Page 53 of The Syphon King

“Don’t forget you got that kid in your forced-adoption-prize needing something useful to do,” Zep said with a grin.

“You should take him under your wing,” Pah-Pah suggested, not missing his cocky brother’s humor.

“Yeah, Uncle Zep,” August said. “Teach that boy how to suck his thumb and hold his dick while pretending to work.”

“Do not fucking bite on that,” Bishop warned Zep while the chuckles flowed.

Zep raised both hands. “S’all good, big bro. I’m just here to be told where to sit, stand, and how to roll over.”

“Or maybe bend over,” Nitro muttered.

His brother moved so fast over the table, the two men slammed to the floor before Bishop knew what the fuck happened. Zep let out a sudden roar telling him Nitro fucking bit him.

Bishop ran to break it up. “Nitro!” he yelled right in his face, twisted in that bat rage. “Don’t you fucking hurt my brother, I swear to God, I willnotforgive you!”

Bishop’s heart pounded as he stared into those feral eyes, his growls simmeringto a purr as his brother remained in his full body lock, breaths straining like he was in the jaws of a boa constrictor.

He gave a slow lick along his bloody lips and released him. “Was just having a little fun. Bite’s already healing. Tell ‘em Zep.”

Zep climbed off him, coughing and gasping for air next to him as every brother remained locked and ready to intervene still.

Nitro held his hand up at Zep, asking for a hand up with his grin.

Zep bitch-slapped it away, causing all of them to brace for another bat-biting frenzy while Nitro chuckled and sprung to his feet like all his muscles had grown boosters. Zep headed out the Basilique and Nitro looked at Bishop, his pleasure slowly fading as he lowered his head, like a bad dog before his master. “Won’t happen again,” he muttered, opening his chair and sitting back down.

“What the fuck was that?” Bishop demanded, realizing he’d been holding his breath. “You need to be in a cage at meetings now?” He looked at Bart. “I need Nitro checked by the Creole Kings, put it on our list of give-a-shit business.” He slammed his fist on the table. “Fuck!”

“I said I’m fine,” Nitro assured.

Bishop snapped his gaze at him. “Was that a fuckingwarningin your voice?”

He shook his lowered head. “Not a warning, brother.”

Fury boiled in him as he made his way around the table. “What is this? This some kind of challenge?” He held the back of his chair and palmed the table, putting his face next to his. “You need to know if I’m still the fucking Bishop? Isthatit? You want to get up and settle that right now?”

“Nah.”

“Thenwhat?You need to prove something? Hurt something? ThenI’mthe one.” He grabbed his head in his hands and stared him in the eyes. “I’m the fucking one. You understand? You need to get insane on something, you need to get non-consensual, do your bat-fetish bullshit, then it’s me and you. Butdon’tyou fuckinghurtmy brother like that. Youdon’tknow all that’s happened to him.”

Nitro stared right into his eyes for many seconds. “My Eveque,” he muttered. “I’m okay. I swear.”

Bishop held his hard head tight and placed his forehead on his, closing his eyes. “You fucking better be, Lukas,” he half begged. “Ineedyou to be.” His hands fell to his shoulders for a tight squeeze before he turned and made his way to the door. “Let’stake thirty fucking minutes to get our shit together,” he said, heading out to find Zep while Seer’s ominous wonder from earlier returned to him.“If Nitro’s condition isn’t an accident but a divine defense against what’s coming, then.... makes me wonder what in the exact hell is coming.”

Yeah. That.

Outside, he looked around and spotted Zep on the big swing under the oak tree and made his way over. “Hey brother,” he said as he took a seat. “I’m sorry about that.”

He gave a light snort. “It ain’t you big bro.”

“He was out of line. I made sure it won’t ever happen again.” He eyed the blood on his shoulder. “How’s the bite?”

He gave a shrug. “Nearly all better. Just like he said.”

The hopeless worthlessness in his tone put a stone in his guts. Bishop forced the question from his tongue, desperate for the answer. “You know I love you brother?”

“Yeah, I fuckin’ know that,” he mumbled, indicating that wasn’t the problem. “I’m not pissed, I’m...maybe I’m envious.”

That still? “What can I do tofix it? Name it and I’ll do it.”

---