Claiming Marcus (Lords of Discord 1)

“Ethan.” There was no missing the relief in Marcus’s tone. The sound helped to snap Ethan’s gaze from the wounded figure on the couch to watch Marcus rush to his side.

“What happened?” Ethan whispered. It was as loud as he could get his voice as he forced the words out.

“Thank you for getting this,” Marcus said, ignoring his question. “A bow?”

Ethan looked at how Marcus lightly ran his fingers up the bow in a caress that brought tears to Ethan’s eyes.

“I thought it might help,” Ethan mumbled.

“It will.”

“She tried to take my heart!” the man on the couch screamed. “She wanted to rip my heart out. She was trying to kill me!”

Ethan lurched back a step in horror, watching as Rafe shifted one hand to run over his forehead. “It’s okay. You’re safe now,” he murmured over and over again.

“Go home, Ethan.” Ethan’s eyes snapped over to Marcus, stunned by the cold, hard quality of his voice. Just a moment ago, there had been such kindness and warmth. “I’ll call you tomorrow if your services are needed.”

Before Ethan could say anything else, the door to the library was slammed in his face. He was officially dismissed.

And yet, Ethan couldn’t leave. He didn’t know what the hell was going on, but it was clear that one of Marcus’s brothers had been brutally attacked and injured. The man on the couch had said “she.” Had that woman Meryl attacked Marcus’s brother? Was that what Marcus was trying to protect him from?

Backing up, Ethan walked a short distance from the library and sat down on the floor, his back pressed against the wall. The hardwood almost immediately bit into his ass, but he didn’t want to move. Not until he was sure that Marcus’s brother was okay, and Marcus didn’t need him any longer.

He had to wait only a couple of minutes before Ethan heard raised voices through the door. This time, it was Marcus shouting.

“Go, Rafe! You know Winter needs your help, especially if she realizes what she did.”

“Bel needs me too!” someone shouted in response. There was such pain in that voice. Ethan thought it was likely Rafe, but there was such a heavy weight of fear and worry in his tone. It was surprising to think this was the same man who sent his brothers a naked picture of himself in bed with two other people. But despite his hedonistic tendencies, he clearly cared for his brother.

“I’ve got Bel. Winter needs you,” Marcus countered.

There was another voice. Softer than the others. Ethan couldn’t make out the words through the door, but he guessed it was Bel urging Rafe to leave, because only a few seconds later, the library door was jerked open and the man stormed out.

He stopped sharply when he spotted Ethan. From his impressive height, he glared down at Ethan, his blood-covered hands clenched into fists at his sides. Rafe was a stunningly handsome man in his perfectly tailored slacks and button-down shirt. Blood splashed across him didn’t detract from his beauty but added a dangerous edge to him that had Ethan’s heart speeding up.

“You’re the assistant,” Rafe stated and Ethan nodded. “Marcus told you to leave. Why are you still here?”

“I’m staying until I’m sure he doesn’t need anything else.”

Emotions that Ethan couldn’t quite put a name to flitted across Rafe’s face for a second before everything was simply washed away to reveal a blank slate. “You brought him the bow,” Rafe murmured softly.

Ethan could only nod again. It had seemed like such a silly thing to pause for when it was clear that someone was seriously injured. But there had been something in the voice shouting about the broken bow that threatened to shatter Ethan’s heart. He’d been sure that the broken bow was more important to the person than potentially bleeding out.

“Thank you. It helped.” Rafe gave a little wave of his hand as he started for the rear of the house. “Stick around,” he called over his shoulder. “Bel might need another donor.”

A chill skittered through Ethan and he wrapped his arms around his bent legs. Ethan knew Rafe meant a blood donor. It was clear that Bel had lost a lot of blood. He’d need to have it replaced. Would Bel kill him if he fed off him?

Would Marcus let his brother kill him?

If that was how vampires fed, then Ethan felt pretty damn sure that Marcus wouldn’t hesitate to choose the life of his brother over the life of some guy who worked for him. It didn’t matter if they were starting to become friends. Family came first, and Marcus very clearly loved his family.

Rafe’s words kept replaying in his head. Another donor.

How many people had Bel fed from before he reached Marcus’s town house?

Was there a long trail of bodies across the city leading back to Marcus’s?