Virgil [Marius Brothers 8] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour ManLove) (9 page)

“You’ve got enough going on. You didn’t need a misunderstanding and good intentions to ruin something that could make you so happy if you let it,” he said with a smile. I leaned down and kissed his cheek. “Besides, we’re family. Family doesn’t ever keep their noses out of each other’s business.”

“Amen to that,” I chuckled. “Can I see you again soon? I need to deal with some other things and what Riley said to me. I want to let go and move on even if it’s away from my family. I want to heal and be the man my mates deserve after having searched for me for so long.”

“Of course but there’s one more thing I want to show just you. I think it will answer some of your questions,” he hedged. “We need your mother though too. I have a feeling you don’t know the full story but only a part. Elena isn’t mean.”

“No, she’s not,” I agreed, not sure what he was talking about. I nodded and realized my mother was there in the kitchen. She came over hesitantly and took Ayden’s hand as I did the same. Seconds later we were in a memory from when I was a small boy.

“Desmond, I want to talk to you about Virgil,” she said as they sat in Father’s study. I hadn’t been able to sleep, nightmares about what I’d been reading about demons keeping me up, and I’d gone to find them. They had no idea I was there listening. “I worry he’s not normal.”

“What do you mean, my love? I know he’s oddly blunt and doesn’t seem to understand some things that the others have by his age, but maybe he’s just a little slow.”

“Yes, I know, but at the same time, his studies show the opposite. He learns at a rapid pace. He hasn’t been focusing like he was and I realized he was bored. He’s accelerated way past where his brothers were at his age.”

“So he’s smart. That’s good news,” Father said but then frowned when Mother shook her head. “Just tell me, Elena. Whatever it is we can figure it out.”

“It’s almost like he learns things backwards. I don’t understand it. Maybe I’m not able to teach him. I think he’s special, Desmond.” It was clear from the way she said the word it wasn’t the kind of special that a child would want to hear his parents talk about them but as in special needs. “I just wish he was normal. I don’t—”

I didn’t stay to listen to any more, racing back to my room and crying myself to sleep that night and many nights after. My parents didn’t like me. I wasn’t like the others and it upset them. I swore that I would try to be the most normal child for them from that moment on so I didn’t upset my mother or embarrass my father again. I would figure out a way to be normal.

“Oh, Virgil,” my mother sobbed. “You weren’t supposed to hear that. You only heard part of it and it’s not what I meant. We loved you always. I was upset at my own failings that I didn’t think I could give you what you needed.”

“I heard what you said, Mother,” I whispered. “I didn’t even remember that until now.” I glanced at Ayden. “I get what you were saying. It explains so much. Why I wanted to fit every mold, not tell anyone ever, and mate a female, have lots of children, and be normal.”

“Normal’s boring.” Ayden shrugged and then gave me a wink. “Now see what your mother felt and what you couldn’t understand as a child.”

“Desmond, I want to talk to you about Virgil,” she said, trying to think of how to phrase what she wanted to say. It wasn’t like there were gifted schools back then and especially not for vampires. “I worry he’s not normal.”

“What do you mean, my love? I know he’s oddly blunt and doesn’t seem to understand some things that the others have by his age, but maybe he’s just a little slow.”

“Yes, I know, but at the same time, his studies show the opposite. He learns at a rapid pace. He hasn’t been focusing like he was and I realized he was bored. He’s accelerated way past where his brothers were at his age.” She didn’t know how to help me see things in a way I would understand them. She thought if
she
was smarter she could explain the world and what I needed to know in a way I would understand. God, she was so hard on herself!

“So he’s smart. That’s good news,” Father said but then frowned when Mother shook her head. “Just tell me, Elena. Whatever it is we can figure it out.”

“It’s almost like he learns things backwards. I don’t understand it. Maybe I’m not able to teach him. I think he’s special, Desmond.” As much as she loved me for who I was and was proud of me, she worried how my life would be in a harsh world. “I just wish he was normal. I don’t know if I can be what he needs. He’s gifted. We have a very
gifted
son.”

“But with that comes something you’re worried about?” Father figured out. Mother nodded and sighed.

“Yes, he doesn’t see the world as we do. I fret over this. I’m proud of him. As his mother I love the fact that he sees things differently, is special, and his own person, smart and bright. But also I’m scared that others will pick on him or it will hurt his chances of fitting in. It’s a hard world we live in. People fear anything different.”

“Like telling Abraham Dragos he wasn’t a logical man who didn’t appreciate his own people by saying women couldn’t be warriors,” Father drawled. “Virgil’s right and his logic was astounding but I could not believe he just started telling the man that.”

“I know it was rude for a child to speak to an adult like that but part of me was just trying not to laugh. Did you see Abraham’s face?” Mother giggled, shaking her head. “But yes, like that. I know Virgil still doesn’t understand what he did wrong. He just sees we got mad at him for telling us the truth. Do you see how confusing that can be to a small boy?”

“Yes, but we can’t just excuse the behavior or he’ll make enemies. Abraham was furious. Whether Virgil is eight or not, I thought Abraham was going to slap him across the room. If I hadn’t been there he might have. Virgil could get hurt and I’d never forgive myself. We have to figure out a way to teach him propriety. It’s not right and it’s not fair, it’s just the way of the world. I’m sorry it’s going to make him feel like he’s done something wrong or it’s his fault but it will keep him safe.”

“But at what cost?” Mother whispered. “He’s special and gifted. I don’t want that crushed so he can fit the mold of a warrior and what our society says he should be as a child of a founding family.”

“That’s for him to decide when he’s older,” Father said after a few moments. “For now, we protect him. He can be whoever he wants when he’s old enough to understand it all but if we don’t help him now he could damage his future in ways that can’t be undone.”

“Right because we ever really understand life,” Mother drawled.

“Amen to that,” Father snickered. He hugged her close and kissed her cheek.

“You thought I was the good kind of special,” I whispered as we came back out of the memory.

“Of course I did,” she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. “You were my special little genius who saw the world in his own way. I assumed I failed you. And then it was just no longer an issue. I thought—I’m not sure what I did exactly. That was when Gabriel got hurt badly on a mission and then suddenly you changed. I supposed it was almost losing your brother that made you see the world differently. I never understood. I am
so
sorry you ever felt that way.”

“Me too,” I mumbled, pulling away. I got that I didn’t take everything the way it was meant but it wasn’t just that
one
moment that left me feeling the way I did about my family. There had been comments over the years from my brothers, calling me abnormal or that I was odd, strange, and about a dozen other names. I couldn’t just let this all go. “I need some air.”

“Please don’t leave, Virgil. We’re sorry,” Father said gently as he pulled my mother into his arms. “I don’t know what just happened but I know we love you. We can figure out whatever I’m missing here.”

“I’m just—I need—I just want—” I stuttered, never having been able to tell my parents
no
or hurt them.

“We’re just taking a walk outside and getting some fresh air,” Mareo said quickly before leading me to the terrace doors. “We’re not leaving.” Foma was right there and the moment we were outside I started shaking with silent sobs. “It’s okay, Virgil. Just breathe.”

“I don’t know how to process this. I want to weep for the boy I was that thought my parents were so ashamed of me,” I whispered as I sank to my knees in the grass. “Riley doesn’t like me and I wonder which of my brothers think that. Hell, it seems the only people who
do
are the ones who barely know me. Or maybe they do know me. Caven and Patrick like me.”

“We like you,” Foma assured me as he rubbed my back. “I think you’re amazing. You forgave us after seeing what happened. Do you know how rare that is? Most would have dragged it out and still been upset that we wanted to slip a few drinks into you to get you to loosen up.”

“What would be the point of that?” I shrugged. “I
was
closed off. I
was
scared. I understood why you did it and after seeing how long you looked for me and how desperately you wanted to find me I feel horrible I made you even have to come up with such a plan.”

“As I said, amazing,” he whispered as he kissed my cheek. “Tell us what you want, Virgil. Do you want to live in your new house you talked of in Greece? We would live there with you if you wanted.”

“Really?” Now I felt shy. I’d been so busy being pissed at them I’d not thought of a future with them.

“We like Caleb, Liam, and Lorcan, but we’re not palace people,” Mareo admitted with a shrug. “We were closer to there when we heard of the fae coming over so we decided to help our people. My family was lost to me a long time ago and Foma was an orphan from a young age. You might not want to live with your family but I don’t think moving away from them right now would be best. This house is still close, yes?”

“Yeah, like ten minutes away,” I sighed, leaning into his strong body. “It’s all done. I picked out my furniture and everything. I want to see this thing with Dubois through though. I think there’s more going on than I know.”

“How so?” Foma asked.

I bit my lower lip, wondering if they’d think I was nuts if I admitted what I could barely grasp myself. Then I decided to keep with my newfound honesty. “The amount of demons still bothers me. There’s been too many. I mean, hordes of them keep attacking. Where are they all coming from? I’m missing something.”

“Then we shall investigate this at your side until you find your answers,” Mareo assured me. How long I had waited to hear something like that and feel like I wasn’t alone always!

“Then we should get my blood despelled if we’re going to be real mates and I’m ever going to claim you,” I said quietly.

“Yes!” Foma exclaimed, tackling me to the ground in joy. I laughed as Mareo joined in, both of them kissing me silly. Oh hell, did they know how to set my body on fire. I would seriously have to send Ayden several gifts for his help. He saved my mating and handed me everything I’d ever wanted.

Foma

“Are you sure?” I asked Virgil again. Once he had decided to despell our blood we had raced inside and found the Queen. Now I was worried we were pushing him too fast with everything else he had going on.

“Yes. I forgive you both. I want this. I want to be happy and screw being normal or what I saw for my life,” he assured me again.

“But you wanted a female mate, and children, and that white picket fence.” I cupped his cheek, rubbing my thumb over his skin as I stared into those gorgeous kelly-green eyes. “I don’t want to lose you but if that’s what will make you happy then we have to let you go.”

“Don’t ever let me go.” Virgil mashed his mouth down to mine, kissing me deeply and moving his hips against me until the Queen cleared her throat. I stilled my mate, who was straddling my lap, and sighed as we pulled apart. “We can still have children if we want one day and we’ll get a damn fence. You can paint it white while shirtless and I’ll be happier than I ever would if you had boobs.”

“Good to know,” I snickered, shaking my head.

I liked how he was coming out of his shell. I knew it was hard for him but I was also proud of him. It wasn’t easy to say
screw everyone and I am who I am
but here he was doing it. I tilted my neck, offering it up to him, and I saw his eyes glaze over. He followed the Queen’s instructions, waiting for her to chant the words and make my blood okay for him and then he took a small sip to complete the process.

“You can take more,” I offered when he pulled away, worried and a little hurt he stopped so soon.

Virgil smiled at me and then pressed his lips to my ear. “It’s a very sacred and erotic act between mates. I take much more and we’re going to be on the floor fucking in front of your Queen and my parents. I didn’t think that’s how you wanted them to get to know you.”

“No, that would be awkward,” I agreed. He gave me a quick kiss before sliding off my lap. I watched as he did the exact same thing with Mareo and then it was over. Our blood was officially safe for him to drink and he’d never need another to give him sustenance of that kind. Just as we were finishing up, Barnabas, the Queen’s grandson and head of the High Council here, came into the kitchen.

“The Council will be assembling in a bit to hear what Virgil has found out. We should leave.”

“Wait, you want me to speak to the High Council?” Virgil exclaimed, almost falling off Mareo’s lap. “No. Someone else can do it.”