by Kasi Blake
He gave the job of researching Oberon to Cowboy. “Track down your ex and start asking questions.”
“She won’t tell me anything but lies.”
“If you turn on the charm instead of insulting her, she might open up a little. Women want to think you can’t live without them.”
Cowboy scoffed. “She knows me better than that.”
“Get the information,” Trick demanded before teleporting home. He didn’t give Cowboy another chance to protest. Talking to the other vampire could be tedious. Trick hoped Matt or Laura was home so he could talk to them. He needed a sympathetic ear and some good advice.
♫
Trick rapped his knuckles against the master bedroom’s partially opened doorway. He needed to talk to somebody, and Laura was the only one home. He swallowed convulsively while having second thoughts about confiding in her. Maybe he shouldn’t involve his adoptive mother. It’s not like he could tell her everything. She had no idea he was a vampire.
Before he could retrace his steps back downstairs, Laura told him to enter. Trick went inside. In all his years with the Donovan family, he had only visited the master bedroom on a handful of occasions. Laura had decorated it with rich reds, dark browns, and a bit of cream with gold accents. They had a huge bed with four thick posts that twisted upward, almost touching the ceiling. There was a sitting area near the bay windows and a corner for sewing.
Laura stood in front of the full-length mirror on her closet door. She held a red dress over the cream-colored pantsuit she had on. Then she moved a short black dress in front of her. “I’m trying to find something to wear for Valentine’s Day. I’m sure your dad has something planned, some romantic surprise. What about you? Do you have plans with Dani Foster?”
He hid his surprise behind a smile. Had Laura seen him with Dani, or was she fishing for information because of what Summer had said over dinner? Sometimes he thought Laura was a lot more perceptive than people thought.
Valentine’s Day was still a couple weeks away. He’d forgotten. Not that it mattered. After seeing his monster-face Dani was probably done with him. Besides, he couldn’t risk getting near her again until he got the curse removed. In fact, he shouldn’t hang around Laura either. A smart hunter would have himself chained to a wall or locked in a cell until he got himself under control.
Laura was staring at him intently, waiting for an answer. His heavy heart pushed him to tell her what was bothering him. There was a chance she might be able to help. She had given him good advice in the past.
Easing into the conversation, he asked, “Does it bother you when I talk about my biological father?”
“Of course not.” She laid her dresses aside and gave him her full attention. “I understand your curiosity.”
“You do?”
“Have you seen that commercial where they offer to put together your family tree? I think they go back several generations.” When he shook his head, she added, “I’ve thought about doing it, you know, for fun.”
“That’s cool.”
“It’s only natural to be curious about your heritage.” She picked up a dress in each hand, holding them by their hangers, and took turns putting them in front of her. “What do you think? Red or black?”
He plopped down on the edge of Laura’s bed. Head hung low, he didn’t even look at them. He had a confession to make. He took a deep breath and said, “My sister-in-law came to see me. She tracked me down just to tell me to stay away from my brother. She doesn’t want us to meet.”
“Oh, honey.” Laura made a sympathetic face as she tossed the dresses aside and sat next to him on the bed. “Family can treat you worse than strangers.”
He shrugged instead of admitting he had met the girl’s mother in Nebraska when Laura was in Europe with Sean. “I promised her I would stay away, but now I’m thinking I should meet him.”
“Do what’s best for you.”
He gaped at her, stunned by the advice.
She added, “Normally, I would tell you the opposite, but I know this has been haunting you. If you want to meet your brother, meet him. Don’t let his wife get in the way.”
Sounded like good advice to him. Of course, his mother only knew half the story. She had no idea he was a vampire with a psychotic faerie on his trail. She didn’t know Silver had begged him to stay away because she was pregnant and didn’t want her husband to die.
Trick wished he could tell Laura everything.
Another problem arose.
He asked, “If I decide to meet my brother, will it upset Matt? He might not be as cool about it as you are.”
Laura patted his hand where it rested between them on the mattress. “Matt is a big boy, and he wants you to be happy. There’s a small chance he might experience a bit of jealousy if you and your biological brother become the best of friends. Even if that happens, I’m sure it won’t last. The two of you share a bond not easily broken.”
Was she right? Would Matt understand and give his blessing?
Feeling better, Trick stood. His mother had given him a lot to think about. As he headed for the door, he said, “Wear the red. I overheard Sean tell his friends you look amazing in red.”
♫
Someone knocked on the front door. Dinner was ready, and Laura had sent him after his adoptive father. She and the housekeeper were finishing up in the kitchen. Trick stopped in mid-step while crossing from the dining room to the living room. He changed direction and went to the door. Jerking it open, he got ready to tell the intruder they would have to return later. Laura and Sean Donovan were sticklers when it came to social etiquette. They were careful not to intrude on others during meal times, and they expected the same courtesy.
Trick’s voice died in his throat.
Bash stood on the porch with a wide grin as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He removed his dark sunglasses. The five o’clock shadow on his lower face made him look extra intimidating. His gaze traveled up and down Trick. The grin grew. “Ready to hunt?”
Trick’s mouth opened and closed without making a sound. He placed a hand on the hunter’s chest and glanced over his shoulder to make sure his parents weren’t behind him. He tried to push Bash backward so he could exit the house long enough to shoo the hunter away. Bash could wait in his jeep or next door at the Fosters until Trick made up a good excuse for leaving before eating.
But the hunter was a huge wall of muscle. The guy didn’t budge an inch. Trick considered using supernatural strength to move the hunter, but he couldn’t risk giving his secret away. So he jerked his chin instead to indicate Bash should step aside.
“I can’t talk right now,” Trick whispered. “Go away.”
“Who is it, Patrick?” Sean asked from somewhere behind him.
Trick froze. Too late. Now what? He heard Laura’s footsteps grow closer as she joined her husband in the foyer. Trick gave Bash a warning glare and silently prayed the hunter would heed it. “Tell them you have the wrong house,” he begged under his breath.
“Hello, Mr. Donovan. I’m Sebastian Carver.” Bash lied with a grin on his face, making Trick wonder if the hunter had prepared beforehand. He stepped inside without invitation. “Ian Carver was my brother, so Trick is my nephew. I just tracked him down a few days ago so we can get to know each other. I’m sure you have a ton of questions regarding his father.”
Sean’s eyes narrowed on Trick, suspicious. “Why didn’t you tell us you’d met your uncle?”
“Don’t be rude,” Laura said. She stuck her hand out to the newcomer. “It is very nice to meet you, Mr. Carver. We do have questions about Patrick’s father.”
“Call me Sebastian.”
He ignored her hand, and she dropped it to her side with a light pink glow of embarrassment. “We were about to sit down to dinner,” she said. “Would you care to join us?”
Trick wanted to scream in frustration. What was happening? He worked hard to keep his monster hunting lifestyle separate from his normal everyday
routine. Now in the span of seconds they were colliding, and there wasn’t anything he could do about it.
Bash shook his head. “I don’t want to intrude.”
“Don’t be silly,” Laura said. “We’d love for you to stay. You are the only member of Patrick’s original family that we’ve met. Sean and I would like to know more about his parents and his history in general... if you wouldn’t mind sharing.”
Trick gave Bash his most vicious warning glare, but the hunter ignored it. Wide smile firmly in place, Bash tussled Trick’s hair as he walked past him the way an uncle might do to his five-year-old nephew.
“I haven’t had dinner yet,” Bash said. “And I am starving.”
Laura gestured for him to follow Sean to the formal dining room. Before they made it across the threshold Laura ran into the kitchen. The housekeeper hurried in with the good china and genuine silverware. Laura swapped the mediocre flatware and plates out with quick hands as if she’d worked for an Indy pit crew. She would have directed Bash to a seat, but he took it upon himself to go to the head of the table.
He plopped down in Sean’s chair. The guy just wanted to be close to the meat. Without giving them a chance to protest, he grabbed a fork and speared two steaks. Once he had them on his plate, he tore into them with vicious swipes of a sharp knife and stabbed large pieces with his fork. He didn’t bother to wait for anyone else to join him. He didn’t even glance in their direction.
Laura and Sean exchanged horrified looks. The situation might have been funny to Trick if not for the dire implications. Bash had introduced himself as Trick’s blood relative. If the guy acted too much like a caveman, Sean and Laura’s opinion of Trick could slide downhill.
Sean pulled out Laura’s chair for her. Then he sat on her right while Trick sat on her left. They passed the side dishes around. Bash wasn’t interested in anything other than the meat. Since he didn’t bother to offer them the last steak, Trick leaned sideways and reached for the plate. Part of him feared the hunter would stab him with the silver knife rather than share.
Trick’s fingers caught the plate’s rim, and he slid it closer. Once he got a good grip, he passed it to his parents. Sean cut the remaining steak into thirds for them to share. Laura stood, a grim look on her face. “I’ll have the housekeeper throw a few more on the grill,” she said.
Bash grunted. He swallowed his entire glass of wine in three mouthfuls. When Laura headed for the kitchen, he said, “Tell her I like mine rare. She overcooked these. I like them bloody.”
Laura shuddered, and the color drained from her face.
Sean went with her to the kitchen, returning in seconds with a fresh bottle of wine. He carried it down the length of the table to their unexpected guest. “Can I refill your glass for you?”
Bash shook his head. Misunderstanding, Sean turned away. Bash snatched the bottle from Sean’s hand. He drank straight from it, not even pretending to have manners. Trick shrugged at his adoptive father and made a face. It wasn’t like he could control his uncle.
“What did Ian do for a living?” Sean asked.
Bash wiped his mouth on his sleeve and belched. “Truck driver.” His plate was clean, every bite of steak gone. He leaned back and pinned Sean Donovan with a steely glare. “Hurt his back. Bills piled up. I’m sure you’re familiar with the story. It happens quite a lot.”
“Where were you?” Sean demanded to know. “Why didn’t you help your brother?
“Sean!” Laura returned from the kitchen in time to hear the accusing question. Her hand went to her chest, and her mouth hung open. “Just because he’s... you don’t need to be rude.” She smiled at Trick and patted the hand he had on the table. “Besides, if his uncle had taken him, we wouldn’t have him now. Be grateful.”
Sean scowled. “We have the right to know why he didn’t step up and take care of Patrick.”
Bash shrugged, oblivious or just unaffected by Sean’s growing anger. “Ian and I weren’t... close.”
“And why is that?” Sean asked.
“We had a falling out over a girl. I only recently learned Trick was adopted. When I tried to track Ian down to give him hell over it, I discovered he was dead.”
“We’re sorry for your loss,” Laura said.
Bash sucked on his teeth as if trying to draw out a caught morsel of food. He stared at Sean and Laura, unrepentant. His cold green eyes were murky, overcast with open hostility.
Laura cleared her throat. “Can you tell us something about Patrick’s father? What was he like?”
Their housekeeper brought in a serving plate with three freshly cooked steaks. She set it in the center of the table. The second the plate touched the surface, Bash stabbed his fork through two portions again. He went to work on them as if he hadn’t eaten in several days. Then he started talking with his mouth full, breaking another one of Laura’s cardinal rules. She had raised her boys to wait until they swallowed before saying a word. She wouldn’t care if the house was burning down around her ears. A polite person did not talk with food in their mouth under any circumstances.
“He liked football and beer and played the sax,” Bash said. “Stubborn was his middle name. The guy always thought he was right about everything, and he held a grudge better than anyone I’ve ever met.”
“How did you lose contact?” Sean asked.
A tiny malicious spark twinkled in Bash’s eyes, but Trick was sure he was the only one that saw it. The hunter finished the bottle of wine before dropping a bombshell. “I was in love with his wife, Trick’s mother.”
Laura gasped.
Sean and Laura looked at Trick to gauge his reaction. He didn’t know what to think. Up until now most of what the hunter had said was a pack of lies. Had he loved Trick’s mother? Trick barely remembered her. There was just that one flash of her trying to get away from the werewolf that killed her.
“What happened to her?” Sean asked on cue.
Laura waited on the edge of her seat. “That is something we’ve always wondered. The lawyer told us Ian Carver was homeless and had no choice but to give Patrick up. He didn’t know anything about the mother. I figured she was dead. I couldn’t imagine a woman letting her child go without a fight.”
“She did, yes,” Bash said with a neutral expression. “Car accident a couple years after Trick was born.”
“That’s horrible,” Laura said.
Bash played with his empty crystal goblet. “Truth is, I’m the one that introduced Lynette to Ian. I was interested in her, and she seemed to like me. Then she met my brother, and it was all over. She fell hard for him. They got married a few weeks later, and I tried to be happy for them. I did. I just couldn’t stop thinking about her. After Trick was born I knew I needed to get out of there before I did something I’d regret.”
Bash scooted his chair back on the hardwood floor. The violent sound startled Laura. Trick watched her and Sean with interest. Maybe his adoptive parents weren’t as clueless when it came to danger as he had thought. They seemed to perceive Bash as a threat.
Dinner over, everyone stood.
“I’m taking Trick out for a few hours.” Bash said. “We need time to... bond.”
Laura started to shake her head. “I don’t think...”
Bash placed a hand on her arm and added, “I know you wouldn’t want to stand between Trick and his only remaining blood relative.”
She looked to her husband for support.
Sean crossed the room to shake Bash’s hand. It was his typical way of letting people know their time was at an end and they should leave. Even though Bash had refused Laura’s offered hand, he took Sean’s and shook it. Sean said, “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to drive our son anywhere tonight. You consumed quite a bit of alcohol.”
Trick opened his mouth to say he was leaving with Bash whether they liked it or not. He was close to his eighteenth birthday. They couldn’t keep telling him what to do with his life.
Bash’s husky voice caressed the air as
he spoke with confidence. “I promise to take good care of him.”
Sean and Laura nodded in unison and gave the hunter their blessing. It was the craziest thing Trick had seen, and he’d seen a lot of weirdness in his life. “Don’t keep him out too late,” Laura said. “It’s a school night.”
“Got it,” Bash said.
The Donovans smiled as they walked their guest to the door. Laura grabbed Trick’s coat off the rack and pushed it into his arms. Bash thanked them for a delicious meal. Words drowned out other words as they all talked at once. Bash went outside, and Trick followed in a confused daze.
The door closed behind them. Trick asked, “Did you prepare those lies ahead of time, or are you just that good?”
Bash grinned as he zipped his jacket. “If you want to be a hunter, you need to learn to be quick on your feet. Consider that your first lesson.”
“Why do I have the feeling you were purposely rude in there?” Trick asked. “It was like you were baiting them, provoking them to a fight.”
Bash didn’t respond.
Trick added, “That was really weird how they let me leave with you after saying no. Sean and Laura usually don’t give in so easily.”
They traveled down the cement path to the waiting jeep, side by side. Bash blew into his hands, obviously cold, and Trick forced himself to act like he was freezing too.
Bash smirked. “We hunters have a lot of magical knowledge at our fingertips. If you joined us, you’d have access to it as well. Anyone can do simple spells.” He nodded at the house. “Making people agreeable takes a while to master, but it’s doable.”
Trick wondered if his father had taught Bash about magic. He wanted to ask but was afraid to push his luck so early in their relationship. With someone like Bash, he probably needed to ease into the serious stuff. “Are we going on a hunt?” Trick asked.
“Think you’re ready?” Bash asked.
“Always.”
