Page 1 of Last Note
1
Étienne
“You ready to go?” Lucien leans on the door of my office, his forearms straining with the strength of his grip on the frame.
“You two should go. I have things to do.” Not looking away from the scroll I have carefully stretched out on top of the polished desk, I wave him off.
I know he won’t go away, even though I told him to.
“One night is not going to give you the miraculous answers you’re looking for, Étienne.” Swaggering inside my space, he drops heavily in the chair across the desk, the wood protesting from his weight. “We spent a few centuries inside the court, searching for who was behind the assassination of father, and still we are no closer to finding the truth.” Leaning forward with his hands splayed on the desk, his blue eyes so similar to mine flash in anger. “Besides, you look like shit. You need to feed.”
“I need no advice from you, brother!” Staring him down, my fangs throbbing in my gums, I wait until he finally looks away.
How do I tell him that it’s not just feeding, but I haven’t rested for over a week? Lucien has been watching me like a hawk ever since we were forced to flee Paris, leaving everything we’ve ever known behind. Coming to this cursed place, this North America, and living among humans was a lot harder than I expected. If I tell him music keeps me awake, that I hear it during the day, and every time I’ve caught myself only a second before stepping out in the sun, he’ll lock me in the cellar.
Honestly, I should probably just lock myself in the cellar and be done with it.
But I’m the oldest. It is up to me to find the one who killed my father and reclaim our birthright. I should’ve taken his place leading our kind. Instead, here we are, accused of murdering our own father, running across the ocean to keep the heads on our shoulders. Is it possible I have gone insane? I’ve never heard of bloodlust or age madness resulting in listening to music in your head.
“Hello! Étienne! Are you even listening to what I’m saying?” Lucien stands, looming over me from across the desk.
“Someone has to figure out who did this to us, Lucien. I want to go home. I want all of us to go home.” Tiredly, I rub my face. “You two go ahead. You don’t need me as your keeper. I’m sure you can handle human females on your own.”
“You can stop moaning anytime because, like it or not, you’re going with us. That’s final.” Slicing the air with his hand, he glares.
“Stop being an asshole, and go!” Snapping, I get off my chair squaring off with him.
“Why? It’s so much fun to piss you off.” With frustration, his lip curls up, revealing the fangs that are, right this very minute, growing longer.
Aggression has been riding every one of our asses since that night, causing us to go at each other’s throats. Fights break out, arguing ensues…you name it, it’s happened. They killed our father, our king, but I know they will destroy the three of us, too. But only if I allow it.
I will not.
“What’s with the yelling again?” Moël stands at the door, looking from me to Lucien. “Not this again. If you two are going to fight, get on with it. I need to get out of here.” Glancing over his shoulder, he eyes the hallway behind him warily. “That fucking cat was in here again. I swear I’m either going crazy or she’s been stealing things from the house.”
“We are afraid of cats now?” Lucien turns mockingly to our youngest brother. “What’s next? You’ll be running from your own shadow? You are a royal bloodline, a vampire, Moël. Act like it!”
“Leave him alone!” My voice bounces off the walls, stopping whatever Moël was about to say.
He has been complaining about that damn cat as long as I haven’t been able to sleep. Can it be connected? How do I bring that up without telling them my own problem? Is this finally the one thing that will break us apart? I’ve lost everything, but I will not lose my brothers.
“There must be something missing if you’re saying that.” Leaning a hip on the desk, I fold my arms over my chest, daring Lucien to open his big mouth. “Could you have left it somewhere else, perhaps?” This is us now. The three strongest warriors a royal bloodline has ever seen, talking to each other like we are human children.
“I’m sure the cat is stealing my clothing.” Moël growls, and I can’t help the snort that escapes me.
“I don’t even know why I’m still with the two of you.” Lucien frowns at both of us. “I should just leave you pathetic excuses of life and go off on my own. I don’t need this shit.”
“I’m telling you the cat…” my youngest brother starts, but Lucien has hit a boiling point.
“Then go fucking kill the damn cat, Moël!” he roars in his face, my body tensing to break them apart if they start fighting. “It’s a cat! Not a horde of predators gunning for your head. A cat!”
“I can’t catch it” The soft, calm whisper of Moël’s voice pushing through his clenched teeth sends chills down my back. “You think I haven’t tried?”
“Show me.” Shoving off the desk, I walk towards the door, forcing him to step back.
Moël stands too still, so I moved, stepping between him and Lucien while knowing if I didn’t, he is going to attack. Out of the three of us, he is the deadliest. His carefree attitude and relaxed demeanor hides the stealthy, ruthless assassin you’ll see ripping your throat with a smile on his face a moment too late. I watch him struggle to get himself under control until he finally nods once. Turning on his heel, he stalks down the hallway. I follow behind him, my mind spinning with everything that’s been happening this last week. We came here fifty years ago. A lifetime for a human, a blink of an eye for an immortal. I can feel how close we are to figuring out this mess, but more time is needed.
Time I might not have if we are all going insane,I think glumly.
