A Bite To Remember Read online

  Jewel coughed and rasped, "Jagger, get away from there before you get burned."

  Not wanting to waste his breath, Jagger continued until he pushed the cone and the wall slid open. Not expecting it to happen, Jagger was not prepared for the rush of flames in his direction, and groaned as he felt the flesh on his back burning and heard the sizzle.

  Ignoring the pain, Jagger went to Jewel. His breathing was shallow, but he appeared to have passed out. Picking the man up, Jagger made his way down the long tunnel. He heard cars and people as he went, and finally found a door. Pulling on the knob, Jagger was never more thankful than when it opened and Jagger found himself looking at stairs that led up. "Jewel, come on, little shit, it's time to wake up."

  Jewel didn't open his eyes. Jagger picked up the pace, jiggling the little elf in his arms. "Jewel, if you don't wake up, you're going to be the one leaving Ezra. Now, stop being a baby and wake up. Remember, only the good die young so that means you are meant to live a very long life, hell, you will probably be immortal."

  "I'm not a baby. I am three hundred and fourteen years old," Jewel muttered.

  Jagger scoffed, "Well now, Ezra and I are both four hundred fourteen years old, so that makes you the youngest and that, little man, makes you the baby."

  Seeing another door, Jagger asked, "Are you able to walk, Jewel?" Jewel nodded, so Jagger stopped and set him down. "Okay, we take this slow. We don't know what's on the other side of that door. It could be a trap."

  "Wait, let me see if my phone works now," Jewel said grabbing for it, and crying out, "No! It's gone."

  "Calm down, Jewel, it's alright, I have mine," Jagger answered.

  Jewel stomped his foot. "No, you don't understand. Ezra gave me that phone. It was the first gift he ever gave me. He said it was the link to his heart and now I've lost it!"

  "I am so fucking stupid!" Jagger groaned.

  Jewel snorted, "Tell me something I don't know."

  Jagger gave Jewel his you are annoying the shit out of me look, saying, "Our mating links, Jewel. We don't need a fucking phone we have a direct link to our mates already."

  Jewel gasped, "You can talk to Nick mentally?"

  "Well, of course, I can. It's all part of being mates," Jagger replied.

  Shaking his head, Jewel sniffed. "Ezra and I can't do it. We've tried several times, but it doesn't work."

  "That makes no sense, but when we get out of here, we can talk to Destrain, he might have an idea as to why that is," Jagger replied.

  Jewel gasped, "You'd do that for me?"

  "No, but I would do that for my best friend and his mate. Now, hush so I can try and contact Nick."

  "Nick? Nick, can you hear me?"

  "Jagger! Holy shit! Are you alright, baby? We can't get into your office. Nothing will open the fucking door."

  "It's a fire door that is built for Fort Knox, forget about it. We're not there anyway."

  "You have Jewel with you? That's good."

  "Nick, is there a reason that a mating link doesn't work for a mated pair?"

  "I don't know, why?"

  "Ezra and Jewel's link doesn't work. I told him I'd talk to Destrain and see if he might know why."

  "We can take care of that later. For now, I'll tell Ezra you guys are alright. I can also tell him where you are if you would please tell me."

  "I don't know. We found an opening behind the fake fire place. We followed it for about ten minutes and then went up some stairs. There is another door but we don't know if it's a trap or not."

  "Okay from what you described you have to be at the Maddox chapel. Don't do anything baby, we're on our way."

  "How the hell do you know we're at the chapel?" Jagger asked in confusion and a little bit of disbelief.

  "Because it is the only building close enough for you to have gone in that direction. Now stay put, we're coming to get you." Nick said firmly.

  Jagger sighed, "It seems we have decided to attend church."

  Jewel sniffled and looked down the hall. Taking Jewel by the hand, Jagger softly said, "I understand how upset you are Jewel, but that phone was not the first gift Ezra gave you."

  "Yes, it was, and now I don't have it," Jewel argued as tears fell from his eyes.

  Shaking his head, Jagger softly said, "No, Jewel. The first gift that Ezra ever gave you was his heart. So, as long as he can see you, smell you─ touch you. As long as he can do all those things that is all he will care about and if you have kept good care of his heart, that is all you should care about."

  The door flew open and Jagger threw Jewel behind him, prepared to fight for their lives, until he heard Nick. "Jagger! Jagger, is that you, baby?"

  Jagger hissed in pain when Nick grabbed him and pulled him close. He did his best to not think of the pain as Nick plundered his mouth. Hell, his mate's feel, taste, and smell were like a balm to his very soul. His mate. His love. His heart. Pulling back slightly, Jagger whispered, "I love you so much, Nick Holt."

  "And I love you Jagger──Jagger──Holy shit, I don't even know your last name," Nick said in shock.

  Jagger gave a sad smile. "The truth is, I don't have one."

  Smiling wide, Nick said, "You do now, baby. You are my mate, my husband, my love, and from this day forward, you will be known as Jagger Holt."

  Jagger snuggled into Nick. "I like that. Thank you for being mine, Nick."

  They made their way out and saw Ezra was kissing and holding his mate close, speaking words of love. Lights were flashing and sirens were blazing. Logan ran up to Jagger. "Let me look at those burns, Jagger."

  "Burns? What burns?" Nick asked turning Jagger around to have a look himself.

  Jagger sighed, "It's no big deal. All I have to do is feed from my mate, get some rest, and I'll be good as new. Do you know anything about what in the hell happened? I mean, my office door locked, we smelled smoke, then the alarm went off and a fire started in the wall behind the panel. I grabbed the fire extinguisher and sprayed it but instead of the chemical to put it out, someone had filled it with paint thinner."

  "Tyler Fowler did it. It seems he was seriously obsessed with your mate," Logan explained.

  Sut scoffed, "But you don't have to worry, Nick took care of him." Turning to Nick, Sut said, "I'm serious when I say I am so not cleaning that mess up."

  Ezra approached them with Jewel close at his side. "Jewel told me everything you did for him. How you saved his life. Jagger, I can't thank you enough. Anything, and I mean anything you ever need all you have to do was ask."

  Jagger patted Ezra's chest. "Just get your mate another phone. Now, if you all will excuse us, I am hungry in so many ways."

  EPILOGUE

  Dain tossed his clothes into his bag. He had done as Destrain had asked, but not exactly as he thought he would. Destrain wanted a man Dain could trust with their people to take his place so he could go on vacation. The problem was, Dain rarely trusted anyone. However, orders from the king were orders he was bound to follow.

  "Father, is it true? Are you really going away for a couple of weeks?" Rhys asked as he walked into the room.

  "Yes, it is." Dain said looking at his son, "Damn that dress is beautiful, you are beautiful. Pregnancy agrees with you more than it ever did for me."

  Rubbing his ever-growing belly, Rhys replied, "Thanks dad I needed that. It's a good thing you put the glam on me so the world can't see me."

  "Shaking his head, Dain replied, "No need for thanks. I wanted you to be able to go around town without fear or people trying to figure shit out. They may say they know who we are, but you never know when a stranger might swing by. And I still think you look gorgeous in that dress."

  Rhys smiled wide and spread his arms, "It's a Christian Dior Lace Crochet Strapless Dress. Marco bought it for me because I was feeling fat and ugly. We won't tell him you made me feel better and it didn't cost you a penny."

  Dain laughed, "Rhys you are barely three months along. You were too thin before you got pregnant and you glow
now that you are. You don't need a dress to be beautiful. You already are."Rhys sniffled. "That is the sweetest, nicest thing you have ever said to me."

  "Well it's good to know I'm not a dick to everyone," Dain replied with a short laugh.

  "Dad, talk to me. Tell me what's wrong. I heard what happened at the club with Jagger and Nick. That isn't you. I can not only see your anger, I can feel it."

  "Rune is the reason for my anger, Rhys. He is the fairy that imprisoned us for centuries. It seems he is here."

  "In Maddox?" Rhys asked in shock.

  "Nick and Jagger spoke to him and it seems that Logan is a good friend to the evil prick. Nick and Jagger were talking about how helpful he was," Dain snarled.

  "Maybe he was," Rhys said calmly.

  Dain tossed his brush across the room, shattering a mirror. "He was, and is, fucking evil! He locked us up like dogs ready to be slaughtered then forced us to wait on his people hand and foot. Many lost their lives, were raped, beaten to within an inch of their life because that helpful man created a potion that could make our powers weak. He separated us from our family, friends, and lovers and I will not rest until I have killed the fucker."

  Rhys stood up. "You're going after him! Father, that's insanity. You can't do this."

  "I can and I will."

  Rhys stood toe to toe with his father. "You taught me that everyone has a reason for doing what they do. You also said, before you act, it is your duty to find out the full story. I don't see Nick, Jagger, or even Logan saying someone is helpful or nice without good reason. You are blinded by your hatred, father. Please. Please don't do this."

  Dain gave his son a look of great intent. "I may be blinded by my hatred of that man, Rhys, but by the time I am finished, Rune will be dead."

  THE END