Beyond Blood

Double Trouble

Pronouciation/Glossary

An Toiseach - an tosh-ok

A charaid - friend - a kar-itch

Deoch an dorais - 'one for the road' - jok an dorish

Trouble has a way of following some people around like a shadow

Chapter 15: Double Trouble

It was comical, watching Taran pace a hole in his bedroom floor, narrated intermittently by the laugh track from The Big Bang Theory playing on the TV and the tapping of my fingers on the keys of my laptop as I pretended to be in deep focus. Unfortunately, Taran’s room was proving to be a hostile work environment for both of us. I could barely focus on proofing one of my last essays when my mind was churning out question after question and accusation, and no amount of pacing nor grumbling seemed to be helping Taran work through his problems either.

“Are you worried about what Gwydion said, about your maker, or about me?” I ventured hesitantly, turning on my chair to watch him.

“Both. And more.”

I hummed, lifting a brow when he practically snarled at the wall for impeding his wish to walk off what plagued him.

After meeting An Toiseach, I’d been so emotionally drained I’d fallen asleep without getting the chance to ask about a thing, then I’d had to get up early to be driven by Ness to Uni as if I didn’t have my own car I was perfectly capable of driving. Apparently Ness could stand the sun better than the other vampires in Taran’s employ.

“You know, you could talk to me about it,” I said.

Taran stopped, shoulders tense, hands fisting. “I can’t. It’s not your business to know.”

I should have tread carefully, and listened to Gwydion’s warning. Taran had been acting cold everywhere since.

“Right. I’m just the human you’re looking after.” I snapped my laptop shut and stood. “I should get ready, I’m on shift till closing.”

If Taran wasn’t going to tell me anything, if he was going to leave me feeling a fish out of water, I was going to distract myself in learning the ropes in the pub with Ness so when the time came that I left this all behind, I’d at least have some work experience under my belt.

But Taran had other ideas. He turned with a thunderous look and shook his head. “No.”

“No?”

“I don’t want you in the pub anymore.”

Scoffing to hide a flinch, I began to get ready anyway. “Well, that’s what you hired me for, remember? As bar staff. That’s why you’re obligated to help me.” I bit my lip, offering more gently, “Unless. . .unless there’s another reason. . .”

Cool dark eyes flicked over my face with little more emotion than irritation. “You’ve been at University all day.”

“So? Most my classmates have jobs to go to. I might be staying with you for a while but I still need to be paying my half of the rent to Laura. Besides, I’ve been stuck in this room all evening.”

“Why are you being so argumentative? Why can’t you just do what I say? You were so good last night.” Long strides ate up the distance between us, Taran lifting a hand so he brush his thumb over my pursed lips. “So good in fact, you caught the eye of quite a few other vampires. Imagine how jealous those who come to my club will be when I finally get to show you off. Maybe I should invite Mira to watch.” He inhaled deeply and his chuckle was velvety smooth by my ear. “You like that idea, Naughty Mouse. What a delightful surprise.”