TRISTAN

For the next few days, we tried to settle back into a normal life. Every time Savannah and I were together, I caught her trying not to wonder if my mother was actually considering my synthetic blood idea for BioMed. I knew she couldn't help the direction of her thoughts. But every time she slipped, so did I. Not that I needed her help.

Mom and the BioMed board would be idiots not to take the synthetic blood idea and run with it.

But when it came to vampires, Mom and the all-Clann BioMed board weren't usually all that rational, logical or reasonable. I could all too easily see them barely even considering any idea I came up with, much less one that would help their archenemies.

I should have asked Emily to claim the idea for her own before telling Mom about it so at least Mom would hear her out before rejecting the idea.

If only they could see the huge political benefits to the Clann, as well.

But I wasn't nearly as naive as Savannah. Neither BioMed nor any other Clann-held business would ever make anything that would help vampires, even if it meant curbing their bloodlust or need for real human blood.

So I let the idea go and tried not to care. I'd once dreamed of being free of all responsibility for the Clann or the family company. How could I complain now that I'd gotten that wish?

And once I let it go, I tried my best not to think about anything even remotely related to synthetic blood all week.

Until Emily texted me on Thursday at lunchtime just as I was sitting down in my new regular seat beside Savannah at her friends' table.

Mom liked the idea & presented it 2 the board this morning. They like!

Though reading the text only took me half a second, I had to blink a few times before I thought to show it to Savannah.

Just as she squealed and started to grab my hand with a grin, my phone buzzed with another incoming text from Emily.

Mom wants to do dinner at the house. U free 2morrow night at 8?

I stared at the words, their meaning barely registering. Emily would never joke around like this, especially not about our mother with me.

Savannah either read the message or the thought in my mind. She froze then whispered, "You're going to say yes, right?"

Two yards behind us to our right, the cafeteria doors banged open then shut again as someone entered the building.

When I didn't immediately answer, she said, "Tristan, you have to go. It's your mother. She and BioMed liked your idea. She probably wants to celebrate with you."

"Or see for herself how different I am now."

Savannah groaned. "No, she doesn't. If she wanted to know that, she could just come over to our house for a quick visit."

A house full of three vamps? My mother? I thought, pointedly staring at her.

"Okay, point taken. But still, she wouldn't risk being alone with you if she were still afraid. So why else would your mother invite you over for dinner if not to celebrate and/or apologize?"

Sneakers squeaked to a stop on the linoleum f loor behind me. I glanced over my shoulder and scowled, feeling my pulse take off. Dylan.

"Dinner with your mommy?" he said, and I didn't have to see his face to know he was sneering. It was all there in his tone. "You are the biggest idiot I've ever met, Coleman. Do you really think she's going to welcome you back into the Clann just because you had one idea?"

I growled deep in my chest as my blood heated with the need to grab and smash something. Preferably Dylan's face.

Stay in control, Savannah warned me. You know he's just trying to get you to lose it again in front of everyone and prove you're dangerous.

He should be thinking about how dangerous my fists are to his face, I thought. But I stayed in my seat.

"Get lost, Williams," Savannah muttered. "And you can tell your dad I said he can get lost, too. Neither of you are going to get what you want. Not here, not now. Not ever. We're not that stupid."

"We'll see." Dylan walked away whistling an unrecognizable tune.

When he was on the other side of the cafeteria, I let out a long breath and stole another glance at my phone. Emily was still waiting for a reply.

I slouched in my seat, my left knee beginning to bounce beneath the table. I had no idea how to feel about this dinner invite. Or maybe I did and was just afraid to admit it to myself. How stupid would I have to be to feel hopeful that my mother might be coming around and ready to talk? She hadn't called me, not once, or even sent one text message the entire five months I was in Arkansas trying to remember who and what I was.

And yet now I was supposed to jump just because she was finally ready to invite me over for dinner? A dinner she knew I couldn't even eat?

Something else was up.

Savannah groaned again. Tristan, stop being so paranoid! This is your mother we're talking about. She wants you to come home for dinner. Maybe she wants to apologize for freaking out so badly about your being turned. Can you really blame her for reacting like that at first? Everyone knows how she feels about vamps. And then she was faced with her worst nightmare with no time to adjust to the idea, and the whole Clann was there breathing down her neck. She had just lost her husband and worked so hard to secure your leadership of the Clann, and then bam, her son switched sides and she did the only thing she could. She had to take over the Clann, which was no small thing all by itself. But on top of that she had all those descendants staring at her, waiting for her to make her first decision as Clann leader-

"Which was to kick me out!"

Everyone at and near our table stopped talking and turned to stare at us. I took a deep breath, crossed my arms over my chest, and made a point of clamping my mouth shut.

Sav, I get that she freaked out. But she went too far. She kicked me out of the Clann in front of everybody-

She was only doing what she knew they all expected her to. She had to prove her loyalty to the Clann first and you second-

Oh, and I guess that's why she never called or texted me afterward?

She was probably afraid the other descendants were watching her too closely and she'd get caught. Besides, I'm sure Emily kept her updated on your status.

If Mom is so sure she's being watched, why risk having me over for dinner tomorrow night?

Because for one thing, she can do spells to hide your presence at her house. And second, that would explain why she wants to meet with you in private instead of somewhere public. It would also explain why she had Emily send you the invite instead of sending it herself.

I scowled at nothing, making a girl walking by jump and scurry past a little faster. Savannah might have a point. But it still seemed pretty far-fetched.

You really think Mr. Williams would go that far?

It was Savannah's turn to frown and slouch down in her chair. I wouldn't put anything past him and his ambition. She sighed. Look, just go have dinner with your mother already. Then you can find out what she wants. If I'm wrong about her wanting to apologize, then I'm wrong. But at least we'll know what this is all about.

My phone buzzed again. I glanced at it then looked again, sure this time I was either dreaming or Emily was drunk texting.

She said u can bring Sav 2.

Savannah heard me read the text in my mind. She sat bolt upright in her chair. "Seriously? She said that?"

"Apparently. Em wouldn't joke about something like this." I smiled grimly and arched an eyebrow at her. "Now how do you feel about Mom's dinner invite? Still think it's a good idea to go?"

Eyes wide, Savannah opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again and cleared her throat. She reached for her purse, suddenly intent on checking her lip gloss in a tiny mirror inside. "Um, sure. I guess I could find something to wear." Though why she wants me there... she added silently.

I grinned, unable to resist the urge. Who knows? Maybe she just wants to get to know you. It could be fun. Maybe you'll even become best friends by the time the night is over.

Yeah, right, Savannah thought then cringed. Sorry. It's just... She took a deep breath. I can see her wanting to reconcile with you. But me? The girl who turned her baby boy into a vampire? She gave me a wry smile.

I reached for and held her hand, turning serious now. Or maybe she just knows I would never go without you.

Of course you would. She's your mother. You have to go, even if she hadn't included me.

If she can't accept you, then she can't accept me. I squeezed her hand while firing off a quick text with the thumb of my free hand to Emily.

We'll be there.