Ethan sighed heavily, but he smiled in return. “It would be so cool to be a magic-wielding vampire, but Winter’s right. It’s hard enough just being a vampire. Considering the mess you’ve been dragged into, it doesn’t look like being a witch makes things any easier.”
“And remember that I’m a really shitty witch,” Fox pointed out.
“Don’t!” Winter interjected sharply. He wrapped his hand around the back of Fox’s neck and brushed his thumb across his cheek. “Don’t say that about yourself. It’s not your fault you’ve had no training. I have no doubt you’d be an amazing witch if you had training. You’re already perfect to me.”
Fox melted. He didn’t give a shit who else was in the room. Looking up into Winter’s shining blue eyes, Fox fucking melted right there in the chair. No one had ever looked at him like that. No one had ever saw him as someone they needed the way Winter needed him.
“Winter,” Marcus started softly, but Ethan was already shushing him.
“Don’t ruin this moment. It’s so freaking sweet. I feel like I need popcorn,” Ethan said in a horribly loud whisper.
Fox’s face cracked into a smile, and Winter reluctantly joined him. It was okay. Fox foresaw some very critical cuddles in bed in their future.
Releasing Fox, Winter turned his attention to his older brother. “Marcus.”
“Putting aside the question of Ethan’s possible heritage for a moment,” Marcus said and paused, rubbing his temples with one hand. “You know I have no problem with Fox alone. He makes you happy. Something I’m sure we were all skeptical of ever happening.”
“Except for when you’re driving Rafe crazy,” Ethan added. Winter smirked, and Fox’s heart did a little flip. He loved that devilish expression.
“And my concern has nothing to do with him being a witch, per se…”
“It’s the prophecy,” Fox finished. With his elbows on his knees, Fox dropped his head into his hands. “It doesn’t matter how many times I say that I won’t hurt you or your family. I’ll do anything to help you. Protect you. I don’t want anything to happen to Winter. It-it tears me up inside that I might be some threat, and I can’t do anything about it.”
His fucking heart hurt so much. It was like the thing was getting ground to dust in his chest. He didn’t want to deal with this. Winter had just asked him to move in with him. They were going to be together and date, and things were going to work out.
“What are you saying, Marcus? You gonna demand I give him up like Bel was asked to give up Wyatt and River?” Winter snapped.
“Fox is not a pet,” Marcus countered irritably.
“You know what I fucking mean!”
Marcus sighed, and Fox’s heart went out to the vampire. He was the oldest brother. He was tasked with the job of protecting his family from the moment he was named. Fox was a potential threat, and his little brother was clutching him like a security blanket when Fox could somehow be poisoning them all.
Closing his eyes, Marcus started again, his voice low but firm. “Winter, you have always been logical and removed when it came to analyzing threats to the family. Can you look at the situation with Fox and honestly tell me you are completely safe with him? That even with the prophecy, he won’t hurt the Variks?”
To his credit, Winter didn’t automatically throw out an answer. He took a deep breath and slowly released it while looking down at Fox. The witch met his gaze and inwardly flinched. These were the icy cold eyes of the man who’d slaughtered all those vampires in the blink of an eye. This was the stare of the Angel of Death.
“Yes,” Winter said in a dull, emotionless voice. “He’s as harmless to the family as Ethan or Philippe or even the wolves. He’s already risked his life to protect me while I was in the middle of a fight at Luke’s. He’s offered to give up his powers. I believe he’d protect any member of the family with his life.” Winter lifted his eyes to Marcus, and Ethan flinched. “If something happens to the Variks, it won’t be because of something he did. I don’t think you can rightfully ask for more reassurance than that.”
Marcus nodded. “Fair enough.” The vampire then turned his attention to Fox, his expression softening slightly. “I’m sorry, Fox. I don’t mean to be unfair to you. I…I lost our mother because I wasn’t properly prepared, and I can’t make the same mistake twice. I—”
“No, Marcus! Julianna was my fault!” Ethan said. Unshed tears instantly sparkled in his eyes as he grabbed at his boyfriend. Marcus pulled him in tight, as if he meant to move Ethan into his lap. Marcus whispered things into his lover’s ear, and for a moment Ethan stubbornly shook his head, but after a while, he started to relax, roughly wiping at the tears trying to escape down his cheeks.