Chapter 154

   Blade looked up from his book at a knock on the door.

   “Can I come in?” Ice poked his head in.

   “Sure, what’s up?”

   “Aaron and I had a fight.”

   “You act like that’s never happened before.”

   “Well, it hasn’t. Not like this. He’s never been this angry at me before.”

   “What did you do?”

   “What makes you think I did anything?”

   Blade glared at the younger vampire, “People do not get angry for no reason.”

   “I told him about Turquoise. About him being alive. About him possibly being behind the boys’ disappearances.”

   Blade rolled his eyes. “And you’re honestly don’t know why he’s mad at you?”

   “No, I get it. It’s just that this might be it. I’m not sure if he’ll ever forgive me for not telling him immediately.”

   Blade pulled him down to the bed. “I’m sorry. But you’re not entirely to blame. We both agreed not to tell them. Not it’s coming back to bite us.”

   They lay there silently for a long time. Blade was content to simply hold Ice. Ice was always so reserved, Blade sometimes forgot the man had feelings like anyone else. He might not show them, but he had them.

    A knock on the door interrupted his musings. “Come in.”

   “Hey, Dad, can I speak to you?” Ben slipped into the room, closing the door behind him.

   “Sure. Do you want Ice to leave?”

   “No, he can stay. It’s vampire stuff I want to talk about.”

   “Oh?”

   “I know the Council really wants this marriage and all, but it’s not working out. I hate her. I want a divorce.”

   “You would abandon your pregnant wife?”

   “No. I’d wait until after the child’s born, but she can’t stay here with me afterwards. I want custody of our children. I’m the one who’s cared for Caitlin. All she did was give birth to her.”

   “Hey, don’t knock it.” Ice spoke up. “They call it labor for a reason.”

   “Yeah, but you’ve done more for me than she’s ever done for her daughter and I’m not even your son.”

   “True. I have no objection. I can’t stand her either.”

   Blade glared at his lover and son. “You know that the Council has to approve.”

   “Why wouldn’t they? We have two children.”

    “Again, true. Their purpose in marrying Ben off has been accomplished and maybe…” Ice trailed off. Blade knew what the other man was thinking. Maybe getting Ben out of his marriage would help heal Ice’s relationship with Aaron.