The Reasons Why

Summary: Jax rescues Lydia again, and she gets him to open up a little bit.

The next time Jax rescues her, Lydia manages to help. Not much, she’ll admit, but she wasn’t wrong when she’d told Adrian that a swift kick to the groin was effective in stopping someone temporarily. The Baron is ruthless in wanting to dispose of her, it seems; this time his henchmen surprise her out of nowhere late one night.

Lydia doesn’t know how Jax manages to be there right as they show up, but she’s grateful.

“Thank you,” she pants as they run, heading to his latest safehouse.

He doesn’t say anything until they’re safely inside, the door to the abandoned warehouse shut behind them. It’s cold, and dark, and Lydia wraps her arms around herself as they walk further into the building.

When they get to a spot with a dim overhead light, Jax stops.

“Are you hurt at all?” he asks.

There’s concern lacing his voice that makes her stomach flutter. Her upper arms are bruised from where The Baron’s henchmen had grabbed her, but otherwise she’s fine. Lydia shakes her head. “I’m fine. You?”

Jax glances down, wincing a little. “One of them got me. Not as bad as last time.”

She feels guilty that this is the second time he’s gotten hurt protecting her.

“Do you need to-“

“-feed? Not now. I can wait until the volunteers come later.”

Lydia feels a flash of disappointment at that. She’s gotten to know him better, little by little, and she likes him, which is a big part of it. The other part is just how good it had felt the first time he’d fed on her. She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t thought of it since then, just how intense and pleasurable it had been.

“Okay,” she says. “If you’re sure.”

Jax gives her a wry smile but doesn’t say anything else. He leads her further into the building, to a large room with a few windows.

“Damn,” he swears, glancing out of them.

“What’s wrong?” she asks, moving over to stand by him.

He gestures out the window. “The Baron. He has people everywhere.”

Lydia looks out, her heart sinking. They’re nearly obscured by the shadows, but sure enough, she can spot two figures not far from the building.

“Shit,” she groans. “This is my fault. I’m sorry. Will they come in?”

“It’s not your fault,” Jax says immediately. “And no. Not just the two of them, anyway, not with this many Clanless vampires in here.”

Jax pushes away from the window, and Lydia follows behind him.

“You might want to stay here until morning, though,” he says. “I’d take you home, but…”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Lydia reassured him. “You’ve gotten injured for me once already tonight. I can wait.”

There are a few new Clanless vampires she doesn’t recognize from the last safehouse. The attacks must be getting worse, she realizes. It’s a disheartening thought. A few of them look at her with interest as they walk by, and she hurries closer to Jax. He shoots them warning glances.

Eventually he leads her to a smaller room. It’s empty, with only two small windows near the ceiling. There’s a small cot in the corner that’s seen better days.

“The number of Clanless vampires has grown,” Jax says. “The new ones…”

He stops, shaking his head. “I think some of them will turn feral soon. You’re safer here.”

“Thanks,” she says, then, “Jax?”

“Yeah?”

“How did you get to me so fast tonight?”

Lydia sees his back stiffen, just a little, and then he shrugs. “I told you. The Council turns on everyone eventually. But you’re probably our only shot at getting help from them. So I’ve been…keeping an eye out.”

“And that’s the only reason you’ve been keeping an eye on me? So I can convince the Council to help you?”

Jax turns back around, studying her. There’s a hint of a smirk on his face. “No, that’s not the only reason.”

She’ll take that answer.

“Okay,” she says nonchalantly, but she’s trying not to smile and knows he sees it.

“I need to check on a few things,” Jax says. “You’re probably safer staying here-“

“-no,” she interrupts immediately.

Jax looks like he was expecting that answer. “If you insist. Come on.”

Lydia follows him to another room, where he speaks to Arnold in hushed tones. Jax checks in with a few other Clanless vampires she remembers from the last time. There’s one who is missing.

“Jax?” Lydia asks as they walk back into the smaller room. “Where’s Lula?”

Jax looks pained as they stand near the door. The building has steadily gotten colder, and Lydia shivers.

“Here,” Jax says, shrugging his jacket off and passing it over to her.

She takes it gratefully. It’s too big, and Jax laughs quietly at it hanging off of her frame, before that sober look returns to his face.

“Lula…had an incident with one of the volunteers. They’re okay,” he reassures her. “But she can’t be around humans.”

“Oh,” Lydia says softly.

She can see how much it’s affecting him. “I’m sorry, Jax.”

She reaches out, touching his fingers. When he doesn’t pull back, just looks at her with a little sadness and a little wonder on his face, she slips her hand into his and squeezes. He squeezes back. Lydia stares up at him, wondering what he’s thinking.

Jax opens his mouth, then seems to think better of whatever he was going to say and closes it again.

“You should get some sleep,” he says a beat later.

Lydia glances at the dilapidated cot in the corner, frowning.

“You couldn’t pay me to sleep on that thing,” she retorts, and slides down against the wall.

Sleeping upright against a concrete wall won’t be the best night’s rest she’ll have ever had, but at least she won’t get bed bugs or crash to the floor. Jax slowly eases down beside her.

“That wound is worse than you said,” Lydia says once he’s sitting.

“The volunteers will be here in a couple hours,” he says through gritted teeth.

“I…I don’t mind. You’re hurt. Let me help,” she suggests, stubborn insistence in her voice.

It’s quiet for a long moment before Jax says, “You’re very persistent.”

Lydia laughs. “I’ve heard that a time or two.”

Jax sighs, then tilts her chin. His touch is just as gentle as the first time, his fingers pushing her hair behind her shoulder, his thumb tracing down her neck. It sends goosebumps across her skin.

“So is the only reason you’re doing this again because I’m injured?” Jax asks.

Lydia flushes a little, then sees him smirk when she glances at him out of the corner of her eye.

“No. Not the only reason,” she admits.

His thumb stills on her skin. For a minute, she thinks he’s going to change his mind. But he just tilts her head a little more, his eyes burning red and his fangs descending before he quickly leans in and sinks them into her. Lydia gasps at the initial sting, her fingers briefly clenching into fists. It hurts, like she knew it would, but it’s only at the front of her mind for a second before she’s nearly consumed by just how good this feels, the heat flowing through her, the feel of Jax’s fangs just beneath her skin.

She groans softly, her eyes closing.

“Jax,” she murmurs.

It feels even better this time, more intense, more sensual. One of his hands hovers over her waist, a barely there touch, then slowly, gradually, his fingers wrap around her. His other hand is wrapped in her hair, his thumb brushing her neck. Lydia fists her hand in his t-shirt, needing something to hold on to.

“Mmm,” she whimpers, the pleasure ramping up.

She can feel her breathing grow ragged, and squirms a little. It’s unbelievable, she thinks a little dazedly, how incredible this feels, how incredible Jax feels. He gently pulls back when he’s done, pricking one of his fingers and pressing it to the wounds.

She sucks in a few shallow breaths while he watches her.

“Thank you,” he says.

His voice is low, quiet. His hand is still around her waist, Lydia realizes. She leans closer to him.

“You’re welcome,” she murmurs drowsily, then asks, “Can you…change how that feels? The feeding, I mean.”

“Yes,” he answers carefully. “To a point. We can make it more painful. Or more pleasurable. Why?”

“That was…even more intense than last time,” she explains.

Jax makes a noncommittal noise. “You volunteered. Again. We try to make it…bearable for the volunteers.”

Lydia leans in even closer, biting her lip when Jax’s hand tightens around her waist. She releases her grip on his shirt and glides her hand up and around his neck. The ends of his hair tickle her fingers.

“And that’s the only reason you made it feel even better this time? Because I volunteered again?” she asks.

The way he looks at her before he answers…oh, the way he looks at her. It’s heat and desire and something else she’s hesitant to put a name to. Not yet.

“No,” Jax finally answers.

His eyes darken when he shifts closer and says, “That’s not the only reason.”