Book one of three in the Forbidden Alliance Trilogy
Jay Dee doesn't know where she came from, who she is, or why she washed up on the beach when she was a child. The only life she had ever known was on the reservation with her tribe and pack. In a w...
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The soft knock at the bedroom door was followed by Toran. "Are you all right?" he asked and took a seat on one of the chaises. "The others said that you seem a bit disgruntled. Do I need to put you on a 'keep Tanis away from guns and clock towers' watch?"
I snorted. "You must be joking. You are well aware I do not play with heaters," I scoffed. "Did you mistaken me for Declan?" I snorted, rolling my eyes—comparing me to that mouthy, drunken pikey was an insult and a half.
He chuckled. "Yes, I am joshing, and it is impossible to mistake you for Declan; you use much less profanity."
I cocked an eyebrow. "I surely hope it is more than my refinement and ability to speak without desecrating the English language which keeps you from confusing us."
He smirked with a shrug so I threw a pillow at him causing him to roar with laughter. "The others said you seem distracted," he conceded, now that he was done thoroughly annoying me. "However, it is in my experience that starting with a joke alleviates tension, thus I went with the postal vampire clock tower-comparing you to a foulmouthed Irishmen thing."
Toran was not nearly as funny as he thought he was.
"I am distracted," I admitted, ignoring his juvenile attempt at humor.
That was a good way of wording it: distracted.
"Would you like to talk about it?" he pressed, going into father-mode.
I had known Toran since my first day of embracing the dark gift. He wasn't my sire by venom, but he was in a matter of speaking; siring was more than just creating, it was nurturing and rearing. I hardly remembered my biological parents; the memories had faded over the centuries. It was disheartening, however, I eventually accepted it. Through Toran's guidance I learned that with everything in life it was a give and take. I was given immortality and my human memories were taken as a result, and that way of thinking planted the seed of acceptance in me.
Misinterpreting my silence, Toran sighed. "Tanis, I know you are upset because we had to leave Paris in a hurry...think of this as a new beginning. It was only a matter of time before we had to relocate. We were in Paris for more than a decade and that was pushing it. I brought you and the others to Lummi in order to clear your head...and Sam was unexpectantly at the other estate," he quickly mumbled the last part under his breath, looking away from me and I made a face before shaking my head—that was all I didn't need; to deal with Sam after a hasty relocation. "Everything will work out," he assured me when I didn't say anything. "Maybe after a couple of years we can go to Moscow or Amsterdam again. It will get better, I promise."
The guilt the man harbored for everything that was beyond his control was truly admirable, but irritating at the same time.
"That is not it, Toran. I met someone," I explained.
