by Dannika Dark
“He knew she carried our young.” Logan’s lips peeled back in anger.
The room fell so silent that even my heart took pause. Logan not only lost a woman, but an unborn child.
“How long does a Chitah live?”
“I’m not as old as most, but let’s just say that I could have played poker with your great-great granddaddy. We have a natural ability to heal, just as you have your own healing magic. But we do age with time, just very slowly.”
“Do you only have one soul mate?”
“Yes, there is only one Chitah that is our perfect pairing.”
I touched the end of his pillow. “I want to apologize for what I said to you on the plane, about not finding a mate at the Gathering. If I knew about your past, I would have never said something so callous.”
“You’re spirited words did not offend me.”
“I mean it.”
He turned his head, but couldn’t lift his eyes. “I loved her, Silver. Deeply. I would have raised young and lived a good life, but that was not in the fates. She was not my kindred spirit, but it doesn’t erase the fact that I adored her.”
I learned more about Logan in a single conversation than the entire time we had spent together. He was so direct and willing to share his pain, whereas most people were closed off. He chose a woman who was not his soul mate, eager to start a family with her. I felt selfish for pining over my cat and a tire swing when this man gave up his family to the arms of death. The pieces locked into place, and I knew why he hated my kind.
“Would you have left your family if you had found your soul mate?”
“In the time I was with her I would have said no, never.”
“Said, but what would you have done? I’m not doubting you loved her. I guess I’m just curious if—”
“If what?”
“If that whole soul mate crap is true.”
Eloquently said, but the thought of predestined lovers was a bunch of bullshit.
“I once had my doubts.” He laced his fingers across his stomach and closed his eyes.
“Why should Chitah’s have the market cornered on soul mates? If such a thing existed, then we would all have them and the world would be a happier place.
Logan rolled to his side and propped his head in the palm of his hand. “You are a very pessimistic female. Humans have a larger pool of people to fish through and a shorter amount of time. Who’s to say that it’s exclusive to my kind? Look at your friend; she’s a perfect example of how such things are possible. Can they explain their attraction, their connection? No, but it’s undeniable.” He pinched his lip between his fingers, watching me. “Have you ever binded with another Mage?”
Two words with different meanings exist among Mage: bonding and binding. Bonding is something that couples do to make their relationship more permanent—like marriage—and includes markings of some kind. Binding involves the sharing of sexual energy and emotions by exchanging light through a current in our hands. It can be part of sex, or separate from it. Binding is an exclusive sharing of light like no other.
A warm blush touched my face. Simon and I twirled in the sheets after a night of drinking and shared a little light. Who hasn’t?
“You’re getting personal.”
“You have opened me like a book, and yet you’re unwilling to share your own story?”
“Simon wants me to talk to Marco again.”
Logan sensually ran his nose along the line of my neck. “Do you always do what Simon says? I never did care for that childish game.” He brushed away a loose strand of hair and changed his tone to an inquisitive one. “He was the one you binded with. Why would you give yourself to a man who doesn’t want you?”
“That’s a little insulting,” I said, inching away. “That man hits on me all the time.”
I refused to let anyone be a killjoy with the only man who spoiled me with compliments. Simon was a luscious flirt, and I loved him for it.
“There’s a difference between men who love to eat, and men who hunt for their food.”
Logan allowed me to look at him by turning his eyes away. His features were captivating. For the first time, I noticed faint smile lines carved in his cheek. The color of his hair was darker at the root where the sun didn’t lighten it, and his brow ridges left him with a serious expression. I shivered, pulling up the sheet.
“I would never have harmed you when I came to you that night,” he said. “I want you to know that. You, Silver, enthralled me with those emerald jewels.”
“You shouldn’t lie just to get in my pants; it’s not polite.”
“You aren’t wearing any pants.”
Before I could protest, he ripped the sheet down, exposing my stomach. My heart matched the beat of a hummingbird as Logan spread himself over my body. The moment his warm skin touched mine, I relaxed. He faced the opposite direction, and while I couldn’t see his eyes, I felt his breath on my stomach, and the soft tickle of eyelashes with every blink. I was beginning to put aside my human assumptions and understand him from a Breed perspective.
Besides, who was I to insult the man if he wanted to be a human blanket?
“What do you think of me?” he asked.
His soft hair splayed across my stomach, and I lightly touched the ends. I didn’t want him to know that I enjoyed his tenderness.
“I think you might be a better man than you allow yourself to be.”
“Maybe this is all that I am.”
Silence filled the space between us, and several minutes passed.
“Keep running,” he finally said.
Puzzled by his statement I tilted my head. “Running from what?”
Logan cleared his throat. “Never settle. Make the men in your life run for it; if they tire of the chase, then they’re not worth your affections.”
“What if someone keeps chasing?”
“Then you will tire and be caught,” he replied. “And that’s called settling.”
My body flushed from his warmth. He was everywhere.
“So what do you suggest I do?”
“Turn around and face them head on. Choose. The female always holds the power, so first make them run for it, then make them wait.”
“I make bad choices,” I mumbled.
“Give yourself credit,” he chuckled. “No one is perfect.”
“I’m lying in bed with a man who kidnapped me. You were saying?”
“Fate brought us together for a reason; there are no accidents. Everything that happens in our lives leads us to a greater destiny, even if we don’t always understand the purpose.”
“Maybe you’re deceiving me. I haven’t said anything up until now, but I don’t completely trust your intentions. I’m stupidly lying in bed with you and I can’t explain my actions, but part of me wants to give you the benefit of the doubt. The other part will destroy you if you hurt me, or anyone I love.”
“My word was enough for your Ghuardian. Why is it not enough for you?”
“Maybe you have to earn my trust.”
I sighed, scattering some of his hair around with my breath, and Logan shivered. Tiny flutters tickled my skin where he stretched his throat across my belly.
From out of nowhere, a rush surged through my body. It was raw power in the form of Logan’s scent. It was like slipping into a hot bath, skydiving, and a passionate kiss all at once.
“Don’t do that with me. You can’t mark something that isn’t yours.”
“You are very correct.”
A finger circled around my hip, and he whispered words I couldn’t hear.
***
The next morning, I woke up in a tangle of limbs. Lines marked Logan’s face from the wrinkled sheets, and his hair matted up on one side. He walked to the shower and I checked my phone messages, washing away my thirst with a bottle of water.
Logan was whistling in the bathroom, and I smiled. I often sang in the shower, and the two of us would make quite a duo.
A knock at the door ya
nked me from my thoughts, and I scraped my feet along the rough carpeting. Maid service was going to have to wait. When the door opened, the hallway was empty. I moved to close the door when it forced open, knocking me back.
Marco stood brazenly in the doorway.
“I do apologize. Did I catch you at a bad time?” He lowered his head and glared at me.
The shower knob turned with a squeak. A split second later, the door swung open and Logan charged out. Water beaded all over his body and pooled on the carpet. Wet hair clung to his face and neck, and a white towel was the only thing he wore.
Marco didn’t break eye contact with me.
“Mage, am I to presume that my visit is unexpected?” He clucked his tongue.
Logan twisted his head and looked down at my panties. I hardly cared.
He did.
In the blink of an eye, he ripped the towel away and tied it around my waist, shedding all modesty, as he stood naked.
Marco chuckled in amusement of the show he was being given.
“I’m Logan Cross. What’s your business, Mage?” He folded his arms and took an assertive stance in front of me.
Oh and boy, was it assertive. Droplets of water glistened over his backside as they made shiny trails down his thighs. He had a fine curve to his spine that dipped in at the waist. The knotted muscles in his back, arms, and broad shoulders made me appreciate his strength. Logan was as naked as his mama made him, and I couldn’t help but notice the subtle shift in his lower body as his legs slightly parted.
My eyes dropped to Logan’s bare ass. I bit the inside of my cheek, hiding the lust that slammed through me. When he turned his head to the side, his nostrils flared.
Damn him.
I needed to get my emotions in check before our guest inadvertently got more than an eyeful.
Marco eyeballed Logan. “You are not a Mage. I would guess human, except for that distinctly telltale scent.”
Logan slicked back a mop of wet hair so Marco could see his eyes. It made a smacking sound as water splattered across my face.
Marco stepped back, unable to meet Logan’s gaze.
“Mage, when you have dressed and bathed clean of that offensive odor, I will be waiting in the lobby.” He barely stepped out of the room when Logan closed the door and turned on his heel.
My eyes memorized the ceiling. Wasn’t it too early in the morning for full frontal?
“You’re not shy, are you?”
Retrieving his folded clothes from the dresser, he remarked, “Do you see anything I need to be shy about?”
I didn’t have an answer for that.
“Marco didn’t flare, did he?” Logan slipped into a pair of jeans with an angry yank of the fabric. The cotton shirt went over his head and soaked up the water, sticking to his skin.
Logan was right; Marco should have announced his presence. In fact, he flashed in the hallway in order to sneak up on me and get into the room. Logan combed his fingers through his wet hair several times until the water shook off the ends.
“That’s an open threat, Silver. He’s letting you know he could have killed you if he wanted, but that he chose not to. This is my language and a game I’m familiar with. He wants the upper hand. It may break his little heart, but you’re not going to give it to him. You’re going to put on that beautiful skirt, brush your teeth, pin your hair up, and join me in the lobby.”
Logan approached and spoke in a low voice against my temple. “And under no circumstance will you wash my scent off of you.”
I shivered when his finger swiped up a drop of water from my cheek.
Chapter 21
Logan’s pace was deliberately slow as he walked barefoot across the lobby. The Mage sat in a leather chair on an oversized carpet. Marco’s arrogance offended Logan, and he took an inconspicuous draw of breath—picking up his scent through the cloud of aftershave and garlic. He sank into the chair across from him, relaxing his elbows on the armrests, and stretching out his long legs. The mental game of intimidation began. When Marco flinched, Logan inclined his head.
“I once knew a Mage who liked unannounced visits,” Logan began, “…until, someone paid one to him.”
“I have no business with you, Chitah.”
“Business with Silver is business with me.”
Logan scrutinized Marco with his eyes. His first impression of the man was that he was an overdressed prick who should have lost his tongue for threatening Silver’s life. Logan would never harm a female, and he wasn’t pleased at the idea that his assignment was to collect one, but he didn’t know a damn thing about Marco’s intentions.
“You have an abundance of wealth, Mage, but all the expensive soap in the world will never wash innocent blood from your hands.”
Marco’s annoyance was an acrid flavor against the roof of Logan’s mouth. The easiest ones to bait were those with a conscience. He had a little time before Silver would arrive… time to play.
Marco admired his expensive watch, attempting to ignore him.
“It’s not everyday I meet a Mage who has turned his back on the Mageri.”
“I find that hard to believe when you are fucking one.” Marco laughed with an expressive smile as he buffed the face of his watch. “You are hardly in a position to place judgment. Since when does a Chitah work for a Mage?”
Logan felt the roar of fury rise within him. He tilted his head, allowing humor to seep across his expression.
“Dear oh dear, what must your progeny think of you?”
The remark irritated Marco, who understood Logan knew more about him than just his name. Logan was a master of provocation, something he had cultivated over years of practice. Preying on emotions became the undoing of many—all of it deserved.
“Why does a Chitah have his paws in Mage business?”
“I’m here to clean up your mess; you left things rather untidy, didn’t you? I’m fascinated that you seem so aloof about it. I bet the confessional booth burns to cinders when you leave each Sunday.”
Logan chuckled when the Mage slammed his fist on the table between them.
“I do not respond to threats. If that puttana of yours is not showing up, I will be leaving!”
Marco rose from his chair, but Logan immediately blocked him, staring down his nose. Despite their human surroundings, his lower incisors punched out.
“That what?”
***
I had little interest in why Logan and Marco looked prepared to fistfight in the middle of the hotel. Logan was a button pusher, and I was too unnerved by Marco’s unexpected appearance to care. My long, brown skirt swished in the air as I silently crossed the lobby. I stopped and stared at them poisonously.
“Marco, my friend doesn’t like you very much. State your business, and I suggest you do it quickly before he gets manimal on your ass.”
Through the corner of my eye, Logan clasped his hands behind his back and moved to the side.
I walked briskly to a vacant chair and sat down with my legs crossed, collecting my thoughts as the soft sound of classical music drifted from the speakers. The chandeliers were a nice touch, as was the fountain near the front desk that drowned out our conversation. Marco claimed the seat next to mine.
“Tell him I have located another potential.”
“What could you hope to gain from this pathetic little offering?”
“Something promised to me. Give him the information, as I have not been able to reach Samil.”
What could a man of money possibly want? “All this so you can have a position with Nero?”
Marco laughed and replied in a thick, Italian accent, “Tell me, Mage, why are you here? Surely it is not to amuse me.”
“Nero wants Zoë.”
Marco sank in his chair as he studied the ceiling. “The first time she came into my bar, I knew she was different. Her energy—it was strong for a human.”
Why didn’t he just pretend to like me instead of Sunny? Why go through her?
“Mayb
e you aren’t right for this job. It seems you’re getting too close and frightening them away.”
He pointed his index finger on the arm of his chair, “I do not get near them—ever. I would prefer not to know them.”
“Then why get involved? Why are you working for Nero? You have money, you claim to not want a position with him, so exactly what is it?”
“I want something in his possession.”
“Yes, isn’t that always the case?” To my astonishment, he continued.
“A woman. She was… the first. I want to sever ties with Nero, but he uses her against me. I regret my dealings with him, but he’s promised to release her if I give him enough potentials of her value.”
“How very noble of you—sacrifice innocent lives to claim a stolen girl as your prize.”
Marco scowled. “She is not a prize.”
He slicked his hair back and regained composure.
“Well, it’s been grand,” I said, standing up as he rose with me. “Our vacation ends today; I’ll be sure to relay the information.”
Marco came all this way to confront me, and as it turns out, only to offer himself to Nero once more.
“Did you ever consider that if he did give her up, she might not want you?”
I thought he would say something, but Marco stared vacantly at the sculpture on the table as we turned and walked away.
“That went well,” I muttered, tossing the room key on the dresser.
Logan opened the drapes and sat in a chair beside the window. The light caught his hair, giving it an ethereal quality. I carefully removed the pins from my own as I watched him through the mirror. Logan noticed every small gesture.
“Manimal?” The corner of his mouth curved up.
I hopped on the bed and fell on my back.
“I couldn’t think straight. Blame Simon and all those cheesy movies he makes me watch.” I scratched the soft part of my neck behind my ear. “He’s ruined all these lives—all for a girl.”
“A man in love would stop time if he could.”
