He shrugged again. Stefan’s eyes flared as he took a step toward him. “A day, maybe two,”Brianansweredquickly.
“Do you care to tell me what you did?”
“I killed one of them.”
Stefan snorted as he shook his head, his gaze dartedback to the house.Shit, what the hell was he going to do? He didn’t want Brian anywhere near any of them, but he was right, even if theybothleft the others would track Brian here, and they would destroy everyone that lived here. His time here wasdone;noone would forgive him for bringing this down upon them. For the first time,he regretted stepping foot on this land, regretted meeting Isabelle. He wished like hell that he had never come here.
He didn’t know what he had been thinking, there was no way for him to escape his past, and it was about to come barreling down on all of them. He would be lucky if none of them got killed. He would gladlyhavesacrificed his life, but he knew that Isabelle would die without him, waste away without him. He could not allow that to happen. For better or worse, she was stuck with him, and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure that she remained safe. He wished that he could take it all back, wished that there was some way to set her free, but there was nothing that he could do.
“How many are coming?” he asked quietly.
“Four, maybe five.”
Stefan whirled back to him, his eyes blazedwith fury. “How strong are they?” he hissed.
“They have me on the run,”Briansaid with a negligent shrug.
“You son of a bitch!I should kill you now!”
“You need me, and you know it. We can do this together. It will be just like old times.”
“The old times are over with.”
Brian shrugged again. “So you say, but you’re still a killer Stefan.”
“I know what I am!” he snappedfuriously. “Let’s go.”
He turned on his heel and headed toward the house. “Are you going to tell them?”
“I’m going to have too.”
“The girl...”
Stefan’s hands fisted, fury suffused his entire body once more.“I swear I will rip your throat out if you go anywhere near her.”
Brian chuckled softly;Stefandesperately fought the urge to hit himagain. “I don’t want her, but she reeks of you Stefan. They’ll go for her too.”
“I know that Brian. That’s why she’s getting the hell out of here, with everyone else.”
He pounded up the porchsteps, hesitating at the doorway. He turned back to Brian, his eyes narrowed. “I can kill you, don’t forget that.”
“I know.”
“Stay away from all of them, I mean it.”
Briannodded quickly. Stefan eyed him warily for a moment more before opening the door. Isabelle, Ethan, Jack, and David were sitting on the countertops in the kitchen. Their eyes locked on Brian as he followed Stefan into the house. Isabelle’s gaze instantly darted back to him, widening in surprise as she leapt off the counter. “You’re bleeding!” she cried, casting Brian a scathingglance as she hurried toward Stefan.
Brian grinned at her as he shrugged negligently, closing the door behind him. “I’m fine,” Stefan assured her, grabbing hold of her arms before she could touch the wounds on his chest. Her gaze was worried and troubled, her delicateeyebrows drawn together as she studied him questioningly.
“What’s going on?” Jack demanded.
Stefan lifted his head to look at themas Brian leaned casually against the door, his long legs crossed before himandhis arms folded over his chest. “Brian seems to have gotten himself into a little bit of trouble,” Stefan replied coldly.
“What kind of trouble?” David asked.
“Hey, I know you.” Brianstraightenedaway from the door as he stared questioningly at David.
“Philadelphia,” Stefan reminded him sharply.
