"Ah," Connor said as understanding dawned. "This is what Lowen warned me of. Your contrariness."
A sound very like the hiss of a tea kettle left me.
The last thing I wanted was for Thomas to think I was trying to get in the way of him rebuilding a relationship with Connor. I liked my neck without puncture holes and Connor was a touchy subject that I didn't quite understand.
Connor reached for me again, undeterred as he gently pushed away my flailing arm so he could hold his wrist to my forehead. His eyebrows pulled down as he took my temperature.
Vampires ran cold so I wasn't entirely sure what he thought he would feel.
"Stop that." I knocked Connor's hand away from my forehead. "What is wrong with you?"
Thomas considered us. "He lives with you?"
"No," I said at the same time Connor said, "Yes."
Connor frowned at me. "You hired me last night."
"Yeah, and I'm rethinking that today," I snapped, shaking my head. "I hired you to work, not live with me."
Connor's head tilted. "There is a difference?"
Some of his confidence faded as uncertainty replaced it.
I didn't know how to respond to that. There was a difference, a big one, but perhaps he didn't know that. He'd been out of the loop for a while. Things had likely been done differently when he was still a human man.
I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "Yeah, there is, but don't worry about it. I'll explain later."
Something in me wouldn't let me be as prickly or mean as I wanted. It'd be like kicking a puppy—if that puppy could also rip out your throat.
"Are you sure about this?" Thomas asked, his attention locked on Connor.
Connor hesitated, glancing at me once more before nodding. "I feel this is the best path to repairing that which is broken. She needs me, and I need to not be so close for now."
A thousand thoughts moved across Thomas's face. Hope. Vulnerability. Resolve. They faded to be replaced by understanding. "Then I accept your terms."
Oh no, that didn't sound good.
"What do you accept?" I demanded.
Thomas smiled at me, his delight making my stomach sink.
I hated when he got that look on his face. It meant that whatever scheme he was cooking up, I wasn't going to like it.
"The establishment of your house, my dear," he purred.
"Connor, what is he talking about?" I asked, patting Connor's arm as Thomas, done with the conversation, buttoned his jacket and prepared to take his leave.
Connor watched Thomas with the same level of unease as me.
"It's quite obvious." Thomas smiled like a cat that had gotten into the canary's cage and eaten it.
"Explain anyways," I said through gritted teeth.
Thomas moved to the door, a jaunty bounce in his step.
Dread grabbed hold. Thomas was never jaunty, and he was rarely happy.
"It is an old tradition," Connor finally said, his jaw tightening. "Though rarely used now. To exist, a house simply needs two vampires and the acceptance of a master."
