Blake's Pursuit (Scanguards Vampires, #11)(15)

Involuntarily, Lilo had to smile. She liked the young mother who seemed to have such power over her husband and such confidence in Blake. When the door closed behind them and the two boys were already running back into the living room, Lilo turned and found herself facing Blake.

“It’s nice of you to look after two young boys.”

Blake shrugged. “They’re really no trouble.”

She lifted an eyebrow, when she heard one of the boys yell.

“Give me that remote! It’s my turn!” It was the younger boy.

“I’m the man in the house when Dad’s not here, and you know it.”

Blake chuckled and winked at her. “Okay, maybe just a little trouble.”

“Blake?” came Nicholas’s voice from the living room.

“Yes?” he answered and walked toward the arch, looking into the room.

Lilo followed him.

“I’m going to stay in the guestroom with the turret. Adam can sleep in the room out front,” Nicholas announced in a determined voice.

“That’s not what we agreed!” Adam ground out and kicked his brother in the shin. “You said we were gonna play for it. And whoever wins the first game gets that room. You’re such a jerk sometimes.”

“Hey guys, sorry, but you’ll have to share the room out front,” Blake interrupted.

Both boys stared at Blake, their mouths gaping open. “Why?”

“Lilo is staying in the room with the turret.”

Nicholas jumped up. “What? I don’t wanna share with Adam. I need my own room. Can’t your girlfriend stay in your room? It’s not like you have to pretend for us.” The teenager puffed up his chest. “I know about these things.”

Lilo felt heat shoot into her cheeks. They thought she was Blake’s girlfriend? Just like Zane had probably thought so, too. His look had implied as much.

Next to her Blake ground out a low curse. “You’re sharing the room out front. No discussion.” Then he turned to look at her and said more quietly, “I’m sorry about that. They’re just boys. They don’t know any better.”





9


Blake closed the refrigerator and turned back to Nicholas and Adam who were both stuffing their faces with sandwiches. That was one thing about young hybrids: they were constantly eating. Not only human food, but also blood to keep up their vampire strength. It didn’t matter that it was two in the morning.

“And not another remark about Lilo and me. Is that clear?” he said, pinning Nicholas with his eyes.

The boy shrugged and managed to look sheepish. “How was I supposed to know she’s not your girlfriend?”

“That’s exactly the reason why you don’t make assumptions.”

“Is she pissed at us?” Adam interrupted.

Blake smiled at him. “I don’t think so.” Somewhat embarrassed maybe, but not upset. At least that much he’d gathered when he’d shown her to her room in silence. That had been nearly a half hour ago. “Now eat, and then you should go to bed.”

Nicholas protested instantly. “It’s school holidays. We’re allowed to stay up as long as we want.”

Blake tilted his head to the side.

“Honestly!” the fifteen-year-old hybrid insisted. “Even Dad lets us keep vampire hours when there’s no school.”

Adam kicked him under the table. “Shh! You’re not supposed to say vampire when there’s a human in the house.” He lifted his eyes and met Blake’s gaze, looking for approval. “Right, Blake?”

“That’s right, Adam. Your brother should know better.”

Nicholas shrugged, Blake’s scolding sliding off him like oil off a Teflon pan. “So the broad doesn’t know what you are, huh?”

“Broad?” Blake asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

Adam rolled his eyes, looking all grown-up, despite his tender age of thirteen. “Nikki’s been watching those old gangster movies. You know, Al Capone stuff.”

“You’re not supposed to call me Nikki! I’m too old for that.”

“Enough, guys. If you want to stay up, you’ll have to behave. And that means: nobody calls a woman a broad, the word vampire will not come out of either one of your mouths, and there will be no fighting. Do I make myself clear?”

Adam nodded wordlessly, while Nicholas said, “And Adam can’t call me Nikki.”

Blake sighed. There was just no winning an argument with a teenager. “Remind me why I volunteered to watch you two while your parents visit Cain and Faye.”

Adam’s face split into a wide grin. “’Cause you love us and we’re fun to hang out with?”

Blake threw his head back and laughed. “I guess I can’t argue with that. Now go play before I change my mind.”

He rose and was about to clear off the kitchen table when he heard a beep from the kitchen’s security monitor, and the corresponding sound of the front door opening. He glanced at the screen: Eddie was finally here.

He marched out into the hallway to greet his friend and colleague. As always, Eddie was dressed in his biker gear: leather, and more leather. With his sandy-blond hair and deep dimples, he looked like the kid from next door.

“Thanks for coming, Eddie.”