For once there was actual concern in Remi's eyes. "What's wrong, mon frere? Really?"
That succeeded in making him feel like a jerk. It was easier to take Remi's eternal barbs than to deal with his brotherly affection.
That alone weakened him.
"Nothing, Rem. I'm just tired."
He saw the doubt in Remi's eyes. "If you say so."
Dev took a step, then paused as Sam's words about his surliest brother went through him. It was so incongruous with everything he knew about Remi and yet curiosity sank its evil claws into him so that he had to have an answer. "Do you really listen to the Indigo Girls and watch Just Like Heaven?"
Remi's face blanched. "What are you talking about?"
Dev would have burst out laughing, but the sheer shock of having Remi confirm Sam's absurdity kept him from doing it. Dear gods, it was true. His brother had a whole tender side he'd have never guessed at.
Remi probably even cried while watching Bambi....
Damn. What was next? Dobermans nursing kittens? The whole concept messed with his entire view of the natural world order. It was so screwed up....
"Nothing. It was just a little bird I heard in my ear."
Remi curled his lip and his eyes blazed with murder. "Yeah, well, you know me better than that. I watch gory horror movies and I listen to death metal."
And he listened to Amy Ray and Emily Sailors. The thought was hilarious because his brother denied it. Honestly, he liked them too. But he'd never admit it either.
Dev bit back a smile as he headed upstairs to his room. But the moment he opened the door and his gaze fell to the rumpled bed, his amusement died under a bitter reminder of Sam making love to him. Every sense he possessed was suddenly filled with memories of her and it slammed into him like fist in his bread box.
How could she have come to be so important to him when they'd only just met?
And yet he couldn't deny the pain he felt over not being with her.
I loved your father the first moment I laid eyes on him. I couldn't believe that one so precious was cut from the blood and bone of my enemies and yet...he was the only one I could ever see myself with and I'm grateful that the Fates saw it the same way I did. I would be lost and bereft without him.
That was the only conversation he'd had with his mother about mating. His parents had been one of the rare Were-Hunter couples who'd been mated the first time they'd had sex.
For the rest of them it could take dozens of encounters.
Or never.
He looked down at his bare palm. When he'd been younger, full of stupid dreams, he'd tried to imagine what his mating symbol would look like. While clan symbols were similar for the species, each one was unique to the couple. And as a kid, he'd actually painted one on just to see.
As a man, he'd been grateful that no one had marked him. While it was a bonding of two people, it also came with a heavy commitment. One they could never back out of.
He closed his fist tight. I don't need a mate. He was happier alone.
But as he thought of Sam, he knew that for an absolute lie. He would be happiest with her.
And she had no use for him at all.
Urian was supposed to meet his source at Sanctuary so that he could gather more information about Stryker's plan for Acheron. He and Davyn had always tried to pick spots where there was no chance of any of Stryker's people seeing them together. If Stryker ever learned that Urian still talked to his old friend, he'd kill Davyn immediately.
And it wouldn't be quick.
He rubbed his neck where his father had cut his throat in a fit of rage over the fact that Urian had dared try to be happy for five seconds. The bitter memory of that night was never far from the surface and it was carved in blood on his heart. He'd worshiped his father his entire life--had committed all manner of atrocities to please him.
And for what?
So the bastard could kill Urian's wife and then cut his throat the first time he displeased him?