“MacKenzie, after Merry’s father. I mean—her other father. But we’ll call him Max.” Jason sounded vaguely uncomfortable,but Sly couldn’t be happier. Not only because he had a biological grandson, but because his son-in-law seemed to finally accept that he was her real father, despite looking so much younger than he should.
“Her dad’s nickname is Mac—for MacKenzie,” Jason finished.
“I remember Merry telling me that. I like the name Max. It’s a good strong name.”
“I’m glad you approve. Merry’s other dad is on his way here now. He and her younger brother had to wait until the roads were cleared.”
Sly heard Merry in the background asking, “Is that Sly?”
“Yes, would you like to talk to him?”
“Please,” she said. A moment later, he heard her loud and clear. “Hi gramps.”
“Hi honey.” Despite the lump in his throat, he asked, “How are you feeling?”
“Like a wrung-out dishrag.”
He laughed. “Good.”
“Good?”
“Yeah. If you didn’t say something like that, I’d know you were lying.”
“I’d never lie to you, Sly. Just like I won’t keep things from my husband.”
A jolt of panic whipped through him. “But, that would mean he knows I’m a…”
“Vampire? Yes, he knows.”
Sly was so shocked he didn’t know what to say.
Jason returned to the phone. “So, you have to admit…that trip to the morgue was pretty funny.”
Morgaine’s jaw dropped. “The hell it was! I had to lay on top of him and refuse to move so they wouldn’t cut him up!”
Sly chuckled. “I don’t think Morgaine would agree with you.”
“True. I wasn’t there. Someday you’ll have to tell us exactly what happened.”
“I wasn’t there either,” Sly laughed. “All I know is that the sun came up. What did the nurses tell you?”
“A doctor pulled me into the hallway and said my dear father-in-law had a heart attack, and not to tell Merry he didn’t make it until everything was over.”
“And you thought that was funny?”
“Considering…”
Sly snorted. Then it occurred to him that Jason was taking his condition fairly casually. “So, you’re okay with a vampire in the family?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? Merry says you take care of your needs elsewhere and keep the city’s crime rate down at the same time.”
“That’s true. How about my living in your building? Is that a problem?”
“If I had a problem with every paranormal and strange neighbor in my building, I’d have to evict everyone—with the possible exception of Merry.”
He heard her laugh.
Sly chuckled. “You’re one in a million, Jason. I’m glad Merry found you.”
