Jarrett, AJ - Miles's Awakening [Warriors of the Light 1] (Siren Publishing Allure ManLove) (8 page)

The shouting rang out through the entryway of the house, and even though he’d just met Trevor, he recognized the voice quite well. Anger mixed with a tad bit of whine was the man’s signature calling card when it came to his voice.

“That’s Trevor,” Miles said as he pulled his pants up, racing toward the door.

Ben followed his mate, enjoying the bouncing of his firm ass as he hustled down the hallway in search of his cousin.

“That sure is a big word for you. Didn’t know you could speak beyond one-syllable words,” Quinn retorted back to Trevor as he followed closely behind the younger man.

Any other time, Ben would have found the arguing duo quite humorous, but with Malcolm on the loose and Sayer missing, this pair’s weird interactions were becoming more of a distraction and a nuisance.

Ben couldn’t wrap his brain around what was going on between the pair. Back at Miles’s apartment, he could see the fire smoldering in Quinn’s eyes for Trevor, but Trevor appeared to feel nothing toward Quinn. Mates recognized each other instantly, and that didn’t happen between the two. He must have been mistaken, but there was definitely something going on between them. Ben just couldn’t put his finger on what that was.

“Fuck you, you—you jerk,” Trevor shouted as he turned his back on Quinn.

“See, what did I tell you? One-syllable words,” Quinn teased.

Laughter wanted to bubble up out of Ben’s throat at the show going on between the two. There was a slight brush against his arm, and he turned to see his mate rushing down the stairs.

“Trevor, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to stay with Gavin tonight?” Miles asked as his cousin rushed into his arms.

“I was, until this asshole.” Trevor turned to Quinn and held up two fingers. “There was a two-syllable word for you, dumbass.” Quinn rolled his eyes as he walked into the front seating room.

“He just walked up to me as Gavin and I were about to get into his car, and said I was coming with him. When Gavin started to protest, King Kong over there punched him in the nose.”

“You punched a human in the nose?” Ben asked as he trailed behind Quinn to the bar in the corner of the room.

Quinn shrugged in response as he began to fill a glass with whiskey. “Yeah, but not too hard. I’m sure I didn’t even break it. I think.” Quinn downed his shot in one gulp. “If the princess over there wasn’t so damn argumentative, it wouldn’t have come to that, but no, he starts making a scene.”

“Quinn, why did you approach Trevor? I sent Cason to go and pick him up. Why did you get involved?” Ben asked, trying to pick up on his friend’s train of thought where the young Trevor was concerned.

“Well I–I–” Quinn poured another drink and slammed it down. “Fuck, I just did. What does it matter?” he shouted.

“Those two are going to drive me insane,” Cason said as he entered the room.

Ben crossed his arms over his chest. “Cason, why did Quinn take your assignment of picking up Trevor?” Ben asked but never took his eyes off Quinn.

“Well, Kong over here, as that young man out there likes to refer to Quinn”—Cason motioned with his chin toward the outer room where Trevor stood—“was keeping tabs on him. So naturally I hung back waiting to see where all this was going to lead. When the kid came out with his friend, they were laughing, and the other guy pulled your mate’s cousin in for a kiss.” Cason shrugged his shoulders. “Next thing I know, I’m pulling this dickhead off some poor human.”

Ben tilted his head back toward Quinn’s direction. The situation between Quinn and Trevor just took another turn in the weird category. “Well, Quinn? What do you have to say for yourself?”

“That guy had his hands all over Trevor, and by looks of it Trevor didn’t look all that into it.”

“Bullshit,” Cason said.

“Whatever,” Quinn shot back.

“For your information I was completely into it.” Trevor stormed into the room with Miles fast on his heel. “Gavin is a friend with benefits.”

Ben looked between the two and could see steam smoldering off both of the men. He stepped back and pulled Miles with him just in case Quinn and Trevor got physical. He would let Cason pull the pair apart, but Ben got the feeling there was a lot of sexual tension brewing between the arguing pair.

“What exactly does that mean?” Quinn asked through clenched teeth as he banged his glass down to the bar top, shattering the crystal tumbler.

Trevor took a step toward Quinn. “It means we fuck on occasion.”

“Oh shit. I’m out of here. Call if you need me, boss,” Cason said as he exited the front room.

“What is going on here?” Miles asked, and Ben wished he knew himself.

“Quinn, I need you to head to the office and check with Liam and Elias. See if they got any leads on Sayer.”

Quinn turned to look at Ben, and Ben raised an eyebrow at him, letting him know there was no room for debate on the issue. “Yes, sir.”

Once Quinn left the room, Trevor flopped down onto the couch and started to sob. “Why is this happening to us? I’m not saying this is your fault Miles, but god, I want our old lives back.”

Miles sat down next to his cousin and pulled him into a tight hug. “I know, Trev. I’m so sorry you’re involved in this, but I couldn’t stand it if anything ever happened to you.” Miles reached up and wiped away Trevor’s tears. “Remember, always together.”

Trevor took a deep breath and gave Miles a watery smile. “Never apart.”

Ben watched the two younger men and admired the love and respect each had for one another. That was a special bond that could never be broken. He wished he knew what the whole “always together, never apart” saying meant, but that was something he could ask Miles later.

“Trevor, I’m sorry if Quinn interfered with your plans for a…a…you know, but he did it for a good reason. Malcolm made contact with Miles, and one of my men went missing. So it’s best for now to have you two stay here where we can protect you around the clock.”

Trevor turned to Miles and started to pat down his body, looking for any signs of damage. “Oh my god, are you okay? I should have never left or let you leave the apartment.”

“Don’t blame yourself, Trev. You couldn’t have stopped me if you tried.” He ran a hand over his cousin’s hair. “Remember I am six months older than you, little man.”

“Yeah right, whatever.” Trevor giggled.

And just like that, things seemed to be settled, and all the tension had left the room. He didn’t want Miles upset or stressed out about things that could be avoided.

“Miles, you remember where our room is?” Miles’s brow furrowed in confusion, but he nodded. “Good. Place Trevor in the room across the hall from ours. I think that would be the best place for him.”

A smile lit up his mate’s face. “I think you’re right, Ben. Thank you.”

Ben bent down to kiss his mate’s lips. “No problem, babe. I’m going to head to the office and check in with the guys and see where we’re at on locating Sayer. Dinner will be in a half an hour. I think that will give you enough time to get Trevor settled.”

“Yes, it does.” Miles stood up and pulled Trevor up with him.

Ben watched Miles and Trevor walk out of the room, and he turned to go out the other exit. The walk to his office seemed longer than it usually did. The weight of everything started to weigh heavy on his shoulders. The whole mating thing with Miles, Malcolm engaging Miles, and then Sayer turning up missing was wearing his nerves thin.

Ben had the strange suspicion Sayer going missing had nothing to do with Malcolm or his men, and if he was right, he feared for his young warrior.

Sayer had come into their family only fifty years ago. He was a made vampire seeking sanctuary from his maker. If Sayer’s maker had taken him, their journey on locating the young vamp had just begun. Ben was many things and loyal was one of them. After he got things squared away with this Malcolm business, finding Sayer was his first priority.

“What do you got for me, boys?” Ben asked as he stepped into the large office he and his warriors called the war room. Their location may always change but the name never did.

“Well, by all accounts it would look like Malcolm did snag Sayer.” Ben went to rebuttal the claim when Liam held up his hand. “I said ‘looks like,’ not that it
is
what happened. I believe Sayer was taken to create a distraction, but I can’t say for sure who would be involved besides Malcolm.”

“I know who would want Sayer, but how he found him I have no idea,” Elias, the youngest of Ben’s crew, said.

“You can’t be serious? You think William would still be seeking out Sayer?” Liam asked.

William was a deranged vamp who thought Sayer was his mate. He had tricked Sayer into believing he was a nice man and in love with him, but it was all lies. Poor Sayer had barely made it out alive. William liked to use his hands to show Sayer how much he loved him.

“I hope for Sayer’s sake we’re wrong,” Ben said as he looked at his men sitting around the large round table. “For now though, Liam and Elias, I want the two of you to keep working every angle. If William does have him, we need to find him immediately.” Ben turned to look at Quinn. “I want to speak to you in the hallway now.”

Once they were out of earshot of the other guys, Ben pushed Quinn up against the wall. “What the fuck has gotten into you lately? At first I thought you and Trevor were mates, but he shows no interest in you, but you on the other hand can’t keep from getting near him. You act like a jealous lover. What gives, Quinn? I’m trying to protect my mate and find a missing warrior. I don’t need any extra shit getting in the way.”

Quinn’s cheeks flushed with heat, and he pushed at Ben’s arm holding him. “Nothing is going on. I just don’t want to see your mate’s cousin get hurt.”

“Bullshit and you know it,” Ben sneered in his friend’s face as he pushed his arm back into Quinn’s chest.

The mask fell away from Quinn’s face, and Ben could see a wide range of emotions playing across his features but none of them a telling sign as to what was wrong with his longtime friend. Quinn’s gaze fell to the floor, and he took several deep breaths.

“I’m sorry, Ben, but this is a private matter. I promise to not act in this manner again or put either your mate or Trevor at risk. I’ve just been on edge with this whole Malcolm thing.”

The things Quinn said were half-truths, but Ben would let it slide for now. As long as Quinn could still function as a warrior, that was all that really mattered. The problems occurring between Quinn and Trevor could be settled later.

“Just promise me you will stay focused. We can’t afford to have anyone else go missing, and I will not stand for Miles or Trevor to be harmed while under our protection. Do you understand me, Quinn?”

“Yes, sir.” Quinn gave a swift nod.

“Good.” Ben stepped away from his friend and granted him with a rare smile. “Now let’s go have dinner. I’m starving.”

Quinn chuckled as he followed in step with Ben. “I bet you worked up an appetite if the smell coming off of you is anything to go by.”

Ben didn’t acknowledge his friend’s comment. Paranormals had excellent senses, be it sight, taste, touch, hearing, or smell. He more than likely reeked of sex and Miles.

“Don’t worry, boss man, I’ll not say a word.”

Ben looked at Quinn, who made the childish gesture of locking up his mouth and throwing away the key. Either way, he was okay with that as long as Quinn kept his mouth shut. Ben didn’t want Miles being self-conscious around the other guys.

As they entered the dining room, he heard Miles’s and Trevor’s voices carrying down the hall. The giggling echoing off the walls made Ben smile. It had been years since the carefree noise of laughter filled his life, and the sound of Miles’s happiness was like the sun shining down on Ben’s soul.