“Nothing really,” she says. “I wasn’t digging around in your head or anything. You projected your thoughts. I’m just like anyone else, Ladon. Talk to me like you do the other females in the pack.” Sure, because that’s easy.
“You’ve never been here before?” I ask, then realize how idiotic that sounded. It’s like asking a female at a bar if they come here often. I shake my head.
“No, first time. That ward is something else. I love how it’s so warm here, like the seasons don’t change.”
“They don’t inside. Even when it’s blistering cold in the dead of winter, we’re warm. It’s a shock to the system when we have to leave, though. Luckily, our vehicles are inside the ward, so they’re always warm and we don’t have to warm them up or clean snow from them in winter.”
“That’s nice.”
“Do you want a tour? I’m not sure how long Sol will be. He and Austin get along well but, with Merrick and who knows who else out there, I’m not sure what will happen.”
“Merrick really hates him, huh?”
“Hate is a strong word. Dislike is more like it. Sol has a habit of riling up our pack and laughing while he does it. Though he’s been calmer since mating with Lilah.”
“She’s good for him, but I’m not sure he’s calmer.” Genevieve smiles and it nearly knocks the breath from me. She’s stunning.
“Let’s start outside,” I say so I can get moving and find something to do rather than say anything to embarrass myself.
I walk with Genevieve outside, through the woods, until we reach the border of the ward. We talk about nothing important. Small things to make conversation. Talking to her is easier than I thought it would be. Turns out we have some things in common, like television shows and movies. Gaming.
She tells me she’s a homebody and I say I am, too. It’s not often I find someone who likes all the same stuff I do. And when I’ve found that in the past in a female, I’ve jumped into a relationship with them. I’m painfully aware of how all those ended. While I may be very attracted to the female beside me, maybe being friends for now wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
After we cross through the ward, we find one of the trails the locals and visitors use through the park and hike our way through the area. We only pass a handful of people. Anyone looking at Genevieve wouldn’t know she’s a super strong vampire who could take down anyone who comes at her.
By the time we find our way back on the pack property again, the afternoon sun is fading. There are only a few wolves outside and those are the ones on patrol. Everyone else must be inside for dinner.
“Do you want to stay?” I ask her before we step inside. “My mom cooks like a professional chef. She roasted multiple hams and many side dishes for tonight. You should join us.”
“I’m not sure. Sol may need to get back.”
“Sol does not,” he says at our backs.
Turning, I find Sol with Austin at his side. Austin claps him on the shoulder. “The more the merrier. Corinna helped with dinner tonight. I insist you stay.”
“I never turn down free food. Especially when it’s cooked by your mate and Ladon’s mom. Let’s do this.” Sol rubs his hands together like he hasn’t eaten in a week.
They go inside and we stay where we are. “You don’t have to,” I tell her. I’m not sure if she’s uncomfortable or it’s something else. She’s someone who likes to be home alone. Maybe crowds aren’t her thing. They’re second nature for me. I can’t go to the bathroom alone with all the kids around here, and the adults, too, for that matter. I had to put a deadbolt on my bedroom door. Luckily, every one of the bedrooms has their own bathroom. It’s the small things that make a difference.
“I want to,” Gen says in a quiet voice. She told me to call her that. Said her full name seems too formal to her.
I resist holding my hand out for hers. Not that she’d take it, but it feels like a friendly thing to do. Instead, I stuff my hands in my pockets.
The dining table is full and there are multiple members of the pack taking their meals to their rooms or other parts of the house. The table is big but not big enough for everyone. Gen and I pile food on our plates and end up on the lounge chairs by the pool. No one is out here. It’s quiet.
Glancing over, I watch as Gen takes her first bite of the food. She moans, and it’s all I can do not to go to her and swallow that sound down with my lips. But I can’t. She’s a friend, if anything. Definitely nothing more. Although, I feel like we connected a little this afternoon. I think it’s safe to call her a friend.
“This is so good,” she says with a mouthful of ham. “If I knew your mom cooked like this, I would have begged Sol to bring me here.”
“I told you.” I smile.
We sit in comfortable silence while we eat. I love that Gen isn’t one of those females who picks at her food, only eating a small amount. She’s enjoying every bite and has a healthy appetite. My kind of female.
Wait. I can’t think things like that. She may be my type. Hell, I don’t even know what my type is anymore. But we’re going to keep this firmly in the friend zone. Not anything else. I don’t need to have my heart broken again, because I have a feeling if I did offer it to her and she shattered it, I wouldn’t survive.
6
Genevieve
Ladon’s thoughts floated to me every now and then. I haven’t gone into his head to see everything he’s thinking. That would be a violation. What I could hear—the things he projected—he was thinking the same thing I was. With all we have in common, we could be great friends.
Dinner winds down and the pack goes their separate ways, some helping Zayda and Corinna clean up. I did offer but they refused and told me to go have fun, like I’m one of their kids. I’m older than both of them by a long shot.
Now I’m standing outside the pack house with Sol on my right and Ladon on my left. Sol’s holding a beautiful hand-carved swing for Jupiter. It’s not huge like a swing set. This is a mini version with one seat that will fit in their living room. There are vines etched into the wood, up the legs to the top, and over the front of the little bucket seat.
“Isn’t she too little for that?” Ladon asks.
“Yeah, but she’s growing fast. She’ll be able to enjoy it in no time. Lilah is going to love on me extra hard tonight because of it.”
I hold up my hand. “I don’t need to hear it.”
“Think you can find your way home, cousin?” Sol asks.
“If I couldn’t figure out how to teleport myself back to my home there would be a huge problem.”
“I’m out, then. Have a good evening. Do everything I would. But not with me. That’s gross.” Sol sticks his tongue out then teleports away with his swing.
Just Ladon and I are left outside. And some wolves, I have no doubt, patrol the grounds. The sky is dark and cloudy. Some stars can be seen as the clouds drift by to reveal them. While the weather in here is the same all the time, the sky above changes. It’s how it is everywhere else nearby.