. But we want to hang out with you too. How about we go do something together for one hour, then we’ll let you go upstairs to the suite?”
Heathcliff loved his found family and was grateful they’d decided to keep him years ago after his former tribe had forced poison down Kieran’s throat. Desperate to save Kieran from the torment Heathcliff had suffered through twice when his parents and other siblings had volunteered him to go through theexperience, the Brynewielm Duke had called Scheredin. It had changed his life forever in the best ways possible.
“One hour. No more. No less,” Heathcliff stated firmly. “Where are we going?”
Kieran took Scheredin’s hand. “Let’s keep it chill and calm the way Heath likes it. How about we head to Hearts bar and get a drink?”
“I’m probably going to have to jump around to make some room for a beverage, but I’m game,” Jena responded.
“I’m pretty positive that’s not how digestion works,” Heathcliff told the familiar as they left the restaurant behind them to head to the Hearts bar they’d passed earlier on their way through the resort.
“Maybe not for elf-phoenix hybrids like your biological people, but I’m a warlock familiar. Totally summoned from magic,” Jena replied.
Brexton patted her shoulder. “Jena, I’m a familiar too, and I’m with Heath. Jumping won’t help you.”
“Walking can aid you in passing gas to make you more comfortable as you digest,” Scheredin commented.
“Why do you know that?” Heathcliff asked.
Scheredin shrugged, and it made the chunk of his black hair—which refused to do anything but stick straight up—bounce. “I’m not sure where I learned it. Maybe it’s not even true, but it sounds better than jumping around. I think if I did that right now, I’d throw up.”
“Eww,” Jena said. “I don’t want to make room like that.”
“No one else wants you to either, especially since some poor soul is going to have to clean that up,” Heathcliff drawled.
“We always have the weirdest fucking conversations,” Brexton commented.
