Page 27 of The Psychic and the Vampire

“Or it could be another random person who doesn’t like what you do. Case in point, I think it’s safe to say the pair of you have created a shitstorm for the criminal element in town just by claiming each other.” Bridget sat back, patting her bellyafter finishing the breakfast Ant had cooked for her. “Did you seriously turn in Tony Manzano because my brother suggested you do the right thing?”

“You’ve clearly been speaking to someone at the police station.” Viktor pushed his finished plate away and reached for his coffee. “I had thought about turning in Tony numerous times before, but in a lot of ways I’ve ignored human affairs. In every society there are those who rule and abuse others, whether it’s a politician, a mob boss, or someone who people instinctively turn to in difficult times.

“I’m not saying they’re all abusive, or that the power goes to their head every time, but it does happen to a select few, like Tony. He was raised to rule with threats and fear by his father, who held the position before him, and his father before that. You could almost say it was genetic. It wasn’t up to me to change his behavior.”

Bridget was watching Ant with a worried expression. “Doesn’t that bother you, that your mate feels that way?”

“No.” Ant shook his head. “Viktor has lived a long time. He hasn’t had anyone care about him, so I can see the reasoning behind him not appearing to care about anyone else. I know that’s changed, or rather, that will change now we’re mated. Viktor did say he had thought about turning Tony in, especially after Mr. Fallows was murdered. But he hadn’t had the chance to find the weapon and didn’t think at the time there were any witnesses to the horrific event.”

“Are you going to care about my brother?”

Ant wasn’t surprised Bridget would ask Viktor directly. Bridget knew he had the emotional IQ of a newt and struggled with showing caring as well, even if he believed he felt that way. His relationship with Bridget was a good example.

Ant might not hug her or show her physical affection, even though they were related. But he always told her how much he appreciated her looking out for him, or he did when she asked, and he did make sure that the wards around her house were as impressive as the ones around his.

He also tried to consider how things he did might impact her at various times, and to him it was those actions that spoke of an affection he felt but couldn’t express.

“I feel mating makes any level of caring inevitable,” Viktor said slowly. “That is something that should be between Ant and myself, though, as we navigate this mating together.”

“No.” Bridget did not have the same respect for Ant’s table the way Viktor had shown earlier that morning, slapping it hard enough to make her empty plate jump. “I need to know he will be cared for. I need to know that he will be loved. I need to know categorically, especially seeing as your involvement in his life has already caused a shitshow of epic proportions, I need to know Ant will be protected with every ounce of your life. Do you hear me?”

Able, who’d been enjoying the morning sun on the back porch, came running in and barked.

“It’s all right, Able.” Ant clicked his fingers, and his dog came and sat by his side, ready to receive his pats for being a good dog. “Bridget is just concerned about me.”

“Yes, and I notice the vampire at the table is not in a hurry to answer me,” Bridget snapped.

“Tony was already looking to take Ant out,” Viktor said calmly. “This was before I knew we were mates, but he wanted Ant paid off to change his testimony in the first instance. In the second instance, he heard from someone in court that Ant had described him perfectly, and he ordered me to kill him. Again,before I knew we were mates, I talked Tony out of his stupidity both times.”

That was news to Ant, but he was pleased Viktor had done it. Bridget didn’t see things the same way.

“You’re doing it again. You’re still so totally invested in keeping Tony’s criminal family safe you’re using generalities. ‘Someone in court.’ You know who that person was but you’re not telling us.” Bridget slapped four fingers on her forehead. “I’ll bet you the price of a suit it was that defense lawyer. Banks, Colin Banks. I bet it was him. He was sweating buckets when he knew you were in the courtroom, vampire.”

“I won’t take your bet. It’s not my job to weed out all the corruption in the justice system, or the web of contacts the Manzano family has in every facet of this town. Ant wanted me to support his efforts to find the person who murdered Fallows. I did that. It didn’t matter to me if that person was the head of a crime family or someone who stocked shelves at Walmart. Ant called me out, because I knew who it was, and so I did the right thing. Now your brother wears my mark, and I wear his.”

Viktor pointed his finger at Bridget. “I will never be a Good Samaritan. People do dumb shit – paranormals and non-paras alike. That annoys me and bores me, and I gave up caring about them a long time ago. The only reason I’d piss on a burning man was if my bladder was full. But your brother will always be my main focus, and he will be protected every second of every day. I will make sure he eats. I will hold him when his nightmares stop him from sleeping. I will cook his meals when he’s too tired to do it himself and play with his dog. I’ll even pick up my damn wet towels off the floor after my shower. Do you understand me?”

Ant sat back in his chair, his head tilted slightly as he felt the play of emotions and energies flow between the two most importantpeople in his life. Able was happy, leaning against his chair, and Ant stroked over the fur between Able’s ears, seeing the shifts and changes as if they were a river flowing between his sister and his mate. They were matching each other glare for glare, giving the energies more intensity – making them easy to read.

There was his sister’s antagonism toward Viktor, based on her fears for Ant.

Viktor’s frustration at being questioned, but there was confusion too, and Ant could relate. He often felt like that when Bridget started talking about emotional concepts.

Bridget wasn’t used to being pushed back against.

Neither was Viktor.

Then a sliver of amusement flickered through Bridget’s psyche, and Ant could almost see her thinking about an old time western standoff.

Had Viktor picked up her shift in thoughts? Ant didn’t know if vampires could do that, but Ant got a clear picture of a joke gun, waving a flag with the word “poof” on it.

Bridget’s moods always shifted quickly. Ant noticed the twitch on the side of her mouth and relaxed.

Viktor held out a fraction longer – the confusion increased for a long moment - and then his lips twitched, too.

Seconds later they were both laughing madly at each other across the table.

“What do you think Able?” Yeah, Able wasn’t sure what had happened either, but his tongue was hanging out and he was smiling in that special way unique to German shepherds. “Did anyone else want any more coffee?”

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