Dark Beauty

I should have known better. I really should have. My brother's had been behaving. They had looked like sweet and innocent children. I knew better. I really did. But I was too caught up in the bliss of the fact that my boyfriend/fiancé/lifemate was being accepted by my mother. I never ever occurred to me that my brother's might have some terrible hidden agenda. More fool me. I should never had turned my back. That was when all the problems started. Mom had gone back to her room to get ready for work. She still had a while to go, but she was getting dressed before dinner. I made the mistake of offering to help. Desari was going to help me. It had seemed like a brilliant idea at the time. The boys could get to know each other while us girls cooked. How stupid!

One minute we're happy as can be, the next minute I hear the boy's arguing…loudly. What is going on? I demanded rounding and glaring at all four males. I hadn't even realized I hadn't said anything out loud. I was getting used to thought only.

I cannot touch your brother's mind, there was something in Andreas's voice that stopped me. Like your mind, he assured me gentle. Only he knew the turmoil that had been in my mind. So my brothers were like me. Did that mean that my mom was the same? Could our little condition be genetic? It made for an interesting thought. Suddenly I very much wanted to take my mom before the single Carpathian males and see if she belonged to one of them. I liked the thought of my mom always being protected. It was a thought that made me smile. The smile was wiped away when I remembered why the thought had come about.

"What are you four doing huh? Care to explain why you're arguing instead of getting along?" I had to get this resolved before mom came in. She didn't need to deal with the boys arguing. That was the last thing any of them needed. It would only reflect poorly on all of them. Why couldn't they just get along? As cliché as the line was, it would have been beautiful for the line to work.

"They started it," Nathaniel said defiantly glaring at Andreas.

"Really?" I asked a little angry. "Really? Are you back in the third grade Nathaniel? I thought you were more mature than that. Apparently I was wrong. I don't care who started it. You end it. Mom and I do not need to deal with such stress because you feel like being a child. So why were you four arguing? Are you going to explain this time?"

"It really was my fault," Andreas said softly bowing in apology. "I provoked your brothers when I should not have. You need not be angry with them. It is on my head." I rolled my eyes and sighed. That was Andreas. Even if my brothers were at fault, out loud he would claim fault. I would have to find out later what had really happened.

"We'll deal with this later," I finally conceded with a sigh. I wasn't going to get much more. Come on Desari. Let's leave the boys to killing each other, that thought was only half-joking too.

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She was upset with him and her brothers. This fact disheartened him. He was going to have to work harder. He could not stand these feelings from his life mate. And she thrived on emotions. He felt it in everything she did. She didn't notice it, but he did. Sometimes it consumed him. He had to watch very carefully to regulate his own emotions in correspondence with hers. It was a difficult task. Andreas and Julian turned to face the two young boys. They seemed to be more rigid than they had been before. The Carpathian warriors had underestimated them. A mistake they could not make again.

"We must resolve this now," Andreas said. Julian didn't say anything. He was grinning. This fact disturbed Andreas though he wasn't entirely sure why. "Do you two agree?"

"Then why don't you leave? That'll resolve everything?" Nathaniel growled. Thomas stood up straighter to show his agreement.

Andreas and Julian sighed and exchanged a look before nodding. They didn't even exchange a thought. There was no need. "Alright, outside boys. We need to have a talk I believe."

What are you doing?! His lifemate's thoughts echoed in his mind making him want to wince. He easily controlled the urge.

We are resolving this love. Do not worry. I swear to you that we shall not harm your brothers, but this must be fixed. I will not be a point of contention in your family. Those thoughts seemed to do little to relieve his lifemate's stress. He had to shut himself off though. He didn't like doing it, but he knew that Julian would be doing it to. He knew exactly what Andreas was planning and the thoughts he was sending to Andreas. We have little choice Julius. Just allow me to do this thing. I will deal with the consequences. But I see nothing else that may be done. And I will have peace.