Page 34 of Taste of Danger

And when Akai found him here, all hell would break loose.

Chapter Ten

“Son, slow down,” Kalen said to Arion before taking a seat at the kitchen table.

All the windows in the house had been covered to allow Arion freedom to move around this morning. Kalen already had plans in the works to replace them all with UV-resistant windows.

The vampire was family now, and the Frosts looked out for family.

“Now, either simply give me the gist or tell us what’s going on but less frantically.”

Kalen made sure to keep his expression neutral considering the little vampire was scarred to hell and back. As of that moment, Arion was wearing one of Raidh’s shirts, but Kalen had seen the guy’s naked torso in the upstairs hallway earlier.

Whoever hurt him needed to be flailed. Kalen found nothing worse than someone who took advantage or hurt those who were unable to defend themselves.

He himself was six-six, and 325 pounds of pure muscle. His dad and uncles had taught him as a juvenile how to fight but, more importantly, also when to fight and when to employ strategies.

You couldn’t always fight your way out of something, so you had to always have a backup plan.

Arion moved closer to Jax, his amber eyes flicking toward Casimir every few seconds. Elvine was in her usual spot, hovering in the corner of the kitchen, her beautiful wings flapping, but she was right above her mates.

The fact she was mated to Kalen’s son, plus a vampire, was a mind-blowing discovery, considering the little lady had been underfoot for around two weeks before Kalen’s son and Elvine felt the pull.

After taking a deep breath, Arion told everyone gathered in the kitchen his story. Crossing his arms, Kalen sat back and listened, watching the way Jax held the little vampire protectively against him.

All three of his boys were mated now, and he was happy for them, but he would be a damn liar if he didn’t say he felt the bite of loneliness more and more lately.

His sons had grown up, one expecting his own pup—it still blew his mind that one of his twins was pregnant—and Kalen was feeling the itch to hit the open road, visit a few friends, and just take time for himself.

At the mention of torture, Kalen paid close attention.

“That’s the guy who told you to track me down?” Casimir snarled.

Kalen’s muscles tightened. He was ready to stop a deadly fight if Damon’s mate went after Arion. Because if he did, Casimir would have to get through Jax, and no one, not even mates, were going to hurt what Kalen treasured more than life itself.

His boys.

“That’s the guy who forced Arion to do something my mate didn’t want to do,” Jax argued. “He was beaten for refusing. Look at him,” Jax snarled, gesturing at Arion’s body. “He’s not a warrior like you, Casimir. Sometimes all a person can do is survive. Are you going to hold that against him, or can we move past it and figure out what to do about Arion’s situation?”

Casimir studied Arion for a long moment. No one said a word, until the warrior gave a single nod. “The matter has been settled.”

“Which means no grudges,” Jaytee reminded everyone.

Getting up from his seat, Casimir crossed the kitchen and extended his hand. Jax shook it.

Subject closed.

“Are there any details you can give us as far as these hordes we keep going up against?” Casimir asked Arion. “They attacked me for no reason in the forest and descended on us earlier at the restaurant with no provocation.”

Kalen had been wondering why they’d been attacked, and no matter how he flipped the situation over in his head, he couldn’t find a reason.

As his family talked, Kalen got up and walked to the front porch. It was midmorning, but an overcast sky prevented him from enjoying the sun on his face. He looked out over the sweeping front lawn and all the vehicles parked on the side of the two-story, eight-bedroom home he and his sons, along with friends of theirs, built by hand over eighty years ago.

Over the decades, there had been plenty of repairs done to maintain their home, but the foundation was as solid as they came.

Just like the foundation of their family, problems arose, but as long as they dealt with them head-on, they remained solid. Kalen was glad the issue between Casimir and Arion had been resolved. If there was one thing he wouldn’t tolerate, it was strife within their home.

Or someone on the outside causing it. Kalen pulled out his cell phone and shot off a quick text. Mere seconds later, Aldrin appeared at his side.

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