by Dannika Dark
Levi laughed heartily and patted Logan on the shoulder. “I’m so beginning to like this one already, Lo.” He shuffled out of his lightweight jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders. “She’s got bite.”
When the cleaners arrived, three men in dark coats stepped out. They were all business as they spoke to Simon, coming to an arrangement. Logan hailed a cab, and we piled in the backseat and waited for him.
Logan brushed a finger over mine. “You two made it pretty far. Levi lives nearby. When I picked up your trail and scented the trackers, I called him.”
“Did you kill the Chitah?”
There was a brief pause. “No, I did not.”
He looked past me at Levi. “Did you recognize his scent?”
“No, it was unfamiliar. One of ours is working for a—” Levi cut himself off when the cabbie tilted his mirror. “What are you involved in, Lo?”
“I don’t need your judgment brother, only your loyalty. Not here. Let’s get this female home first.”
I turned my head, admiring Levi’s remarkable tattoo. “What does it mean?”
“It means truth.” The two brothers shared a private look and fell silent.
My head throbbed, my feet ached, and my energy was going into reverse.
“Can I help it if the ladies like me?”
An unfamiliar smell filled my nostrils. “Did I fall asleep?” I murmured.
It only seemed like a few seconds passed, except that I was snug against Levi’s warm chest. The puddle of drool on his shirt was the only evidence needed that I used him as a pillow.
“We’re nearly there,” Logan said in a low voice. “Go back to sleep. I know how you Mage tire easily after a fight.”
I wiped my chin and peered up front. Simon’s face was mashed up against the window, fogging it up with each breath he took. I fought to stay conscious, but the lull of tires against pavement knocked me out again.
***
My nose wrinkled at the sharp sting of frostbitten air. Shoes ate up the forest bed, crunching along its path, summoning my heavy lids to awaken.
I was in the arms of a shirtless god in snug leather pants. My face rubbed against his warm skin, and he purred softly into my hair, “You’re awake.”
“How long have we been walking?”
“After a mile, I lost track.”
“A mile, are you kidding me? Why aren’t you running super speed?”
“I’m enjoying this stroll far too much. We should be there in five.”
Embarrassment heated my cheeks. One quality I hated about being a Mage was how a surplus of energy weakened the body. I didn’t level it out after the adrenaline spike.
My voice was stone cold when I looked him in the eye. “Put me down, Mr. Cross.”
With a dark laugh, he set me on the ground.
Coming up behind us was a sight so priceless, it deserved an award. Simon’s ass was draped over Levi’s shoulder like a sash. Levi looked proud to wear him, too. His hands lovingly gripped those thighs, securing his hold. When Levi’s mouth widened like the Cheshire cat, I exploded with laughter.
“I wish Simon were awake to appreciate it as much as I do.” I wiped a tear away when Logan reached out and brushed his knuckles across my cheek. I knew it was because he liked seeing me laugh.
“Levi, I may tease a lot, but I want to thank you for helping us.”
“Trust me,” he said, “the pleasure’s all mine.” He gave Simon a light pat on the inside thigh, looking at me with a lazy grin.
I frowned, remembering the blood. “Set him down for a minute. I think he was hurt.”
“Two steps ahead of you honey. I’ve taken care of it.”
A provocative image flashed in my mind. Damn Logan for letting me sleep through that.
“My Ghuardian is going to chain me to my bedroom,” I groaned, staring up at the trees.
Logan’s expression was stark, and he lowered his head. “Justus is not a concern.”
“Tell me that after he forbids our date tomorrow.”
His brows pushed together. “He better not.”
“Why didn’t we go to Simon’s place?”
Logan pried apart a clump of hair, glued together by blood. “Nero might send more after you.”
“What if they’re waiting for us down there?”
Levi stopped to watch as he snuggled his head against Simon’s hip.
“We can track their scent better out here than in the city. We’re downwind.”
“Maybe he sent Vampires,” I suggested. Vampires carried no scent, and a Mage couldn’t pick up their energy. “I don’t want to put Justus in danger.”
“He’s your Ghuardian. If he thinks he can hide from a Chitah in that bunker, then he’s a fool. Remember how easily I found you?”
Simon moaned when Levi shifted his weight. “Can we have this little lovers spat another time? You’re waking up my passenger.”
“Learner, I want an explanation for this!”
I spun around to see an angry bull named Justus charging from the trees.
Simon unconscious in the arms of a Chitah didn’t pique his interest as much as our attire. We looked like a biker gang taking a midnight stroll through the forest to hide a body.
Justus got right in my face and tightened his expression.
Logan inched forward and I threw up my hand. “This isn’t your business.”
“Explain,” Justus demanded, teeth clenched, heat wafting.
“Simon is okay, he’s just crashing. This is Levi. He was instrumental in helping us tonight, so I’m asking permission to let them inside. We uncovered something about Nero, and I need your help.”
Chapter 26
Date night.
Justus was a man of his word and did not revoke my privileges, even after learning the truth. I stopped Simon when he tried to lie for me. I could never forgive myself if I drove a wedge between two friends. I took full responsibility for my actions, and detailed my first trip to Hell.
That was right before the yelling match began. Justus shouted and Logan stepped between us. Levi was ready to fight anyone with a pulse. I had to commend Simon for smoothing things over. Justus liked to bark a lot, but he rarely held a grudge. Despite how it all went down, I brought valuable information to the table that no one saw coming. Going against the Mageri was one thing, but intent to start a war put Nero in an entirely different league.
I admired myself in the mirror, feeling like a regular girl going on an ordinary date. Sunny would have killed me for wearing black sneakers over pumps, but it was a little slice of sanity in a world of chaos. I reminded Logan that the dress code was jeans, so it might be in his best interest to avoid any five-star restaurants.
Perfume didn’t matter with Logan, and neither did makeup. Strands of hair hung loose from my ponytail, and I put on the strawberry flavored lip balm with a nude tint. Logan would have to take me or leave me—just as I was.
We parked outside of a long building and I glanced at the sign and gushed, “I haven’t bowled in years! What made you think of this?”
He looked satisfied with my reaction. “You mentioned it once in passing. You’ll need to teach me how to play.”
I scratched my cheek and looked at him quizzically. “You’ve never bowled?”
“It’s a human thing.”
“It’s a fun thing,” I corrected.
Logan opened the door, helped me out of the car, and gave me the full treatment. When he knelt on the dirty floor to tie the laces on my bowling shoes, I didn’t recognize the man I first met.
Okay, so he went a little beyond my expectations. Compared to the other men I dated, he stood head and shoulders above the rest—literally.
There was something different about his demeanor. If Chitah women were really God’s gift, then I had a lot to measure up to in his mind. Perhaps that’s why he looked so weighted by his thoughts.
I learned one fact about Logan: he was an atrocious bowler. My score was bad, but his looked like
Morse Code. I thought he was trying to be a gentleman and let me win, but the restrained anger and ruddy cheeks when he threw a gutter ball told me otherwise.
It was hard to poke fun at the man, for I was far too preoccupied watching his magnificent body throw that ball… and so were a few other women. He had no form, but the way his hips swiveled each time he gave it his all was pure magic.
A half-eaten pizza stared at us from the center of the table. We didn’t talk about Breed, Nero, or anything supernatural. We spoke about things we enjoyed, things that didn’t really matter.
Logan was my date night hero.
One of those slow, sappy love songs hit the speakers and the main lights went out, replaced by a spray of colorful ribbons circling the floor. I fiddled with a pepperoni, feeling nostalgic. He stared intimately at me, and the music became a soundtrack to our date.
“Did you have a job when you were human?” he asked.
I nibbled at the pepperoni and put it back on the plate. “It wasn’t the most exciting job, but I worked as an administrative assistant. They had me doing everything from copying files to running reports.”
“No male to take care of you?”
I frowned. His uses of words like male and female were one thing, but if he was going to imply a woman should be taken care of, I was going to have a problem with that. “Does a woman working offend you?”
He tilted his head. “I think it’s impressive. Most female Chitah prefer not to work. The ones that do are… well…” He pushed his plate away. “Tell me why your eyes silver in the center.”
“You noticed?”
He spoke through clasped hands, with his elbows on the table. “I notice everything about you. There isn’t a single hair on your head I haven’t put to memory.”
“Black hair,” I reminded him, because he never dated brunettes.
A single brow arched. He lowered his hands, wet his lips, and spoke very slowly. “Raven hair I want spread all over my satin sheets beneath me.”
I turned my head and watched a man throw a strike. Logan knew how to push all kinds of buttons that I didn’t know I had.
“You can answer my question or I can color your cheeks. You decide.”
“They do that sometimes when I’m charged up,” I shrugged.
His reply was dark, and sinful. “Good to know.”
“So, you don’t have questions about the previous men I’ve been with? You haven’t brought it up.”
“Should I? Unless you want me to hunt them down, I have no interest in knowing about any male who took you to bed.” His lip twitched and I dropped the subject.
I liked that he wore his hair down. It didn’t seem to bother him that part of his face was covered, and it made me want to get a better look at him. But my mind was elsewhere. “Will you promise me something?”
“What can I promise?”
Behind us, a cheer erupted from a group of girls after their ball crashed into the pins.
“That someday you’ll look for your sister and talk to her.”
He lowered his eyes to the table.
“You owe it to yourself to find her. She could be a remarkable woman and you’ll never know. You don’t have to explain who you are, but someday she’ll be forty, then eighty, and time will have slipped away from you. It might be the biggest regret in your life. I grew up alone, and dreamed of having a sibling. Don’t cheat her out of an older brother.”
Logan pushed his chair back, and the metal legs shrieked against the floor. He walked around the table and stood over me. Long hair obscured his face, and shadows outlined the cords of muscle in his arms. Unable to see his expression, I became unnerved. It was a sensitive subject, and I should never have brought it up.
I looked down and Logan offered me his hand. Afraid that the date was over, I touched his palm and he pulled me into his arms, holding my hand over his heart.
We swayed.
“Wait, I don’t dance like this. Everyone’s looking at us.” I could feel the eyes crawling over us like a spider.
“Let them look,” he said under his breath.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“It… pleases me that you think of my family,” Logan stuttered. I could feel his heart beating against my fingertips.
He held the back of my neck firmly, pulling me close. A few giggles from the teens in the next lane caught my attention as I stumbled over my feet. Logan towered over me, and I felt like an ugly little weed trying to dance with an oak tree. I closed my eyes, imagining us as a human couple—not Mage or Chitah.
“You are a curious woman, Silver. You’ll fearlessly take on a Chitah, but a few humans watching you dance has you rattled. Tell me something else you have never experienced. I want to give you one more thing.”
“I don’t know.” I was being difficult.
He slipped an arm around my lower back and dipped me. I squeaked, peering over my shoulder at the wood floor.
“Ah, you’ve never been dipped, have you? Score one for me.” He whirled me back up, and I caught my breath with a startled laugh.
“You are mischief. Anyone ever tell you that? Who ever knew the big bad wolf was just a big ol’ pussycat.”
Logan pushed me at arms length and laughed unexpectedly. I never saw him so expressive and humored. There was such an agreeable tone in his voice that a few women turned and smiled at him. Why shouldn’t they? When he wasn’t so serious, his striking features softened and made him appear attractive—in a unique way.
He tired of his sudden outburst and kissed my hand, leading me back to the table. “Have you ever played miniature golf?”
I sipped the grape soda and smiled. “I am the goddess of the volcano.”
“Have you ever been on a roller coaster?”
“Unfortunately.”
“Have you ever eaten caviar?”
“Uh…”
“Settled.”
“I’m not sure I want to eat fish eggs; just because I haven’t done it doesn’t mean I—”
“Won’t try it. That is what you were going to say, wasn’t it?”
He was impossible. “You win, but you’ll have to plug my nose and shovel it in.”
Logan lifted my hand to his cheek. It was smooth and freshly shaved, and I imagined it smelled nice. He never wore aftershave or cologne. He didn’t need to. A throaty purr rolled over his tongue. “Nothing would please me more than feeding you.”
“Your turn.” I nodded at the lane, pulling my hand away. “I’ll be right back; I need to stretch my legs.”
“Silver?”
“Yes?”
Logan cupped my face in his hand and brought everything to a standstill. His thumb traced over my cheekbone and, for the first time, I found myself really looking at him. Deeper than just his irises, deeper than just the way he gazed back at me. Something flickered in there—tender and secretive.
The magic was broken when he let go, looking uncertain about his own behavior. “Hurry back.”
“Try not to miss me, Mr. Cross.”
I floated like a cloud through the musty smell of sweaty socks, the drunks at the bar, and screaming kids at the arcade. I never felt so disconnected from my old life; I didn’t belong in this world anymore.
Can’t say it was the most romantic place, but Logan scored points for making me feel human again—even if just for a moment. I would have skipped to the bathroom if it weren’t for the fact that I would look like a bleeding idiot, as Simon would put it.
I made it to the far end of the building by the exit where the bathrooms were tucked away. Two young girls flew out of the open doorway, one splashing the other with water as they ran down the carpeted hall. The bathroom could have used a little cleaning with a mop… or a flamethrower. After I washed my hands and smoothed out my hair, I dug through my purse, searching for a few extra coins when a hand slapped over my mouth.
A sharp needle stung against my neck. The sounds of pins exploding, music, and laughing faded away. I never
had a chance to react; an icy wave rushed through my chest, and I blacked out.
***
I lurched forward to vomit, but nothing came up. Rubbing the dust away from my itchy nose, I squinted at the dim light from an outer hall. A bulb flickered as if on the verge of burning out. It reminded me of a horse stall, or Alcatraz.
Scattered patches of straw covered a dirty floor. The walls were made of knotted wood, and corroded bars separated my room from the hall. It was dilapidated, and yet partially remodeled. A small insect scurried through a crevice in the wall behind a wooden bucket.
I put weight on my hand to straighten my legs when a metal sound caught my attention—a shackle, locked around my ankle. The chain snaked across the floor to a heavy bolt plugged into a concrete slab on the wall.
“What the hell?” I murmured. The last thing I could remember was staring at the yellow tiles on the bathroom wall.
My temples throbbed as I stood up in my white bowling socks. I could reach all the corners of the room except by the bars; the chain kept me about two feet from it.
“Hello?” I called out.
No answer.
I dropped to my knees and tried to enter the Grey Veil. Nothing happened. Stunned, I stood up and tried to flash, but all I did was stumble and fall. There was no sense of time.
Was I human again? No, my core light was bound into a small coil, but it was still there.
The chain scraped across the floor. Could the metal be suppressing my abilities? Stunners were tempered with magic that paralyzed a Mage when driven into their flesh, but merely touching them wouldn’t have any effect. I knew because I handled Justus’s knives on many occasions. This power was like nothing I’d read about, and it scared the hell out of me.
A door opened in the hall, and I curled up on my side.
“You don’t need to pretend. I know you’re awake.”
It was a man’s voice. He squatted on the other side of the door, gripping the bars. Not really a man, but a boy who didn’t look a day over twenty-one. His eyes were light—maybe hazel—and shaggy brown hair covered his ears. His physical appearance was boyish, from the slope of his shoulders to his casual posture.
