Page 33 of B Negative
“So, tell me, what brings you up this way?”
“Some really weird shit that I was hoping to get some perspective on.”
“Lay it out for me.”
I’d meant to tell him just the meat of the strange interaction I had with Carisa. But before I could stop myself, I’d spilled everything about my fight with Julian, destroying the cup wall, and everything that led up to that moment.
“Yeesh. All right, first I think it’s safe to say Julian had a pretty high-powered witch come to the compound the night of the incursion and do a major memory wipe on anyone in attendance.”
“What? That’s a thing witches can do?”
Jax nodded solemnly.
“Why, though? What good would that do?”
“I can’t say for sure. I do know that wolves are stronger when they are bonded with a partner. Even alphas benefit from a mate bond.” He pulled a hand over his bald head. “It’s why I was with our sister pack.”
My eyes shot up to meet his. “What are you saying, Jaxson?” I leaned in close. “Do you have a boy toy in another pack?”
Jax rolled his eyes. “Fuck, I wish. I’m actually fielding mating calls from all the high-ranking females of the pack.”
If I hadn’t already been sitting, I would have needed a chair. “Jaxson.”
“Mm?”
“You’re gay.”
“Bitch, I know.”
“Then why are you sorting through mate applicants from a gender you aren’t interested in?”
He rubbed at his temples and let out a long slow breath. “I don’t know. It seemed like a good compromise at the time.”
“Compromise? What are you talking about?”
“Look, we don’t have time to get into my messy pack life. We’re dealing with your messy vampire life, right now, OK?”
“No, Jax—”
“Zip it. Seriously. I’ve got shit to do, and so do you. You just have to figure out what it is.”
“Fine. But we’re not done talking about this.”
“Fine.”
I took a moment to think. “If what you’re saying is true for vampires, I’ve effectively kneecapped Julian. I don’t know how much, or if it’s symbolically or actually physically, but I need to find out.”
Jax nodded. “Go on.”
“But he’s so goddamn tightlipped about everything, it’s not like I can just ask him. Plus, I’m still too mad at him, anyway. I wish I could just fess up to my ignorance, like I did here, and have someone spell it out for me.”
“Why can’t you?”
“Julian refuses. Sunny says it’s difficult to discern what to tell me, what I wouldn’t know. Outside of them, who can I trust? Everyone is either affected by Julian’s mind-altering bullshit, in which case, they aren’t a reliable source, or is already close to him and I can’t trust they won’t spin any info they give me to suit some need Julian has that I don’t know about.”
“So what are you going to do?”
I slouched in my seat, not wanting to say it out loud. “Titus has a library in his tower. I’m sure I could find what I need there without drawing too much attention.”
“But you’d have to go back, and you and Sunny…” Jax let the sentence trail off.
“Sunny was in a tough spot. She couldn’t betray her king for the mate she’d just met. Honestly, I probably would have done the same.”
“Are you sure you can handle Titus?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely not.” But what other choice did I have?