Chapter Twenty

Happy New Year

A small crowd of people shuffled through the room that was buzzing with happy holiday conversation. Small flutes of champagne glittered in the Christmas lights that still twinkled from a large tree on glorious display in the center of the room. There were about twenty people present, all laughing and relaxed and dressed in a sort of casual finery, while two or three children dashed through them with giggles and good cheer. It was a very successful party, all in all. Mr. and Mrs. Edwards sure knew how to decorate.

Drew was feeling mellow with his second glass of champagne half-empty in his hand. He was sitting with Vianne and comparing notes on her son, who he'd admitted was his favorite student while admonishing her not to tell, as he supposed he really shouldn't have favorites. He was in very good spirits, indeed. Christmas had been exceptionally lonely—at least last year, he'd had little Bonnie around to present with a gift and receive a kiss from. This year, he'd spent it working on some lesson plans and enduring a meal with Smith and the Lupins. Remus had been just as cold as always, unable to forgive him for the actions his persona had allegedly carried out in Canada against werewolves. At least McGonagall had kept things from getting impolite.

All in all, this was a much better day, despite the crowd of Muggles who were watching him as though he were the evening's entertainment. At least he was spending it with Vianne. Her parents, the Mr. and Mrs. Edwards, were well aware that their grandson did not, in fact, attend a normal boarding school, but they were pleased to see that Drew was perfectly capable of dressing in Muggle attire and conversing with them. Vianne and Ran lived with them, so it had been impossible for them not to know that Ran changed into a dangerous animal once a month, but they'd managed to keep the knowledge within the family. Ran's father's family was a wizarding one, apparently, but they'd never had anything to do with Vianne or Ran. Drew couldn't say he was unhappy about that, despite feeling bad for them. The kind of man who'd walk out on his family just because things got tough—if you could call your son turning into a werewolf "tough"—wasn't the kind of man who was worth it anyway. In Drew's humble opinion.

He found himself liking the small, close-knit family. They'd all lived together in the Edwards' grand home since the day Ran's father had left, and they were all so comfortable with each other. Ran obviously shared the sort of mutual affection with his grandparents that Drew couldn't have imagined with his own family. He'd found Tuck's family a bit unorthodox, but this family was of the kind he wished he'd belonged to.

He didn't notice that wistfulness appearing in his voice until Vianne mentioned it, and then berated himself for acting so vulnerable.

"When was the last time you had family to celebrate the holidays with, Drew?" she asked with a compassionate look.

Drew found he had to ignore the "celebrate" part of it, and some of the "family" part, too, and just said, "My mother died when I was nineteen." He wasn't about to tell her he'd just had dinner with his cousin a week ago, or . . . well, or anything.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, her perfect face marred by a sad expression. "That must have been awful, to lose her so young. What about your father?"

"He died when I was eighteen." Merlin, this was hard. No one had asked him about his parents, and he hadn't realized how difficult it would be to talk about them.

"Oh, dear. What happened?"

"Ah . . . Look, Vianne, I'm sorry, but I'd rather not talk about it. My past doesn't hold too many good memories."

"I understand. I'm so sorry, Drew, I shouldn't have—"

"No, it's fine," he said, trying to sound like it really was, and failing. He got to his feet. "Can I get you anything?"

"No, thank you, though. Oh, I see Marie, would you mind if I . . ."

"No, of course. Go ahead."

Drew saw Ran angling toward him, his face content, as his mother meandered over to speak to her friend Marie. Then a hand closed on his elbow, and he looked round to see Vianne's father standing there with a very serious expression.

"Mr. Stevens, I hope you're enjoying yourself."

"Yes, thank you."

"I wondered if I could show you the rest of the house."

Drew looked at the firm hand on his arm, and smiled as serenely as he could manage. "I'd love to see it."

Mr. Edwards drew him off, saying heartily, "let me show you my study," for the benefit of his guests. He did indeed take him into the study—and closed the door.

"Have a seat, Mr. Stevens." He himself sat at his desk.

Drew sat down, cursing more than ever his ungainly method of lowering himself down with his leg jutting out before him. Stupid leg.

"My grandson can't stop talking about you," the man with the square jaw and the salt-and-pepper hair began. "He talks about you like you're his hero."

Drew tried to think of a way to extricate himself from this situation. He knew accepting the invitation had been a bad idea. "I'm very fond of Ran," he admitted. "He's a very good kid. Noble, even."

"As one of his teachers, I'm sure you're aware of his condition."

"Didn't he tell you?" Drew asked in surprise, making the man frown. "I'm the one who brews his potion and keeps watch over him when he transforms."

A few of the lines on his face deepened. "I see. I didn't realize you two were so close."

Drew shrugged uncomfortably. "Like I said, your grandson is a very decent boy. I have a lot of respect for him. He works very hard."

"As do you, according to my daughter."

"Your daughter . . ." he said weakly.

Mr. Edwards leaned over the desk. If he'd meant it to be intimidating, he did it well. "Has been alone for a long time, Mr. Stevens. She seems quite taken with you. I'm sure you noticed."

"I did, actually," he said.

"My family means a great deal to me, you see. I would never allow anything to happen to any of them."

Drew suddenly found himself annoyed. He'd faced worse things than this in his lifetime, and besides, if he was honest with himself . . . Well, it was time to be honest with himself and Mr. Edwards together.

"Mr. Edwards, I certainly respect your need to protect your family."

The man looked surprised by the strength in Drew's voice. His eyebrows practically melted into his receding hairline.

"I want nothing but the best for Ran, and for Vianne. That's why I plan to be perfectly frank with your daughter, and let her know that I don't intend to allow this to go any farther. I won't flatter myself by pretending to have any idea why she's interested in me to begin with. I can see how much she loves her son and I can only assume she sees me as her son's protector. I intend to continue to protect Ran, but I won't get any closer to her." He sensed he was getting somewhere with the man. His surprise, and his concern, seemed to be dissipating. "Your daughter is a very attractive woman in many ways. She deserves much better than me. I won't deny I wish it were otherwise, but I'm pretty good at facing reality. I'm far too young for her, for one thing."

"You are?" Mr. Edwards asked, startled.

"I'm twenty-five," he said dismissively. "I'm also disable and lacking in family and friends." He drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I've killed people."

Mr. Edwards gripped his hands into fists on the arms of his desk chair and stared at Drew with cold, sharp-edged fury. "What?"

"I was hired out of school to kill an out-of-control pack of very bloodthirsty werewolves. And I did kill them. Not many people know this, Mr. Edwards, not even everyone on the staff at the school." He met Mr. Edwards' eyes and hoped his own would reveal how open he was right now. "Please do not ever tell Ran this. He would be devastated."

"Not . . . tell . . ." the man squeezed out.

"Believe me, sir, I wish my past was very different. But there are ugly things in it, and I wouldn't subject your family to my regrets and my nightmares. I'm trying to make a new life for myself here, and I have no business dragging Vianne into that. Please forgive me for not controlling myself better thus far."

He gritted his teeth and waited for Mr. Edwards to scream at him to get out of his house. Drew would flee gladly at this point. But Mr. Edwards just sat there, staring at him. He stood up.

"I'll just make my excuses, sir."

"No."

Drew frowned. "Then I'll slip out. Would you please let Ran know that I—"

"No, Mr. Stevens."

Drew's heart started to thump. He was afraid that Mr. Edwards was going to force him to tell the lie of his made-up past to Vianne and Ran, and Ran would never trust him again.

"I'd like you to stay."

Drew met the man's eyes, surprised, his heart picking up even more. "You would?"

"I was in the service, Mr. Stevens. I understand that sometimes young men get asked to do things they don't want to do. I won't hold your past against you. I want to thank you for being so honest with me. I think you're a man of integrity."

Drew nearly laughed aloud at that. Integrity was just about the last trait he had.

"I'd appreciate it if you would be very cautious around my daughter—very cautious—but I don't want to interrupt your relationship with Ran. You've become almost like a father to him."

Drew actually jerked in shock at hearing that word applied to him. "Oh— I don't think— I'm not—"

Mr. Edwards was smiling with grim amusement. "Whether you like it or not, Mr. Stevens, I'm afraid the level of responsibility you have for Ran is a bit higher than you were aiming for. He hasn't had a father in his life for—"

"I know. He told me about his father."

Mr. Edwards' face darkened again, thinking about him.

"Don't worry, Mr. Edwards. I'm not going to walk out of Ran's life like that. After all, I think I've proven I'm capable of accepting that he's a werewolf."

Mr. Edwards winced at that word. "I suppose you have." He looked over Drew, and Drew tried to stand up to his scrutiny without flinching or so much as blinking. "Well, shall we rejoin the guests?" he sighed.

They did so, just in time to join them in counting down the last minute before midnight. Ran appeared at Drew's side, then Vianne at his other, and he smiled at them as they chanted,

"Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, ONE!"

"Happy New Year!" all the guests cried.

"Happy New Year," Vianne murmured, smiling up at him.

Drew's heart sank as he realized he was going to have to have a talk with her. "To you as well, Vianne." He turned to Ran and elbowed him and grinned. "And you."