“I agree, but I do have one friend I can talk to. If he can’t find out who Justin’s twin is, no one can.”
“Why do you think Lowell Erickson was all fired up to—” Justin’s head snapped up so fast that he hit the top of it on Chase’s chin. Both men grunted from the impact. Justin rubbed the top of his head while Chase rubbed his chin.
Taylor shook his head. “You were saying?”
“Oh, Samuel said something funny when he was talking to me and Danny. I didn’t realize it at the time but”—Justin shrugged—”maybe it’s important.”
“What did he say, love?”
“He said his father was nice enough to spread his seed to every different species that exists.”
Chase stilled. “Every species?”
Justin nodded. “What did he mean?”
“We need to talk to Dominic and Zacarius.” Chase rolled to the side of the bed and stood, reaching down for his clothes. “Whatever Lowell Erickson is up to, I’m not liking it. He seems to be planting his seed all over the place then selling his children. That’s not good.”
“Ya think?” Taylor snickered. “The man is a monster.”
“After dealing with the Teacher and Philip Spencer, I refuse to believe that Lowell Erickson isn’t up to something. No one is that big of an asshole without a reason. He has to be up to something, and we need to find out what.”
“Why?” Justin asked as he climbed from the bed and started to get dressed as well. “I don’t want anything to do with him if he’s such a jerk.”
“Baby,” Chase said, “it’s not the simple. If Lowell Erickson is trying to spread his seed throughout all of the species, than he’s planning something.”
“How can you know?” Justin asked. “Maybe he’s just a slut.”
“Because”—Chase raked a hand through his hair—“he knows about all of the paranormal species, and that makes him very dangerous.”
Chase was worried, and he was having a hard time hiding it from his mates. They kept giving him strange searching looks as they all descended the stairs and walked toward the prince’s study, where Devlin and Zacarius were supposed to be waiting.
He just couldn’t shake the feeling that Lowell Erickson was up to something. Very few people knew about all of the species, not unless they were one of the ones in hiding. Chase knew because of his former work and because of his relatives and the people had grown close to.
He worried that whatever Lowell Erickson was planning was going to hurt his mates or the people he cared about. He couldn’t let that happen, but he didn’t know how to stop it. He didn’t know Lowell Erickson, and he doubted there was anyone alive on the planet that really did. Samuel and Danny certainly didn’t. They seemed astonished at the things their father had done.
Chase stopped outside the prince’s study and knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
Chase opened the door and stepped inside. He was glad to see that Devlin and Zacarius were still there, sitting next to each other on the couch. The prince sat at his desk with Danny standing behind him, the man’s hands resting on the prince’s shoulders.
“I think we have trouble,” Chase said as he ushered his mates into the room and then shut the door. He turned to look at Danny, hating the fact that he had to bring the man’s father into the conversation, but, well, the man
was
the conversation. “Danny, I need to know everything you can tell me about your father.”
Danny’s eyebrows skyrocketed. “My father?”
“Yes.”
Danny blinked. “Can I ask why first?”
“Samuel said something to Justin that caught his attention, and I believe that it is important.”
“What?” Danny’s eyes shot to Justin. “You mean about the twins?”
“No, but that is part of it. Samuel said that your father was nice enough to spread his seed to every different species that exists.”
“So, he’s a jackass. We already knew that.”
“No, wait,
chéri
,” Dominic said, grabbing Danny’s hand as the prince looked from Chase to Danny. “Chase is right. This is important.”
“Why?”
“Because,” Dominic said, “if your father is spreading his seed to every known species, then he knows about every known species, and that means he’s either really smart or really insane.”
“Or both,” Chase added.
“I don’t understand,” Danny said. “So what if he knows about every known species. How does that make him insane?”
“There are very few of us that know about all of the different species, Danny,” Prince Zacarius said, looking grim. “And even fewer of us that are alive to talk about them.”
Danny’s eyes darted around the room. It was clear that his confusion was growing. “I don’t—”
“Danny,” Dominic said as he pulled his mate down to sit on his lap and wrapped his arms around him, “vampires, wolf shifters, and humans are not the only species on this earth. There are others that are not spoken of.”
Danny gaped. “Others?”
“What sort of others?” Justin asked, stepping further into the room.
“I’m afraid it’s not for us to say, Justin,” Zacarius replied. “As Dominic has said, they are not spoken of.”
“Are they dangerous?”
“They can be under the right circumstances.”
“Just how many other species are we talking about here?” Taylor asked. “You don’t have to name them or anything but give me a number.”
“Including vampires, werewolves, and humans, I know of four species,” Dominic stated.
“I know of six.”
Dominic glanced at Zacarius, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. It was more than likely a look that didn’t often cross the prince’s face. “Really?”
Zacarius smiled. “I’ve been around for a long while.”
“If what Samuel says is right,” Taylor added in, and Chase was glad he didn’t have to say it, but he was thinking it, “then Lowell Erickson could have fathered at least a dozen children.”
“Well, shit,” Danny said softly, “that makes my Christmas list a lot longer.”
Chase saw Zacarius give him a long look out of the corner of his eye, a look that asked if Justin was ready to find out if he were a vampire. Even though they just discovered some disturbing news about Danny’s—and possible Justin’s—father, Chase knew they needed to get this matter over with.
He needed to know if Justin was sick because he was a diabetic or if he was sick because he wasn’t getting blood. Either way, Chase knew Justin still needed care, but he’d like to know which care the man needed.
“Justin,” Chase said softly, knowing his mate had been through enough already. He didn’t want the little man freaking out any more than he already had. But Chase had a feeling Justin just might if he found out he was a vampire all of this time instead of diabetic.
“Yes?” Justin asked as he blinked up at Chase. That look melted Chase’s heart. It was such an innocent, trusting look. He never wanted either of his mates to lose that look. He wanted them to stay happy.
And after his first experience with receiving cock, Chase was all for keeping both men happy. He had loved it! If he had known sex was that good on the other end, he would have—
“Chase, you’re staring at me funny,” Justin said. “What did you want?”
Chase grinned, remembering just how much he had enjoyed those pouty lips around his cock. “Zacarius wants to know if he can have a sample of your blood to test it for vampire DNA.”
“Oh,” Justin said matter-of-factly, and then he crossed the room and stuck his finger out. “Fire away.” Justin laughed a little as he gave a half shrug. “Or in this case, bite away.”
Chase chuckled, and Taylor snickered. Zacarius looked a bit shocked, as he glanced from Justin to Chase. “I’ll only need a little.”
Justin shrugged again. “I know the drill.”
“Yes.” Zacarius nodded. “I guess you do.”
Chase watched as Zacarius nipped Justin’s finger. The sides of his mate’s mouth jerked as he glanced at Chase over his shoulder. “It tickles when he licks it closed.”
The man was unbelievable. Chase couldn’t get over just how normal Justin was treating all of this, as if it didn’t matter. As if he was going to be a trooper no matter the outcome. Chase liked that attitude in Justin. It was going to make giving the man the news that he was either a vampire or a diabetic a hell of a lot easier.
“Well?” Justin asked as he pulled his finger back and tried to be covert about wiping it off without looking at the drops of blood on his finger. Chase hid the grin when both Zacarius and Dominic saw the gesture, and both men lightly smiled.
“What do you want to be, Justin?” Zacarius asked.
Chase caught Devlin’s lips quivering, fighting a smile, and Chase guessed that Zacarius was purposefully teasing Justin. It must be his welcome to the family initiation or something. Devlin winked at Chase and then coughed, disguising the laugh.
“I’d be okay either way,” Justin replied. “But just so you know, if I’m still diabetic, I think I need to see my doctor and get my meds adjusted. But if I’m a vampire…” Justin shivered. “I guess I’ll have whatever RH factor Chase is.”
Zacarius chuckled as Devlin laughed, Taylor stood there looking a little lost. Chase pulled Taylor into his arms and kissed his mate on the side of the temple.
“I’m RH Negative O,” Chase replied.
“Then I guess Justin will be getting used to that flavor,” Zacarius announced. “Because he most certainly is a vampire.”
“No way!” Justin said from across the room. “But I like garlic.”
Aw, his mate was pouting. How cute.
“Justin,” Dominic began, “you can eat garlic. You may also go out in the sun, although I wouldn’t advise spending a whole lot of time in it. You can even sleep at night. How you are is how you will be. The only thing that will change is that fact that you need blood.”
“But I don’t have fangs.” Justin pointed to his mouth, curling his lips back to show off his perfectly straight white human teeth.
Chase looked to the vampires for an answer. Since Justin was indeed a vampire, then he was wondering why his little mate didn’t have them. He didn’t have a clue.
“I suspect that you’ve gone so long without feeding that they haven’t emerged yet. My guess is that once you feed for the first time, they will appear,” Zacarius answered.
Justin paled, looking slightly horrified and sick to his stomach. “So what am I supposed to do, gnaw at Chase’s wrist until I draw blood?”
Chase lost it. He was laughing so hard that Taylor pulled away from him and glared, crossing his arms over his chest. That just made Chase laugh harder. Devlin and Danny were no help either. They were in hysterics, but Justin just stood there with a piqued look on his face.
“Sorry,” Chase said as the laughter began to die down after a few moments. “No, love. I’ll open a vein for you so you can drink.”
“That’s just gross,” Justin replied and then quickly looked between the two princes. “No offense.”
“None taken,” Zacarius and Dominic replied in unison.
“Come on back upstairs, and I’ll show you just how gross it can be.” Chase purposely wiggled his brows, grabbing for Justin’s hand. When he saw Taylor hadn’t moved, Chase reached back and grabbed his other mate’s hand.
Taylor pulled free and shook his head. “I think I’ll stay down here. Justin is already going to be freaked out enough for his first feeding.”
“Oh, no,” Justin said as he grabbed Taylor’s hand. “You’re not letting me do this on my own.” Justin pulled at Taylor until their mate was moving with them. Chase studied Taylor, but couldn’t figure out why he would protest. Taylor lived to take care of Justin. Why would he back out now?
“Have fun,” Devlin called.
“Oh,” Chase said as he stopped, both his mates at his side. “I forgot to say thanks.”
Zacarius bowed his head. “That’s what family is for.”
Devlin crossed the room, giving Chase a quick hug. “Congrats. I hope it’s the news you wanted.”
“Finding out what’s wrong with Justin is what I wanted. Anything else we can deal with.”
“Well, now that you know, Zac and I are heading out. He has some important meetings to attend.” Devlin looked bored as he said this, but Chase understood that they dropped everything to come help him out.
“Thanks.”
“Yeah,” Justin said from beside him, “thanks.”
“No problem.” Devlin grinned. “You’re family.”
Chase felt his chest swell with pride at the declaration. His mates now had a family to call their own, something they both had been lacking their entire lives. He could see the happiness shining in Justin’s eyes, but Taylor looked a little reserved.
Chase didn’t get it.
“Go feed your mate,” Zacarius said. “We’ll do the whole family reunion thing later.”
“Thanks again,” Chase said and then looked over at Dominic. “We’ll be leaving in the morning. Thank you for all you have done for us.”
“I must borrow Zacarius’s words and say that’s what family is for, and you are now family.”
Oh, yeah. How had Chase forgotten that Danny and Justin were brothers? Maybe it was the excitement of having Justin feed from him that had him rushing from the office. The longer he stood there, the harder he was getting.