Vlad closed his tablet and put the stylus on the table. “The ladies must be disappointed that the auctions were temporarily suspended.”
Not Richard’s problem. “They’ll get over it as soon as Kalugal’s men arrive.”
“So that’s it for you?”
It seemed that the kid wanted to talk, and perhaps it was time to level with him about his mother.
Not that it was a secret that they were seeing each other, but so far things had been casual between them. Hopefully now that Richard was no longer obligated to service other women, that would change, and Stella would be willing to give him a chance.
“Unless I have no other choice, I’m never going back to that.”
What had seemed at first like every guy’s dream come true had soon become a chore and an embarrassment. Richard was relieved to be done with the thrice-a-week auctions and serving as the clan’s gigolo. At least he could comfort himself that he hadn’t done it for money. The auction proceeds had all gone to charity, so he had done a good deed, and if he was incredibly lucky, one or more of the clan females had conceived.
If he didn’t transition and become immortal, he would at least have fathered immortal children. Fortunately, the godly genes passed through the mother.
“I feel you. It was a tough job.”
If it was anyone other than Vlad, Richard would have thought that the comment was meant as a tease or a jibe. But the kid meant it.
Richard opened the door. “Do you want to accompany me to the job site?”
If Vlad wanted to talk, he would accept the invitation, and if he didn’t, then he probably wasn’t ready for that.
“Sure.” Vlad pushed to his feet. “Wendy won’t be home for another couple of hours, and I can use a break from this project.”
“What are you working on?” Richard closed the door behind them. “Is it for school?”
Falling in step with him, Vlad pushed his hands into his pockets. “Jin asked me to design a logo for the clothing company she and Mey are working on. Once that’s done, they want me to handle all of their graphic design.”
“Are they paying you?”
Vlad shrugged. “I offered to do it for free. I need some commercial work for my portfolio. It will help me get future jobs.”
“Paid work is even better for your portfolio. Jin and Mey can afford to pay you.” He clapped Vlad on the back. “And if you are embarrassed to ask, I’ll gladly do it for you.”
The kid straightened his shoulders. “I don’t need help. Not in this.”
That was an invitation to talk if Richard ever heard one. “Whatever you need, just say the word. I’ll do my best to help.”
Vlad cast him a sidelong glance from under his long bangs. “Why? Because we are roommates or because you are dating my mother?”
“Both, and because I like you. You are a good man, and I consider you a friend.”
Vlad chuckled. “I like you too, but only as long as you don’t start calling me son. So, what’s going on with you and my mom? When I asked her, she said that you are just friends.”
“We are.”
“I find it hard to believe. You are both adults.”
“Stella wasn’t comfortable with my previous occupation. Now that I have a new job, I hope she’ll regard me as a potential mate and not just a friend.”
That was Vlad’s opportunity to tell him that he wasn’t right for Stella, and then it would be up to Richard to convince him why he was. It was natural for a son to view all potential suitors as not good enough for his mother.
“You are human, Richard. You can’t be anything more than temporary entertainment for her. Why set yourself up for heartache?”
That was true, and it was also nice of Vlad to word his opposition in an inoffensive way.
Richard sighed. “I haven’t given up yet. I have all the indicators of a Dormant, and there is a slight chance that once I bond with an immortal female, I’ll transition.”
The bond was a mystical connection between fated mates, and even though Richard had a difficult time accepting the mumbo jumbo, most everyone in the clan believed in it, so who was he to doubt it?
Vlad cast him another sidelong glance. “And you think that my mother is the one for you?”
“I can’t be sure, but I like her a lot, and I believe that she likes me too. So far, Stella has held back because of the auctions, and I had no choice but to do the same.” He shook his head. “I feel weird discussing our relationship with you. You’re her son.”
Vlad nodded. “It’s awkward, but we have to talk about it. I don’t want you sneaking out of the house to go see her. I know that the two of you are spending time together.”
Richard smiled sheepishly. “Sorry about that. I figured that since Stella and I were just friends, there was nothing to talk about.”
“But now that you hope for more, it’s time. She seems happier lately, or at least less moody, and I assume it’s thanks to you. She enjoys your company.”
“And I enjoy hers.”
“I just don’t want my mother to get hurt.” Vlad cast him a lopsided smile. “And frankly, I don’t want you to get hurt either.”
Richard nodded. “Regrettably, I can’t promise you that because it’s not up to me. If I fail to transition…”
Vlad lifted a hand to stop him. “I mean other than that. Be kind to her.”
“That I can promise.”
9
Vlad
If Richard had even a slight hope of transitioning, then Vlad had no problem with him mating his mother.
The guy wouldn’t have been Vlad’s first choice of mate for Stella, but he would have probably thought the same no matter who his mother’s boyfriend was. No one was good enough for her.
Did his mother view Wendy the same way? Was Wendy okay in her eyes but not as wonderful as she had wished for him?
The two got along fine, but it wasn’t the mother-daughter relationship Vlad had hoped for. Wendy had no family of her own, and she could’ve benefited from a warmer relationship with his mother.
Oh well. It was what it was, and Vlad was thankful for what he had. A devoted mother and a loving mate were all he needed to be happy.
Besides, Wendy seemed to consider the entire village as her extended family and didn’t feel the need to adopt Stella as a substitute mother. Perhaps if Stella was more outgoing and not such a space cadet, she could have coaxed Wendy to open up to her, but it wasn’t his mother’s style.
That was why her relationship with Richard was so surprising. She seemed calmer, happier, and if he was to believe Richard’s hints, that was even before the two got intimate.
It was odd for an immortal female to hold off for so long, or to be concerned about a guy’s other hookups, but then his mother was different from other immortal females in so many ways, so why not in that?
Unless she was holding off because she had feelings for Richard. Then her aversion to his prior occupation would make sense.
And then there was the issue of him being a human. If she fell for Richard and he failed to transition, she would have to suffer through watching him get old and die.