Jaded [The Moonlight Breed 9] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) Gabrielle Evans (the read aloud family TXT) 📖

of cuddles on the couch and nights out to dinner. Gods, Zuriel had the most infectious laugh, and when he turned that heart-stopping smile in his direction, it was as if every bad memory faded away to nonexistence.

“I don’t like the sound of that.” Easing away from his side, Zuriel put more distance between them as he inched toward the other side of the sofa. “Did you change your mind already? I have to say, you lasted longer than I thought you would.”

Spiro could already see the fake smile and aloof façade slipping back into place, and he didn’t like it. Instead of chastising his mate, however, he simply took both of Zuriel’s hands and brought them to his lips. “You can’t get rid of me if you tried. This is important, though, so I need you to listen, okay?”

Appearing a bit more relaxed, Zuriel nodded once and offered him a half smile. “Sorry. Knee-jerk reaction.”

“It’s okay. You’ll trust me one day.” It wasn’t reasonable to expect years of suffering to disappear overnight, and he understood that Zuriel’s trust would need to be earned. Though he wasn’t looking forward to the discussion they were about to have, it was important that he not hide anything from his mate or lie to him, even if it was a lie by omission.

“Okay, what’s going on? You look like you just swallowed a tack.”

“It’s a bit complicated, but I’ll try to explain the best I can. You know that I’m a Lunician.” He paused at Zuriel’s frown and sighed. “A Moonlighter?”

“Oh, yes, okay, I knew you were a white shifter. Your lion is very impressive.”

“Thank you.” He wasn’t looking for compliments, though. “What you might not know, and I haven’t told anyone else, is that I’m not only a shifter. My mother is a lioness, but my father was an elf.” The man was no father to him, but his death did put a kink in Spiro’s plans.

Zuriel tilted his head to the side and pursed his lips briefly. “You’re right. I wouldn’t have guessed if you hadn’t told me.” His sarcasm wasn’t lost on Spiro. “I mean, the pointy ears kind of give you away, big guy.” He shrugged casually. “It’s not a big deal to me what you are or aren’t.”

He hadn’t thought it would be. Zuriel didn’t have a judgmental bone in his body. “Zuri, what do you know about elven traditions?”

Zuriel’s lips turned down at the corners, and he shook his head slowly. “Nothing really, but I don’t think I like where this is going.” He fumbled his fingers together nervously and wrinkled his nose. “Why are you asking me this stuff? What does it have to do with me?”

Upsetting his mate wasn’t part of the plan, so Spiro decided to give it to the guy straight. “My father wasn’t just anyone. He was the ruler of our people.”

“Like a king? So, you’re a freakin’ prince? Oh, wow. I’m mated to a flippin’ prince!” His enthusiasm was adorable, but Spiro couldn’t conjure the same level of happiness about the situation.

“When our king dies, it is tradition for the first born son to take his throne, much like in any other culture. However, the Yaaraerae, the Ancient Ones, took it a step further in their doctrines, incorporating it into part of our magic.”

“What does that mean?”

Unfortunately, it was nothing good. “It means that I have until the next full moon to complete the rite and ascend the throne.”

“I gather that’s not what you want.” Moving back to his side, Zuriel curled against him and began rubbing soothing circles over Spiro’s chest. “What is this rite?”

“It’s a ritual of sorts. If I don’t complete it before the next full moon, well, I’ll die.” He winched at the harshness of that statement, but there really was no way to ease into that kind of news. “Then the next born will have to complete the rite, and he will take his place as the head of our race.”

“You’ll die?” Zuriel yelped. “Why are you still here? Where does your family live? Spiro, it’s only four days until the full moon!” Both of his smaller hands pressed against Spiro’s chest and began pushing at him. “You have to go.”

“Calm down, lirimaer.” Cradling Zuriel’s face, he kissed his lips and rubbed their noses together. “I have no intention of dying. You were right. I never wanted to be king, but I want to die even less, especially now.” He pressed their mouths together again, teasing the seam of Zuriel’s lips with his tongue. “I want you to come with me.”

“Okay.” His acquiescence was a little too easy, though, and he sounded distracted.

Leaning away, Spiro bit down on the inside of his cheek to stop his laughter when Zuriel tried to follow him. His sweet lips were slightly parted, his eyes were closed, and his fingers looped tightly around both of Spiro’s wrists. Perhaps a kiss wasn’t the best idea when discussing important issues.

“Zuriel?”

“Yes?”

Spiro did chuckle that time. “Zuri, focus.”

Shaking himself out of his lusty haze, Zuriel smiled sheepishly and blushed clear to the tips of his ears. “Sorry. I’m really not that big of a slut.”

It was a more telling statement than Zuriel probably realized, but it was a truth Spiro had suspected all along. “I know you’re not, but I need you to listen.” He almost kissed his mate again but stopped at the last second and rolled his eyes at himself. There was no helping it, though. He always wanted to kiss those lush lips. “I have to go home.”

“I know.” His fingers tightened around Spiro’s wrists again, and he stared up at him with big, pleading blue eyes. “Will you come back?”

“Yes, lirimaer, I will come back. I don’t have to live in my family’s home to govern my people.”

“How long will you be gone?”

Spiro didn’t have a definitive timeline, and therein lay the problem. “I’m not sure. That’s why I want you to come with me.” He understood how much he