Save the Last Vamp for Me (9 page)

Twenty minutes later, and more than a few cookies consumed, we moved to the dining room. Boxes stood stacked along the two longer walls, and Mom had already set up a second, long table next to the dining table. A stack of dark purple gift bags waited at the end of one table, near the windows looking out over the back yard. I could see Red and Bone wrestling over a tug o’ war toy rope, while Diablo snoozed in a patch of sunlight.

Mom handed out box cutters. “Open one box from each stack, so that I can decide where each goes.”

It didn’t take long to set up the assembly line. Long familiar with Mom’s methods, I grabbed a gift bag and opened it while Mom and Tonya set up a card table. “We start here, and just work our way around the table, putting one of each thing in the bags, and then hand the bags off to Mom or Tonya. They’ll line them up against the wall after they do the finishing touches.”

“We’re going to run out of room fast,” Terra said, picking up a gift bag.

“We’ll load the cars and transfer them to the center once we have full loads.” Smiling, Mom waved a package of orange gift tissue paper and a spool of inch-wide, white ribbon decorated with a conga line of ghosts and skeletons. “All right, go team!”

I made another round of the table, Terra and Logan following, before Mom asked, “So how was yesterday?”

The instant scowl on my face raised her eyebrows. I forced my scowl away. “Um, interesting?” Noticing the two shifters looking at me, I added, “I met Nick’s parents and spent the day with them.”

“You say ‘interesting’, but your face said something way different,” Tonya said, tying a bow on the handles of a bag.

“His dad is a control freak. Would you believe he has a spot picked out to build us a house on? I mean, okay, it’s a pretty spot, but still. Who does that?” Before anyone respond, I plunged ahead. “Oh, and get this. He said ‘accommodations can be made’ for the dogs, and got a big frowny face when I told him they lived inside. Said it would be up to Nick if they did there.”

Logan laughed, choking it off when Terra elbowed him in the ribs. “Sorry.”

“Why was that funny?”

“It wasn’t, but imagining the look on your face while he was talking? That was funny.” He coughed, his lips twitching. “What did you say to him?”

“None of the stuff I really wanted to.”

His shoulders quivered, and Terra elbowed him again. “Quit laughing.”

“I can’t.” The words were strangled. “I can only imagine what she did say.”

I adopted a lofty tone. “Since I was a guest, I was polite.”

“We did raise you to be polite, but not to let yourself be pushed around.” Mom frowned. “I’m guessing wolf shifter society is patriarchal?”

“You have no idea. The men didn’t do jack during meals except eat and talk, and I was the only woman at the table. Nick’s mom and Patrick’s girlfriend did all the cooking and clean up both times. I think they ate in the kitchen.” My scowl had made a comeback. “Nick bragged about my cooking.”

Logan had gotten himself under control. “You’re a really good cook, so that’s not a bad thing, right?”

“It wouldn’t be if his dad hadn’t acted like that was way more important than my job.” I hesitated. “His dad just assumed I’d quit working once we married. You should’ve seen his face when I said I wasn’t going to quit my job for years and years.”

“Once you married?” Tonya’s eyes were wide, and her brows so high, her bangs hid them. “Um, did Nick tell them something different from what you told us?”

“Oh, no, nothing like that. I think Keith doesn’t comprehend the possibility that a woman can resist a marriage proposal. He has everyone’s lives planned out. Including mine.”

With an exaggerated shudder, she said, “Sounds like he needs a swift kick in the b....”

Mom
tsk
ed, cutting her off. “Now, now. Violence doesn’t....”

It was my turn to interrupt. “Did I mention I’d have to ask permission to see you, or to have you come visit?”

Mom’s face tightened, her lips thinning. “He told you that? Maybe he does need a swift kick.”

That did it. I laughed and flapped my hand at her. “Doesn’t matter. Even if I did marry Nick, we wouldn’t live there. No way, no how. I’d be too tempted to use my abilities on Keith and Patrick, probably every time they opened their mouths.”

Tonya side-eyed me. “But not Nick?”

“I like him.” I usually won when we argued, too.

“So you are thinking about marrying him?” Terra didn’t look up from her bag stuffing.

“It’s like someone telling you not to think of pink elephants. I can’t not think about it,” I explained.

“Oh.”

“You’re young and you have plenty of time to decide if you want to marry Nick, someone else, or not marry at all.” Mom took the bag I’d finished. “Don’t stress over it.”

“Good advice, but not so easy to follow. The longer we see each other, the higher the chance he’ll think things will go the way he wants.” I grabbed another bag. “After yesterday, I’m kind of thinking we should take a break.”

No one rushed to tell me that was a great idea. Then again, none of them said it was a bad one either. “Oh, come on. I have the Give Me Advice sign out.”

Tonya shook her head. “Not me. I do not give romantic advice to my elders.”

“Ouch, way to make me feel old.”

She grinned. “I’m unrepentant.”

“Brat.” I glanced at my mom. “You’re up.”

She shook her head. “I’m not an expert on shifters, much less young men.”

We both looked at Logan, who began stuffing the gift bag he held as though his life depended on it. Terra snorted. “You don’t want his advice.”

“Why not?”

“Because he’ll tell you stuff like ‘go with your instincts’ and ‘you’ll know when someone’s the right one’. It’s not actually helpful.”

“That was good advice,” Logan protested. “And it’ll work, if you use it.”

“Right. I told you I liked Devon, and you came back with a list of reasons he’s totally inappropriate,” she shot back. “One was ‘he’s a snot-nosed smart ass’.”

He shrugged. “He is. Kid’s got an ego bigger than our building.”

My mom laughed. “Most teenaged boys have large egos, or at least pretend they do. So do most teenaged girls.”

“Hey, we resemble that remark,” Tonya said, waving her hand between Terra and herself. “At least the teenaged part.”

“I said most, not all.”

“If yours gets too big, Mom will definitely let you know.” I smiled, remembering a few “talks” we’d had. “One of her many talents: Talking down overblown egos.”

“Maybe I should send Devon to her,” Logan muttered.

Terra glared at him, so I hurried to speak before she let loose. “Would you give me the same advice?”

“What?” Logan blinked. “Oh. No, I’d tell you that wolves have definite opinions about proper behavior. That if you think the two of you argue a lot now, just wait until you tell him you won’t live on pack territory. Nick doesn’t strike me as the lone wolf type, so he won’t go for that.” Logan frowned. “Then again, he and I don’t get along well, so anything I say, you should probably take with a grain of salt.”

“Yeah, right. You only pointed out stuff I’ve already experienced.” I sighed. “You know, being an adult isn’t nearly as much fun as I thought it would be.”

“It usually isn’t,” Mom agreed. “I do have a little bit of advice to throw in the pot. Do what feels right for you, and what will make you happy in the long run.”

“Wow, I just realized how much you,” Terra poked Logan in the side, “sound like a parent.”

“Um,” he glanced at my mom. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Good plan,” Mom said, her eyes twinkling. “Now, I’m going to switch to boss mode. Let’s step up production, people, or we won’t finish today.”

We stepped up production.

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B
y lunchtime, we’d managed to fill up both cars. Mom called a break. “We’ll eat, then Tonya and I will do a delivery run while you three get back to work.”

“Aye aye, Captain.” I saluted her. “What’s for lunch?”

“Chicken and dumplings with sweet cornbread.”

“Ooh!” Tonya tied off another bag and stretched. “My favorite.”

“Mine too.” I hurried to finish the bag I was working on. “Terra, if you and Logan like them, I’ll teach you how to make them.”

“Cool.” Her bright smile caused a flash of guilt. I hadn’t exactly kept up with my promise of cooking lessons.

“Maybe next Sunday? Would that work?”

“I know you’re busy....”

“I’ll come over at four, and we’ll make dinner,” I promised, trying to remember if they had a DVD player. “I can bring some movies too.”

“Awesome.” She practically bounced out of the room, a gleeful smile on her face. They were keeping her under wraps big time, if she felt so pleased over my planned visit. I wasn’t that exciting of a guest.

Maybe now that I had some time off from house hunting—I hoped, permanently—I could spend more time with her. Maybe take her places. Nothing like teleportation to keep a future Queen’s shopping itinerary secret.

Listening to her chatter with Tonya as they served themselves, I decided to include her too, at least as often as possible. The chestnut-haired teen didn’t do much beyond helping Mom, working at the Blue Orb, and studying magic with David and Jo.

I noticed Logan looking at me, and grinned. He automatically smiled back, but curiosity surrounded him like a cloud of too-strong cologne.

Time enough later to run the idea past him, and see if he’d agree. Right now, there was food, fun company, and good work to finish.

I even put aside my relationship woes to enjoy the rest of the day.

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O
n Monday, I picked up Soames before heading to the office. We arrived at three, and there was a new face at the reception desk. A pretty new face topped with burgundy hair. “Welcome to Arcane Solutions. How may I help you?”

“Is Cordi,” Percy informed the woman behind the desk. The fact the parrot spoke to her, and nicely, meant that he liked her. “Cordi, this Tabitha.”

“Hi.” Holy cow, we finally had a new receptionist. Kate had to be overjoyed. “Nice to meet you, Tabitha. This is Soames.”

“Oh, hi. Nice to meet you too.” She had an infectious grin and twinkly blue eyes. “Nick and Mr. Whitehaven are in the War Room.”

“Thanks and welcome aboard.”

“Thank you.”

I glanced down the hall as we walked past her desk, and saw that Kate’s office door was shut. She was either with a client, or on the phone with Alleryn. I’d be planning a night out in celebration if I were her, after months of pulling double duty.

When we went into the War Room, Mr. Whitehaven was studying my list of possible suspects. “Afternoon, guys. Oh good, you remembered the sword.”

“I did.” Nick smiled, and I pecked him on the cheek while dropping my purse in a chair. I still hadn’t decided how to broach the subject of his dad.

“Thanks. I met our new receptionist. She’s nice.”

Mr. Whitehaven nodded, before indicating my list. “It appears you don’t believe the murders are politically motivated.”

Crap. My mood plummeted at the idea of having to justify my thoughts on the case. “I want to be certain we consider all possibilities.”

“Commendable.” With that one word, my spirits were restored. “Have you had any insights?”

He meant psychic ones. “Not yet. I’m going to handle the other two items before we go check out the rest of the scenes.”

“Excellent. I’ll leave you three to it.” With a faint smile, the boss vacated the room. It felt much bigger once he had. The man had presence, not just eight feet of height.

“Okay, let’s get busy. Either of you have any thoughts or suggestions?”

“Why did you put shifters on that list?” Nick asked. Soames walked over to read it.

“I listed everyone capable of killing vampires. You did see that I have psychics on there too, right?” So much for not having to justify my thinking.

“If we were after a vampire, we’d wait until they came out. The Barrows is their stronghold, Cordi. No one enters without being noticed.” He looked perfectly serious.

“Tourists go down there all the time.”

“Yeah, and you can bet half the council knows just how many and what species every single day,” he said. I saw Soames nod in agreement from the corner of my eye as he turned away from the white board.