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

“I’ve quarantined the island.” When he turned back to Zuriel, Spiro’s gaze held a hint of apology. “I’m afraid we can’t leave until I know for sure this is an isolated incident.”

The answer only fueled his interest in knowing exactly what had happened to the prince. This wasn’t about him, though, and he was pretty sure he’d eventually hear the details through the grapevine anyway.

He wasn’t the best at being supportive. Oh, he tried to be a good friend, brother, and mate. There were lots of times when he wanted to listen to the worries of those he cared about and find some way to help. Unfortunately, his brain just didn’t function that way. It wasn’t that he didn’t care. He just tended to get distracted somewhere in the middle of the conversation.

As always, things were different with Spiro. He was different—better somehow. “What can I do?” There was a storm of emotions brewing in his lover’s eyes, and an overwhelming need to erase the haunted expression filled Zuriel until he practically vibrated with it. “Tell me what I can do.”

“Apparently, family tragedy has stifled the mating heat for now.” A tiny smile tilted one corner of Spiro’s mouth, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Is it really important to you?”

“Yes.” He couldn’t explain why, but he needed to be useful, even if it was simply offering comfort to his mate.

“Okay.” Spiro nodded firmly. “I need you to find the others and take them next door to Mihail’s room. If they know what’s going on, they’re probably scared right now.”

Zuriel could agree with that. He’d been pretty terrified himself. “I can do that. What then?”

“I need you to explain about the quarantine, and that we’re doing everything we can to find out what caused Thalian’s death.” Spiro stepped back and brought one of Zuriel’s hands to his mouth to brush a kiss over the knuckles. “I’m going to the infirmary to speak with the doctor. While I’m gone, I want you to stay in Mihail’s room and make sure no one leaves, not even Jacobi.”

A breathy chuckle escaped him at the last part of that order. If anyone would try to make a prison break, it would definitely be Jacobi. “Anything else?”

“That’s it. Just try to keep everyone calm until I have something more concrete to tell them.”

Pushing up on his toes, Zuriel kissed Spiro’s lips and bobbed his head in understanding. “I’ll see you later then. You know where I am if you need me.”

“I always need you.”

“Yep, melting goo,” Zuriel mumbled under his breath. He was already to the door and turning the handle when it finally dawned on him what Spiro had just done. The man had given him exactly what he wanted—time with his friends—and had turned it into a responsibility so that he wouldn’t feel bad about it.

“Problem?” Spiro asked.

Zuriel shook his head and snorted as he exited the room. “Well played, Dr. Araceli. Well played indeed.”

A dozen steps down the hall took him right to Mihail’s door, and he gave the dark wood a perfunctory knock before turning the handle and stepping into the room. “Mihail?”

“Come in,” Mihail called back from the corner of the common space. “We’re all here.”

It wasn’t surprising to find all of his friends pacing the room and conversing in low tones. Had he not been trapped in his own suite, Zuriel would have been right there with them the minute Spiro had left.

As soon as the door was closed, everyone converged on him, firing off questions faster than he could answer them.

“What happened?”

“What’s going on?”

“Is Prince Thalian really dead?”

“Hold on, guys.” Zuriel threw his hands up and stumbled backward to avoid being trampled. “Can I at least get inside before you jump me like a Las Vegas hooker?”

“Sorry,” Jacobi said with a flippant twist of his wrist. “Now spill. What do you know? No one will tell us anything.” He’d reverted to his short, spikey locks in his signature neon pink color, and he tugged at the ends of his hair as he spoke.

“That’s because no one knows. Spiro is in the infirmary talking to the doctor, and the island has been quarantined.”

“Quarantined?” Nikola gasped, lifting a hand to his mouth. “It’s a disease? Oh, crap, are we going to die?” His eyes rounded, and he backed away from Zuriel as though he was some kind of venomous beast.

“No one else is sick. It’s just a precaution.” Zuriel’s temples throbbed, and his shoulders tensed. Obviously, he wasn’t suited to this leadership role, because he’d just started, and he was already tired of explaining things. “Guys, seriously, just calm down.” Hell, he was scared, too, but falling apart wasn’t going to change anything.

“How is Spiro?” Aspen was the only one in the room who hadn’t rushed him upon his arrival. The demon was curled up in the corner of the sofa with a subtle, almost dazed smile on his lips. When he asked about Zuriel’s mate, however, there was sincerity in his voice, and concern in his eyes.

Zuriel envied the guy’s calmness. It seemed that nothing ever affected Aspen. Hell, the whole world could fall down around him, and he’d likely still be skipping through the fucking daisies. However, his genuine concern for others above himself was admirable.

“He’s worried.” It wasn’t obvious, but he was getting better at reading his lover’s moods. “I think Thalian died just like Spiro’s dad.”

“I’m no expert, but I have a hard time believing this is some kind of plague.” Mihail was definitely the most logical of the group, and when he spoke, most people were inclined to listen. Zuriel was certainly interested in what he had to say.

He hadn’t personally seen the body, but he’d caught a glimpse from Rissian’s thoughts, and he highly doubted a person could have done that. “Why do you say that?”

“Even if the king and the prince died of the same cause, they weren’t sick at the same time. Plus, no one else is sick. I saw Thalian just