Morrigan's Cross (Circle Trilogy 1)

He came awake and found himself staring up into the face of a giant. The creature was tall as a tree, and every bit as thick. He had a face even a mother would weep over, black as a moor and scarred at the cheek, and surrounded by knotted hanks of hair.

He had one black eye and one gray. Both narrowed as he bared strong white teeth.

“You’re not Cain.”

Before Hoyt could react, he was hauled up by the scruff of the neck where he was shaken like a mouse by a very large, angry cat.

“Put him down, King, before he turns you into a small white man.”

Cian strolled out of his bedroom, and continued lazily into the kitchen.

“How come he’s got your face?”

“He’s got his own,” Cian retorted. “We don’t look that much alike if you pay attention. He used to be my brother.”

“That so? Son of a bitch.” King dropped Hoyt unceremoniously back on the sofa. “How the hell did he get here?”

“Sorcery.” As he spoke, Cian removed a clear packet of blood from a locked cold box. “Gods and battles, end of the world, blah blah.”

King looked down at Hoyt with a grin. “I’ll be damned. I always thought half of that crap you told me was, well, crap. He’s not much for conversation before he’s had his evening fix,” he said to Hoyt. “You got a name, brother?”

“I am Hoyt of the Mac Cionaoith. And you will not lay hands on me again.”

“That’s a mouthful.”

“Is he like you?” both Hoyt and King demanded in unison.

Wearily Cian poured the blood in a tall, thick glass, then set it in the microwave. “No, to both. King manages my club, the one downstairs. He’s a friend.”

Hoyt’s lips peeled back in disgust. “Your human servant.”

“I ain’t nobody’s servant.”

“You’ve been reading.” Cian took out the glass and drank. “Some vampires of rank have human servants. I prefer employees. Hoyt’s come to enlist me in the army he hopes to raise to fight the big evil.”

“The IRS?”

In better humor, Cian grinned. Hoyt saw something pass between them, something that had once only passed between himself and his brother.

“If only. No, I told you I’ve heard rumblings. Apparently for a reason. According to the gossip of the gods, Lilith of the Vampires is amassing her own army and plans to destroy humanity, take over the worlds. War, pestilence, plague.”

“You can jest?” Hoyt said in barely suppressed fury.

“Christ Jesus, Hoyt, we’re talking about vampire armies and time travel. Bloody right I can joke about it. Going with you is likely to kill me.”

“Where are you going?”

Cian shrugged at King. “Back to my past, I suppose, to act in an advisory capacity, at least, for General Sobriety there.”

“I don’t know if we’re to go back, or forward, or to the side.” Hoyt shoved books over the table. “But we will go back to Ireland. We will be told where we travel next.”

“Got a beer?” King asked.

Cian opened the refrigerator, took out a bottle of Harp and tossed it.

“So when do we leave?” King twisted off the cap, took a long slug.

“You don’t. I told you before, when it was time for me to leave, I’ll give you controlling interest in the club. Apparently, that time’s come.”