VET Vampire Romance 01 - Covet

again at any moment. Snow glanced over his shoulder at his younger brother and Antoine’s gaze shifted from him, to Callum and then down at Javier and finally Lilah.
    “I will need to speak to our rulers about this,” Antoine said and Javier nodded, unwilling to dare hope that they would grant him a reprieve. They were likely to sentence him to death when they learned of what he had done and the cold look in Antoine’s eyes said that he wouldn’t do anything about it. Javier hadn’t expected anything less of Antoine. The aristocrat believed in the laws and the sanctity of them, and they had never been close to each other. The man held himself at a distance from everyone except his brother. If it was Snow in his situation, Javier was sure that Antoine would lie to protect him.
    Snow frowned at Lilah and spoke so quietly that Javier was sure he had misheard him. “I will deal with it.”
    Antoine stared at his brother. Javier and Callum did too.
    Snow lifted his head and looked down at Javier. “I will take responsibility for what happened here.”
    Javier wasn’t sure what to say.
    Snow crouched beside Lilah, a strange look in his now blue eyes. “You are like family to us.”
    Javier glanced at Antoine to find the man scowling at the back of his older brother’s head. He didn’t seem to share Snow’s view and Javier was certain that Snow wasn’t taking responsibility because he felt Javier was like a brother to him. He was dreadfully certain that Snow was seeking his death.
    “It was my fault. I will take responsibility for my own actions. You are needed here more than I am and perhaps if I take Lilah with me to them they will see that we are telling the truth and that Lord Ashville had no true claim to her,” Javier said and Snow shook his head. “I will not hear of it, Snow. Let Antoine speak to them and then I will take Lilah to see them. All will be well.”
    “Let him, Brother.” Antoine’s tone was as black as midnight skies in winter and Javier could understand his anger. If Javier was in his position and it was his brother offering to face a board of vicious purebloods in place of another vampire, he would have been angry too. He would do all that he could to stop him. “I will contact them and then I will take Javier and Lilah to them personally. You need not involve yourself.”
    “I attacked him too.” Snow straightened and his icy irises slid to one side, towards his brother, but he didn’t turn to face him. He looked down at Lilah again and then turned away, heading for the stage exit. “You owe me, Javier. Tend to your pretty female and take care of her. She is yours now. Cherish the gift of her love.”
    The sound of the stage door slamming echoed around the theatre and Javier stared at it for long seconds before it opened again and Antoine stormed out of it, heading after his brother.
    Javier looked down at Lilah where she lay in his arms and hoped with all of his heart that he was wrong about Snow, and that justice would be kind and protect him from the wrath of their rulers if he wasn’t and Snow was seeking his death. Antoine would never forgive him if their rulers executed Snow. The aristocrat vampire would come for his head, or offer it in exchange for his brother’s life.
    He glanced up at Callum. The look in his green eyes was one of reassurance and Javier accepted the kind gift. He looked towards the door, his mind on what Snow had done for him. He had known the aristocrat brothers for a century now, had witnessed their closeness and the lengths they would go to in order to protect each other. A soothing wave rolled through him and he released the fear in his heart. Antoine would never come for his head because he would never allow his brother to face their rulers alone. He would travel wherever Snow chose to go, even into the jaws of Hell, and would ensure his brother returned safely. He would lie to protect him, would back up Snow’s story and blame this whole mess on bloodlust and an accidental killing, never mentioning the sacred law that had been broken. Javier only hoped their rulers believed them. He wasn’t sure how to thank Snow for what he was doing for him. He owed the vampire his life.
    Cherish the gift of her love.
    He would do just that.
    Now that Lilah was his.
    Javier slowly rose to his feet, lifting Lilah into his aching arms at the same time, ignoring the pain that tore through him. He would suffer pain one hundred times stronger for her sake if