Taste of Danger [Midnight Falls 23] (The Lynn Hagen ManLove Collection) by Lynn Hagen

Author:Lynn Hagen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance
Published: 2024-09-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

None of them were able to go back to sleep. While Elvine went downstairs to make herself a glass of warm milk, Jax sat behind Arion on the edge of the bed and curled his arms around him, resting his chin on his mate’s shoulder.

“Hi, pumpkin.” Jax had learned that, sometimes, the best way to ease someone’s anxiety was to avoid talking about the problem.

Which, in Arion’s case, was his abuse. It was etched into his skin and carved into his heart, causing deep wounds in his ability to trust.

Jax could sense his mate’s doubt. His little vampire didn’t think he could even have complete faith in Jax or Elvine, the two people he should have absolute trust in.

“Hi.” Arion cleared his throat. “You’re trying to disarm me with small talk.”

He was perceptive.

“Or I just like holding you while we enjoy some quiet time.” Which wasn’t a lie. Arion had no idea how much peace he and Elvine brought him.

It wasn’t easy living for over two centuries and never really feeling complete. A million times Jax had ridden the open road with his family, feeling content just being with them while they cruised along on their hogs, yet the hollowness in his chest was always present.

With Arion and Elvine now in his life, it finally felt as if the void was slowly filling. But they couldn’t truly be happy when one of them was hurting.

There was a haunting presence in Arion’s amber eyes, a silent cry for help. Though Jax had only met him tonight, he was determined to slay whatever demons haunted Arion and bring him peace and healing.

“Do you want to know how I met Elvine?”

Jax felt some of the tension ease from Arion.

“Is she really that bad at idioms?”

“You have no idea.” Jax chuckled. “The night I met her, she was standing on an overturned crate, peeking in our living room window. Her best friend, Raidh, was in hiding from his father.”

“Why was he hiding from his father?” Arion seemed deeply interested.

Jax wanted to let him know he wasn’t the first mate to show up with trouble on their heels. Maybe then Arion would open up to him.

“My brother, Jaytee, dubbed him Dickhead Dad.” Jax chuckled then sobered. “What it all boiled down to was the guy was envious of Raidh’s powers. He cared about what other people thought more than his own son’s feelings. He paid vampires to kill Raidh and, as backup, blew him the kiss of death.”

Jax didn’t care how long he lived. He would never forget the moment Raidh had died in Jaytee’s arms. By a complete miracle Casimir knew how to get Raidh’s soul back.

“His own father tried to kill him?” Arion didn’t appear horrified, just curious, which told Jax just how deep his mate’s scars went.

“Did kill him.” Jax explained everything that happened the night Vicino had shown up, including what the Ultionem had done to Damon. Then how Casimir had arrived and what had taken place afterward and the hell everyone had gone through.

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