Exton

I sigh when I see Nick come back down the stairs. Well, no time like the present....

"Hey, Nick, got a minute?"

The vampire's eyes slit, just for a second, but he nods and lets me lead him to a side room.

"What's up, bro?"

"I have something I need to make right." I meet his eyes head-on, just a hint of red in them now. "The time that Raina caught you with Gareth and got upset... you tried to talk to me about it, and I cut you off at the knees. That was wrong of me." The red is fading slowly. "Part of it was because you're a vampire and I didn't trust you; part was because you're bi, and I just can't wrap my mind around the concept of a man having sex with another man." His face is still, betraying none of his feelings. "None of that matters, and it shouldn't have mattered then. You're a good man, Nick. I know now that you'd die to keep Raina from coming to harm, and I know you'd go a long way to keep her from being unhappy. I just wanted to apologize." I hold out a hand. "Friends?"

For a minute, nothing happens; Nick's face is empty as the eyes of a skull; then a slow smile works its way over his face, transforming it. He takes my hand in a surprisingly gentle grip. "Friends."

He steers me back toward the bar. "Seems we have some celebrating to do, not just Christmas. Have a drink on me. Was hael!*"

I order a dark beer, Nick orders beef blood - gag - and we join the party.

Was hael!


"Wassail", Norse for "Good health"