Logical Magic (Academy of Modern Magic Book 3)

by Maggie Alabaster

  "No, Gregor is an old friend from childhood. He's jealous of my good looks."

  Gregor grunted. "This man is a double-crossing piece of crap. Told the Demon Hunters where to find me. They wouldn't leave me alone for weeks."

  "Oh," I said slowly, "I guess that's bad."

  "I'm not even a demon," Gregor growled. "I'm pure, law-abiding shifter."

  Leo clicked his tongue. "Law-abiding? That's a stretch." He glanced toward me. "Gregor runs an auction house. Let's just say some of his goods are not legally obtained."

  "Where the seller gets their goods is none of my business," Gregor muttered. "I just sell 'em."

  "That amulet was mine," Leo said reasonably. "Stolen by some low life and sold by you." He poked a finger in Gregor's direction.

  "Who did you steal it from?" Gregor asked.

  Leo smiled, but didn't deny the accusation. "That's beside the point, old boy."

  "It sounds as if you're as bad as each other." I slipped into a chair and picked up the menu.

  "I dunno why I let either of them in." Johan slid up to the table, order pad in hand.

  "I was wondering the same thing," I agreed. At least Gregor had stopped trying to beat up Leo. For now. "Can I please get a pizza with everything except anchovies, and a glass of red wine."

  "Everything?" Johan echoed. "Including the crickets, banana, and tuna?"

  I blinked.

  He shrugged. "We have a varied clientele here."

  "Right." I checked the menu and chose a pizza with all the regular toppings before handing the menu to Johan.

  He backed away and disappeared through a doorway as Leo sat beside me.

  "Banana on pizza?" I whispered.

  He grinned. "Don't knock it until you try it."

  I grimaced. "Hard pass."

  "It's not as tasty as the tuna," he agreed.

  I opened my mouth to comment, but closed it again. For all I knew, tuna really was delicious, but I'd leave it for sandwiches and sushi.

  "So whose amulet was it?" I asked finally.

  "I was wondering how long it would take you to ask." He sighed. "It's a long story."

  "We have a few hours to spare."

  "And you won't let up until I tell you, I assume?"

  "Exactly." I propped my elbows on the table. "Come on then, spill."

  "Fine. It originally belonged to a member of the collective."

  "Is it sensible to steal from one of them?" I asked. Taking anything from people with power didn't seem like it would end well.

  "Of course not," he replied, "but they were corrupt. Tried to take over the collective and bring all the demons under their control. The amulet projected them from attack. They needed someone sneaky to get it so they could get him."

  "And did they?"

  "Not without a fight, but in the end they did."

  "Thanks to you."

  He puffed out his chest. "Yes, exactly."

  "Because you're a sneaky, dishonest thief," I teased.

  He pouted. "If you want to call me that. I prefer to be thought of as an undercover operative."

  I waited.

  "I like to get under the covers as often as possible."

  And there it was. I rolled my eyes playfully. "Does your charm usually get you what you want?"

  "Not nearly as often as I'd like," he admitted. "But maybe I just needed to wait for the right situation."

  "And you think that involves me?"

  He looked thoughtful. "I'm almost certain of it. You like me, I like you…"

  "You're sure I like you?" I asked.

  He pouted again. "I'm reasonably certain. I am very likeable."

  I found myself taking his hand. "I do like you," I assured him. "My situation is complicated. Not everyone is going to want to get themselves involved in anything so—"

  "Fascinating?" he suggested. "Compelling? Sexy?"

  I gaped for a moment. "All of those things. It's anything but straightforward."

  "That's okay, I'm anything but straight. And straightforward is boring. You can't tell me your life is that."

  "Boring? No, it certainly isn't. Sometimes I wish it was, but I don't see that happening anytime soon."

  He stroked the back of my hand with his thumb. "We can take some time tonight to make things normal for a bit. We can eat, drink and enjoy each other's company."

  "With Gregor glaring at you from his table." I nodded toward Gregor and wondered what he could shift into. The size of a shifter's human form didn't dictate what they could become, or I'd guess bear or elephant. He was just as likely to become a chihuahua.

  "We could always go somewhere else to be alone," Leo suggested.

  "Maybe after we eat." I was starving.

  I pulled my phone out of my pocket as it vibrated. "Text from Dyson." I shot one back to assure him I was fine and ask how he was.

  A moment later I got one from Blake with much the same question. I replied in the same way.

  After a few seconds I got another from Kane. By the sound of his, he had no idea I got stuck in Sydney. I replied and told him to tell Nash and Matt I was okay before they texted me too.

  I just pressed send when Dyson responded that he was all right, but missing me.

  Blake sent a similar text a minute after that.

  "When I said it was complicated…" I replied to Dyson and Blake and sat the phone on the table.

  "You mean they all blow up your phone?" Leo finished.

  "Not usually, no." We were often together, so there was no need for texting. When we weren't, the guys knew I might be alone with one of them and respected our space. I hadn't been apart from all of them and Ariana, or my parents, except when I was held in the lab. If it wasn't for Leo I would be very much alone. I didn't find the idea as appealing as I once might.

  "Peyton," Leo said. I got the impression he'd said it a couple of times.

  "Hmmm? Oh, sorry."

  Johan stood beside the table, a plate on either hand. I leaned back so he could place mine in front of me. If it tasted half as good as it smelled, it would be wonderful.

  "Thank you." I gave Johan a warm smile.

  He grunted and moved away.

  We can't charm everyone, I suppose.

  "Eat up." Leo was already halfway through his first slice before I picked up mine and bit into it.

  "Mmmm." It really was that good, even without the banana. I would have to bring all of the guys here sometime. And Ariana. They would all love this place. Well, maybe not the atmosphere. Gregor was still glaring as Leo over his glass of beer.

  "What did I tell you, darlin'?" Leo asked.

  "You were right?" I said with a mouthful of food.

  "’Course I was. I usually am." He wiggled his eyebrows.

  "There goes that modesty again."

  "Maybe now you'll trust me." He gave me a speculative look and picked up another slice.

  "You can lead a girl to pizza—"

  "And her heart is yours forever?" he suggested. "It's an old saying."

  "Old as in several seconds?" I asked.

  He chuckled. "Something like that."

  I smiled and plucked up the courage—maybe the wine helped—to ask another question.

  "When do you use your demon face?"

  "Oh, this?" He sat still for a moment as his skin turned red and rough-looking. Any sign of his tattoos disappeared. His head was completely free of hair of any kind. Even his eyebrows were gone. "Pretty, ain't I?"

  That wasn't exactly the word I would have used, but I found him fascinating. Before I could stop myself, I reached out to touch his cheek. His skin was warm, but not as rough as it looked.

  He caught my hand with his and raised it to his lips. The kiss he placed was soft, gentle.

  "See, I'm not a big, scary demon. I'm a big softy, but don't go tellin' anyone."

  "I didn't think you were scary," I said.

  He looked a little disappointed for a moment.

  "Not even a tiny bit?" he asked.
/>   "Okay, maybe a teeny bit," I assured him.

  "To answer your question, I only use this form to remind people of what I am, and when I'm with my mum. She says we shouldn't forget who we are and where we came from and all that." He let my hand go and shifted back to human form. "She says we shouldn't be ashamed. We're just shifters with a twist."

  I smiled. "I like that. Shifters with a twist." I picked up my wine and sipped while trying not to look as though my hand was burning where he'd kissed it. Some people might have run when they saw his demon form, but I wanted him as much as I ever had.

  He tilted his head. "Does anything scare you, darlin'?"

  I snorted. "Lots of things. Zeta. Failing my classes. Losing people I care about."

  He nodded. "Crickets on pizza?"

  I laughed. "That's more yucky than scary." I regarded him for a moment. "Don't tell me, you like them?"

  He shrugged. "They're an acquired taste. Like me."

  "From what you've told me, I should probably run away and never look back."

  "And yet, you're still here."

  "Yes, I am," I agreed.

  "And you're finished eating."

  "As are you."

  Leo waved toward Johan and handed him a couple of notes before he stood.

  "There are rooms upstairs." Leo pointed toward one of the walls which loomed over us.

  "Right, sounds good." My heart was pounding like a drum at a rock concert. I picked up my bag. "Lead the way."

  "Whatever the lady desires." He took my bag and then my hand.

  I didn't look back over my shoulder, but I sensed every eye in the restaurant was on us. They probably thought I was crazy and maybe I was, but I did trust Leo as much as I trusted any of my guys. My guys? Since when had he become one of them? That didn't matter so much as the fact he was.

  The door clanged shut behind us and we headed toward a set of stairs. We had barely reached the landing outside the door to room three when Leo dropped the bags and pulled me into his arms.

  Breathless, I let him draw me toward him. Our lips met in a burst of heat. He turned me and pressed my back to the door. His hands slid up my shirt and cupped my breasts. He ran a thumb over my nipple, making it instantly hard and sending a rush of warmth all through my body.

  Before I was even aware of what he was doing, he'd tugged off my shirt and tossed it in the direction of our bags. Without any hesitation, he pulled down the cup of my bra and leaned down to close his mouth over my nipple.

  "Maybe we should go inside," I suggested. Not because I was modest in the least anymore, but he might be getting carried away.

  "I can't wait that long," he said around my nipple. He worked the button of my jeans loose and they joined my shirt on the ground. My panties followed.

  "Foreplay next time," he promised. He unzipped his jeans and released his erection.

  My eyes widened. He was bigger than I expected, but I ached to have him inside me. I didn't have to wait long. He hooked at am under my leg to lift it, pressed me against the door and slid himself into me.

  "Oh gods," I moaned. He fit so tight it hurt at first. Gradually, my muscles relaxed to accommodate his thickness. Once they had, all I felt was good. Every fibre of me burned to feel his touch, inside and out.

  He slid halfway out, then back in again. His cock massaged my insides, driving me closer to the edge already.

  "You feel incredible, darlin'," he said breathlessly.

  "So do you."

  One more thrust and I came with a cry. I arched my back and let the fire consume me, burning through my veins and making me writhe against him to hold on just for a little longer.

  He let out a hard grunt and came as well with a series of frantic thrusts. The moment I felt his hot cum flood inside me, something changed.

  11

  "So you and Dyson haven't had sex. Or…"

  "Or what?" I pulled the blanket tighter around my shoulders and watched Leo over my glass of wine.

  "Or you're not fated."

  What the fuck?

  "What the fuck?"

  "Fated," he said again.

  "You can say that all day, but that doesn't change the fact I have no idea what you're talking about." That was a lie, but not a flat out one. I understood it a little bit, just enough to freak me out.

  "Is that something to do with whatever you did to me?"

  He smiled and leaned over to refill my glass. He sat naked on the bed, apparently not worried in the slightest. Maybe that should have given me comfort, but it didn't.

  "I didn't do anything to you, as such. It's a demon thing. Well, demons and dogs anyway."

  "Like marking your territory?"

  He grinned, but I sensed his desire to laugh. He suppressed it.

  "How are you doing that?" I drank a gulp of wine bigger than I should have. Under the circumstances it was warranted.

  "It's just part of the bond," he explained reasonably. "I suspected it was you, but I'm still as surprised as you are. Almost."

  "I don't know if I need more wine or less for you to start making sense," I said dryly. "We had sex and now I feel your emotions. Can you feel mine?"

  "Of course. Don't worry so much, darlin'. The bond won't hurt you. Quite the opposite."

  "We'll see," I said darkly. "Did you do this on purpose?"

  He threw back his head and laughed. "Nah. A demon can only bond with the person or people they're fated to be with. If they're lucky enough to find that person, a link is formed. It's a kind of magic, but it's older than… Well, just about everything."

  "Can it be broken?"

  He arched an eyebrow. "You wound me, darlin'. You don't want to sense my innermost feelings?" When I didn't answer, he added, "No, it can't be broken, but it can be minimised with distance."

  "So we're meant to be together or something," I said uneasily. "What about the other guys?"

  "You can bond with someone else, if they're a demon or a dog of some kind," Leo replied. "It's especially strong for wolves. I guess it's a wolf pack thing." He shrugged.

  "But only if it's fated?" I ran a hand over my hair.

  "Exactly. Hence my question about Dyson."

  I licked my lips. "Would we have bonded if he…"

  "Came down your throat?" Leo asked. "No, only if he was deep inside your warm, luscious—"

  I held up a hand. "I see." I wasn't sure I did, but it made some kind of sense. I was drawn to Leo from the moment I'd seen him. If magic decreed we were supposed to be together, who was I to argue? The other guys might not be pleased though. I hated to think how Dyson would feel if we didn't form a bond. Part of me itched to track him down and find out. The other half was terrified of what might happen.

  Or not happen.

  "You can bond more than one person, too?" I asked finally.

  "In theory, but one at a time." He smiled and took the glass from my hand. "I'm sorry if I scared you."

  I looked at him from under my brows. "A little warning would have been nice, but if you weren't sure anything would happen, I'm not sure it would have helped."

  "Would you have fucked me if I told you?" He grabbed the corner of the blanket and started to tease it away from my skin.

  "Maybe not so soon," I said thoughtfully. "Although you are pretty irresistible."

  "That's true." He kissed my cheek, then tickled my neck with his tongue. "I promised you foreplay, too."

  "That's true, you did," I agreed. We had a lot more to talk about, but truthfully I needed to process this first. As strange things went, it was reasonably high on my list of things which happened to me recently. As far as I could tell, the bond was harmless, as long as Leo was. I liked to think I was a good judge of character, especially when choosing who to sleep with.

  I put those thoughts aside for now. I would make more sense of it all later.

  I hoped.

  "Nice and slow then, hmmm?" He drew the blanket away from one breast, but left the rest of me covered.

  "I like the so
und of that."

  He pressed me back against the mattress and let his tongue trail down over my chest. With featherlight touch, he licked the very tip of my nipple. Slowly, slowly, he traced circles around my sensitive peak, only touching it now and again.

  "You're going to drive me crazy," I said breathlessly.

  "That's the idea," he said, his voice muffled by his tongue. He pulled back and tugged the blanket back over my breast. Before I could object, he opened the other side and started to give the same teasing treatment to my other nipple.

  As turned on as I got being exposed, there was something strangely arousing at having the layers peeled back only a little. It felt more intimate somehow, like he was focusing all of his attention on one part of me. At the same time, I felt his own arousal through the strange bond we had formed.

  He closed the blanket over both breasts and moved down my body. He looked up and gave me a smile before he pulled the blanket back from my legs. He hooked one arm under my knee and bent it just enough to open me up to him.

  He kissed his way up one thigh, then the other, before he tickled my sex with the tip of his tongue.

  I shivered with the delicious warmth which coursed through me. From the bond I felt his appreciation for what he saw in front of him. It was a strange way to see myself, but I liked it.

  He dove in a little further, licking and caressing me with practiced ease. His tongue darted around and over my clit. His eyes watched me, but I sensed he was using the bond to discern what I enjoyed. I wasn't sure if that was clever or cheating, but in the end I decided to stop thinking too much.

  I closed my eyes and arched my back as he slid a finger into me. Then another.

  "Gods," I murmured.

  He lifted his head up just enough to smile before he lowered it and went back to licking at my clit and rubbing me from the inside with increasing rhythm.

  I crested and tumbled over the edge in a wave that wasn't just mine. I felt his delight in hearing me cry out and buck against his hand and mouth. That heightened my orgasm to a place I had never been before. Blood pounded all through me so hard and hot I couldn't hear or feel anything but pleasure.