True Knight

by Patricia Logan

  After we’d faced the Frederick pack and Floyd himself and I’d soundly ended their plan to kill my vampire that night, Vincent had urged me to practice my magic. Floyd’s final warning in Vincent’s yard two weeks ago had been as clear as the night sky. He and his wolves weren’t finished with us. That had been a wakeup call to us both, but I acknowledged that I lacked Vincent’s experience. He’d survived over seven hundred years, no doubt facing foes just like Floyd and his pack, so I’d decided it would be best to do as he encouraged and learn about myself and my unicorn powers. We’d practiced every night since that fateful night in Vincent’s front yard.

  I snorted out a massive laugh as he flashed up to me, stopping only inches from my muzzle with his fangs bared in a massive grin. Before I could catch him with whatever magic had allowed me to trap the much slower alpha werewolf, Vincent vanished in a blur to the far side of the clearing. I tossed my head, still getting accustomed to my rainbow mane as it flowed like silk around my long, muscled neck. In a flash, my vampire was back in front of me. I watched as he leapt into the air and vanished from my sight only to feel him straddle my back seconds later. He leaned down and hugged my neck, burying his face in my hair.

  “You’re trying too hard,” he whispered, hot breath on my neck. “You can’t follow me with your eyes, love. Reach out with your magic like it’s just another sense. Focus on what you need it to do, and it will happen. You have it inside you, Romeo. Reach down and try to find it. It only takes a little training.” He kissed the side of my neck, his lips hovering over the thick vein that pulsed there for a few seconds before he was gone again. I tracked the blur of his movements to the far side of the clearing where he stopped once more. His chuckle was both annoying and encouraging.

  He had to be right. I’d found my magic when I really needed to. I’d saved Vincent from being torn apart the way they’d done to poor Buck Walters. I had the magic inside me but I needed to be able to call on it at all times, feel it pulsing inside me like other supernatural creatures did. Both Vincent and Sid had told me that they knew I was—as Vincent described—"special” when they first met me. Maybe I was trying too hard. I knew my vampire wanted only the best for me so I did as he suggested.

  Seeing him flash back and forth across the field, I focused on summoning my powers, trying to trap him the same way I had caught Floyd when he and his wolves had come to kill us. That time, I’d simply known on instinct what to do. I’d somehow sent out a blast of power that had grabbed the werewolf, lifted him off the ground with the force of a tornado, and set him down unharmed on the road a quarter mile away. After that, he hadn’t been back to bother us. Since that had been only two weeks ago, I expected we’d be seeing more of the werewolf and his pack once they’d had time to process.

  “Use your powers, Romeo,” Vincent said, flashing up to me and snapping me out of my wandering thoughts. “You have to practice or you won’t be able to protect me or you.”

  I really wished I could communicate with him telepathically. When we’d gone back into the house after bloodlessly dispersing Floyd and his pack, Vincent had explained some of what he knew of werewolf culture and powers. As far as he knew, when in wolf form, they communicated with each other using telepathy. I hadn’t been able to do that so far. I hadn’t asked but I’d almost wondered whether that had something to do with the fact that Vincent was technically dead. Since I couldn’t reply, I simply tossed my head and concentrated all my power on moving my lover the way I’d done with Floyd.

  “I feel your power, Romeo. It’s an incredible force but it’s widely scattered. You need to focus it down into a single pinpoint to achieve what you want to do with it.”

  I cocked my large unicorn head to the side as I narrowed my eyes at him.

  He chuckled and lifted his arms, glancing up into the midnight-blue sky. “Look up, Romeo. Look at your light.”

  I did as instructed and was shocked to see the clearing around us bathed in all shades of purple, everything from the palest lavender to the deepest violet. The air literally shimmered with energy, though none of it was focused. Vincent was right. My power, if that’s what this was, had dispersed all around us, shimmering and sparkling like a trillion tiny pinpricks of light. I closed my eyes and extended my powers outward, reaching out with tendrils of thoughts and wishes. All I could do was hope that would help to draw some of my power back down to me, trying to do what I’d done when Floyd had been ready to kill us.

  “Good!” Vincent exclaimed. “Better!”

  My eyes flew open and my jaw dropped when I saw the dispersed particles had coalesced into a forty-foot swirling sphere of purple light in the center of the clearing. The sphere pulsed with power, sending out tiny tentacles of light which separated from the whole. I focused, trying to direct my thoughts into the center of the sphere. It almost instantly shrank in size by half, becoming even brighter. The entire sky lit with purple light beams around us.

  I felt a strong tug on my mane and looked down into the smiling face of my lover. Vincent’s long, brown hair sparkled with reflected violet light as he beamed up at me. His fangs were still long, still deadly, and still hot as hell in his grinning face. He reached up and rubbed the palm of his hand over my forehead, then slid his hand up and scratched behind my ear.

  “Good job, love.”

  I tossed my head and Vincent chuckled before turning toward the ball of light still hovering off the ground and twirling in the center of the clearing. I narrowed my eyes and focused harder, feeling the strain of what I was doing only a little. I watched in wonder as the sphere reduced in circumference again, shrinking to the size of a basketball and if possible, growing even more incandescent. We both watched the ball twirl as it hovered until I finally let out a long breath and ceased my focus, instantly dousing the clearing in blackness as the sphere vanished.

  In a flash, I changed back into my human form, standing in front of Vincent, desperately wanting conversation with him. I stood in front of him naked as the day I was born as he blinked at me, losing just a little of his grin. He reached out and put both hands on my shoulders.

  “Your shift is incredibly fast. I don’t know if you know that. It’s really fun to watch,” Vincent said.

  I smiled back, reaching up and circling his wrists, drawing them down to his sides as I stepped so close our bodies touched. I watched his nostrils flare and the pupils in his topaz eyes dilate as I let go of his arms and wrapped him up in my long arms instead.

  “Since I only found out about paranormal beings two weeks ago, it’s kind of hard to know how fast a normal shift is. I’ve only witnessed the werewolves and apart from Floyd whose change was quick, the other wolves looked pained as they transformed.”

  Vincent leaned in and kissed me softly before pulling back. “Floyd is the alpha. That’s why he transformed so quickly. He’s also the only one in his pack who can change into the huge half man half beast form you witnessed out there.”

  I frowned, nodding as I dropped my arms. “I have a ton of questions but I have to get dressed and eat first.”

  It was getting chilly out here and I really didn’t want to turn into a unicorn popsicle. I looked around for my clothes, spotting them ten feet away. I walked over and started climbing into them as Vincent followed. He watched me dress and then sit on a rock to pull on my socks and boots for the mile hike back to his house where we’d already decided to pick up my truck and drive into town. I was starving and aside from a shelf full of ketchup in Vincent’s fridge, he was a little light on food in the pantry. I’d checked out his stores of food and already decided that I’d be going into Sid’s store to stock up his pantry. My place was full of foodstuffs but Vincent had next to nothing that appealed to a hungry unicorn.

  “You know, there’s an all-night diner in Stockton if you don’t mind the drive,” Vincent remarked. “I’m not sure about ending up at the saloon since it’s owned by Floyd. I have a feeling it’ll be safer to go eat at the diner since it’s the only place open
at this time of night. Not only that, I have to be at work early. Sally is still bugging me about Buck Walter’s murder.”

  “Does she think you simply dropped it?”

  I frowned. “No, not exactly, but it’s been like an unspoken standoff between us since that night. I’m getting the feeling that she knows I’m supernatural but she won’t say anything. At the same time, I can’t exactly ask her if she is and I think it’s going to be the only way to explain what happened out there since we both know it was Floyd and his pack that killed Walters.”

  Vincent shrugged. “Look at it this way. If she is supernatural, she already knows wolves did it since she’d no doubt be able to smell their scent. You should just talk to her.”

  I nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Well, it’s something you’ll have to deal with so you might as well get it over with. Just ask her what she is,” Vincent said.

  My stomach growled loudly and I frowned when Vincent chuckled. “What time does the diner in Prosper Woods close? The one I passed on the way into town… Todd’s Hash House?”

  Vincent shrugged. “I have no idea.” He smiled just enough to show the tips of his razor-sharp fangs. “And I don’t know if you realized this, but I just moved into this town. Besides, solid food isn’t my thing.”

  “But you can tolerate some.” We’d eaten the delicious stew he’d made when we’d first met. Since then, I’d eaten in town at the saloon or at home.

  “It’s fine. I wouldn’t say I really enjoy it but then again, I don’t need it to survive.”

  I grinned, throwing an arm over Vincent’s shoulders as I checked the time on my phone. It was just after 1:00 a.m. as we walked back toward his house. “I tell you what. I have to get up early and go to work. Why don’t we just grab my truck and spend the night at my cabin. I’ll get something to eat at home.” Since we’d first met, Vincent and I had spent most nights together at his house. Being naturally nocturnal, my vampire had been raring to go whenever I came over. It made for some amazing sex and I realized in a very short time, I’d become very addicted to my vampire. Realizing he hadn’t replied, I looked over at him to find him glancing at me dubiously. “What?”

  “Your house isn’t light tight, Romeo. Normally, that’s not a problem for me because of my age. I mean I can tolerate walking about in sunlight for short periods. You’ve seen me in town at the antique store during the day when by all rights I should be asleep but honestly, I hate waking to bright morning sunlight because the need to find shelter can be very fatiguing. That’s why I built my underground bedroom. Besides, it’s just safer.”

  I stopped walking and turned him to face me. “In what way?” I asked.

  Vincent sighed. “I can lock it up completely and no one even knows it exists unless they go looking for the private elevator. An enemy—and we both know I have a powerful one—could burn my house to the ground and then I’d be trapped.”

  “You’re right.” I stepped closer to him, sliding my arms around him to draw him up against my body. “I’m being selfish. Your safety must be my only concern.”

  Vincent grinned. “Imagine a human telling me he wants to keep me safe. It’s ironic.”

  “But I’m not human and we both know it.” I cut off whatever he was going to say as my mouth crashed down on his. He opened for me and instantly our tongues tangled. Vincent tasted so good, like a cross between mint and tea. He moaned as I deepened the kiss. He clutched my shoulders with strong hands, kneading my biceps as we stood in the woods. As if both realizing that we might just be in peril if we lost our focus out in the open, the kiss ended a moment later. We stood panting, gazing at each other. Finally, I grinned as I slung my arm back over his shoulder.

  “Let’s talk about this more at your place. Maybe I can find a place that delivers,” I said.

  “At one in the morning?” Vincent asked, sounding incredulous.

  I chuckled. “If not, I’m thinking beer with a ketchup chaser is on the menu.”

  We laughed all the way back to Vincent’s place.

  Romeo and Vincent’s story continues in True Mate April 30, 2021. Preorder it today!

  Other books by Patricia Logan:

  (Most can be ordered by clicking the Series Name unless underlined)

  The Armadillo Series:

  Leather Nights

  Undercover Nights

  Warrior Nights (MMM Menage)

  The Westburg Series:

  Captive Lover

  A Very Good Year

  The Cowboy Queen

  The Silvers Series:

  Silver Bullets

  Silver Secrets (MMF Ménage)

  Silver Ties (BDSM) (Should be read before the Master’s Boys series)

  Silver Linings (BDSM) (Should be read after the Master’s Boys and Invitation Only series)

  The Master’s Boys (Serial) (BDSM):

  Trick

  Jett

  Kaden

  Grit

  Stix

  Con

  Secrets

  The Invitation Only (Serial) (BDSM):

  Red

  Trask

  Heath

  Wyatt

  Dallas

  Worth

  The Assassins Series:

  Verified Kill

  Confirmed Kill

  Demonstrated Kill

  The Bound by Love Series (BDSM):

  Say my Name

  The Bears’ Surrender

  I Dare You

  Civil War Romance (BDSM):

  The Slave’s Mask

  Unmasked

  The Marine Bodyguard Series:

  The Superstar

  The Thief

  The Brat (Should be read before the Death and Destruction series)

  The Death and Destruction Series:

  Death and Destruction

  Flash and Bang

  Slip and Slide

  Locked and Loaded

  Point and Shoot

  Thunder and Lightning

  Body and Soul

  Endings and Beginnings

  Spies and Allies

  Fire and Ice

  Cut and Paste (Coming summer 2021)

  The Hard Riders Series:

  Buttermilk Ranch

  The Paladin Shifters Series (Paranormal):

  The Tiger King

  Thin Blue Line Series:

  Thin Blue

  Order and Anarchy

  Crime and Chaos

  THE WITSEC SERIES:

  Stay with Me

  Play with Me

  Gay with Me

  The Way of Us

  A SPY LIKE ME SERIES:

  Clean Up on Aisle Mine

  Clean Approach

  THE PROSPER WOODS CHRONICLES (Paranormal):

  True Knight

  True Mate (Coming Spring 2021)

  Stand Alone Novel:

  Gypsy Knight (Medieval MMF Ménage)

  Stand Alone Shorts:

  Unforeseen Danger (MM Young Adult 18- Romance)

  Hot Summer Hogs (BDSM) Featuring characters from Leather Nights and a special appearance from Zack Teak

  Over the Road (MMM Menage) Featuring characters from Warrior Nights

  Love Letters Featuring characters from Captive Lover and Leather Nights

  Wounded Warriors

  Chasing Deuce (MMM Menage)

  Falling for Rafe (With the amazing Rain Carrington) (BDSM) Featuring characters from my Master’s Boys series and Rain’s Honky Tonk series

  Free on my blog:

  http://authorpatricialogan.blogspot.com/

  Dinner with Frankie (Vesper’s First Date) Part 1

  In French:

  L’Amant Captif (Captive Lover)

  Une Tres Bonne Annee (A Very Good Year)

  La Reine du Cowboy (The Cowboy Queen)

  Liens d’argent (Silver Ties)

  In Spanish:

  Lazos de plata (Silver Ties)

  In Italian:

  Catene d’argento (Silver Ties)

 
Trick

  Jett

  Kaden

  Grit

  Stix

  Con

  Segreti

  Red

  Trask

  Heath

  Wyatt

  Dallas

  Worth

  Trame d’argento (Silver Linings)

  Inseguendo Deuce (Chasing Deuce)

  Prigioniero d’amore (Captive Lover)

  Un’ottima annata (A Very Good Year)

  The Cowboy Queen

  Professione Killer (Verified Kill)

  Sentenza di morte (Confirmed Kill)

  La Congiura (Demonstrated Kill)

  The Superstar

  Il Ladro

  Il Moccioso

  Buttermilk Ranch

  La Maschera dello Schiavo (The Slave’s Mask)

  Morte e’distruzione (Death and Destruction)

  Fuochi d’Artificio (Flash and Bang)

  Dissesto e Frana (Slip and Slide)

  Carichi e Pronti (Locked and Loaded)

  Tuoni e Fulmini (Thunder and Lightning)

  Corpo e Anima (Body and Soul)

  Proiettili d’Argento (Silver Bullets)

  About the Author

  International bestselling author Patricia Logan, resides in Los Angeles, California. The author of several #1 bestselling romances in English, Italian, French, and Spanish lives in a small house with a large family. When she’s not writing her next thriller romance, she’s watching her grandchildren grow up way too soon, and raising kids who make her proud every day. One of her favorite tasks is coaxing nose kisses from cats who insist on flopping on her keyboard while she types. Married to a wonderful man for 35 years, she counts herself lucky to be surrounded by people who love her and give her stories to tell every day.