Chapter Twenty-Eight

School was slightly less awkward now that I only had to avoid my best friend, instead of my best friend and my boyfriend.

When my class before lunch ended, Vaughn came to walk with me to the cafeteria.

“Did you hear that Christian got suspended for fighting again?” Vaughn said. “They kicked him out for good this time.”

“No, but I think he’s been listening to too much Thirsty Thieves music,” I said. “It’s making him too aggressive.”

We walked into the cafeteria, hand-in-hand, talking about how Christian had changed. Vaughn’s pack was sitting at a table. I was relieved to find Connor was back at school. He was washed out and sickly-looking but alive. Next to him was Skyler. When our eyes met, she looked away.

My stomach sank, and I dropped Vaughn’s hand, but he picked it up again. “I promised,” he said in a low voice. “They’ll get over it.”

“And if they don’t?”

“Then I guess I’ll have to find a new pack,” he said.

I hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but judging from the glares being sent my way, I wasn’t ruling it out, either.

Vaughn and I took a seat at a table as far away from our former friends as possible. “Do you want to hang out tonight?”

I bit my lip. “I can’t,” I said. “I already have plans.” I didn’t want him to ask what those plans were, so I added quickly, “I’m free tomorrow night, though.”

“It’s a date,” he said with a grin.

…

Tonight, I was going out to dinner with my mother.

She picked me up a block down from my house, as I’d asked her to. Granny wasn’t home yet, but Rose and Thorn were still staying with me. I couldn’t risk Vanessa being seen.

“I thought I’d introduce you to my boyfriend,” she said, looking down.

“You have a boyfriend?”

“He’s really great,” she said. “And he’s looking forward to meeting you.”

“Sounds good,” I said, but I was taken aback. I had so many questions. “How long have you been dating?”

“Not that long,” she said. “But I think he’s the one.”

We ended up at Janey’s. “You like this place, right?” she asked.

“How did you know that?”

“You must have mentioned it,” she said. “You said something about their waffles?”

“I do love their waffles,” I said.

We’d arrived during the dinner rush, but we managed to get a booth after a very short wait.

I looked at the number of people waiting for tables. “Maybe we should have taken a smaller table. There’s just the two of us.”

“Actually.” She clapped her hands. “I have the best surprise. My boyfriend will be joining us. In fact, that’s him now.”

I craned my neck, but I didn’t spot anyone who looked like they’d be dating my mother. I did see someone I wasn’t expecting, though. Vaughn. Standing next to his dad, who was talking to the hostess. She grabbed two menus and headed our way.

Part of me wanted to duck, but they’d seen me. Even worse, it looked like they were coming to our booth.

“Sorry we’re late,” Mr. Sheridan said. He slid into the booth and kissed my mom’s cheek, a lovesick smile on his face.

Mr. Sheridan did a double take when he saw me. “Tansy?”

Vaughn’s dad…was dating my mother?

Vaughn sat next to me. I couldn’t look at him. My stomach rolled, and I started to sweat. I’d made a big mistake. I’d been angry at Vaughn for hiding the truth, but I’d done the same thing.

“What the fuck?” Vaughn muttered. He recognized my mother, of course. It was hard to forget the person who’d tried to kill you.

My hands clenched into fists, but Vaughn took my hand and laced our fingers together. “I promised,” he whispered, and the tension inside me subsided. “Dad got one thing right about her,” he continued. “She is beautiful, at least on the outside. You look like her.”

It was true. There was no denying she was my mother. We had the same red hair, pale skin, and green eyes.

“Panda, this is my son Vaughn,” Mr. Sheridan said.

Panda?

“Vaughn, this is my girlfriend,” Mr. Sheridan said. “Tansy, it’s nice to see you. I didn’t know Vanessa was your mother.”

“I didn’t know Vanessa was your girlfriend,” I said lightly, but I was trembling. This couldn’t be a coincidence. But what did it mean? “Why do you call her Panda?”

They exchanged a gooey look and grinned at each other. “Because she was wearing a black-and-white top the night we met.”

“Cute,” I said, but I couldn’t help feeling that my mother was up to something.

“It’s quite a coincidence that I randomly met your mother and we started dating,” Mr. Sheridan said.

Vaughn’s grim expression told me he didn’t believe it was a coincidence, either.

“It’s so lovely to meet you, Vaughn,” Vanessa said. “How do you know my daughter?”

Vaughn made a big show of glancing at our entwined hands. “She’s my girlfriend.”

“Oh?” Vanessa gave me a sideways glance.

“Tansy, I haven’t seen you lately,” Mr. Sheridan said.

I didn’t look at Vaughn when I said, “I’ve been busy.” Busy almost breaking up with his son.

There was a frown settling between my mother’s eyes.

“So how’d you two meet?” I asked.

“A happy accident,” Mr. Sheridan said. “You tell it, honey.”

“No, you tell it,” my mother cooed.

Vaughn’s hands were wrapped so tightly around his water glass that I was worried he was going to shatter it. It looked like he was seconds from wolfing out. I rubbed his knee comfortingly, and his body relaxed into mine.

“We were at the same country-and-western bar, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her,” Mr. Sheridan continued.

“What’s the name of the bar?” I asked. My throat felt tight. It couldn’t be a coincidence. I would bet my whole paycheck that they’d met at The Last Stop.

Which Mr. Sheridan confirmed with his next words. “It’s kind of a dive.”

I had a bad feeling it was a vampire dive. Vaughn and I exchanged a glance.

“And then I ran into her again.” Mr. Sheridan picked up Vanessa’s hand and kissed it.

“I volunteer,” my mother continued the story, “selling tickets for an animal shelter fundraiser.” She sounded so believable, but could I really trust her? Vampires lied to your face and made you believe every falsehood, no matter how blatant. Besides, she hadn’t been a great mom even before she’d turned into a vampire. I was suspicious, but if she wasn’t human, how was she able to walk around in broad daylight?

“Which shelter?” I asked.

“A golden retriever rescue,” she said.

“And you just happened to bump into each other?” Now it was Vaughn’s turn.

“Adam made such a generous contribution,” Vanessa cooed.

“I’ve always wanted a pet.” Mr. Sheridan’s eyes lit up.

“Yes, you’ve told me,” Vanessa said. There was an almost undetectable edge in her voice.

“Are you still volunteering?” Vaughn asked.

“I’ve turned to other pursuits,” she replied.

“What kind of pursuits?” I asked.

“This and that,” my mother replied. She was trying to change the subject, but Vaughn’s dad didn’t get the hint.

“Darling, don’t minimize what you do,” Mr. Sheridan said.

“What do you do for a living?” Vaughn asked Vanessa.

“It’s not just a living,” she replied. “It’s my passion. I’m a cat breeder.”

“A cat breeder?” I tried and failed to keep the shock from my voice. It was the last thing I thought she’d say.

“What breed?” Vaughn asked.

“A new breed of designer cats,” she replied. “Very exclusive.”

I waited, but she didn’t elaborate. She gave Vaughn a challenging smile. “I was thinking of giving your father a kitten.”

“Isn’t Mr. Sheridan allergic?” I asked, but he gave her a sappy smile.

“These are hypoallergenic cats,” she replied. Vanessa had an answer for everything, but I still didn’t know if I could trust her. Sure, we’d been spending some time together, but did I really know her at all?

“I’ll help you pick one out,” Vaughn volunteered.

“The cats are very special,” his dad said. Vaughn and I exchanged a “what the hell” look across the table.

“What kind of cats exactly?” I asked. “Like a Sphynx?”

“Something new.” Mr. Sheridan’s smile was so proud it made my heart hurt. “Very hush-hush.”

She smiled at him. “I’m not ready to unveil the concept yet.” When she caught me staring at her, she smiled at me, too. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”

She looked human and, even more importantly, she smelled like a human. I couldn’t detect even a hint of vampire.

“So this bar where you two met…” I started.

“She was the cutest cowgirl I’d ever seen. I asked her to line-dance, and the rest is history,” Mr. Sheridan said. My mind boggled at the thought of my mother in a denim skirt, a cowboy hat on her immaculately styled hair, and shitkickers on her feet.

“Was it The Last Stop by any chance?” Vaughn asked.

“You’ve been there?” His dad sounded delighted.

“With my grandmother,” I said. I glanced at my mother, wondering if the mention of her mother, the woman she’d tried to kill, would upset her.

“I’m hoping to see your grandmother soon,” Vanessa said. Was it my imagination or was there a hint of menace behind that statement?

My grandmother could take care of herself, especially if she was up against a human and not a vampire who had an unfair advantage.

Hope and suspicion fought in my mind. Had I let my loneliness and desire for a parent of my own overrule my better judgment? Or was it just a coincidence that my mother was dating Vaughn’s dad?

Field trip? Vaughn mouthed, and I nodded. My mother was watching us, and I gave her a sweet smile.

An awkward silence fell. “Everyone ready to order?” our server asked. She looked like she might be new. She plunked down a basket of rolls in the middle of the table.

Mr. Sheridan offered the basket to my mother, who waved it away, and then to me.

“I’ll have the garlic chicken,” Vanessa said. “With extra garlic, if possible. And a diet soda.”

That ticked the “not a vampire” column.

Vaughn and I both ordered spaghetti with extra garlic, and Mr. Sheridan ordered a medium-rare steak.

Vaughn thought about it for about two seconds. “I’ll have that, too.”

“You want a steak instead of spaghetti?” the server asked.

“No, I want steak and spaghetti,” he replied. “Please.”

After we’d placed our orders, my mother asked, “Tell me how the two of you met.”

I rolled my eyes. “Vaughn and I have been friends since we were little.”

“But you’re dating now?” she persisted. “When did that happen?”

“This summer,” Vaughn said. “It was a very interesting summer. You might even say life-changing.” For a second, I thought he was going to say something shocking, like how she’d tried to kill him, but instead, he bit his lip and scowled.

I took a bite of the spaghetti. It had tons of garlic in it. “It’s delicious.” Maybe my mother’s plan was to poison us all. I hoped it wasn’t poisoned. Where was Rose when I needed her? She was the expert.

My mother took a big bite. “I love garlic.”

Mr. Sheridan gave her an indulgent smile. “Anything for you, my love.”

“Dad, it doesn’t bother you that she ditched her kid?” Vaughn asked.

“Vaughn, I’ve taught you there are always two sides to a story,” his dad replied. He gave my mom a kiss that started out innocently but then turned into full-on making out.

Vaughn covered his eyes with one hand and my eyes with the other. “You can’t just do that without warning,” he said.

“Mom, I beg of you, please stop or I’ll be scarred for life,” I said.

“Okay, it’s safe to look now,” Mr. Sheridan said with a good-natured chuckle.

“I hope our relationship isn’t upsetting to you,” Vanessa said.

“Since I’m Tansy’s boyfriend,” Vaughn said, “it does make you dating my dad a little awkward.”

To add awkward on top of awkward, we finished the meal in silence.

“Thanks for dinner, Mr. Sheridan,” I said. He nodded, but there was a troubled look on his face.

“I’m going to take Tansy home now,” Vaughn said, and we left our parents making out in a booth at Janey’s Diner.

But he didn’t take me home. Instead, we ended up parking at the beach to talk.

“So, when did you start hanging out with your mother?” Vaughn’s voice was carefully neutral.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. But remember at that wedding when I almost vamped out?” I asked. “She was there just walking around, and it wasn’t even sunset. She told me that when I killed Jure, it reversed her vampirism.”

“And you think it’s true?”

“I want it to be true,” I said. “But it can’t be a coincidence she’s dating your dad.”

“What do you think she’s up to?” he asked me.

“I have no idea. Did you notice that she didn’t smell like a vamp?” I asked Vaughn.

“It’s not impossible that she’s human,” he said. “Jure is dead.”

“And your dad seems to be mark-free, unless his bitemark is in a less obvious spot.” Most vampires went with a traditional neck bite, although some liked the wrist or a thigh.

“I can see the appeal,” he said. “She’s a beautiful redhead, you’re a beautiful redhead,” he replied.

I hated the idea that I was anything like the woman who’d almost killed both my boyfriend and my grandmother.

“Jesus, I’m screwing this up,” he said. “I’m trying to say that, objectively, I understand why my dad would be attracted to her.”

“What does my mother see in him?” I wondered aloud.

“Hey, that’s my dad you’re talking about,” Vaughn said.

“I can see the appeal,” I added, parroting his words. “Your dad is awesome and handsome and kind, just like his son.”

“Your mother must have a hidden motive,” Vaughn said. “Some agenda.”

“Maybe. But what if she doesn’t?” I asked.

“You mean what if the woman who was called the Executioner just happened to meet my dad and they fell in love? I don’t think so.”

“The only link is me,” I said. “Is it wrong to hope that it’s true that she’s human? That she’s in love?”

“She isn’t capable of love,” he said, then hurried to clarify. “Not because she’s a vampire, but because she hurt you,” he said.

I leaned in and kissed him. “I know what you meant.” We’d promised to trust each other.

“Even if she’s not a vampire any longer, which I doubt, she’s still the kind of person who would abandon her child,” he said.

“Thank you for not freaking out when you first saw us,” I said. “I didn’t mention it to you because Vanessa asked me not to say anything. And you weren’t really talking to me then, anyway.”

“Why did you decide to spend time with her?” There was no judgment in his tone.

“Part of it was that I wanted it to be true,” I admitted. “Because if it was, then there was still hope for me. That there’s still a possibility that I can return to normal. It would be such a relief to be a Mariotti witch again, instead of a striga vie.”

Instead of replying, Vaughn’s lips met mine. Before I knew it, we were in the backseat and Vaughn’s shirt was off. He brushed his fingers down my arm, the calluses setting off little shivers everywhere he touched.

“You’ve been practicing,” I said.

He stopped the motion and lifted his head. “What?”

“Your hands,” I said. “New calluses. You’ve been playing the drums again.”

“Yeah,” he said. “Is it weird that I picked it up again after playing for The Drainers?”

“No,” I said. “I think it’s nice.”

He started stroking my arm again. “Sorry about my hands,” he said.

“I like it,” I admitted.

“Tansy, you know I lo—”

I covered his lips with my hand. “Not yet,” I whispered. I wasn’t ready for him to say it, not when we’d just found out our parents were dating.

He kissed my hand still covering his mouth and nodded.

I dropped my hand onto his shoulder and leaned in and kissed him again.

We broke apart, both of us breathing heavily. “What are we going to do?” Vaughn asked.

“About our parents?”

“About everything.”

“I’m going to have to tell Granny,” I replied. I needed to figure out if my mother was telling the truth about how she’d become human. I tried not to think about how much I wanted it to be true.