Page 49 of Visions of You

Maybe it was a little much for him to process right now.

"You'll be fine," Jaron said. "And you can always come hang out here when it gets too much at home."

Casca glanced up, a sliver of hope flickering in his eyes. "Really?" A moment later, though, he remembered that he wanted to be a tough teenager and looked away. "I mean, I know."

Jaron suppressed a laugh. "All right. How about we have some spicy hot chocolate?" That had always been his little brother's favorite drink.

"Sounds great," Casca said.

Jaron smiled at him and made his way to the kitchen, passing Malkira.

"You handled that well," she said softly to him. "I need to fetch some herbs from the market before it closes," she announced in a louder voice.

Jaron caught her gaze and understood—she was giving them space.

"Thanks," he whispered back.

In the kitchen, Jaron warmed milk on the stove and added in chunks of dark chocolate along with a pinch of cayenne pepper and cinnamon, enjoying the smell of the chocolate as it melted into the milk. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

When he was done, he and Casca settled in front of the TV with their mugs, the rich aroma of chocolate filling the air between them as they picked out an action movie from the streaming service.

Jaron sipped at his drink and leaned back against the cushions.

As the warmth of the chocolate spread through his body, Jaron's mind drifted to Keegan. Had the vampire foreseen that Jaron would spend the evening watching movies with his little brother? Was that why he'd said Jaron wouldn't be back?

Had he guessed that Jaron would always choose to be there for his siblings?

Maybe he'd seen it.

That seemed likely.

Just as Jaron felt the tension in his chest beginning to unravel, a loud banging on the door shattered the peaceful moment.

Of course.

Jaron didn't have to be a seer to know who that was.

Steeling himself, he set his mug down and went to open the door.

"What do you think you're doing?" his mother demanded before he could even utter a greeting.

"I'm taking care of my brother," Jaron replied evenly.

"You're filling his head with your silly ideas!" Her voice rose like thunder, accusing him of leading Casca astray just as he'd strayed himself.

Jaron stood firm in the doorway. "He came here because he needed someone who would listen."

"Listen?" His mother let out a sharp laugh. "Like you're not the one who made him want to be a doctor in the first place."

Jaron gritted his teeth, fighting the urge to lash out in return. He wasn't going to lose his cool now. "It wasn't my idea, but even if it was, it's not abadthing to be a doctor. You can't force Casca to take over the family business just because that is whatyouwant for him."

She glared at him. "I let you get away with a lot, Jaron Tymera. I looked the other way when you decided that you didn't want to wear our jewelry and I didn't stop you from joining that ridiculous task force you work for, but I won't let you put Casca within reach of this 'woman' you live with." The way she said the word suggested that she wanted to call Malkira something far worse than a woman.

She'd always hated Malkira for some reason, and she'd hated that Jaron had chosen to live with the witch.

Jaron's hackles rose. "There's nothing wrong with Malkira."

His mother waved his words aside like an annoying mosquito. "Oh please, everyone knows she hates dragons and you've been turning into less of one with every month you spend living with her as if you're suddenly ashamed of your heritage when you should be proud. She's filling you with her hate, corrupting you!"