Fatal Attractions

Chapter Seventeen

     "What makes you think I know why he's gone all loopy?" Andrew asked. He sat at the edge of the couch in the living room, hands on his knees, looking blankly at the three of us. Sam had calmed down before we hunted down Andrew, but Nate was still just as pissed as before.

     "You're his brother. Not only that, his twin brother. You know something," Nate said, and I could tell he was trying his best not to raise his voice.

     "And if I did?" Andrew asked. He was going to push our buttons, and push them hard. Frankly, I wasn't in the mood.

     "Listen, I'm not up for this shit right now. I didn't ask to be taken into a manor with a bunch of vampires, and to be slapped around by the leader. If you know something, tell us, now," I barked, taking in a sharp gulp of air when I was finished. Count on being the only human in a mansion full of vampires to toughen you up.

     Andrew stared at me for a few moments before shaking his head. "Alex doesn't like people in his business. I'm his brother, and he still tries to shut me out all the time," he said, looking at the floor then back to us.

     "But you know something," I said. He looked at me for a few more moments and pursed his lips.

     "Let's say I do. What's in it for me?" he asked. Nate let out a sigh and ran his hand through his long hair, messing it up a bit. If it weren't for the current circumstances, and the fact that I barely knew him, I would say he was attracted, and I was attracted to him. But no way was I going to admit that to anybody. I had more problems on my hands than which vampire was the cutest.

     "Why do you need to have an advantage? Alex's job is to protect Lena, and right now, he's not doing such a good job," Nate said, crossing his arms. Andrew's eyebrows lifted in surprise.

     "He's not? Well, that's odd, because she's standing right here. She looks pretty safe to me," he said, the corner of his mouth lifting.

     "That's not what he meant," Sam said, finally chiming in. "I don't know if you heard yet, but we think someone from the Arus almost got Lena in the woods earlier." Andrew looked at Sam for a few moments before responding.

     "And what were you doing out, Lena?" he asked, his eyes shifting to me. I opened my mouth to talk, and resisted the urge to look at Sam.

     "That was my fault," Sam said, and both Nate and I looked at her.

     "You know it wasn't," Nate said, his voice low.

     "Yes, it was. I took her out there thinking she was safe." I looked back to Andrew and saw him sitting back on the couch, his leg across his knee. He was clearly enjoying the show.

     "So you took Lena outside, and someone almost got her. How is that neglect on Alex's part? If I heard correctly, Lena was your responsibility, Sam," he said, giving her a cold, blank stare. Personality-wise, Andrew and Alex were nothing alike, but they both had the riveting ability to stare into your soul. It was unnerving as hell.

     "I know, but-,"

     "But what? You're the one who's failing their duties, not Alex," Andrew said, cutting off Sam.

     "Hey, watch it. I almost got into it with your brother, I won't hesitate to get into it with you," Nate barked, stepping in front of Sam.

     "I'm simply stating the facts. If you have a problem with that, you can go talk to Grace," Andrew said, smirking.

     "Are you threatening me?" Nate asked, taking another step closer to Andrew.

     "And what if I am?"