My Benefactor

My Benefactor Chapter Thirty Six

        "Why is your heart beating so fast, Ciara?" I taunted. "Hm? Why is it?"

        "N-Nothing," she stuttered. "I just remembered that Bryson has a surprise for me today. I'm just excited, so that explains my rapid heart beat."

        I laughed quietly. "Oh really?" I asked and she nodded. "I never led him on. It would be wrong of me to do that. I know Bryson; he's a good guy and would never do such a thing."

        "Well, he's different now," she replied in total defiance.

        I shook my head. "Whatever it is you did to him, I hope it won't come back and bite you in the ass."

        The bell signaling for first period cut through our intense conversation, ending it prematurely and I turned to walk away, heading for class.

        I intend to find out what she did to Bryson, and I have a feeling she did more than just mumbo- jumbo.

 *      *      *

Derek's Point Of View

"Are you sure, Cooper?" I asked. "Are you certain about this?"

        On the outside, I showed the facade of extreme calm, but on the inside, I was seething with beastly rage. I knew Marcus is a scoundrel; it didn't surprise me that he would go to extreme lengths just to get rid of me because of my beliefs. Adding my older brother, Darren, to the picture is just plain dirty. For so long, my brother resented me just because I inherited the title as an Elder. Father wanted me, not him, and like the Golden Boy that I am, I complied without a word. It was father's wishes, so what could he do?

        Nothing.

       Until now, with the help of that scheming, heartless Pureblood called Marcus Emannuelle Santiago!

        Cooper nodded, looking solemn. "Marcus is going to open a case against you, have you strip off your title and be replaced by Darren," he said. "He had the Elders convinced that you attacked him back in Santorini Island."

        That's outrageous! The brute provoked me and how in the world did he convince the Elders? He had no proof whatsoever!

        I stood up from my leather chair and went about to pace in my study. "He doesn't have proof," I muttered hotly.

        "Actually, he does," Cooper supplied, and I froze from my pacing. "He had pictures of you holding him by the neck and by some odd reason, the Black Watchers and Aramis had vouched to his claim. Luke, Ryder, Reagan and I's involvement will be raised as well."

        Where in the blazing hell did he get someone to take pictures?!

        Hands curled into fists, I emitted my dark aura, signifying my rage. This was not due process. Not at all. Marcus just went about and steamrolled right ahead and now, my Reagan would be involved in this mess. Just as I was about to say something snippy, an electric current swarmed the atmosphere, the static nipping at my alabaster skin.

        As the static currents had decreased, my anger escalated to a ten-fold when a deep, a distinctive voice I haven't heard for decades greeted me with mock pleasantry.

        "Hello, my little brother."

        Shoot me now, why don't you? God, I sound like Reagan.

        Turning around, I came face-to-face with my older brother. Indeed we are related, but we hold no physical commonality. He inherited mother's blond hair and cerulean blue eyes while I had father's dark brown hair and dark blue eyes. He was taller than me by two inches, which made him a good six-foot-four. He had more bulk since I was on the lean side, but that doesn't matter. I’ve never been intimidated by him. Never was. Never will.