Page 97 of Act of Brotherhood
“She most certainly did ask to be sired. She came to him, desperate, knowing she was too far gone for a claiming to save her. She wanted a life with her mate—with you—and because of that, you murdered her,” said Auberi, inching closer to Nicolette.
Garth knew the vampire needed a distraction, so he gave it to him. He faced his brother fully. “You know, I once heard our aunt tell our mother she should have drowned you at birth. She said she sensed a great darkness in you. That it was best for the future of all mankind if Mother took matters into her own hands. I wonder if she considered it.”
Anger flashed in his brother’s eyes a second before he lunged at Garth.
Garth was prepared and caught Grid around the waist, tackling him through the already broken front window. They tumbled out and onto the parking lot. They rolled, and each pushed up and to their feet at the same time. They began to walk in a circle, as Garth and Auberi had done in the training room.
Bullets whizzed by them but neither man flinched. They were past the point of worrying about anything else. The confrontation had been coming for the past twelve hundred years. The time for it to end was now. Only one man was going to walk away, and Garth knew damn well it was going to be him.
There was no way he was leaving his mate and unborn child alone. He would kill his brother a thousand times over before he dared to permit his child to grow up not knowing him.
He went hard at his brother, and Grid gave back as good as he got. The men were matched not only in looks but strength as well, making it hard for one or the other to gain the advantage.
Vaguely, Garth was aware of the fighting taking place around him. He knew his fellow operatives had the matter under control or would very soon. And he knew with every fiber of his being that Auberi would protect Nicolette.
Garth kicked Grid in the chest and followed as his brother fell backwards. Yanking Grid up by his shirt, Garth glared down at him before proceeding to punch the man in the face repeatedly. Every aggression he had poured out of him, and he pummeled his brother. All the wrongs that Grid had committed, all the lives he’d forever damaged, all the people he’d killed, it all came pouring out of Garth in one giant wave of rage.
Grid smiled through the blood in his mouth, wicked glee showing in his green gaze. “Do it, brother. Become what I am.”
That made Garth hesitate. He released his hold on Grid, and his brother used that lapse in judgment to his advantage, sweeping Garth’s legs out from under him. The tables were quickly turned as Grid stared down at Garth, letting his claws free from his fingertips. He drew his hand back to strike.
“No! Stop!” shouted Nicolette.
Grid did—and looked confused in the process before snarling as he glared in Nicolette’s direction. “You can still influence others with your voice.”
Garth kicked Grid back and then sprang to his feet.
Grid laughed as he stared past Garth. “Look who joined the party. Miss me, sweetheart?”
Garth stumbled back to see Edee holding Nicolette to her with a battered but upright Auberi next to them. Striker and Boomer were close to them as well.
Striker moved quickly in Grid’s direction, but Edee reached out and caught his wrist. “No.”
Striker snarled. “Lass, he’ll nae be permitted to live. He harmed you. For that, he dies.”
Edee met Garth’s gaze, and there was something in her expression that told Garth he should get the hell out of the way. He did—just as a massive ball of fire seemed to spring forth from her. It had to be at least six feet in diameter.
Garth turned just in time to see his brother smiling at the sight.
“There’s my girl,” said Grid, making no move to get out of the path of the fireball.
Edee’s long red hair lifted in the air on its own and Nicolette took her hand, causing Nicolette’s hair to lift as well. The fireball doubled in size as it flew past Garth, slamming into his brother and exploding.
Flames rolled back at Garth and he hit the ground fast as heat licked by him. For a few tense seconds, it seemed as if everything around him was engulfed in flames. The sounds of something exploding came to him. He stayed down, knowing better than to think he was fireproof.
He wasn’t.
Slowly, the fire and the heat dissipated, and he found himself being yanked up and off the ground by Auberi.
The vampire sighed. “Oh goodie, you lived.”
Garth grunted and dusted himself off, his gaze going to where he’d last seen his brother. Nothing was there. Whatever Edee had done left no traces behind.
No scorch marks.
No burn patterns.
Nothing.
