Blood Ties (Book 3 of The Blood Bond Series)

21. Right Now

Eli leaned his thighs against the desk, resting his weight on the corner before crossing his ankles. He was unsure whether or not he should say what was on his mind. After Adam told him about trip to UCLA earlier that day, Eli had wondered about when Quinn would make the change. He was fairly certain she would, and once she did, she wouldn't be able to be around people for a while, so college was a tender subject.

"Son, I know you literally just started over with her, but because she still has a year and a half of schooling left, you might want to claim her before she starts the next semester. It will drive you mad, thinking of her being around all those strange men all the time. I should know. I hated knowing your mother was working at a gentleman's club with horny men and naked women all the time." He paused, rethinking his wording. "Not that I was worried about the women—or even the men for that matter. I knew she wasn't going to be interested in them once we met, but it didn't mean that having them ogle her while on the job didn't bother me greatly. I was more concerned that those bastards wouldn't keep their hands to themselves than I was she would be tempted by any of the clientele." He still looked perturbed, as if reliving the memory of that uncertain time.

Adam thought it over for a moment before responding. Charlotte and Cassie were in the living room talking with Quinn, and he could hear the noise of them chatting even through the closed door. Once in a while, the sounds were accented by occasional laughter or a raised voice. None of it sounded anything more than a little mirthful, so it was like pleasant white noise in the background.

"How long will they keep her credits active? Does she have to redo any classes if she waits a little bit to go back to school? I didn't even bother to ask. They accepted everything she had except for her performances. I'm in the process of contacting and getting copies of the shows she did at NYU, so I'm not worried on that account. If she gives Nia leave to pick up the copies at the university, we can have them here that much quicker." He looked thoughtful and ran a relaxed hand over the ever-present stubble on his chin and jaw.

"I don't believe another year would be a problem, though each university is different, and some are more lenient than others. Even if they usually wouldn't be obliged to, they might make an exception to her on account of our powerful name. I would talk it over with Quinn, if I were you. The bond will work quickly I think now, and you will become moody and unstable if you wait too long. Trust me, I would know," Eli told his son sagely.

Adam had been leaning against the wall. Vampires didn't really need the support, though they were so used to acting 'human' that it was second nature for them to play the part. Whether it was lounging on a couch or settling their weight against a support beam or column, it was good downtime for them to reflect and look mortal. It wasn't their natural repose, but it allowed them all to blend in more organically.

"I'll bring it up with—" Adam began before there was a knock on the door. He hadn't realized that the sound of voices had stopped since he was so focused on the conversation with his father.

The two men blinked at the door a millisecond before Adam was striding toward it. When it swung open, his eyes brightened when he caught the vision of his mate.

"Quinn? Is everything alright? I thought you were regaling Mom and Charlie about the show the other night."

She nodded up at him, smiling before taking a step inside when Adam drew back. "I was, but I was actually wondering if I could talk with you in private. It's about school and the summer shows they're putting on. They updated their website, so I know that they are doing a musical version of Wind in the Willows for the kids, and Bye, Bye Birdie for the adult show. The auditions won't be for some time, but I'd like to be prepared." Quinn planned on auditioning for both, though she would never stretch herself thin by doing two musicals at once. She didn't think it was possible either, as some of the performance days might overlap.