Single White Vampire (Argeneau #3)(23)

"Too true, my friend," Greg said with a shake of his head. "I'm still not used to all this." He gestured to the bag in his hand, then lifted it and stabbed his elongating teeth into it.

Lucern smiled as he followed suit. For someone who claimed the opposite, his brother-in-law did a fair imitation of someone who was comfortable with his new situation. Mind you, that might be different if the therapist had to bite people to feed, as in the old days.

The four men all fell silent as they emptied their first bags of blood. Bastien then pulled plastic cups out of the van and split two more bags between those four cups, and the men stood talking as they drank. It wasn't long before the conversation came around to Lucern's unwanted guest. Etienne was the one to bring it up, commenting that she seemed quite nice.

Lucern snorted. "Don't let her fool you. That woman is as stubborn as a mule. She's like one of those damn ticks, burrowing under your skin and staying there. She's burrowed her way into my home and just won't leave!"

The others all laughed. Greg suggested, "Why don't you just do some of that mind-control stuff Lissianna's trying to teach me—just get into her head and plant the suggestion that she leave?"

"Luc can't get into her head," Etienne announced with a grin.

"You've tried?" Greg asked Lucern with surprise.

"Of course I did. The very first night." Luc scowled and shook his head. "But she seems resistant to suggestion. I can't even read her thoughts. The woman's mind is like a steel trap." He sighed. "It's damned frustrating."

"Yep. And don't tell Mother," Etienne reminded him.

"Why not?" Greg asked.

Bastien explained. "Mother says couples shouldn't be able to read each other's thoughts, so when you come across someone strong-minded enough to block you out—which she says is rare—you should pay attention, they would make a good mate."

Etienne nodded. "So if she catches wind of this…"

"She'll be determined to put us together," Lucern finished for him. He immediately felt confused. The last thing he needed was his mother playing matchmaker and forcing him and his stubborn editor together. On the other hand, Kate was a hell of a game player. And she was attractive, and somehow she became less annoying the longer he knew her. He was even getting used to having her in his home. If he were going to be forced into marriage—

"So I wouldn't mention it to her if I were you," Bastien said.

"I'd have to agree with Bastien and Etienne on this," Gregory decided, looking at Lucern. "As much as I like your mother, she can be a tad persistent once she gets an idea into her head. If you don't want her interfering and trying to push you and Kate together, I wouldn't mention that you can't read Kate's mind."

"Too late."

All four men jumped guiltily at that sweetly sung comment. Whirling, they found themselves confronted by Marguerite. Lucern groaned at the predatory look on her face. She'd obviously heard everything. And judging by her expression, she was already plotting.

At least that was what he thought, so he was surprised when she took the bag of blood Bastien offered and turned to smile at her oldest son. "Luc, darling. If you want to get rid of the girl so badly, why not just agree to do one of the publicity things she's on about? The moment you agree, she'll leave."

" 'Cause I don't want to," he answered, almost wincing as he heard how childish he sounded.

"And I don't want to listen to you whine, but sometimes we have to do things we don't like in life." Her words made everyone fall silent; then Marguerite stabbed her teeth into her bag of blood and drained it. When she'd finished, she turned to Lucern and added, "Kate doesn't want to be here bothering you any more than you want her here. However, her job depends on being able to convince you to do one of those publicity events. She likes her new position. She wants to keep it. She won't leave until you agree to at least one."

Spotting his horrified reaction, Marguerite patted her son's cheek affectionately. "I suggest you tell her you'll do R.T. From what she told me at the spa today, it's probably the best option for both of you."

"What's R.T.?" Lucern asked suspiciously.

"Romantic Times magazine," his mother explained. "Just tell her you'll do it." Then Marguerite Argeneau turned and walked away, heading back along the row of cars.

"Hmm. I wonder how she found out Kate's job depends on convincing you to do one of those publicity events," Bastien murmured as they watched their mother walk away.

Greg shrugged. "She's very good at getting people to tell her things they never mean to say. She would have made a good therapist."

Lucern was silent, and they all handed their empty glasses back to Bastien. He didn't know how his mother had found out what she had, but he didn't doubt for a minute that it was true. Which made him about as miserable as he could be, for now he knew for certain that he would never be free of the woman. She was desperate, and desperate people were both as persistent as hell and unpredictable.

"Here you all are!"

The four men whirled away from the van again, this time to find Kate C. Leever facing them. There was a mischievous grin on her face as she took in their guilty expressions and the way they were all trying to hide something behind them.