Page 65 of Just the Pool Boy at Vampire Mansion

Fleur’s grin faded.

Leander’s gaze came back to me. “You are the gatekeeper.”

He kept saying that, like it meant something more than just a word.

Bentley snorted. “He’s just a pool boy. This all started when he showed up.” He flicked his nails and smiled. “We should get rid of him and all of this will go away.”

“Anyone touches Owen, you’ll have me to answer to,” Theo said cooly.

“Ooh.” Bentley mock shivered. “However will we survive your scowling and mood swings?”

“Fuck you, Benny. When can we put him up for adoption?”

“We can’t,” Leander said with a sigh, as though he’d already explored that option.

“Nobody touches Bentley,” Geraldine growled.

“Thank you, Mother.”

“Shut up.”

How Theo survived in this family was beyond me. If I’d been him, I’d have packed my bags and walked away years ago. Bloodline or not, they clearly did not deserve him. Except maybe his father, who seemed to be at least reasonable and a great shot with a shotgun.

Leander had his head down, and he rubbed the bridge of his nose, exasperation written all over his body language.

“Anyway, I think the Briars sent those things through to grab Theo,” I summarized. “You were all supposed to be asleep. This house is like a mausoleum in the daytime. They’d have walked right in unchallenged, grabbed Theo, dragged him through the pool and back to the Briars’ house. My guess is that Jay discovered the pools were linked, like I did. He maybe even knew the reason, and Jeremy Briar killed him for it. I’m beginning to wonder if Jeremy sent him here or the pool just . . . did it itself, to help you realize you were under threat.”

“A pool isn’t a thinking thing,” Bentley said confidently. “You of all people should know that. I don’t think you’re very good at your job. Father, did you even ask to see any credentials?”

“Because it’s not a pool, it’s a gateway,” Leander said. Again. “And Owen speaks its language.”

I laughed, but it sounded strained and nervous. “Well, I don’t know about that.” Nobody was laughing with me.

“We should go over there, tonight,” Theo said. “Face them. Demand answers.”

“No,” Geraldine said.

“No way,” I added. “That’s what he wants, to shake you loose. You can’t go near that place, Theo.” I waited to see if anyone had any better ideas, then sighed and said, “I’ll go over there.”

Bentley laughed. “Sure, go die like the other pool boy. Problem solved.”

“Bentley’s right,” Theo said, then winced at himself. “You’re not going over there either. You’re human and we’re clearly dealing with the supernatural. Jay is dead because he got caught up in whatever this is. You’ll die too.”

“Do not underestimate the gatekeeper,” Leander said cryptically.

“Uh . . . right. That.” At least Leander was on my side. Sort of. “Theo, the Briars are going to keep trying. So unless you want to fill your pool with cement or sell up and move, someone needs to go talk to them. Jeremy is already talking with me. He knows I’m no threat.” Jeremy would talk to me, if I could catch him with his guard down. I was sure of it. “I think I can make him open up.”

“We can’t fill it with cement,” Geraldine said, sounding shocked for the first time during the meeting. “That would devalue the property considerably.”

“And I like looking at it from my bedroom window,” Bentley added. “The ripples reflect on my ceiling. It’s soothing.”

The property value and views were more important than Theo’s life?

If they weren’t going to protect Theo, then it was down to me. But I did also want to walk away from this alive, so I wasn’t stupid enough to go alone. “I’ll take Bentley,” I said.

“The fuck you will!” Bentley spluttered, sitting upright, fully invested.

“I have to take someone. I can’t go alone, because it is dangerous, and they don’t want you, Bentley. You’ll be safe. Ish.”