Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
“Wait!” Lyrica shouted, kicking into the deeper snow to get to them. “Just wait.” She tried to reach them, but immortal rolling-over speed was faster than a boulder tumbling down a hill. Finally, she caught up and shrieked. “Stop it. Both of you, right now.”
At this point, Vero was on top of Paxton, his fist cocked. He slowly looked to the side, his eyes an unbearable blue. “Time out.”
“Time out?” Lyrica yelled. Seriously? The guy knew what “time out” meant?
Paxton paused with a punch an inch away from Vero’s neck. Slowly, he turned to look at her, snow covering his head. “Okay.”
Vero let out a shrill whistle, and two Kurjan soldiers rushed toward them from behind the weapons depot. The first looked at them and hesitated. “King? Do you require assistance?”
“No,” Paxton said, sounding almost cheerful even though he lay on the frozen ground buried in snow. “This is family business.”
Vero flicked his gaze from the soldiers to Lyrica. “Take her into the main lodge. Nicely. If she’s bruised, I’ll kill you.”
She stomped a foot in the snow. “I will not be—”
As if she hadn’t spoken, the two ultra-tall soldiers each tucked an arm beneath hers, lifted, and easily started carrying her away. “You are so going to pay for this, Vero Phoenix,” she bellowed, kicking her legs uselessly three feet off the ground.
The only sound that came back was fists on flesh and an occasional pained grunt.
Finally, the two carrying her deposited her inside the door of the half-demolished lodge. Apparently one fact crossed species, immortal and human. As they shut the door behind her, she turned and stared at the slightly damaged oak. “Boys are stupid,” she yelled.
* * * *
An hour after throwing the first punch, Vero panted wildly, spitting out blood. He sat with his back against the weapons depot, his arm broken, his legs stretched out in front of him. Blood, ice, and snow covered his new jeans.
His brother sat next to him, his body and face in similar shape. “Feel better?” Paxton grunted, blood dribbling from his mouth.
Vero sent healing cells to his damaged cornea and thoughtfully considered the question. “I believe I do.” Suspicion tickled the base of his mangled neck. “You mentioned this was a brother thing. Do brothers often break each other’s bones?”
Paxton snorted. “You’re the first brother I’ve had, but I’ve seen how other vampire and demon families relate to each other. I know you’re torn up about Hunter, and since you can’t hit him right now, I figured I’d be a good substitute. Plus, I’m not entirely sure I appreciate you declaring me the king of the Kurjan nation.”
Vero licked at a split in his bottom lip. “Yeah, I understand. I should’ve realized you’d have a huge bullseye on your back.” Yet he probably would’ve made the same decision. It was time to bring the Kurjan nation into the modern times and create coalitions with other immortal species, and having Paxton as their king made the most sense. Plus, as the eldest son of the ruling family, the title belonged to him. “I didn’t consider the danger to you.”
Paxton’s shoulder loudly popped back into place. “I don’t care about the danger, except when it comes to Hope. It’s the responsibility. I grew up with a vampire dad who wasn’t my dad who hated my guts. Then I traveled with my uncle, who was in a secret society that still wants to hurt everything we believe in. I had two friends my whole life, and they’re both females. I mated one of them. I know fuck all about how to run a nation. How to protect people and create lasting bonds.”
Vero hadn’t considered self-doubt when it came to Paxton. His father and uncles had never shown an iota of self-doubt. They’d viewed doubt as an unforgivable weakness. “I figure the fact that you care makes you a good leader. Plus, you have me.” Not that he’d been of much good his entire life. “At the very least, I can cover your back.”
“Because we’re brothers or because I’m the king?”
It was a good question. A fair one. “Either way, I’d kill or die for you.” It was the truth.
Paxton slapped him on his newly healed thigh. “I guess it’s a good start.”
Vero lifted his head to allow snow to fall on his flesh and calm his wounded skin. “I felt a kinship to my now deceased cousin while growing up, but he didn’t really care about me. He certainly never told me I had a brother.”
“Well, you do, and I would never keep a secret like that from you. No secrets, period.” Paxton turned and looked at him, blood on his face, and mellow flames in his powerful eyes.
“We’re a pair,” Vero muttered. They’d both grown up with more punches than compliments thrown at them. “I hadn’t considered that we might be too damaged to actually fix the Kurjan nation and build a good future for everyone.” His spine needed attention, so he sent more healing cells to the base. “When Hope faced certain death if she didn’t pick Drake as her mate, and she chose you, I thought you were the luckiest male in the world.” Vero’s cousin had dragged her in front of cameras so the young Realm heir could choose him publicly. She hadn’t—regardless of the cost.