Midnight Falls 23

  Taste of Danger

  [Siren Publishing: The Lynn Hagen ManLove Collection: Erotic Romance, Contemporary, Alternative, Menage, Paranormal, Shape-shifters, Werewolves, Vampires, Fantasy, MMF, HEA]

  When the emaciated vampire shows up to warn them of an impending attack, Jax knows right away the guy is his mate. What he didn’t expect was the pull to encompass Elvine as well. How had he not known when she’s been underfoot for two weeks already? But both of them have trouble on their heels, and Jax will do anything to keep them safe.

  Elvine loves her life and her newfound family. But she has to return to the Unseelie realm often so she’s not reported as missing. Leaving the realm is against the law, and if she’s caught, she’ll be sentenced to death. For Jax and Arion, she’s willing to take that chance just to be a part of something incredible with her mates.

  For decades Arion has suffered at not only Ozel’s hands, but his sadistic son’s as well, leaving his body a patchwork of scars. Now that he’s found his mates, Arion wonders if the two beauties will accept his beastly appearance or if their desire for him is nothing more than pity.

  Length: 44,000 words

  TASTE OF DANGER

  Midnight Falls 23

  Lynn Hagen

  Siren Publishing

  a subsidiary company of Siren-BookStrand, Inc.

  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  Taste of Danger

  Copyright © 2024 by Lynn Hagen

  ISBN: 978-1-64637-929-3

  First Publication: September 2024

  Cover design by Jess Buffett

  All art and logo copyright © 2024 by Siren-BookStrand, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  If you find a Siren-BookStrand e-book or print book being sold or shared illegally, please let us know at legal@sirenbookstrand.com

  Siren Publishing

  a subsidiary company of Siren-BookStrand, Inc.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Lynn Hagen loves writing about the somewhat flawed, but lovable. She also loves a hero who can see past all the rough edges to find the shining diamond of a beautiful heart.

  You can find her on any given day curled up with her laptop and a cup of hot java, letting the next set of characters tell their story.

  For all titles by Lynn Hagen, please visit:

  www.bookstrand.com/lynn-hagen

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  TASTE OF DANGER

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  TASTE OF DANGER

  Midnight Falls 23

  LYNN HAGEN

  Copyright © 2024

  Chapter One

  Elvine came to a sudden stop, causing Jax to shift and frantically scan their surroundings, searching for any sign of their missing mate. “Where is he? I don’t see him, sprite.”

  She gracefully landed on her feet and sprinted toward a large, sturdy tree. Then she dropped to her knees in front of a pile of leaves that seemed to have been purposely gathered.

  The sight caused Jax’s heart to drop into his stomach.

  Elvine didn’t try to clear away the leaves. Instead, she just knelt there with her arms wrapped tightly around herself, trembling uncontrollably.

  With fearful steps, Jax approached her. “Is he buried under these leaves, Elvine?”

  She nodded quickly but had yet to remove the leaves. As Jax looked her over, he found himself still reeling from the revelation earlier.

  The moment Arion had appeared, he’d instantly known the emaciated vampire was his mate. The pull toward him was intense and undeniable.

  But then something unexpected happened. The pull had suddenly shifted sideways and enveloped Elvine as well. It was as if all three of their fates were connected, and nothing else mattered.

  The realization that she was also his mate left Jax shocked and bewildered.

  He had already been secretly attracted to her since he’d caught her peeping inside their windows, but it wasn’t until tonight that he felt the intense pull toward the beautiful fairy.

  Now all he could feel was the magnetic pull toward both of them consuming every part of him.

  Jax knelt down in the soft grass beside her and placed a comforting hand against her small back, feeling the tremors racking her body.

  His eyes closed briefly as he took a deep breath, preparing himself for what they might find, while trying to calm his own racing heart. “I want you to turn around, sprite,” he said softly, rubbing her back. “Let me look first, okay?”

  The situation was urgent, but Jax refused to manically knock away the leaves and traumatize her if they found Arion… He couldn’t do that to her.

  She nodded quickly, her vibrant meadow-green eyes filled with gratefulness and fear as she gazed up at him.

  Jax leaned in to press a tender kiss to her forehead before he helped her turn around, bracing himself for what he had to do next.

  “Don’t you dare go soft on me, ma petite. I love your fiery spirit. It keeps me on my toes, brat.” He was trying to lessen the tension, though he knew it wouldn’t do any good. Still, he hated to see how badly she was shaking.

  A sniff escaped her. “I’m not going soft, Mr. Nippy Nose.” Her voice quivered slightly. “I just need you to slice me some slack right now.”

  Gazing at her back, he smiled softly and said, “I’ll slice you some slack, sprite.”

  Jax took a deep breath to steady his trembling hands before he began brushing the thick layer of leaves aside. His heart clenched when he uncovered a thin, pale arm, the skin marred with fresh bite marks running up and down its length. With increasing urgency, he dug until Arion was fully revealed.

  The vampire’s shirt was torn and stained with blood. Jax gasped in horror at the jigsaw puzzle of scars crisscrossing his torso. He traced his fingers over the multitude of old and faded scars, but others looked fresh and raw, most likely inflicted within the past hour, though they showed no signs of healing.

  What kind of torture had Arion endured?

  More importantly, how had he survived?

  Confusion and worry filled Jax’s mind as he tried to make sense of it all. Vampires healed when they drank blood. So why hadn’t his mate’s wounds healed? What could have caused them to become permanent? Having only met Arion less than an hour ago, Jax and Elvine knew nothing about their mate.

  “Is it bad?” she asked on a quivering breath. “Is Arion…?”

  Ignoring the bile rising in his throat, Jax pressed his fingers against Arion’s neck, searching for a pulse and panicking when he couldn’t find one. He moved his fingers around, unsure if he was even checking on the correct side since he’d never had to look for a pulse before.

  “I don’t—” A surge of relief flooded him when he finally located a weak and struggling beat. “We need to feed him.”

  Elvine spun around, her eyes widening in horror as she took in the full extent of their mate’s injuries. “I’m going to kill whoever did this to him,” she snarled.

  “Let’s focus on getting him fed first,” Jax said as he turned back to Arion. “Then we’ll end whoever did this to our mate.”

  He swiftly cleared away more of the fallen leaves with his hands, scooping as much away as he could, then moved to the vampire’s side. Using one of his sharp claws, Jax cut his own arm, then held it over the vampire’s mouth as droplets of blood fell onto his lips.

  Elvine reached out to hold the vampire’s lips apart, allowing Jax’s blood to trickle into Arion’s mouth before offering her own wrist. “Cut me as well. I want to help feed him too.”

  Jax couldn’t take his eyes off Elvine’s flawless olive skin, wondering how anyone could bear to mar such perfection. “If my blood isn’t enough for Arion, then we’ll feed him some of yours.”

  “But I want to do my part in healing him, Mr. Nippy Nose,” she argued. “Arion is also my mate, in case you’ve forgotten.” She shook her arm impatiently. “Now cut it or I’ll do it myself.”

  Still holding his arm over Arion’s mouth, Jax used his free hand to trace his fingers along Elvine’s silky skin, smiling slightly when goose bumps appeared from his touch. “You’re asking me to harm my own mate, buttercup. I can’t bring myself to do that.”

  She huffed in frustration but didn’t pull away. “But why should you be the only one to feed our mate?” She started to stand up, but Jax gently pulled her back down beside him.

r />   “Have you forgotten vampires go crazy over a fae’s smell? We want to feed him, not drain you.” He’d seen the struggle both Jaytee and Damon had gone through with their fairy mates. He never thought he would have to deal with the same challenge.

  While Elvine’s fae scent had no effect on him, he had no doubt Arion would have difficulty controlling himself around her. Her natural scent was an entirely different story. Any time she was near, Jax covertly inhaled, taking in her wildflower fragrance. The smell didn’t just go straight to his lungs. It also went straight to his cock.

  “But he’s barely alive,” she responded in a more composed voice. “My fae blood is magical, Jax. It could help heal the wounds that ghoul inflicted.” She looked down at Arion with compassion and worry. “Why does he have so many scars?” Her dainty fingers gently traced the scars on his marred skin. “Vampires heal when they drink blood.” She echoed Jax’s thoughts. “How do you scar a vampire this badly?”

  “I don’t know, buttercup.” Jax slipped his free hand under Arion’s head and lifted him gently, placing the upper half of his mate’s body on his lap, covering his exposed groin.

  When Jax had shifted into his wolf form to search for Arion with Elvine, he had returned to human form naked.

  But Jax couldn’t help noticing how Elvine never once glanced at his cock. In fact, she seemed determined to avoid looking at his groin.

  “Why can’t he lay on my lap?” Elvine scowled, clearly frustrated. “I’m not trying to be grumpy, but I want to do everything I can for him too.”

  Jax was still stunned that he not only had two mates but one of them was Elvine. The fact that she was female didn’t faze him. He’d dated and been intimate with females before. Gender was irrelevant to him.

  What shocked him was the fact it had taken two weeks for them to feel the pull between them—an intense attraction unique to mates, an overwhelming urge to be near each other.

  Some preternatural felt the pull immediately, while for others it could take hours or a day or two at most. But for Jax and Elvine, it had taken two long weeks.

  And then there was the fact that Elvine’s people, the Unseelie, had a law forbidding dark fae from mating outside of their race. It was a ridiculous law, but it also put Elvine in danger. She returned to the fae realm often, afraid her absence would be noticed.

  Not only were dark fae forbidden from mating outside their race but they were also forbidden from leaving their realm. Jax hated when Elvine had to return home because he feared for her safety.

  Arion stirred on his lap. Then his small, emaciated hands gripped Jax’s arm and pulled it down to his lips, suckling the flesh as he drank the blood.

  “I think he’s improving,” Elvine exclaimed with a smile. “He doesn’t look as pale as before.”

  Jax gently rubbed his thumb over Arion’s sunken cheek, wondering why his mate was so undernourished. “Don’t vampires go into bloodlust if they’re deprived blood?”

  Elvine twisted her kissable lips to one side. “I was wondering the same thing. Why is he so…” She tapped her chin as if she was trying to find the right word. “Skeletal?”

  “It seems we have a ton of questions for him when he wakes up.” Jax continued to lightly caress Arion’s cheek. “I can’t understand why he would set up Casimir for a slaughter.”

  Arion’s grip on Jax’s arm tightened, as if the vampire was afraid his meal would be snatched away from him. He was drinking so quickly and intensely that Jax started to feel dizzy.

  “Let me take over,” Elvine insisted. “You’re going to pass out if you keep feeding him, and we need you awake in case any stray vampires come our way.”

  Jax was hesitant to let Elvine feed Arion. Fae blood had a powerful effect on anyone with fangs. But they had no other choice. Arion needed more blood than Jax could provide.

  “Fine, but if he tries to drain you, we may have to use drastic measures to get his fangs out of you.” Jax also needed to stop feeding Arion because he was painfully aroused.

  Feeding was an intimate act, and he could feel its effects on him. Being naked, there was no way to conceal his erection.

  Not that he wanted to conceal his cock, since they were his mates. But Elvine still refused to look at his groin, so trying to conceal his dick would be pointless.

  With a firm grip, he forced the vampire to retract his fangs. Arion whimpered, licking the blood on his lips, trying to force Jax’s arm back down to his mouth.

  Elvine quickly moved over to sit next to Jax. The stark difference in their heights was impossible not to notice. While Jax stood tall at six-foot-five, Elvine couldn’t be any more than five feet tall.

  “Put him on my lap so it’s more comfortable for him,” she instructed.

  Jax carefully transferred Arion onto Elvine’s lap, his gaze wandering over her slim legs incased in shorts, imagining what they would look like wrapped around his waist as he sank his cock into her tight heat. With her fiery personality, he wondered if she would be an excited, loud lover or would she turn shy in the bedroom.

  Even before her wrist was close, Arion seized Elvine’s arm and tugged it toward his mouth, sinking his razor-sharp fangs into her delicate skin.

  She winced and let out a small whimper.

  “He’s being too rough with you,” Jax scowled. “He smells your fae blood.” A low growl ripped from him as he reached for Arion’s jaw, ready to force their vampire mate to let her go.

  “No, I’ve got this,” Elvine reassured him, running her fingers along Arion’s jawline. “I don’t know why, but I wasn’t expecting his fangs to be so sharp.”

  Jax watched them closely, noticing her flushed skin and the hard peaks forming under Elvine’s blouse. Her nipples were becoming erect because of the feeding.

  This wasn’t the right time to be aroused, but he wanted to taste one of those peaks in his mouth. He wanted to suckle and bite down gently on the soft flesh until it drove her wild with pleasure.

  “I’ve never fed a vampire before,” she said, her flush growing deeper. “It feels very...” She nibbled on her plump bottom lip.

  “Sexual,” Jax murmured, curling his fingers in to stop himself from brushing his palms over the strained buds beneath her blouse.

  “But that’s wrong.” Her blue eyebrows furrowed. “We’re helping him after a ghoul tried to eat him. My body shouldn’t be reacting this way.”

  Jax extended his arm behind her and rested his hand on the ground, drawing himself closer to her. “It doesn’t matter why you’re feeding him,” he murmured, his lips brushing against her ear. “A feeding is always sexual, sweetheart.”

  Elvine’s gaze flickered up to meet his under the moonlight, her meadow-green eyes sparkling. Her breathing was slightly labored as her gaze lowered to Jax’s lips, as if she was dying to kiss him.

  The pull between them was too strong to resist. Jax leaned in and ran his tongue along lips as soft as flower petals. He placed his hand on her cheek and deepened the kiss, savoring the taste of Elvine for the first time.

  Leaning back, Jax studied her closely. “Is this your first time kissing, honey?”

  Jesus Christ. There was no way she was over a thousand years old and had never been kissed, which made him wonder if she’d never known an intimate touch. If that were the case, Jax’s mind would be blown.

  Elvine scoffed and glanced down at Arion. “You really know how to flatter a girl. Thank you for pointing out my lack of experience.” Her annoyance was evident in the clench of her jaw.

  “You think I was criticizing the way you kissed me?” Jax raised an eyebrow at her in surprise. “Baby, those lips have me just as hard as the feeding did.” He gently tugged on her hair. “I only asked because you seemed hesitant during the kiss, like you were unsure if you were doing it right.”

  She looked up at him briefly before quickly averting her gaze.

  “Elvine, sweetheart, have you ever kissed anyone before?” He caressed her cheek, smiling as her blush deepened.

  “I’ve been kissed,” she replied, focusing a bit too intensely on Arion. “Just not very often.”