“Also, Caroline’s never been,” I threw in, prevaricating.
At that, Caroline’s head jerked up as she mouthed, “I have too.”
I shrugged at her. We knew that, but Thomas didn’t.
“Why do I get the feeling that there’s something you aren’t telling me?” Thomas purred.
There was a faint squeak from the leather chair he must have been sitting in as he shifted position. I knew the exact one. Could picture it in my mind’s eye behind the desk in his office.
“Alright, fine, I’ll tell you.” Out of the corner of my eye, Caroline started waving her hands and shaking her head. “If you must know, your sire dropped by last night.”
“Ahrun?”
For the first time in our conversation, Thomas sounded surprised. I guess that answered my question of whether he was behind Ahrun’s machinations.
“Unless you have another sire I don’t know about.”
I wouldn’t put it past him. Maybe not a sire, per se, but some important person who would seriously affect my life and freedom.
“What did my father want?”
“He seems to think he’ll be moving in.” I paused to force down the renewed rush of anger that admission brought me. “Tonight actually.”
This time I got the sense that I’d truly stunned Thomas.
“I see,” he finally said after several heartbeats.
“I’m really hoping you can talk some sense into him,” I burst out when it sounded like he’d lapse back into thought. “I don’t think I have to tell you how bad of an idea it would be to have Connor and your sire living under one roof.”
Time may heal all wounds, but not when it came to vampires. All was definitely not forgiven.
“I can take care of this for you,” Thomas said after some thought.
I fought the relief that tried to overwhelm me. I sensed a ‘but’ coming.
“It will cost you though.”
Of course, it would. He never missed an opportunity.
“What do you want?”
“Family dinners. I think Friday would suit.”
“No.”
Uh uh. Not happening.
“Then I guess you have a new roommate. It’s a good thing the house I chose is big enough to accommodate a few extra guests.”
This—
I broke off that thought, lowering my phone so I didn’t hurl it across the room.
Breathe, Aileen. You can’t murder your sire.
Lord knows I’d been tempted a time or two. But the only way I’d ever take Thomas down was by complete surprise and then only if he lowered his guard because of trust or something.
Thomas was a heavy hitter in our world. His power blazed like the sun in my other vision. Compared to him, I was little more than a gnat. An annoying, sarcastic gnat that tested his patience every chance it got.
