“Insane, clearly.” Meaning Madden didn’t have a real clue either.
Zane needed to discuss this with Kelevra, but…He wouldn’t necessarily say the Imperial Prince cared about him—because he wasn’t capable of caring about much, and what caring he could muster, he reserved for Rin. Still, he considered Zane a good friend. If he told him about all of this, would Kelevra do something to Pavel?
Did Zane want him to do something to the other Retinue member?
When Berga had offered, Zane had automatically shut him down without much thought. But now that he was aware of it, he couldn’t help but wonder.
Surely he was better than a few wild orgasms? Surely he wasn’t really turned on by this small act of possessiveness? An act that had resulted in his flesh being torn and the rest of the student body left terrified.
Wait.
Zane’s eyes narrowed and of course Pavel noticed.
“Public displays of affection are effective.” Pavel wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, drawing Zane’s attention to the smears of blood on his face.
Fortunately, the sound of rushing footsteps put an end to their discussion a second before Ledger shot into the room. His gaze landed on his brother, taking in the blood quickly before he turned to look at Zane and winced. “Shit.”
“Brother, shouldn’t you be in the music wing right now?” Pavel asked, slipping his hands into his front pockets when that had Ledger glowering.
“Have you lost your mind?” Ledger hissed. “I just heard the entire sophomore band talking about how you attacked the Prince of Medicine!”
Pavel seemed far too pleased with himself, sending a wink Zane’s way. “Effective.”
“Get out here!” Ledger demanded, not seeming the least bit amused. “We’re going home. Now. You need—”
All of the humor and self-satisfaction drained away from Pavel so quickly, if any of them had blinked, they surely would have missed it. He straightened to his full height, eyes taking on that same yellow gleam.
Even the Butcher tensed at Zane’s side, sensing the same danger the rest of them were.
Just how many different personalities did this guy have? He’d never seen Pavel look at anyone like that, let alone his own brother.
“I need,” Pavel sneered, “my bashert. Nothing else.”
Ledger flinched. “We agreed you would wait until graduation.” He sent a nervous glance in Zane’s direction, but quickly tore it off of him when Pavel growled.
“I said I’d wait until the timing was right,” he corrected. “The timing is now.”
“Don’t fight with your brother,” Zane wasn’t sure why he was getting involved. It most definitely didn’t concern him, yet he found himself unable to sit there and remain quiet. “You two never fight. That’s like the only thing I like about you.”
That wasn’t entirely honest. It wasn’t necessarily that he liked that about Pavel.
He was envious of it.
Semantics.
Pavel turned back to Zane, thinking it over. “All right, Doctor. Don’t fret. We’re not fighting.”
“I wasn’t—” He pinched the bridge of his nose. He shouldn’t have said anything. “Forget it. Tear each other’s throats out for all I care.”
“And sully the taste of your blood in my mouth?” Pavel shook his head. “Not a chance.”
Zane dropped his hand just as Berga finished stitching him up. A million questions ran through his mind, but there was only one that he’d been unable to shake all weekend. “What are you?”
“Yours.” Pavel seemed to calm. “And you’re mine.”
He didn’t give Zane a chance to argue. Just like he had back at the abandoned house in the middle of the woods, Pavel walked away from him without a second glance.
It took all of Zane’s willpower not to go after him and punch him in the aristocratic nose.
