Generation V by M. L. Brennan

wavered. Against my hand, I could feel Maria start to shiver, almost vibrating as she stood, but I didn’t dare look at her, focused on my brother.
    Luca’s eyes narrowed down to slits, and I could see just the slightest hint of perspiration at his temple. Then I saw his arm muscle flex against the shiny satin of his tight shirt, and with a hard push he threw Chivalry off balance and onto his knees. I was still sitting, my headnow on the same level as my brother’s. Chivalry’s hair wasn’t perfectly pomaded anymore, but was wet with sweat as Luca began once again forcing his hand backward, the wrist bending far past where nature intended. Chivalry’s lip pulled back, exposing his fully extended fangs as he gave a sharp grunt of pain, but he kept his eyes locked with Luca.
    Then there was a sudden scraping as a chair was pushed back from the table, and Prudence stood next to Chivalry, her hand around his bent wrist, stopping all of Luca’s momentum. Everyone paused for a long moment of shock, while she stood there, not a hair out of place, her upper lip curled ever so slightly in disgust, though who that was directed toward was unclear.
    Luca stepped backward, removing his hand from Chivalry’s. The black of his pupils pulled in again, and his fangs slowly receded. He cleared his throat, and for a few tense seconds seemed occupied with adjusting his hair and shirt, smoothing out wrinkles and restoring his appearance. “And you, my lady Prudence,” he said finally, with clear deference in his voice. “Do you also intercede for your brother?”
    I didn’t even breathe as Prudence’s hard blue eyes trailed over to look up and down Maria, then shifted over to me. Chivalry pushed himself up from the floor slowly, watching her face, his expression unreadable.
    “Please, Prudence,” I said hoarsely, barely able to push the words through my suddenly tight throat. I hated everything she was, but I sought out her blue eyes and tried to beg silently.
    She looked away from me then, back to Luca. “Perhaps I am too far removed from the nursery,” she said inher coldest voice. “There are many pets with no devoted owner such as yourself. I see no reason to quibble further in this unseemly manner.”
    “How wise,” Luca murmured with a small smile. With clearly regained confidence, he reached down and put his hand on Maria’s arm, just above where I was holding her.
    “Prudence—” I said urgently.
    “No, Fort,” she interrupted. “You are indulged enough.” Then she turned and walked back to her chair, and I could hear her settle down, and then the little beep as she turned her BlackBerry on again.
    I looked back up at Luca, whose smile widened, then at Maria. That spark was gone from her eyes, and she slowly turned her face away from mine, back toward Luca.
    “Fortitude.”
    I looked over at Chivalry, standing next to me. His face was still flushed, and he was holding his abused wrist carefully with his free hand. He glanced at Maria, then back to me. “That’s enough,” he said, and I could hear the resignation in his voice.
    I shook my head, not letting go of Maria’s wrist.
    Luca gave a loud huff, then squeezed Maria’s arm tightly. Her high shriek cut through the thick air of the room sharply. I flinched, then hesitated. Luca lifted one expressive eyebrow.
    I let go.
    I stared up at Maria, desperately hoping that she’d look down at me, hoping that she’d show that she understood that I’d tried, but Maria turned her face completely away. Luca wrapped one skinny arm around her, pulling her close against his body, and I could feel acid atthe back of my throat at how she closed her eyes and shut down, accepting it.
    Luca gave one last nod to Madeline, ignoring the rest of us, then walked quickly out the door with Maria, Phillip following closely behind them. I could feel the buzzing in the back of my head growing weaker and weaker as they moved farther out of the house, on to the driveway, then out