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Chapter 4
Antoine
Ayear in the span of a vampire wasn't very long at all. A blink of time in the long, infinity of forever. However, this last year had been like no other. Every moment away from Darren and Piper felt like knives digging into my veins.
Even hundreds of miles away, I could feel everything they felt. Every quiver of fear. Every burst of joy. Then there was the never-ending black hole of rage, which at any moment would fill to the brim, and who knew what would come from it when that happened.
Unsurprisingly, the anger came from Piper. Darren always had been more in control of his emotions than her. He'd been with me far longer, so I supposed he has had more practice.
Still, it was worrisome. My brothers and I had been on the move almost constantly since the hunters caught our scent back at Boris's manor. From Frankfurt to London and then finally back to the U.S. where I could keep a better eye on Darren and Piper. Not that it had done much good.
We were only ever able to get away for a day or two every month and never more than one of us at a time. The hunters were more tenacious than I had expected. Then again, with one of the most powerful master vampires terminated, they didn't have much else to do. Chasing us must be one of the only things giving the suped-up humans a purpose.
"You're an idiot if you think that." Rayne snorted, plopping down on the ratty couch, which at one point used to be red but was now more of an ugly brown.
"Do my ears deceive me, or am I still the head of this household?" I narrowed my gaze on Rayne. His shaggy red hair had been cut short with only the top part slightly longer. The long-sleeved, ribbed black shirt he wore had several holes in it, but not as many as the dark jeans on his legs. The combat boots he'd acquired from somewhere along with the rest of his outfit were covered in mud.
We'd all had to make sacrifices for the sake of our family, the disgusting motel we were staying in for one, but Rayne had chosen to change himself far more drastically than the others.
"Not you though," Rayne argued, interrupting my thoughts once more with a sneer. "And as I see it. You're not head of anything anymore. None of us are. We're just another group of bloodsuckers the hunters can pick off one by one."
"Wallowing in self-pity has never been a good look for you, Rayne. Best not to start now." I sighed and lifted my phone to check my messages. Nothing from Wynn yet.
I'd sent him to check on Piper a week ago and he still hadn't checked in. I had begun to think something had happened.
"Wynn's fine." Rayne shifted on the couch, glaring at the pale peeling yellow wallpaper around us. "He messaged a few hours ago that he was going to make a stop."
My hand tightened around my phone as I held back my need to lash out. "Why wasn't I informed?"
"Well, oh stick up your ass one, if you weren't in here moping, then you would have been with me when I found out." Rayne slid his fingers through the front of his hair, fluffing it up. "I was getting dinner with the twins."
Crossing one leg over the other, I glared at the door of the motel room. "You shouldn't be going out in such a big group. I've told you this time and time again." My voice rose, unable to keep myself in check any longer. "Pairs are all we can risk and only at scheduled times. Your turn wasn't until four with Marcus."
Rayne stood from the couch abruptly. "Well, tell that to your pet, because Marcus has been gone all day. I wasn't going to risk not getting to eat tonight. It's already been three days."
My own hunger ate at my stomach and my fangs ached to sink into someone. It could be that my need for blood has caused me to lose control of myself, but at that moment all I wanted to do was rip Rayne's throat out for daring to speak back to me.
Rayne backed away slowly, his hands up in front of him. "You could do with a bite too. Especially before you hear what Wynn has to say."
Flashing my fangs at him, I bolted to my feet. My hand raced out too fast for the human eye, but not for Rayne's. He quickly dodged my hand and jumped back to the door, his hand going to the doorknob.
I took a step toward him but then stopped myself. Taking a moment, I closed my eyes and worked on calming myself. I couldn't lose it now and hurt one of my own. No matter how much he frustrated me to no end. After I felt I wasn't in danger of lashing out again, I opened my eyes and focused on Rayne.
"My apologies. It seems I, too, need to feed." I adjusted the cuffs of my suit jacket and brushed my long pale strands over my shoulder. "As for the matter of Marcus, he's on recon for nearby hunters. He should be back soon. What of Wynn?"
Rayne turned the doorknob and threw the door open, revealing our disheveled, dark-haired brother. "He's here."
Scanning over Wynn's form and finding no injury or other reason for his delay, I prepared to lay it into him, only for the vampire to lift a dark blue ice chest. "Hungry? I brought dinner."
Rayne sighed, his shoulders sagging. "Thank God. Our lord and master here was two seconds away from tearing my head off."
Wynn's lips quirked up. "It's a good thing I stopped by a blood bank on the way home then, brother."
I narrowed my eyes on him and took my seat on the couch once more. "It was a rash and unnecessary risk."
Rayne snorted.
"It was necessary,mon cher." Wynn threw a packet of blood at me.
