Page 84 of Act of Brotherhood
Boomer leaned around Auberi and looked in Malik’s direction. “Apparently, he claimed Landros’s niece.”
Malik’s eyes widened. “Claimed? What? When? I thought you spent last weekend banging a random chick you ran into in Savannah.”
Edee grunted. “Real classy there, Malik. Some chick?”
Malik stiffened. “Um, sorry. I’m just confused.”
“Oh, he spent the night with a woman all right. One he apparently claimed, and who just happens to be Landros’s niece.” Edee eased the tablet from Garth’s hand. “I’m pulling up the medical reports now. Give me a second.”
Malik drew back slightly. “Shit.”
Auberi snarled again. “You had no business touching her! In fact, you’re not to look upon her at all. Am I clear?”
Malik rubbed his temple, looking incredibly tired. “Auberi, what in the hell is going on?”
Boomer grunted. “He wanted to go at Rurik too when the guy pointed out how attractive Nicolette is.”
Malik stared at Auberi. “You can’t possibly think she’s your mate. Especially if Garth already claimed her.”
Anger bubbled up and out of Garth. “No! She is not his mate! She’s mine!”
For a split second a pin drop could have been heard on the jet. And then, just like that, Auberi tried to attack Garth once more. It took Rurik, Boomer, Duke, Striker, and Malik to hold him in place.
“Fucking vampire is strong,” snapped Duke, sounding strained. “Can we stake him? Sure, we’ll have to deal with the dust afterwards, but it will put an end to this bullshit.”
Boomer pushed hard against Auberi. “You can’t kill him. My mate will be pissed. That woman has a pet panther and a chimp who are more than willing to do her bidding. Trust me when I say, Lil’ Duke can be a shit when he wants to be.”
Striker groaned. “I’m with Duke. The vampire’s strong. Let’s just kill him.”
Malik groaned. “No killing Auberi.”
“Och, he’s already dead. It willnae count,” returned Striker. “The Viking pointed it out already today.”
Edee gasped. “Guys.”
Auberi hissed and slashed at the men holding him, his gaze darkening as it remained on Garth. “She is not his mate! He’s not to touch her!”
“Auberi, calm down,” said Malik.
“Tut, I will tear his heart from his chest if he dares to go near her again,” said Auberi, his voice deepening, indicating his vampire side was pushing closer to the surface.
Malik lifted one hand off Auberi and put it in the air making a stopping motion. “Take a minute here to think about how you’re reacting to this. You don’t even know Landros’s niece. Why in the hell would you care who she is and isn’t mates with? Tell me you don’t want her for yourself.”
Garth growled.
Auberi jerked back, horror on his face. A line of French spewed forth from him as he called Malik a sick bastard for insinuating that he thought of the woman in that manner.
“Guys,” Edee said louder than before.
Malik glanced at her. “What’s up?”
She held the tablet in her hand as her gaze went to Malik. “You need to see this.”
Malik stepped away from Auberi and went to Edee. He took the tablet from her…and whatever he saw made the color drain from his face. “No fucking way.”
“No way what?” demanded Garth. “Tell me what’s going on.”
Edee stared at him and then looked over at Auberi. “I think I know why Auberi is freaking out about Nicolette and Garth being a couple.”
