Right, Ross remembered this.Annabella had explained at some point that vampire physiology handled liquids of various types quite well.It was solid food that gave them trouble.“You didn’t need to go through the trouble, but thank you.”
Glenn led him through the house, talking as he went.“Let’s settle in my office.It’ll be easier to talk there, although we’ll likely get interruptions.You’ll discover I’m often interrupted by my clan and their endless questions.That’ll be one of your tasks, in fact.Helping me handle all those myriad questions.”
“I see.”Ross looked about him as they walked.Ross had seen a house like this once on one of those Christmas House tours his mother adored.The foyer was cavernous in feeling, reaching straight to the third floor, the stairs white and arching as they wrapped around and around in the space.As he followed Glenn to the right, they passed through an equally bright space with delicate furniture and bold art on the walls.It looked like a formal sitting room, a place to receive guests.
The study Glenn settled into wasn’t like the other rooms.Rich, gleaming dark wood panels covered the ceiling.A fireplace dominated one wall, but every other wall had built-in bookshelves crammed with books—and possibly scrolls.That pile there looked suspiciously like scrolls.The room was predominantly masculine with rich earth tones and overly stuffed chairs.Even the china set on the coffee table looked the part with its plain white glaze and square shape.It eminently suited Glenn, but Ross couldn’t explain why.Just an instinctual, gut feeling.
Glenn led them over to the sitting area, gesturing for Ross to take the chair opposite him.“Please.I’ve coffee if you prefer that over tea.”
“I drink both.And this smells nice.”Ross took a seat, pouring himself a cup, then another for Glenn.“Do you take it plain?”
“Two sugars,” Glenn answered, watching him with bemusement.“Are you in the habit of serving others, Ross?”
He paused, teapot in hand, and asked himself the same question.This wasn’t really something you would do in an interview, was it?But he’d done it without really thinking.He’d always worked in the service industry—maybe that was it.Habit.“I suppose I am.I’ve done it for a very long time.But that’s not here nor there.I have questions for you.”
Glenn accepted the cup with a nod of thanks and sat back, a lord at his leisure.“I expected nothing else.Ask.”
“What would my tasks be, exactly?”Ross took a sip of the tea.He wasn’t a huge fan of tea, but this was nice.It had a bit of zest to it.
“There’s a list of duties for you, in fact.But do allow me to explain a bit about the clan first, as that carries into your duties.At this moment, we have precisely one hundred and twenty-six members.Unlike other clans, this one is made up of anyone I’ve invited.We have everything from a Tengu—a crow demon from Japan—to a Scottish werewolf.Most of the ones who are here are very old and displaced from their native homeland, which is why they accepted my offer to live here.Some are childlike in appearance.We have eight vampires who were turned before they hit eighteen, in fact, so they are forever frozen in that age.”
Ross took mental notes even as he considered the repercussions of that.“Wouldn’t that mean they’d need someone to play guardian for them in order to accomplish anything?”
“Precisely.Some of them have formed friendships with others in the clan, or formed a mutually beneficial partnership, for that very reason.But part of your duties would be to acquire things they cannot or to run errands in their place.”
It made sense.Just because you looked nine didn’t mean a hundred-year-old vampire would go without wine.Or never buy things like properties or stocks.Life had to be lived, after all.Ross had never seen the younger members at the gas station, but that meant little.He’d not seen all of the clan there, just some.“What else?”
“Keeping track of the identities we use is also your task, as well as helping us prepare and file the necessary paperwork to change it.We try to not let any particular identity become older than fifteen years, but…” Glenn grimaced and took a sip of his tea.“We’re not always in a state to manage those affairs well.Sometimes things slide.”
Something about the way he said that made Ross ask warily, “How badly have things slid this time?”
“I’m afraid to answer that question,” Glenn admitted frankly, a rueful smile tugging his mouth up.“You’ll start running.”
Ross had a feeling he was right.Still, he had no desire to start running just yet.“When was the last time someone held this position?”
“Not recently.Perhaps sixty or so years?Jerome was the last one in this position.He was quite good at it, and we missed him dreadfully when old age took him from us.I do try to keep an assistant, you see, but it’s hard to find the right person to fill the position.”
He’d alluded to that before.Ross could easily see how it would happen.How did you even advertise the position in the first place without sounding—or attracting—the wackos?“And is that all?”
“No, I’d like your help in maintaining things.There are multiple bills to be paid every month, staff to keep track of—we have people to maintain the grounds, housekeepers, and such.All of that needs to be managed.I spend far too much of my time doing so when I need to be invested in other pursuits.”
This all sounded so reasonable.It conversely worried Ross.“Is that all?”
“Of course, I’ll call upon your help with various endeavors, but it won’t be anything outlandish.I have perfect faith you can handle whatever requests my clan gives you.”
That phrase alarmed Ross more than anything else.“Give me some examples of what requests I might get.”
“For instance, acquiring something that can only be bought during daylight hours.Not all of the clan are comfortable in full sunlight.They can sometimes find trouble” —Glenn’s voice was very dry here, and he shared an acknowledging look with Ross, as they both knew what kind of trouble— “so your job includes arranging bail money or a lawyer, as the case might be.We do have a lawyer on retainer.But that level of trouble doesn’t occur on a regular basis.Perhaps once a year.”
Once a year sounded pretty regular to Ross.“I see.And what kind of tensions are in the clan?Dunham suggested that not everyone got along.”
“For the most part, they do.I don’t tolerate in-fighting.But they do get into disagreements and arguments.I don’t expect you to mediate that.They’re grown, they can manage themselves.And if they can’t, it’s my duty to mediate it.”
Breaking up fights were not in his job description.Hallelujah.“You said flexible hours, but if I’m responding to requests, I’m not sure what that actually means.Do I have set hours?”
“Technically, yes.What Jerome discovered worked best was to give my clan a schedule of times you were absolutely not to be disturbed.Unless someone was dying or on fire, he didn’t accept anything less than that.So, post your schedule of available times and then stick to it.They’re used to such and will abide.”
Ross wasn’t entirely sold on that.He had a gut feeling it would only work in theory.Still, if Glenn said he could put his foot down, he was going to take that tacit permission and run with it.
