“You do but he doesn’t appreciate it.” Her short-sleeved, white top is a little loose and looks comfortable. She’s wearing a long, beige skirt and her feet are bare.
“I have to find fun some way.” Sol grins then turns toward me. “Zayda, I’d like to introduce you to my cousin, Genevieve. Gen, this is Merrick’s mate, Zayda.”
Since I’m unsure if she’s fae or something else, I simply smile and say, “It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s very nice to meet you as well.” If I’m not mistaken, her smile got bigger. I’m about to dive into her mind and find out what she’s thinking when a voice stops me. A male voice I’ve heard before.
“Mom, you have to come in here and deal with Penny and Celeste. They’re chasing each other around the house as their animals. I’m trying to—” His words cut off when he comes through the door and his eyes land on me. His mouth opens and closes a few times, but no words are said.
“Ladon!” Sol says, jumping in. “You remember Genevieve, don’t you?” Then Sol turns to me and I immediately see a hint of mischievousness in his eyes. I’m going to wring his neck.
It takes everything in me to turn and smile at Ladon and Zayda like nothing is wrong. Like my freaking cousin didn’t know exactly what he was doing by bringing me here.
If Sol doesn’t hold up his end of the bargain, I’ll make it my mission to annoy him until the end of time.
5
Ladon
Solomon and Genevieve were the last two I expected to see when I walked outside in search of my mom. Penny and Celeste were tearing through the house, Penny as her lion and Celeste as her fox. You wouldn’t think that would be much of a match, but what Celeste lacks in strength, she makes up for in speed and cunning.
I was sitting with Kayden and Aura’s six-year-old daughter, helping her with her homeschooling, when those two shifters tore around the room. Of course, the little girl wanted to join in. She’s a wolf shifter like her dad and loves a good brawl, even though she’s still little and learning.
After a few minutes, I gave up and let her go while I went in search of Mom. I wasn’t sure where Merrick went off to and knew Mom could put a stop to things. The pack listens to her since she’s the alpha’s mate.
But now… Now I feel like I’ve been hit by a two by four while I stare at Genevieve like an idiot. I’m not sure what to say, so I simply offer a small wave, not trusting my voice. Real smooth.
“Come in,” Mom tells them. She squeezes my arm as she walks by with a smile. Of course, she knows about Sol’s cousin and how I like her. Of course! I’m sure someone in the pack told her or even Ari for that matter. There’s no privacy around my cousin. None.
I follow Mom in and move off to the side while Sol and Genevieve enter.
“You can call her Gen,” Sol says in my mind. “And don’t even try to hide that you feel something for my cousin. I’m not sure if it’s merely lust or something more. It’s part of the reason I’m here.”
Without giving it more than a second’s thought, I grab the clock off the wall behind me and throw it at Sol like a Frisbee. He moves just in time so it doesn’t hit him. It does, however, crash into the opposite wall. Damn. I wish I would have hit my mark.
“Ladon!” Mom yells. “That was unnecessary!”
Before I can reply, Merrick strides into the room. His dark brown hair brushes his shoulders. He did trim his full beard a little by the looks of it. It’s not so untamed.
Merrick isn’t a small male. He’s broad-chested, solid muscle. However, he’s not one to show off what he has. His signature style is jeans, work boots, and flannel shirts. Today’s is a deep hunter green with the buttons in the front undone and his white T-shirt underneath visible.
My mom could have had any male she wanted. She could have joined any pack. The moment her path crossed with Merrick’s, there was no place else she wanted to be. And I love him like a father. Merrick has been here for me for anything I have needed since he met us. We got lucky.
“Don’t yell at him, Zay,” Merrick states with his gruff voice. “I’m sure whatever reason Ladon had for throwing something at Solomon was valid.” Merrick turns to me and winks. No one else sees it.
“Valid or not, we don’t pull things off the wall to throw at others,” Mom states with her eyes on me. I know better. The whole pack knows better, but we all do the same thing. Whether here or at the Avynwood house, when shifters argue, chase, anything really, there’s bound to be something broken along the way.
“We have four more of those clocks in the hall closet,” I tell her. This isn’t the first time one of them has been broken. Either they fall off the wall when someone slams into it or it becomes a weapon. Just last week Echo grabbed one and hit Zephyr over the head with it.
“That’s not the point. You shouldn’t use it as a weapon.”
I shrug. “He deserved it.”
Sol smiles. “I did. Too bad your aim is off, Ladon. Maybe you should come down to the Outer Banks and spar with Ford and me. We could teach you a few things.”
“No!” Mom and Genevieve shout at the same time.
Sol whips his head toward his cousin. “Interesting.”
“I’ll go,” I state. I may want to wring Sol’s neck, but he’s a good male. I’ve heard countless stories of him diving into battle for someone he loves. Plus, I’ve learned all I can from the shifters here. It’s not a bad idea to learn from some of the baddest vampires out there.
“Not some,” Sol says in my mind. “The baddest. There are no others as amazing as us.”
“Your cockiness knows no bounds,” I reply aloud, since I can’t speak telepathically.
“It really doesn’t.”
“Enough chitchat,” Merrick interjects. “Why are you here?”
“Austin made a one of a kind gift for my Jupiter. I came to pick it up. Figured Gen could come along for the fun of it. Oh, that reminds me. Gen, this is Merrick, the alpha of this pack. Merrick, my cousin Genevieve.”
Genevieve leans forward and offers Merrick her hand. He shakes it gently. There’s no need. She’s a vampire after all.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Merrick says. He tells Sol Austin is out back in his work shed. It’s the size of a small home, yet everyone calls it a shed.
“I’ll find him.”
“Uh huh. I’ll go with you.” Merrick doesn’t trust Sol one bit and with good reason.
The two males walk through the house out the back sliding door in search of Austin. Just then, Penny’s lion comes tearing into the room with Celeste’s fox on her back, her teeth digging in.
“For fate’s sake!” Mom yells and runs after them.
“You don’t see that every day,” Genevieve mutters.
“You do if you live here,” I reply.
Then the awkward silence settles over us and I’m not sure what to say. Anything that comes out of my mouth would probably sound stupid, yet I know this female can read my mind. What must she think of me?