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Ceri s appetite grow by leaps and bounds. Ceri was even hungrier for
human flesh than he had been back then. He was really starting to see
Christian s reasoning behind the sleep.
 You would have us hunted? Christian asked, a touch of anger in
his tone.  You would endanger our race? For what, Ceri? For the
chance to play your little games?
Rhys noticed the vampire by the door slowly ushering the humans
from this club. The vampire kept his eyes on Ceri, hurrying the
humans out of the door. Ceri had his back to the door, and wasn t
The Dark Side of Love 47
paying any attention. Or so it seemed. Very little got by Ceri and
Rhys. He pushed his mate behind him as he stared at his twin.  We
need to learn the ways of the humans now, Ceri. Christian speaks the
truth when he says that the times we are now in are different from
where we have come from.
Ceri turned, his eyes narrowing at Rhys.  Always the voice of
reason, Rhys. Sometimes I wonder if we are truly related.
Rhys was losing his patience. Ceri was playing some sort of game,
and his target was Nathaniel. Rhys knew his brother well enough to
know that all this talk was just a distraction.
He could feel Nathaniel s fingers curl into his shirt. It was an odd
feeling, having someone at his back. The situation must really scare
Nathaniel. Rhys didn t like the idea of his mate being scared. His
mate s earlier reaction would have Rhys guessing that Nathaniel
would be one of the humans running for the door. But his mate had
stayed by his side. Something stirred inside Rhys at that thought.
But he knew that it didn t matter if Nathaniel had run. Rhys had
tasted Nathaniel s blood. He would be able to find his mate anywhere
on earth.
 I need to find you a suitable place to sleep, Christian stated.
 You want me to trust you with my sleep? Ceri bellowed the
question, hatred filling his eyes.  Never again will I let that happen.
You tricked me once, brother. You will not get another chance. Ceri
disappeared in a blink of an eye, but Rhys could feel his twin and
knew where the man was.
 And you? Christian turned to Rhys.
 I can manage to find my own resting place for the day. Ceri
might still be the loose cannon between the two, but Rhys agreed with
him. He would never trust Christian with his sleep again. It may have
been necessary almost two thousand years ago, but Rhys would be
damned if he went back into the dark sleep.
 Very well, Christian said.  But I will be watching Ceri. If he
goes after any rogues or humans, I will deal with him.
48 Lynn Hagen
Rhys heard the threat in his brother s voice. He had no doubt
Christian would do just that. He was the oldest, the more powerful.
Rhys and Ceri may give him a run for his money, but in the end, Rhys
knew full well who would win.
 And if I go after them? Rhys asked, feeling Nathaniel stiffening
behind him. Rhys reached behind him, laying a comforting hand on
his mate s side.
 The same applies to you as well, Christian answered, but Rhys
could see the pleading in his brother s eyes for Rhys not to go after
anyone. Rhys should feel for his brother, but he was numb. He hadn t
had a full feeding yet, and Rhys was feeling tired. He knew Ceri was
feeling tired as well, but they hid their weakness.
Rhys grabbed Nathaniel and vanished from the club, ending back
at his childhood home. He hadn t known anywhere else to go. The
world he found himself in was too strange, too different. There were
humans every damn place. Rhys could feel them like bugs crawling
over his skin. They had burst in numbers, overcrowding the planet.
 Why are we back here? Nathaniel asked softly from Rhys s
arms.
 Enough questions, Rhys said as he pulled Nathaniel to his
bedroom.  I must rest.
 I m not tired, Nathaniel said as he tried to pull free.  What if
Ceri tries to kill me while you re asleep? I saw the way he looked at
me. That man is dying to off my ass.
 He is dying to do what? Rhys turned as he asked. Gods, this
language in these modern times confused him.
 Kill me, Rhys. Your brother is as batty as they come. He isn t
right in the head, and now he s loose, running around who knows
where, ready to kill the evil. And he has categorized me as evil.
Nathaniel made quotation marks in the air as he said the word evil.
Rhys didn t understand that gesture, so he ignored it. Nathaniel
was turning into one squirrelly man.
The Dark Side of Love 49
 He is resting now, Nathaniel. He will not come after you until he
is well fed. Had he just said that? Would Ceri really come after his
mate after giving his word? Rhys wasn t sure, and he honestly didn t
want to find out. If Ceri broke his word, Rhys didn t want his twin
making him choose between blood relations and his mate.
Ceri wouldn t like the outcome.
* * * *
Nathaniel looked over his shoulder, seeing Rhys fast asleep. The
man s lips were slightly parted, but he looked like he wasn t
breathing. Nathaniel watched Rhys s chest for a moment and then slid
from the bed, not wanting to know if Rhys wasn t breathing. He
wasn t sure he could handle that right now.
He crept to the door, looking behind him to make sure Rhys
wasn t awake. Nathaniel wasn t sure where he was, but anywhere was
better than being around a vampire. He crept through the old palace,
heading straight for the front doors. He managed to pull one of the
doors open just enough to squeeze his body through. The door may
squeak after so many years of not being used, and Nathaniel wasn t
going to chance the sound waking Rhys.
Nathaniel blinked a few times from the bright sunlight, and heard
noises. His eyes adjusted to his surroundings, and what Nathaniel saw
only confused him. He was on a city street. Turning, Nathaniel saw a
storefront behind him. There was no castle door. It was gone.
 Watch it, a man said as he hurried by Nathaniel. He stepped
back, taking in what looked to be the city. He was home? That
couldn t be possible. There wasn t a castle in his neighborhood. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]