Page 4 of Unbroken
“Our mother knew we were coming here, tonight, for a party,” Ves answered, since he’d been the one to talk to her. “None of us would tell her such a thing, so someone else did.”
Rupert’s handsome face creased into a frown. “I see. Lenore Rune, yes? And your grandfather is Ora?”
“I’m afraid so.”
Rupert gazed into nothing for a moment, as if considering his next words. “I will make inquiries,” he said at last, but didn’t elaborate on what those inquiries would consist of.
“Can we be of any help?” Noct asked.
“Not at the moment. I am the Seeker of Truth, the only head of the family now, and it is my duty to handle this matter. Especially if one of us has turned traitor.” Rupert rose to his feet, smoothing away all traces of concern from his face. “Let us join the others in the solarium. I should hate to be late for my own party.”
CHAPTER 3
“I could compel them,” Sebastian said later that night, as they undressed for bed. “The Endicotts, I mean. We could find out who the traitor is easily enough that way.”
The birthday party had gone as well as might be expected, given he hadn’t particularly trusted the Endicotts before, and did so even less now. He unbuttoned the left cuff of his shirt and pushed up the sleeve to reveal the three sets of scars on his forearm.
Ves had made those scars, puncturing flesh with a heavy needle from his binding kit, drawing coarse thread through the wounds, and then using that bloodied thread to Bind the first three Books to Sebastian.
With each Binding came a new ability, including the power to compel the truth, gifted by the Book of Breath. Made from his own great-great aunt Emeline Hollowell, beneath the blazing light of Halley’s Comet, awoken when the comet returned last month.
Ves paused in the act of unbuttoning his pants. He was stripped to the waist, the light of the lamp sculpting his muscular physique. He looked human for the most part, but the dark patches of skin along either side of his spine betrayed the heritage that lurked beneath the disguise.
“If the culprit is a sorcerer, it wouldn’t work,” he said at last. “Their will is too strong.”
“They aren’t all sorcerers, though.” Sebastian finished unbuttoning his shirt and carefully hung it up in the wardrobe. “We could use it to narrow the field of suspects, at least.”
“Let Rupert handle this.” Ves sat down and removed his socks. “We have enough to deal with already, between the remaining Book, the School of Night, and Mother prowling around.”
“But—”
“Rupert doesn’t strike me as a man who will tolerate treachery.” Ves met his gaze. “He knows his family best, and he has access to them since they all live on the same damned estate. Let him do his job, so we can do ours.”
Sebastian relented. His method would be quicker…but Ves was right. Not to mention, he doubted Rupert would allow Sebastian to use the magic of the Books on his relatives, unless there was truly no other choice.
His scars tingled. Could he do it behind Rupert’s back…?
No—what was he thinking? Ves was right; he didn’t want Rupert as his enemy. Not to mention, such actions on his part might jeopardize Noct’s standing with the family.
Because anyone who was Rupert’s enemy was the Endicotts’ enemy.
“When do you think Noct will propose?” he asked, to change the subject.
“Soon, I imagine.” Ves stood and stretched. As he did so, eight tentacles, four on each side, slid free of his skin, curling in the air around him. His brown eyes gave way to orange, the pupils shifting from round to rectangular.
The sight of muscles moving under olive skin made Sebastian’s mouth water. He put his glasses on the dresser, which was cluttered with his puzzle boxes. Ves slid under the bed covers and Sebastian joined him, reaching for an embrace and being drawn in by both arms and tentacles. “I love you,” he said, before kissing Ves.
Ves’s lips still tasted of the after-dinner brandy from the party. His hands slid through Sebastian’s hair, fingers gripping the short locks, before rolling over and pinning Sebastian beneath him.
Sebastian eagerly submitted to pleasure. Tentacles wound around his wrists, holding them down to the bed, and Ves’s muscular thigh slipped between his legs. Both of them were hard by now, and Sebastian pushed his hips up against Ves’s erection, eliciting a moan before Ves kissed him.
They moved together, bodies locked in the ancient dance of skin against skin. Mouths met, parted, met again. Ves’s lips wandered down Sebastian’s neck, and he arched it back to give access. There was nothing to do—nothing he could do, held down so—but let the pleasure wash over him, through him, until it slowly built to a crescendo.
He bit his lip when he came, holding back a shout of ecstasy as it cascaded through him like a lightning bolt. Ves wasn’t long behind, and they clung to each other panting from exertion for an endless moment, before finally relaxing back into the bed.
Ves rolled off with a sigh, and Sebastian followed so he could rest his head on Ves’s strong shoulder. He ran his pale hand over Ves’s darker skin, fingers brushing through the thatch of hair on his chest.
“Love you,” Ves murmured.
