“I think you’re right,” Chloe said.
“Dema says you don’t have to be friends with everyone, just be polite.”
“That’s good advice.”
Ben paused outside the kitchen door.
“Real friends…” Sadia took a breath. “Those are more special, and Lara Bright, I am not friends with her because she pushed my friend Jason down during free playing time and she’s mean.”
Maybe Ben needed to find this Lara Bright and have a talk with her…
“But what did you do when Lara pushed Jason?” Dema’s voice was slow and steady. “Did you push her back?”
A long sigh from Sadia. “Yes.”
“And did you get in trouble?”
“Yes, because I should have told a teacher and not pushed Lara harder.”
Ben could hear the amusement in Chloe’s voice. “You pushed her harder?”
“Yes.”
Good. Ben approved of that tactic. Little Lara Bright wouldn’t be pushing Sadia or Jason again if he had to guess.
“Tenzin told me that’s what you need to do if there’s a bully,” Sadia said. “If someone hurts you or your friend, then you hurt them back more so they don’t do it again.”
Freaking Tenzin. Again. Ben scowled.
“And we’ll talk about that tactic when you’re older,” Dema said. “But for now, when there is a teacher or responsible adult close by, you tell that adult, all right?”
“But what if—”
“No buts.” Ben walked into the kitchen and rubbed the top of Sadia’s head. “That was good advice from Dema, and I bet Baba and Mama agreed with it.”
Sadia looked up with large, dark eyes. “Baba did, but Mama didn’t say anything.”
Ben muttered, “This family is full of vengeful females.” He looked over to Chloe. “Hey you.”
Chloe was looking at him, her lips pressed together. “Hey.”
He could see some kind of emotion shimmering in her eyes, and he held out his arms. “Two years and I don’t get a hug?”
Chloe blinked hard and walked over to Ben, throwing her arms around him.
“Big dumb boy,” she whispered. “I missed you so much. Don’t you ever go away for so long again.”
“Missed you too.” He pressed his cheek to her hair and inhaled her scent. Chloe smelled like vanilla and plain soap. She’d never worn perfume, but her scent was distinct and comforting. “I’m sorry I took so long.”
She leaned back and looked up at Ben, examining him carefully. “The eyes are throwing me. They’re more noticeable in person. Really bright.”
“I’m still not used to them.”
“You’re paler.” She patted his cheek. “Other than that, you look the same.”
“You want to see my fangs?”
Chloe threw up a hand. “I’ve already seen them on the screen. Don’t be weird.”
Sadia was bouncing on a barstool. “They’re just normal fangs. They’re not curvy like Tenzin’s.”
Seriously? Sadia was going to end up giving Ben a complex about his boring fangs.
“Hey,” he said. “Isn’t it your bath time?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?” Ben asked. “I can always throw you in the pool.”
“No!” Sadia giggled and slipped down the barstool; then she ran into the living room. “Dema, get him!”
Dema eyed Ben before she followed her charge. “Great. Now she’s going to want to swim.”
Zain piped up from the kitchen. “Not before dinner.”
Chloe shook her head. “That poor kid has like four parents.”
Ben snorted. “Hardly. She has two parents and an assortment of adults who fawn over her. Nothing poor about that kid.”
Zain smiled. “Gonna have to agree with Ben on that one, Miss Reardon.”
“Please call me Chloe. I’ve been in and out of this house since I was fifteen, so I’m hardly a guest.”
“Chloe then.” Zain was eyeing her appreciatively.
Ben narrowed his eyes at Zain. “When’s Gavin coming into town?”
“He should be here tonight,” Chloe said. “Not sure what time.”
“You know they have those GPS-tracker things.”
Her eyebrows went up. “I’ll have to suggest that. Sounds exactly like something Gavin would love.”
Ben smirked. “It’s just a suggestion. Those wind vampires are hard to track.”
“Speaking of that, do you know where Tenzin is?”
Ben’s smile fell. “Why would I know that?”
Chloe shrugged. “She left New York last week. Said it was something about work. I thought maybe she left you a message.”
“We don’t chat.”
“Well, maybe you should. You know, she’s not the same—”
“Not interested.” Ben walked out of the kitchen and into the front garden.
The house in San Marino was built on two acres in the middle of the city. It was more of an estate than a house, and a tall stucco wall surrounded it. Green vines crawled over the walls, and dense trees and hedges sheltered the house from curious onlookers.
“Ben!” Chloe yelled from the house. “Come on. Get back here.”
Ben crossed the gravel driveway. He wanted out of the house. He wanted to fly so fast the wind burned against his face, but before he could take off, he saw Gavin landing on the far side of the front lawn, just inside the gate.
Security rushed forward, but Ben intervened. “Wait! He’s a friend.”
The guard lifted a radio to his mouth as Gavin brushed off his shirt.
“Vecchio.” Gavin offered him half a smile. “You still walk like a human.”
“Thanks?”
“It’s been a few years.”
“Two actually.”
“Over two. Have you lost track of time already?” Gavin’s Scottish brogue was evened out. He had his company voice on. “Usually takes a hundred years or so for that to happen.”
Ben stood at a distance, his hands in his pockets as Gavin’s amnis pushed at his. He and the wind vampire had been friends for over a decade, but their elemental energy was unfamiliar. They poked and prodded, measuring the other vampire’s power.
“Keep the heid.” Gavin finally smiled. “Yer a powerful little bastard, aren’t ye?”
The other vampire’s amnis retreated so abruptly Ben nearly wondered if he’d been imagining it. Maybe that was the point.
“So.” The Scottish vampire wandered over. “Is my woman here?”
“Yes. And she already brought Tenzin up.”
Gavin offered him a shrug. “Tenzin’s been around. This time you’re the one who disappeared.”
“Seems like it was my turn.”
“And you’ll get no argument from me. Be angry if you like, just don’t expect me to be sorry you’re alive.”
“That’s pretty much the reaction I’m getting around here.”
Gavin slapped him on his shoulder. “It must be such a burden to be shackled with so many people who give a flaming arse you’re alive. Where’s Chloe?”