Master of Fire

by Angela Knight

  Giada had to admit, the beach was beautiful at night. Long white curls of breakers glowed in the moonlight as they flung themselves onto the milky sand. The wind from the sea carried the smell of salt and distant voices singing, high and haunting.

  “Merkind,” Logan said, his voice quiet, almost reverent. Bracing his hands on his hips, he stared out over the horizon, his expression dreamy. “They love to rest on the rocks at night and sing praises to the moon.”

  Giada slanted a glance at him through her lashes. Well, he does know how to stage a seduction.

  Logan glanced at her just as the thought crossed her mind. Evidently he read it on her face, because his broad shoulders hunched.

  He tucked both big hands in the back pockets of his jeans. “You scared the hell out of me when you screamed. I thought the bad guys had gated into your house or something.”

  “How the hell would they get through Avalon’s shields?” The city’s wards were constructed to allow no one but Magekind through unannounced.

  Logan shrugged. “Happened before. Geirolf’s worshippers gated in once, and the Dark Ones . . .”

  “Which is why Merlin strengthened the wards during his last visit.”

  “I didn’t say it made sense. Sometimes fear doesn’t.”

  They stood side by side in silence for a long moment, listening to the Merkind sing. “Guess it’s no wonder you’re twitchy,” Giada said at last, “what with that rogue after you.”

  He turned to frown at her. “Giada, I was afraid for you.”

  “I can take care of myself.”

  “I’ve been a real dick, haven’t I?”

  Startled, Giada turned to look at him. She considered giving him a proper Southern belle’s denial, then decided on honesty instead. “Yeah, pretty much.”

  Logan winced. “Yeah. When I found out you were Maja, I stopped treating you the way you deserve.”

  “I lied to you.” Just shut up, she thought at him. Stay a jerk. Don’t drag me back into love again. I don’t think I can take it.

  “You just did what you were supposed to do. I don’t blame you for that,” Logan told her, moonlight glinting in his dark, serious gaze.

  That’s big of you. She managed not to say it out loud. I’m supposed to make love to him, not slice him into verbal sushi.

  “Thing is, I’ve got a really lousy history with Mageverse women, both Latents and Majae.” Correctly interpreting her gaze, Logan added, “I’m not making excuses, just explaining.”

  “I heard. Clea and Morgana.”

  “That’s just the latest chapter. I lost my virginity at the age of fourteen to a sixteen-year-old Latent. God, she was gorgeous.” Gazing out to sea, he smiled in remembrance, though the curve of his mouth looked a little bitter. “I thought she was in love with me. Wrong. She just wanted to bang Arthur Pendragon’s son. Figured I could use my pull to make sure she got Merlin’s Gift.”

  “I hope Arthur didn’t fall for it.”

  “Hell, no. When I told him I was in love, he chewed me out and gave me a lecture on being a sucker.”

  “Maybe not the best message to give your teenage son.”

  “Not an ordinary teenager, no. But the fact is, he was right. Latent girls made plays for me on a regular basis after that.”

  “And you had to beat ’em off with a stick. Poor you.” She winced mentally the minute the words were out of her mouth.

  He gave her a long look. “Yeah, okay, I had that coming.”

  “Sorry. That was bitchiness above and beyond the call of duty.”

  Logan smiled faintly. “Anyway, when I turned nineteen, Morgana decided it was time I got the Gift. Suddenly every gorgeous single Maja in Avalon found me irresistible. I finally stopped coming to the city at all. A guy can only take so much. Then Clea showed up last year, trying to pass herself off as mortal. And I almost fell for it.” He shrugged. “Like Dad said, I’m a sucker.”

  She cocked her head and studied him, curious. “Just why did you work so hard to fend off all those beautiful women? Why are you still a Latent?”

  Logan was silent a long moment. “I wasn’t sure I was up to controlling the transition.”

  As Giada listened in growing horror, he described his boyhood run-in with Jimmy Cordino. “What really got me was the idea that if I went blood-mad, Dad would have to kill me, too. He’d consider it his duty. And he’s already had to kill one son.”

  “The one that led the rebellion. Mordred.”

  “Right. It was fifteen hundred years ago, and he’s still not over it.” Logan’s gaze turned distant. “I didn’t want to be responsible for destroying Arthur Pendragon.” One shoulder went up in a half shrug. “Though could be I’m giving myself too much credit. Dad’s pretty damned tough.”

  Remembering the look in Arthur’s eyes when he talked about his son, Giada strongly suspected Logan was right that Arthur wouldn’t survive killing him. Still . . . “You know, the Majae’s Council isn’t wrong very often. Odds are if Morgana’s said you’ll make a good Magus, you’re not going to have any trouble with the transition. Besides, you’re not a kid anymore.”

  “Exactly. Which is why I’ve decided it’s time. But more than that, I want to be with you, Giada.” He met her gaze with dark, steady eyes. “I don’t know what we have here. I don’t know if I’m in love with you, and I don’t know how you feel about me. But I know I want to find out.”

  Giada found she couldn’t hold the stare any longer, so she looked blindly out to sea. “You hurt me, Logan. You hurt me badly.”

  “I know.” He said the words very softly. “And I can’t tell you how sorry I am for that.”

  “I don’t trust you.” She turned back in time to see pain flash across his face.

  “I don’t blame you.”

  “Then why risk it? Why not just fuck one more time and forget the whole thing?”

  “I don’t just want a fuck, Giada.” A muscle worked in his jaw. “If that’s all I wanted, I’d go ask La Belle Coeur. I want you. I want to touch you, to hold you, to taste your mouth again. And I want us to find out what we have, because if we don’t, I think we’ll regret it for a very, very long time.” He caught her hand in his. “Take a chance with me, Giada. Take a chance on me.”

  Those eyes of his. So dark, so hungry. Hungry not just for her woman’s body, but for her soul. A smart woman wouldn’t let him have it.

  As her heart sank, Giada realized she wasn’t a smart woman.

  She was in his arms.

  It happened so fast, with no intention on her part, as if her body had gotten tired of her brain’s dithering and taken what it wanted.

  That first contact sent a bolt of heat through them that was more than simple human desire. It was need. It was magic. His Latent’s body recognizing her, Merlin’s Gift awakening, sending a pure pulsing chime through bone and muscle and flesh.

  They shuddered in each other’s arms, gasping at the magical reverberation that shook them like matched tuning forks. The last of her reservations disappeared like dew in the morning sun.

  “Damn,” he breathed. “First time that’s happened.” Giada started to reply, but his mouth came down over hers in a hot kiss. Magic spilled from tongue to tongue and back again. She shuddered as it flooded her every cell like a jolt of electricity.

  Logan cradled her face between his broad, warm hands, still kissing her, tasting her. He bit gently at her lips, and when she groaned, he swirled his tongue deeper. When its tip touched her own, she felt another electric pop. It should have hurt. Instead a luscious sizzle spread through her, and she shivered, whimpering as delicate claws of need pricked her flesh.

  He rumbled something hoarse and masculine, catching the hem of her shirt. An instant later, the T plopped to the sand, leaving her breasts cupped in the lace and silk of her bra.

  Logan gazed at them, heat flooding his eyes. “God, you’re exquisite.”

  Dropping to his knees, he paused a long moment, staring at her, reverent as a supplicant. Whe
n he finally reached up and cupped her, she let her head fall back at the strong warmth of his hands. His thumbs brushed back and forth over the peaks of her nipples, teasing them into hard buds.

  Logan looked up to meet her eyes. Moonlight reflections danced in the darkness of his stare, and he swallowed. Then, slowly, he leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss right between her breasts. His lips lingered there, as if tasting the beat of her heart.

  His mouth moved, stringing slow kisses up the rise of one breast, following the line of pale lace, finally closing over the jutting tip. With a purr of satisfaction, he suckled her through the silk, drawing strongly. Each pull of his mouth sent another hot spark leaping along her nerves, until her entire body smoldered. Giada reached up and threaded her fingers through his mink-soft hair, cradling his head.

  At last Logan reached behind her for the clasp of her bra. A flick of his fingers, and it fell away, joining her T-shirt on the ground. He drew back, admiring the nipple he’d so skillfully brought to a throbbing pitch of need.

  Then he swooped in on the other one and began to lick and play. Teeth rasped as his tongue flicked, and his mouth closed tight in another dizzying suckle, as he thumbed the other nipple, driving her hunger higher.

  And higher yet.

  His free hand found the snap of her jeans, worked it open. The zipper’s hiss sounded over the sigh of the wind.

  Giada spread her arms wide and sent magic dancing over the sand around them. When the sparks faded, they knelt on a satin comforter piled with pillows.

  Logan released her nipple long enough to grin up at her. “Nice.”

  She grinned back. “There are some places sand just doesn’t belong.”

  He laughed and grabbed the waistband of her jeans, then began tugging them down her legs. “Good point.”

  It didn’t take him long to get her naked. Her running shoes and socks joined her discarded clothes, and he caught her around the waist to tumble her back on the comforter.

  “Aren’t you forgetting something?” She gave him her best wicked smile.

  He slanted her a playful leer in return. “Nope. Looks like I’ve got everything I need right here.”

  “But you’re still dressed.” Giada raised herself up on her elbows. “Unless you want me to take care of it.” Her right hand took on a threatening glow as she let her wicked smile go a little evil.

  “Uh, no.” He laughed. “Knowing you, you wouldn’t give ’em back.”

  “I doubt the Majae would complain at the sight of you wandering naked through Avalon.” The glow around her hand got a little brighter.

  “Maybe, but my fellow Magi would still be ragging me about it centuries from now.” He jerked the shirt over his head and threw it aside.

  She laughed, feeling so damned good, she felt guilty. Somewhere Mark Davis’s wife was crying for him. That is not a good line of thought right now.

  Then Logan reached for his zipper, and she forgot what she had to feel guilty about.

  He took his time with his jeans, easing them down over his hips so slowly, she was seriously tempted to just zap them off.

  His cock emerged, contained only by black boxers that weren’t entirely up to the job. The hard male jut made her mouth go dry.

  Giada rolled up onto her knees and caught his boxers in both hands. The head of his cock peeked over the waistband, a bead of arousal riding its rosy curve like a tear. She leaned in and licked it away.

  His gasp was gratifying as he jerked upright.

  She smiled and dragged his boxers down his brawny thighs, tugging his jeans the rest of the way off as she went. To her frustration, she discovered she couldn’t get them off over his shoes. “Dammit!”

  “Such language!” Laughing, he plopped his butt down on the comforter and pulled off his shoes himself as Giada watched with possessive greed. Much to her satisfaction, he was soon as naked as she was.

  He threw his jeans and shoes aside and lay back, folded his arms behind his head, and grinned. He made a luscious picture, all tanned muscle against the bright scarlet of the comforter, a pile of sky blue pillows behind his dark head. “Now what?”

  “Now,” she growled, “I’ve got you just where I want you.”

  And she pounced.

  Swinging a leg astride him, she settled down and bent to taste his tight male nipples, letting her hands roam, exploring the muscled topography of his broad chest, his abdomen, the round bunch of biceps and triceps. Dark hair dusted his tanned skin, soft and fine, and she stirred her fingers through it, intrigued.

  She was acutely aware of his cock, brushing her belly as she moved. Thick, hot, promising, a tempting distraction.

  His hips rolled, silently begging her to touch the big shaft, cuddle his furry balls, and taste him there.

  Smiling to herself, Giada ignored the wordless entreaty.

  For once, she felt powerful, as sexy as a goddess. Probably because that’s the way he looked at her, his dark eyes dazzled, his face tight with his effort at controlling his own need. She decided to tease him a little more.

  Sliding down the length of his body, Giada bent to taste the rosy head again.

  God, he was hard. And thick, and hot, his balls drawn tight to the underside of his cock. Silently pleading.

  She closed her mouth over him . . .

  The magic jolted through her in a hard, hot pulse, dragging a muffled yelp from her mouth as Logan, too, cried out.

  Lust shot through her, abrupt and demanding, jerking her out of her mood of lazy sensuality. She had to ride him. Had to fuck him.

  Now.

  Giada whipped upright and grabbed Logan’s cock, aiming it upward. Driven by furious need, she impaled herself in one hot swoop. They both gasped.

  He felt huge, delicious. Her every cell sent up a silent, demanding yowl, driving her upward, only to grind down again, impaling herself on his thick heat.

  “God, Giada!” Logan stared up at her, his eyes wide, almost dazed.

  “More!” She needed more. Harder. Now! Now now now nownownownownow . . . Desperate, she started pumping up and down on his erection even as he ground up at her.

  But it wasn’t enough. She needed more.

  Giada arched backward, grabbed her ankles, forced herself down, then dragged herself up, tormenting both her own tight, creamy flesh and Logan’s thick cock with sizzling pulses of delight.

  It felt like something huge was gathering deep in her womb, some exotic blend of magic and sex, furious and wild as a thunderstorm, all crackling tension straining to escape. She needed to free it, had to, but she couldn’t quite . . .

  As if he sensed her desperation, Logan’s big hands grabbed her hips and pulled her down, only to push her back up as they rolled and ground and strove together, trying to force that last little bit that would . . .

  “Yes!” It was a scream of relief as much as climax, blending with Logan’s roar of pleasure.

  Giada’s scream spiraled into a shriek as the magic exploded in her belly, jerking her back like a bow as the first desperate pulses poured out of her body. And into his.

  The magic went on and on, jolt after blazing jolt, rippling through her body in long contractions, forcing itself into him until he convulsed, his big body writhing under hers.

  Giada looked down. Magic danced around him in a whirlwind of energy, hot and golden, growing brighter and brighter with each pulse from her core.

  Until all she could make out was furiously boiling energy in the rough shape of Logan MacRoy.

  Merlin’s Cup, they didn’t tell me it would be like this!

  Even as the half-fearful thought flashed through her mind, another magical detonation shook her, one even more furious than those that had come before.

  The force of the spell shot through her so hard, it picked her up and threw her like a rag doll. She landed in a heap, dazed and blinded.

  When she lifted her head, she saw Logan shining like a star fallen to Earth.

  Which was when he began to scream.
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  FOURTEEN

  Every muscle of Logan’s body cramped and jolted as wave after wave of magic poured through him. Giada’s power had triggered Merlin’s Gift, and now it was tearing through his body, remaking every cell.

  Pain flared along his nerves, as searing as the white-hot pleasure of orgasm. His vision became a curtain of blinding gold.

  A subjective eternity went by before the pain began to fade, the pulses of magic slowing as his body completed its transformation. The golden energy began to drain away, leaving him lying limp on the comforter, legs and arms still twitching helplessly from the final spasms.

  Blinking, dazed, Logan saw stars burning overhead, brighter than he’d ever seen them. That damn mermaid seemed to be singing directly in his ear in high and piercing notes. He turned his head to look for her, but there was nothing there except the ocean, flinging itself in curling whitecaps that beat against the sand.

  The night seemed much brighter, more like twilight than full dark. And the ocean roared like a storm, all thunder and wind.

  “Giada?” he rasped. Clearing his raw throat, he tried again. “Giada?”

  “Ummm. Yeah?” She sounded as hoarse as he did. Probably because she was shouting. Had she gone a little deaf?

  Turning his head, he spotted her at last, lying half-off the comforter as if something had picked her up and thrown her. She sprawled there, naked and sweating, looking just as dazed as he felt. “You okay?” he managed.

  “Think so.” She licked her lips and stirred weakly. “You?” He considered the question for a long moment. “Don’t know. That was . . . nastier than I expected.”

  “I don’t remember my transformation being this violent.” Odd, she didn’t look as if she was shouting, but her voice rang as if amplified. “It . . . hurt, but not like this.”

  A fragment of remembered conversation crossed his mind. “Lance told me once that getting a Magus’s Gift is rougher than the Maja version. Probably because it changes our bodies more than yours.”

  They fell silent, panting together. Even their breathing seemed loud. And the mermaid’s music had acquired a percussion section, a thunderous thump thump thump that gradually slowed, settled into a slower rhythm.