Just a Friendly Warning.

"You don't think you owe me a few explanations, huh?!" Armand grabbed his brother's arm as he turned and left the balcony, leaving Elena and David alone.

Marcus pulled his hand back and adjusted his jacket, "Watch your manners, brother. Since when did you become so rude?" The man looked at Armand as a parent at the offending child, and Armand did not like this look most of all.

The difference in height between them was only two centimeters, but how did it happen that when Marcus turned on the "big brother" mode, then he looked taller by almost half a head?

"As far as I remember, you yourself broke our blood ties and asked me to consider you a stranger. So why on earth are you preaching me for my behavior, Mr. Marcus Taubert?" the younger brother said with causticity.

"And as far as I remember, you promised to kill me at our next meeting. What, did you change your mind?" said Marcus with the same causticity in response.

From the side, these two looked stunning and very attractive handsome men, but if someone had heard their verbal skirmish, they would have mistaken for adolescents with a puberty crisis.

The question of Marcus caused Armand an even greater sense of rage, "Are you in such a hurry to die from my hand?" The man grabbed his brother by the jacket and pushed him into the wall, "You just look at what you turned into! If mom or Polina knew about this-"

Marcus threw his brother's hands away and shoved him back, "Don't you dare get mom involved in this, is it clear to you?! And even more so, your former passion. Do not make me angry Armand, you do not know what I am capable of. My people are everywhere in this room, and while you are arguing here with me, one of them can show a lesson in good manners to your new lady that you brought so kindly with you. It will be sad if she ends up like your ex."

Armand knew that Marcus deliberately provoked him, and if this conversation had happened twenty years ago, Arman would not have restrained himself. Over the years, he thought that his older brother was guilty of Polina's death and the man mentally reproached himself for not being able to protect her then. But now it was different.

He unclenched his fists, which he was about to put into action, and took a deep breath, "You know, you're right. I don't know what you are capable of. But just do not try to get me crazy, mentioning Polina. I have long known that it was not you who killed her. But I don't understand, what was the point to you to pretend and put everything in the opposite light?"

Marcus was surprised when he heard the calm and even voice of his younger brother, he noted to himself that this guy became stronger, and this thought made Marcus a little calmer. Given the impending events, self-control would be welcome.

"I don't understand what you mean," the elder brother snapped and turned away, avoiding his gaze with Armand.

"Oh no, you understand everything perfectly. Amelia said that it was one of the soldiers who shot, not you," Armand said, and Marcus's face twitched at the mention of that woman's name.

"Hmm, maybe she told you something else?" Marcus asked, trying to remain outwardly indifferent, but Armand noticed how his brother clenched his hands into fists.

"Yes, she did," he confirmed shortly.

Marcus turned and looked intently into his brother's eyes, silence fell in the corridor, and they silently looked at each other for a few seconds, trying to find something else in each other's eyes.

"Even if she told you something, I think you understand the possible consequences if you do open your mouth not at the right time," said Marcus first, "This concerns only me and this woman. Don't get in here."

"Oooh...," Armand said in a flirting tone, "It depends on your behavior, my dear older brother."

"Ha, dare you threaten me?" Marcus grinned. Over the years, his well-mannered brother has clearly gained impudence.

"Well, this is a friendly warning," Armand answered with a smile, patted his brother on the shoulder, and went toward the banquet hall.

Although he was sure that everything should be fine with Lina, after talking with Marcus, he wanted to make sure of this as quickly as possible. He was not sure whether he would be able to cope with the second great loss in his life.

Marcus stood for a while, watching the retreating silhouette of his brother, the words of the latter deprived the man of the remnants of mood. He ran his hands over his face and exhaled heavily, as after a long day's work.

"Haaa, how does it happen that even after death this woman manages to get into my affairs? When will it be over, eh, Amelia?" he said into the air and stumbled forward.

He walked past the banquet hall and turned around the corner, toward the restrooms. His throat burned with fire, a thirst for fresh energy began to absorb his body. He did not calculate and gave Elena more energy than was required. Yes, and special cigarettes that restrain thirst did not help, however, he did not even have time to finish it.

Marcus glanced at his hands, feeling the familiar tingling sensation, and became convinced that he was right when his skin began to become covered with red spots.

'Damn, every day is faster and faster,' he cursed to himself.

While the man looked at his hands, he did not notice the silhouette of the girl, who at that moment also turned around the corner. If not for his inhuman reflexes, then she would have definitely fallen to the floor after such a collision.

"Oh, what a pleasant meeting," Marcus murmured in a velvety voice and pressed the girl's waist to him so that she could stay on her feet.

"Y-you?" She immediately tried to push Marcus away, but the man was stronger. He turned the girl around and pressed her against the wall with his body.

"You came in very handy to my eyes. You know, I'm a little hungry," Marcus said, his face a few centimeters from her face.

"Let me go now," the girl hissed, but attempts to push Marcus back were all in vain.

"Hey, is that how you meet an old friend? I think we have something to talk about," the man leaned lower and the girl froze. A little more, and he would have touched her lips, but Marcus only smirked, moved his head to the side and left a light kiss on her cheek.

The man straightened up, took a step back, and said with a wide smile, "Long time no see, Miss Lina Jones."