Page 123 of Envious Of Fire
Kyle peers across the table. “And what about you, Jeremy?Can you read this?”
Jeremy stares blankly back.
Cade leans into Kyle. “He’s … a whole other issue.”
“A whole other issue?” Kyle turns to Cade. “What are you talking about? Jeremy can’t speak? Why can’t he speak? Why is there this big scary book sitting on my kitchen table?”
“Elias’s mom gave it to us.” That explanation does nothing to curb Kyle’s bafflement. “You never told me who he really is. He’s the son oftheMadame Rose? Seriously? All this time you guys have been canoodling? Kyle, Kyle … I thought you and I were friends, and you didn’t even spill the tastiest tea you had.”
“Kyle …?”
The sound of Elias’s voice is electrical. Kyle spins, finds him standing in the living room wearing just a towel around his waist, hair wet, golden brown skin aglow in the candlelight.
Kyle rushes across the room and crashes against his body for a happy, unrelenting embrace. Elias’s arms close around him, the two hugging so tightly, it aches. At once, Kyle becomes flooded with an urge to cry. Is it his own urge? Elias’s? Are these tears of happiness or relief?
Then Kyle steps back. “Sorry. I’m dirty. You just showered. I literally spent last night in a hole.”
Elias lifts an eyebrow. “A hole. Okay.” He glances over his shoulder, then leans into Kyle’s ear. “You gonna tell me who this pink-haired punk is? And also why there’s some stripper in a thong rummaging through our closet right now?”
“Yeah. I just … I need …” Then suddenly Kyle is unable to answer a damned thing, hugging Elias again and spending all his attention enjoying the sense of feeling at home with his face buried in Elias’s warm, strong chest. In this moment, nothing else in the world matters.
Nothing else at all.
The peace lasts about seven minutes as Kyle explains wherehe’s been, until the wrong words spill out of his mouth. “Wait, wait, wait a fucking minute,” says Elias, then points at Drake, who stands near the front window with his finger through the curtains, keeping watch. “That punk is Lazarus’s brother?? Lazarus’s real-as-fuck brother? You broughtLazarus’s real-as-fuck brotherhere?”
“He’s more like me,” explains Kyle. “Look at him. Human in appearance. No fangs or uncontrollable bloodlust.”
“That doesn’t mean he isn’t one of them! Loyal tothem, to his ownbrother, Kyle. What the fuck?”
Kyle sighs. This is all going wrong. “He’s here to help us. We got to know each other a lot in a short period of time. He wants his own life now. We have a lot in common. He’s tired of being their bait, luring out humans for them.”
“That so?” Elias lowers his voice, brings his face right in front of Kyle’s. “Has it not occurred to you that hestillmight be playing the role of bait? And you’re just the latest fish with too big of a heart who’s taking the bite?” Kyle scoffs, indignant, then averts his gaze as an inkling of doubt creeps in. “And you brought him here,” Elias goes on, “to our home, this defenseless town, a fishbowl for a whole cave of monsters to take a dip in. This is exactly what we were trying to prevent.”
“No,” Kyle still insists. “No, he’s not … That isn’t …”
“Your boyfriend has a point,” says Drake from the window.
Everyone turns. Cade, Layna, and Jeremy, all still seated at the table full of spices and candles. Mikey, curled up on the couch in one of Elias’s old t-shirts and basketball shorts, hugging a loaf of bread and shoveling slices into his mouth. Elias and Kyle by the archway leading into the kitchen, turn to listen, silent.
Drake continues staring out the window as he speaks. “Just keeping it real with you guys. I love my brother Laz, my weirdo aunties and uncles at the cave … and while it’s true I don’t havean ulterior motive to lead my family here, I can’t exactly control what they might do …”
“Family,” says Elias. “He even calls those bastards his family.”
“They’re not any more or less evil than anyone else,” says Drake, rubbing his nose. “Sure, they’re unusual, reckless, a bit immoral, can be rude, but have you ever been to a frat party? Those polo-wearing dude-bros are downrightdemented…”
“No,” Elias cuts him off, shaking his head. “No, no, no. I don’t trust this guy. I don’t trust him one fucking bit. I want him out of here.”
“Elias,” sighs Kyle.
“Andthisdude?” Elias goes on, gesturing at Mikey on the couch, who looks up, mouth stuffed. “His vampire owner’s gonna come for him too, y’know. Lazarus and the perv vampire who owns him. Two enemies, you’ve made. Are you keeping count?”
“H-He’s not my owner,” says Mikey through his mouthful.
Kyle takes both of Elias’s hands, despite him trying to back away. “I know you’re afraid. You’re probably still mad I left. But I think it’s good I did. We need to know what’s out there. We can’t just keep our heads buried in the sand. Drake isn’t like them. And I couldn’t just leave Mikey there. They were torturing him.”
Elias leans in. “Kyle. You can’t save everyone in the world.”
“What kind of person would I be if I left him there?”
