Changes (Belle Morte Book 4)

Chapter Four

Jason

For a moment, he thought he'd forgotten how to breathe.

How many fantasies had started with Gideon knocking on his door? And now it was happening, and he had to fight the urge to pinch himself because he couldn't quite believe it was real.

Maybe he'd fallen asleep and this was just some beautiful dream.

"Hello," Gideon said, shifting his weight.

He couldn't quite meet Jason's eyes, and that more than anything told Jason this was reality. In his dreams, Gideon never hesitated to look him in the eye.

"Hi," Jason said.

A moment passed when no one spoke.

"Can I help you?" Jason asked, wondering if Gideon would just stay silent forever.

Gideon squared his shoulders, as if gearing up for something. "I hope so."

Another moment passed, and the awkwardness of it made Jason want to giggle. He suppressed it.

"Okay, if you need my help, you need to tell me what with. I can't read your mind," he said.

He wished he could, though. Gideon was an enigma, a code that he'd love nothing more than to crack.

"I would like you to teach me about the modern world," Gideon said.

Jason blinked at him. Had he heard that right? Obviously, Gideon hadn't come here for any of the sexyfuntime Jason dreamed about, but this? Nope, he hadn't seen that coming.

"Okaaaaay," he said. "Can I ask why?"

Like most vampires, Gideon had always seemed happy to live in a little bubble, cut off from the changing world outside, and even though he'd just sat through a very long meeting on all the ways vampires needed to adapt to the modern world, Jason hadn't expected this.

"Because we might not have the protection of this House much longer, and if that happens, I want to understand the world I'll be going back into," Gideon said.

Jason had the sudden urge to hug him, and not just because he fancied the pants off him. Gideon had been around for longer than Jason knew, but in that moment he just looked...lost.

"Come in," he said, standing to one side.

After an awkward pause, Gideon walked into the room.

"First things first," Jason said, shutting the door. "You are not going to lose Belle Morte."

Gideon turned bleak eyes on him. "You don't know that."

"Okay, no, I don't, but –"

"Please don't," Gideon interjected. "I know that you're trying to be comforting, but that isn't what I need now. I need to be prepared."

Jason shut his mouth. He wanted to wipe away the bleak look in Gideon's eyes, but empty platitudes wouldn't do that. Gideon was right – Jason couldn't say that the Houses wouldn't be taken away. No one could, because no one knew.

Suddenly, it was his turn to feel awkward.

Gideon Hartwright was here, in his room, and Jason didn't have a clue what to say to him.

"Um . . . you know that Renie and Roux are teaching the others about the modern world, don't you?" he said.

As far as he was aware, Ludovic was the only one who'd shown any sign of progress, but there was plenty of time for the others to learn.

Gideon finally looked at Jason properly, and there was the faintest hit of amusement in his eyes.

"Renie and Roux have both been a little preoccupied lately," he said.