Solaris

Splintered wood torpedoed into the cabin as the door along with its hinges crashed through the entrance. Two hands appeared and wrenched my attacker off me. One second his deadweight bore down on me, and the next, his six-foot frame was soaring through the air. It smacked into the wall with a satisfying whack.

Kaige’s eyes blazed pure molten steel. Sharp fangs glistened, and a terrifying snarl curled his lips. Red-hot fury burned in my chest, and I knew it didn’t belong to me.

Xander sat up and leaned against the wall. Blood trickled out of his nose and mouth. A wicked grin played on his lips. “You must be out of your mind, brother.”

Kaige glared at him, the silver glowing from narrowed slits.

“You’re keeping a human as what, a pet?”

“Xander, this is none of your concern,” he hissed.

His brother chuckled. “Are you serious right now? You’ve committed treason. Even if I weren’t the prince of Draconis it would be my duty to report you.”

I forced myself to breathe as my eyes bounced back and forth between the twins. Besides the hair they really were almost impossible to tell apart. Did that mean Xander was as strong as Kaige? If he was, I was so screwed.

He scowled at his brother, pushing back wild waves of jet-black hair. “I haven’t fed from her, Xander. I haven’t technically broken the rules.”

“You have a human in Draconis! Her mere presence here with you is grounds for death.”

Kaige clenched his fists at his sides. The surge of emotions rushing through the bond was all consuming. Anger, fear, guilt and finally indecision. “I’m sending her back to Imera today. I only found her this morning. Her plane crashed in the Shadow Lands, and I went to check it out. That was all.”

Xander arched a dark brow. “Only today? And why didn’t you leave her out there?”

My heart lodged in my throat. Was he going to tell Xander about the crates of blood?

Kaige’s expression went blank. I felt nothing. All the battling emotions went cold, and a chill raced up my spine.

“She was unconscious and bleeding when I found her. I couldn’t resist. I thought maybe I could—”

“Could what, brother?” He stood, his dark blue eyes gleaming. “Don’t tell me that Mr. Perfect considered feeding from a human and risked tempting the prophecy?” He opened his mouth and threw the back of his hand to his forehead dramatically. “Why, what would father say? The future king of Draconis putting his people at risk for a tasty bite?”

“But I didn’t,” Kaige growled.

“Well I’d say I didn’t believe you, but the human already admitted as much.”

Kaige’s troubled gaze flicked to me then back to his brother. I tried to feel for him through the bond, but it was like he had completely turned off his emotions.

Xander’s brows furrowed as he watched the exchange. He sauntered back and forth along the length of the wall. “No. There’s something else going on here. What aren’t you telling me, Kaige?”

“Nothing. I already told you everything.”

Xander strode toward him and jabbed a finger in his chest. “I don’t believe you.”

Kaige grabbed his brother by the shirt collar and lifted him off the floor. “I’m tired of this interrogation. Go back to the castle and let me deal with the human.”

Xander threw his head forward and head-butted Kaige, the crack reverberating across the room. Kaige stumbled back as a slew of curses fired from his mouth.

“If you won’t tell me the truth, I’ll just compel it out of her.” Xander stalked toward me as panic unfurled in my chest. He couldn’t find out about the crates.

“Stop!” shouted Kaige. “I’ve already compelled her. She doesn’t remember anything.”

Xander turned to his brother about a foot away from the bed. I was curled up in the corner, trying to get as far away as possible from the psycho prince. He rubbed his chin and grunted. “I suppose that is a problem.”

“No, it’s a solution.” Kaige stalked toward his twin and grabbed his arm. “I’m bringing her back to the border of the Shadow Lands and Imera. I’ll wipe her mind clean one more time, and she’ll have no memory of any of this. Neither one of us has done anything wrong. The prophecy has remained intact.”

Kaige released his brother and approached the bed. He reached his hand out and helped me off as Xander glared, his fangs hanging out. Kaige positioned me behind him, his back my own nocturne shield. He ticked his head toward the pot on the stove. “Have some valerian root tea, brother, we could all use something to calm our nerves.”

Xander’s fangs retracted under his lip as he regarded his brother skeptically. The moment he turned toward the stove, Kaige swiped the empty Alinare vial from the nightstand and bit into his wrist. He poured his blood into the vial and shoved it behind his back, offering it to me.

“Take it,” he hissed. “If he tries to compel you, don’t hesitate.”

If I hadn’t been so close to him, I would’ve never heard his words. I slipped the vial into my back pocket before his brother turned back around.

Xander took a sip, and his posture relaxed. Hope simmered inside me. This was going to work. Kaige was really going to get me out of here alive.

“Fine. I’ll let you walk out of here with her, but not before I have a bite.” The cup crashed to the floor, and a black blur sped toward me. Gleaming white fangs flashed in my periphery.

A growl so loud it shook the entire cabin tore out of Kaige’s mouth. Before Xander clamped down on my throat, Kaige lunged, knocking him off me. The two brothers struggled on the floor as the smack of bone against flesh filled the small space.

I leapt up and went straight for the shotgun in the closet. I put the handle up to my shoulder and trained it at the brawling brothers. I’d never seen a gun in real life before the other day, let alone held one, but I hoped the old Westerns I’d watched with my grandpa had been accurate. I put my finger on the trigger and shouted, “Stop!”

Xander straddled Kaige, his fingers wrapped around his neck, but Kaige had his brother’s leg in an awkward position. One twist and it would be as broken as mine had been.

“Xander, I mean it. Let him go or I’ll shoot you.” I didn’t know if the gun was loaded, but hopefully neither did he.

His fingers slowly released their hold. Kaige sucked in a deep breath and squirmed out from under his brother, moving to my side.

Xander raised his hands in the air and began to clap.

What the hell?

“Bravo, brother. I don’t know what you’ve done to that human, but she seems to be truly fond of you. And the way you almost killed me to defend her has me thinking the feeling is mutual.”

Kaige shook his head. “No, you’re wrong. She means nothing to me.”

I swallowed down the pang in my chest that his harsh words ignited. The blood bond pulsed, hot and angry.

“Good. Because I’ve changed my terms.” He rolled his neck, releasing a series of pops.

“What terms?”

“You leave the human with me, and I’ll turn her in. I’ll say I found her wandering around the royal grounds. I expect father will be quite pleased with me. In exchange for keeping your nasty little secret, you’ll throw the trials. After all, as future king, I must uphold the laws of the prophecy.”

Ice crawled up my veins. No!

“You’re out of your mind, Xander. I’d never lose on purpose, and especially not if that meant you become king.”

“Fine. Then I’ll turn you both in. You’ll die side by side after a lengthy stay in the castle’s dungeons.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“That’s always been your problem, brother. You’ve continually underestimated me. Everyone has. I will no longer live in the shadow of perfect Prince Kaige. Now choose: die with your human pet or throw the trials and live to see the future king crowned.”

Kaige’s jaw clenched. His eyes darted to mine, and I could have sworn I saw a flash of regret cross the navy storm raging within.

“Do what you will with her. I’ll throw the trials as you wish. I’m not dying for a human.” Kaige stomped out, slamming the door behind him.

My heart shattered into a million pieces.