trying not to sound aggressive with the question. I did want to know more about whatever family he might have had.
"Admittedly only what I learned from studying the lives of others. Still, a handful of centuries has taught me quite a bit about what families should and should not do. And the family I had long ago were not role models for anyone."
I sighed, shaking my head. "I... we got into an argument over my going to college. She thought that I should be continuing with her gypsy lifestyle. She wanted to send me off to someone that would teach me to develop my magical talents, and called me a couple of words that do not bear repeating when I said no. She also had a bad habit of punishing me by locking me under the stairs when I grew up. After all of that, I left and cut her out of my life."
He nodded. "That I can understand. You do realize that she felt as though you were betraying her legacy, yes?"
I stiffened. "Her legacy is hers to do whatever the hell she wants with. I spent every single one of my formative years following her up and down the East Coast of the United States for reasons that she never elected to share with me."
"It would appear as though what you two have is a breakdown in communication," Rog commented.
"Screw that. I asked her. I tried talking to her, and she clammed up. She expected me to follow her into her own lifestyle without a question, without ever trying to do anything of my own volition, and she got pissed off when I tried. And who locks up their kid when they don’t behave?"
Rog sighed, leaning back against the wall and taking a sip from his beer.
I took a deep breath, twirling the glass of beer in my hands, enjoying the cold against my throbbing hands. " Have you ever heard the saying that blood is thicker than water?"
"Of course."
"Its real meaning is that the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Meaning that the family that you make for yourself is more important than the one that you were born with. And as it turned out, the family that I found for myself was far the superior choice."
Rog smiled, tilting his head. "I understand. Even so... I would be a little more careful about casually tossing your family aside like that."
"It sounds like you're going to be a pain about this."
"Am I not already being a pain about it?"
"A little, but you're starting to get to the point where I'm regretting ever having this conversation with you." I sipped the beer again. The demon was at least right about one thing: It was damn refreshing. "So let's change the subject. How the hell is it that a blood demon finds himself playing Dr. Phil to a long line of Romanian vintners?"
"Dr. Phil?"
I sighed that time. "All my references are shooting right past your head. Family psychologist, then."
"Ah, yes. What do you know about blood oaths?"
"You mean besides the kind that you tricked me into?"
"That was a blood contract. There is a different."
"Oh," I grunted. "Well, nothing. I don't know anything about blood oaths."
"Well, I made one ages ago with the first Cloris to walk these parts, back when... well, there were a lot more people walking these roads back then. Not a lot of houses or farms around here then either."
I narrowed my eyes. "Wait, Cloris as in..."
"Yes, as in your aunt. She was married, you know. Took her husband's name and everything, which I suppose is how she knew about me through her husband, who was a descendant of the original family, although he was a few generations removed. She never did speak on it, but I assumed that was why she came here, although the actual reasoning was lost in translation. She was very intent on not allowing me to learn anything about her. I did not know that she had family of her own until she dictated her will and testament to me."
It was a little too much to take in, but it did sound a lot like Aunt Moira.
"I just don't understand why she would have left her whole life behind just to come here to study... well, you. Sure, there are those interested in the study of demons, but she was... well, I never remember her being like that. Then again, I... don't actually remember her even