The moment Brand came down the stairs and saw Mag standing in the middle of the living room, he knew something was up. He wasn't certain he wanted to find out what.
"We have to talk," Mag told him. "Or more to the point, if you want to survive whatever Fedor has planned for you, you have to talk. To me. "
"Not happening," Brand replied tightly, as he headed toward the kitchen.
"Happening," Mag said, stepping in front of him. "Now."
"And if I don't?"
Mag sighed. "You had to say that, didn't you? Look, if you're going to make it out of whatever he's got planned, sane and alive, you have to… to tell me what's really going on so I can help you."
Brand started to protest but Mag overrode him.
"I want to help. I need to. Not just with stopping him, because that's a given. But with whatever it is that's made you so secretive you won't even tell me the least little bit about what he did that made you change so drastically."
"You really think my telling you will make a difference?"
Mag nodded. "Letting it out will—for you. You cannot keep it bottled up inside. It's not healthy."
"Again the nurse in you comes to the fore," Brand responded with a half smile.
Shrugging, although he obviously didn't feel as casual about it as the shrug made it seem, Mag agreed. "It does. And for what it's worth, you know I'm right, even if you don't want to admit it."
Brand began to pace, his hands clenched at his sides. He's put up with me since I've been back. He's stood by me, even when I tried to push him away, the way I did everyone else. But will he continue to once I tell him what really happened? I know what he thinks, that Fedor forced me into submission by any and all means possible—that he turned me into some sort of sex slave. He grimaced. I wish that was true. That I could live with. That he could live with.
"Brand," Mag said softly. "Please?"
Brand gave a slight nod. "Sit, and... and…"
"You'll tell me?" Mag did as he'd asked, perching on the edge of the sofa while he watched Brand continue to pace.
Without any preface, Brand asked, "Do you believe there are things that are, for a lack of a better description, beyond belief?"
"Isn't that an oxymoron? Believing the unbelievable?"
Brand nodded. "Perhaps, but the question still remains. Do you?"
"I don't know," Mag replied hesitantly.
"You know about werewolves, and vampires, and things of that nature—the myths about them."
Mag snorted then. "Yeah. I've seen one too many movies with sexy vamps and snarling werewolves. Fun stories, but just that. As you said, myths."
Brand smiled sourly. "All myths have some basis in reality. One of those myths talks about dhampir, who are the product of a vampire mating with a human."
"That's a new one to me. No wait, wasn't that what Blade was supposed to be in those flicks?"
"Yes."
"Okay." Mag frowned deeply, staring at Brand. "So what does all this have to do with what happened when Fedor got his hands on you? And don't tell me he was some sort of vampire or werewolf and he turned you into one. That's fine in books and movies, but in real life—" he shook his head, "—in real life, it's impossible."
"This is real life. I'm 'real life'. It is possible," Brand stated, his gaze locked on Mag's face. "Whether you believe or not, it is what it is. I am what I am."
Mag returned his gaze with an incredulous one of his own. "You're trying to say you're one of these dhampir things? You want me to… believe you're…"
Brand nodded sharply. "I was. I am, but…" He took a deep breath. "Fedor did things to me. Things that made me change. Now I'm more than that."
"Bullshit!" Mag leapt to his feet, his hands fisting. "This is your explanation for why you're hunting for Fedor? And you expect me to believe it? Well you can go to hell, Brand. If he beat you, tortured you, forced you to become a sexual toy for clients—that I could accept. I know that happens. But this? Why the fairytales, Brand? Why?" Without another word, he spun around and raced out of the house.
"It's true," Brand shouted angrily before dropping down onto the sofa and burying his face in his hands. "It's not a fairytale, Mag," he whispered. "It's all true."
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