William Read Free Page A

brother. The barman turned and sucker-punched him across the room before Adam could even land a blow. He crashed through the window, broken shards of glass spraying around him.
    “Fuck,” Adam cursed. The only humans in the street were ones who had seen too much of this world and were pretty much crazy. Drunks, druggies and prostitutes who knew better than to talk about what they had seen. His fangs protruded as his anger rose.
    Fuck protocol. Adam was pissed off and cruising for a fight.
    He stormed back into the bar.
    William was bloodied but he was getting in a few punches of his own.
    “I’ve told you not to bring shit like this to my bar. I didn’t serve your fucking family to have you ruin my business,” the barman yelled as he pushed William away from him.
    Adam stopped as his words registered. This man used to serve the Valentines?
    “What the hell are you talking about?” William asked, spitting blood on the floor and wiping his lip.
    “Name’s Donald. I served the Valentines for over three generations and this is the type of respect I get?”
    William pulled himself up off the floor.
    Adam couldn’t believe what his brother had done. Fucking asshole. Donald ‘Don’ Hargreaves was a well-known guard and warrior. He had fought for and protected the Valentines up until their youngest sister, Rose, had been born. After Rose had come home safe and sound, their mother healthy, Don had been relieved of his duties by their father. No explanations—nothing. Centuries had passed since this fierce warrior had been seen, which was why William hadn’t recognised him. He’d done nothing other than working in a bar, where no one would have thought to look for him.
    “Don Hargreaves?” Adam asked.
    “Yep, that’s me. About time you two heathens bloody noticed,” Don replied, his anger still close to the surface.
    “Shit.” William wiped his face, smearing the blood along his cheek. “I’m sorry, Don. This had nothing to do with you.”
    “It has something to do with your father’s death a few months back?” Don asked William.
    “Part of it,” replied Adam, who could see how much William was struggling to keep himself together. The natural instinct to hunt and kill was close to the surface, ready to erupt.
    Don didn’t look at Adam. He kept his eyes firmly on the other Valentine brother. The one whom he considered a threat, Adam supposed.
    “What is all this about?” Don folded his arms.
    Adam stared at William. After all, this was William’s deal and he had nothing to do with it. He refused to talk about something he had no hand in.
    “A witch was found a couple of weeks back.” William raised his voice so that everyone in the room could hear.
    Murmurs and gasps filled the room.
    “Bullshit. Witches have all been killed off,” one of the customers yelled.
    Pretty much his first thought when he’d been told. Every vampire with a few years on them would remember the slaughter of the witches.
    “Yeah, this is some shit you Valentines are selling. No witches. It’s why the world has gone to shit,” another agreed.
    Growls and curses rang through the bar, all in agreement. There were no more witches.
    Don cut them off by raising his hand. Silence came instantly. All of them were happy to shout and curse at the Valentines, but for Don, they shut up.
    “This shit real?” Don asked.
    “More real than you could ever imagine. I had her in my arms. I saw the power she’s got. What she’s capable of,” William confirmed, his sincerity and adoration obvious to everyone.
    Adam saw Don nod and look at each customer in turn, assessing the room.
    “Who took her?” Don finally asked after a pause. A simple question, but all the immortals in the room looked at each other for the answer.
    “The Alpha wolf, James. The same night he murdered my father,” William replied.
    “Shit,” Don cursed.
    Adam didn’t have a clue what the older man was swearing at.
    “What has the witch got to do with you?”