Jax had become exceptionally skilled at navigating crowded sleeping arrangements.
Years of sharing a bed with the Vixens had transformed it into a survival skill.
Carefully, he stepped over Bunny's leg.
Moved around Pixelle's wing.
Untangled Lexi's arm from around his waist.
Avoided Nyxian's tail.
Then he froze.
There was someone new in the bed.
Selene.
The vampire tavern owner was sleeping peacefully among the others.
And there was blood on her lips.
Jax's eyes narrowed.
His gaze immediately swept across the room.
Blood stained the sheets.
Blood stained a pillow.
Blood stained part of the blanket.
For one brief moment, every terrible possibility raced through his mind.
Had Selene bitten someone?
Had she attacked the girls?
Could vampires turn people?
Were the Vixens even safe?
He immediately started checking everyone.
Llandra.
Fine.
Bunny.
Fine.
Zee.
Fine.
Nyxian.
Sleeping peacefully with a ridiculous smile on her face.
Pixelle.
Fine.
Lexi.
Fine.
Emberlyn.
Fine.
Every single one of them looked healthy.
Happy.
Comfortable.
Completely unharmed.
Jax finally relaxed.
A little.
He carefully lifted Selene into his arms and carried her into the living area.
One crimson eye slowly opened.
She yawned.
"I don't think I can survive another night like that right now."
Jax blinked.
Selene stretched lazily.
"But for you, I'd be willing to try."
That was not helping answer any questions.
At all.
He set her down.
The living area looked like a battlefield.
Empty bottles.
Glasses.
Blankets.
A chair somehow upside down.
A single boot hanging from a cabinet handle.
Pretty normal by Vixen standards.
"Selene."
"Hmm?"
"What happened last night?"
She tilted her head.
"You'll need to be more specific."
"The blood."
That got her attention.
"Oh. The blood."
"Yes. The blood."
"The blood blood?"
"How many kinds of blood are there?"
She considered that seriously.
"Fair point."
Jax folded his arms.
"Did you bite any of the Vixens?"
"What?"
"Did you?"
"No."
She looked genuinely offended.
Then paused.
"Well... Nyxian."
Jax sighed.
"She wanted me to."
"That sounds like Nyxian."
"She bit me first."
"That also sounds like Nyxian."
Selene nodded.
"Good. Then we understand each other."
Jax rubbed his forehead.
"So where did all the blood come from?"
Selene pointed directly at him.
"You."
"...Me?"
"You gave permission."
"I did?"
"Repeatedly."
Jax frowned.
He remembered the party.
The singing.
The drinking.
The games.
Bits and pieces of the evening.
But large portions were missing.
Selene smiled.
"The Vixens encouraged it."
That somehow made things worse.
Jax immediately checked himself.
His neck.
His shoulders.
His arms.
Nothing.
Not a single mark.
The System had already healed everything.
"And I've got to say," Selene said thoughtfully, "that was easily the greatest blood I've ever tasted."
Jax stared.
She looked completely serious.
"I've never experienced anything remotely close."
Jax decided he absolutely did not want details.
Ever.
"Next time," he said carefully, "let's try to be a little cleaner."
Selene's eyes lit up.
"Next time?"
Jax instantly regretted his wording.
He changed the subject.
"I'm making breakfast."
Selene followed him.
"I'm helping."
"No you're not."
"I am."
"No."
"Yes."
"You don't even have clothes on."
Selene looked down.
Then back at him.
"I'm still not seeing the problem."
Jax sighed.
Today was going to be a long day.
Forty-five minutes later breakfast was nearly finished.
Nearly.
The smell alone started drawing the others from the sleeping area.
One by one the Vixens emerged.
Yawning.
Stretching.
Looking surprisingly functional considering how late they had stayed up.
Then Bunny froze.
Her eyes widened.
"What are you doing?"
Jax froze.
Selene froze.
Everyone froze.
For one terrible moment Jax was caught in a very intimate act. on the kitchen counter.
Then Bunny pointed.
"The eggs!"
Jax turned.
The eggs were burning.
Not slightly overcooked.
Actually burning.
Smoke curled upward from the pan.
The smell hit everyone at once.
Behind him, laughter erupted.
Nyxian nearly fell over.
Pixelle started crying from laughing so hard.
Even Llandra had to turn away.
Selene looked entirely too pleased with herself.
Jax pointed accusingly.
"This is your fault."
"My fault?"
"You distracted me."
"You were cooking."
"You were helping."
"I was supervising."
"You were absolutely not supervising."
The argument continued until the ruined breakfast was abandoned.
Twenty minutes later Jax tried again.
This time successfully.
Fresh bread.
Eggs cooked into thick toast.
Powdered sugar.
Fruit.
Syrup.
The table went silent.
Then everyone started eating.
The previous disaster was instantly forgiven.
Bunny was already halfway through her second serving.
"Okay."
Jax looked up.
"Okay what?"
"You're forgiven."
"For what?"
"The eggs."
"They weren't my fault."
"They were absolutely your fault."
Jax looked around the table.
Nobody defended him.
Not one.
Traitors.
Every single one of them.
Even Selene.
Especially Selene.
The vampire was already reaching for more.
"This is incredible."
Zee smiled.
"Jax has a habit of making restaurants successful."
Selene looked curious.
"What do you mean?"
Lexi answered immediately.
"He builds businesses."
"He creates opportunities."
"He sees potential everywhere."
"He also works entirely too much."
"That too," Bunny agreed.
Selene studied Jax thoughtfully.
The more she learned about him, the more impressed she became.
Which was why she answered immediately when he pointed at her.
"I'd like you to join us."
"I accept."
Jax blinked.
"I haven't finished."
"I accept."
"You don't know what the offer is."
"I accept."
Everyone laughed.
Jax rubbed his forehead.
Then he began explaining.
Restaurants.
Distribution.
Expansion.
Hiring.
Training.
Quality control.
Growth.
The more he spoke, the brighter Selene's eyes became.
By the end she was practically vibrating with ideas.
"I'd like you to help me run the restaurant side of the business."
"I accept."
"I'll provide resources."
"I accept."
"You'll oversee staffing and operations."
"I accept."
Jax smirked.
"I'll pay you absolutely nothing and you'll work for free."
Selene didn't even hesitate.
"No you won't."
The room became quiet.
She pointed a fork at him.
"You'll pay me a percentage of the profits."
Jax smiled.
She continued.
"If I make the restaurants successful, I deserve a share."
"Fair."
"If they fail, I deserve less."
"Also fair."
"If they thrive, I deserve more."
"Very fair."
Selene leaned back proudly.
"See? That's why I'm qualified."
The Vixens laughed.
Jax couldn't help but agree.
She was exactly the type of person he needed.
Then Selene added one final condition.
"And occasionally I'll require blood as a bonus."
Jax nearly choked.
Nyxian shrugged.
"Makes sense."
"It absolutely does not make sense."
"Your blood is weird."
"What does that even mean?"
Selene pointed directly at him.
"You're the only human I've ever tasted. But it is special."
Jax immediately regretted asking.
Breakfast continued.
Plans were made.
Ideas were exchanged.
And as Jax watched everyone laughing around the table, he couldn't help but smile.
The Dark Continent was supposed to be dangerous.
Mysterious.
Threatening.
Instead he had somehow acquired a new business partner.
A new ally.
And a vampire who seemed determined to negotiate compensation packages involving blood.
All before lunch.
Today was going to be a very strange day.