Read Online Lords of Trillium by Hilary Wagner - Free Book Online

“Serves you right. You’re always trying to convince her to sneak out!”
    â€œTrue,” said Victor, grinning mischievously, “but I’m quite worth sneaking out for.” He raised an eyebrow. “You’re lucky. Juniper lets you and Clover go out on your own anytime you like.”
    â€œWe
are
older than you and Petra.” He smiled in Clover’s direction, keeping his eyes on her as he spoke.
    Victor leaned in and stared craftily at his older brother, still transfixed by Clover. “What’s got into you? You’re actingstrange tonight . . . all
sappy
. You
never
act like that, thank the Saints.” Still watching Vincent, who seemed to be in some lovesick stupor, Victor suddenly gasped as though he’d just witnessed an appalling crime. He grabbed his brother’s arm and punched it as hard as he could.
    â€œHey!” shouted Vincent. “What’d you do
that
for? That hurt!”
    â€œDon’t play dumb with me, Nightshade. After all, I
know
you! There’s something you’re not telling me.”
    Rubbing his arm, Vincent broke into an ear-to-ear grin. “I
couldn’t
tell you. You know you can’t keep a secret. You get that doltish smirk on your face—a dead giveaway! This time you
must
be quiet, please.”
    Victor looked at Clover. “I can’t
believe
you didn’t tell me!”
    â€œVictor, please,” said Vincent, “quiet down. I’m begging you. Only Juniper knows.”
    â€œWell,” said Victor, motioning to Clover as she spun with Oleander and Texi in a dizzy circle, “when were you planning on asking her?”
    â€œI’ve decided I’m not quite ready. It can keep. I’ll ask her in due time.”
    Victor knew his brother too well. “Due time, my backside! If we do it your way, you’ll have one foot in the grave before you work up the nerve.” With that, Victor raced to the center of the room. Jumping up onto the makeshift stage where the band was playing, he stomped his foot and slapped his tail against the wood. “Excuse me!” he shouted as loud as he could. “I beg your pardon, one and all, but I’ve something to say!” The partygoers settled down a bit, but not to his liking. “I said,
excuse
me. Now hush up!” Finally Bostwick Hall quieted. All eyes were on him. He glanced over at Vincent, who sat on his stool trying unsuccessfully to hide his face in his paws. “I’ve an announcement to make—and it’s a whopper.”
    Juniper glanced at Vincent’s mortified face and then at Victor. “Victor,” he called out in his most serious tone, “what are you up to?”
    Giving an unbearably obnoxious smile, Victor winked at his brother. “I’m up to no good, Juniper.
That’s
what I’m up to.” The crowd laughed.
    â€œI see,” said Juniper, walking toward Vincent. “And what, young Victor, do you have to announce?”
    â€œI might as well die right now,” said Vincent, wishing the floor would open up and swallow him whole.
    Juniper chuckled. “Son,” he whispered, “we’ve all been waiting for this moment—Victor the longest. You’ve no idea how many times he’s asked me about the two of you. He loves you both. Clover is as much his sister as you are his brother. Just as Clover needs to hear the words, so does he.”
    Vincent got to his feet. He approached the stage, holding his paw out to his brother, who gladly pulled him up. Vincent stared out at the crowd. He saw all his friends. Oleander and Carn held paws, waiting excitedly. Cole gave Suttor a fatherly shove and the two of them laughed quietly. Ulrich stood happily next to Texi, while Virden and Ragan just smiled.
    Clover stood in front of the stage, looking up at Vincent confusedly. He jumped back down from the stage right in front of her and took her paw in his, holding it to