I scoffed, ignoring him, and picked up the mug in the sink, rinsing it off and placing it on the drying rack.
Right on cue, Darian pushed away from the counter, stormed over to the sink and rewashed it himself.
Like I knew he would.
Kieran rolled his eyes.
“Unlike you,” I gave Kieran a look. “I would rather keep my dick intact. Honestly, I’m shocked yours hasn’t fallen off yet.” I shuddered just thinking about it, and Kieran just grinned like it was a compliment
“And as I told him,” I nodded towards Darian, who was now scrubbing the already-clean mug. “I was out. I don’t need to tell you what I do in my free time. In the same way, I don’t question what Vespera tells him in their secret meetings that can’t be shared with the rest of us.”
Darian’s shoulders went rigid. Satisfied, I cleared my throat and turned on my heel, heading out of the kitchen to pull on my boots.
“Wow, you’re extra twitchy today. Not getting much sleep?” Kieran teased Darian, leaning against the counter as I laced up my boots, my thoughts tangled up with Cherry, her eyes, her scent, her beautiful body and that laugh. Fuck.
“Yeah, well, for one, I had to pull Drew from yet another fight, and check on Daleyza after the mess from last night, then a fucking banshee spent hours screaming in your room. So, no, I didn’t get any fucking sleep.” Darian snapped, pushing past Kieran, who just chuckled before leaving his mug in the sink without washing it.
Classic Kieran.
I chuckled to myself as I finished tying up my boots. Darian stood in front of me, his expression a mix of annoyance and concern. “Don’t tell me, but you know if Vespera ever finds out and questions it, you can’t hide it.”
“Lucky for me,” I said with a small grin. “I can shield my mind.”
Perks that I had a witch in the family from somewhere in my family tree.
“That’s another problem, if she ever found out what you can do, she won’t hesitate to torture you to break that block.” I stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to convey some reassurance.
“That’s why I’m careful and quiet,” I replied. “She has plenty of other hunters who do the more important jobs, like you.” I kept that reminder tucked away. He was Vespera's little puppet, and I couldn’t risk sharing too much with him.
I loved the man, but I couldn’t trust him when it came down to that witchy bitch.
He eyed me for a moment longer, contemplating my words before giving me a subtle nod of understanding.
“Now that you’ve kissed and made up, let’s get this meeting over with so I can crawl back into bed.” Kieran chimed in as he finished lacing up his own boots and throwing on his worn leather jacket.
“Oh, and Darian, there’s another unwashed cup in the sink.”
We both erupted in laughter, the sound echoing off the kitchen walls, whilst Darian stormed back into the kitchen.
“You two are insufferable,” he grumbled, but I could see the corners of his mouth twitching despite himself. Kieran just grinned, completely unfazed, and I couldn’t help but feel a little lighter despite the tension looming over us.
As we stepped out of our apartment, the harsh daylight assaulted my eyes, and I squinted against the brightness. Wewere headed to the creepy, oppressive building that Vespera lived in, the council building attached to it. I couldn’t stand any of the council members—those pompous assholes with their holier-than-thou attitudes.
I was a hunter for one reason and one reason only. To protect the people in Velmore and kill vampires or anyone who was a threat to them. I despised vampires the most, all of us did. The hatred ran deep, rooted in the scars of the past, ever since the Ashen war. King Draeven had tortured, experimented on, raped, and killed countless witches back then, igniting a firestorm of fury that still burned in our hearts.
That is the only reason why I followed the council’s orders and Vesperas. We had a common enemy, so I followed the laws that were set, but deep down, I couldn’t follow them when it came to Cherry. She was just a witch, someone worth protecting and not an enemy. She didn’t want to be registered, and I noticed the fear in her eyes at the mention of Vespera, even though she wouldn’t admit it. Gaining her trust was my priority, and I liked getting to know her. I had no idea how long I was going to keep her a secret from my brothers.
The thought gnawed at me, a constant reminder of the precarious balance I was walking, caught between loyalty and the weight of my convictions.
Several women passed by, throwing flirty smiles at Kieran as we made our way through the crowded streets. He revelled in the attention, winking back at them with that signature smug smirk of his that made him irresistible to them.
The moment they noticed Darian at his side, their flirtation turned to panic, and they scattered like startled birds.
“Could you at least smile? You’re scaring all of them away.” Kieran pouted like a child.
Like I said, he’s a grumpy fuck, but loves the attention of women because they give him one of the things he craves the most, attention.
The other being alcohol.
