Page 114 of Vampire's Choice
“No. But it’s a strength. Being able to do that, hold onto it, along with the hope that one day I won’t have to hide it.”
“I rarely repeat myself, but I’m going to do so again. I couldn’t be prouder of you, Ruth. Don’t ever doubt that.”
Slipping off the fence rail, she came into his open arms. She put her face to his shoulder, a brief tender exchange, then straightened and stepped back. “So…do you like him?”
He lifted a brow, feigning ignorance. “Who?”
She made a face. “Sgidoda.”
“I’m not prepared to make a judgment yet.”
“Good.” Her eyes sparkled.
“How is that good?”
“You haven’t passed judgment yet.”
He made one of his neutral grunts and she laughed. “I like him, Da. I really do. He’s dangerous and yet honorable. Confusing and mean and tender all at once. In the right ways. He’s like us.”
“He’s like the cats you love.”
“Maybe so.” She gazed around her. “I love it here so much. Right now, I’m glad I’m seeing more of the world, but my heart knows this is my place.” Her attention returned to him. “Thank you for creating it, Da. For telling the vampire world to piss off and doing the impossible.”
That little smile came back to her lips. “And I’m glad you don’t disapprove of him.”
“I don’t yet approve of him. I might. Once he proves himself.”
“In a hundred years or so?”
“That’s a little hasty. Perhaps two hundred.”
She laughed and changed the subject to more mundane things, giving their deeper emotions time to even out. “You have a crazy couple days dead ahead. Lord Mason and Farida. I wish we could stay.”
“If your business concludes early in California, swing back and catch the tail end. Your mother is excited. She’s already baking their favorites.”
Ruth chuckled. “For Mum, the visit is all about the kids. Lord Mason’s just an afterthought. Is Kane still coming with Farida?”
“Yes. Though that information is as confidential as confidential gets,” he reminded her. “Lady Lyssa is letting Lord Mason bring him while she handles other matters. His servant Jessica will join us, once she stops in Atlanta to have a shopping visit with Anwyn. Mason wanted to give her a few days’ respite from servant duties, since being a Council member’s servant can be,” he paused, obviously recalling Mason’s exact words, “‘Almost worse than the hell of being a Council member.’”
“I think only his friendship and regard for Lady Lyssa keeps him serving. He likes politics as much as you do, Da.” Ruth nudged him. “And I haven’t been gone long enough to forget the all-important rule about our visitor schedule. Top secret, need-to-know basis. Always.”
Especially when it included the young progeny of Council members. Normally the importance of the guests had an inverse relationship with Mal’s desire for them to visit. However, in the case of Farida, Mason’s daughter, and Kane, Lyssa’s son, the teenagers loved the island and the cats, and were such appealing, intelligent youngsters that he welcomed them as much as Elisa did.
For form’s sake, though, he grimaced. “At least they’ve been here before. I shouldn’t have to go over the rules again. Much.”
“Etsi will remind them while she feeds them.”
On that note, while they’d talked, Mal had kept his mind inside Elisa’s. With a half smile, he shared what he was seeing with Ruth.
Elisa was instructing Merc on how to pinch the dough around the meat filling. She placed her hands on his to show him the right way of it, and when a timer went off, she ducked under one of his wings, brushing it away like a curtain as she grabbed her potholders.
He admittedly liked that Merc tried to help, moving to take the boiling stock pot off the burner for her. She stopped him with a quick admonition. Here now, you’ll burn yourself, grabbing them bare handed. Use these potholders.
The unlikely picture of Merc using quilted potholders with bright flowers had Ruth smiling, but her eyes were soft. Yes, his daughter was falling in love. As a woman did, not a girl.
Elisa had felt his watchful presence. I do like him, Mal. Yes, he’s scary and maybe cruel at times, but he’s also vulnerable and wants to be kind. I think he’s besotted with Ruth. And confused by her.
Almost an echo of what Ruth herself had said.