– I think I already know what you're going to say," my brother said, glancing at me. He had a satisfied smile on his lips.
– Markus, don't drag this out. I have plans for tonight. – Markus's phrase didn't make sense to me.
– I never thought I'd live to see this day. I'm in love," Markus said in a calm tone. And then he added. – Just recently.
I chuckled derisively. I'd thought it was going to be something serious.
– You took me away from my business for something like that? – I said grudgingly.
– Nonsense? – He frowned.
– Exactly.
– You're crazy! – Markus sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingers.
– If you think I share your views on such a subject, I'm afraid you're fatally mistaken," I said.
I had reason to be annoyed: the talk of love and my mother's hints that I should be related to one of the vampire families were driving me from my indifferent existence. All this talk was a joke to me, a ridiculous play directed by an inept director.
– You're ridiculous," Markus said sharply. – Have you ever loved anyone but yourself?
– The very word didn't fit my life. Love. Being a slave to a woman was not my thing. – And why did I feel like the hero of a bad melodrama at that moment?
– When I saw her, something in my heart exploded. – Markus turned away from me, apparently offended by my words.
– In that case, I pity your heart.
– I saw that beautiful vampire and realised that from now on my heart was beating only for her. Everything happened swiftly and imperceptibly. – It was as if Markus was drowning in his own thoughts and didn't hear me.
I was getting more and more annoyed: Markus was well aware of how much I hated this kind of talk. You're in love and to hell with you! What was the point of notifying me?
– Love is just a metaphor people invented to explain attraction to each other. Don't tell me I'm going to fall into that trap someday," I said ironically, anticipating a moral judgement.
– How childish you are! – grinned my brother.
I was tempted to throw him something caustic, but when I looked into his dreamy, yet serious eyes, I realised that Markus had opened his soul to me, and that I was mocking him. And I was deeply ashamed.
– I'm sorry. I went too far," I said conciliatingly. I was ashamed of my behaviour. Only now did I realise how deep my brother's feelings for his lover were.