Free Stone Solitude by A.C. Warneke Page A

blue wigs and green leather, she corrected herself, “Well, yes, boring. I mean, you still have your own style but it’s more… subdued.”
    “I thought I would always wear those outfits,” her mom murmured, almost to herself before she grinned. There was a hint of sadness in her mom’s eyes as she continued, “But the Rapture changed things. And if it weren’t for that, then I’m certain I would have given up my elaborate costumes long ago. Nobody wants to see a fifty year old in spandex, male or female.”
    “You’re not fifty yet,” Daisy murmured. “And you don’t look older than twenty-seven. You could still pull off spandex.”
    “Your father could pull off spandex,” her mom said with a slightly lecherous smile.
    “Mom!” Shaking her head, she tried not to imagine her dad in spandex. So, of course, the image of her dad in a pair of tight, neon shorts seared her brain and made her cringe. Even though her dad would never be caught dead in such an outfit, it was enough to traumatize her.
    “Besides priorities change,” her mom continued as if Daisy wasn’t throwing up inside. “I get to experience the terrifying adventure of parenthood and I get to run as a wolf beneath the light of the moon nearly every night.”
    Thinking about her own wolf, the wolf that refused to talk to her, Daisy cleared her throat and asked, “Do you ever regret becoming a wolf?”
    “Never,” her mom answered without hesitation, her eyes lighting up with absolute joy. “Even if I could have had your father any other way, I’m glad I became a wolf.”
    Pursing her lips, trying to figure out how to phrase her question without insulting her mom or her mom’s wolf, she asked, “Is your wolf as… stubborn as mine?”
    Her mom chuckled, “All wolves are stubborn, sweetie. You should have seen the battle your father had with his before they bonded. In fact, his wolf is the one who bit me without your father’s awareness because he knew your dad would never have taken the risk. To be honest, their battle of wills aren’t much better now but it helps that they both desire the same thing.”
    “You,” Daisy murmured without thinking. Her mother’s tinkling laughter made her blush.
    “Yes. That and the safety of his family,” her mom said with a grin and a happy little sigh. It was obvious that the affection between her parents was more than mutual. Leaning back in her chair, she studied Daisy with eyes that were too knowing. Abruptly, she stopped laughing. Closing her eyes, she sniffed the air and then pinned Daisy with her wolf’s eyes. “Daisy. You’ve imprinted on someone.”
    Heat flooded her cheeks as she lowered her lashes to avoid her mother’s penetrating gaze. “I haven’t.”
    Her mom arched an eyebrow at Daisy’s protest, making the heat in her cheeks burn hotter. “I haven’t, mom. I mean, I’m still a virgin.”
    “Sweetie, a Siren’s imprinting has little to do with the state of your virginity,” her mom explained carefully. Daisy looked up at that, regretting it as soon as her gaze was captured by the wolf. Leaning forward, she clasped Daisy’s hands in her own, her eyes probing Daisy’s. Her frown deepened the longer she probed. “He’s not human.”
    “He’s not,” Daisy confirmed, since it would be stupid to lie because her mother already knew the truth. Besides, this is what she wanted to talk to her mom about, the tumultuous reactions she had around Roman. It had been almost a week since she had seen him in the library, since he had pleasured her in that unconventional way and she had run off like the frightened little virgin she was. Nearly every night that she had spent in the library working on her paper, she had both hoped and feared seeing him, afraid of what she might do. She’d either tear off his hood or strip naked and offer herself to him on the table. “I don’t behave like myself when I’m around him and it’s… not normal.”
    “I threw myself at your father