Shine (Mageri Series: Book 5)

by Dannika Dark

  She flashed a smile and that’s when I saw the resemblance to Logan. “Musician. I sing and play guitar, but I also write my own music. You should come check me out sometime. I’m a regular at a couple of bars around here, and sometimes I perform at the coffee shops on Sunday… when they let me.”

  “I would very much enjoy hearing you sing.”

  “How did Adam help you?” I asked, curious to hear the whole story.

  She grimaced a little and pried the tab off her can, flipping it between her fingers. “Well, you see my face. Some guys jumped me and Adam happened to be close by. If it weren’t for him showing up at the right time, I can only imagine where I’d be now. There were three of them. I tried to scream but the big guy knocked me out cold.”

  Logan began rubbing his eyes with his fingertips as he joined me in imagining how that scene had almost played out.

  “You shouldn’t be so hard on Adam,” she said protectively. “He’s a decent guy.”

  “I agree.” I watched Logan lean back in his chair, but he didn’t acknowledge our compliments. Apparently, big brother syndrome had kicked in and he didn’t like the idea of his baby sister shacking up in a motel with a man.

  “Do you have somewhere we can take you?” he asked.

  “Nah. I live in my van.”

  Logan vaulted to his feet. “Unacceptable,” he said tersely.

  “I’m sorry you feel that way, but it’s my life.”

  “And you are my sister. No sister of mine lives in a van.”

  “Which is kind of why I’m staying here for a little while.” She raised her palm, motioning toward the room.

  That didn’t go over well either. “You will not sleep in this room with that Mage.”

  “That Mage saved my life,” she reminded him.

  Despite the disagreement, I felt her patience with Logan.

  “And I am in his debt,” Logan confessed.

  “What if you moved in with Levi?” I suggested. “He’s one of your older brothers. You’d really like him and Levi’s the kind of guy who will stay out of your business. It’ll give you a chance to put some money away and get an apartment.”

  She flipped the tab around on the table, tucking her fist against her cheek. “Sounds great, but I’ve never met him. You’re hitting me with a lot of news all at once and I’m still not sure how I feel about it. Part of me wants to be angry that you gave me up, but what’s done is done. It’s made me the person I am today. I couldn’t move in with someone I don’t know.”

  I shifted on the bed. “Sadie, you moved in with Adam.”

  “Yes, but I trust the kind of man he is because of how we met. That’s all I need to know.”

  “Please consider it,” I urged. “It’s too cold to be sleeping in your van and you could get hypothermia. Just until summer and then you can make up your mind.”

  Logan took a seat and held a fist in front of his mouth.

  “Maybe. I’d feel better meeting him first, so I’ll stick with Adam until then,” she said, swinging her eyes up to Logan. “Big brother or not, I still make my own choices. He’s helped me twice and I feel like I can trust him to look after me. Maybe it was fate he found me, but fate only meets you halfway and it’s your job to do the rest.”

  Logan’s eyes flicked up and he spoke with the utmost seriousness. “You believe in fate?”

  She took another sip of her soda and then pushed the can away. “I’ve had too many strange coincidences leading me from one thing to the next to believe it’s not all connected. Maybe I’m a free spirit and that’s how I see the world, but I think skepticism is negative energy. There’s enough of that in this life and then some. If Adam hadn’t been there at that precise moment, I would have been raped—maybe killed. He could have left me there and walked away. But out of everyone on this planet to show up, it turned out to be a man who would lead me to my brother. When I left the motel earlier, I didn’t intend to come back. Apparently, the universe wasn’t on board with that plan. Fate doesn’t always give us what we want, but it gives us what we need.”

  Sadie was undoubtedly a unique young woman. She lived a life free of rules and responsibility, an artistic soul who interpreted the world in a poetic way. It helped to nurture her music, no doubt, but it would be interesting to see how she got along with her new family. I just hoped she wouldn’t disappear after we left. Logan would track her down, but it would crush him.

  “I trust Adam,” I said. “He’s the kind of guy you can turn to when you’re in trouble, so you’re safe to stay here a couple of days. I’ll have a talk with him.”

  This girl needed to know she could trust the people around her, and I didn’t want her to get spooked before she got a chance to know her family. While overwhelmed, she must have felt some sense of elation. If I were in her shoes and found out I had a family after years of living alone, I’d want to know everything about them.

  Logan’s belief was that human children who were given up were sent to good homes. If he’d known she was being thrown around in foster care, he might have taken her away from that life.

  In fact, I’m certain of it.

  “I will agree to you staying with Adam temporarily,” Logan finally said. “But under the condition there is no physical contact between you two. If he is a man of honor, then he’ll keep his hands off my sister. I’ll arrange a meeting with the family.”

  “Just so it’s out there,” she began, “I’ve already kissed him. Sorry if that deflates anyone’s balloon. You’re right. Nothing will happen between us. I’ve already laid down the rules that I’m not going anywhere with him. I’m too young to start up a relationship—especially with a Mage. That seems like a dead-end street what with me being human. I have a career I want to focus on. I’ve seen girls go down the wrong road by latching onto a man before they figured out what they wanted for themselves in this world. Anyway, Adam isn’t the kind of man I’d have a one-night stand with, so you have a deal on the no-hanky-panky rule.”

  Logan’s jaw slackened. I privately smiled and he sliced me with a glare.

  “Maybe we can all have dinner at our place,” I offered.

  “They’ll all be there?” Sadie wrung her hands and nibbled on her lip. “I’m nervous. This is hitting me really fast.”

  Logan reached across the table for her hand and a quiet moment passed between them. I noticed how similar their hair color was, except Sadie’s was a little darker. Human children of Chitahs didn’t have the same telltale features in regards to eye color and height, but the resemblance was there.

  “It pleases me you kept your name,” Logan said, giving an imperceptible smile. “The midwife must have overheard—she’s the one who took you away.”

  Sadie frowned and pulled her hand free from his grasp. “How did my mother die? I thought you guys lived a long time.”

  Logan cleared his throat and eased back in the chair. “A pregnant Chitah doesn’t have the ability to heal during pregnancy. She’s vulnerable. In order to carry the child, the magic within her shuts off. Her body does not rejuvenate during those nine months, and she is susceptible to all the dangers of childbirth that a human is. It’s why males are fiercely protective of our women. They give life knowing they could lose their own in the process. The midwife said the labor was daunting and Susannah, our mother, suffered a hemorrhage. Her death altered our father.”

  “I can imagine. Maybe it’s best I never meet him.”

  His brows knitted. “Why would you say that?”

  She stroked her hair and gazed pensively out the window. “She’d be alive if it weren’t for me. He probably blames me for her death, and maybe it’s worse that she died for a human and not one of you.”

  Logan stood up and knelt beside her. I could see fire in his eyes, but not anger. “Our mother would have laid down her life for you, Sadie Cross. This I know. She took risks with each child, and she might have kept you had she lived, although it’s unheard of. Our mother had different opinions on certain matters. Sh
e would have been proud to know you are a musician. She had an enchanting voice and often sang to you during her pregnancy. Our father called her a canary, but I see that’s where you got some of your talent. Jiminy,” he breathed. “You remind me so much of her.”

  A content smile touched her lips. “Logan, Leo, Levi, and… Luca.”

  “Lucian,” he corrected. “He’s the youngest with the dark hair and personality.”

  “Ah,” she said with a smile. “Then he’s the one who needs the most love.”

  “And of course Finn.”

  “You didn’t mention a Finn,” she said.

  “He’s a Shifter we took in as one of our own. He’s family now.”

  “So I have five brothers.”

  It’s as if stereotypes meant nothing to her—something Logan had grown accustomed to in his world. After meeting me, he’d begun to see how irrelevant some of those old beliefs and laws were. Judging by his expression, her acceptance moved him deeply.

  “How long have you two been dating?” She pointed between us and I smirked at the word dating to describe our relationship.

  Logan sat beside me on the bed. He placed his hand on my knee and squeezed it a little. “This is my kindred spirit, Sadie. She is the one I was born to love.”

  I expected laughter—being that she was human—but received no such outburst. I also selfishly wanted her to leave the room so I could climb on top of my male and kiss his neck endlessly for the compliments I’d indirectly been receiving.

  “We’re not the obvious match, but he’s the best man I know,” I said with a gentle smile. “Logan’s the kind of man who will protect what he loves, but he’s also given me the freedom to figure out who I am and what I want in life without smothering me. You couldn’t have asked for a better family. He talked about you when we first met—several times. You’ve always been important to him. When I asked him about his family, he didn’t exclude you. He assumed you had been given a better life. It’s too dangerous for human children to grow up in our world.”

  “It’s kind of dangerous out there in ours,” she said absently.

  Adam walked in and looked between all of us.

  Before he could speak, Logan stood up and gripped his arm. “I need to speak with you outside, Mage.”

  That was the serious talk coming, and out they went.

  Once alone, I sat across from Sadie at the table and lowered my voice. “Please don’t abandon Logan. Maybe it won’t work out—and that’s fine—but don’t just walk out of his life. Give him the chance to get to know who you are. It would devastate him if he lost you again. After we leave, your head is probably going to hurt thinking about all this. I know what you’re going through, but if you can trust anyone, trust Logan. I’m not sure how his brothers will react to you, but if you ever need to talk, my door is open.”

  “Thanks, is it… Silver?”

  “Yes,” I said with a soft chuckle. “I’ve heard all the jokes. Seems like every time we go to a bar, someone has to make a wisecrack.”

  “Are you two getting hitched?”

  Sore subject. “Not legally. They don’t accept marriages between different Breeds. We can have the ceremony, but I’m not afforded all the rights by law as a mate. It may not seem like such a big deal now, but I don’t know enough about Chitah laws to understand what that could mean down the road.”

  “Will you be there at dinner?”

  I snorted. “I’ll probably be the one cooking it, so I hope you have an iron stomach.”

  Chapter 18

  We remained at the motel until Adam returned with groceries. Logan refused to leave until he knew Sadie would be taken care of and fed. Adam had even bought a small microwave and set it on the dresser.

  I kept an eye on my phone, hoping for an update from Justus on how things were going with Cedric. We stopped by a Mexican restaurant for tacos and Christian grabbed a booth in the back, keeping his distance. I thought about him tampering with Page’s head and remembered how he’d done the same to me many months ago. Now I knew why Simon wore sunglasses around Vampires. It wasn’t just having a Vampire steal information, but the threat of one erasing important memories.

  Justus finally sent confirmation that they’d captured Cedric and were heading to the motel to question him. Adam decided he didn’t want Cedric anywhere near Sadie, so he called the office and rented out a separate room for the interrogation. Justus wasn’t sure when it would all be over, but he said he’d be back the following morning at the very latest.

  Logan parked his car outside our rural home. The sun had just set after a long, unbelievable day. I opened the garage and we dragged ourselves inside.

  “There’s a lot of room in here to rollerblade if you want to have some fun,” I said dryly.

  Logan tugged at the back of my hair and spoke in a scolding voice. “I do not enjoy walking on wheels.”

  I let out a snort as we rode down in the elevator. “I don’t think I’d call what you were doing… walking. But the Wright brothers would have commended you for your attempts at flight.”

  Once downstairs, I locked the door behind us and removed my coat. “Finn?”

  Toenails clicked against the wood floor and a large red wolf paced toward me. The hairs on his face were tinged with grey, and his ears were larger than the average wolf. He didn’t seem like his usual self, but these surroundings weren’t familiar to him yet.

  “Hey, Finn,” I greeted, stroking the soft tuft of fur behind his ear.

  Logan bent down and offered him the palm of his hand, which Finn’s wolf sniffed. “He’s going to need some time to adjust.”

  “How long does he stay like this?”

  “Usually by breakfast he switches back.”

  I went into the control room saw Christian moving on the security monitor, but he quickly disappeared behind a tree. Sometimes I wondered if he really liked his job; he’d once mentioned an interest in doing something different. Christian had deterred attacks against me on more occasions than could be counted. He never bragged about it either. In fact, Novis was the one who had told me about a number of encounters. But Christian took his failures seriously, and perhaps I should have taken his successes more to heart.

  While Logan prepared leftovers for Finn, I journeyed downstairs. Max was lounging comfortably on Justus’s pillow, sprinkling his little black hairs all over the bed.

  After washing my hair, I slipped into a pair of loose shorts and a soft black T-shirt. It was the one Justus couldn’t stand that said Fucking Classy.

  Logan loved seeing me in that shirt and it always roused a smile on his face.

  “Anything good on?” I asked, staring up at the sea of monitors in the dark living room. Logan stretched out on the sofa, lying on his back. He tucked his right arm behind his head, dragging his eyes up the length of my body.

  “There was nothing good on until you walked in the room.”

  I strolled up to the sofa and blocked his view. “We don’t get many channels and I have to rent movies. Justus doesn’t allow downloads to his computer because he’s afraid of hackers and viruses. He barely lets me use the Internet unless I’m talking to Sunny; I guess he’s afraid I’m going to jack up his computer by downloading a Trojan.”

  “Come lay with me, female.”

  Logan stretched out his impressive body. He had on a pair of grey sweats and no shirt, his left leg bent at the knee. What a magnificent body he had. Svelte, conditioned—the perfect specimen of a man with hard muscle and smooth skin. I got tingles just looking at him and his eyes became hooded as he picked up my scent.

  “Female,” he said in a rough voice, “I want your body spread over mine.”

  “If you keep talking to me like that, Mr. Cross, I’m going to need another shower.”

  I saw a thickening in his sweats and his lips parted. Logan slipped his right hand between my thighs, slowly caressing in subtle strokes as he worked his way up. I sighed and shut my eyes as he ventured even higher, teasing the skin
just above the hem of my shorts.

  “Female, you are a test of my willpower.”

  “And how’s it holding out?” I asked in a breathy voice.

  His upper fangs slowly descended. “Not very well.”

  When a flash of warm colors and distinct patterns rippled across his skin, I could no longer deny him. I crawled over Logan with the sofa against my back and my left leg bent at the knee, resting over his legs. I plastered my body against his warm chest and nestled my face on his shoulder. Because of his height, our bodies didn’t line up, but that’s what I found so attractive about him. Logan seemed larger than life—like a god. I stroked my finger against the tip of his chin and every so often, he’d kiss or suck on it.

  I needed to feel his warm chest against mine. When Logan turned his attention back to the movie, I reached down and lifted my shirt, pressing my bare chest against his.

  His reaction was immediate. His fingers bit into my skin where he held my back and his muscles stiffened.

  But it wasn’t just his body that stiffened.

  Logan kissed me salaciously, pulling my body upward so he could reach me better. Nothing was more erotic than a buildup of sexual tension over a period of days that ended with a penetrating kiss. Not the kisses that were slow and simmering, but the immediate slide of his tongue against mine as it stroked deep. Feeling his desire for me became a rush.

  His hands roamed down the back of my shorts and gripped my ass, rocking my hips while he groaned. I wanted him to strip off my shorts, but instead, he worked his hands around to my hips, rubbing and giving me hope that he’d pull them down.

  But he didn’t, and it set me on fire.

  My body sank into his as if we were made to be together. Logan’s lower canines slid out as I continued kissing him. Chitah venom had no effect on me, and regardless, I would never hold back from giving myself to Logan. He was the one man I trusted completely with my heart and my life.

  When his chest began to vibrate from a deep, contented purr, it drew out a natural reaction in me to press my cheek against his. I had inherent Chitah instincts—just as I did human ones—and I didn’t try to fight them anymore. My ex-lovers had thought they were simply peculiar bedroom habits, but Logan didn’t object when I nuzzled or lightly bit his shoulder.