Page 63 of Act of Brotherhood
She’d seen Grid already.
That meant his brother had been stalking the woman.
No!
Even worse, the smell of cloves, vanilla, and cinnamon filled the area, and Garth realized the source was his brother. Grid had rubbed himself in something that was so overpowering to Garth’s senses, he’d never picked up fully on his brother’s natural scent.
Bastard!
Garth swayed as the knowledge his brother had already been close to Nicolette came over him. It was already hard enough to fight the pending shift; knowing his sick bastard of a brother had his sights set on Nicolette made it nearly impossible. “Grid,” he managed to get out through his misshapen mouth. “Go!”
He didn’t want his brother anywhere near Nicolette. He would rip the man to shreds before he allowed him near her. Nearhiswoman.
His brother sniffed the air. “What is that I smell? Sex? Did you fuck the hell out of her, brother? She’s beautiful. So is her friend. Did she tell you about me visiting her the other night?”
Garth shook.
“She thought I was you, brother. I was in her room with her while you were off running around the city, trying to surprise her with gifts. I could have done what I wanted with her then. And I would have, had that fucking vampire Outcast not arrived. He cared more about her safety than you—the man who left her alone.”
Garth snarled.
“Tell me something, brother. How did she feel when you fucked her? Did you make her cry out your name? Wait. I already know the answer. After all, I heard the entire thing. Think she’ll cry out your name whenI’mburied in her, fucking her, pretending to be you again? And do you think she’ll feel betrayed when I choke the life from her body during it all—with her thinking I’m you all the while? She’s going to die believing you turned on her. That you’re a monster.”
“No!” Garth tried to lunge toward Grid, but he was in no shape to do much of anything at the moment. All he managed to do was fall forward onto the ground.
His brother snorted, and then delivered a wicked kick to Garth’s side. Something deep within popped and pain lanced through him. He didn’t care. His only worry was Nicolette.
Grid kicked him again and again before laughing. “Look at you. You’repathetic. PSI has made you soft.”
Garth’s claws emerged from his fingertips and he narrowed his gaze on his brother. He would not let Grid anywhere near Nicolette. He’d die first.
“Garth?”
The sound of Nicolette’s voice drew a swell of panic from him. She sounded scared and worried. She also sounded like she was still upstairs.
No, beauty! Run!
“Garth, where are you? What’s wrong?”
His brother eased forward but stayed just out of Garth’s reach.
Then Grid’s head snapped up. He sniffed the air and his green gaze flashed to amber quickly. “Seems you have a guardian angel after all. That or she does. This is far from over, brother.”
Garth watched as Grid turned and leapt over the fence.
In the next second, Cody was there. He sniffed at the air. “What the fuck is that smell? Did you run through a cinnamon roll factory?”
Garth tried to spit out the truth—that his twin was in the area. He couldn’t speak.
Cody touched Garth’s shoulder. “You still with it enough to understand me, Garth?”
Garth managed a nod. “N-Nicolette.”
Cody’s brows met. “What?”
“He’s worried about Nicolette,” said a man Garth didn’t know. The man slid to a stop next to Cody and stared past Garth at the open front door. The man smelled of vampire, but it was off—different from a normal vampire smell. “I can smell her. If she comes out here and sees him lose control and shift, this will end badly. Cody, you need to keep her from seeing this. I can get him away.”
Garth snarled at the newcomer and swiped out, just missing clawing him. “No!Mine!”
