“When our father died, ” Ivan mused, toeing at a clean patch of carpet before he caught himself fidgeting and went still, “I thought his lessons—his poison fucking words—would die with him. I thought I’d feel…free of him. But I could hear him in my head, long after he was gone. Lessons like that…they stick, Alexei. They fucking stick.”
Alexei’s voice was soft behind him. “I know that.”
Ivan whirled to glare at him. “Then why am I the only one you hate for it?”
“Because you remind me of him.” Alexei’s eyes tracked Ivan’s face, catching his wince. “I’m sorry to say it, but it’s true.” His gaze darted to Nix, then back again. “But less so now. How you looked when your demon disappeared… Our father never looked like that. Not once.”
Ivan ran a hand through his hair, wishing he could hit something. Or someone. “So what…we can be friends now? You can tolerate me because I have a—a boyfriend?”
Alexei’s eyes widened, looking startled at Ivan’s choice of words. Almost as startled as Ivan felt saying it. It was a stupid fucking word for what Nix meant to him, but it wasn’t exactly incorrect either.
Alexei’s smile when he recovered was bitter, but it was there. “We’re not friends, Vanya. We’re brothers. We always have been.”
“Even when you ran?” Ivan snarked.
“Even when you shot me,” Alexei countered.
Ivan let out a breath, refusing to laugh. “You healed quickly enough.”
“You’re an asshole.”
“I’m aware.”
Alexei swore softly, then turned on his heel, muttering over hisshoulder. “Come meet Jay properly. Your mate has clearly already won him over. It’s your turn to try.”
It was an olive branch, even if it was a grudging one. And Ivan had to give Alexei credit for his choice of words.
Matewas a much better word thanboyfriend.
24
Nix
Nix noticed something was different about Ivan after his talk with his brother.
It was interesting, since not much had been said—Nix and Jay had been eavesdropping shamelessly, even as Nix had been demonstrating the prehensile abilities of his tail—but nonetheless, the bitterness surrounding Ivan when it came to Alexei had tempered slightly.
With time, perhaps it would fade away entirely.
Which was all well and good, but now that the all-consuming lust from the bond forging had faded a bit, Nix could see how worn out his poor human was. The dark circles under his eyes were back, and there was a faint tremor in his hands.
Ivan would soon have a demon’s strength to fall back on, thanks to their bond, but in the fragile aftermath of their souls colliding, what he needed at the moment was rest.
And Nix was all about giving Ivan what he needed.
Nix clucked his tongue as Ivan slipped an arm around his waist, returning to his side. “I’m taking you home.”
“Are you?” Ivan asked mildly even as he tightened his hold, either in protest or agreement.
Alexei, in a mirror of Ivan’s actions, wrapped an arm around his vampire. “Listen to your mate. You look like shit.”
Ivan cocked a brow at his brother. “Time to go home, then. I wouldn’t want to lose any beauty pageants.” He made as if to turn Nix toward the door, then paused, a rare awkwardness to his hesitation. “But…you’re staying?”
Just him asking the question was almost shocking in its vulnerability. Nix supposed that was his fault. He’d hacked down Ivan’s walls, and apparently this was the result. Although, Nix wasn’t sure how he felt about Ivan being vulnerable with others, even if itwashis flesh and blood. All those unguarded, gooey bits were supposed to be for Nix alone.
He supposed he’d need to learn to share.
“For a time,” Alexei told Ivan after a beat. He looked around at the room’s destruction. “I’ll tell Jace to get a cleanup crew in here.”
