“Eccentric as in ruthless, unpredictable, and crazy?Or eccentric in the sense that she does random things, causes trouble, and doesn’t really understand what rules are?”
“Yes.”
“Oh.Joy.And, um, does she normally just drop in like this?”
“No, far from it.I haven’t seen her face-to-face in at least twenty years.”
“Ah boy.Okay, I can see why you’re worried now.”
“That’s the least of it.”Glenn shot him an apprehensive look.“She doesn’t really like most of the people I’ve tried to date.And I’m not sure how she’ll react to you.Let me take you home first.”
“How about you worry about intercepting her and I can walk myself across the street.”Ross was already resigned to this evening being a bust.He might have to find a way to cheer Glenn up later, after his mom left.In the meantime, he’d order pizza, crawl into his bitch cave, and just have a quiet evening in.
The old-world manners in Glenn warred with practicality, and Ross could see the battle across the man’s face.Eventually, practicality won and he sighed in agreement.“As you will.I’ll make this up to you later.”
Ross waggled his eyebrows outrageously at him.“Looking forward to it.”
That put a smile on Glenn’s face, briefly.Then they turned into the complex, and his smile vanished as worry hit with the subtlety of a freight train.
The clan was obviously up and active, every light in every house on, which wasn’t a good sign.Not everyone in the clan were night owls.Hints of people peeked out behind curtains, a few brave souls leaning out of doors to get an idea of what was going on.Glenn pulled into his own driveway, and Ross was quick to get out, wanting to leave Ground Zero before the mother could arrive.
A breeze gusted over him as he closed the door, turned, and felt his spirit almost leave his body.Shit!Just when had she gotten here?!
Mama Vampire—she couldn’t be anyone else—was stunning.Her deep, auburn hair was swept up and over a shoulder, contrasting the cashmere green sweater dress she wore.She was unusually tall for a woman, forcing Ross to look up into her eyes—dark green eyes that looked him over with intense interest.
“You must be Ross,” she said in a deep alto, a smile breaking over her face.“You’re lovely.I can see how you caught my son’s attention.”
“I think it was more that I’m hard to startle,” Ross denied with an answering smile.He could feel the switch flick in his head as customer service mode engaged.“I’m sorry, are you Glenn’s mother?Surely not at your age.”
“Oh, you are smooth,” she said approvingly.
Glenn rounded the front of the car quickly, coming to stand at Ross’s side.“Máthair, you didn’t warn me you were coming.”
“No, indeed, I heard disturbing things and came to see if I could help.But first, introduce me to your paramour.”
His what, now?
Glenn’s expression tightened, but he made the introductions.“Ross, this is my mother, Fiadh.Máthair, this is Ross.He serves as both my personal assistant and the clan’s Function.”
“Yes, I’ve heard stories about him.”She took Ross’s hand in one of hers, still weighing him with her eyes.“You’re rumored to be quite capable, you know.But if you’re so capable, I do wonder why you left so many behind.”
“I’m sorry?What?”Ross felt suddenly like he’d failed a test he didn’t know he was taking.
In a flash of vampiric speed, she was gone, and then back again.Ross had no idea where she’d managed to drag him from, but Hairy the Minion was here and in the flesh.He had his hands tied in front of him, a pitiful look on his face as he knelt at her feet in the driveway.He did not look like a man who had any life expectations outside of the next ten minutes.
Oh.Missed some.Got it.
“I heard about Man-Shik,” Fiadh informed them, her lips pursed in aggravation.“Too late, I fear.I didn’t know he was targeting you again, my dear son.I came to head him off, only to find you’d already taken care of him.”
“So I have,” Glenn answered tightly.“So, why did you round up his minions?”
“Because they were causing trouble.Well, this one was intent on running away, but I caught him anyway.”Fiadh cast poor Hairy a disapproving glare, as if running away had inconvenienced her.
Ross had a terrible, terrible feeling he knew where this was going.Ruthless, Glenn had described her.She wouldn’t take it well that they hadn’t completely wiped out all of Man-Shik’s people.She saw that as a threat not properly neutralized, that was clear.He now knew what the test was.But how to pass it?While not spilling blood?
Glenn’s hand found his, and he gave it a warning squeeze.“Máthair, I assure you—”
“It’s not for you to say what’s done with this one,” Fiadh informed him loftily.“The injury was done to Ross directly.He should be the one to say what’s done.”
