Page 10 of Chasing Secrets
“How did you find out?” Jalen asked, cracking eggs into another pan. The sizzle sent a thread of saliva pooling beneath his tongue at the rich, smoky scent. He watched the bacon strips curl and crisp, fighting the urge to pluck one from the pan before the fat had fully rendered. Not yet. Three more minutes of torture.
Preston leaned forward. “My ex was stalking me. Turns out there are scarier things in the world than psycho exes, though not by much. When I found out about shifters and vampires, I nearly had a meltdown in my bedroom.”
“At least you had your meltdown in private,” Jalen said, flipping his eggs. “I had mine in front of Chase, the vampire who broke into my place, and two deputies.” Jalen pursed his lips. “But mostly just in front of Chase and the vampire.”
It all felt like a blur now. Jalen couldn’t remember who was in his apartment when his brain started to fracture.
Preston laughed. “Classic. Mine involved swiping my jeans at Zeppelin like denim had the ability to slay monsters.”
“Mine involved contemplating whether I should check myself into a mental hospital.” Jalen still might. None of this seemed real. He felt as if he’d wake up at any second to discover it was all some bizarre dream. Sure as hell felt like one.
“Been there.” Preston pushed a bowl of strawberries toward him. “Try these. They’re amazing.”
Jalen popped one into his mouth, surprised by the burst of sweetness. “Wow. These are good.”
“Right? Zeppelin takes me to the farmer’s market every weekend and buys enough fruit to feed a small country.” Preston grabbed another handful of berries. “I think he’s trying to fatten me up.” He pointed at his small love handles. “Do I look like I need any more weight?”
“Is that a wolf thing?” Preston looked perfectly normal, if you asked him. Honestly, he didn’t get what the guy was grumbling about. Jalen wished he could put on weight. He’d tried, over and over again, but the numbers on the scale barely budged, always wobbling five pounds up, five pounds down, never any more, never any less.
He found where the plates were hiding in the cupboard and slid his food onto it, ready to eat every last bite.
“Heck if I know. But it seems feeding their mates is like hardwired into them. Though, so far, I’m the only mate here. And now you.” Preston gestured around the kitchen. “Notice how well-stocked everything is? They’re providers. It’s both sweet and slightly overwhelming at times.”
Before Jalen knew it, he was laughing, the tension he’d been carrying since last night finally easing from his shoulders.
“So Chase is your mate, huh?” Preston asked, popping a grape into his mouth.
Jalen nearly choked on his bacon. “Apparently. Though I’m still not entirely clear on what that means.”
“Join the club. One month in and I’m still figuring it out.” Preston leaned forward conspiratorially. “But between you and me? It’s pretty great once you get past the whole ‘my boyfriend sometimes grows a tail’ thing.”
That pulled another laugh from Jalen. “I haven’t even processed the claws yet, and you’re talking tails.”
“Oh, honey, you’re in for a wild ride.” Preston’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “But seriously, Chase is one of the good ones. Loyal to a fault.”
Jalen found himself relaxing into the conversation, surprised by how comfortable he felt with Preston after just minutes of meeting him. There was something about the other man’s openness that made everything—even this bizarre new reality—feel less daunting.
Plate in hand, Jalen joined Preston at the island. “So how did you... adjust? To all this?”
“Honestly?” Preston shrugged. “One day at a time. It helps that they’re not actually that different from us, except for the occasional fur coat and heightened senses. They still leave wet towels on the bathroom floor and forget to put the cap back on the toothpaste.”
Jalen laughed, surprised by how normal the conversation felt. “And the vampire thing? That’s real too?”
“Unfortunately.” Preston made a face. “They’re not like the movies though. No coffins or garlic allergies. Just fast, strong, and way too interested in human blood.”
“Great. That makes me feel so much better.” Jalen took a bite of his eggs. “So Chase wasn’t lying about the vampire coming back?”
“Definitely not lying. But you’re safe here. Got an entire pack of wolves always on guard.”
Jalen nodded, trying to process everything. The food helped ground him, giving him something normal to focus on. “This is just a lot to take in.”
“Tell me about it.” Preston reached for a peach, juice dripping down his chin as he bit into it. “God, I love these. Before Zeppelin, I lived on microwave TV dinners. Now I’m like a fruit connoisseur.”
He watched as Preston demolished the peach with obvious relish. There was something comforting about the guy’s enthusiasm, his easy acceptance of the bizarre situation they both found themselves in.
“So you and Zeppelin…” Jalen said. “You’re happy?”
Preston’s expression softened. “Yeah. Really happy. It wasn’t easy at first, but... there’s something about finding the person who fits you. Who sees all your broken pieces and thinks they’re beautiful anyway.”
