Logan stroked her hair soothingly, murmuring sweet words to settle her and her wolf that paced and howled with anger. Her cries soon dissipated, and her wolf circled a few times before laying down in defeat. He waited until she had calmed before he spoke to her. “Jessa love, I didn’t stop because I don’t want you. My wolf is waiting just under the surface, ready to pounce and take control. I want you so bad it hurts.”
“No, I understand. You were just trying to abide by my wishes, and I thank you, Logan, truly. I don’t know what came over me. I have never felt like that before. I guess I just don’t know how to control it yet. It must be the damn heat… I am so sorry I worked you up and you had to stop. Please don’t—” Before she could finish, he held his finger to her throbbing swollen lips, silencing any remaining words.
“No, Jessa. Don’t you be sorry for anything. What you felt was not the heat, love. I felt it, too. And, if legends are correct, it will only get worse.” He sighed, seeming like he was having trouble verbalizing what he wanted to say. He gently turned her in his arms and tilted her chin to draw her eye to eye with him. “You are my mate, Jessa Renee. What we felt…was special. It took all I had not to take you right here on the porch and mark you as mine.”
She almost fainted. His scent encased her senses, wrapping around her in shackles. Her head went fuzzy, and everything looked like it was spinning. She had been on many Tilt-A-Whirls in her life, and never had she felt effects that even compared to this. She could feel her wolf whining and begging for more. The animal was pacing uncontrollably. It wanted nothing more than to jump on Logan and…bite? Holy shit. He is my mate. All this time, and he was right in front of me. NO! It can’t be! Something isn’t right! Her mind went into panic mode. Before she could piece any of the jumbled feelings together, fear had laced its fingers around her throat and was squeezing tighter and harder. Air became hard to inhale. Her vision went from blurred, to black. The last thing she heard was Logan asking if she was okay.
Chapter Four
Jessa woke with a splitting headache and voices echoing around her. Her eyelids felt so heavy, she couldn’t get them to open. Using every ounce of energy she had, she finally forced them both into a squint. It was daylight, and the sunlight was blinding. Sun. Too Bright. What the hell happened? Who do the voices belong to? Where the shit am I! She darted up into a sitting position, causing her head to spin. Wow. Bad idea. Wait, head spinning, last night it did that. Logan! Memories of the night before came slamming into her thoughts all at once. Before she had time to ponder and process everything that had happened, Logan walked into view and embraced her in a bear hug.
“Oh my God! Jessa! Are you okay? I have been freaking out. One minute you were okay, and the next you were out like a light.” He squeezed her tight again, not wanting to let go. When he pulled back, his mouth was a whisper away from her. Jessa’s tummy flip-flopped at the thought of him kissing her again. Her hopes were short lived. Autumn, followed by Christina, Braden, and Damion walked around the corner. Damion was Alan’s Beta, and also a member of the secret Guardians. The ginormous wolf always seemed so serious. He was rarely caught with a smile on his ruggedly handsome face. Jessa had always thought the mysteriousness of him was sexy as hell, and she loved joking around with him in attempts to crack his iron-clad exterior. She watched as Damion glanced at her and turned away, heading off to do another perimeter check. No conversation. Just straight back to work like a trained soldier. Go figure. She laughed inwardly and turned her attention back to the others.
“What’s going on?” Jessa looked at each one of the group, wanting explanations, and fast.
“Logan called me last night after you fainted. We came immediately. How do you feel, sweetheart?” Autumn’s sweet tone eased some of her anxiety.
“My head hurts, and my eyes burn from the light. Did something happen? I didn’t get changed into a vampire or something, did I?”
Christina lightly smacked the now laughing Annie on the arm. Annie was Christina’s best friend since childhood, and had become close to both Jessa and Autumn. Her quirky personality always made her the life of the party. At a whopping five foot three of curvaceous dynamite, her tiny frame was wrapped in gorgeous bright red hair and an angelic face. Jessa loved her company, and looked forward to all of the shocking and outrageous comments that popped out of her mouth at random. She had been turned immortal when she mated one of the vampires that was in Michael’s elite group of friends, but still benefited from the human perks. Instead of being cursed with only the night, she was able to go out in the sun, eat regular food, and live normally—with the exception that as long as she drank from her husband during sex she would live as long as he. “What? Sorry. It’s funny. Jessa love, if you ever get turned, I promise you will remember it. It will be the best orgasm you have ever had in your life!” Once again, Christina playfully whacked her on the shoulder again.
Jessa just shook her head, not quite sure what to make of the situation. “So, what did happen then?”
Autumn moved the colorful quilt over and sat beside Jessa and Logan on the couch. “It is starting. The heat is making you ill, sweetie. Thankfully, now you won’t have to wait and endure it any longer.”
She shook her head in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Autumn’s eyebrows arched up. “Well, from what Logan has told me, you two are mates. So you can mate with him and get over the heat. Problem solved.”
“I don’t know, I mean, I have weird feelings, but...” Her sentence trailed off as she stared off in the distance. Something wasn’t right. She could feel the pull to Logan, and felt the urge to mark him. Her heart swelled more and more, making her fall for him with every passing moment. But something just wasn’t right…or was missing. Shit. I don’t know! I don’t understand these feelings. I don’t understand these thoughts and sensations, and cravings… Ugh!
They all stared at her as if she had grown a hand out of her forehead. She dropped her vision to the floor and hoped the endless darkness would return and she could pass out. It was easier—headache or not. Before the tears that were now welling up in her eyes could fall, Christina shooed Logan away and sat on the other side of her.
“Everyone, can you give us a minute please? Autumn and I need to speak to Jessa alone.” The rest of the bunch left the room without question.
Christina grabbed Jessa’s hand and held it palm up. “Jessa, your mixed feelings are normal. I can see what troubles you and weighs your thoughts. Logan is your mate. Just not the only one.”
Jessa could swear her jaw hit the floor. She looked between Autumn and Christina, back and forth, until Autumn giggled. “You are going to give yourself whiplash, girl. I could sense something was off but couldn’t get into your thoughts. I knew Christina would be able to pick your brain and find out exactly what was going on, and what was wrong if anything. So…is it three like I predicted?”
Christina grinned. “Yep. And, boy is she in for a surprise.” Jessa couldn’t speak. This was unreal. First the fact that Christina could sort out her feelings when she couldn’t, and now she knew how many. But who her mates were made her shake her head in disbelief.
Both Autumn and Jessa looked on at her, waiting for her to elaborate, but all she offered was a huge smile. Finally, Jessa couldn’t take it anymore. “And?”
“And…nothing. I can’t tell you who, or when, or even how. It could mess things up. Destiny has to run its own course, and unfold its secrets how it has been fated to be. Relax. I promise you that everything will be absolutely wonderful, Jessa.”
Jessa boiled with frustration, emotions, and the now-tormenting horniness that was literally driving her bat shit insane. Not just feeling crazy, but literally making irrational thoughts cloud in a thunderstorm in her head. If she didn’t know better, she would swear her brain was leaking out through every orifice. She stood and threw her hands up in the air. “I can’t take this shit anymore! I am losing my ever-loving mind! My emotions are ridiculous! Then my body ha
d to start having a mind of its own, which just so happens my wolf is playing on the same team—against me! Now I find out that I am destined to mate with not one—not two—but three barbaric, egotistical horn-dog wolves! To top it all off, I get riddles dropped like a cherry on the sundae of disastrous hell!” When the last bit of her rant left her lips, she turned on her heels and stomped out of the room toward the bathroom.
****
Logan went running from the kitchen when he heard Jessa yelling. Thankfully he stopped at the doorway and listened before he went busting in, because he was almost certain she would have used him as a punching bag to release the obvious anger that spewed from her. He had no idea how hard it was for a female, much less one that fought the heat. Knowing that it was probably a lot to take in all at once, he stepped back and listened from behind the dining room door. He couldn’t help his heart from sinking at her words, despite how upset and irrational she was at the moment. He hated she was having a hard time, and he couldn’t fix it all for her and make it better. That being said, he had hoped she would wake up and come running into his arms where he could hold her tight and never let her go again, not stomp and rant like a lunatic. When the bathroom door slammed shut, he quietly eased his way into the living room. Both Autumn and Christina stared at him with sympathy. Fuck. Instead of pretending not to have heard, he shook his head. “Um, is she going to be okay?” He ran his hand through his hair nervously. Chicks and feelings were not something he was accustomed to dealing with. Growing up in a house full of boys, the only female hormones they had to look out for was their momma's. He had heard horror stories from his cousins of the troubles they had with their sisters, and he counted his blessings with each and every tale.
“Right now she may not seem like it, but she will be. Just be really understanding and supportive, and I promise you she will come around in time.” Christina stood and began to walk out the door.
“Wait…what do I do?” His chest constricted.
Christina smiled and answered nonchalantly, “Nothing right now. Let her be. She needs a good soak in the tub. In about thirty minutes, take her in a glass of wine and clean clothes. I have to get going. Alan is stuck watching my girls. I can only imagine what damage they have done. You didn’t hear this from me, but I overheard him barking orders in his cell while I was in the restroom. He called his sister, Jennie, over for help, so don’t let him pull the ‘poor husband’ card tonight, Autumn.”
Logan stared at her in disbelief. “Alan is watching the kids? How did that happen?” he snickered, finding the visual of the alpha wolf playing dress up and fighting imaginary dragons.
Christina grinned. “He drew the short straw. Chad and Mat were in the lineup, but I knew there was no way either of them could handle the job, so I rigged it just a tad. Magic is helpful sometimes.” She winked, hugged them both, and hollered at Annie. “Annie! We need to get going, hun!” Annie came in and made her good-byes and they both left.
Shortly after, Damion walked through the back door. “Everything looks secure, Autumn. I stretched my perimeter a good distance outside the border of your wards and didn’t pick up any scents or traces of intruders.” He looked around the room. “Where did everyone go?”
“Annie and Christina had to get back. They are short on staff at Mocha Express, and Christina had to get back to her munchkins. Alan is on diaper duty.” Logan grinned again, waiting for Damion’s reaction.
He wasn’t disappointed. Damion burst out in laughter. It was obvious the same visuals, or ones just as good as his, came to Damion with the statement, “Now that I wish I could see. Autumn, if you are done with me here, I would love to go get a few good snapshots for Facebook. It isn’t every day I get an opportunity like this.” He clenched his side during another round of chuckles.
“Sure, go on ahead. Logan is going to take Jessa a glass of wine to calm her nerves and then head back for security detail shortly.” She shook her head at the two laughing hyenas. Before Damion could make his leave, she added, “Oh, and one more thing.”
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Be sure to text me a copy. It isn’t often I get dirt on one of my dear husbands and I can’t pass up an opportunity like this either.” She grinned at them both. Damion nodded in agreement and left.
“Autumn, I don’t think I should leave her. I will just give Alan a call and explain. I can cover for someone else’s shift later.”
“No, Logan. She needs some space right now to sort things out. I am going to feed her and give her some tea, and try to persuade her to take a nap.”
Shit. There went the easy out. Okay, plan B. “I don’t think she needs to be alone, that’s all. I can stay outside and patrol, but I need to know for sure she is safe.” There, that sounds better.
“There is plenty of security on this place, I assure you. You need rest too, boy. She will be fine I promise. Just head back over here first thing in the morning.”
Logan sighed. “The truth is…I don’t want to leave her. She is my mate. I don’t want her to ever get out of my sight again.” He dropped his eyes to the floor.
“Oh, sweetie. I forgot. I understand the urges and your wolf’s need to calm her are probably through the roof, but if she can wait this long, you can wait a few days.”
He hung his head in defeat, knowing that any excuse he could muster would be shot down. Maybe she was right. Autumn seemed to know a lot about everything, and taking her advice was usually a wise choice. “Okay. Where is her stuff?”
“Upstairs, in the bedroom on the left. I will pour her a drink while you grab her some clothes. When you go in, just tread lightly. Keep conversation to a minimum, and don’t linger too long. The whole point of this is to let her know you care and are here if she needs you. If you push past that, she will go on the defensive and your ass will be toast.” Autumn walked into the kitchen, and Logan could hear the clinking of dishes and the pop of a cork. Deciding to just suck it up and follow her orders, he marched up the stairs in search of Jessa’s suitcase.
He returned carrying a pair of sweat pants, t-shirt, and a tiny scrap of hot pink lace neatly piled on top. Autumn glanced at the stack in his arms and grinned. “Seriously? You pick her comfy clothes, and pair it with a lace Band-Aid for underwear?”
“Well, I thought that even though she was comfortable, she might want to feel sexy. I know women tend to get down on themselves, and I wanted to make sure she had a little reminder of how smokin’ hot she really is.” He bared his teeth in a huge grin.
A small giggle came from Autumn while she shook her head. “Or you want to think about her wearing them for the rest of the night…”
He gave her a mischievous wink. “That too.” She handed him the metal goblet of wine. He took it, and quietly walked over and knocked on the door. Unsure what her reaction would be, he hesitated when she answered. “I, um, I have a glass of wine and clean clothes for you. Can I come in for a sec?”
A small “yes” was all he got, but somehow the small simple word gave him a ray of hope. He twisted the doorknob and was slightly surprised she had left it unlocked. The door creaked and squeaked when he swung it open slowly and stepped inside.
The room was dark except for a few candles lit around the claw foot tub that sat in the corner. The top of her head was barely visible over the deep sides, and her cute little pink toenails peeked over the front. She was adorable. He had never met a woman that was cute, sexy, funny, and witty like Jessa. She was a bundle of characteristics all rolled into one sexy little package.
He sat the garments on the vanity and walked over to her. Not exactly sure what he should say, he gently touched her arm and just handed the glass to her. When she looked up at him, his heart clenched. She had been crying. Her usually sparkling blue eyes were clouded and swollen. The cute little button nose that he found so adorable was bright red. There were still streaks running down her kissable cheeks. He wanted to wrap her in his arms so bad.
Aside from the fact she was upset, he had
to hold in a groan. The candlelight illuminated her golden locks, giving her an angelic appearance. She was drop-dead gorgeous. Logan let his eyes graze the length of her submerged body, reveling in her sexy curves and perfect build. From the small pert breasts that floated on top of the water, to her long lean legs, she was a wet dream in the making. Quickly dragging his vision back to hers, he offered a small smile.
He reached for her and stopped, remembering what Autumn had said. Instead, he traced his palm along her jaw line in a loving caress. To his surprise, she leaned into his touch, and rested her face in his palm. He kneeled down beside the tub and pulled her closer with the other hand. “I am so sorry, Jess. I know this has to be miserable for you. I don’t want to bug you, but please know I am here for you…for… whatever you need.” He slowly leaned over cautiously, hoping he wouldn’t say or do the wrong thing. He pressed his lips to hers in a sweet, soft, and sensual smooch. When he pulled back, he dropped one on her nose before standing to leave. “If you need company, or just someone to talk to, give me a call later. I will come back in the morning to check on you and hang out if you feel like it.”
She stared, speechless. When she lifted the glass of wine to take a drink he took it as his cue and opened the door. Before he closed it behind him, she said, “I would like that. See you tomorrow.” And with that, he left.
Rush Against Time Page 5
