Ethan sat slouched on the living room couch, tossing a stress ball into the air and catching it with practiced boredom. The old house creaked in the evening wind, but what really filled the room was the heavy silence between the two brothers.
Adrian stepped out of the kitchen with a mug in hand, leaning against the doorframe. "You've been throwing that thing for like… an hour. You trying to break a world record?"
Ethan caught the ball mid-air and shot him a look. "Nah. Just trying to remember what it feels like to have a brother who disappears every day."
Adrian blinked, caught off guard. "What?"
"You heard me," Ethan muttered, dropping the ball into his lap. "Ever since we got back, it's like you've been living in your own little world. School. Selene. Whatever weird crap you've gotten yourself into. Meanwhile, I'm here… playing catch with myself."
The mug felt heavier in Adrian's hand. He let out a slow breath, then moved to the couch and sat beside him. "You're right. I've been… distracted."
Ethan raised a brow. "Yeah. You think?"
Adrian chuckled softly, bumping Ethan's shoulder with his own. "Okay, okay. I owe you. So… what's going on with you, Mr. Lone Wolf?"
A small grin tugged at Ethan's lips. "Funny you should ask. I actually made a friend."
Adrian's eyebrows shot up. "Wait, seriously? You?"
"Yeah, laugh it up," Ethan said, rolling his eyes. "His name's Jake. We've got a couple of classes together. Cool guy. His family's loaded — like mansion-on-the-hill type loaded."
Adrian leaned back, intrigued. "Let me guess, there's a catch."
Ethan's grin widened. "No catch. He's throwing this huge bonfire party tomorrow night in the woods behind his place. Invited me. Said I could bring someone."
Adrian tilted his head, pretending to think. "Hmm… let me check my schedule of brooding alone and getting stalked by vampires… yeah, I think I'm free."
Ethan snorted, shaking his head. "So that's a yes?"
"Yeah," Adrian said, clinking his mug lightly against Ethan's shoulder. "It's a yes. Might be good to hang out with actual humans for a change."
For a moment, the room felt lighter — two brothers again, not a boy with secrets and his shadow left behind.
---
General POV
The night grew darker, the town bathed in the eerie stillness Blackville was known for. Somewhere across town, a different kind of conversation unfolded beneath the pale glow of streetlights.
Lucian leaned casually against a brick wall behind the old library, his golden eyes glinting in the dark. "You've been awfully quiet lately, Marcus," he said smoothly. "Planning something?"
Marcus stepped out of the shadows, his arms folded. "Watching. You're too close to him."
Lucian laughed softly, the sound low and dangerous. "Close? Please. I'm just curious. He's… interesting."
"Curiosity gets people killed," Marcus shot back.
Lucian tilted his head, smiled sharply.. "Or it gets them answers." He pushed off the wall, stepping closer. "You act like you're protecting him, but let's be honest — you don't even trust yourself."
Marcus's jaw tightened. "I trust my instincts. And right now, they're telling me you're trouble and you are not good close to him"
Lucian leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Good. Then we understand each other."
The two locked eyes — predator and predator, circling without drawing blood.