“Um…” I thought about it. “Well, Mischa is my younger sister.” Not completely a lie, just an exaggeration … a really big one – our age gap was about two minutes. “Apparently our parents have had a few rendezvous over the years. It was a mutual decision to be apart and now they’ve decided to try and be a family.” I wasn’t certain when I would tell them the truth. I was heeding Jonathon’s words for now, but it would come out eventually. I sucked at keeping secrets.
Braxton’s features were hard as we continued to walk. “Still sounds like Lienda’s a selfish bitch.” His voice was low. “I don’t understand how anyone could leave their child behind. At least she had the decency to raise Mischa.”
I guess you could leave your children to save their lives. It was actually a very good reason, as reasons go. I wished Braxton knew the truth, I didn’t want people to hate Lienda anymore. Did I agree with what my parents had done? I wasn’t sure, to be honest. I guess it’s hard to know if they’d stayed together whether I’d have been taken and killed. In that case, they’d definitely made the right decision, but maybe simply spelling the marks would have been enough. I’d missed so many years with my full family. I wanted those years back.
“No point dwelling in the past,” I mused. “I can’t change that, all I can change is the future and how I decide to handle the return of my mother and sister.”
Braxton laughed. “Gee, that’s very rational of you. Did some sort of mind meld happen in the forest?”
I punched him; it was like hitting a rock wall. Dammit, why did I continue to punch these men? It was killing my hands. He laughed again, shaking his head like I was the funniest thing he’d ever seen. I needed a better way to smack some sense into them.
Braxton suddenly shifted directions, steering me off the main road and toward their place. “Let’s stop in and grab the others. They’ve been worried too.”
As we neared the front door my sensitive ears picked up the sounds of cursing and shouts.
“Great.” Braxton started moving. He had the front door open and disappeared inside faster than I could track.
I followed his path inside. Exiting the hall, I ground to a halt at the sight of Tyson and Maximus fully going at it. The four boys didn’t fight a lot, they were as close as any siblings I’d ever met, but they were hot tempered men and on occasion disagreements erupted.
“Don’t talk about her like that again,” Maximus bellowed as he slammed his big fist into Tyson’s jaw. “This was not her fault.”
Maximus was bigger, but Tyson was a brilliant fighter, fast and strong. Tyson spun once and elbowed Maximus across his cheek, knocking the vampire back a few steps.
“I don’t trust her, and if you’d stop thinking with your dick you’d realize I’m right.” He launched onto Maximus, knocking him down. “Her arrival couldn’t be more coincidental … fey dead … prison breakouts.” He was punching his brother in between each word. “And it’s not just us to worry about, Jessa is right in the thick of this.”
With a roar, Maximus jumped to his feet, sending Tyson flying backwards across the room, then using vampire speed he followed.
Braxton was leaning against the wall, all casual-like. “Don’t make me break you up,” he said.
He wouldn’t get in the middle unless it got further out of control. Which it easily could. They’d let their inner hunters free and probably wouldn’t stop without serious bloodshed. Both of them had cuts and bruises, but nothing major yet.
Maybe it was the fact I was so out of it over the dragon mark revelations, but I decided to do something I’d never done before. I darted across the room, and with barely a moment’s hesitation jumped between the brawling men. If my sudden appearance didn’t shock them into stopping, I was going to be in a world of hurt.
“Jessa!” Braxton roared. He was reaching for me, but I was too far away.
The world seemed to hold its breath as the air swirled between the two of them. It almost seemed to be in slow motion as Maximus’s fist swung toward me. He’d been aiming for a body shot on his brother. Horror and fear crossed his features as he realized it was going to hit me and not Tyson. I closed my eyes and prepared for the hurt.
Silence descended over the room. I flicked my lids up to find a trembling fist right in front of my face.
Somehow he’d halted his punch a hair’s breadth from me. My heart was pounding rapidly, and my fear flooded the room, so potent I could taste it.
“Don’t fight, please.” I was begging. I had so much turmoil inside that I just couldn’t see them smash each other to pieces right now.
Maximus’ hands were still trembling as he reached for me. “Jess…” His voice wavered. “I could have killed you.” Then he was shaking me and roaring even louder than Braxton had. “I could have killed you! Don’t you ever do anything like that again, don’t ever get in the middle of a fight between us.”
I closed my eyes, willing my pulse and heart rate to slow. Then his strong arms were around me and Maximus’ scent was everywhere. “I’m sorry, Jessa.” He held me tight enough to cause discomfort and I knew by the way he continued to shake that he was full on freaking out.
“It’s okay, Max.” Braxton was behind us, I could feel him. “You stopped, you didn’t hurt her.”