Chuckling, I proposed, “how about we agree that circumstances sucked and neither of us are to blame?” I’d still blame myself, but hopefully, Matty would let go of his idea that he was at fault.
Snorting, my little brother drawled, “I suppose you think I will believe that you’ll give up your blame? Right. I’m not a stupid little kid, Angel.” I burst out laughing, pulling him into another tight hug. “I know you want me to stop blaming myself, but I refuse to do so unless you do too. And, I know you, sis, you won’t.” Ah, perceptive as always. Oh well, I tried. Someday we might shed our belief that we were at fault, but, until then, we’d soldier on.
“I know you aren’t stupid, Matty, although you are still a kid,” I sighed. When he scowled, I added, “I’m still a kid too, kiddo. I grew up fast, but I’m not entirely mature either. I have my moments of self-doubt, and situations I don’t understand. I make the wrong decision sometimes as well, but that’s part of growing up. We have to scrape our knees to learn it hurts, and that the scars give us stories to tell. Sometimes they’re funny, others reduce everyone who hears them to tears, but scars are proof we’ve lived. Some remind us we can make decisions and survive the consequences. Others give us the strength to carry on because they’re proof that a little pain won’t break us. I believe the most important thing to do is live a life you won’t regret. I will never regret protecting you. What you view as a sacrifice, I see as a choice to save the most important person in my life.”
“I love you too, Angel,” Matty whispered tearfully, and I ruffled his hair with a smile. “Someday, I hope to be strong enough to protect you.”
“I’m sure you will,” I chuckled, “but I’ll still try to keep you safe even when you’re stronger than me, sprout.” I couldn’t fathom a world where I didn’t stand between Matty and whoever tried to hurt him. I wasn’t against him living a life where he fell down, but I wouldn’t let the monsters lurking in the shadows get their talons in him. He smiled brightly, and I pulled him onto my lap, hugging him while we awaited our fate. My only hope for our future was that I could plead for them to spare Matty. I cared not what they did to me so long as he remained unharmed and as free as a human could in the realm of vampires.
The first rays of light kissed the sky when Tyger stood in front of me with his head cocked to the side, and his brow quirked. “What have we learned about running away in a dress and boots? I’m sure your feet loathe you,” he murmured in a teasing tone, and I tensed. “Shifters do not fear the sun, and can walk in its light. The older vampires can withstand the sun’s rays when they are muted. Overcast skies, rainy days, early morning, and late evening are times you may see the elder vamps outside when the sun is awake.”
The way he said that had me chewing my bottom lip, and I swallowed audibly before turning my head to discover Liam standing next to Ryker. The lord leaned against a tree with a nonchalant air, and I shuddered when the feeling that they planned this resurfaced. Sure enough, another vampire, this one with a dog that snarled and tugged on its leash, emerged from the dark depths of the forest. Once I saw the poor creature that pulled and tugged at the one who restrained him, my heart ached. He was not a wolf, but a hybrid. Surrendering to an instinct deep within my soul, I held my hand towards the snarling wolf-dog.
He lunged to snap his teeth shut centimeters from my fingertips, but I did not flinch. Matty whimpered when he saw it, and I hugged him closer but kept myself calm. The dog jerked forward, and my hand ended up in his mouth. Once his teeth touched my skin, he stopped, albeit he growled in frustration. Continuing to breathe calmly, I waited him out, petting his head once he released my hand to lick the skin he never broke. “Hmm,” the vampire who held the leash noted, “I’ve never seen a human not afraid of Brutus. Nor has he refrained from ripping apart any who are foolish enough to get close.”
With a whine, Brutus lay beside me, and I stroked his coarse fur with a soft sigh. “That’s because all who approached him, vampire and human alike, were not omegas. Brutus is an alpha, and he will not hurt Angel even if you tell him he must. It goes against his instincts. I suggest you let him visit when he desires, or there will be mutiny,” Ryker chuckled. “For now, we better get my bunny and little Matty back to the house. As we feared, Tammy betrayed them. But, like I predicted, Angel will suffer anything to protect her baby brother, and pushed through the barrier to save him from the trap.” The vampire controlling Brutus flinched, and Ryker lowered his voice to growl, “do not question me again.”
Brutus growled too, his eyes on the vampire at the other end of the leash, and he got his feet underneath him, preparing to spring. “No,” I whispered, petting his head, and he grumbled a growl but relaxed. However, his eyes remained on the almost translucently pale vampire. I frowned
