Chapter Eight

Cardian

"Hey!" Dakota laughed. "You stole my key while you were sucking my dick!"

I had and I wasn't about to deny it as I slipped said key into the lock.

"Shhh! They might be asleep," I laughed, high on his pleasure and my need buzzing around my head. "Let them sleep."

"We're up," Terrick called from the other side of the door, and I swore under my breath. "You should have a bloodshake anyway."

I glanced at Dakota and swallowed down another laugh. My mate made a show of putting on a straight face as he took his key back. I started to tell him to put it somewhere safer than his pocket but decided against it. It'd fallen out once and I found it. Maybe we'd get that lucky a second time.

"Is Scott still up?" Dakota asked Terrick as we walked into the house.

He shut and locked the door behind him, and I double-checked out of habit.

"I know how to lock doors," he said, shooting me a weird look.

"Our mother trained him well to believe that only she and guardians know how to properly ensure doors are locked," Terrick said, rolling his eyes. "He's still up if you want to say hi."

"Thanks, Terrick," Dakota said and squeezed my hand before disappearing down the hall.

"Sorry to intrude upon you, brother," I said, following him into the kitchen.

"Maybe it's for the best," he said, pointing at a bloodshake on the counter. "That's for you. Unless of course, you insist on making your own because you think the blender and I are in cahoots to assassinate you."

"Thanks," I said, picking up the bloodshake and holding back the urge to roll my eyes. "It is for the best."

"I know you're not happy about being here," Terrick said. "Or I should say you weren't happy about here before you met Dakota."

"I don't make a habit of going where I'm not wanted," I shrugged, taking a gulp of the bloodshake.

"Who said you weren't wanted here?"

"Don't be like Mother. Wanting privacy isn't a crime."

"It's not about privacy," Terrick said. "It's about her thinking we need a babysitter to ---"

"No," I shook my head. "I'm not here to change diapers or to tell you how to raise your kids. I'm here in case some psycho fuckface gets it into his head that you shouldn't be around to raise your kids or you shouldn't have kids to raise. There's a difference."

Terrick sighed and sank down into a chair at the table. I leaned back against the counter finishing the last of my bloodshake.

"And now, I'm in Heartville for Dakota who is actually here for the reasons you accuse me of being here," I said.

"He's here because Scott invited him."

"I'm glad he's here," I tried changing the subject.

"Me too. Scott seems excited about it."

"Are you okay?" I asked, cutting to the chase since our mates were out of earshot.

"What do you mean?" Terrick asked.

"The kids. Your dad. Moving. Switching to day living. Anything else?"

"I'm good," he nodded.

"Really?" I asked.

"If you have something on your mind, say it and stop beating around the bush," Terrick sighed.

"That's what I'm saying to you," I said.

"The ghosts don't come to me anymore," Terrick said.

"Are you talking about your dad or someone else?"

"Any of them."

"I'm sorry about your dad, Ter. I am. I remember him. He was a fun guy. A good guy too," I said, "but do you really want to see other ghosts?"

"No, but what if that means something's wrong with me? What if I only saw them because Dad was around or—?"

"Or what? Perhaps the ghosts that want to haunt people don't come around you because you're a pit hound now. Don't they track evil souls or whatever?"

Terrick's eyes lit up.

"Glad to make you feel better. I'm sure if friendly ghosts are around, they'll find you," I clapped him on the shoulder.

I never wanted to see a ghost in my lifetime – this one or any other – but if the thought of seeing them made my brother happy, I'd play along with him.

"I hadn't thought about it that way," he admitted as the bedroom door opened down the hall and we both fell quiet about the subject. "There are condoms in the bathroom if you need them. Scott insisted on putting them in all of them in case Dakota needed them once he was here."

"Thanks, brother," I said, as Dakota came back into the kitchen.

"Scott's out cold," he grinned, rounding the table to join me at the counter.

"I think I'm going to join him. You two eat what you want or whatever," Terrick yawned.

"Thanks, Terrick," Dakota said as my brother headed out of the kitchen.