Chapter 20 #2
“You can, of course,” Aiden added with a smile. “I wish to be the type of clan leader that is open to suggestions and discussions.”
Something in Rafe relaxed to see Gideon’s shoulders sink from their tense position up near his ears like he’d been expecting someone to strike him.
The young vampire stared at Aiden and took a deep breath.
Yeah, Aiden had that effect on people. The man was meant to be a father. Always the warm and patient teacher.
“I can understand why you’d invite Ryder and Lola. They’re strong and brave. They’re excellent in a fight. But…I’m…I’m not. I’m weak. My legs…my legs don’t work well when I don’t feed often enough.”
“Are you saying you wouldn’t protect Bel or Rafe or even Lola if they were in danger?”
“I’d do anything to protect them,” Gideon replied.
“Are you saying you wouldn’t tell me or Marcus if we were doing something that was immoral or unfair to another?”
“No.”
“Would you betray your family?”
“No!”
“Then you are already a Varik.”
“But I’m not strong!” Gideon pressed. He balled his hands into fists so tightly they were shaking. “I’m not brave. It’s bad enough that Rafe pities me. I don’t want to be invited into this-this amazing clan out of pity.”
“I have never once pitied you, Gideon,” Rafe said evenly. “You’ve been my friend and a source of immense joy for me when I needed you most. I’d be honored to count you as a brother.”
“Damn it, Rafe,” Gideon sniffed and wiped his eyes. “It’s cruel to be so sweet. Everyone knows you’re wicked, not sweet.”
Winter and Ethan barked out laughs while Marcus rolled his eyes at him. Aiden had to clear his throat, and Rafe had a feeling it was to keep from laughing himself.
“Yes, joining the Varik clan does mean tolerating Rafe’s wickedness and Bel’s science experiments.”
“And Marcus’s bossiness,” Rafe muttered.
“And Winter’s nosiness,” Bel chimed in.
Marcus groaned and scrubbed a hand over his face. “You’re not selling it.”
The formality of the meeting was dissolving faster than soap bubbles, but it was to be expected. The Variks were many things, but serious and formal were not among them.
“Yes. Yes, I am honored to join the Varik clan. I’ll make my new family proud to have me as a brother,” Gideon said, at least trying to put them back on track.
“I will join the Variks as well. I will protect all my Varik clanmates,” Ryder said before Aiden could address him.
The rest of the formality wound up quickly with Marcus instructing the three new clan members to kneel in front of Aiden and swear a brief vow to the clan of loyalty and honesty.
Rafe’s heart tripped over itself. It was like he could hear Zelda laughing and clapping in his head.
She’d told him his clan just needed to continue on its current path, to be true to themselves.
Bringing in Gideon, Ryder, and Lola was following that course. They were becoming stronger together.
The second the vows were completed, the bubble of tension burst. The Varik brothers pushed to their feet and Ethan was practically dancing over to Lola.
He’d met her and Ryder when he and Bel planned to storm the Black Wolf clan mansion.
He hugged her, sending her frantic gaze darting over to Rafe, who could only laugh.
Maybe they should have warned the newest members about Ethan’s enthusiasm.
They were all ushered downstairs to the dining room, where Ethan had apparently arranged for a decadent catered meal. He boasted he was still working as Marcus’s assistant here and there. Particularly when it came to ordering food.
Rafe opted for a glass of wine only, as he watched his new clan siblings talking with his blood siblings around the table.
Ethan and Gideon had their heads close as they chatted in an animated fashion that required a lot of waving hands and the occasional selfie.
Marcus and Lola were in some kind of deep conversation while Aiden was talking to Ryder and Winter as they both nodded seriously.
“I’m proud of you,” Bel said in a low voice beside him.
“Why? Because I can be serious once every century or so?” Rafe replied. He lifted his glass to his lips and took a sip to hide his smile from his twin. Of course, it was quite likely that his brother could very clearly feel his amusement.
“For reminding us that family is more than blood.”
Rafe snorted. “We’re vampires, my sweet Bel. Everything is about blood.”
“Ass,” Bel muttered. “You know very well what I mean. Our blood was only a starting place. We were lucky enough to find Aiden and Ethan. Why should we believe that we can’t have an even bigger family?”
Rafe hummed a little at such dangerous logic. “Really now? Planning to overthrow the Ministry with an enormous family.”
Bel rolled his eyes at his sibling. “We’re not building an army. This isn’t about starting a war. It’s about making sure the people we do care for are protected, particularly if some asshole decides to start a war.”
“We’ll be ready.”
The silence stretched between them for only a couple of seconds before Bel cocked his head to the side a little. “Are you sure you don’t remember anything else about those wolves?”
A broken laugh erupted from Rafe’s throat, and he shook his head. “They were trying to fucking eat me, Bel. I wasn’t too concerned with details at the time. Fluffy coats. Big teeth. Big, mean eyes.”
“Don’t worry, Red Riding Hood. We’ll protect you!” Winter called from the other side of the room.
“Don’t push your luck, Wee One!” Rafe growled at his youngest brother above the laughter.
The teasing was interrupted by the chime of the doorbell echoing through the house yet again. Rafe looked to Bel in question, but he only shrugged his shoulders. Marcus and Aiden didn’t look surprised though, as they started to move through the room to leave.
Rafe reached out, simply to check if another vampire had arrived and he was shocked to find that he could feel Philippe standing at the front door. Philippe Arsenault had come to Marcus’s home, but he’d not told him. Given no little hint that he intended to speak with his brother.
And his fucking brother had not mentioned one damn word about the meeting.
What the hell happened to all that loyalty they’d talked about just half an hour ago?
Rafe stepped into the hallway as Marcus opened the front door, welcoming Philippe and Jullien inside.
Rafe soaked in his lover’s appearance. Philippe had shed his usual worn jeans and soft sweaters in favor of a sharply tailored dark suit with a pale-green tie.
He looked almost too beautiful, too perfect to touch, but that was all Rafe wanted to do.
He wanted to pull the man into his arms and feel that he was real, reassure himself that his mind hadn’t made up all the events of the past couple of weeks.
But he remained in the doorway to the dining room, his hands shoved into the pockets of his slacks, watching as they politely shook hands and exchanged banal greetings as if Rafe wasn’t there, stewing in his own emotional turmoil.
Oh yeah, he was still a fucking mess. He’d just gotten a better grip on the sneering mask he was accustomed to wearing.
It had gotten lost for a short time when he’d been with Philippe, but he had it again.
Marcus was directing them toward the library, away from the revelry in the dining room, but Philippe had stopped, his eyes locked on Rafe.
The tiniest of smiles pulled at his lips, and he looked as if he wanted to say something, but no words came out.
Rafe hung there, begging for Philippe to say something, anything.
Just some indication that they would speak privately again.
That he would finally tell Rafe what he’d been thinking and what he was planning.
Before Philippe could decide whether to speak, Bel was pushing past Rafe and walking toward Philippe.
“You’re Philippe Arsenault,” Bel declared, extending his hand. “I’m Beltran Varik.”
Philippe flashed him a brilliant smile that didn’t chase the wariness from his eyes. “An honor to meet you. Rafe has told me a great deal about his twin.”
“Really?” Bel said sharply and Rafe winced. “Because Rafe has told me absolutely nothing about you. And Rafe tells me everything. Too much, in fact.”
Philippe’s mouth dropped open, any potential words stolen away, as a light blush touched his cheeks.
Rafe placed his hand over his face and swallowed a groan. When Bel was feeling protective, it was never subtle. Bel didn’t do subtle. “Enough, dear brother.”
“Oh, I’m dear brother now,” Bel said waspishly, releasing Philippe’s hand. “I’m usually sweet Bel or darling Bel.”
“Yes, I save dear brother for those special occasions when I wish to throttle you,” Rafe said between clenched teeth.
“Thank you, my dear sons,” Aiden interrupted. His eyes were giving them both a silent warning, but there was no missing the fact that he was struggling and failing to hide his smile. “Marcus and I will be meeting with the Arsenaults. Please return to the party for our new clanmates.”
Rafe saw the way Philippe’s eyes widened at Aiden’s artful little slip, and then he was ushered back toward the library. Marcus closed the doors behind them, and Rafe swore his brother was trying to give him a little look of reassurance, but Rafe couldn’t guess what reassurance that would be.
Why had Philippe come to Marcus’s home for a meeting?
He was sure that the clan leader was going to formally end their trial period after Rafe’s repeated failures to help them.
He was going to make it clear an alliance between the Arsenaults and Variks was not beneficial to either side. Philippe was going to walk away.
It was his only choice. Philippe cared for his people; he would always put them first.
Maybe if Rafe had been able to convince Philippe to deal with Winter or Marcus, he wouldn’t be leaving now. Winter, with all his contacts and sneakiness, would have been able to find Piper’s attacker. By now, the Arsenaults would be free and safe again if everything had been left in Winter’s hands.
Rafe was just the family joke.
“Stop it!” Bel snapped in such a loud voice that Rafe nearly jumped. He’d gotten so lost in the swirl of his own thoughts, he’d forgotten his brother was standing right in front of him. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but it’s pure poison. Stop it!”
“Bel, you don’t know what you’re talking about—”
“If that man,” Bel snarled, pointing behind him at the library, “has put these thoughts in your head, I will march in there and remove all his organs in alphabetical order while keeping him awake through the surgery.”
“I fucked up, Bel. I’ve just fucked up, and I’ve got to live with the consequences,” Rafe said once he could get past the gruesome image his brother had painted for him.
“I don’t understand. We can still find a way to fix this.”
Rafe shook his head. “No, it’s in Marcus’s and Aiden’s hands now. I…I’ve got to go. I can’t stay here right now.”
“Rafe, don’t,” Bel said, but Rafe was already walking toward the front door.
He wished he could stay and celebrate with Lola, Gideon, and Ryder.
They deserved to have this happy moment, but he couldn’t.
He couldn’t stand there and pretend that everything was okay, when he knew that Philippe was across the hall with Marcus and Aiden, forever tearing them apart.
He needed to get out of there and get some air. There was no air in that house.
“It’ll be okay. We’ll talk soon.”
Maybe with a little time, he’d find the right words to say. He’d know how to purge all the emotions, and he could return to at least going through the motions of his old life.