Page 19 of Love Lives

"I screwed Puck, I didn't date him," Aldrich clarified.

I grimaced. That sort of mindset was exactly why it would be stupid of me to start anything with him, even if I were interested. Which I was not.

"I don't care how many witches you screwed or didn't screw," Elle said. "I did a lot of research while you guys were at the hospital. I know what I'm doing. Believe me or not. It's Remy's decision, anyway."

"I'll do it," I said before I even really had time to think about it. Only to spite Aldrich. Not the best reason to do anything, but I couldn't help myself--and I couldn't let him go on thinking he had any say in my life's choices. "I trust Elle," I announced as if this had nothing to do with Aldrich at all.

The vampire shook his head. "Unbelievable," he muttered. "Don't count on me to save your ass again."

"You don't have to watch."

Aldrich shook his head again and left the kitchen, but not the house. Honestly, I didn't think he would. He would watch, and he would hate it, but he would stay.

"What are you smiling about?" Elle asked.

"Getting to see Dad again," I lied, because I didn't want her to think I was obsessing over a vampire.

I wasn’t stupid enough to obsess over a vampire.

I wasnot.

Chapter Eight

Absolutely no onein this family could make good decisions. As Aldrich leaned back against the wall of the living room, watching Elena set up for her little séance, he was absolutely convinced of this.

"You believe there's going to be problems?" His former partner, Talon, came to stand next to him.

Aldrich shrugged. He hadn't said anything after his conversation with Remy that morning, but he and Talon had worked together for longer than twenty years. Talon would have to be extremely incompetent not to be able to read his body language by now.

"I'm interested in seeing how this will go," Talon said.

"It's stupid," Aldrich burst out. "It's absolutely stupid." He didn't lower his voice either. So what if everyone could hear him? They should. "I didn't rescue him just so he could play the lab rat for his sister."

Talon glanced at Elena and Caspar, both of whom were doing their best to ignore them, then back at Aldrich. He dropped his voice a little, to a level the mortal would have trouble hearing. "It might not even work at all."

"That's the best case scenario, I guess." Aldrich didn't drop his voice as low as Talon had, but he wasn't raising it for the people in the back either.

"Best case scenario, we'll get some actionable information," Talon corrected.

"I don't care about the information that much."

"You should." Talon's expression turned weary. "If you care about this family, or even just one member of this family... you'll want them to make some headway on how to protect themselves."

Aldrich crossed his arms in front of his chest and said nothing. He did care. Maybe more than he should. But that was exactly why he didn't want this séance to proceed.

"It's tough," Talon said. "Caring for a mortal."

"I don't," Aldrich lied, though he knew it was pointless. After all these years together, his body language wasn't the only thing Talon could read. He could interpret his actions too, and Aldrich's actions lately had been very out of character.

Running into that fire?

Wasting his time at the hospital?

He'd never have done that in the past.

He used to be smarter than this.

"Puck's coming in to watch," Talon said, pulling him out of his thoughts. "If things go wrong, he may be able to help."