Flynn, Joyee - A Zane Po' Boy [The O'Hagan Way 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour ManLove) (6 page)

“Good point,” I conceded and reached for one of the pops. I read the instructions Riley wrote out with the bottle of pills. Shaking one out, I swallowed it with some liquid and set them aside.

“Mint tea always helps with an upset tummy as well. Ma always gives it to us anytime we are sick. I’ll see if Isaac has some later or make sure he gets some.” I watched Brian with an open mouth as he cut into his steak and took a bite. “What?”

“Nothing,” I mumbled, snapping out of my shock. He was still staring at me, and I realized I wasn’t going to get out of it quite that easily. “I’m just not used to someone caring enough to worry for me.”

“Isaac does.” He swallowed loudly and glanced at his food. “That Darcy character seemed to care a great deal for you.”

“Isaac’s like a brother,” I said slowly, trying to pick the right words so I didn’t stick my foot in my mouth. I cut up my meat, taking a bite before deciding how to phrase what I wanted to say. “You have nine brothers, right? Is there one of the bunch that’s easiest to talk to? Someone who never judges, always listens, and lets it be all about you sometimes?”

“Aye, that be Fergus.” His eyes went wide and he cursed under his breath. “I’m not talking bad against Banning. He be me twin, but when you share emotions and feel what the other one is, it’s hard just to talk sometimes.”

“That makes sense. I didn’t take it as you slighting your twin. It’s just there’s something in certain people that makes them so easy to talk to, to be around.”

“I agree. Fergus is almost like talking to a father. Ya know it won’t go anywhere, and he just lets ya get it off your chest without trying to be involved or
suggesting
how ya should handle things.”

“Yeah, that’s Darcy. I’m not the only one who talks to him, and being a warrior, it’s hard to talk to anyone. Plus, we have somewhat similar backgrounds, so we were kinda friendly and drinking buddies. But then when Isaac was going through all kinds of shit with his family, he shut me out. For so long we’d been best friends and then suddenly it was like I didn’t matter anymore. Darcy and I became closer and we started sleeping together.

“But that’s all it was. Just sex. We both knew it and there’s no hard feelings or wanting more from each other. We were friends who scratched each other’s itch sometimes or when we needed to not feel so alone.” It was the best explanation I had, and I was trying to make Brian realize that if things were going to work out between us, my heart didn’t belong to another.

“I’m glad ya had someone to turn to when ya needed them.”

We ate in comfortable silence for a while. I’d read the instructions for the other pills, and they were to be taken after meals, three times a day. I got about halfway through my steak and baby potatoes before I was full. I went over to the nightstand and popped one of those, the bed calling to me.

“Wait, before ya go to bed ya have to have some blood,” Brian said gently. He stood and went to a small fridge next to the TV stand that I hadn’t even noticed was there. It was about three feet tall and stainless steel, making it blend into the surroundings. I watched him pull out a bag of blood with apprehension. “Banning and I said we’d offer to give ya a blow job each time ya drank blood if that’s what it would take to get you to do it. It seems funny to suggest now. But I am willing to do anything to get ya better.”

I just about swallowed my tongue. What sane man passed up that offer? Oh right, me. “Thanks, but I couldn’t use you like that. And it would kind of go against the whole
taking this slow
policy.”

“Aye, that be true,” he agreed and handed it to me. I sat down and let my fangs come out before sinking them into the bag. I drank it down, doing my best to ignore my rolling stomach. It would probably get worse before it got better, but I had to start putting what I needed into my body. I tossed it in the trash when I was done, groaning as I suddenly felt dizzy. “Do I need to get the doc?”

“No, but I’d like it if you lie with me for a while. No funny stuff. I just think it would be nice if we just lay here and got used to each other.” It sounded stupid and sappy. I waited for him to laugh at me.

Instead I got a bright smile. “I’d like that.” He toed off his shoes as I did the same and crawled into bed with me. We didn’t spoon, but Brian did lie on his side next to me, our bodies not quite touching. I took his hand and intertwined our fingers, laying them over my chest. He sighed contently and I closed my eyes. It felt right, and I drifted right off to sleep.

Chapter 4

Brian

I heard a growl and started to wake up. Then I gasped in pain. I shot out of bed, crying out and stumbling to the ground. Me body felt as if millions of bugs were crawling under me skin. I tried to scratch, but me hands and arms weren’t cooperating with me.

“Help,” I cried out, writhing on the floor in pain.

“Oh fuck,” Zane shouted and picked up the phone next to the bed. “Help us. I used my gift on Brian.” His voice sounded panicked.

I wasn’t sure who he was talking to, and I didn’t really care, though I would ask what me mate’s gift was later. All I cared about was if they could make it stop.

“Just breathe, baby,” Zane cooed. Suddenly I was in his lap, his hands rubbing all over me body. Wherever he touched, instantly the pain stopped there. I took a few deep breaths, me heart slowing down. The door burst open and I smelled Isaac, Rory, and me twin, hearing their frantic footsteps as they all ran to help me.

“What did you do?” Banning growled as he knelt in front of us, pulling me out of Zane’s lap.

“No,” I whimpered, trying to fight him. “His touch helps.” Me twin instantly let me go but still looked pissed enough to chew nails.

“It was an accident,” Zane whispered, his tone pleading that we understand. I saw him glance at Isaac. “I woke up with someone draped over me and smelled my mate. I got scared and lashed out before I even realized it. I’d forgotten that they’d come here or where I was. I thought I was having a nightmare and wanted to wake up.”

“It’s okay, I know you’d never hurt them on purpose,” Isaac said gently as he knelt next to us. I wasn’t in pain any longer and started to sit up before collapsing right back in his lap. “Rory, get Brian some blood.”

“On it,” Rory said, his eyes as big as saucers, looking completely confused and shocked. Yeah, I felt the same way.

“What does him being scared have to do with Brian being in pain?” Banning barked out, his gaze darting between Isaac and Zane. Our mate nodded, swallowing loudly.

“Zane’s gift is the ability to screw with people’s nerves. You know that little creepy chick in
Twilight
?” Isaac asked. I thought it was a weird thing to bring up, but I figured Isaac had a point so I nodded. “Well, she’s got nothing on Zane. She says
pain
and people grab their heads. Zane can control all the nerves in someone’s body and fry them out.”

“Holy fuck,” Banning gasped, his eyes going wide with fear. “Why in god’s name would someone be given that gift? Gifts are supposed to be good and, well, gifts.”

“But he’s a warrior,” Isaac explained, shaking his head. Rory came over and handed me a bag of blood. “We’re given gifts that are useful in battle. It’s extremely valuable when engaged in a life-or-death situation or fight.”

“It hasn’t been working,” he admitted with a wince. “I’ve been too weak and drained to use it.”

“I wondered how the demons got the drop on you on that last mission.” Isaac looked pained at the idea, and Banning and I exchanged a confused look.

Rory must have seen it because he explained. “Zane was practically torn to shreds from the demons’ claws. Isaac said he normally scrambles their nerves when in a fight and they can’t function well.”

“Aye, I can attest to that. Me body wasn’t listening to me,” I agreed and stuck me fangs in the bag. I felt much better the more I drank, the sickish feeling leaving me.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” Zane whispered as he hugged me closer to him. Feeling me mate’s arms around me was very comforting.

“Demon claws also have a poison on them that acts like acid so any cuts by them are incredibly painful.” Isaac finished off Rory’s explanation.

“And yet ya kept going out into the fight knowing ya not be fit?” Banning asked, his eyes narrowing in accusation at our mate. “No wonder Isaac be thinking ya were trying to kill yaself.”

“It wasn’t like that,” Zane sighed, shaking his head. “I couldn’t have being a warrior taken away from me, too. It was all that I had to hold on to. I wasn’t trying to kill myself, but I wasn’t willing to give it up even if it killed me.”

I pulled me fangs out of the bag, having drunk it all, and tossed it in the trash. “That all be in the past now.” I gave Banning a look that clearly said
back off
. This was upsetting our mate, and the whole point was to help him, not bring up painful memories.

“Yeah, but I’m glad we cleared the air on that though,” Zane said as he stood with me in his arms. “It was bugging me that everyone thought I was suicidal and I couldn’t figure out how to put what I was feeling into words.” He laid me on the bed and bit his lip. “I understand if you don’t want to stay the rest of the night with me.”

I knew this was an important moment. If I admitted Zane’s gift scared me or denied him now, he could crawl right behind that wall he’d built that we were trying to tear down. I couldn’t let that happen.

“Accidents happen,” I said, giving him a smile. “I not be going anywhere tonight as long as ya want me here.”

He gave a relieved sigh and nodded. I gasped as I felt the despair coming off me twin.

“Okay, well, have a good night,” Banning mumbled as he headed to the door, his head hanging slightly.

“Wait,” Zane whispered, swallowing loudly. “I’m not picking one over the other or saying I only want Brian. It’s just both of you together scare me. I feel like I’m getting ganged up on.”

“That be the last thing we want,” Banning replied, giving him a sad smile. “It be okay, me mate.”

“Could just you and I have breakfast tomorrow after I work out with Isaac? Maybe play the zombie game and just hang out?” Zane was trying, god love him, he was. It warmed me heart. I felt Banning’s excitement at the idea.

“I’d like that a lot,” me twin answered, his whole face lighting up. Everyone cleared back out, saying their good-nights before Zane climbed into bed with me.

“I really am sorry,” he whispered as he pulled me back against his chest, spooning me from behind. I tried to hide me shock. This was a lot more intimate than before, and given the way his hard-on was rubbing me ass, I knew he felt it, too.

“Ya didn’t do it on purpose and helped me when I needed it. Nothing to forgive,” I said gently, rubbing me hands over the arm wrapped around me.

“Are you afraid of me now? Because Banning looked at me as if I was a monster.” Zane sounded so sad and lost I did the only thing I could think of…I lied me ass off.

“It’s a shock and not a gift I’ve ever heard of before so yes, the gift is scary. But ya? No, ya not be scaring either one of us. If Banning had been feeling fear, I would have known it. I only felt his shock and confusion.” I wanted to sing
liar, liar, pants on fire
in me head for that one. Banning had been ready to shit a brick.

“Okay, good,” he sighed in relief. “I’d never use it on you guys intentionally. Hell, I hate using it on the demons most times. It seems so cruel, even if they are the bad guys.”

Right then, I knew what I’d said wasn’t a lie. I wasn’t afraid of him. Anyone who cared about not torturing evil demons wasn’t someone I should fear. And as soon as I told this to Banning, he’d agree.

“Ya be a good man, me mate.” And I meant it. A few moments later, I heard Zane’s breathing even out, signaling he’d fallen asleep. Good, we both needed it.

* * * *

Zane

“You guys okay after last night?” Isaac asked as we walked around the Dragos grounds. The grass was green and lush and the trees were thick with leaves. Which was really strange since it was December. How they hell was the grass green in Virginia in December? And I didn’t remember it being like that around the warrior compound. Maybe those happy pills were making me a little loopy, too.