Page 2 of The Vampire and the Case of the Cursed Canine

Mum tapped a finger on her cheek and snubbed his offer to shake, probably because I’d pissed her off with my introduction thing. Whoops. She frowned. ‘MacKenzie? That name sounds awfully familiar. Do you have relatives in England?’ She smiled too politely.

Connor dropped his hand. ‘Scotland,’ he replied. He didn’t bring up his father, so neither did I. ‘I’ll help with the luggage,’ he offered. He picked up several bags and started to haul them along the dock.

Edgy looked relieved to have some help. John helped too and between them they made short work of the pile. I watched John: was he planning to stay with me as well? I only had two bedrooms and offering him the sofa didn’t seem fair.

‘Umm, Mum, is John staying with us?’ I asked. ‘I don’t have a very large place.’

‘Don’t be silly, darling. The vampires have arranged a place for him.’ She waved her hand in the air like it was sorted.

I frowned. Connor hadn’t mentioned anything; I’d have to ask him about it. ‘Connor will give us a ride home, and then I guess he or his men will come back for the rest of your luggage.’

No doubt Lee Margrave would show up with that big SUV that Connor had summoned and collect the remaining bags. Anyone would think my mother was moving in, not coming for a month: she must have packed the kitchen sink. She was going to be very disappointed with the limited space she’d have at mine.

Maybe I should give the house to Mum and John and stay with Connor? The idea made me brighten, then I looked at my mother and sighed. She’d make my life miserable if I did that. More than miserable.

Mum’s small, practical heels weren’t practical enough for the climb. The tide was out and the incline, which wasn’t much when the tide was high, was pretty damn steep. I offered her my arm but naturally she refused it; she was too proud to admit that my ugly boots were the better choice. To add insult to injury, the heavens burst and it started pouring with rain. I flipped my hood over my head but I didn’t have an umbrella to offer her. Mother powered on to the car through the deluge, and I felt her disapproval of everything around her like a flame burning next to me.

Well, so what? She could take her disapproval and shove it where the sun didn’t shine.

Chapter 2

John placed the last bag that would fit in the boot of Connor’s car then turned. Our eyes met and for some reason mine filled with tears. ‘I never got the chance to thank you,’ I choked out. I threw my arms around him and hugged him.

He stayed still for a beat before returning the embrace. ‘I’m so glad you made it here safely,’ he murmured. ‘And under Connor MacKenzie’s protection, no less. I’m impressed.’

I gave him one last squeeze and let him go. ‘And now you’re here with me!’ I drew back and smiled. ‘Are you going to stay in Alaska?’

His smile faded and the darkness returned. ‘I can’t.’

Whatever he was being blackmailed with, it hadn’t changed in the few months I’d been gone. Poor man. ‘I’m sorry, John.’ I touched his arm lightly.

‘Oh, you’ve met the help,’ Mum remarked, an edge to her voice. What a bitch.

I gritted my teeth. ‘John helped me escape from London.’ I managed not to add ‘unlike you’, but it was a struggle.

I climbed in the back seat with John so Mum could have the front seat. She hastily repaired her make up; she was wet and bedraggled after the heavy downpour but that didn’t stop her putting her best foot forward.

Thankfully the painfully silent drive wasn’t too long. I sensed Mum’s disappointment when we pulled up to my council-supplied bungalow; where I saw quaint charm, she saw a small home that was far beneath her social station.

‘Better than your old flat, I suppose,’ she muttered under her breath. As we were all vampires, we heard her bitchy comment as clearly as if she’d shouted it. Both men politely pretended not to hear while I ground my teeth.

Mum waited in the car for someone to open her door for her. Ever the gentleman, Connor quickly offered a hand to help her out. She smiled brightly, and this time she took it.

I climbed out of the cramped back seat and rushed to the front door, opening it as quickly as I could so that Mum could get in the house without getting any wetter. I winced as I stepped inside; I hadn’t had time to clean since I’d come in the day before with a muddy Connor and a very muddy dog. I’d cleaned the bathroom, but the floors in the rest of the house needed a serious mopping. Seeing it with my mum’s eyes made me cringe.

Luckily Fluffy arrived to distract me. He barrelled forward, wagged his tail and greeted me with enthusiasm and happiness as if I’d been gone for several days rather than half an hour. I rubbed his head and told him he was a good boy.

Mum came in with Arabella in her arms, not even trying to hide her disapproval as she looked around. Fluffy took one look at the pair of them and let out a low rumbling growl. He didn’t like her expression any more than I did. ‘Oh shush,’ I ordered him half-heartedly.

My mother reached out, swiped a finger along a windowsill and inspected her finger. Her frown deepened when she saw the dust that now coated it.

‘I haven’t had much time to clean,’ I said stiffly. I didn’t owe her an explanation.

Then I gritted my teeth; I was going to have to be the bigger person. Mum and I would be living together; if I didn’t make some sort of effort, the next few weeks would be hellacious. I relented enough to apologise for Fluffy’s growl. ‘Sorry about my dog,’ I managed. ‘He’s usually quite friendly.’

She glanced at Fluffy, then did a double take. Her mouth dropped open for a second before she closed it and blinked rapidly. ‘My goodness,’ she said faintly, clutching a hand to her chest like I had a pet werewolf. ‘Where on earth did you get such a large dog? I expected a small one like my precious Arabella.’

‘I brought him with me from London. Some monster had locked him in the commercial bin outside my flat. I rescued him.’

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