Chapter 43

I woke to the find myself warm and wrapped up in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar room. The walls were blue like the sky and the windows were curtain-less. The only furniture in the place other than the bed, was a rickety, old rocking chair in the far corner by the door and of course the chair that had been pushed up to the side of the bed—the same chair in which Rein sat. He watched me without a word, his expression was—as usual— unreadable.

I sat up in the unusually large bed and ran a hand over my face to clear the initial fogginess.

"You do a lot of stupid shit, you know that?" I questioned him and when he opened his mouth to speak, I shook my head. "And don't tell me about my language, I'm not in the mood."

"I expected you to see it no other way of course, but whatever I do, it has always been for your own good."

"How is letting me mourn my family for my own good?" I asked incredulously.

"The fact that you now call them your family was reason enough."

I looked at him, feeling nothing but confusion...and of course annoyance. "What does that even mean?"

"It means that over the years you had allowed yourself to care for these people, but it was time for you to join me and I knew that leaving them would have been a struggle for you. Allowing you to believe they had died seemed the easier route. It was necessary."

"No. You mean if I knew they were alive it would have been harder for you to keep me with you." I surmised and he nodded without hesitation.

"I knew of your anger toward me and I was aware of the sense of loyalty you had toward these men. Therefore I knew that you would choose your duty to remain by their sides over what we had in the past." He explained. "When your anger rises to the surface you are not easily tamed. Therefore keeping this hidden from you made you more pliant"

When he was done, I could only look at him. "You selfish bastard."

"I never professed to be anything else Tony, however a bastard I am not."

"I swallowed, then took a deep breath. "You said they've been discharged from the army...are you saying that you got me out too? That I've been free this whole time and you've let me worry that I was AWOL?"

"Yes."

I shook my head slowly; eyes never leaving his face. I didn't know why the things he did surprised me anymore. This was Rien. He was a stubborn, selfish bastard who did what he wanted, when he wanted and thought about the consequences later—no...he thought about the consequences in advance, but did shit anyway, just because.

I thought about the weeks I'd gone thinking my brothers were gone forever and how it had eaten me up inside. I thought of how every second without them had hurt like nothing else and how Rien had let me go on hurting just so I could stay with him.

"You always talk about how everything you do is to keep me safe and how you don't want to hurt me." I began. "But you knew how I was feeling this whole time and you let it happen anyway,"

"Yes," he said simply, with no explanation.

"Then I guess all this talk about my protection was just talk huh?"

For the first time, a flicker of emotion crossed his face. "You know that is not the case."

For a while I said nothing. "So where are they now?"

"I suppose they have reunited with their families. I did not care to watch over their lives."

"And what do they think happened to me?"

"Perhaps they believe you to be dead, or perhaps they think you have gone to live your life. I would not know."

I groaned, "Rien—"

Of course there just had to be an interruption right then. I gritted my teeth and turned away from him when the intruder pushed the door open without knocking and entered the room with a smug smile on his perfect little bloodsucking face.

"Ah...the human lives." Rien's brother, Jorlon said when he saw me. He offered me the creepiest bloodsucking smile when I only glared at him, then he turned his attention to Rien who was watching him with an expression equal to boredom.

"When I saw that his bed in the medical center was empty I cocluded that he must have died." The bloodsucker continued with a smile. "I had decided in that moment that I would come here to console you. I did not wish to see your tears again. Not wh—"

"Enough Jorlon." Rien interrupted him with a growl.

To my surprise, his brother's smile fell and I thought that maybe Rien had somehow hurt his little bloodsucking feelings...but when his smile grew back just a quickly, I decided that his feelings, if they even existed, were perfectly intact.

"It is good that you have taken him to your private chambers. I read recently that humans need extra care and attention. Keeping him with you will certainly provide that. Very wise Rien."

My eyes narrowed of their own accord. Was this the same brother who I'd thought was just as evil and emotionless as the rest? He reminded me of Snowflake; clueless and annoyingly innocent.

As I watched him inch closer and closer to Rien as he spoke, I thought that despite this side of his personality, that I hadn't known existed, he was not a man to be underestimated. I'd seen snowflake in the ring, ripping hearts out of chests and breaking necks; this fool conversing with Rien was a masterclass vamp; which meant he could also be ruthless.

"Father is right of course, you cannot keep him once you have been made leader." He continued. By now he was beside Rien's chair, looking at me with mild curiosity. "Perhaps as a pet though. I do not think our people would mind that."

"I'm sure." The boredom in Rien's voice was unmistakable.

Wait a minute.

"What do you mean leader?"

If it were even possible, Jorlon's smile widened. "Father has declared him his heir. He has decided to step down and Riener will take his rightful place." He sounded like a proud, smug brother, but he was grating on my nerves.

When I looked at Rien, he was watching me with what I could only describe as expectation.

"You're gonna lead the coven?"

"No. I have already decided against it."

When Jorlon sat at on the bed by my legs, I frowned.

"It has never been your decision Riener. Father wants—"

"When have I ever given a thought to father's desires?"

"If not you, then who will lead? Surely not Kandane who means to kill us all."

"No...not Kandane." He agreed. "Why not you?"

He froze, his mouth opening and closing without so much as I sound.

I sighed and turned to Rien, who gave me an indulgent smile. The smile annoyed me.

"Surely you jest Riener."Jorlon finally spoke. "I am no leader...nor do I wish to be. I have neither the experience, nor the fortitude. It must be you."

"Then perhaps Marcan or Peitre will wish to take on the duty."

"It matters not what they want. Father will not relinquish control to anyone but you and I believe it would be best for the coven if he does in fact pass the duty to someone more suited for it...someone...kinder perhaps.

Rien raised a brow, the amusement clear on his face. "Kinder?"

To my surprise, Jorlon's face flooded with red. "Of course I mean someone who has a deep love for our people. Father may be a competent ruler, but he cares nothing for those he rules over."

"You mean someone who has a deep love for you."

Jorlon stood and paced from one end of the room to the other. "Father refuses to accept suggestions and strategies from anyone but you. You may not believe it, but I too have ideas I wish to impart, and with you in power, I know that I would be free to impart them upon you and you would give them fair consideration."

"Ah." Rien said with an uncharacteristic grin. "So all this talk of my leadership is in hopes that it will benefit you."

Jorlon finally paused in his pacing and turned to us with his head held high. "Of course."

I shook my head while Rien only laughed. It surprised me to know that it was Rien who was the younger brother here.

"I shall take that under advisement." Rien said simply, and even though I could tell he wasn't serious, Jorlon seemed to be appeased.

"This is good."

"Tell me of the steps you have taken to learn the whereabouts of Kandane."

Jorlon frowned. "It matters not what steps we have taken. We have searched and he simply cannot be found. Kandane has always been a good strategist. When he wishes to be seen, we will see him."

"Yes, but he has also always been too quick to a temper. He will strike without delay. Perhaps even in a matter of hours." Rien continued. "I trust the wolves have readied themselves?"

"Yes. They only await the arrival of their allies."Jorlon said. "You will also be pleased to know that your hunters have arrived... as has your white-haired nobleman."

"Christophe's here?" I questioned and Jorlon looked over at me with interest.

"I do not know his name."

"Very well...leave us now." Rien waved him away and once again, I saw the strange flash of hurt across Jorlon's face; as though he were trying desperately to connect with a brother who wanted nothing to do with him. If I didn't have more important things on my mind, I would have probably felt sorry for him.

I watched as he crossed the room stiffly and closed the door softly behind him. When I turned my attention back to Rien, he was of course, watching me.

"Why don't you want to lead?"

"Because you are not happy in my coven, living amongst my people and I do not wish to upset you anymore than I have."

"So you want to lead." I concluded.

"I wish to see a better life for my people. I do not wish to lead. I believe they can have that life if my brothers take on the challenge."

"I'm not asking you to abandon your coven for me."

"My leaving them will not be abandonment. I would make my presence known from time to time."

I thought about it. "Thanks for saving my friends' lives."

He nodded. "Of course."

"It still doesn't change the fact that you're a selfish dick."

When he smiled, so did I "Of course not."

................................................................................

~Five years Prior~

~Rien~

"Holy fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"Even when in pain, your tongue remains filthy. Let me see."

I stepped over the hammer he had dropped to the ground and tried to take his hand from where he held it close to his body.

"Stop!" he shouted, moving away from me quickly as he continued to clutch his injured thumb to his belly.

I watched him with mild impatience. "This is not the time to be stubborn Tony." I took a step toward him and he backed away.

"Leave me alone, it hurts!" he whined, blinking the moisture from his eyes.

"You are clumsy. I do not understand why you would every think to pick up a hammer."

He looked at me as though he would not have minded using the hammer on me instead.

"I was trying to fix that damn nail."

I looked at the nail protruding from the wall and frowned.

"Why?"

"Because every time I come over it's just there and it was annoying me."

I shook my head. "My stupid little human." I said and he glared at me.

I reached over and pulled the offending nail from the wall, only to have his eyes narrow further.

"Why do you always do that?"

"Perhaps you should be more precise."

He finally pulled his hand away from his body and looked at his swollen thumb. A moment later he looked at me. "This!" he gestured to the wall. "You always think I can't do shit for myself. I'm not fucking useless Rien!"

I took a slow, calming breath. He would surely be the death of me. So I shoved the nail back into the wall, half in, half out, just as it had been before, then I picked up the hammer and held it out to him.

When he only looked at it, I held it closer. "Go ahead, hammer it into place if you so desire."

Instead, he cursed under his breath and turned away. I watched him cross the room and enter the bathroom, where he slammed the door.

I deposited the hammer onto the table and sat on the bed to await his return. I could hear him cursing me under his breath as he no doubt soothed his swollen thumb under the running water.

He complained when I chose not to give him aid and he complained when I did. He was a challenge. I wondered if perhaps I should prepare him an icepack for his injury, then I wondered if perhaps that would upset him further.

In the end I gathered the icepack anyway and when he finally emerged from the bathroom, I handed it to him. He took it with a grumble and moved past me to climb into the bed, covering his legs with the covers as he sat nursing his thumb.

Of course I followed, and sat beside him. For a long time we sat in utter silence, until he broke it with a question.

"How'd the meeting with your brothers go?"

"No different than I had expected. They offered their opinion, I offered mine, afterwhich time they left.

"What was the meeting about anyway?"

"Things that do not concern you."

He sighed, looking up at me with a frown.

"You hardly ever talk about your family. How do you expect me to completely understand you if I don't know anything about your family?"

"They are hardly an interesting lot."

"Who cares, just give me something to work with. The only thing I know is that you have four brothers, your mother's dead and your dad's a dick...tell me more."

"Very well, what would you like to know?"

He seemed to consider my question for a moment. "Tell me about your brothers."

"Very well. Kandane is the eldest. We are not very close...he tends to prefer my father's company. He thinks very highly of himself and he makes it his duty to try to control my actions. He has a temper when he does not get his way and he is quite cunning; he is not one you would wish to make your enemy."

"He sounds like a douche. What about the other one? Marcan?"

"He is next in line; the second son. He...he used to be the most loving person I knew. You could never catch him without a smile on his face or laughter in his throat. He was also the happiest person I knew. When I was a fledgling, he took great pleasure he teasing me, but he also took pleasure in caring for me. He was my protector." I told him.

"Was?"

I nodded. "He changed when our mother...met her end. These days he is quite bitter. I prefer to stay away from him."

"He was your favorite, wasn't he?"

"Why would you think I have a favorite among my brothers? I love them equally."

Tony grinned. "Yeah, but you preferred his company."

I saw no reason to lie. "Yes. I did."

"Tell me about the others"

"Peitre is the third son. We have never truly been close, but that is simply because he prefers his own company much of the time. He is what you would call a loner. He has always been more caught up in his own mind than he is with reality." I explained. "The rest of us have never really known what to make of him." I paused. "I know that he likes simple things, just as I know he has an appreciation for fine art. It is the only thing we have in common and the only thing we have ever bonded over. You see, he is not gifted in matters of artistry, so he likes to watch me when I paint."

When next I looked at Tony, he was smiling. "They sound pretty great."

"Yes well, I suppose they are...in their own way." I said thoughtfully. "Then of course there is the forth son Jorlon. Like many groups of siblings, there is always that one who can only be termed annoying." I said with a chuckle.

"Annoying how?"

"Never allowing us our privacy, always choosing to strike up conversation when we are busy. Never respecting personal space and constantly shoving his new discoveries down our throats." I thought of him fondly. "You see, he likes to read and he likes to learn, so whenever he learns, he thinks it necessary to teach it to us; no matter how uninterested we are in the subject matter."

"He sounds pretty great to me"

"Yes well...when you have spent a lifetime with him, you will find that at times he gets to be too much. He tends to be quite needy. The way our mother doted on him did not help matters."

Tony shrugged, lifting the icepack so he could inspect his thumb. "Well at least you've got four people to look out for you. That's still four more than a lot of people have." He said seriously and I got the distinct impression that he was referring to himself.

                                                         AUTHOR'S NOTES

ENJOY!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.