His brother looked at him with a little more scrutiny before shaking his head. “You’ve been summoned too?”
“Can we go back to when all of this was simple?” He thought about grabbing a jacket, but decided against it. There was little chance he would leave the house. “What do you think it’s about?”
“Have you eaten?”
Dean’s avoidance meant he knew more than he let on. “What aren’t you telling me?”
His brother sighed, his massive shoulders sagging with defeat. “James said they know.”
He frowned.
“They know about that night. They even know James was there.”
“Yeah, I know.”
It was Dean’s turn to regard him with suspicion.
“Caster told me.” Mark winced. When would he learn to keep his separate issues separate? His brother seemed ready tolaunch a barrage of questions, and he fortified himself against each one, readying appropriate responses to throw Dean off the scent. The last thing he needed was to have to explain his unusual relationship with Caster to his brother.
Dean stared at him for a long moment and then shrugged, as if accepting the answers he hadn’t given. “I was serious about the food, and I know you’re hungry. Breakfast and then war.”
He walked out the door like a whirlwind Mark had no choice but to follow. He was surprised when his brother led him through the unfamiliar house to a large kitchen. The young vampire from last night was there, a warm smile lighting up her pretty features when she saw them.
She glanced at Dean, and a blush colored her pale cheeks. Mark restrained his smile at her appropriate response to his brother. If he knew her better, he would warn her. She wasn’t unique. Just one in a long line of boys and girls who fell all over themselves for a modicum of Dean’s attention.
He thanked her for breakfast and followed Dean’s lead as they sat at the only table in the room. “Really?”
His brother didn’t even try to deny it. “You can judge me when you tell me who you’ve been fucking.” He smiled, a self-righteous, annoying curve of his lips. “Yes…I know you weren’t in your room last night.”
Mark stared at his brother, careful to keep his expression neutral.
Tension, potent in its intensity, permeated the study as they gathered for the meeting. James was the last to arrive, and he walked up to Mark, acknowledging Dean with a nod.
“Where’s Mikey?” Mark whispered to him.
“Safe,” James whispered back. “He refused to go home, but he’s protected. Some of my guys are with him.”
“Plus, he has Riley’s protection spell,” Dean said.
Mark dared to look at Caster and frowned at the worried expression he wore. Their eyes met, and a slight hint of a smilewas all the recognition he got.
“We all suspected this was much bigger than a witch with a lust for blood and death.” Caster’s tone was devoid of the worry Mark had seen on his face a moment earlier. He nodded at the only vampire Mark didn’t recognize. “Julian…”
The Born-Vampire was a fraction smaller than Dean, but what he lacked in the bulk that made his brother so formidable, he made up for with a striking confidence. The demeanor denied by his calm façade spoke of a threat hiding under the surface, ready to be unleashed at a moment’s notice. “Should I start from the beginning?” So did his voice.
Caster nodded and glanced at Mark.
“Ten years ago, vampires attacked the Prime Alpha’s brother. It would have gone down in history as just another skirmish between the species, had their intent not been more malevolent.” His blue, unyielding gaze landed on Mark as he became aware of everyone’s eyes on him. “I’ve learned from one of them, it was more than it seemed.”
“You have one of them?” Mark couldn’t contain himself if he’d wanted to. The prospect of vengeance was too enticing.
Julian nodded. “He’s told me they were working with the witch and their orders were to take you alive.” He looked at James. “You interrupted an elaborate kidnapping.”
“Why would they want my brother?” Dean’s question, what should have been his question, filtered through the haze of his rage.
“That I don’t know.”
“Where is he, this vampire? Perhaps my interrogation willprovide more information?” Dean’s tone was tight, although his rage couldn’t be anywhere as intense as Mark’s.