My Brother's Keeper(10)

"You don't mind that it's two guys?"

"No, the story and dialogue are very well written, and the voice actors are superb. Not many of today's forms of entertainment hold my interest, this does."

Anne smiled. Of course he didn't mind that it was a love story between two guys. Not if he had a thing for Ryuu. "I can go back and start at the beginning. I'm only two episodes in," she offered hesitantly.

Kendrick turned to her, a smile on his face. "I'd very much like to hear how this entire debacle started."

Anne shook her head and double-clicked on the first episode. Within an hour, they were caught up and well into the next episode when Kendrick turned to her frowning. "I don't understand--why doesn't Yuri just tell Tezuka how he feels? They could avoid a lot of the confusion and trouble."

Anne rolled her eyes. "Because if he confessed his love and was rejected, it would destroy him. Right now, his dream of playing with Tezuka in nationals is the only thing keeping him going."

Kendrick shook his head. "I'm worried for Yuri."

"Me too. Should we keep going?"

Kendrick was about to answer when the door slammed open. An angry young man with blond hair stormed into the room. Anne jumped to her feet. "You can't be in here!" she said angrily, setting her laptop down in her chair.

The man walked up to Kendrick and poked him in the chest. "You! Who do you think you are changing the rules? When a member of a unit is killed, a trainee takes their place. You can't just waltz in here and do whatever you want, witch!" he hissed in Kendrick's face.

Anne stared in shock. Behind the angry intruder, four more young men appeared in the doorway, all of them looking equal parts mortified and apprehensive.

"Sterling, let it go! This was decided by the Unit Commander; you need to stand down." The dark haired man with blue eyes stepped forward acting as the leader of the group.

"Shut it, Lennox! By all rights, Basil should have been placed with Alpha when Keelan was killed," Sterling retorted.

Lennox ground his teeth together. "Keelan isn't dead, you jackass! Why do I get the feeling that you don't care the least bit about Basil? This is about you somehow isn't it?"

Sterling looked over at Lennox, a sneer on his face. "Aiden McKenzie has been changing too many rules lately. If he skips over advancing Basil, who's to say he won't skip over us?"

"I'll put money on the fact they skip over you, dickhead," the one with black hair muttered.

"Fuck you, Kai! You may like fawning over the warriors dreaming of the day for advancement, but I plan on advancing." Sterling swung his gaze back to Kendrick who remained seated. Kendrick licked his finger and turned the page, deliberately ignoring the man.

"I'm talking to you!" Sterling knocked the book out of Kendrick's hands.

Bad move dude.

Anne grinned openly as Kendrick stood to his full height. At six foot six, he towered over the young man.

Sterling's eyes widened as he took in Kendrick's muscled form. "B-b-but, you're a witch," he stammered.

Kendrick never said a word; he simply placed the tip of his finger on Sterling's chest. A second later, the man was convulsing on the ground.

"Kendrick!" Anne rushed over to kneel beside Sterling, who was now limp, as she reached for his wrist. She made sure he was still breathing and turned back to Kendrick. "What did you do?"

He shrugged. "A lesson in humility. I would move back if I were you."

Anne was about to ask what he meant when the smell hit her. Whatever Kendrick had done, it had caused Sterling to lose control of his bowels. She scooted back a bit and then stood. "But he's okay, right? Not a zombie or anything?"

Kendrick gave her a flat look. "No, not a zombie." He looked up at the group. "You and you, come here." He pointed to Lennox and Kai. The men straightened as if coming to attention and stepped forward.

"Yes, sir?" they said together.

Anne half expected them to salute at any moment.

"Take this child back down to where the other warriors are training, I'll let Aiden deal with him." Kendrick frowned down at the still form.

Lennox and Kai hesitated. Kendrick waved a hand over Sterling. "There, none of his filth will get on you now." He winked at the two men.

Both were visibly relieved. "Thank you, sir. We don't like touching Sterling to beat on him during drills, much less..." Lennox indicated Sterling's predicament.

"Perfectly understandable." Kendrick paused and looked over at the two other men at the door. His eyes landed on the smaller, youngest looking one with brown hair and eyes. "Basil, I presume?"

Basil nodded, went to step forward, and tripped over his own feet. If not for the quick reflexes of the man next to him, he would have ended up on the floor like Sterling.

"Sir?" he managed to squeak.

"Is it true that you would have been the one to take Keelan's place while he is... unavailable?" Kendrick asked.

Anne rolled her eyes. What was it with the men and that word?

"Yes, sir...I mean, no, sir."

Kendrick waited for a further explanation. "Well? Is it yes or no?"

"Yes, I am the witch trainee for Alpha, and in the event that Keelan is no longer able to serve in Alpha, I would take his place, but Keelan is still a part of Alpha, sir."

Kendrick smiled softly. "Excellent answer. Tell Aiden that you will be my assistant until further notice."

Basil's eyes got huge and a wide smile broke out over his face. "You really mean that sir?"

Kendrick nodded. "Normally, you wouldn't receive any further magical instruction until you have completed your responsibilities as a unit warrior; however, since I am here and will be working on magical theories while I study the necklaces, it would be a wasted opportunity not to train you further."

"Thank you, sir! If I can, I'd like to finish out my drills for the day and start tomorrow?" Basil asked hope in his eyes.

"I find that acceptable. Good of you to complete today's duties. I look forward to your assistance tomorrow."

Basil bowed and let the tall blond steer him out of the room since he seemed to be completely dazed. Lennox and Kai were teasing him about his good luck as they shut the door behind them.

Anne walked over to the table as Kendrick picked up his book and sat back in his chair.

"Why did those boys treat you like some sort of celebrity?"

Kendrick just shrugged. "I may or may not have a reputation amongst the warriors for disobeying council dictates in an effort to help warrior witches learn more, which may or may not have resulted in lives being saved."

"So basically, you're a badass?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

He looked up and winked. "Something like that. I don't like being told what to do, and I don't play well with others."

"If you don't play well with others, why did you volunteer to train Basil?"

"Because, despite his frothing at the mouth and self interest, Sterling was right. Basil should have moved up to Alpha. Since I have chosen to stay and act in my brother's stead, I can do the next best thing."

"What is that?"

Kendrick looked up and gave her a heart-stopping, boyish grin. "I can make him my minion. I can't wait to tell Meryn I have one, too," he said smugly.

Anne threw her arms up in the air. "Men!"

Kendrick ignored her outburst. "Put our anime back on."

Grinning, she ran back over to her chair and resumed their show.





CHAPTER FIVE





They had just wrapped up another episode when they heard a loud slam. Kendrick looked over at Anne and saw her startled expression. Anne checked Keelan's IV bag, and they headed downstairs. Kendrick could see the change in her already. When she first met him, she had been closed off, skittish. But after he expressed an interest in something she loved, she had opened up to him like a flower opening to the sun. Feeling self-congratulatory, Kendrick was sure he would be able to get her to admit that she had dreamt of him soon.

They walked down the stairs; he stopped at the bottom and pushed Anne behind him. Aiden McKenzie was two seconds away from losing his temper. Personally, Kendrick didn't mind if he trashed the place as long as Anne wasn't hurt in the process.

Meryn, Beth, Amelia, Jaxon, and Noah appeared from the downstairs hallway, and Rheia, Penny, and an older woman stuck their heads out of the front room.

"Aiden! What on earth is the matter?" Meryn rushed over to her mate.

Aiden growled and snarled, and Meryn's eyes narrowed. She pulled her foot back and kicked his shin. Aiden's growling stopped as he reached down to soothe the pain in his leg.

"Meryn! You have got to stop doing that," he complained, rubbing his shin.

"You were all snarly and spitting at me," Meryn said in an even tone of voice.

Kendrick was impressed. The Unit Commander had been an intimidating sight. Meryn seemed to think nothing of kicking him. It just proved that mates knew best how to handle each other.

Aiden took a deep breath and stood up straight. "I wasn't spitting."

"You were, but that's okay; I love you anyway. Kiss." Meryn lifted her arms.

Kendrick was confused for a moment until he realized that the only way the small woman could reach her mate's lips was if he lifted her to them.

Aiden's face transformed to a gentle smile as he easily lifted his mate and allowed her to kiss his face repeatedly.