Page 13 of Blood of the Damned: Thorn (Vaughn Winery #1)

Thorn

“What was that we were picking up from you last night?” Dacian questioned, not looking up from the barrel of wine he was moving for collection.

Thorn moved the last one onto the palette for the delivery driver, who was due to arrive any time in the next fifteen minutes. He didn’t react to his brother’s nosiness. Dacian was always the one who liked to stick his nose in his brother's business.

“Is that all the barrels we are sending to Prichard?” he eyed the four barrels, working to recall the order, convinced he’d asked for double that amount.

Dacian scratched the corner of his eye, nodding. “They called to say they only want half the barrels sending for now. They plan to vacation in the Roth Valley next month, so have asked for the remaining part of their order to be sent there. I got an email last night from them.”

Frown lines appeared as Thorn held Dacian’s stare. “Why are they emailing you?”

A light appeared in Dacian’s eyes, a clear warning that he was up to something. “They tried to ring you, but when they failed to get an answer , they emailed me. One of us, it appears, was having make-up sex. Ledger finally let you out of the vampire doghouse, I see.”

“Fuck off, that’s none of your business,” Thorn stated huffily, hating that there really were very few secrets between them.

“Hey, Calvert told me he warned you against following Ledger to Ranch Down. You were never very good at listening to advice.” Dacian snorted. “You always believe you know best, and it seems that Ledger taught you a lesson for that.” His laughter, deep and loud, echoed around the large wine cellar.

Peeved, Thorn glowered at Dacian because it was the truth. “If you have quite finished with the ‘you’re wrong and we’re right’ part of this fishing trip, then I have a stack of work waiting for me.”

“Who’s fishing? And for what?” Calvert asked, strolling into the wine cellar, wearing his workout clothes.

Dacian frowned at his twin, his gaze roaming down the sweaty outfit. “Aren’t you planning on working today?”

“No. Ledger has got everything in hand for the Dewei party coming in for wine tasting. They have also booked a trip through the vineyard and I’m not needed for that”—he shrugged, but there was a tension about him that made Thorn eye his brother with speculation—“so I’ve decided to take some time for myself. ”

It all sounded plausible, except Thorn got the feeling there was more to it. But what, he couldn’t fathom.

Dacian stepped around the barrels and went to Calvert. With Dacian’s back to Thorn he couldn’t see his expression, but that didn’t stop him picking up a tension between the two brothers.

“What am I missing here?” he questioned, tilting his head as he shifted to see both brother’s expressions.

They both wore matching grim looks, neither giving him their attention. “Seriously, what is it?”

A sensation of unease crept up his spine as the silence continued for so long, he thought neither were going to answer him.

“Are you going to pretend that something monumental didn’t happen last night?” asked Calvert, who didn’t look in Thorn’s direction as he fired off the accusation.

Thorn released a long-suffering sigh. He gave Dacian a pointed look, knowing he’d wound up Calvert, before he came and placed a hand on the arm that quivered at his touch. “What did you feel?”

Calvert finally looked at him, and what Thorn saw was deep sadness. “Everything.”

Well fuck! “I’m sorry, I tried to keep it to myself.”

“It didn’t work,” Dacian stated flatly, still looking at Calvert.

“How am I supposed to block it? For centuries, we’ve shared everything. It’s impossible to put a lid on it. Though I seriously did try, I swear.”

Calvert nodded curtly, his head snapping back so sharply, it looked like his neck was one rigid piece of wood. “We know. It’s just impossible to not be envious at feeling the utter joy you experienced with Ledger. I’m happy for you.”

His brusque tone sounded anything but happy, and Thorn got a sense of how lonely Calvert felt.

“Tell me how to make it better?”

The sigh Calvert released sounded pained. “There is nothing you need to do.” He shook off Thorn’s touch. “I’ll adapt, like I always do.”

The resignation left Thorn conflicted. His happiness being the cause of his brother’s distress wasn’t something he knew how to handle.

“You don’t need to handle me, brother.” Calvert pivoted on his heel and left as silently as he arrived.

“Why didn’t you say something to me,” Thorn demanded quietly, the second he sensed Calvert was far enough away that he might not hear him.

Dacian glared at Thorn. “Don’t go throwing this shit at me. I didn’t piss him off, you did.”

“He’s not pissed off. He's… lonely… sad,” Thorn pointed out with a heavy heart.

“I know.” Dacian’s shoulders slumped, and he turned to perch his ass on the nearest barrel, looking at Thorn. “Our connection is stronger, as you fucking know, so I don’t need you to spell out how he’s feeling to me. I feel it on every level.”

Thorn held on to his temper at the nasty edge to Dacian’s voice because it came from a place of worry for his twin. “I’ll try harder—”

“If you do that, you’ll only upset him more. You know that.” Dacian ran his hands through his hair, a clear sign of his frustration. “What happened last night?” he asked again, only this time without the pushy attitude.

Thorn paused, glancing at the open doorway where anyone could come across them. His senses said they were alone when he met Dacian’s curious stare. “I fully claimed Ledger.”

“Fully claimed…” Dacian’s eyes widened, the disbelief evident even without their connection. “In your vampire form?” he spluttered, the feelings coming from him accompanied by a dose of envy.

“Yes. Ledger asked for it.” He’d had all night to consider what that meant for Ledger, when he hadn’t roused afterwards.

Ledger couldn’t shift, but his animal spirit was dominant inside him and Thorn got a sense that it was his animal side that had been the one to push Ledger out of his comfort zone.

Why, he wasn’t sure. When Ledger had woken this morning, he’d given Thorn a sheepish smile, then made no reference to what had happened between them despite the glaringly obvious claim bite marring his skin.

He’d not pushed to find out how Ledger truly felt when a part of him was anxious that, in the light of day, he might have some regrets.

“After giving you the cold shoulder, doesn’t that seem a little odd?”

Now that Dacian had put that thought out there, he couldn’t stop thinking about it, even hours later after returning to the office.

He’d not resolved anything with his brothers, in reality.

He had tried to reassure Dacian—or maybe himself—that he’d act as normal as possible around Calvert to prevent any more distress.

That didn’t mean he also wouldn’t work on keeping what was happening between him and Ledger low key.

He stared at the computer screen, not seeing anything but Ledger’s eyes recalling how he’d begged—demanded—that Thorn become fully vampire. What had triggered the demand? Was the insecurity around his past conquests, what drove the need?

Thorn wasn’t so sure he liked that idea at all, despite how much he’d wanted to be that way with Ledger. Should the reason matter?

A tap on his office door was the only warning before it swung open to reveal Ledger looking good enough to eat, in a dark suit and crisp white shirt and bowtie. “You’re looking rather dressed up for…” he checked his watch, frowning at the lateness of the hour, “for seven in the evening.”

Ledger brought his hand into view, one holding a glass of sparkling wine, and offered it to Thorn, a grin appearing as he approached. “You’ve forgotten we have several clients coming for one of your ‘special’ wine tastings.”

“Crap, that’s tonight?” He didn’t take the glass. Instead, he reached for the mouse and shook it to wake up his screen and check his diary of appointments. How had he forgotten something as important as this?

Ledger came and perched his ass on the edge of Thorn’s desk, crossing his ankles, looking relaxed and wearing a smile brimming with amusement. “It is, you have five minutes to rush up to the house and get changed.”

Thorn groaned at how the other plans he had for the evening—a repeat of the parts of the previous evening they hadn’t gotten to—went up in smoke.

Ledger sipped from the glass he continued to hold, moaning in appreciation before once more offering the glass to Thorn, seemingly not caring that his behavior was delaying Thorn. “Beautiful, fruity, vibrant, with a lightness that leaves the palate clean. Delicious, it was a great choice.”

Thorn, who’d reached to take the wine, paused, his hand mid-air as he looked from the glass to Ledger. “Is this the bottle I picked last night?”

“I didn’t see the point in wasting the effort you went to last night when I ruined the romancing part of your evening.”

Thorn took the glass and rose, but he didn’t take a drink.

Instead, he stepped closer to Ledger, swooping in to taste his full lips.

His intention to keep it light and playful was corrupted by his mate when fingers dove into his hair and held on, angling Thorn’s head so Ledger could deepen the kiss.

They groaned together and Thorn didn’t resist, parting his lips and gaining access to the sweet mouth that held hints of the wine Ledger had drunk. His fingers tightened around the stem of the glass before there was a loud cough coming from the direction of the open door.

Thorn didn’t immediately stop, more eased out of the kiss, loving the glazed, lust filled gaze meeting his as he stood back to find Calvert standing watching them with expressionless eyes.

“Shouldn’t you be going to get changed?” he asked pointedly, while looking at Thorn’s rumpled shirt. “Our guests have started to arrive.”

Ledger glanced between them, his brows drawing together as he moved away from the desk. What’s wrong with Calvert?

We’ll talk about it later. Much later. “I’m just going up to the house now,” he replied, keeping his tone light.

Calvert nodded and disappeared, leaving an odd tension behind.

Ledger stared at where Calvert had been standing. “What’s going on?” His voice was low, but that wouldn’t prevent Calvert from hearing if he tuned in to the conversation.

“Nothing.” Let’s talk about this later, okay?

A frown marred his brow as he nodded and answered flippantly, “If you say so. I’ve left your suit on the bed.”

Thorn brushed a kiss over Ledger’s lips, running a finger over his brow.

It’s all going to be fine. “Thank you, Sweetling.”