Page 23 of Act of Brotherhood
With a snort, Garth tossed his shoulders back, standing tall and proud. “I don’t have a mate, and I haven’t left Gram’s bedside lately. Kind of hard for me to happen upon my future wife if I’m in here nonstop.”
James watched him. “About that…”
Auberi snickered. “We feel it’s best you take a day or two away from here. One of us will call if Gram’s condition changes.”
“You just want me gone period,” growled Garth, glaring at the vampire.
“Yes. There is that.”
James caught Auberi’s arm and tugged him back, looking tired. “Garth, this isn’t healthy for you or Gram. You have unwarranted guilt.”
“My brother was partly responsible for this,” argued Garth. “That makes it my fault. Damn right I have guilt.”
“No. It makes it your brother’s fault. You are not your brother,” stated James.
Auberi huffed and mumbled something derogatory under his breath about Garth being exactly like his evil twin.
Garth clenched his fists, wanting to pummel the vampire into little bits. Partly out of fear Auberi might be right. Did Garth have it in him to be evil?
James groaned. “Enough, you two. Garth, I’d like to try the serum out on you to check for side effects. I’m also kicking you out of here for a couple of days. Should something come up regarding side effects, reach out to me at once. In the meantime, we’ll keep a close watch over Gram. There isn’t anything you can do here for him anyway. By testing this serum, you’ll be doing all you can for him.”
Auberi laughed wickedly. “I really hope this fucks with you like it did Malik. And I hope you walk out that door today and right into your mate. When that happens, Ireallyfucking hope you find a way to screw it up as badly as Malik did.”
Garth cringed at the idea of being mated. “Bite your tongue, you walking-dead douchebag.”
Auberi snarled.
James pulled on his cheeks in a dramatic fashion. “You two make me tired. Garth, come on. Let’s get you set up with the serum.”
Corbin Jones entered the room. “Oh, Garth. I was looking for you. Can you fly down to Savannah to handle a prisoner transport?”
Garth sighed, knowing full well the request was coming more out of a desire to see him leave the infirmary than necessity. They had people for that stuff at PSI, and his pay grade was well above that.
Maybe they were all right.
Maybe stepping away would help to clear his head…and maybe without Garth hovering nonstop, Gram would heal.
“I’m getting an injection of something that will probably make me get stuck in wolf form and want to hump everything that moves, but if all goes well on that end, I’ll do it. When do I head out?” he asked of Corbin.
Corbin gave him a questioning look. “How about wenotget stuck in shifted form, and do our best to avoid humping everything, okay?”
Garth shrugged. “No promises.”
Corbin checked his watch. “Wheels up in two hours. James, I need to speak with you.”
James looked to Auberi. “Can you handle administering the serum?”
“I want him sticking me with something about as much as I want crabs.”
Auberi grunted. “How about I give you something to make you sleep, and then take you to get neutered? Isn’t that what should be done to dogs?”
“I’m not a fucking dog,” snapped Garth.
Corbin leaned towards James. “You’d think this feud would get old.”
“It does for the rest of us, but apparently it doesn’t for them,” said James as they headed out of the room.
Chapter Five
