Ross’s life currently moved at fifteen WTFs per hour.He stared down at Hairy, who stared right back with a pleading expression.Which was an interesting expression on that half-Ogre face, like a bulldog who was trying to smile and couldn’t quite figure out the mechanics of it.He didn’t think Hairy was necessarily a bad guy.A little slow on the uptake.Not exactly the brightest crayon in the crayon box.Definitely easily swayed, which was how he had ended up under an evil sorcerer’s employ.But not necessarily evil.
Did he want to save this man?
Fiadh’s smile was pure challenge.“Well, Ross?Will you do the honors?”
You know what?Fuck it.Ross employed some of the grit that had landed him this job to begin with and looked her right in the eye.“Why would I kill him and waste a perfectly good opportunity?”
She blinked, a slow, lazy blink, like a dragon contemplating ravaging a village.“Opportunity, you say?”
“Why kill him when I can easily flip him?”Ross looked down at Hairy and ticked things off on his fingers.“Salary, 401K, health plan.Two weeks’ vacation time each year.How about it?”
Hairy sat there, non-plussed for a long moment.Then he asked, “Does the health plan include dental?”
“It does.”Ross grinned at him, amused Hairy remembered their conversation.
Hairy nodded firmly.“I’ll take the job.”
Ross nodded back.“You’ll start tomorrow.I’ve got stuff to sort out today.There, Fiadh, see?He’s easily won over.”
Her expression was no longer challenging, but instead absolutely delighted.“Oh, I like you,” she breathed, practically bouncing on her heels.“Truly, nothing really fazes you.How will you use him?”
“There is more than enough work to go around, trust me,” Ross drawled.In truth, he hadn’t a fucking clue.He just hadn’t been able to think of any other way out of this.“Can you untie him?”
“Oh yes, yes,” she answered, reaching readily for the chains around Hairy’s wrists.
Mental note, learn Hairy’s real name.
Glenn leaned into his side and whispered, “Marry me.”
Impressed him by handling Mama, had he?Ross kissed him quick, amused.“You have to finish wining and dining me first.”
Glenn’s answering grin was wicked with amusement.“I can do that.Assuming people leave us alone long enough to date.”
Fiadh tossed the bindings carelessly aside into the grass before coming back to them.“What does that mean?Long enough to date?”
“We can’t seem to actually get on a first date without being interrupted,” Glenn explained to her wearily.“You’re the latest reason we had to come back before the date could truly start.”
“Oh dear.”Fiadh’s lovely brow gathered in confusion.“No, I don’t understand.I thought you were already lovers.Isn’t that why Man-Shik kidnapped you, Ross?”
“Man-Shik jumped the gun,” he answered.Part of his mind was trying to figure out where to stash Hairy for the night.“I hadn’t asked Glenn out at that point.”
Her frown morphed into another delighted smile.“Youasked my son?Not the other way around?”
“Right.”Ross didn’t understand why that was so interesting.Did it make any difference who asked?
But this apparently made sense to Glenn, as he answered his mother like she’d asked a more pointed question.“You see?He’s not at all easily intimidated.And you know the insanity my clan finds on a regular basis, and he doesn’t even lose his temper most of the time.Just handles it with deadpan humor.”
“Oh, I do see.”
Maybe those two did, but Ross certainly didn’t.Again, he felt like he was in the middle of a test.Only he didn’t know what he was being tested on, and he certainly hadn’t studied for it.Were vampires always this cryptic and confusing?Or was this more a family thing, with Glenn and Fiadh inferring as much as they said aloud?
Fiadh leaned in a little, a wicked invitation in her expression.“Ross, why don’t you join me?”
Urk.Uh, no.Hard pass.“I’m very attached to your son.And gay.”
She threw her head back on a laugh.“You really have no fear.To turn me down to my face!But no, my dear, that’s not at all what I meant.I mean, I want you to join the family.”
Um, what?
