“Go play, baby,”Mom said, and Briar ran off to her room. “Is that all you’re taking?”
I nodded. “Idon’t really need much to protest.”
Mom sighed.“Keep a handle on that attitude, Lennox.”
I sighed. “I’lldo my best.”
“There she is,”Dad announced, strolling into the foyer, Levi at his heels. “All ready to go?”
I forced asmile. “Yep.”
“The car ishere, so let’s go ahead and head on outside. Levi will take your bags.”
“I madecookies,” Mom said.
I tried not tolaugh out loud at the absurdity of it all. Of course, she made cookies.Moreover, she probably packed us individual sack lunches, complete with a bibleverse written on each napkin, while Dad was leading us into some kind of end ofthe world suicide mission.
After gatheringour ‘cookies,’ we headed out to the awaiting SUVs, and off to the airstrip.
CHAPTER FOUR
Phineas
MYBROTHER CALLED as I drove home from Uncle Brodie’s club,Sláinte. I’dleft before my parents, who’d decided to stay and hang out with Brodie andPayton as they closed down the building. “Hello, brother, did you hear?”
“That our motherhas found a way to make my life even more difficult? Aye, I have.”
I sighed.“That’s not her int—”
“Intention,sure, but it’s the end result, Phin,” he hissed.
“Liam, youcannot blame Blue Fang for Liberty putting the brakes on your bonding.”
“Jesus, Phin, ofcourse I can. If it weren’t for this bloody miracle cure you and Mum have discoveredand fuckin’ ‘stabilized,’ we’d already be bound and living our lives in perfectunison. But, no, Libby’s decided she wants to wait a while and not be tieddown. It’s bullshit.”
Liberty hadjumped at the chance to be part of our trials for Blue Fang. She’d desperatelywanted to go to university in the States and spend more time with the Americanside of her family, but with the temperature issues, Kaspar and Jesska had beenconcerned for her safety. Blue Fang changed all of that. And given her specificblood type and hemoglobin structure, she was a prime candidate for late-stagetrials. What we hadn’t expected, however, was that it would have a side effectthat would make Liam’s life miserable.
“How could wehave known that a side effect of Blue Fang would be the ability to withstandthe desire and need to bond?”
“Oh, sure, let’sjust give Oppenheimer a pass while we’re at it.”
I raised aneyebrow. “Did you really just compare our work to the Manhattan Project?”
“Imagine how youwould feel if you knew who your mate was, and you couldn’t be with her. Let metell you what it feels like. It feels like an atomic bomb in my head every timeI think of her, and when I see her, my heart explodes into a million pieces.”
When the CauldAne turn twenty-five, we reach theár mökun, the mating year. It’s whenour hearts turn to whoever our mates are, if they’re close (in proximity). Liamand Liberty were well past twenty-five and were, in fact, mates, but what wehadn’t expected was that Liberty would rely on Blue Fang to resist my brother,and she didn’t seem like she planned on quitting any time soon.
I sighed. “I’msorry, brother. I know this is hard for you, I’m just trying to do what’s bestfor our people.”
“I get it and Iknow I’m being a selfish prig, it’s just that she could resist me forever atthis rate, and I don’t know how much longer I can take it.”
“When did youlast talk to her?”
“An hour ago. Italk to her every day, she’s my best friend, after all, but she’s determined towait, and I will give her that because I love her.”
“You couldalways give her even more space.”
“What do youmean?” he asked.
