Chapter Thirteen
Raven knew something was wrong with Connor. Since he’d rescued the wolf, he’d been acting strange. She still couldn’t believe he’d done it. She hadn’t met many other people who would risk their own safety for an animal. The longer she knew Connor, the more he confused her. Maybe that was why she’d been avoiding him so much.
Now, she was even more confused. It had seemed like they were getting along really well during their hike, but as soon as they got back to his home, he’d gotten Shelby over to stitch up the wolf and left.
“Is Connor angry at me?” she asked Shelby.
Shelby didn’t look up from the stitches she was making when she answered. “Nah. He probably left so he wouldn’t have to shave your wolf. If he’d stayed, I would have made him do it. Can I just say, this is one of the scariest things I have ever done?”
“He won’t hurt you. He’s just scared right now.” Raven looked down at the frightened wolf and stroked his head. He seemed upset about Connor leaving. She sensed him looking for Connor. It was strange, but he was young and probably just grateful to Connor for saving him. She could somewhat understand the wolf but it wasn’t like she picked up things in full sentences. She got general ideas, like he hurt, he was scared, and he wanted his pack. He’d whimpered when Connor had left, letting her know he wanted Connor around. “Thank you for taking care of him,” Raven said. “I know the wolf will appreciate it later.”
Shelby snorted. “I’m only doing this for you.”
“Not for Connor?” Raven asked.
“Nope,” Shelby replied. “Carla even offered to come and help me when she heard it was for you.”
Raven couldn’t hold back her smile. She’d never expected to have vampire friends. “Why didn’t she come?”
Shelby laughed. “That girl is crazy squeamish. She can’t help with any injuries. It’s funny because she can ram a stake into someone’s heart without a second’s hesitation, but she can’t be around when someone has a paper cut.”
Raven couldn’t help noticing the expression of fondness on Shelby’s face. “How long have you been a couple?” she asked.
“About sixty years,” Shelby replied. “We’ve known each other most of our lives, but it took Carla a long time to move past what happened when we were younger. It was tough on us all, but Carla has always been softer than me.”
Raven nodded. “Connor told me things were really bad.”
“Yeah, it sucked, but we survived,” Shelby said as she cut the thread. “We’re a product of our pasts in some ways, but I refuse to let it be all that defines me.”
“You may be one of the most well-adjusted people I’ve ever met.” Raven remarked.
Shelby looked a little embarrassed by Raven’s praise. “Hardly,” she scoffed. “I just don’t let it get me down.”
“That’s why you’re so well-adjusted. I mean seriously, I came here as your enemy, yet you just accepted me into your world.”
“I could tell you weren’t a bad person. You put your own life on the line to save your friends. I admire that. I figured it was a good idea to have you as a friend in case I need someone to save my ass.”
“I’d have your back any time,” Raven promised, knowing it was no exaggeration. It was strange how she’d believed these vampires were all her enemies not too long ago. Now, she called many of them her friends. It made it a little easier to imagine some happiness in her new life.
Shelby was done with the stitches, so she stood up and wiped her hands on a wet towel before putting a hand on Raven’s shoulder. “It must be hard being away from the friends you had in your old life. I don’t envy you having to live with Con. He’s a good guy but a major pain in the ass.”
Raven absently stroked the wolf. “Connor isn’t that bad. I think he’s trying to make it work. I haven’t been helping matters. As for my old life, there were only a few people I was close to, but I do miss them. I just don’t know how I fit in here. Am I just supposed to follow Connor around or watch television for the rest of my life? Wood nymphs can live thousands of years, and I don’t have any purpose now. Connor doesn’t even want me here. It’s hard not being sad when I think about it that way.”
Shelby laughed. “Connor definitely wants you here. He just doesn’t like wanting you here.”
“There are times when we get along and others when he seems irritated that I’m around,” Raven admitted.
“He has a lot on his mind right now, and you’re one more thing for him to worry about,” Shelby explained.
Shelby’s brow knit in confusion when they heard the soft knock on the front door.
“Should I answer it?” Raven asked, not sure how to handle the door when Connor wasn’t home. The situation hadn’t come up before. Most of Connor’s friends just walked into the house through the back door, which was usually unlocked if one of them was home.
Shelby shook her head and walked over to open the door. Her face lit up with delight, and she enfolded the frail-looking woman in her arms. The woman was lovely with silky brown hair resting at her shoulders and deep blue eyes. She looked delicate and somehow fragile. Mostly, she looked like a woman in her twenties, but her haunted blue eyes seemed much older.
“Eloise!” Shelby squealed. “Connor didn’t tell me you were coming by today.”
“I didn’t tell him,” Eloise admitted, looking past Shelby to Raven. Her voice was soft with just a hint of what was once considered a southern accent. “I wanted to meet the wood nymph. My son has been avoiding me.”
Raven gaped at Connor’s mother. It wasn’t her youthful appearance that was shocking. As a wood nymph, Raven’s own mother had seemed ageless. She’d been nearly two-hundred years old when Raven was born and could have passed for twenty. What surprised her was Eloise’s gentle nature. She didn’t seem at all like Connor.
“They didn’t believe in wood nymphs when I was a child or even an adult,” she explained as she walked toward Raven. “I’ve been really excited about meeting you.” She hesitated when she got closer to the wolf, and he began to eye her.
“Don’t worry,” Raven said. “Edwin won’t bite.”
“Edwin?” Connor practically gasped from the front door. “You cannot name that wolf Edwin. He’ll get laughed at by the other wolves.”
Raven scowled. “Since when are you the expert on wolves?”
“I don’t need to be an expert to know you don’t name a wolf Edwin,” he scoffed.
“What would you name him?” she asked with her hands on her hips.
“Fang,” he replied, and the wolf’s ears perked up. Seeing the wolf’s reaction, Connor gave her a satisfied smile and hugged his mother. “What are you doing here, Mom?”
“Oh, so I can’t visit my own son?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.
Connor chuckled at her question. “Don’t try to guilt trip me. You know you can come by any time you want, but you usually call first.”
“I came to meet Raven,” she explained. “I’m a little hurt you didn’t have me over sooner.”
Raven assumed Connor didn’t consider her important enough to introduce to anyone since she’d only met the few people who happened to stop by the house.
“This whole transition has been really stressful for Raven,” Connor told her. “I didn’t want to make her feel like she was on display. I figured everyone could wait until she was more settled in before meeting her. The only reason I gave in and let Jack bring his wife by was I got tired of him bothering me about it.”
Raven’s mouth dropped open. She was surprised Connor had been so thoughtful. “Thank you,” she said softly.
He waved off her thanks. “So, Mom, this is Raven. Raven, this is my mom, Eloise. She runs the school for the younger kids.”
“It’s very nice to meet you,” Raven said. “Your son is very . . .” Her voice trailed off as she struggled for something a mother would want to hear about her son. Damn sexy seemed wrong. Domineering was definitely not a good one.
Eloise laug
hed. “How about loyal?”
“Yes,” Raven agreed with a smile. “He is very loyal.”
“Now, Connor’s made me feel bad about my ulterior motive for coming by,” Eloise admitted shyly.
“You don’t have to worry about offending her,” Shelby chimed in. “Raven’s pretty tough.”
“I was hoping you would come by the school so the children could meet you. They were really excited when they heard there was a wood nymph living here, and the ones who saw you have been bragging about it,” Eloise explained.
“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea,” Connor hedged.
“I wouldn’t mind,” Raven said.
“You really don’t have to do this,” Connor argued.
“I think it’s a good idea,” Shelby interrupted. “It’d be nice if Raven had some things to do with her time other than watching television and sleeping in your oak tree. She’s used to being busy.”
Raven watched as Connor mulled over his mother’s request and what Shelby had said. It seemed like he wanted to say no. “Fine, I can bring her by the school Friday. That’ll give you a couple of days to get everything ready.”
“I could walk alone if you give me directions,” Raven suggested hopefully.
Connor hesitated before nodding.
“Excellent!” Eloise exclaimed, her smile lighting up her entire face.
While it wasn’t much, Raven was looking forward to having something on her schedule. “When Edwin is better, I’ll bring him over to the school to meet the children.”
“Oh,” Eloise’s eyes were round, and she looked frightened by the idea. “I’m not sure a wolf is the best thing to have at a school.”
“He’ll be fine as long as I’m there,” Raven assured her.
“We’ll discuss it later,” Connor said. “For now Fang needs to rest and recover.”
Connor’s playful wink caught Raven off guard, as did the unexpected rush of arousal. Maybe things had been better when she hated Connor.
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