The Moonlight Breed 8: Leap in the Dark by Gabrielle Evans (chrysanthemum read aloud .txt) 📕

He’d never encountered the scent before, but it was similar to demons, only colder somehow, like icy smoke. “I’m not sure, but they’re definitely not human.” A knock sounded at the door, and Xander called for their visitor to enter. “I asked Spiro to come by,” he explained when Braxton arched an eyebrow.

“You’re on a first name basis now? Should I be relieved or concerned?”

Gods, Xander loved that possessive streak, but there was no need for Braxton’s jealousy. “You know you’re it for me. Don’t be a brat.”

“Great fuck,” Spiro grumbled as his nose wrinkled and his upper lip curled. “Where the hell did you run into goblins?”

Keeton snorted derisively and shot him a disbelieving look. “Goblins?”

There wasn’t much that surprised Xander anymore, but he understood Keeton’s attitude. Intellectually, he knew there were a great number of things he didn’t know about the world and its inhabitants. Goblins, however, seemed too fantastical to be real.

“Actually,” Braxton answered with a glare toward his friend, “they ran into us—literally.”

“Yes, I heard, and I’m sorry. I’m glad you’re okay.” Spiro sat down on the far end of the sofa but stood quickly and moved to the other side of the room. “Goblins usually live in large clans, and I’m thinking the town you came from is crawling with them because you absolutely reek.” He dipped his head at Braxton and then to Keeton. “No offense.”

“These guys didn’t look like any goblins I’ve ever read about. Are you sure?” Braxton didn’t sound argumentative, just skeptical.

“They’re not the little mischief makers from fairy tales, Braxton, and you need to take them seriously. They have very long memories, and once they’ve targeted you, they won’t quit.”

“How do you know all this?”

“I’ve seen a lot in my life,” Spiro answered vaguely. “Go ahead and report the accident, but I don’t think this is a matter for the human police.”

“What’s their beef with shifters?” Xander was certain that was what the reference to Braxton and Keeton’s “kind” was about, but he had no knowledge of any kind of feud between the species. Hell, until two minutes ago, he hadn’t even known goblins existed.

“It’s really not personal. I told you they live in large clans, and they stay to themselves. They’re very distrusting of other races, though they do tolerate humans. They’re easily offended, very territorial, and can hold grudges like a woman scorned.”

“Great,” Keeton huffed. “So a bunch of territorial goblins on a perpetual menstrual cycle have it out for us all because we stopped to eat lunch.” He leaned back against Logan’s chest and linked his fingers together in his lap. “The food wasn’t even that good.”

“So what do we do?” Leaning forward, Braxton kissed Xander on the cheek and patted his chest before rising to his feet. “Will they be back?”

“Oh, they’ll definitely be back.” Spiro pushed away from the wall and linked his hands behind his back. “The only thing you can do is be prepared to fight.”

Without a word, Xander rose up from the sofa and exited the room, going straight to the kitchen to rummage through the refrigerator. He wasn’t hungry. He wasn’t even really thirsty, but he grabbed a bottle of water anyway and shuffled over to flop down in one of the kitchen chairs.

The predator in him wanted to hunt down the threat to his mate and end their worthless existence. That wasn’t going to happen, though. He squeezed the bottle of water between his thighs to hold it in place while he twisted off the cap. The minute the lid was off, however, the sides of the bottle smashed together, spilling half the contents all over his lap.

“Fuck!” he growled in frustration. How was he supposed to protect Braxton when he couldn’t even open a damn bottle without making a mess?

It would have at least been a little better if he was left handed, but no. His only functioning arm was his weak arm, and trying to do even simple tasks just made him feel helpless and useless.

“Hey, you.” Braxton spoke quietly, and his footsteps were slow and hesitant as he approached him. “Are you okay?”

Xander fisted his hand on the tabletop and closed his eyes. “No.” It was the first time he’d really admitted it since the shooting and confessing the weakness made his gut burn with shame.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Braxton was still moving with caution, and he sounded so unsure, almost like he was fearful of saying the wrong thing.

All the times he’d snapped at his lover or pushed him away in the past weeks came rushing back, and Xander squeezed his eyelids together tightly as the guilt overwhelmed him. Whatever his issues, Braxton hadn’t caused them, and he didn’t deserve the treatment Xander had been dishing out to him.

Opening his eyes, he lifted his head and turned in his seat to face his lover. “Come here, chulo.”

His heart swelled, and warmth washed over him when Braxton rushed to him and straddled his thighs, wrapping him up in a loving embrace. “I’m so sorry this happened to you, love. I know you’re angry, but you can’t keep shutting me out.” He leaned back and grabbed Xander’s face in both hands. “I miss you.”

“I miss you, too, baby. Come back to bed.” He knew exactly why Braxton had been spending his nights on the couch, but until Spiro had knocked some sense into him, he’d been so wrapped up in his misery that he hadn’t cared enough to do anything about it.

His arm might be worthless, but the rest of him worked just fine, and he needed to start remembering that. He had a lot of groveling and apologizing to do, and he didn’t know if he’d ever be able to make it up to Braxton. It was just fortunate that he had a mate who loved him enough to stick by his side, even when he