"Fuck you," Aiden shot back.
"Such hostility from one so young." Brian lifted his glasses to reveal eyes the color of arctic ice as they focused on Ian. "Someone's not a puppy anymore."
"Easy, Brian," Stefan warned.
Ethan frowned as he tried to figure out how Brian would know that when none of them had realized Ian had reached maturity. His attention was drawn away from Brian though by Ian's growled response, "We don't need this asshole's help."
"Apparently, you must, because I can guarantee it almost killed this one to call me," Brian said and slapped Stefan on the back. "Don't worry; I tend to grow on people."
"So do warts," Isabelle muttered.
Brian laughed as he dropped his bag on the floor. "Good to see you too, Isabelle."
Emma's head spun as she tried to get a grasp on Brian when his eyes locked on hers. His expression changed from antagonistic, to one she swore might have been genuine concern, so fast Emma would have thought he had PMS if he wasn't so obviously male.
"Is this her?" Brian asked.
A growl rumbled from Ethan as he stepped in front of Emma and pushed her back a little. Emma rested her hands on his back and poked her head out to look around him. "Don't even think about coming near her."
Brian held his hands up and settled his large frame onto one of the stools by the bar. He folded his hands as he rested an elbow on the counter and studied them. "I know better. Now, what is going on here?"
Ethan kept Emma behind him as he moved her toward the couch. The subtle scent of garbage coming off Brian wasn't as potent as the last time they'd seen him; he could barely detect the odor anymore. His scent was probably stronger than Brian's now and more like Brian's was the first time they met.
The difference in smells didn't mean Brian wasn't still a killer, but he hadn't killed a human since they'd last seen him. Maybe he hadn't killed anyone recently. It eased some of the tension in him, but he still wasn't thrilled about having Brian in the house with Emma and her friends.
Stefan must have felt the same way as he kept Isabelle by his side while he filled Brian in on what was happening.
Emma was exhausted by the time she finally retreated to Ethan's room. Ethan closed the door behind him and turned on the light. "He's so strange," Emma murmured as she sat on the bed to pull off her now dry but extremely wrinkled cover up.
"He's a dick," Ethan said as he pulled the curtains on the windows closed.
Emma chuckled and kicked off her flip-flops. "Then why is he here?"
"Because he's an incredibly powerful dick, and as much as I'd like to drive my fist into his face, he'll help us."
"Why?"
"He has a history with Stefan, and we all saved his ass last year."
"So he owes you."
Ethan frowned as he turned to face her. "He does, but I think it's more than that."
"What do you mean?"
He shook his head as he walked away from the windows. "I don't know. The last time we saw him there was a wildness to him; a savagery I thought would one day lead him down the same exact path as Tristan. He's still an arrogant prick, but he's not..." His forehead furrowed as his voice trailed off.
"Not what?" she prodded.
"Not a brutal killer, at least not of humans."
Well, that was not what she’d expected to hear, not even a little bit. "Was he once a killer of humans?"
"He was in the past. Though, it was a kill or be killed situation for him."
"That's good to know," she muttered.
He smiled as he walked over to sit beside her. "He's not a threat to you, or Mandy and Jill. He wasn't that kind of a killer. He has a deadly past, but so does Stefan. Brian's less of a threat than I'd expected him to be."
Emma rested her hand on his arm when he rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "You look tired."
"I don't like being around people." He slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his side. "Except for you, I love you."
Her heart warmed as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I love you too." Just moments ago she'd been ready to pass out from exhaustion, but she felt her pulse quickening as her skin reacted to his. "When will I become like you, Ethan?"
He dropped his head to brush his lips against her hair. "Are you sure about this?"
"Do I have a choice anymore?" she asked with a laugh.
"I'd like to give you one—"
"But you can't, I made a choice earlier, and I'm going to stand by it. I'd like to do it soon, tonight maybe; I don't think it will be good for me to think about my impending death for too long."
He stiffened against her, his hand stilled on her arm. "It's going to be excruciating for you, Emma."
"Something else I'd prefer not to dwell on."
He lifted her up and pulled her into his lap, holding her against his chest, and cradling her as he rocked. "I'll make it as easy on you as possible," he promised. "But first I have to feed, a lot."
Now that his secret was out, Emma was aware of the blood bags residing on the shelf below the yogurt, apples, and milk bought for them when they'd moved in. It had been more than a little disturbing to see them there in the beginning, but she'd gotten used to it now.
Emma frowned as a new thought occurred to her. "How do you get the blood bags?"
"Stefan has a nurse under his control who works the blood drives
