Page 24 of Hound

Ms. Eli widened her mouth, but Mr. Amelle made an appearance, silvery golden dreadlocks twisted in a large bun high on his crown as he bowed. “Pardon my intrusion.” Mirroredshades concealed his eyes, and though his voice carried a consistent steadiness, it faltered.

Heavy breaths plunged his chest, the tactical vest emphasizing his slouched broad shoulders. Sweat lined deep sepia flesh and glistened across his freckled cheekbones underneath the low lighting.

He appeared as ruffled as Alek.

“What do you require, Mr. Amelle?” When had my tongue dried to this extent?

“We require Ms. Eli’s presence, sir. It’s time for the routine search across the grounds.”

“One day won’t do no harm,” Davina mentioned.

“I’m afraid that the request is coming from the Senior Guardian. I’m only the transmitter, Ms. Ambrogio.”

Noah shook his head with exaggeration. “Oh, no fun! It was just growing interesting.”

I nodded, and in sheer abruptness, they vanished, yet the question remained.

Whydidshe remind me of Lorenzo?

As the eldest, I did not get called upon. This was an insolent act under the vampire hierarchy, my seniority rooted deep in the very basis of our society and set principles. Age came after prestige, and as the first born of the Sephtis line, heir to the Premier title, I possessed both underneath this household, my authority greater than all my brothers combined.

However, at rare times, a brother could request my time. In the cases that it occurred, it was for one or two reasons: someone had dirt on someone, or there was a matter at hand with That Man.

Yet, the prickle in my abdomen denied the two as I entered Noah’s domain the day following the Ambrogio’s spontaneous visit.

Purple-toned lights radiated around the barren vault, accentuating the corridors surrounding the prodigious pool. A lone body swam to the edge, the water’s pale surface intensifying Noah’s gape. In a wink, he lifted himself and grabbed a towel from the camouflaged benches along the wall.

“Eldest brother! So lovely to see you here at such an hour.”

“You requested this.”

“Maybe, but you didn’t have to say yes to it. Aren’t you the one with the authority under this household?”

“Authority is figurative.” Before our mother’s passing, these vampiric practices were simply taught, never thrusted down our throats. It wasn’t until after our mother’s passing we began playing into these hierarchical games. On which grounds? Unbeknownst to us all. It was from one night to another, a result of the consolation none of us received. It had been the only support we possessed to upkeep a sense of balance, a trap that, once discovered, was ingrained too deep to alter these dynamics that society had imposed on us.

“Sure, sure. Would you like a drink?”

Lips widened but quickly shut as the taste of distant metal coated my tongue and abruptly churned my body. A dry heave knotted at the base of my throat. At that moment, it struck like a viper.

When had I fed last? What had led me to stop?

Burning bronzed eyes lined with possession and allurement flashed within my mind.

Since that night.

I cleared my throat. “No.”

“Then I shouldn’t either.” Noah winked with a wide grin, fangs gleaming. Then rapidly, he swept something from thebench and threw it in my direction. My hand caught it before my eyes could register what it was. But there was no need to when my touch recognized the rounded structure.

I opened my palm to the cold clicker. “How?—”

“Next time, you hold something of value, Eldest Brother,” Noah said, “don’t drop it.” There was no jest in his usual tone. The performance had vanished the moment I stepped foot inside, the Noah before me pensive and firm.

Panic bubbled in my throat. “Did you press it?”

“I may act like an imbecile, but it doesn’t signify that Iamone. I don’t test my luck with items that I’m not familiar with.” A smirk flourished across his pale complexion underneath the low lighting. “Though it was Bethany who pointed out what this little particular device entailed.”

In a moment, the air shifted to a pensive buzz, a weight burrowing into my abdomen. To ask was to dig my grave deeper; was it worth doing so when Sonia had denied such a thing?

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