“I miss you too, Grandpa.” I stood up to steady him when he started to list to the side, like a giant snowman melting on the first warm day. “I’m going to make you some coffee, okay?”
“Not thirsty.”
“Too bad,” I said, crossing over to fill the coffee pot with water. I doubled back to snatch the bottle out of his hand when he reached for it. “How long have you been like this?”
He shrugged one shoulder petulantly. “A while.”
“Why?”
“ ‘Cause.” He rubbed his face so thoroughly he nearly pulled his lip up over his nose. “My granddaughter is defiling the Wild family name.”
I turned to spear him with a look, even though he probably wouldn’t remember I’d even been here. “Oh, but being drunk and pouty is an honor?”
“Don’t be smart.”
“Then don’t be stupid.” He cared about blood as much as any vampire I’d ever met. Family lineage was as vital to him as feeding was to Quinn. They were more alike than they knew or would have liked. I took a deep breath. “Grandpa, did something else happen? Quinn and I have been together for nearly two months now, it’s not exactly breaking news.”
“Don’t say his name in this house,” he snapped. “He’s a monster.”
“He’s not,” I said evenly, scooping the coffee grounds into the filter with more force than was strictly necessary.
“Then let me see your neck, little girl.”
I stalked over to him, my temper fraying. I showed him my neck and my wrists for good measure. “Happy now?” I snapped. “Give me a little credit, Grandpa.”
“How’m I supposed to do that? Whole world’s turned upside down. Kieran dropped out to avenge his father and ended up dating a vampire princess, for Christ’s sake. One who killed a girl at a field party, just last week.”
I shook my head. “You don’t know that. Her family says she was framed.” In fact, Lucy had been the one to find both the victim and the royal medallion that pointed to Solange.
“Well, of course they do,” he huffed. “What’s the matter with you, girl? You’re supposed to be my little hunter. Now look at you. Have you been reading those vampire romance books?”
“I’m still a hunter,” I reminded him, choosing to ignore that last bit. “And I know things are changing, Grandpa. But isn’t that a good thing? Isn’t it better that we don’t have to fight our battles on so many fronts now?”
“No,” he slurred. “It’s not.”
“Why not?” I was dangerously close to yelling and I’d never yelled at him in my whole life.
“Don’t you see?” he choked out. “If I accept all vampires aren’t monsters, then I have to admit I might have killed innocent folk. Some of them barely older than you. What does that make me?” his voice broke. “I’ll tell you. One of the monsters.” He drained the whiskey out of the bottom of his glass—I’d forgotten to remove it with the bottle. “All I ever wanted was to keep you safe.”
I stared at him, stunned. The last thing I’d expected out of my grandfather was existential angst and an identity crisis. “Oh, Grandpa.”
He just rested his head on his arm and started to snore.
I don’t know how long I stood there, feeling sad and sorry. I couldn’t pity him when he was awake, drunk or sober. I could only pity him now, when it wouldn’t hurt what was left of his pride. I got a blanket from the couch and tucked it around his shoulders and when I’d made him as comfortable as I could, I sat at his desk and called Chloe. “I’m in.”
It was probably wrong to take advantage of my grandfather’s drunken stupor, but he was exactly the kind of disenchanted Helios-Ra hunter I would target if I was Dawn. I didn’t think for one second that he’d know about her side deal with the human victims but he wouldn’t have to. All that would matter to him was that the objective was simple and familiar: kill vampires. All of them. And someone like Dawn would know that.
Feeling slightly ill, I sat in front of his computer and tried to concentrate on what Chloe was telling me to do. It was simple enough to crack his codes, they were all related either to my birthday or my grade point average. He never bothered with computer security the way he did with physical safety. Any seriously tricky embedded codes and encryption inside the information I stole, Chloe could deal with. I slipped the data stick she’d given me into the port and downloaded most of Grandpa’s in-box and files.
When I was finished, I went back to the kitchen to check on him. If he stayed in that uncomfortable position much longer his back would seize up completely. I set a cup of strong black coffee on the table by his nose, waiting for the scent to wake him up. It never failed.
He opened one eye grumpily. “Did you stake that damn vampire yet?”
“It’s considered bad taste to kill your boyfriend, Grandpa,” I replied as mildly as I could.
“Bah.” He glowered up at me. “He came to the door.”
I blinked, shocked. “Quinn came here?”
“Wanted me to call you,” he grumbled. “As if I don’t know what’s best for my own granddaughter.”
Quinn was clearly crazy. And sweet. It amazed me how sweet he was beneath the smirk. “What did you do?” I asked, half-afraid of the answer.
“I didn’t stake him,” he replied.