by M. A. Church
“Sorry. Sorry!” Michael shifted from foot to foot.
“I apologize too. The sound Michael made caught me off guard.” Hunter hated admitting that, but it was better than Michael’s friends thinking he was a rude ass. Maybe. “I haven’t spent a lot of time around vampires.”
“Explain what you mean when you asked if I have a brother,” Clay demanded of Mark.
“Why don’t we all have a seat first? Andy?” Paul gestured at the kitchen. “Could you get two more chairs? There’s not enough for all of us.”
“Sure.” Andy pivoted on his heel and hurried to the kitchen. A few seconds later he lugged two chairs into the living area for Clay and Michael.
Once everyone was seated again, Clay nodded to Mark. “Pardon my abruptness and lack of manners. I meant no harm. I’m pleased to finally meet you. Michael has been quite worried about you.”
“Oh look, the stick stuck up Clay’s ass is back. Did you ever find the on button for it, Michael?” Andy quipped as he sat in Paul’s lap.
Mark blinked but didn’t say anything. “It’s nice to meet you also. I know he was worried, but I couldn’t come near him until my wolf was completely under control. Believe me, it’s killed me knowing he went through what happened in Las Vegas alone.”
“I completely understand,” Michael hurriedly said. “I had trouble after I was first turned. And Paul? Could you give me that?” Michael pointed at the pillow behind Paul.
Sighing, Paul pulled it out from behind his back and tossed it to Michael, who caught it and promptly sent it sailing towards Andy’s head.
“Hey, now!” Laughing, Andy snatched it out of the air. He poked Paul in the ribs then made Paul lean up so he could stuff it back behind him. He kissed Paul on the tip of his nose. “You’re team Andy, remember?”
Michael chortled.
The friendship the four of them had was obvious, although how Nicholas figured into all this Hunter hadn’t figured out yet. The paranormal didn’t have much to say.
“We were attacked by a vampire who looks a lot like Clay. It all started because someone”—Mark tossed a grin at Hunter— “forgot to get gas when we left Orlando.” Mark’s playfulness vanished as he related how a vampire had attacked him while he and Hunter had stopped for gas.
Michael slumped in his chair. “Oh no.”
“I showed him a picture of Jackson before you two arrived. It’s him,” Paul said.
“God, Mark.” Michael leaned forward in his chair. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Still got some minor bruising but nothing big. Could use a shower, but I’m okay,” Mark said. “I hadn’t met a vampire until then.”
“And it was not the best introduction to us, either. For that, I am sorry.” Clay grimaced. “I have two brothers. Sebastian is the eldest, and he’s the head of our family. I guess you could say he’s our Alpha. His mate is Rachael. I also have a younger brother. He’s the one who attacked you, and his name is Jackson.” Clay shook his head. “How can I explain this so you can fully understand him?”
“Start at the beginning,” Michael said.
“When we were human, Jackson was overindulged by our parents. Due to tragic circumstances, our parents passed much sooner than they should have, and Sebastian was tasked with raising both me and Jackson. He was a problem child. The three of us were raised privileged, but Seb and I grew out of that. We thought Jackson would too. As a youth, he was haughty, prideful, and arrogant.”
“Just add in sociopathic, narcissistic, and megalomaniac now too,” Michael said.
“I won’t go into why Seb turned me, but he did. We couldn’t imagine life eternal without our youngest sibling. So, Sebastian turned Jackson too. Jackson’s troubling attributes morphed into a lack of morals, empathy, and remorse. He liked the kill. Fear was his greatest high. Then he got into running drugs, guns, and eventually human trafficking.”
“That, and his bloodlust, brought Jackson to the attention of the High Council,” Paul chimed in. “We were worried he’d expose paranormals.”
“None of us want that,” Hunter said. Humans would freak. “It’d be a shitshow.”
“True. Long story short, the Council set a trap for him. Jackson escaped. But Jackson’s mate didn’t, and he refused to give up,” Paul said. “Jackson lost his soul mate that day.”
“He blames Paul and me for the loss of his mate,” Clay continued. “So why am I included in that? Well, Sebastian and I tried to handle Jackson on our own, without success. I took it upon myself to go to the Council and ask for the Guardians to intercede. I pushed them to do something about him.”
“A contract was put out on Jackson,” Paul said.
“Wait. Hold up.” Mark jerked his head around to glance at Paul. “A contract? As in—”
“He’s wanted dead or alive,” Paul acknowledged. “This was not something that was done lightly. He’s damn dangerous. Evil.”
“My actions led to Guardians becoming involved. Paul’s team may have killed Jackson’s mate, but I’m the one who brought Jackson to the attention of the Council in the first place.”
Paul’s brows knitted in a frown. “Again, that wasn’t true then, and it’s still not true now. We were already watching Jackson and would have gotten around to him eventually. You just upped the timetable.”
“Your own brother,” Mark mumbled. “I can’t imagine what that had to do to you. I mean, I’d do anything for Michael.”
Hunter nodded. He couldn’t imagine.
“It was not an easy decision, trust me,” Clay said.
Michael picked up the story. “Clay and I are mated.” He held out his wrists. “Vampires differ in the aspect that mates wear bracelets instead of a ring. Anyway, Jackson started stalking me not long after I moved here. At a restaurant. At the movies. At this condo. He’s obsessed with me.”
“Part of it had to do with the fact he’s mine.” Clay reached out and took Michael’s hand. “He is my everything.” Michael smiled fondly at Clay. “Anyway, Jackson most likely started off planning to kill my mate, like his was killed. But somewhere along the line, that turned into something else.”
“He said that he and I would meet again,” Mark said. “That tells me he plans to keep an eye on me too.”
“I will tear his head off, I promise you. He won’t hurt you again,” Hunter vowed.
“I appreciate that, but I can do my own tearing off of heads.” Mark leaned over and kissed Hunter’s cheek. “Nevertheless, it’s a lovely sentiment. Thank you, sweetheart.”
Andy laughed. Loudly.
“You may have to get in line,” Paul finally said, gesturing with his head toward Nicholas.
Nicholas nodded in agreement. “I, too, have a bone to pick with Jackson.”
Mark shrugged. “So it’ll be a competition to see who kills him first. I can work with that. Anyway, Jackson also said to tell Michael that he was coming for him. He said him and Michael were not through. Hunter pointed out that Michael and this asshole had probably already met.”
“You could say that,” Clay said. “He kidnapped Michael and Andy.”
“The fuck?” Mark demanded.
“It was about a week after I was turned,” Michael said. “Jackson bombed the Council—”
“Wait. Wait. He bombed the Council? The High Council?” Hunter demanded. “Are you kidding me?”
“No, not kidding, and yes he did,” Michael said.
“Is this guy completely nuts?” Hunter asked. “Because that’s completely nuts!”
“He’s a psycho. Anyhow, Jackson managed to kidnap both me and Andy. He… he starved me then turned me loose on Andy. The bastard’s plan didn’t work, though,” Michael sneered.
Clay frowned.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know you don’t like me cussing, but Jackson is a bastard. Anyhow, I resisted my nature, but it was a close thing. Jackson tried to either get me to kill Andy—which would have devastated Paul, or have Andy kill me to protect himself—which would have devastate
d Clay. It should have been a win-win situation for Jackson.”
“Paul and I managed to rescue Andy and Michael before anything bad happened,” Clay said.
“Well, badder than what had already happened.” Michael shuddered. “I think I impressed him, and now he wants me. Or something to that effect. So, that was the second time I was kidnapped. The first one was when two werewolves took me.”
Mark pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just how many times did you manage to get yourself kidnapped?”
Michael stuck his tongue out at Mark.
“The two werewolves who kidnapped Michael were from the Marked Tree pack,” Paul said.
Hunter stiffened. A low growl started in his chest.
Mark swore softly.
“What?” Paul asked, looking between the two of them.
“I’ll tell you in a moment. Please, continue.” Hunter rested his hand on Mark’s knee.
“I got a phone call from a tenant who lives in the same building as Michael. She said two werewolves from the Marked Tree pack were on the premises and bothering the new human tenant. Since Michael was the only human I rented to, I knew she meant him. I just didn’t know why.”
Andy grimaced. “Paul and I entered Michael’s unit and saw the mess. We knew he had been kidnapped. Paul called Clay, who does some work for the Council also. The tenant did get a license plate number, but we didn’t have time to try to trace it. Also, there was a good chance it was switched, or the car they used to take Michael was stolen, since that whole fucking pack is nothing but a bunch of thieves.”
Hunter pursed his lips. Brax had heard the same thing.
“They also called me because Michael was my mate, but I hadn’t claimed him yet. He was still human,” Clay said. “Some of Michael’s blood was in the condo. I tasted it, thus enabling me to track him.”
“We used him as a sort of paranormal GPS,” Andy snickered. “Anyway, we found them and Michael.”
“Why Michael, and are you one hundred percent sure the two werewolves who kidnapped Michael were part of the Marked Tree pack?” Hunter asked the room in general.
“I don’t know why, but I can tell you they were looking for me specifically,” Michael said. “They asked if my name was Michael James. They also asked if I had a brother named Mark James, who’d gone missing when my parents were killed.”
Mark made a small sound of pain, and Hunter squeezed his knee.
“When I said yes, they attacked. One said they’d hit pay dirt, and the other said that he guessed Alpha….” Michael’s eyes suddenly narrowed as he stared at Hunter. “Wait. What did you say your last name was?”
“Day. My last name is Day—Alpha Day, actually.”
Michael’s eyes widened. “That’s it! That’s the name of the Alpha I couldn’t remember. I knew the last name began with ‘D’ and he must have been talking about you!”
“Son of a bitch. Son. Of. A. Bitch!” Mark twisted in his seat, staring at Hunter. “It has to be them.”
“What do they look like?” Hunter snapped. “Can someone tell me?”
“They were big, muscular men. Both were white, had shoulder-length brown hair, and were dressed in jeans and T-shirts. They remined me of a couple of muscleheads.” Michael scowled. “I tried to close the door on them, but they shoved their way inside. Then I got the dubious honor of seeing one of them shift. Scared me half to death.”
Hunter pulled out his phone, opened it, then pulled up his gallery. Finally, he found what he was looking for. Standing, he took his cell phone to Michael. “Does this guy look familiar?”
Michael stared at the picture. “Kind of? It all happened so fast.”
“Could I see, please?” Paul asked.
Hunter took his cell phone to him. Paul stared at it for a couple minutes then finally nodded. “Yes, that was one of them.”
“Was?” Hunter asked, latching onto the word. “As in past tense?”
“Both of the werewolves who attacked Michael are dead,” Paul said. “Andy set one on fire, and Clay drained the other one.”
“Jesus fucking Christ.” Mark slumped back against the couch.
Hunter agreed. He was used to being the most powerful paranormal in a room, but that was certainly not the case now. “Are you sure they were part of the Marked Tree pack?”
“Yes. I sent another Guardian, Jonas, to Las Vegas. He found the werewolf rogue who witnessed what happened to Mark and his parents. She verified it was the two Marked Tree wolves who attacked the humans. I then spoke to Alpha Bennett.”
Hunter stiffened. “What did he say?”
“He denied sending his wolves to kidnap Michael and acted as if he’d never heard Mark or Michael’s name. I knew he was lying. As I told Michael, if I could’ve put him in front of a truthsayer, I would have had the proof I need, but I couldn’t do that unless I had a reason to get on pack lands. And I didn’t.”
“A….” Mark’s brow furrowed. “A what now?”
“Ha! I said the exact same thing,” Michael hooted.
“Truthsayer. It’s a highly empathic person who can discern whether a person is telling the truth or not, and if they are, a truthsayer can delve into motives, feelings, and/or beliefs,” Paul said. “They’re often called living lie detectors.”
“I… I….”
“Total rabbit hole, right?” Michael snickered.
“Good Lord. Yes, yes, it is,” Mark huffed.
Hunter had heard of truthsayers, but he’d never met one before. “But Alpha Bennett didn’t deny the wolves belonged to his pack, right?”
“That’s correct,” Paul said.
Hunter’s smile was all teeth. “Excellent.”
Chapter Twenty-three – Mark
MARK CAUGHT Michael glancing out of the window. He even looked too, but all he saw was darkness.
Michael cleared his throat. “Clay and I need to go. It’s going to be sunrise in just a little over an hour.” Michael stood, as did Clay. “Mark? Vampires can’t do the sunlight, otherwise I promise we wouldn’t be leaving. Tonight, we’ll get back together, okay?”
“I’d like that. I’ve missed you.” Mark stood with everyone else. He stuck his hands in his pants, then took them out. Then caught himself shifting from foot to foot. The fuck was he doing? Should he hug Michael? Wait for Michael to hug him? Was there protocol for this? Why was he making this so fucking weird?
Smirking, Michael went right up to him and threw his arms around his waist. Now that he wasn’t so freaked out seeing his brother, he noticed the lack of a heartbeat. Michael’s skin was cooler than normal too.
That was going to take some getting used to. Heaven above, his brother was one of the undead. That was kinda freaky. But then again, Mark changed into a wolf—the two and four-legged kind. So maybe being undead and drinking blood was only as freaky as he let it be. This was still his brother.
After a quick hug, Mark stepped back. “I’d like to spend some time with you. Just us, if that’s cool. We need to talk about Mom and Dad, I think.”
“We do. I want to know what happened there at the end.” Michael caught Clay’s eye. “But I’d like it to be just us also.”
“Yes, beautiful, they can come to our home this evening.” Clay glided toward Michael and ran his knuckles down Michael’s cheek.
Mark blinked. Dude just glided. He’d never seen anything like it.
“We’ll meet here, though. I think there’s still more to this story.” Clay made eye contact with Hunter. “Am I correct?”
“Yes, but I need to speak with Mark first before I tell you guys,” Hunter said.
It took a second for Hunter’s words to sink in because he was still obsessing with how effortlessly Clay moved. He just managed to keep his mouth shut. Apparently this was something important, so he reached out with his mind. What’s going on?
Later, babe. I promise.
“All right.” Clay rested his hand on the small of Michael’s back as they left Paul’s condo. Andy, Paul, and Ni
cholas followed Hunter and Mark. “Then we’ll see you tonight.”
“Where are you planning to stay?” Michael asked over his shoulder.
Once everyone was off the stairs, Mark scanned the parking lot, then turned his attention to Michael. “We’ll find a hotel close by and—”
“That’s not a good idea,” Paul said, interrupting Mark. “Jackson has expressed an interest in you. He also has no problem attacking human-owned businesses. It would be safer for everybody involved if you and Hunter stayed in my guest room.”
Mark bit his lip. Great. How the hell were they supposed to get out of that without coming across as rude?
“Please don’t misunderstand, but Mark and I don’t know you,” Hunter said, getting straight to what was bothering Mark. “Not to mention the startling lack of privacy.”
“One of Jackson’s favorite ploys is kidnapping a loved one. It doesn’t matter if that person is male or female, paranormal or not. A family member is his preferred target, especially a brother or sister.” Nicholas’s voice broke on the last word. “He is a master at finding a weak spot and pressing on it until you will do whatever necessary to make him stop. Sacrifice anything. Listen to Paul and stay here.”
Surely Mark wasn’t the only one who heard the pain in Nicholas’s words—pain and a lot of anger.
Hunter studied Nicholas for a moment before finally nodding. “Fine. We’ll stay here.”
“Good.” Nicholas bid everyone good night and returned to his condo.
Hunter waited until Nicholas was gone. “He doesn’t pull his punches, does he?”
“There’s a story there, am I right?” Mark asked the group.
“Yes, but none of us know what it is. Yet.” Michael scowled at the place Nicholas had just stood. “Anyway, I’ll see you this evening.” After another quick hug, Michael followed Clay to their vehicle.
After they drove off, Mark grabbed his and Hunter’s suitcases from the truck and followed Andy and Paul back to their condo. While Andy showed them the guest shower, Paul made the bed. Once Mark and Hunter had showered, Paul mentioned in passing that his condo had been warded and that included a spell which made all the rooms soundproof. They said good night and retired to their room.