Eternal Captive: Mark of the Vampire by Laura Wright Read Free Book Online Page B

and his lip curled withirritation. “Not sure your life really means all that much to her.”
    “You have no idea.”
    The words died in the air, but were not forgotten as two massive
pavens
flashed directly in front of Lucian and Synjon. They both looked surprised, but not unhappy at the unexpected guests.
    “It’s about time you came out of hiding.” Alexander Roman put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Good to see you,
Duro
.” Nicholas turned his attention on Synjon, one eyebrow raised in amused curiosity. “Interesting choice of playmate, Luca.”
    “No playing here,” Synjon said blackly.
    Lucian eyed Nicholas and nodded. “The
gemino
has taken Bronwyn Kettler.”
    Perched on a hillside with fifty acres of beautiful grounds, olive trees, and no curious neighbors to deal with, the eighteenth-century villa that Nicholas had bought for his true mate and their nephew now catered to a group of angry, arguing male vampires and their eye-rolling true mates.
    Though there were dozens of rooms to choose from, two kitchens, a cinema, and a gym, the three Roman brothers, their irritated British guest, and both Alex’s and Nicholas’s true mates had congregated in the massive dining room. All six coiled around the table like knights disagreeing on their plan of attack.
    “Can we discuss this like civilized
veanas
and
pavens
?”
    Sara Donohue Roman, the mate of Alexander, the eldest Roman brother, stood at the head of the table and called for calm among her family, and from the stranger who had blustered in, demanding information on thewhereabouts of his true mate. He was displaying the expected irrationality and dominant behavior of a true mate, Sara knew. Alexander, too, had been out of his mind when her life had been threatened by one of her patients several months back, so she sympathized with Synjon. And truly, they were all worried about Bronwyn. The beautiful
veana
had come to the SoHo house at the same time as Sara, and had thought herself Alexander’s mate until the truth had revealed itself to them all. She was a good, intelligent female, and Sara wanted nothing to befall her.
    Sara felt Nicholas’s mate, Kate, sidle up next to her as the group of
pavens
continued to go at one another around the table.
    Synjon leaned forward in his chair and snarled, “We’re wasting time.”
    “Then, go,” Lucian said fiercely. “We don’t need your sorry British ass here. Or is it arse?”
    “You look in the mirror and tell me,” Synjon returned, eyebrow raised.
    Lucian growled at the
paven
, a warning, a promise.
    “Easy, both of you,” Nicky began, though his eyes remained fixed on his little brother. “This back-and-forth bullshit isn’t helping.”
    Synjon ground his molars. “All I want are answers; then I’ll be on my way.”
    “Good!” Lucian uttered. “Can’t wait to show you the door all personal-like.”
    “Hey!” Kate shouted, clapping her hands, her brown eyes fierce as she addressed each one in turn. “Zip the lips, boys, or lose them.”
    All four male vampires froze and turned to look at the female, eyes wide with surprise.
    But Sara had eyes only for Synjon Wise. “Our family has been in France for weeks now, Mr. Wise. If the vampire you saw—the vampire who took Bron—looked like Nicholas, then it had to be his twin.”
    Synjon turned to glare at Nicholas. “Another sodding Roman brother. Perfect.”
    “Watch yourself,” Alexander warned, running his hand over his shaved skull. “You’re in our home. Don’t make us forget you’re a guest.”
    “I’ll forget,” Lucian growled. “Hell, I’d love to forget.”
    “Hey,” Synjon began with irritation. “I wouldn’t be here at all if someone in your family hadn’t nicked my bride.”
    “He’s not family, Brit Boy,” Lucian countered. “We barely even know the
paven
.”
    “Well, let’s get to know him,” Syn said, his blue eyes wide with ferocity. “All of us. Let’s go have a bit of a chat with