Page 27 of Blood of the Damned: Thorn
Peeved, Thorn glowered at Dacian because it was the truth. “If you have quite finished with the ‘you’re wrong and we’re right’ part of this fishing trip, then I have a stack of work waiting for me.”
“Who’s fishing? And for what?” Calvert asked, strolling into the wine cellar, wearing his workout clothes.
Dacian frowned at his twin, his gaze roaming down the sweaty outfit. “Aren’t you planning on working today?”
“No. Ledger has got everything in hand for the Dewei party coming in for wine tasting. They have also booked a trip through the vineyard and I’m not needed for that”—he shrugged, but there was a tension about him that made Thorn eye his brother with speculation—“so I’ve decided to take some time for myself.”
It all sounded plausible, except Thorn got the feeling there was more to it. But what, he couldn’t fathom.
Dacian stepped around the barrels and went to Calvert. With Dacian’s back to Thorn he couldn’t see his expression, but that didn’t stop him picking up a tension between the two brothers.
“What am I missing here?” he questioned, tilting his head as he shifted to see both brother’s expressions.
They both wore matching grim looks, neither giving him their attention. “Seriously, what is it?”
A sensation of unease crept up his spine as the silence continued for so long, he thought neither were going to answer him.
“Are you going to pretend that something monumental didn’t happen last night?” asked Calvert, who didn’t look in Thorn’s direction as he fired off the accusation.
Thorn released a long-suffering sigh. He gave Dacian a pointed look, knowing he’d wound up Calvert, before he came and placed a hand on the arm that quivered at his touch. “What did you feel?”
Calvert finally looked at him, and what Thorn saw was deep sadness. “Everything.”
Well fuck!“I’m sorry, I tried to keep it to myself.”
“It didn’t work,” Dacian stated flatly, still looking at Calvert.
“How am I supposed to block it? For centuries, we’ve shared everything. It’s impossible to put a lid on it. Though I seriously did try, I swear.”
Calvert nodded curtly, his head snapping back so sharply, it looked like his neck was one rigid piece of wood. “We know.It’s just impossible to not be envious at feeling the utter joy you experienced with Ledger. I’m happy for you.”
His brusque tone sounded anything but happy, and Thorn got a sense of how lonely Calvert felt.
“Tell me how to make it better?”
The sigh Calvert released sounded pained. “There is nothing you need to do.” He shook off Thorn’s touch. “I’ll adapt, like I always do.”
The resignation left Thorn conflicted. His happiness being the cause of his brother’s distress wasn’t something he knew how to handle.
“You don’t need to handle me, brother.” Calvert pivoted on his heel and left as silently as he arrived.
“Why didn’t you say something to me,” Thorn demanded quietly, the second he sensed Calvert was far enough away that he might not hear him.
Dacian glared at Thorn. “Don’t go throwing this shit at me. I didn’t piss him off, you did.”
“He’s not pissed off. He's… lonely… sad,” Thorn pointed out with a heavy heart.
“I know.” Dacian’s shoulders slumped, and he turned to perch his ass on the nearest barrel, looking at Thorn. “Our connection is stronger, as you fucking know, so I don’t need you to spell out how he’s feeling to me. I feel it on every level.”
Thorn held on to his temper at the nasty edge to Dacian’s voice because it came from a place of worry for his twin. “I’ll try harder—”
“If you do that, you’ll only upset him more. You know that.” Dacian ran his hands through his hair, a clear sign of his frustration. “What happened last night?” he asked again, only this time without the pushy attitude.
Thorn paused, glancing at the open doorway where anyone could come across them. His senses said they were alone when he met Dacian’s curious stare. “I fully claimed Ledger.”
“Fully claimed…” Dacian’s eyes widened, the disbelief evident even without their connection. “In your vampire form?” he spluttered, the feelings coming from him accompanied by a dose of envy.
“Yes. Ledger asked for it.” He’d had all night to consider what that meant for Ledger, when he hadn’t roused afterwards. Ledger couldn’t shift, but his animal spirit was dominant inside him and Thorn got a sense that it was his animal side that had been the one to push Ledger out of his comfort zone. Why, he wasn’t sure. When Ledger had woken this morning, he’d given Thorn a sheepish smile, then made no reference to what had happened between them despite the glaringly obvious claim bite marring his skin.
