Free Eternal Demon: Mark of the Vampire by Laura Wright

to know where you were. You can’t be out of communication. We need to be able to reach you.”
    Erion cared deeply for his
mutore
brothers and had grown fond of his Roman brothers as well, but right now all he cared about was his boy.
    “Have you found Cruen’s whereabouts?” He addressed the query to the room, to all who sat and stood and stared at him.
    “Not yet,” Nicholas told him, his expression grim.
    Erion noticed Kate wasn’t in the room. A soft ping registered in his chest. The
veana
was like a surrogate mother to Ladd. She loved and cared for him deeply, and was no doubt hurting, fearful.
    “Nothing on the walls?” he asked, his gaze still on Nicholas.
    “The Order hasn’t contacted us,” Nicholas said quietly. “There’s been nothing.”
    Phane stood up, anger flaring in his mismatched eyes. “You’re just going to ignore Ly’s question?”
    “I’ve been searching for the boy,” Erion said on a growl. He hadn’t told anyone about the house he’d purchased. It was his private business. He didn’t want questions, didn’t want to have to explain why he’d bought it, his hope for who he might give it to someday.
    “You’ve been gone twenty-four hours, Erion,” Helo said calmly, though with marked pointedness. The water beast was perched on the edge of a chair. “We have enough to worry about without having to send a search party out for you.”
    Erion knew they meant well and that everyone was jacked up on worry for the boy, but Helo’s last words really pissed him off. “I will be gone for as long as I wish it, brothers. I am no
balas
; I need no
tegga
. I came here only to see what information you have gleaned.” He looked around the room and snarled. “Which seems to be nothing. Christ, have you even moved since I was here last—since the boy was stolen?”
    Alexander and Lucian cursed, Phane and Helo stood, growling, Sara tried to speak civilly to him, but Lycos got in his face and pushed.
    “What the hell is wrong with you?” he shouted.
    “Just don’t appreciate doing the work of ten.”
    “You run off, don’t stay in contact, then presume once you deign to come back here that we’ve just been sitting on our asses all day drinking blood?”
    “You have nothing!” Erion shouted. “No information, no trail to follow.”
    “Neither do you, asshole!” He looked around, behind Erion. “You got the
balas
? You brought him home? Is he hiding under your fucking shirt or something?”
    A fierce snarl escaped Erion’s throat, and he headed toward his wolf brother. “Screw you, Lycos.”
    Phane stepped between them. “Ease up, Erion. You’re acting like a—”
    “Nutcase!” Lycos called, his beast out and snarling.
    “No, an idiot,” Phane said.
    Lycos snorted. “Fuck, no! A—”
    “A father.”
    The air in the room seemed to flatten. All aggression and seething, testosterone-laden fire bled from each male, who a moment ago were ready to kick the shit out of one another.
    “He’s acting like a father.”
    All heads turned to Nicholas. The
paven
stood by the wall, alone, his eyes tired and sad as he watched Erion.
    “You think you’re the only one feeling like this, brother?” he said.
    “Like what?” Erion returned, not fierce but fearful. “Disappointed in the lack of work that’s being done to locate the boy.”
    Nicholas shook his head. “You know that’s not true. You know every vampire in here is doing all he can to locate Ladd. What I mean is that you’re not the only one worrying about him, wondering if he’s hurt, if he’s scared.” Nicholas’s hands balled into fists and he slammed back at the wall that he was leaning on.
    Erion didn’t want to see the
paven
emotional, afraid. He couldn’t afford to feel any of that. He had to stay detached and clearheaded and vicious.
    “We’ve all been out searching, Erion,” Alex said, his tone as calm as he could make it. “Until the very last moments of night.”
    “We all want the boy back,”