Free Blessed by a Demon’s Mark by E. S. Moore Page B

top of the drive.
    “Son of a bitch,” I growled. I pressed the button to raise the garage door, walked my Honda inside, and waited until the door was closed again before heading for the house.
    Of all the things I wanted to deal with, Jonathan Alucard wasn’t one of them.
    I threw open the side door and stormed inside, knowing he would be waiting for me. I wasn’t disappointed.
    “Kat.” He was standing just inside the dining room, facing the kitchen as I came in. His glamour was up, hiding the missing portion of his skull, a chunk I had hacked off back when he was a member of House Valentino. I’d thought I’d killed him, but here he was, years later, standing in my house like we were friends.
    Ethan and Jeremy were standing behind him, each looking nervous. I didn’t blame them.
    “Not now,” I said. I tried to walk past him, but he moved to stand in my way.
    “Please,” he said. “We need to talk.”
    I kept from shooting him by taking off my coat. His gaze lingered on the gun in its shoulder holster as I tossed the coat on the table. I put my hands on my hips and gave him such a dark look, he winced.
    “Okay, talk,” I said. “But this better be damn good or I’m going to have to start putting holes in people who show up at my house unwelcome and unannounced.”
    “Then this is still your house?” Jonathan asked, all innocence.
    I glowered at him. “Of course.”
    “I was beginning to wonder,” he said. “You haven’t been here for so long, I thought perhaps you’d wised up and took to ground.”
    “Don’t you start in on me too.”
    He held his hands up. He was holding something in his left hand.
    I felt myself soften without meaning to. The coat looked just like the one I’d worn for years. I’d managed to lose both of my old coats while dealing with the mess my brother had caused.
    Jonathan saw me looking and a small smile quirked the corners of his mouth. “I thought you might like a new one.” He glanced at the coat on the table. “It appears you have not replaced your other, so it seems the gift is warranted.” His gaze traveled back to me. “I’ve waited a long time to give this to you.”
    For some reason, that made me angry. Just seeing Jonathan made memories of my brother flood into my head. I couldn’t stop blaming him for Thomas’s death. He’d been there and hadn’t been able to do anything to stop it.
    “Keep it,” I said. “I don’t need it.”
    Jonathan looked hurt. He lowered his hands and gave me such a pained look, I almost felt guilty for turning away his gift.
    “Look,” I said, trying to keep most of the anger out of my voice. “Tell me why you’re here and then get the fuck out of my house. And take your maimed wolf with you.”
    Jeremy flinched, and I could tell I’d hurt him almost as bad as I’d hurt Jonathan, maybe more. Why was I being such a bitch when all they were trying to do was help?
    Jonathan’s jaw stiffened as if he was fighting off the urge to say something less than respectful. He managed to compose himself before speaking.
    “I wanted to make sure you were okay,” he said. “When Jeremy called and said you were back, I didn’t know what to think. I was really starting to believe you might be dead.”
    I glanced at the young wolf. He quickly looked away, face flaming. Ethan stepped protectively near him and glared at me.
    What the fuck? Ethan used to be scared of the Luna Cult wolves, had even warned me against them more than once. And now he was defending one of them? Things had really changed since I’d been gone.
    I hate change.
    “You’ve seen I’m okay,” I said, shifting my attention back to Jonathan. “Now go.” I tried to walk past him, but he refused to move out of my way.
    “No,” Jonathan said. “You’re not okay.”
    “Who gave you the right to decide how I’m doing?”
    “No one,” he said. “But I can see it in your eyes, hear it in your words. Something is very wrong with you and I only want to