Page 4 of Draco

I didn’t realize I had fallen asleep until the stench of wet grass and the sound of panting invaded my senses. With slits for eyes, I peered at my phone, yet when the light illuminated my face, my gaze stretched wide at the blurred image of a black, sharp-toothed animal and a tall figure in my living room.

“Aah!”

I jumped back, tucking my feet under my butt. I couldn’t see anything without my glasses, and the lack of light only made it worse.

“Help! Somebody, help me!”

Despite my impaired vision, I detected the figure in the corner didn’t move. It seemed unfazed by the animal’s snarl or my panicked state. Other than a pair of glowing, ocean-blue eyes and diamonds in his ears, I couldn’t make out any distinct details about him or her or… it!

The sharp edge of my glasses rubbed against my fingers, launching me from frozen to over the back of the couch. Once I slipped my eyes on, I looked back and forth between my bedroom and the bathroom, calculating which one I could get to without getting caught. My gun was too far away to grab, and I didn’t have faith I could outrun the beast a few feet away.

“I don’t know what you want, but I have nothing for you to take! Get out! Get out now!”

I got in a squatting position, ready to risk it all, yet an unnatural silence coated the atmosphere. The heavy breathing that directed me from my sleep was gone. The looming feeling of someone in my home had vanished. I didn’t know if I had drank too much or read too many books, but either way, I vowed to fall asleep with my shotgun and Bible from now on.

“Throw that ass back,or I’m going to throw you out!”

A growl rattled my throat when the sound of my little brother’s fuck fest reached the kitchen where I sat with my dog resting at my feet and my vision latched onto the backyard. I had been up for hours, stressing about something I could have prevented, and I couldn’t think straight with the extra noise. It wasn’t unheard of for me to be up late, but typically, I was making money, riding with my motorcycle club, or hunting for blood, not worrying.

The act of eating cereal shouldn’t have been aggressive, yet I shoved the spoon in my mouth so roughly, I nearly chipped a tooth. Something as simple as losing a wallet wasn’t the end of the world. The idea of someone finding what was inside of it was the real problem.

“Aww shit. The big dog is in here eating cereal. You must really be in your feelings,” my middle sibling, Quadir, joked as he dropped his stocky frame onto the bar stool beside me.

“Q, don’t come in here talking shit. It’s my job to protect you, but I’m in the mood to make aniggableed. Don’t test me.”

He sucked his teeth and brushed down his fresh cut. “Whatever, Draco. You’re making this shit more complicatedthan it has to be. It’s just a wallet. Nobody can trace it back to you, and I know youdidn’t have anythingimportant inside.”

I massaged my scalp then pulled on my frizzy two-strand twists since I couldn’t figure out what else to do with my hands.

“My lifeline was inside.”

“No fucking way, Draco!” Quadir abandoned his seat. “Why the hell were you carrying the ring? You’re supposed to treat it the same way humans treat their social security card. Why didn’t?—”

I slammed my fist on the marble kitchen island, instantly sending a crack upthesurface.

“Get off my back! I know the damage this could cause. I’m the one who taught you the history of a lifeline.”

“You taught us, but you fucked up. You need yo’ ass beat.” Zo entered the kitchen shaking his head.

Quadir stared at him with disgust, narrowing his eyes. “Man, go put a shirt on. Walking around another man’s kitchen with your nipples out is crazy work.”

“Shut up, Doughboy!” Zo smirked, then focused on me. “Do you have any idea where you left it? You can’t feel it?”

I shook my head, hoping to detach from flashbacks of the night before. I didn’t tell my brothers what I found last night since I hadn’t told them I went out. They were hotheads who worked off human emotions while also possessing the temperament of a beast most people didn’t believe in.

Zo tugged on his baggie sweats and sized me up. “You are the head of this family, and you’re sitting here with tears in your eyes. Let’s go get your shit back!”

“First off, nobody’s crying. Plus, you’re worried about the wrong shit.” I grimaced. “I don’t know why you keep bringing those nightcrawlers from the clubhouse home, but keep them broads out of my spot. You have your own two-story house on this property. Fuck them on your turf.”

Zo pulled at his Cuban like he was popping his collar. “Don’t hate the player, and don’t take your anger out on me because you fucked up, sloppy ass.”

“Yeah. Well, mistakes happen when your plate is overflowing,” I replied.

“Get the hell out of here, Draco,” Quadir replied. “If you didn’t have anyone to look after, you wouldn’t know what to do with yourself. You’ve been like that since Mommy died, but fortunately for you,thisidiot killed his mate.” He pointed to Zo. “He’ll be with you forever. You know what the book says—one mate per vampire.”

Zo tossed Quadir a smug smile.

“Yeah, but humans have three in their lifetime. Did you forget we’re half-breeds, idiot? Imayhave action.” He shrugged. “I really don’t care. I don’t need nobody to take care of me unlike yo’ sweet ass.”

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