“I’m so thirsty.”
“I’m going to get you food, and then one of my brothers will come up so you can feed.”
“No.”
“No?”
“I’ll eat what you bring, but you’re the only one I want to feed from.”
“No.” Caleb was up before McBride could grab him and hold him. Not that he had much strength to do so. “You need to feed from someone other than me.”
“I won’t.” McBride crossed his arms. He was weak and utterly at the mercy of others, but he was going to put his foot down on the few things he had control over. Who he drank from and when he drank were just about the only things he had left to manage.
Caleb returned to McBride’s bedside, but rather than sitting on the edge, he crouched down. “I’ve got news for you, McBride.” His voice was sinfully soft and almost dangerously gleeful. “You’re not in any position to make demands on me.”
“This is still my land.”
“That it is. But I’m the man running it at the moment.” Caleb stroked his fingers over the edge of the blanket, making intermittent contact with McBride’s exposed chest. His touch sparked heat and longing deep inside McBride’s brain and body. “You’re going to do what I say, or you’re going to be in trouble.”
“Is that so?” McBride tried to sit up, but Caleb held him flat with hardly any effort.
“That is so. I’ll get the restrictor if I have to.”
McBride flashed on how he’d trussed Caleb up to contain him so he could feed, but then he’d tormented him with outrageous demands and threatened him with soul-crushing punishments. He’d never been more ashamed of his behavior or so completely unable to explain it. But none of that mattered now. Caleb was in charge, and it was clear he was loving it.
“Now, let me tell you how things are going to be.”
Before Caleb could fill him in on the new order of things, the butler entered without knocking.
“So now anyone and everyone can just come on in?”
“Forgive me, sir, but you were ill and Jonas gave me instructions to find Caleb.”
McBride was loathe to lose his place as the undisputed master of the house, but he couldn’t very well hang on to the title if he kept passing out from pain. As embarrassed as he was by his infirmity, he was also imminently practical. If Caleb wasn’t willingly given command, he would simply take it, and he would do so by killing Jonas. When McBride weighed and measured everything, he decided that he was better off leaving things exactly as they were, especially if there was a tentative truce between Caleb and Jonas.
“Do you wish to change those orders, sir?” The butler’s metallic face was immobile, but his programmed concern for protocol came through loud and clear in the tone of his voice.
Caleb peered down at McBride, one sleek eyebrow high. It was obvious he expected McBride to take command back, but he was wrong.
“No. For now, follow the chain of command that Jonas gave you. I’ll let you know when I want to change things.”
“Very good, sir. Shall I have the valet follow these new orders as well?”
“Yes.” It hurt his pride to be left out, but he wasn’t much good to anyone right now. Until they figured out what was wrong with him, he was safer in bed where he couldn’t fall any farther than the floor.
“Very good, sir.” The butler turned and faced Caleb. “The valet is reporting that Devon is out on the long drive with the unknown man. There appears to be some kind of issue.”
“Issue?” Caleb asked. “What kind of an issue?”
“Ask the valet to show you.” McBride took the second pillow and wadded it up behind his head so he was a little more vertical. He felt less like an invalid the more upright he became.
“Show me how.”
Since the butler didn’t immediately hop to do Caleb’s bidding, McBride took the opportunity to remind Caleb his rule was only temporary.
“Are you seriously going to leave my brother out there under unknown circumstances just so you can assert your authority?”
Damn, but Caleb was very good at pointing out McBride’s less–than-stellar moments. “He has a recording device that he can project onto the wall.” McBride couldn’t help a flush of power that he was apparently the only who knew that.
“Let’s go.” Caleb started to move away, but he turned. “You will stay here, or I will tie you to that bed. Do you understand?”
McBride had intended to get up as soon as he was gone. Getting undressed was just a ploy to make Caleb think he had every intention of staying in bed when he didn’t. A million things needed his attention, and he wouldn’t be able to get anything done from here.
“I mean it. I’ll personally strap you down. If you want to pee, you’ll have to ask permission.”
It would be humiliating, and Caleb apparently knew that. Reluctantly, McBride nodded. “But don’t think I don’t see how much you enjoy this.”
“You think I’m enjoying this?” Caleb moved near and crouched down so that he could whisper in his low, seductive voice. “You mean having the tables turned so that I’m the one now keeping you locked up?”
McBride opened his mouth to protest, but Caleb lifted one big finger and placed it over his lips, cutting off his burst of indignation.
“You were going to keep me prisoner in my own home and feed me the blood of a man I hate.”
Determined to defend himself, McBride moved his head away from Caleb’s shushing finger, but this time he covered McBride’s mouth with his own. The kiss was so unexpected, so intensely passionate that McBride felt light-headed. As Caleb pulled away, he realized his dizziness had nothing to do with his mysterious illness. Caleb’s compelling kiss had taken his breath away and made him hard as a rock.
Grinning, Caleb looked down at the levitating blankets. “If you’re a very good boy, I might be persuaded to come back and attend to that for you.”
As much as he wanted to rail at Caleb for treating him this way, McBride was far more interested in getting Caleb to give him the reward of a release. “With your mouth?”
“We’ll see.” He was up and moving swiftly away before McBride could say anything.
As Caleb left, McBride heard him issuing orders. Caleb gave the butler very specific instructions on what he should bring for McBride to eat. Rather than squawk that he could pick out his own food, he let that go. With his energy waning, he realized more than ever the importance of picking his battles. Besides, there was something amazingly sweet about having Caleb fuss over him. The only problem was that as soon as McBride got better, Caleb would hold true to his threat. If McBride didn’t get rid of Jonas, Caleb was going to walk.
Chapter 5
When he’d heard the sound of activity behind him, Devon had been relieved. Finally, he’d have help. However, that feeling was short lived when the first thing out of Caleb’s mouth was an order that Devon didn’t want to follow.
“Get away from him, Devon. We don’t know if he’s ill.”
“He’s not ill.” Devon dug his knees farther into the black dirt of the drive as if planting himself. He had no intention of leaving—“I never even asked your name.”
“Karsten.”
“Karsten,” Devon repeated, loving the sound. It was as stunning as his bright blue eyes and platinum-blond hair.
“You’re going to back off, and he’s going to get up and go back the way he came.”
“No, he’s not.” Lowering his voice as he leaned closer to Karsten, Devon said, “Nothing can drag me away from you.”
Karsten glanced over at Caleb, and his eyes widened.
“I know he’s big, but he can’t make me go.”
“I can and will make you go.” Caleb was still up on the second-fastest dressiter. From the distance he kept and the way he held the reins in his hands, it was clear he wasn’t going to get any closer than he already was. In a way, that was good. Devon didn’t want Caleb hurting his thrall. However, in another way, that was bad, because Devo
n couldn’t move Karsten without help.
“I need tools to cut him free.”
When Caleb didn’t speak, Devon turned around. Caleb didn’t look smug, which was what Devon was expecting. Instead, Caleb looked exhausted and concerned.
“He isn’t sick,” Devon said.
“We don’t know that.”
“I know it.” Devon turned back. Karsten hadn’t moved. In fact, he was barely able to blink now. Realizing that death was close and coming closer, Devon wanted to cry, but he realized this was the time he had to stiffen his spine and become the hero he’d only read about. “I’m not going to let him die out here in the dirt like a wounded animal.”
“That’s what he is, Devon. If you haven’t touched him, I suggest you don’t.”
“Why?”
“Because you might not get whatever he has unless you do.”
“He’s not sick!” Devon realized that eventually Caleb would climb down off his mount and drag him back to the big house. They were brothers, but Caleb was definitely bigger and stronger than Devon. Worse, Caleb was a fighter and Devon was not. He was strong, but not as much as his brother. If Caleb wanted him to go home, he certainly could manage it.
Karsten slowly opened his eyes and peered up at Devon. “It’s okay. I don’t think I’m going to live long anyway.”
“It’s not okay, and I am not leaving you.” Defiantly, Devon leaned over and kissed Karsten. His lips were dry, but Devon didn’t care. Arousal wasn’t the point of the kiss. “There.” He turned and looked at Caleb. “If he has something, now I have it, too.”
Clearly astonished, Caleb sat on his mount staring at Devon for a full minute before he spoke. “That was incredibly foolish.”
“I’m keeping him, and that’s final.”
“You can’t claim a thrall just because you want to. McBride has to give him to you.”
“That was the old way.” Devon stroked his hand over Karsten’s forehead. He was hot but not sweating. From all the information gleaned in books, Devon knew that was a very bad sign. Karsten was dehydrated from the loss of blood and probably just from breathing in the hot, dry air. He needed fluids. Sadly, Devon didn’t have any to give him. “The world has changed.”
“That it has.” Caleb was silent for so long Devon had to turn to look at him. “Do you even know what happened to him?”
“His name is Karsten. And I didn’t ask for details, but it’s pretty obvious.”
“Devon, we really don’t have a choice here. It’s not just you and him but all the men on the farm.”
“We do have a choice. I’ve already kissed him and gotten whatever he has if he has something, which he doesn’t.” Devon thought what he’d done was powerfully heroic. Dangerously so. He might very well die in his attempt to protect his new and fragile mate. “I’d rather die with him than die alone.”
“As romantic as that sounds, it’s nothing short of foolish.”
“Stop flapping your lips and go and get me some water and tools.”
Caleb shook his head.
“I’m not sick.”
Devon looked down at Karsten. “What?”
“The men who strung me up didn’t have the blood sickness.”
“How do you know?” Caleb asked.
“Their eyes go red when they are bloodmad.”
Devon gently lifted one of Karsten’s lids. His eyes were gummy but not red. He reported this information to Caleb.
“We don’t know if he’s telling the truth.”
“Why would he lie?”
“To get your help.”
“He’s a thrall. He wouldn’t become mad to drink blood when thralls don’t drink blood.”
“He could be a carrier. We don’t know how it spreads. That’s why we’re going to leave him here.”
“No.” Devon would find a way to get him to his home where he could care for him properly.
“I’m not going to help you throw your life away on this sick little thrall.”
“Then just go!” Devon shot to his feet. “If you’re not going to help, then let us die out here in peace.”
For a heartbreaking moment, Devon thought Caleb would do just that. He lifted the reins up and was about to slap them on the side of the dressiter to turn the beast around, but something stayed his hand. Devon didn’t know what it was. Compassion? He remembered the night Caleb went out into the field to finish up Ollie’s rows when Ollie was too sick to finish them himself. Caleb had worked by moonlight all the way until dawn came. Caleb refused to take any credit for what he’d done. Devon didn’t understand until he thought about how sometimes heroes did things but didn’t take credit because they were trying to atone for some wrong. Devon had no idea if that were the case with Caleb and Ollie. He wasn’t aware of Caleb doing anything wrong to Ollie, but he wasn’t with his brothers all the time. Who knew what happened when he wasn’t looking?
“I’ll be back.” Caleb turned his mount. With another flick of his wrist, he compelled the beast to run.
Brushing back a tear of gratitude, Devon returned to his position kneeling over Karsten. He used his body to block the sunlight, giving him as much comfort as he could. “Hang on. I’m going to cut you free then take you home.”
Karsten’s eyelids fluttered.
“I’m going to nurse you back to health.” Devon left it at that. He wanted to make Karsten better and then claim him fully as his own. Even though the world had changed, much of the dreams and longings inside Devon hadn’t. He wanted a full mate who was tied to him in all the ways a mate could be bound. “Body, soul, and blood.”
Karsten’s eyes opened suddenly and went so wide it was almost terrifying. “No blood!”
Startled, Devon shook his head. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
Slowly, Karsten’s eyes settled closed. For a moment, Devon thought he’d died, but as he watched intently, Karsten’s chest rose and then fell. The pace was halted and agonizingly slow, but he was still breathing.
“I swear, I didn’t mean I would steal your blood.” Devon looked down at the ragged mess on Karsten’s neck. It looked absolutely awful. Nothing could be done about it but cover it up. Not that Devon cared about that. He always had dreamed of a picture-perfect thrall, but now, given how radically different everything in the world was, he decided that he wasn’t going to worry about something so immaterial. What mattered so much more was that he was with someone he could share his life with. He didn’t know much about Karsten, but he knew enough to know he admired his strength, his fortitude, and his downright gumption. A lesser man would have given up and stayed hanging there until he died from blood loss. Not Karsten. His survival instinct kicked in so hard he’d walked for miles with an enormous plank of wood across his shoulders and chains impeding his steps. But he hadn’t quit.
“Don’t quit now, Karsten. I’m going to get you back to health. I swear it.”
Karsten didn’t answer.
Eventually, Caleb returned, but he wouldn’t get close. As annoyed as Devon was, he understood Caleb’s reluctance. If Karsten did have something that was catching, which Devon still didn’t believe he had, Devon certainly didn’t want to spread it to all of his brothers. Since McBride was already vulnerable because of his illness, something else on top of that would probably kill him.
“I’ve brought water and tools.” Caleb took everything out of the dressiter’s saddle pack and set it about halfway between where his mount waited and where Karsten was lying.
“Thank you.” Devon waited until Caleb had retreated before he moved over to pick everything up. He was expecting Caleb to ride back, but he didn’t. “Are you just going to sit there and watch?”
“You’re going to do what you need to do, and then I’m going to escort you back.”
“Escort me back?” Devon got the water first.
“You and…”
“Karsten,” Devon supplied.
“You and Karsten are going to be quarantined in your house.” Caleb sighed. “Y
ou damn well better be right about this, because not only are you putting everyone at risk, but you’re going to be out of commission until we determine what’s going on.”
“I understand.” Devon looked Caleb right in the eye. “But I made the right call. If you had half a heart, you’d understand that.”
“You don’t even know him, so don’t hand me some romantic twaddle about love.”
“I didn’t say love.” Devon turned away before Caleb could see the hopeful look on his face. He wasn’t there, but one thing he knew for certain was that he couldn’t fall in love unless he had a man to pin his hopes on.
“You don’t even know if he’ll live.”
“He will.” Devon knelt down and opened the water. Since Karsten was on his back with his head turned awkwardly and the flask was oddly shaped, he didn’t see a way to give him the water without pouring half of it up his nose. After all he’d been through, Karsten didn’t need that. Inspiration struck when he remembered a bit from one of his novels. Devon poured the water into his own mouth, leaned over, pressed his lips to Karsten’s, and slowly fed him the water.
Karsten seemed confused at first, but once he realized Devon was giving him water, he opened his mouth and drank.
“He’s probably been raped a dozen times.”
Devon ignored Caleb. He didn’t care what had been done to Karsten. Well, that wasn’t quite true. He cared, but he wasn’t going to let that affect his determination to bring him back to health. One way or another, he was going to get Karsten back on his feet and fighting. Or in his bed and loving. Devon sighed. He shouldn’t put any demands on Karsten. Even though he’d offered himself out to be Devon’s thrall, he thought he’d only done so for protection. That alternately made Devon proud and sad. Proud that Karsten believed he could protect him but sad that he might not really be interested in him. “Any port in a storm” was a phrase Devon had read half a dozen times, but he’d never quite gotten it until now. Karsten was the wind-lashed boat, and Devon was the cove of comfort.
“For all you know, he’s—”
Devon didn’t let him finish. He lifted his head, spit what little water was there out, and snarled, “Shut up! I don’t want to hear anything else that you have to say. If you’re going to sit there and watch, then don’t comment. I’ve made up my mind, and I don’t need you spewing your hatred.”
Devon Morgan [Seven Brothers for McBride 5] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) Page 4