Chapter 21 #2
“This isn’t what’s important,” Marcus ground out between clenched teeth.
He didn’t want to be the focus of Bel’s latest scientific interest. And while he didn’t want Ethan to think that he didn’t care for him, their sexual relationship was not the reason they gathered at Rafe’s.
“Mother is dead, and it is quite clear that someone wants our entire family dead. Now is not the time to discuss my sex life or relationship with Ethan.”
Rafe flopped down in a chair, tossing one leg over the arm. “Well, now I’m more interested in talking about you and Ethan since you said relationship instead of nookie monkey.”
Ethan made a choking sound and Bel groaned.
Winter dropped into another chair near Rafe. “While I hate agreeing with Marcus, we need to talk about the attack. We can discuss his nookie monkey later.”
Marcus knew better than to order them to stop calling Ethan that, because it was the fastest way to make the damn nickname stick.
“We weren’t the only ones attacked last night,” Winter said, finally leading the conversation in the correct direction.
“Who?” Bel crossed the room and perched on the edge of one of the couch cushions. His body was drawn together like a little bird preparing to take flight at the first sign of trouble.
“Armand is dead.”
“Another American Ministry member?” Bel gasped.
Winter nodded.
“Wait. American Ministry? Like a vampire government?” Ethan demanded.
Marcus reached over and placed a calming hand on Ethan’s shoulder, drawing him in close.
“Yes. Something like that. There’s an American one that oversees the vampires in North America.
There’s another called the European Ministry that oversees Europe.
And so on. There are only eleven vampires on each Ministry. ”
“How do you get on the Ministry?” Ethan frowned and looked up at Marcus. “I can’t imagine vampires stepping into voting booths and electing their favorites to make laws.”
Rafe snorted. “Yes, well, some of us thrive in dark little closets.”
“Drop it, Rafe,” Marcus snapped. He wasn’t in the mood for Rafe’s little digs. He turned his attention back to Ethan, his expression softening. “There’s no voting. It’s a position of power that’s taken by a display of power. Only the strongest can claim the seats.”
“If you can claim it and defend it, then you get to keep it,” Bel added.
“Do seats change hands often?”
Marcus shook his head. “Most won’t risk their life for it.”
“Has someone claimed Percival’s seat yet? He’s been dead for a few weeks now. Or Armand’s?” Bel inquired.
Winter folded his hands on his stomach and glared at the floor. “No. And there aren’t any details on who killed Percival and Armand either.”
“But you’re thinking that the same person or group who ordered their death went after the Variks as well,” Marcus said.
Ethan stepped away from Marcus and sat down heavily on the couch.
Marcus frowned in worry at Ethan. While he was over the moon at finally finding someone, he did not want to endanger Ethan’s life.
The young man was too precious to him to risk losing, but he would not turn his back on his brothers either.
“So, what do we do next?” Bel asked.
Marcus shoved his hands into his pockets and strolled over to the wall of windows.
The city shimmered against a velvety black blanket dotted with stars nearly washed out by the light.
People rushed from one place to another while vampires moved among them.
Most humans had no idea that vampires were a part of their world, preying on them, working with them, laughing with them.
But that could change very quickly with a war.
“I think we have two options,” Marcus started carefully.
He turned away from the windows and looked at his brothers one at a time.
For now, he avoided Ethan’s gaze. He could already guess at his brothers’ opinions, and he couldn’t yet decide what to do about Ethan.
“The first is that we disappear. Instead of moving north, we head very far south into Argentina or Uruguay. We start a new life away from both the European and American Ministries. We let the world forget us.”
“I certainly hope that your other suggestion is better, dear brother,” Rafe drawled. “Because this one is utter bullshit.”
“The other option is to become the power-hungry clan that they claim we are. We set the factions against each other and sow discord among the vampires while dismantling the American Ministry. They brought this on themselves. They killed our mother. This is the same Ministry that would have been in power when Ethan’s family was slaughtered.
This villain attacked Aiden and me at The Bank, and they attacked my home, putting the entire clan in danger. We can’t let that slide.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying,” Bel said, his voice low and anxious. “Are you suggesting that we take down the Ministry? Are you wanting us to claim the seats?”
“There are five of us. We could take it and hold a majority if we rearrange the Ministry to be a count of nine instead of eleven,” Winter pointed out.
“Is…is that what we want?”
Rafe gave an elegant shrug. “I would not be opposed to destroying the Ministry altogether. We become rabble-rousers and then use Winter to spread whispers in favor of making Aiden the King of North America.”
“Aiden does not want to be king,” Bel said sharply.
“No, but he would very much like to punish Julianna’s murderers. And I believe he would want to destroy those who attempted to destroy his family.”
Marcus nodded. Aiden was extremely protective of all of them and once he was through his mourning for Julianna, Marcus could easily imagine him seeking revenge for the sake of not just Julianna but also his adopted sons.
Being king would give him the power to more easily do that as well as make sure that such strikes didn’t happen again.
“I know it’s none of my business, but when the dust settles from your uprising and discord, what does the world look like?
” Ethan stood and walked over to stand in front of Marcus.
There was worry etched deep in his handsome face.
“I know what it’s like to get lost in the need for revenge.
How many innocent people are going to be slaughtered?
Will humans be forced to finally admit that vampires are among them?
I know it’s horrible to lose your mother, to have your family attacked, but are you really advocating making the world a worse place than it is now? ”
“It doesn’t have to be,” Bel interjected, and it gave Marcus a little hope because he didn’t have a good answer for Ethan.
“If we took over the Ministry, we could come up with a system for vampires to settle their grievances that didn’t include wiping out entire clans.
We could also protect my research. I know there are plenty who would rather see me dead than allow me to work on a cure for our blood issues. ”
“Ethan, I think we would all prefer to avoid a complete bloodbath,” Winter said. “Humans tend to notice these things.”
“True,” Ethan replied with a smirk.
Rafe shifted in his seat, placing both feet on the ground. “But with the system we have now, there is no avoiding it. Vampires deal in blood and violence. It’s who we are.”
“It’s not all we are.” Marcus looked down at Ethan and ran one finger across his cheek.
“The world has changed, and we must change with it if we are to survive. I’ll not have my family threatened again.
” He shifted his gaze to his brothers, his voice hardening.
“Our first focus is uncovering those who attacked us. Their attack on us will be answered, blood for blood.”
“And then stage two is to secure allies,” Winter said with a growing smile. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, rubbing his hands together with a rarely seen glee. “I know we aren’t the only ones dissatisfied with the current system.”
“Marcus,” Rafe said with a note of surprise in his voice. “I never knew you had such aspirations of power. Just over your brothers. Not for the world.”
Marcus allowed a small, devilish grin at Rafe. “I will do what I must to keep my family safe.” He placed a hand on Ethan’s shoulder and pulled him against his chest. Ethan was very much a part of his family now. It didn’t matter if he was human. He would do whatever it took to keep Ethan safe.
“I want to help, please,” Ethan said quickly.
“No. Absolutely not.”
“But I feel like this is at least partially my fault. If I had talked to you sooner, if I hadn’t been wrapped up in my own pain—”
“You were used, Ethan,” Winter said firmly. “The League used your pain to get information about us. And vampires used the League as fucking cannon fodder in the attack to weaken us.”
“Are we being used?” Bel demanded pointedly. “We’re in pain over Mother the same way Ethan was in pain over his family. Are we being weaponized to upset the order we do have?”
Rafe laughed loudly and shoved to his feet. He paced over to stand in front of his twin. “Maybe we are. Maybe they want us to do their dirty work. So be it. Whoever it is will regret fucking with the Variks. We will be the new order, and there will be no more personal attacks on clans.”
“I still want to help,” Ethan said.
“No, it’s too dangerous,” Marcus growled.
“He’s right, Ethan,” Bel agreed. “Vampires are much harder to kill. We’re a tad bit stronger and faster than most humans. That advantage only grows bigger the older we get. You would constantly be at a great disadvantage.”
“Then what? You just wrap me in cotton and tuck me away in the closet until you’re done with your war?” Ethan shoved away from Marcus, his face growing flushed with his anger. “Or were you just going to walk away? Leave me behind?”