Jaded [The Moonlight Breed 9] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove)

by Gabrielle Evans

  Not that it mattered anymore. No one was going anywhere until he had some answers that satisfied him. “I hate this job,” he mumbled under his breath as he trudged along the pathway that would lead him home.

  His companion said nothing, but he did grunt, which Spiro took as acknowledgment of his complaint. He didn’t care, though. He wasn’t looking for validation. Taking charge was something he excelled at, but it was the rare occurrence when he actually enjoyed it.

  The guards had successfully shut down all transportation on or off of the island. Spiro and Rissian had personally interviewed everyone on staff in the palace, paying special attention to those who’d had contact with Thalian before his death. Of course, no one knew anything.

  They’d combed the courtyards, searching for anything that might be amiss. Either he had a horrible eye for detail, or everything was just as it should be. The kitchen was ransacked and food tested for contamination. A group of volunteers had even dug through the trash but had found nothing useful.

  Making little progress within the house, Spiro had taken a handful of guards through their small town, and they’d conducted a very quiet observation of the residents. So far, no one else was showing any signs of illness. In fact, they’d all looked at him very strangely when he’d inquired about their health. After all, most of them were immortal.

  Having so many people rely on him was a lot of goddamn pressure, and the lack of helpful information was frustrating, to say the least. It had been the longest day of his life, and it wasn’t nearly over yet.

  “You should rest, Your Majesty. We can meet in the morning.” It was the only thing Nithron had said throughout the entire walk home.

  “Call me Spiro.” It might be his birthright, but any royal title or address just sounded hollow to him. “I’m tempted to take you up on that offer.” He’d promised Zuriel he’d be back after his trip to the infirmary, but he’d gotten caught up in his quest for answers. There was a good chance he had one highly irritated mate waiting in bed for him.

  “I think we’ve done all we can for today. Some sleep to clear our heads might make for a better start tomorrow morning.”

  Spiro really didn’t need convincing, but he was intrigued by the way Nithron spoke. From appearances, Spiro wouldn’t have guessed he was any older than twenty, but looks were deceiving, especially when it came to supes. After spending the majority of the day with the guard, he highly doubted his original estimate of maturity was anywhere close to accurate.

  While Nithron’s age was unimportant, spending the day with him had provided Spiro with a chance to study his chaperone. He supposed anything was possible, but watching the guard with the islanders, seeing him smile and laugh with the children, Spiro was having a hard time picturing him as a cold-blooded murderer.

  “Clear heads sound good,” he finally answered, wanting more than anything to step into a hot shower to wash away the day. With any luck, Zuriel wouldn’t be too upset with him, because he was missing his little mate like crazy. “Gather everyone for breakfast in the morning. We’ll start fresh then.”

  “Yes, sir. I’ll see you in the morning then.”

  They parted ways in the foyer, and Spiro bounded up the stairs, eager to find his lover. Reaching the door to his suite, he slid it open quietly and tiptoed into the room. Coming home late was bad enough, but he doubted he’d win any favor by waking Zuriel up if he was sleeping. They were learning new things about each other every day, but Spiro was well aware that his fox was not a morning person.

  The darkness of the room didn’t give him much hope for a happy reunion. Finding the bedroom lit only by moonlight was not promising, either. Upon closer inspection, however, he found that the bed was untouched, and it definitely didn’t contain a Zuriel-sized bump beneath the blankets.

  Flipping on the light, Spiro’s heart raced when he confirmed that the bed was empty. Trying to remain levelheaded, he checked the bathroom and retraced his footsteps to the common room. Fully lit, the place appeared even lonelier than it had in the dark, forcing him to accept that Zuriel wasn’t anywhere in the suite.

  Hurrying back out into the corridor, he did the only thing that made sense. He sprinted to Mihail’s room and threw the door open without even knocking. Zuriel’s scent permeated the air, and while he’d been too exhausted to realize it at first, his lion had known exactly where to find their wayward mate.

  “Holy shit,” Zuriel yelped, jerking around so violently that he nearly toppled himself off the couch. “Spiro, you scared the crap out of me.”

  “What are you doing here?”

  Zuriel’s eyebrows drew together, and his button nose scrunched adorably. “You told me to stay here until you came back.”

  His heart rate slowly fell back into a steady rhythm, and his chest loosened, allowing him to breathe normally again. “Right. Okay.” He remembered issuing that order, though it had felt like days rather than hours ago. “Well, I need you to come to bed now.”

  No one said anything, but all of Zuriel’s friends were looking at him as though he’d lost his mind and gone mad. Well, all of them except Aspen. The demon just looked vaguely amused by the situation. There was something very odd about the guy, but that was a topic for another day.

  “Okay,” Zuriel answered slowly. His expression said he was questioning Spiro’s sanity as well, but he rose to his feet, said his good-byes, and followed Spiro to their room without argument. “Is everything okay?” he finally asked when they were alone.

  Winding both arms around his lover’s waist, he lifted Zuriel into his arms and held him close, nuzzling his cheek against the soft locks on top of his head. “It’s getting better.” Now that he had his mate in his arms, he didn’t want to let go.

  “Good,” Zuriel whispered, snuggling closer to his chest with a sigh. “I won’t bug you about it tonight.”

  Thank the gods. He didn’t think he could spend another second talking about plagues, diseases, deaths, or anything else morbid. He just wanted to crawl into bed, hold his lover, and pretend that the rest of the world didn’t exist. “You have no idea how much I appreciate that.”

  Chapter Ten

  Two weeks later, things were beginning to calm down and return to normal. With no reported sicknesses, Spiro lifted the quarantine, allowing residents to come and go as they pleased.

  As suspected, once they’d finally reached Thalian’s mother, the woman had cared little for the passing of her son, even refusing to make the trip from the mainland. It was a damn shame, but like most things in their little part of the world, it didn’t shock him.

  However, it did make him more appreciative of his own mother. She might be pushy and stubborn, but he knew she loved him in her own way. Well, he felt confident that she’d at least mourn his passing.

  The mystery surrounding the deaths of his father and brother were still just that—a mystery. But with no further illnesses, he was forced to consider it an isolated incident and move forward to other pursuits. The first priority on his list was to change the outdated laws that governed his people.

  “To be frank, our traditions are ridiculous,” he began, addressing those in attendance of the meeting.

  The International Council for Preternatural Justice had no jurisdiction over the individual laws of different races. By elven code of conduct, he only needed someone outside of his family to second a motion, and the majority vote of his family to pass it.

  That was something else he intended to change. He didn’t believe any one person, or even one family, should have final say in matters that concerned their entire population. That fight would come soon enough, but right then, he needed to stay focused on the task at hand.

  “There are some things I can’t change,” he continued. The magic set in place by the elders couldn’t be undone, not by him anyway. Heirs would still be forced to complete the ritual by the full moon, and new kings would continue to endure the three-day mating heat. “However, there are several things I do have the power to imp
rove.”

  “Such as?” Rissian asked, leaning back in his chair and resting a hand on his mate’s thigh.

  “If a king, or anyone for that matter, chooses to take more than one spouse or mate, that’s their prerogative. To force someone into a polygamous relationship because of traditions that have no place in this century is absurd.”

  “That’s not really a law,” Aradan argued. As the baby of the family, he was outspoken and accustomed to getting his way, but he’d never gone up against Spiro.

  “No, but it’s still not something that should be expected.”

  “I agree.” To Spiro’s surprise, it was Marcel, Rissian’s mate, who spoke. “I sure as hell wouldn’t have allowed Rissian to shack up with a couple of females just because of tradition.”

  “Allow?” Rissian arched an eyebrow, but the corner of his lips twitched, belying the sternness in his tone.

  “Does that mean you second the motion?” Spiro asked, hurrying to interrupt the lover’s quarrel.

  “Yes.”

  Rissian sighed and lifted two fingers just past his ear. “Fine. I agree.”

  “Having three wives sounds like a pain in the ass,” Aradan added. “I vote yes.”

  “Yes,” Locien said with a nod. He was only a few years older than Aradan, but he was much quieter, seldom speaking unless there was something important to say.

  Technically, Spiro didn’t need Sadron’s vote now that he’d won the majority, but he felt it was important to give everyone their say. “What do you think, Sadron?”

  The elf shrugged, seeming bored with the entire conversation. “It doesn’t affect me one way or another, but I guess I agree that it should be optional.”

  As the fourth born, there was very little chance that he’d ever ascend the throne. Still, he was a prince, part of the family, and Spiro felt Sadron should be more active in the decision making. In fact, the same could be said for all of his brothers.

  “Rissian, I’m appointing you to head of security. You’ll be in charge of training the new guards, assigning patrols, and the general protection of the island.” Spiro dipped his head and continued before anyone could argue. “Locien, Doc said that you’ve shown some interest in human medicine, so I want you to start training with her.”

  “I’d like that.” Locien sat up a little straighter in his seat.

  It was a good thing, because Spiro wasn’t giving him an option. “Sadron, you’re in charge of distribution. You’ll need to go to the mainland once a week to gather the supplies we need here on the island. I want a surplus as well, enough to feed everyone for at least one week in case of an emergency.”

  “And where do you suppose I store this surplus?”

  Sadron’s sarcasm wasn’t lost on him, but he also wasn’t going to rise to the bait. “Not my problem.” Then he turned to Aradan, specifically saving him for last. “You like to talk, and you can be damn persuasive when you need to be.”

  The brat offered him a cocky grin. “This is true.”

  “I want you to start forming alliances with the packs and covens in Norway and Greenland. We’ve isolated ourselves for too long. If there was ever an attack on the island of any magnitude, we’d be royally fucked.”

  “Isn’t this why we have guards and a staff?”

  “It’s time you guys started pulling your weight around here.” Spiro was tired of watching them laze about the palace like spoiled assholes. “If you don’t know what to do, the guards can point you in the right direction. I mean it, though.” He went around the group, nodding at each of his brothers. “Being a prince is a responsibility, not a free ride through life.”

  Shuffling through the notes on his desk, Spiro was about to move on to the next of his concerns when his office door opened without warning. “Hello.” Zuriel waved happily as he strutted into the room. “Wow, why the grumpy faces? You guys look like someone just shot your dog.”

  “I’m being an overbearing big brother,” Spiro answered, crooking a finger for his mate to come closer. “What are you doing here?”

  Zuriel shrugged. “I got bored.”

  “Where is everyone?”

  Zuriel was finally starting to settle into island life. Every day, a bit more of his true personality appeared through the layers he’d draped around himself. No longer did he use his tight body and sharp tongue like a living security blanket to fend off rejection. However, it was rare to find him outside the company of his friends.

  “Aspen is painting some mural thing on the wall of his room. Mihail and Nikola went to the mainland. Jacobi is an asshole.”

  Spiro paused for a heartbeat, mulling over that last part in his brain, and then burst into laughter along with the rest of the room. “That’s not really a physical location, lirimaer.”

  “It is the way he does it,” Zuriel argued. “His Royal Pickiness of Questionable Standards has decided that he doesn’t trust me to find suitable men for him. So he’s off trying to form his own harem.”

  His laughter died away, replaced by concern. “Marcel?”

  The guard rose from his seat, kissed Rissian on the forehead, and nodded. “I’ll find him.”

  Spiro didn’t give a blue fuck who Jacobi took to his bed. With territorial shifters and a slew of hotheaded elves on the island, though, the guy was likely to get himself hurt for barking up the wrong tree. It was just one of the things he and Zuriel had in common. Neither of them understood limits or boundaries. Though Spiro would admit Zuriel had been trying.

  The shifter was just so damn stubborn. While his independence was a huge turn-on, there were also times when it was painfully frustrating. “Why don’t you go down to that little confectionary shop in town you like?” He pulled his lover between his thighs and nipped at his kissable lips. “I’ll meet you as soon as I’m finished here.”

  He hated to usher his mate away so quickly, but he’d never get anything accomplished with Zuriel in the room. They were barely halfway through the meeting, and Zuriel had already proven himself to be a very tempting distraction.

  “I know you.” There was a hint of accusation in Zuriel’s voice. “It’ll be sunset before you leave this office.”

  “I’m sorry, baby.” It seemed he spent half his time apologizing lately. Perhaps Zuriel wasn’t the only one still adjusting to their mating. “I just have things to do.”

  Uncaring of their audience, Zuriel pushed himself onto the gleaming surface of the desk and leaned back on his elbows, propping his feet up on the arms of Spiro’s chair. “Yes, you do.” The hem of his blue cotton T-shirt rested just below his sternum, showing off the flat expanse of his stomach. “I’m feeling very neglected, handsome.”

  His eyes held a hint of mischief as he licked his upper lip and arched his hips off the desktop. It was all Spiro could do to remain seated, to not pounce on his lover and mount him right there in front of everyone. The scent of arousal hung heavily in the air, and when loud groans echoed around the room, Spiro realized he wasn’t the only one to notice it.

  “Meeting’s over. Get out.”

  “Oh, they can watch if they want.” The sparkle of mischief in those blue eyes turned to full-blown trouble. “I don’t mind.”

  Spiro was fine with an audience, just not this particular one. “I highly doubt my brothers want to see my pasty-white ass.”

  “Yeah, no thank you,” Rissian agreed.

  “Your mate’s hot,” Aradan added, “but you have a point. I’m gone.”

  One by one, they all gathered their things and exited the room without additional comment. Zuriel, however, seemed to have caught a case of the giggles. “What’s so funny?” Spiro demanded.

  He squeezed his eyes together and shook his head as he rocked from side to side on the desk. “Your ass really is white, sweetheart.” More giggles erupted from his bow-shaped lips. “Have you tried self-tanner?”

  Launching out of his seat, Spiro hooked his arms under Zuriel’s knees and leaned over his mate with a playful growl. “Oh, you’re a c
omedian now, huh?”

  “I think I’m pretty funny, yes.”

  Gods, he loved that smile. “Hmm, so, someone is feeling neglected?” He bent closer, rubbing the tips of their noses together. “I just saw you a few hours ago.”

  “You woke up, showered, ate breakfast, and went straight to work.” Some of the light in his eyes dimmed. “I know you have an important job, and I’m trying not to be selfish, but I’ve barely seen you all week.”

  It was painful to hear, mostly because it was true. Yes, he had an important job, but he’d promised to always put Zuriel first. In the past few days, he’d broken that promise more than once.

  Words were cheap, and at this point, they probably wouldn’t mean much anyway. “Then let me make it up to you. Anything you want.”

  “Really?”

  It was a damn shame that Zuriel sounded so surprised by the offer. Didn’t he understand how important he was? “Really. You name it.”

  Zuriel grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. “I’ll get back to you.” Then his arms came up to encircle Spiro’s neck and pull him closer until their lips met. “In the meantime, I think this is a good place to start.”

  * * * *

  At first, Zuriel had felt bad about interrupting Spiro’s meeting. He was the king, after all, and he had probably been talking about kingly stuff. He was missing his mate like crazy, though, and if he had waited for the guy to come to him, he’d be waiting until summer. So, he’d taken Jacobi’s advice, and for once, it had actually worked.

  “If you really want him, go get him,” his friend had said.

  With desire burning in his belly, he’d showered, lubed his needy hole, and inserted one of the plugs he and Spiro liked to play with on occasion, ensuring they could jump right to the good stuff. Then he’d donned the shortest pair of cutoffs he could find and went in search of his lover.