eyes glowing gold, snarled, “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you here and now.”
Chapter 3
It took several long seconds for Marcus to draw in enough breath to choke out a response. At last, he managed to gasp, “Something on your mind, Seth?”
Seth growled obscenities, grabbed him by the throat, and yanked him up.
Feet dangling a foot or so above the ground, Marcus clutched the wrist of the arm that effortlessly held him suspended like a marionette. His eyes widened as a low rumbling sound swelled around them. Birds fled to the sky. The branches of nearby trees began to jerk and sway, their leaves rustling like maracas as the ground shook with earthquake-like tremors.
Okay. I ... might have underestimated the seriousness of this situation.
Marcus had never personally seen the tight hold Seth maintained on his temper slip—as it appeared to be doing now—but had heard enough rumors that he decided to dial it back at superhero speeds and see if he couldn’t find a way to avert catastrophe.
“Did I or did I not tell you what would happen if Ami came to harm?” Seth posed in a soft, deadly voice.
Was that what this was about? Ami?
Since he was choking, Marcus could only think a response and hope Seth heard him. I can’t talk to you about this if you crush my trachea.
Seth hesitated, as though tempted to do just that, then released him.
Marcus’s boots hit the ground hard. Careening to one side, he caught himself before he could fall to his knees and stood hunched over as he endeavored to breathe.
The virus raced to repair the damage to his lungs. His ribs would take longer and require a substantial amount of blood. His hands, he was surprised to see, shook quite badly. For a moment there, he had thought Seth really intended to destroy him.
His gaze slid to the irate leader of the Immortal Guardians, who turned and paced away with long, livid strides.
The trees stilled, as did the ground beneath them. The rumbling ceased, leaving in its wake a silence that was almost painful, as dislodged leaves fluttered timidly to the ground.
No insects hummed.
No frogs sang.
Nothing made a sound except the soles of Seth’s boots as they struck the concrete with resounding thuds.
Biting back a groan, Marcus straightened ... as much as his battered body would allow. “What—?” His throat spasmed, and a fit of coughing seized him.
Emitting a sound of impatience, Seth ceased his pacing and barreled toward him.
Marcus took a wary step backward.
“Stand still!” Seth snapped. His large hand again closed around Marcus’s neck, gentler this time. Heat radiated from his palm, increasing as the swelling in Marcus’s throat eased and the pain receded.
As he withdrew his healing touch, Seth glared a warning. “If you say ‘thank you,’ I will kick your ass.”
A shamelessly easy task, it would appear.
Seth once more paced away and stopped with his back to Marcus. Brushing the sides of his long coat back, he propped his hands on his hips and lowered his head. Marcus could almost hear him counting to ten in a bid for patience.
Had Ami accused Marcus of hurting her in some way?
“What exactly did she tell you?” he asked cautiously.
Seth shook his head. “That you have been nothing but civil toward her.”
Really? That was a bit of a stretch, but Marcus thought it wise not to admit as much. “And that made you fly into a murderous rage because ... ?”
Seth swung around. “Because I expected more from you!” The glow in his eyes faded, returning them to their customary brown-black.
Marcus stiffened, biting back a moan at the agony it spawned in his ribs. (Seth had only healed his throat.) This was the first time he had ever landed on the receiving end of Seth’s wrath, and he felt a bit like a teenager being upbraided by a parent for staying out past curfew.
A parent who, if the rumors were true, could kill him with only a thought.
“You knew I didn’t want a Second,” he
Chapter 3
It took several long seconds for Marcus to draw in enough breath to choke out a response. At last, he managed to gasp, “Something on your mind, Seth?”
Seth growled obscenities, grabbed him by the throat, and yanked him up.
Feet dangling a foot or so above the ground, Marcus clutched the wrist of the arm that effortlessly held him suspended like a marionette. His eyes widened as a low rumbling sound swelled around them. Birds fled to the sky. The branches of nearby trees began to jerk and sway, their leaves rustling like maracas as the ground shook with earthquake-like tremors.
Okay. I ... might have underestimated the seriousness of this situation.
Marcus had never personally seen the tight hold Seth maintained on his temper slip—as it appeared to be doing now—but had heard enough rumors that he decided to dial it back at superhero speeds and see if he couldn’t find a way to avert catastrophe.
“Did I or did I not tell you what would happen if Ami came to harm?” Seth posed in a soft, deadly voice.
Was that what this was about? Ami?
Since he was choking, Marcus could only think a response and hope Seth heard him. I can’t talk to you about this if you crush my trachea.
Seth hesitated, as though tempted to do just that, then released him.
Marcus’s boots hit the ground hard. Careening to one side, he caught himself before he could fall to his knees and stood hunched over as he endeavored to breathe.
The virus raced to repair the damage to his lungs. His ribs would take longer and require a substantial amount of blood. His hands, he was surprised to see, shook quite badly. For a moment there, he had thought Seth really intended to destroy him.
His gaze slid to the irate leader of the Immortal Guardians, who turned and paced away with long, livid strides.
The trees stilled, as did the ground beneath them. The rumbling ceased, leaving in its wake a silence that was almost painful, as dislodged leaves fluttered timidly to the ground.
No insects hummed.
No frogs sang.
Nothing made a sound except the soles of Seth’s boots as they struck the concrete with resounding thuds.
Biting back a groan, Marcus straightened ... as much as his battered body would allow. “What—?” His throat spasmed, and a fit of coughing seized him.
Emitting a sound of impatience, Seth ceased his pacing and barreled toward him.
Marcus took a wary step backward.
“Stand still!” Seth snapped. His large hand again closed around Marcus’s neck, gentler this time. Heat radiated from his palm, increasing as the swelling in Marcus’s throat eased and the pain receded.
As he withdrew his healing touch, Seth glared a warning. “If you say ‘thank you,’ I will kick your ass.”
A shamelessly easy task, it would appear.
Seth once more paced away and stopped with his back to Marcus. Brushing the sides of his long coat back, he propped his hands on his hips and lowered his head. Marcus could almost hear him counting to ten in a bid for patience.
Had Ami accused Marcus of hurting her in some way?
“What exactly did she tell you?” he asked cautiously.
Seth shook his head. “That you have been nothing but civil toward her.”
Really? That was a bit of a stretch, but Marcus thought it wise not to admit as much. “And that made you fly into a murderous rage because ... ?”
Seth swung around. “Because I expected more from you!” The glow in his eyes faded, returning them to their customary brown-black.
Marcus stiffened, biting back a moan at the agony it spawned in his ribs. (Seth had only healed his throat.) This was the first time he had ever landed on the receiving end of Seth’s wrath, and he felt a bit like a teenager being upbraided by a parent for staying out past curfew.
A parent who, if the rumors were true, could kill him with only a thought.
“You knew I didn’t want a Second,” he
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