Prologue - word count 1627 - Download PDF
      FIFTY YEARS AGO

      When Veronica told Kyle that Seth was coming on to her, Kyle shrugged it off as her imagination.  There was no way his brother would do something like that, and for one simple reason.  Veronica was Kyle’s lover and Seth knew it.
      There was more to it than one brother not wanting to steal from the other.  When Seth and Kyle were children a family friend had made a prediction that one brother would kill the other because of a woman.  When they’d pressed her for details she couldn’t, or wouldn’t, tell them more.  Kyle and Seth had made each other a promise that day that they would never go after a woman the other was with, had been with or had claimed they’d like to be with.   
      So Kyle knew that Veronica must be imagining things.  There was just no way she was right about her accusations.
      Veronica’s wishful thinking, or hyperactive imagination aside, something was up with Seth.  Kyle had passed him in the hall a little while ago and his brother had looked weird, kinda out of it.  Kyle would check in with Seth in the morning.  Make sure everything was all good.  
      Right now Kyle was dealing with his own problems.  He was frustrated with Veronica because for the third night in a row she had refused to spend the night with him.  
      Being horny was a bitch.  It was a mother of a bitch when your lover refused to let you in her bed.  This sulk-fit Veronica was having better end soon.  What was up with her anyway?  She knew he loved her – why was she playing games?  
      Kyle hated games, he didn’t play them and as much as he loved Veronica it really irritated the shit out of him when she dramaed up and decided to make him suffer for gods knew what.  
      He tried to figure out if he’d done something wrong that he didn’t realize as he pulled off his shirt and sat on the edge of the bed.  Kyle reached behind his neck and parted his black hair in two, pulling one waist length half forward he started braiding it.  He tied it off and braided the other side.  
      Kyle sighed and spoke to his sentin.  “Looks like you get to share the bed with me again tonight.  You’re going to get fat and lazy from sleeping on the soft mattress.”  
      Khaish huffed air at Kyle, letting him know he wasn’t impressed with the comment, then jumped up to stretch over most of the double bed.  
      “Hey! No fair, give a guy some space.”
      Khaish lifted his large head, peered at Kyle then dropped it again, completely ignoring the wereleopard.  
      “So that’s how it’s gonna be, is it?  Fine, then I’ll make space for myself.”  
      Kyle dived onto the bed, right on top of the sentin.  Soon the two were rolling around like children.  
      A panic stricken growl reverberated through the room, stopping the play instantly.   
      Kyle sat up, his blood running cold.  That was Veronica’s growl, she was calling him, telling him she was in trouble, that he must hurry.  
      The second growl came, and translated as. “Seth’s room, hurry, help me!”  
      Kyle jerked open his room door and ran full speed up the corridor to the staircase.  Seth’s room was one floor up, and Kyle set a land speed record getting there.  He slammed a shoulder into the door setting it swinging on its hinges, but what he saw once he got into the room made him freeze.  
      Veronica was in the corner of the room with a sheet pulled up to cover her nakedness, fresh tears streamed down her cheeks as she screamed at Seth to leave her alone.  Seth knelt on the floor near her, he was naked and reaching for her, saying something over and over that Kyle couldn’t hear.  
      Veronica raised huge tear filled eyes as Kyle came in.
      “Oh thank god you’re here Kyle.” She sobbed. “He raped me.”  
      She was almost incoherent, he had to have heard her wrong, because Seth would never rape a woman.  
      Veronica saw the doubt in Kyle’s eyes.  
      “How can you not believe me?  Seth rapped me.  Kyle you have to help me.”  
      She ran past Seth, throwing herself into Kyle’s arms crying hysterically.  Kyle watched Seth turn as if he was drunk and reach for Veronica.
      “How could you do it Seth?” He asked his brother, a cold pain settling in his chest as he started to believe Veronica.  
      “I… Kyle, I don’t know what… It’s all so muddled.” Seth’s words were disjointed and slurred.  
      Was he drunk?  Had Seth rapped Veronica because he was drunk?  A killing rage settled in Kyle’s stomach.  
      Kyle felt Veronica press something into his hands.  Kyle looked down and saw it was a dagger.  Good, his brother was going to pay for what he did tonight.
      Seth didn’t know what was going on.  He’d woken up with Veronica screaming and carrying on like a banshee, he wasn’t sure but he thought she’d accused him of rape.  Whatever was wrong – Kyle had murder in his eyes, Seth needed help, he needed Kyle to stay calm until he could figure out what happened.  
      Seth breathed out a low growl, calling Ross to him.  Ross would keep Kyle calm until Seth could sort out the muddle and stop the pounding in his head.  
      “Oh no you don’t!” Kyle wasn’t going to give Ross time to get there, Seth would pay for what he did, without reinforcements.  Kyle launched himself at Seth.  Rage making him berserk.  
      Seth tried his best not to hurt Kyle, but his body was conditioned to react from many years of intensive training.  It was muscle memory, so Seth had very little control over his reactions.  
      Seth felt wet heat on his hands as Kyle went still, Seth looked down, shaking his head to make his eyes focus properly.  Crimson liquid coated the tawny skin of his hands.  
      “NOOOOOO!” Seth roared but it was too late, Kyle fell back.  The wooden hilt of the dagger protruding from his chest, and the silver edge buried in his heart.
      Over the pounding of his own heart Seth heard the bedroom door bang open and Veronica’s laughter, she was laughing madly, the hysterical sound of it setting Seth’s teeth on edge.  He raised his eyes from his brother’s body to look up at her.  
      “You didn’t want me, well if I can’t have you, I won’t let you keep your brother.   I put a drug into your drink.  Either way, win-win, I knew you’d kill him, if it had gone the other way you would be dead and I’d still win.”  She giggled.
      Kyle stood outside his body looking down at his brother and wishing he could turn back the clock.  Veronica had planned it.  Seth hadn’t done anything wrong.  
      The woman Kyle loved, no - thought he’d loved, had arranged the whole thing, but why?  To punish Seth for not wanting her?
      Seth roared and launched himself at Veronica.  Ross and Marcus were there in a blur, using every ounce of strength they had to hold him back.  
      “Dress yourself bitch, get out of this complex, if you ever set foot here again you will be killed on sight.”  Gabriel’s voice was glacial.  He had come up the hallway in time to hear her admission.
      “No Gabriel, I want to kill her now.” Seth hissed through clenched teeth as he tried to surge forward out of the hold that Ross and Marcus had on him.    
      “I’m sorry Seth, I can’t let you to do that.  Get out Veronica, before I change my mind.”  
      He moved out of the doorway, giving her room to flee.  
      She didn’t wait for further instruction.  She bolted for the door.  Seth’s roar of fury following her down the corridor.  
      Ross and Marcus held on to Seth until she was gone, only letting go when he went limp and collapsed onto his knees next to his brother.
      “What have I done?  Oh god, I’m so sorry Kyle.” He kept muttering over and over as he rocked back and forth.  
      Jesse came running into the room.  
      “Who’s hurt?”  It was a wasted question, because Jesse saw Kyle’s body almost immediately.  
      He knelt next to Kyle and held his hand over the wound, then he removed the dagger gently.  
      “I’m sorry Seth,” he lifted his head to look at the distraught man.  “there is nothing I can do for Kyle.”  
      “What? No!” Kyle shouted next to Jesse.  “I’m right here.  Do something, zap me or something, common Jess, I want back in my body, I need to tell Seth it’s not his fault.”  
      Gabriel motioned for Jesse to move out the way, he took Jesse’s place next to Kyle, muttering words in an ancient language, and hovering his hands over Kyle’s body, a dull red glow seeped from his fingers weaving around Kyle as he lay on the floor.  
      When he was done the wound on Kyle’s chest had healed and the blood disappeared from his skin.  
      “I’ve put Kyle’s body in a type of stasis so it will never decompose, but I can’t bring him back Seth.”  Gabriel’s expression was pain filled.  He knew there was nothing that he could do to ease the pain Seth must be feeling.  
      “Try not to grieve too much Seth.  I have a feeling that Kyle will never be completely gone.”  
      Seth nodded, but was too distraught to really hear what Gabriel was saying.  
      “Will never be gone?  You mean to tell me I’m stuck here?  No pearly gates – no heaven? Aw, hell, you gotta be kidding me!”  
      But no one heard a word Kyle said.
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