Both women started laughing, and Monster was left just staring.
They’d just played him.
Carys stood and kissed his cheek before interlacing their fingers.
“See, I told you so,” Carys declared.
“Yeah, he’ll do.” Then Linda turned to him. “As long as you know that if you break her heart, I’ll carve yours from your chest with a rusty knife. Wolf or no, King or no. Understand?” The last word was said sweetly, followed by a smile that was disturbing because it seemed genuine.
“Okay, Mom, you’ve had your fun. Arden, this is my mother, Linda. Mom, this is Arden.”
Monster untangled his hand to offer it to Linda, who slapped it away and hugged him tight. “Thank you. At least now when I go, I know she’ll be in good hands.”
“Speaking of that.”
TWELVE
CARYS
The last three days had been a whirlwind. There were no signs of things slowing down anytime soon.
Between Kansas’s last ride and Cypher’s patch in party, it had just been nonstop. Today would be no different.
Carys couldn’t believe there was a cure for her mother after all. That was part of the reason she was emotionally drained. After preparing herself for losing her mother and then finding out she could be saved if she became the blood bond of a vampire, it was just too many extremes. Not to mention everything between herself and Monster.
She glanced across the common room where he sat talking with Prowler.
Cypher approached them. “Would you like a drink, Ms. Linda? Maybe help calm the nerves.”
“Yes, thank you. A gin and tonic would be nice.”
Cypher nodded.
“Let me,” Taylor said. “You’re not a prospect anymore.”
“I know, I do it because I want to. Besides, I’ll miss Linda when she leaves to go live with the bloodsuckers.”
“Oh, she’s not going,” Carys piped in. “She’s staying here. It’s just …” Carys trailed off when her mother didn’t protest Cypher’s statement.
“Mom?” If Carys had been thinking rationally, it would’ve hit her that of course her mother would live with the man and not here at the clubhouse with her forever. But for some reason, Carys had been viewing this as a transactional thing. A cure. Not a literal person or bonding.
Shit, what if her mother wasn’t attracted to him? Yet she was forced into another less than loving bond situation. What are additional years worth if they’re spent in misery?
“Oh, Mom. I’ve been selfish. You don’t have to do this for me.” Her mother took her hand between hers.
“I’m not doing this for you, Carys. I’m doing it for me. I want to live to see you and that big brute over there grow old together. And if you change your mind about children, I’ll see those too. And if you don’t, well, look around at all the family you’ve given me to live for. To watch grow and evolve. I wouldn’t miss any of this for the world.”
Carys chanced a look at Monster, who had an unreadable expression. The whole children conversation is one they should’ve had but hadn’t.
Carys dashed away her tears at her mother’s words.
“But what if he’s like …” she ended on a sob.
Monster was by her side in an instant. Sitting on the arm of the couch, he snaked his hand around the back of her neck, holding the side with his fingers resting along her pulse. It was for her comfort too.
“Pixie, we’ve told you, vamps are loyal to their blood bonds. While not all get a mate the way we do, they are free to choose a blood bond, and once they bind themselves to them, that’s that.”
Turning from Monster, Carys looked into the eyes of the one person who’d always loved her unconditionally and accepted her choices, no matter what. Defended her, but also called her on her own shit. She was being offered a new lease on life, and Carys was making it about herself. She wouldn’t do that.
