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Darius’s fangs tingled as they dropped down from his jaw. “Don’t push me. I’m not in the mood.”
Vishous’s nostrils flared—and then he suddenly didn’t look so self-satisfied. He was dumbfounded. “Wait a minute. Are you… have you bonded with her? Really?”
A shaft of anxiety shot down Darius’s spine and landed in his partial erection. Surely he couldn’t have— “I’m not dignifying that with an answer.”
“You don’t have to.”
Darius stalked over to his bathroom and turned the light off. Just to give himself something to do—other than homicide. “Why the hell are you here. Instead of out stealing candy from babies and kicking puppies.”
“I’ve turned over a new leaf.” Vishous tapped his hand-rolled. “I’m now full of peace and love. A hippie.”
“No more black wax, then?”
That eyebrow jogged. “So people have been talking about me again.”
As exhaustion tackled Darius from behind, he felt like screaming in frustration, but lacked the energy. “Look, I’m not interested in your games or this bullshit back-and-forth—”
“There’s been another induction ceremony.”
Darius cursed. “Not again. Where.”
“Farmhouse. About ten miles out of town.” The other brother inhaled and talked through the smoke, as was his way. “As soon as I got into the field tonight, I tracked a new slayer. Still had dark hair and eyes. Before I stabbed him back to his unholy maker, I made him tell me where he’d gotten the black oil in his veins.”
“How many were turned.”
“Over a dozen.”
“Oh, shit.” Darius pulled a hand through his hair. “There was one last week, too.”
“The Omega’s on a roll.” Vishous stabbed his cigarette out in the little porcelain basin. “I’m heading to the site now.”
Darius shook his head, well aware of where this was going. “Why? It’s already done. The Omega will be gone, the inductees, too—”
“I don’t think so. The lesser was merely an hour or two past his induction. There could be others still recovering from the ceremony.” The brother’s voice lowered. “And you know how much I like to exercise—”
“You can’t go alone.”
“I wasn’t asking for your permission.”
“Well, I can’t go out tonight. You need to get one of the others to back you up.”
The brother cocked a brow. Then nodded toward the door. “Where did you find your little friend across the hall, by the way—”
Darius jabbed a finger at the male. “Watch your mouth.”
“Watch your distractions.”
“Distractions?” He went over to his desk, planted his palms, and leaned into them. “Are you saying I’m not completely committed to what’s left of this race?”
“I’m not the one with a human under him—”
“I keep a light on for our fucking King. I built a house for all of us that no one in the Brotherhood goes to, much less lives in. I am the thread between the Old Country and this shit existence in the New World. And you have the gall to suggest I’m slacking because one night—one fucking night—I dare to have a personal life? How many females have you fucked in the last week.”
“Females? I’m not sure. But I know there were seven males. No, eight if you count that blow job I got about two hours ago. And as for picking your date over that duty you talk so much about, don’t bitch at me. I’m just a mirror for your choices.” Vishous tossed the ashtray onto the blotter and sat up, planting his boots on the floor. “If I die tonight, your self-imposed guilt is your problem, no one else’s.”
Darius closed his eyes and tried not to lose it. “Do you know when the last time was that I… when the last night I…” He cleared his throat. “When I had a moment of peace. Just one fucking moment to myself? All I think about is the fucking war, and our fucking King, and our fucking species—I need a goddamn night off!”
As his voice got louder and louder, he didn’t bother holding anything in—even though, of all the Brotherhood, the one you never wanted to show any emotion or weakness in front of was the fighter in front of him. Vishous was the smartest brother, a warrior with an intellect honed like the daggers he sharpened, a male who had no mercy for anything or anyone. Including himself.
Whatever you showed him of your underbelly would go into his toolbox, and it would be used at some future time. To his benefit.
But Darius couldn’t give a shit about that right now.
“I’m tired of fucking everything tonight.” Except for the woman across the hall. “And I don’t have anything left to give you, or the Brotherhood.”
Vishous got to his feet. But instead of laying on the sarcasm, he kept his voice level. “This is wartime, D. There’s no peace for any of us. So when it comes to going off-duty, you’re never going to get a quarter from the likes of me, sorry.”
