Page 11 of Taste of Danger

She quickly closed her eyes, but her cheeks were the prettiest shade of dark red. Jax lustful gaze swept over Arion, causing him to flush with embarrassment. Then his mate mouthed, “I want to suck your dick, beautiful.”

Oh boy. Arion slammed his eyes closed to the sound of Jax’s soft chuckle and a light squeeze to their joined hands.

As Elvine started to softly chant, Arion felt a strange sensation rippling inside of him. He began to yank his hand away, to tell Elvine to stop, until he saw snapshots of his mates’ lives.

Of Jax fighting the ancient vampire, the heart-wrenching sorrow when he thought his brother had died. It was as if Arion could feel what Jax had felt in those moments. He saw the vampire attack that had almost taken Raidh’s life. He wasn’t sure how he knew that was who it was, but he just did. The vampire army that tried to kill Jax’s entire family.

It was a miracle the wolf shifter wanted any part of Arion considering he was a vampire himself.

But he also saw his mate and family riding the open road on their motorcycles, the peace and contentment that washed over Jax when he was with his family. He felt their close bond, which caused Arion to envy the man.

Then he saw Elvine when she’d first met Jax’s family. She was snarky with Jax, but she was also attracted to him. But she never said anything for fear of rejection. Other snapshots surfaced, like when she was in a magical place that Arion assumed was the fairy realm.

Suddenly, things became fuzzy, as if she didn’t want them to see whatever was behind the blur. But Arion felt the deep fear and anger radiating from whatever she was hiding.

For the next few minutes he was bombarded with snapshots of his mates’ lives and the emotions associated with them. Arion squeezed Jax’s hand tighter when he was shown the day his mate had found out his mother was dead. The grief inside Jax was so raw, so deep that Arion shed a few tears.

But Elvine’s pain was ongoing, and Arion wanted to know what was causing it. How could he even ask when he was unwilling to share his own pain of how he’d gotten so many scars?

Elvine’s grip on his hand loosened, and then the images and emotions faded.

Jax yanked Arion into his arms and simply held him before he pulled Elvine into their embrace. What had they seen as far as Arion’s life? Had they witnessed his beatings, his humiliation, the torture that had given him so many scars?

“Damn,” Jax said with a slight growl, crushing them to him as if he never wanted to let them go.

Arion simply stood there and soaked in Jax’s warmth, savoring the feeling of his mate’s strong arm around him. It made Arion feel safe, like no one could get to him, not even his evil coven leader or the bastard’s sadistic son.

“You may wear your scars on the outside,” Elvine said, and Arion knew she was talking to him, “but all three of us carry them on the inside.”

“I’m not going to force you, kitten, but you’re going to tell Arion and me what you were hiding from us,” Jax said. “I saw a lot of blurring with your memories, hon.”

Elvine pulled away and clapped her hands. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m famished.” Her wings expanded, and she flew out of the room.

“Don’t think for a second your beautiful wings saved you from this conversation,” Jax hollered at the empty bedroom doorway.

He turned to Arion, and now Arion wished he had wings for a quick getaway. He tried to use his inhuman speed, but Jax must have seen the panic in his eyes, because his mate grabbed his wrist.

“Not so fast, pumpkin.” His gaze swept over Arion’s chest and arms, but this time there wasn’t any lust involved. “Who are they?” he asked, his tone low and deadly.

Elvine flew into the room, landed on her feet, then grabbed Arion’s hand, which forced Jax to let his wrist go. “You’re not allowed to interrogate honey bunny until he’s ready to talk about it, Mr. Nippy Nosy.”

“How am I the bad guy?” Jax asked, looking thoroughly confused. “I thought we wanted to end the bastard who did this to him.”

“I have no idea what you mean,” Elvine quickly said, purposely avoiding Arion’s gaze.

“Don’t you dare play dumb with me, young lady.” Jax grimaced. “Shit, I need to stop calling you that.” He glared at Elvine. “When we found Arion, we both said we wanted to kill the person who’d put so many scars on him.”

Elvine pulled Arion away, once again treating him like her tug toy. “Can’t hear you over my tummy grumbles, wolfie,” she said as she pulled Arion from the room.

Something wasn’t right. Jax was too adamant, and Elvine looked a little too guilty. Why? Arion yanked on her hand to stop her. “If roles were reversed, I would want to kill the person who marred your pretty olive skin. What gives?”

He felt Jax’s approach from behind.

Her shoulders sagged like she was defeated. “Fizzle sticks.”

“Elvine, what’s going on?” Jax asked. “Why are you calling me a liar when we both know it’s true?”

Her meadow-green gaze focused on the floor. “Because Arion already thinks I’m a monster. I don’t want to give him more proof.”

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