Free Eternal Demon: Mark of the Vampire by Laura Wright Page A

Sara said, moving into the crook of her mate’s arm. “We must work together.”
    “The Eyes are looking into Cruen’s whereabouts,” Lucian said. “But those fanged street rats aren’t being even remotely helpful. I swear Cruen has stolen their minds from them, made them think they are no longer informants for hire but his personal servants. We’ve offered them insane amounts of money, and they’re not even tempted.”
    “Dillon is working with the Order now,” Sara added, “She’s trying to find out what they know, and Gray is seeing if the Impure warriors can obtain a mental link.”
    Alexander turned to his brother. “How is Kate?”
    Erion flinched, then hated himself for it. He didn’t want to fall into the sad warmth of their emotional connection. He watched as Nicholas shook his head, his eyes weary. “Frantic. She tried to go with Dillon to the Order.”
    Alexander snorted. “Went over well, did it?”
    Nicholas’s mouth lifted. “Like a jackhammer on a tin can.”
    “Mating hasn’t mellowed that
veana
one bit.”
    Erion’s skin tightened around his muscles and bones, and his chest rumbled with the beginnings of a growl. If he remained here, listening to this, he was going to explode.
    “You can continue socializing,” he said. “I have work to do.” He turned on his heel and started for the door.
    “Where?” Helo called after him. “What work is it? What’s your plan?”
    “One of us will go with you,” Phane added. “Wait, brother.”
    “No.” Erion didn’t slow.
    “Goddamn you, Erion!”
    Lycos’s frustrated outburst followed Erion out the living room door and into the hall, but the only one who actually followed him was his twin.
    Nicholas caught up with him near the kitchen and blocked his way. The
paven
looked tired, older, but in his dark eyes a fire smoldered.
    Erion bared his teeth, flashed his demon. “Move.”
    “I don’t like this, Erion,” Nicholas said, undeterred by the show of brawn.
    “Not my problem.”
    “He is mine too, and Kate’s.”
    Erion’s jaw worked, a quick and irrational anger surging within him. “You think that’s what this is? That I would steal him back only to keep him for myself? I am no father.” His eyes narrowed. “He is all yours, brother. I would never attempt to claim him.”
    Nicholas’s dark gaze turned sympathetic. “You know what I mean. I respect the fact that he is your biological—”
    “He is nothing but a missing
balas
!” The words were like cut glass in his mouth. “Now get out of my way before I help you.”
    Nicholas didn’t move. “If you want to prove something, it would be better served to work together.”
    “Not this time.”
    “I know what you’re doing. You think you owe him, that you’re making up for not knowing about his existence.”
    The rumbling in Erion’s chest exploded into a full-fledged growl of warning. “Don’t tell me what I’m feeling.”
    “I know—”
    “You know nothing,” Erion hissed, something tightening in his chest, something he wanted nothing to do with. “You and I have no understanding of each other, our histories, our perspectives.”
    “Is this about the past? About our mother and what she did to you?” Nicholas shook his head. “If so, you have nothing to make up for. I truly believe you were better off.”
    “That
veana
may have used you, brother, hurt you, but at least she wanted you.”
    Nicholas laughed bitterly. “Oh, she wanted me. She wanted me for my mouth and my ass after she could no longer service those pieces of shit herself.” He turned away for a moment, his nostrils flaring, trying to catch his breath. “What does any of this have to do with Ladd?”
    Erion could barely feel, barely think, he was so pumped up on adrenaline and anger and fear. “I cannot . . .”
    “What? What, Erion?”
    His gaze lifted and his eyes found his twin’s. He shook his head miserably. “The
balas
will not think, will not believe—
ever
—no matter