“What the fuck am I supposed to do?” snarls Ned. “Stop being a vampire?”
Lello bites his bottom lip, and sadness fills his eyes. “I’m sorry Ned, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
The vampire sighs wearily, retrieves the cutter from the floor, and carries it over to the sink. “It’s fine,” he says. “It is not your fault I’m a vampire. Or a grumpy bastard.”
I think he has every right to be grumpy. He was turned against his will. He is young enough to have living family that he is emotionally attached to. It sounds awful.
“Why are you being their nanny?” I ask.
It doesn’t sound like a good idea to me. He should probably walk away and untangle himself from his human life and human time spans.
“Our vile billionaire master had control of them. It was how he kept me in line. The bastard used my name and made it look like I left them a huge inheritance. They thought the big house with surveillance and round-the-clock security guards was for their benefit. They had no clue it was so they could be murdered with one word from Ritchie.”
Fucking hell. I’m glad I don’t remember our former keeper. He sounds pure evil.
Ned shrugs. “Now I feel obliged to keep them safe.”
He is lying. I can smell it. He loves them and wants to be near them. He wants to be a part of their lives and watch them grow and thrive. But his secret is safe with me.
The atmosphere turns somber and almost chilly. An uncomfortable silence falls.
“Jade, how’s work?” asks Lello a little too brightly.
The fey snorts. “Boring, but I need that. I’ve had enough drama in my life, thank you very much.”
Lello and Ned nod in agreement. Vague memories of this fey stir within me. I remember his essence. He had burned with shame. He is still glowing with it now. It is sad. He has nothing to be ashamed about. He was captured by people stronger than him. Nothing that happened was by his choice or doing.
I bite back my snort of derision before anyone hears it. Talk about being a hypocrite. It’s easy to think others should shrug off their shame. Yet here I am, riddled with it. Unable to forgive myself for being weak.
None of this is a topic for conversation. Somehow, I know this intrinsically. Seems my social skills are emerging from my healing psyche.
“What job do you have?” I ask. I’m getting so much better at talking. This is great.
Jade flashes me a quick smile, as if he is happy to hear me speak.
“I work in a call center for a car insurance company.”
I nod, even though I have no idea what any of those words mean. Except for company. I know what a company is. And actually, I know what a car is. So I guess Jade works for a car company?
“One of my colleagues is so annoying,” says Jade.
“Who?” asks Lello, his eyes bright with curiosity.
“Flyn,” answers Jade.
“Oh, the blond himbo hottie?” says Lello.
Jade blushes. “Can’t believe I told you that.”
Lello giggles as he opens the oven door while balancing a baking tray in his other hand.
“Why is he annoying?” asks Ned.
“He won’t leave me alone. He always appears by the water fountain when I’m filling my bottle. He pops up in the toilet. Sits next to me at lunch.”
“You’ve told him you’re not interested?”
Jade sighs. “Very many times. But he is like a golden retriever with a ball. He keeps dropping it at my feet and bouncing around excitedly, waiting for me to throw it. Except the ball is him asking me out, and he is convinced I’m going to say yes.”
