Silver - By Kailin Gow Page 0,14

harming me?”

Kevin shrugged. “He has already taken you as some kind of captive, just because he suspects Aunt Sophie.”

Briony nodded. She couldn’t disagree with that.

Josh seemed pleasant enough, but she didn’t doubt there was more to him than that. He had been quick to go into battle against the vampires, quick to involve himself in the thick of the fighting. He wasn’t someone to wait around while there was a threat to those he ruled. Briony had no doubt whatsoever about what that could mean for her.

“Al right,” she said, “stay.”

Kevin kissed her, softly, gently. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Kevin.”

“I never do. Now come on. Your little brother must be wondering where you have gotten to.”

Briony let him take her hand and lead her through into the living room. It was indeed time that she saw how Jake was doing. The answer was… wel , what was it? He was sitting up on a sofa, and he didn’t seem to have any obvious wounds left, but that probably just said something about the speed with which his combined vampire and werewolf physiology was able to repair itself. He looked pale, and tired, as Josh stood beside him. Brian was nowhere to be seen.

“Jake?”

“Briony.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Briony asked Josh.

The werewolf king shrugged. “I told you before that he was badly wounded. If my brother had not been going past when he was…”

“How bad is it?” Briony asked. She wasn’t sure if she was asking Jake or Josh.

“Too bad,” Jake said. “You need to stay back, Briony.”

“Why?” The answer came to her, unbidden. “You need blood that badly?”

“Enough that I would probably kil you.” Jake smiled grimly, and his fangs were easy to see. “And it’s not like the werewolves wil let me feed on them.”

Josh put a hand on his shoulder. It looked like a comforting gesture, but Briony noted that it also made sure that Jake wouldn’t be able to try leaping forward out of his seat at her. If even the werewolf king was worried about how Jake would react, things had to be bad.

“Why won’t any of you let him feed?” Briony demanded. “I thought you said that he was your friend.”

“He is.” There wasn’t any anger in Josh’s voice at the accusation. “Jake is one of us, and we would give a lot to one of our pack members, but being fed upon…”

“Briony, you saw how hard it was the time I had to let Fal on feed on me,” Kevin said, sounding uncomfortable.

He obviously didn’t like Josh hearing about that moment. “I only managed it because of who he was. Because of you, too. Do you think any of the others would be able to go that far?”

Briony didn’t know what to say. “Jake’s m y brother, Kevin.”

“I know. I wish I could help.”

Josh held up a hand. “There is no need to worry.

Brian has gone to make alternative arrangements. He wil not be long. For now though, Kevin, I suggest that you head out to the back of the house. After a battle like that, I imagine Jake is not the only one who needs to feed, and a few of the others are there.”

Briony saw Kevin glance at her, just briefly.

“I promise you that no harm wil come to her.”

“Even so…”

“Do you doubt my word?” The same even tone of voice, but Briony heard something behind it. Anger, perhaps, at being chal enged like that? No, something else.

Something harder to explain. Fear. Josh was afraid of Kevin?

“I’l be fine,” Briony said, practical y pushing Kevin towards the door. He went. Briony caught the way Josh stared after him for a moment.

Briony decided to try the direct approach. “Are you going to tel me why Kevin bothers you now? He didn’t seem to before.”

Josh smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“That’s…”

“Let’s just concentrate on Jake.”

It was clear that he wasn’t going to talk about it, and Briony had better things to do. Things like sitting with her gravely injured brother. She took up a spot as close to him as she dared, though not close enough that Jake would be able to spring at her. Not that he looked like he would be able to. Jake was barely wel enough to speak, so that they spent half the time in silence. Minutes passed, almost half an hour grinding past as he lay there, getting weaker by the second.

Final y