Boundaries

Grant: the approved list

{Grant}

Despite her judgment of "training is for losers," Tish made Conor change his shoes and then pulled him out of the room to spar. I was glad for both of them. Tish needed to blow off some steam and Conor needed to get out of this room. Ralph let a sigh and visibly relaxed as once Conor left.

"That boy hovers more than my wife," he confessed. "And I know why, so I let it happen, but it's nice to have a little space."

"He's scared the hunters will whisk you away if he's not here," I surmised. "I don't blame him, Ralph. I'm not sure they wouldn't."

"Even without my legs, I can pick up this bed and throw it," he pointed out. I can still shift. I have all my teeth. I'm capable of defending myself."

"So was Conor," I reminded him. "And that didn't stop them from taking him. He's right to be worried. He was right to make Aidan stay, as much as it hurt both of us."

"And you're really coming back home with us for full moon?" Ralph inquired.

"That's the plan. Tish made it happen. I can't tell you how grateful I am."

Ralph shook his head. "She gave up a lot to get me help, to help you. I wish there was some way to repay her."

"She sounded more content at that farm than she had been in a long time," I told him. "I don't think you have to worry about repayment."

I heard footsteps heading to the door and I turned my head.

"Don't turn around," my father said. "I finally got your mother's tablet away from her, and I'm freezing the frame. Just look at Ralph, and Ralph, just look asleep for a moment."

We did so, and my father stepped into view, taking my glasses off my face to set on the table beside me. He took Conor's usual seat on the other side of the room, taking note of all the balloons that had arrived this afternoon.

"There," Peter said. "Now she won't know that we're talking, since I'm not supposed to be talking with you without Gayle or Sasha."

"That seems stupid," Ralph remarked.

"Well, yes. But since I've let Grant escape the hunters several times, there is the matter of trust," Peter replied. "This whole monitoring you from the inside out... I had no idea, Grant."

"I'm sure," I replied. "Because you're a terrible liar, Dad. So what did you want to talk about?"

"I want to be caught up," he said. "Sasha only reports to Gayle who doesn't tell me anything, only tells the board what they want to hear and between the two of them, I'm a little concerned for you and for Tish's future. What did they do to you in Washington?"

I sighed, glancing at Ralph. "I don't want you to freak out," I warned.

"I will try not to."

"Sasha basically cut me open and tried to figure out how vampires work," I said, trying not to dwell on the memories. If I did, I would get angry, and then my mother would get an update, regardless of what my father did to her tablet. "We found that so long as I don't run out of blood, they could pull whatever organ they like and I'd pretty much regrow it. Save the heart, of course. They left that alone, which was nice of them. She placed the nerve stimulator in my neck as a test and when that was success, decided to create an early warning system."

"Who approved this?" my father wondered. "I mean, I wish I was surprised. I'm horrified she could do that to her own son, but I didn't think we had that many people interested in torturing a person."