Marked Northern Shifters 1

they just seemed to like having him around—which was awfully seductive.
Still, the later he left, the more unnerved he’d be on the bus ride home. New moon or no, he didn’t like to be out long after dark. At nine o’clock, Liam told Ira it was time for bed and, as if to emphasize that point, lightning flashed and the sky cracked with thunder. Alec was shocked by the late hour.
“Alec is here,” Ira protested.
“Doesn’t matter. It’s past your bedtime.”
“Can Alec sleep over?”
“No,” said Alec immediately, in case Liam answered, “Sure.” Alec did not feel that comfortable. His apartment was his safety hole. “It’s time for me to go.”
“Will you come back?” Ira asked.
Alec hesitated.
“You’re welcome anytime,” declared Liam, before turning to Ira. “Now to bed, you.” As Liam opened his arms, Ira launched himself at his brother, burrowing into the embrace. Liam held on, then cuffed the boy’s head as Ira drew away. Alec was glad Ira got affection. The boy needed love, that much was clear. He wondered what had happened to Ira’s parents.
The boy approached Alec with caution, not quite ready to throw himself into a full body hug. Alec patted Ira on the shoulder, which pleased him. “Good night.” He trotted off to bed.
“Well, I better be off, too.” Alec stood and tried not to look freaked out by the prospect of a long bus ride home in the dark.
Liam shook his head. “My housekeeper should be back within the hour. Then I can drive you home.”
“That’s a pain in the ass for you.”
“Not at all. The weather is godawful. No need for you to get drenched again.”
“Well, thank you.” It would be a relief to get a ride, actually. Less time outside alone. Less time alone, period. By nature Alec was sociable, and the self-enforced solitude of the past year hurt.
Liam nodded, turning his intense gaze on Alec, the one he’d hidden most of the evening.
Alec’s skin tingled. He could risk this, he could. He refused to let fear dictate his every move. “It’s quite the house you have. Almost palatial.”
“It’s Ira’s,” said Liam.
Alec blinked. Not the answer he’d expected.
Liam’s expression became guarded. “When our mother died, she left him this house. I’m just the guardian.”
There must be a story in that, but Alec couldn’t guess at it, or ask prying questions.
“Ira’s very fond of you,” Alec observed. “I’m glad.”
“We’re a team.”
The housekeeper walked in the front door then, exclaiming at the weather as she divested herself of her outer clothes and made her way over to them. Introductions were made. Casey, a friendly middle-aged woman, greeted Alec like a long-lost friend.
“I’ve heard so much about you from Ira.” They shook hands. “You’re the lovely librarian who is so good to our boy.”
Lovely librarian, huh. “I work in the library,” Alec allowed.
She just smiled, standing there for a while, and Liam seemed happy enough to smile with her. Alec found himself shifting from foot to foot and she noticed. “Well. I’m exhausted from driving in that storm. It’s raining cats and dogs. I’m going to make myself a cup of tea and head upstairs.”
“I’ll be taking Alec home,” Liam told her. “So can you keep an ear out for Ira if he needs anything?”
“Of course.” They all said good night and Casey disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Alec and Liam to regard one another.
“Want a tour of the house before we leave?” asked Liam.
“All right,” Alec drawled, wondering what this was leading to. But he decided to trust Liam, at least a little, and followed the golden boy downstairs. Maybe Liam did want to show off the house because he pointed out a game room for Ira, colorful and full of toys. They walked into a den—the walls were lined with books, child and adult.
“No TV?”
Liam shook his head. “I had to wean Ira off the TV and computer. With our mother, the screens had become his whole life. They were making him a bit nuts.”
“Oh.”
“He didn’t even attend school, just sat hypnotized by electronics all day.”
“Hell.” Not sure how to respond, Alec scratched his jaw.
Liam gave a lopsided smile. “I didn’t attend school either.”
What should he say? Well, that’s too bad. Alec kept silent. He sure didn’t feel like sharing his family background. Instead, he walked to the bookshelf and browsed, noting a bunch of science fiction. “Iain Banks fan, I see.”
Suddenly Liam stood close behind