• “Do you think Ravens okay?”
    Kite glanced at Kat as she sat on his bed hugging her knees to her chest, watching him in his chair. He closed his book and set it on the table next to him and leaned forward. “Why do you ask?”
    “Why? Because of Evean and…and, well because of Evean! Everything Evean does, even if it doesn’t directly influence Raven, he causes Raven pain in some way!” she cried sitting up to glare at Kite, who leaned back wearily,
    “Yeah well, Ravens a big vampire now. He can take care of himself and he doesn’t need us meddling in his families affairs.”
    “We ARE his family, Kite!” she jumped off the bed and stomped to her dresser, wrenching a draw open and slamming it shut again. She stood there, breathing hard and Kite sighed “Kat, we can’t interfere in this part of Raven’s life. Regardless of what you think he should do concerning Evean, they’re twins. One cannot harm the other without harming himself.”
    “But Evean “harms” Raven all the time!”
    “Yeah, well, it’s not my fault Eveans a sick sadistic b*****d who enjoys pain. Besides, Ravens dealt with worse than this.”
    “Yeah, like what?”
    “….” Kite frowned, trying to think of something, “Well I know he has at some point in his life.” Kat rolled her eyes and sat criss cross on the floor, tracing the patterns on the carpet with a finger. For a time, they sat in silent contemplation, Kite watching her, Kat tracing the pattern until a knock at the door jolted them to awareness.
    “Dinner is ready, Miss Lucainnado, Mr. Matinsi.” The maid bowed as they came out and lead them down the hall to the dining room.
    Evean and Raven sat facing each other near the head of the table, neither one speaking a word, as Kat and Kite came into the room. At the head of the table sat Sir Damius Birchwood the 3rd, oldest of the Birchwood clan and head of the European Blood Trade. EBT serviced every vampire clan on the British continent supplying blood, legally, to heads of housel holds so they could feed their own family. For such a powerful position, though, Sir Damius was a surprisingly normal looking creature. Black hair pulled loosely back, light skin and blue eyes; standing at an average height of 6’3, he looked nothing like a vampire resembling more a Wall Street banker. His wife was quite the opposite. An Italian supermodel, she was of the Matinsi vampire clan well known for their international fame as the behind-stages rulers of the Victoria Secret Empire. Lady Carina Birchwood stood at a towering 6’5 with alabaster skin and thick brown hair that fell in a cascade of ringlets to her middle back. Her black eyes were forever moving, never quite focusing on one thing with an exception to her husband, who she looked at frequently. Kat sat down next to Raven after bowing to Sir Birchwood, “When did you return from your trip, Uncle B?” He smiled warmly at the use of his nickname,
    “Early this morning. It was hell, but I managed to book an earlier flight back at the request of Carina.” He smiled at his wife, who kissed his cheek,
    “I missed you darling. I wanted you back as soon as you could possibly make it.” She slipped her hand in his and Sir Damius squeezed it lovingly.
    ‘I hope Raven and I are like that when we get older.’ Kat thought wistfully, sneaking a look at Raven as she sipped her soup. He wasn’t paying attention to her, answering questions for his father and mother took most of his concentration but Kat felt another gaze on her. Glancing across the table, her eyes met Evean’s and she shivered quickly going back to her soup as he smiled at her.
    “Coward.” Evean whispered too quietly for anyone but Kat to hear and she froze, spoon half way to her mouth. Raven noticed her and gave her a concerned look, gently touching her fingers under the table, before returning to a conversation with his father. She smiled sweetly at Evean and finished her soup.
    “That b***h!” Evean flung a vase at the wall in his private study and it shattered to pieces as he turned to stand at his bookcase. Evean gripped the shelf, breathing hard trying to control himself for a moment “Calm down, Evean.” He growled to himself “Don’t bring big brother running. Raven will only piss me off in his naiveté and I would rather not lose myself again.” Evean straightened with a deep breath and walked over to clean up the vase, calmly picking up the pieces. He dumped them in the trash and sat at the desk, thinking ‘Its Kats fault. She’s the one hurting Raven all the time so what should I do about her?’ he picked up a photo of Raven and himself when they were little, from before Raven lost his eye. They were happy, Raven’s hair was shorter, falling to his shoulders and Evean had actually smiled for that picture. Evean stared at the photo and his fingers began to shake before he cracked the glass, cutting his fingers. Absently, he set the photo down and slid his fingers between his lips sucking at the blood before standing and leaving, gently closing the door behind him