Page 42 of Vampire's Breath

Lorcan practically snorted. “Hardly.”

I tilted my head at him. “Why are you so sure?”

“You’ll find it in his journal I gave you. Lord Lorcan felt sorry for her—believed she was acting in self-defense and for the good of humanity.” His voice was low.

“He believed she killed a vampire?”

Lorcan stood, his face a mask of unreadable stone. “You should go reread his journal.” He walked to the door, opening it. “I’ll see you at dinner. I need to find Cormac.”

I blinked a few times as my stomach sank, and it clicked that he was asking me to leave. I gathered the papers and scrambled up. “Um, sure,” I stammered as I walked past him. I paused in front of him and looked into his eyes, wanting to kiss him again, but he looked away. “Dinner, I guess.”

The door closed behind me.

Lorcan

Iwaited until I knew she was at the top of the stairs. I held her napkin to my lips, inhaling the scent of her blood. I shouldn’t have tasted it or even brought her hand to my lips, not after how she kissed me and the storm of feelings already raging inside me. My entire body relaxed as my heart pounded, the scent more intoxicating than any blood I had ever had. So much so that the idea of feeding from anyone else became ludicrous.

And that was the problem, the same thing that had happened to Ashdowne from the mere scent of Lady Isobel’s blood. The desire to go to Briar, to stay at her side, and to love and cherish her pulled at every inch of me. I gritted my teeth.

I needed to talk to Cormac. I needed to get out of here. I grabbed my phone from my pocket, feeling ridiculous. I dialed his number.

“Hello?”

“Where are you?” I asked my question hurriedly.

“In my office. Go to the Henderson’s side of the building and take the elevator to the top floor. Our offices are there.”

I hung up the phone and made my way to the corporate side of the building. Taking the steps, I was in front of my brother’s office door in seconds. I looked around and saw an office for each of my brothers and me—an office I had never set foot in.

“Lorcan, you can come in.” My brother’s voice floated through the door.

I walked through the assistant’s office into the inner sanctum. It looked like any modern office one would imagine. The room had once been servants’ quarters, but now, the beamed ceiling with its recessed lighting gave off an elegant and refined corporate feel.

Cormac looked up from behind his oversized desk, papers strewn out before him. “Brother, you look like you’ve seen a ghost. Can I get you a drink?”

I shook my head. “No. Now that Briar has the documentation on Lady Isobel, I only need you to take us home. I would get a commercial flight, but Briar would question it. Please, Cormac.”

His eyes darkened. “We need your help.”

My lip quivered. It had been over a hundred years since I confided in my brother, but I had no choice but to do so now if I were to untangle Briar from our family. I lowered my voice. “I need to be away from her. I can no longer be beside her.”

“She looked quite fond of you when you returned from the gardens. Did you have a row?” A sarcastic smile played on his lips.

“Brother, this isn’t funny. You have a witch at your side if Aiden comes to power. Briar would be killed.” I didn’t want to plead with him, but I would if I had to.

“Then help us,” he growled. “What has changed anyway? Why are you so insistent on going now?”

I pressed my lips together and looked at the ceiling. I hated him, but I loved him too, trusted him. I pulled air into my lungs, feeling them expand. “I tasted her. I tasted her blood, and it was the most exquisite I ever had. If I spend another day in this house with her, I won’t be able to continue to deny myself. And the last thing I want is to fall for her. I cannot have her be a part of this.”

He folded his hands and closed his eyes, almost like Father did when trying to guide us. “Do you think she’s your—”

“Don’t even go there. Don’t say it.” I clenched my teeth. “You know the bloodlines are the same. The chances of this being the same cursed pairing as Ashdowne—”

“Are extremely low. Ashdowne only wanted control of Isobel, yet I haven’t seen a hint of that with you and Briar. You are ready to deny yourself her love so you can protect her. But right now, that is the worst thing you could do.”

“What do you mean?” I struggled to keep my voice flat.

Cormac sighed, staring at his desk. “We’ve recently heard from the coven in Savannah. Aiden has moved several of his people into the city. They aren’t near the plantation yet—”

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