His expression didn't shift at all. He stared back, unable to quite comprehend the answer he'd been given. Until a few years ago, an answer like that couldn't have been taken seriously. Everyone was human in Ray's world, except for Fraser maybe, so that kind of response would never have been given in earnest. And yet here Asher was, not only providing it as a serious answer but one that should apparently make a difference to Ray's own reaction.

Much like Asher now considered himself different to the person he used to be when human, Ray had always assumed there was a difference between vampire Asher and the one currently looking at him. Perhaps that was naive of him, given that he didn't have anything to compare current Asher with, but it was what his gut told him and he always went with his hunches. So if Asher wasn't the same person now, then maybe his answer made sense.

The conclusion Ray came to was more alarming than Asher's reply. Ray was in love with Asher, wasn't he? All of him. That was what love was, right? But how could he be if there were two Ashers and he barely knew one of them? Did that mean he could only ever half love him?

He blinked. "Does that make a difference?"