Page 14 of Come Out & Prey

Sorry About Your Parents

“Delores Drew!Where on earth have you been?” Lucille barks from the drawing room.

I’m not late; hell, I’m almost early.

Bruiser showed up at Shifter Secondary before the last bell rang, and I skipped out of my scintillating hemline conversation with the Heathers in plenty of time to get to the Escalade quickly. He drove straight home, and even with traffic, it took exactly the same time it always did.

Lucille simply has no idea what the hell time it is because it was martini o’clock hours ago, and she has difficulty staying lucid past four p.m. if the staff doesn’t force her to eat. By staff, I mean Matilda, and when I cross the foyer to the drawing room to present myself, she gives me a small shake of her head. That means my dearest mother has consumed nothing but liquor all day and she likely hasn’t left the house. It’s Tuesday, so Julio the tennis pro must have canceled on her.

Given the day I’ve had, I don’t have it in me to extend compassion to my inebriated maternal unit. Perhaps if she spent less time making me miserable and getting sloshed, she’d be pleasant enough for people who aren’t getting paid to want her around.

Ouch.

The stress of today’s tour and the random hot guy encounters have really put me in a weird mood.

I’m usually not quite this bitter, but...

“Delores! I cansmellyour fear, girl. Get in here!”

Rolling my eyes, I walk into the room, crossing to stand in front of her as she lounges on the couch in satin pajamas. She’s definitely in a mood because her spotted tail is swishing near the floor, and her features are feline, but she’s not fully shifted.

This doesnotbode well.

“I’m here, Lucille. What can I do for you?”

She snorts, tossing back her large martini as if it’s water. “What can you do? Whatcanyoudo? Hmmmm…”

Oh, no. Sharp and sarcastic Lucille is the worst one of them all.

My eyes dart towards the ceiling, then over to Matilda, and I catch another minuscule shake of her head. Bruno’s not home, so I can’t use him to distract my vodka soaked matriarch. This might be a bloodbath, and I know I did nothing wrong this time.

Truth be told, I never do, but that’s never stopped either of my parents before, and it certainly won’t now.

Lucille holds her glass out silently and I rush over to the pitcher, almost colliding with my former nanny in our haste to get the glass refilled before the leopard comes out for real. She rarely makes me feel like prey when she gets like this, but I’m fairly certain her personal version of the most dangerous game is why Matilda’s eye twitches.

I walk over to my mother and pour her another round, sitting the crystal pitcher on the closest table so it stays within reach. “Yes, Lucille. What can I do? Did I not get an excellent report from my visit to Apex today? Is that why you seem perturbed?”

That’s my gentle way of asking if that’s why she blasted at four p.m., though I doubt Lucille comprehends it.

“Yourvisitmust have gone very well because I have not received a call telling me you need to be sent to Bloodstone.However, youknowhow I feel about tardiness, Delores!”

Tilting my head, I give her my best cowed expression. “I’m glad I could represent the family in a manner befitting the Drew name.”

Her snort nearly knocks the glass out of her hand and she sloshes it towards me as she snarls, “No one wouldeveraccuse you of that, Delores. You simply managed to not make a fool of us in public. Apreyanimal could do that.”

I’m edging dangerously close to telling her to go fuck herself.Danger, Delores Drew.It’s time to high-tail it out of here before this goes from bad to worse. What can I say to distract her? How can I get her to focus on something besides making me feel like crap?

“Lucille? I was wondering if Matilda would be available to take me dress shopping tomorrow? The prom is on Friday, and youhaven’t found time in your busy work schedule to go. I don’t want to embarrass you further by showing up at the social event of the year dressed inappropriately. The Heathers all selected their gowns weeks ago, and I’m afraid I won’t find something you approve of.”

Her eyes narrow as she looks at me. “You wantherto take you?”

Matilda looks terrified at the tone of Lucille’s voice and I shake my head, keeping my voice even and calm. “Of course not, Lucille. You’ve got such a busy schedule, and I thought I would be less of a burden if Matilda escorted me.”

“It would honor me to assist you and Delores, Madame, if you wish for me to do so.”

Lucille lets out a heavy sigh, rolling her eyes as she waves her hand. “Fine, fine. Take her to Preyda, Dingo & Anaconda, and Yves St. Leopard. Avoid the others—their stylists have angered me this month.”

Breathing a sigh of relief, I nod. “Understood. We’ll go to the boutiques you recommend and I’ll charge your house account. Thank you, Lucille. I’m very excited about my last dance at Shifter Secondary. I know it will be a night I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

---