Page 279 of Caged

“You know,” Vae’s voice echoes lazily around the room, “I was coming to see if you were alright, but finding you sitting in the dark with an empty bottle of whiskey and a shitty attitude pretty much answered that question.”

I snort. “Bold of you to assume this isn’t how I relax now.”

Vae drops down onto the opposite end of the couch. Chest bare, black joggers hanging low on his hips, hair still damp from the shower, and curling slightly at the ends, the way he hates.

He stretches across me, clicking on the light of the side lamp.

“Damn, that’s better.”

He relaxes into the cushions, legs wide, arms sprawled across the back of the couch. “I know we’re vampires, but for fucks sake, you don’t need to make tall, dark, and broody your whole personality.”

I give him a soft smile, then pour the last bit of the whiskey into a glass and pass it to him. “You don’t have to do that, you know.”

Vae arches a brow, white teeth flashing in the low light. “Do what?”

I stand, taking my now-empty glass to the built-in bar and placing it into the sink. With my back to him, I shrug.

“Turn everything into a joke. Act like things are fine when we both know they’re not. Pretend like you’re not just as terrified as I am.”

I turn, knowing I need to face him for this. Placing my palms flat on the countertop, I lean back and wait. He doesn’t answer at first, placing the glass down gently and clasping his hands loosely between his knees. Eventually he exhales, squaring his shoulders like this might turn into a battle and he has to brace himself.

“Yeah,” he raises his eyes to meet mine. “Well, someone has to.”

I hate that he thinks that. I hate that he’s taken on this role when no one asked him to. Hate that he thinks it’s his responsibility to stop both of us from falling apart while Caelan’s down.

Most of all, I hate how obvious is it is that he thinks I’m so far gone I need to be handled with kid gloves.

Me.

”I’m not a child, Vae,” I say, jaw clenched with irritation. “I get why you’re doing it. I do. But you don’t need to turn everything into a comedy set just because things aren’t clean and easy for once.”

I take a step forward, meeting his eyes so he knows I mean what I’m saying. “Caelan will be fine.”

He holds my gaze for a long moment. His eyes flick to the side.

His tell.

It is so quick I almost miss it, but on top of it, his scent—singed around the edges with uncontained anxiety—betrays him.

“I know that.” He grinds the words through his teeth. Snagging a pillow, he hugs it to his chest and deeper into the couch.

Right now, despite his age, despite the centuries of wars and training and rank, he looks so much like the kid I first met centuries ago during Bastards training. The kid who showed up one day full of rage after decades of fighting against his very nature. The kid drowning in the betrayal of knowing he’d been sacrificed by his own parents. The kid carrying a secret and a Curse too big for his shoulders. Searching desperately for a way to balance the scales with all the internalized self-loathing of a male forced to commit unspeakable acts against his will.

The one who trusted no one, including—especially—himself.

The one who turned to Caelan and me for guidance. Who cried when we discovered our Fated Bonds found his pack. Who looked to us for answers, terrified he’d make the wrong choice and hurt us when he lost control of his Curse.

I blink, and he’s this Vae again—my brother forged through blood and Bonds and love. The brother Fate gave me, knowing he needed me. Knowing I needed him even more.

His head falls back dramatically. Vae never could handle the weight of heavy silence. It makes him twitchy.

His throat bobs, and when he looks at me his eyes are full of pain.

“You almost killed the omega, Dax. You almost ripped her throat out. You turn into a different person around her. You’ve always been a hard ass—cutting, logistical, intelligent. You see the truth, and you act accordingly. That’s why I’ve never questioned you.”

He shrugs. His eyes move to the floor as he admits, “Never had to. And I won’t lie to you, most of the time it’s a relief. Especially when I don’t feel like I have control, because I know you always do.”

“But…” I know he’s not finished and finds myself bracing for his reply.