Of A Darker Nature Read Online Free Page B

out of enforcers. Either the witch brings them to her side or they end up dead. Not only do I have to worry about someone disposing of our kind, but the shifters may very well be under Starr's thumb too. Should I ignore the situation until something happens to Isabella? It may already be too late.”
    Evan’s hand flew to his collar and fingered the bright lace. “What are you going to do?”
    “I’ll find out what Trent’s doing. Isabella thinks it's just a taste of independence he's after. I’m afraid she’s only half right.”
    Evan bent to pull a pair of black biker boots from beneath the bed. “I can’t believe Pete was with him. How do we know who we can trust?”
    “I trust Jai Li and Corey. They’ll watch over Isabella should anything happen to me.” 
    Evan’s expression twisted into a frown. “Corey won’t like that. He wants to be in the middle of the action, with you. The kid looks up to you.”
    Marcus offered a tight smile then turned to rummage the closet for an acceptable shirt. “Trent and his buddies aren't going to get away with what they've done.”
    Evan brushed a hand down the curve of Marcus’s bare back. His fingers touched the tattoo that covered the majority of it. “I’m just glad they didn’t beat you with silver. It would’ve been a shame to ruin such beauty.”
    Had it been anyone else’s hand, Marcus would have torn it off. But Evan was different. Marcus would never willingly hurt him. He hadn’t cared for a human in ages. It might be considered peculiar, he supposed. The one he cared about most was a close image of the person he loathed.
    “Marcus?" Evan's voice wavered slightly. "Could you talk to Isabella? She brought it up again.”
    Isabella wanted Evan to carry the bloodline. She wouldn't do the deed herself. She would have someone else perform the task. That way, if things went wrong, she'd have someone else to blame. “I don’t want to be turned. I like being alive. I love the sunshine.”
    Marcus made a sound of displeasure. He could not remember how glorious it was to feel the kiss of sunlight on his bare skin. It was a luxury he could not afford.
    Evan touched the hollow of his throat, and his smile was full of flirtation. “Of course, I might change my mind for you.”
    “It’s not as glamorous as it seems, Evan.” He revealed his fangs and moved toward him. Evan gasped and took a step backward.
    Marcus brushed past and headed for Isabella's private wing of the mansion. Isabella’s bedroom was posh and feminine, reflecting her tastes perfectly in dark reds and lush fabrics.
    As Marcus entered the room, Isabella motioned for him to come closer to the bed. “Come, Marcus. Join me.”
    Marcus chose a chair in the sitting area instead.
    Not once during his edited explanation of the night's events did the fair-haired beauty interrupt. Isabella stood and rearranged the flounce of her blue dress. She moved to the other side of his chair. Her dainty hands came to rest on his shoulders. She kneaded the muscles. When he didn’t react, she dropped the routine and burrowed deadly red nails into his flesh.
    “Tell me why I should believe Trent is behind this.” The fingers of her other hand wound in his thick hair. She jerked his head to the side, and her breath warmed his throat.
    “His scent was heavy on the men who burned down our home. It was only two days ago, have you already forgotten?”
    “It proves nothing. You were the only one who noticed this. It could be a lie." Her lips brushed the skin. "The two of you have never gotten along.”
    “That’s an understatement.” Marcus gritted his teeth, reluctant to let his anger surface. “He was amongst those who ambushed us tonight. I must have mistaken him and Pete as the men at the mortuary too. Really, Isabella, how ignorant can you be?”
    “You have brought me no proof.” Her eyes took on a wild appearance. “If you are wrong, he will never come back. What will I do without him?”
    “Trent