Page 51 of Prodigal Son

The Elders were wise and powerful. They controlled The Council which dictated the rules of The Order and upheld their many outdated laws. Cain racked his brain wondering if he’d broken any lately.

Depositing his tools in the barn, he headed toward the safe house to find out what his pompous brother-by-law wanted. Since making his promise to Anna, he’d done little more than fix fences and shovel dung, trapped on this oppressive farm until the babe arrived—another joyous celebration for his prideful brother indeed.

He sometimes wondered if Adam truly understood how much Cain continually sacrificed for him. Did his twin ever consider how easy his life was in contrast to Cain’s?

He climbed the pretentious steps to the bishop’s front door, and David greeted him.

“Is he in his office?”

“Yes. He is expecting you.” The male waved Cain toward The Council’s chambers.

An ominous knot tied in his gut as he traveled down the long corridor that led to the Council Hall and the bishop’s office. Beneath this building hid several holding cells, some of which Cain had passed the most agonizing hours of his life at the mercy of his dear old bishop. It was difficult to always look kindly on the male now that he was mated to Larissa.

As he knocked and let himself into the bishop’s chambers, he tensed, spotting his sister’s willowy form perched on the edge of a wooden chair, spine stiff and an unmistakable trail of tears trailing down her cheeks. His brow hardened. “What’s this about?”

“We have a situation.”

“I can see that. Mind telling me why my sister is distraught?”

“She isn’t distraught. She’s merely upset with me.”

He turned to his sister. “What is it? What’s happened?”

Before she could find her words, another tear slipped past her lashes and the bishop said, “Your friend, the reporter, is back.”

“That’s impossible.”

“I would have agreed with you, had I not witnessed her presence—in my home—for myself.” His hard jaw twitched. “And she’s not alone.”

Cain’s shoulders stiffened. “Who is she with and where is she?” He couldn’t explain the protective worry coming over him.

“Not so fast, Cain. The mortal reporter is acquainted with an old friend of your sister’s.”

Cain looked at Larissa and then scowled at the bishop. “What have you done?”

“I have done nothing outside of protecting our order.”

“Then why is she crying.”

“Pregnancy—”

Larissa scoffed before he finished the word. “I am not crying because I’m with child. I’m crying because you’re behaving like a superior windbag.”

Cain smothered a laugh. He needed to teach his sister how to swear like the English if she ever expected to intimidate a man like Eleazar King.

“Insult me all you like. That man has intimate knowledge of you, and I will not have him in my home.”

“Hold on.” He shot Larissa a confused glance. “You know the man with Destiny?”

“His name’s Vito. He was my friend. I met him when I was…living among the English.”

Cain smirked. She meant dancing at the club. It had to destroy the bishop that others had seen his sister in such a state of undress. “Right. And this friend of yours knows you intimately?”

“Enough!” Eleazar snapped. “The mortal male is aware that what’s in the woods isn’t human.”

All levity left the room. “How do you know this?”

“I read his thoughts. He knows what Isaiah is.”

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