Page 9 of Blades and Bone

“I will marry him.” His words were soft, smothered beneath the weight of centuries of expectation, duty, and blood. He’d never regretted being blooded as much as he did right then. Ann had taken his promise to serve and possibly give up his life rather too literally.

“Brodie?” Vivian asked without looking at her brother.

“He is acceptable.”

Acceptable? Pompus fuckwit.

This entire time Brodie had known what was going on and had been assessing him, while he hadn’t been given that luxury. He’d been given nothing, all because he’d helped Garrick save the man he loved, and somehow, he was supposed to believe that was the wrong thing to do…yet marrying him off like his life meant nothing was the right thing.

He’d disobeyed once, and that was it; he was dead to Ann.

If he hadn’t been blooded, he could’ve lived his own fucking life. He had a job and a house in Perth. What the hell was he supposed to do with them? He couldn’t drop everything because she said so.

Yet he had, because he was there instead of working.

“Excellent. Shall we give them thirty minutes to get to know each other before the inking?” Vivian stood, obviously pregnant now. She’d been sitting when they’d arrived, no doubt by design.

Ann stood. “Very well. Tea?”

“And cake, since we are to be sisters.”

He may as well not exist.

Chapter Six

Brodie was glad his suspicion had been confirmed and concerned that Hamish had not been told. What did that mean? Did the Reids not trust him? Were they getting rid of a troublemaker?

Nothing he’d read or observed about Hamish suggested that, yet the Reids had enough power to make most things disappear.

Everyone else filed out of the room, leaving him alone with Hamish like this was some kind of bad speed dating ritual. Brodie sat in Vivian’s chair and indicated for Hamish to sit as well.

The younger vampire hesitated before doing so. He glanced at the closed door, then back at Brodie, his lips pressed tight together and his jaw tight, but he sat with a grace most men lost when pushed. And he had clearly been pushed.

“The marriage came out of nowhere?” Brodie asked with a smile, even though he really shouldn’t be poking his…fiancé for the next thirty minutes until it was official. They barely had any time to reach some kind of personal agreement that would not break the treaty.

Hamish’s eyebrows lifted, and he nodded. “Yeah. I’m too young and insignificant to be told my fate, but important enough to be traded.”

“You’re Ann’s great-nephew.” But not her son. They both knew that Brodie had far higher standing, even though his family was smaller, because he was Vivian’s brother.

“Yes.” Hamish’s gaze flicked to the door again.

Brodie had some sympathy for him. He hadn’t been in favor of the plan either, and still had doubts, but he had learned to keep them close to his chest. Hamish was far too expressive. Was he a liability? That would have to be seen.

“This is happening despite our own feelings on the matter. I am not willing to jeopardize the treaty…you?”

“Of course not. I just would’ve liked to be told so I could prepare. I have a life…had a life…in Perth.”

“You still have a life. Be glad no one needs to die.”

“A life, not my life.”

Brodie shrugged. “You don’t need to like me, but if we are to work together, and this is work, then we need to act like adults, not sulking children.”

Hamish glared at him, his blue eyes hard. He had the look of a Reid, all dark hair and dark eyes, with knife-edge cheekbones.

There was a fight in him that was barely restrained. How much trouble would he be, and would it be the fun kind?

“You knew before I arrived. You’ve had time to sulk and pull yourself together and act graciously as if you don’t mind your being traded like cattle.”