by Roxie Spears
There were burn marks on Emilie’s arm and she could see several pink marks covering Logan’s body. There was a lot more of him exposed, but even as she looked at the wounds, Emilie could see them shrinking and growing lighter.
“Drive,” he finally murmured. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?” Emilie asked, her voice full of concern.
“Emilie, drive.”
Under his order, Emilie pressed her foot down on the accelerator. The engine roared as she sped up, darting in between cars. As much as she wanted to turn the siren on, she didn’t want to draw more attention to herself than necessary, not least because there was a naked man in her passenger seat.
Emilie hadn’t even slowed the car when Logan hopped out of the car and raced up the circular driveway toward his house. The detective thought that it should have been illegal for someone to run across gravel like that, not without shoes on their feet. She parked by the steps and hurried in after him, her hand twitching for the gun. She didn’t feel safe without it, but she didn’t pull it out. It wasn’t necessary yet.
“Brian! Gerald! Colt!” Logan yelled as he ran. “Mother! Father!”
The door was still standing wide open after Logan disappeared and the moment Emilie stepped over the threshold of the Bane Mansion; she heard alarms ringing out across the whole estate. She covered her ears with her hands to block the sound out. She figured Logan had set off some kind of alarm to warn the household. Either that or he’d gotten to his family and they’d set the alarm off.
Emilie wandered into the living room, where she found Logan standing in front of her brothers as if it were normal to have discussions in the nude. The urgency in his voice made it impossible not to take him seriously though.
“We were attacked,” Logan said. “The dragon shifters are on their way here now, if they aren’t already here.”
Brian, who looked like a gentle giant, cracked his knuckles. “They’re gonna pay.”
Emilie could only watch as the brothers stood together. The atmosphere in the room crackled with the anger of the Banes. The voice that sounded behind her was incredibly calm in the face of war. Emilie spun around to see the handsome father of the Banes standing in the doorway.
“Boys,” William murmured. “I hear we have company.”
With that, he turned and coolly ventured toward the front door. His sons were right behind him, their heavy footfalls making Emilie feel like a child in the midst of giants. She followed them, but she kept her distance.
Standing on the front steps was a massive wolf, but it was smaller than the form Logan took. The longer she looked at it, the more Emilie thought she recognized it. It had a feminine appearance about it, glancing out over the grounds. Emilie followed its gaze and found herself staring at the iron gates at the front of the Bane property. She gasped at the sight.
The Bane sons seemed to have noticed the threat too because the next thing she knew, all four of them were shifting into their wolf forms. This time, Emilie was prepared. She hadn’t removed her hands from her ears, the screeching repetitive sound of the alarm kept playing in the background, but it blocked out the sound of the wolves shifting and breaking their bones. Emilie didn’t know if that was what happened when they shifted, but it certainly sounded like it.
It was only once they were all standing together that Emilie recognized the smaller wolf. She was feminine and she stood slightly aside from the male wolves, as she had in the portrait hanging inside the house. Kathleen Bane had shifted long before her husband and sons. She watched the devastation that was the swarm of dragon shifters at the gate. The only one who hadn’t shifted was William. He was watching events unfold through narrowed eyes.
In the midst of all the reptilian shifters hovering in the air, a man stepped out of an SUV. They couldn’t hear the crunch of his shiny shoes against gravel, but Emilie imagined it. He was dressed in a blue and white suit and Emilie could see the glint reflecting off the numerous rings on his hands as he made his way up to the gate.
It was obvious that this was the leader of the Makinens.
The Grandchild
The iron gates swung open and the chic gentleman in the blue suit walked across the driveway. He had a pair of Elton John sunglasses on and they seemed wildly out of place in the current spectrum of events. Emilie could hardly stand the anticipation, her eyes on the dragon shifters that flew ever higher into the air above their heads. The wolves grew uneasy, Logan in particular moved to stand in front of Emilie, snapping threateningly at the man who climbed the stood at the bottom of the steps.
“Lars Makinen, I believe?” William asked, taking the man in.
He was portly and it was only once he was standing right in front of her that Emilie recognized him. He was one of the three men in one of the photographs Jack had shown her. Lars Makinen was one of the three buyers who took control of Quafin Lumbers. He was portly, his round belly speaking of all the beer he’d consumed in his lifetime, and his hairline was thinning.
“William Bane,” the man gave a smirk, glancing between the wolves on the porch. “I believe we have a bone to pick.”
Logan gave another growl, his fur bristling at the implication that he and his family were dogs. Emilie couldn’t blame him; she didn’t even have fur and she felt bothered by the man standing at the bottom of the steps. It wasn’t the dragon shifters surrounding him that put her off. Rather, it was the self-righteous way with which he carried himself, the humor around his mouth despite the fact that the current situation was definitely not humorous.
It took a moment to realize that the wolf shifters on the porch were not the only wolf shifters on the property. Emilie squinted in the distance and could see several pairs of eyes in the woods across the way and this time, unlike when she’d driven up to the property on her own, she knew that they were real. She wondered if perhaps the Bane staff was also wolf shifters. It would make sense that they surround themselves with their own kind, especially if their numbers were dwindling the way Logan told her.
“Don’t you think things have gone far enough as it is, Lars?” William asked. “It’s getting out of hand. This is the second time yours have attacked mine.”
Emilie watched as Lars Makinen’s face twisted into a grimace, revealing the way he truly felt. When he spoke again, it was as though he had a fire in his voice. She could feel the heat on his breath from where she stood.
Lars Makinen was furious.
“I only want what’s mine, Bane. Give me the child. That’s all I want; my grandchild.”
Emilie flinched. “Grandchild?”
Almost all eyes turned toward her and Emilie immediately regretted opening her mouth. Logan shook his head warningly, but the words had left the detective’s mouth before she knew what she was saying. It was a reflex.
William was the only one who didn’t look back at Emilie. He didn’t break his gaze away from Lars. Emilie was reminded of dogs and the way they maintained eye contact.
“I’m afraid your family has wasted their time in coming here,” William murmured in a bored tone of voice. “Krystal’s baby isn’t on the property. Did you really think we would keep our grandchild in the way of harm? No, no, no,” William shook his head. “The child has been sent away, far away from the city of Quafin.”
At this, Lars ripped his sunglasses off his face and it quickly became clear why he wore them in the first place. Unlike the other shifters, when he was human, his eyes remained the yellow slits. Emilie had to cover her mouth to stifle the gasp as she took the animal-like eyes in.
What could make that happen? Was it that Lars Makinen had spent too much time in his dragon form? Or was it that he was more dragon than human at this point, after all the things he’d done? These questions and more swam around the inside of Emilie’s mind until finally, she had to force herself to look away.
The dragon shifters around the property seemed to sense that their leader was angrier than ever because they edged closer an
d Emilie heard a few of them roar. She looked up to see that they were all watching the scene unfold, their wings flapping loudly above the Bane Mansion. The sight of them left her feeling uneasy. If she was right, there were enough shifters in the woods to fight the dragons overhead, but the battle would be a bloody one.
“You sent my grandchild away?” Lars growled. “You had better tell me where, Bane, or the consequences will be severe.”
“Are you threatening me on my own property, Lars?” William asked, his voice still impeccably calm. “Do you think that wise?”
At that moment, the eyes in the woods across the grounds became more than just sets of eyes. There were four wolves walking out of the woods, showing their faces to the Makinens. The flap of wings grew more violent as the dragon shifters turned to face their opposition, roaring in their direction.
Lars spun around to take in the wolves and then looked back at William curiously, though he said nothing.
The detective’s heart was racing so fast she thought she might be having palpitations. Involuntarily, she took a quiet step toward Logan. He turned his head the slightest bit and she knew he heard her. His blue eyes were trained on her and he gave a gentle nod of his big, otherwise terrifying face. Emilie reached for him, curling her fingertips in his fur. She was surprised to feel how soft it was. Wolf or not, touching him brought her a small sense of comfort and no one else seemed to notice it. That was the way she preferred it.
“Perhaps not,” Lars finally murmured. He looked up at the dragons in the sky and then down at the wolves in front of him, taking a step back from the Banes. Emilie wondered if this was his way of putting up a white flag. “But don’t you dare think things are over, Bane. This doesn’t end here, but I promise you it will end.”
“Oh, I have no doubt about that,” William nodded slowly.
“You’re going to regret this,” Lars pointed at the Banes with a shaky, fat index finger. “All of you are going to regret this!”
With that, Lars gave a shrill shriek, one that no human should ever be capable of making, and turned away from the Banes. He walked across the gravel a lot less calm than when he first arrived, his steps hurried. Emilie thought that if he could run without compromising his position as a leader, he might have.
The dragon shifters above them gave answering shrieks before following their leader off the property, flying high over the Bane gate as it shut and Lars reached the SUV that awaited him.
“Mark my words, Banes!” he roared from the driveway. “You’ll pay for this!”
Love In Loss
Logan’s blue eyes were filled with affection and concern as he gazed down at Emilie. The cotton wool he used to clean her wounds was dipped in an antibacterial and it stung as he cleaned her wounds. Emilie tried her best not to hiss in pain, but she couldn’t help letting one or two escape, particularly when Logan began wiping away the caked blood on her face from when the glass in her apartment had shattered.
There was a sense of relief between them, between all the Banes. They’d all expected a blood bath that day. William was keen to remind them that Lars would keep to his word; that this wasn’t the last they’d heard of the Makinens.
“So, it’s your turn to clean me up, huh?” Emilie gave Logan a small smile.
“You’re lucky, you know,” Logan murmured. “These injuries could have been much worse considering the fact that you’re human.”
Emilie snorted. “Human doesn’t mean fragile, you know.”
At this, Logan gave a smile. “Oh, believe me, I do know. If anything, you’ve proved that the last thing you are is fragile.”
Under his intense, smoldering eyes, Emilie felt her core tighten. She wanted desperately to reach up to him, to pull his mouth down to hers, but she couldn’t. Not yet. There were questions that needed answering.
“So, Krystal’s baby is a Makinen?” Emilie asked, changing the topic.
A part of her thought that Logan wouldn’t answer her, but he gave a slow nod. “Yes, I’m afraid so,” he murmured, returning to her wounds. “Krystal fell in love with one of the Makinens. They were happy together.”
“What happened?”
Logan’s expression darkened. “He was killed. That’s the real reason why Krystal left. She had to hide. None of us knew where she went and none of us knew about the child until she turned up dead either.”
“I’m sorry,” Emilie murmured. She reached for him, cupping his cheek and brushing her thumb across his skin. “I promise you I’m going to find out who’s behind all of this.”
“You’re not going to give up, are you?” Logan tilted his head in that way that he did, reminding her affectionately of his wolf form.
She shook her head. “Never.”
Logan gave a low chuckle that rumbled through his belly. “I believe that, Detective Hartford.” He leaned in and she could feel his breath hot against her skin as his lips hovered over hers. “Then, I’m making it my personal responsibility to keep you safe for as long as I live.”
A lump formed in Emilie’s throat at the sincerity in Logan’s promise. His mouth crashed down onto hers before she could say anything, but as her fingers curled in his hair, she realized that she didn’t need to say anything. Logan’s fingers unbuttoned her jeans and she unbuttoned his shirt. Piece by piece, their clothing came off in their urgency, and nothing else mattered at that point in time.
This was enough.
“Emilie,” Logan gasped her name as she wrapped her hand around his shaft and began stroking his length.
Emilie bit down on her lower lip as the desire to please Logan overwhelmed her. She repositioned herself and looked up at his face, wanting to take in every expression that crossed it as she took him into her mouth and swirled her tongue around the tip. Logan threw his head back with a growl and his hand found the back of her head. He let her take control of her pace, but his fingers curled in her blonde locks as he moaned above her. She’d never felt more powerful in her life than she did at that moment.
Finally, when Logan couldn’t take it anymore, he pulled away from her, much to Emilie’s disappointment. That disappointment faded as he flipped her body over and pressed himself into her from behind. Emilie’s cry was muffled as she pressed her face into her pillow, feeling every inch of Logan fill her up. His hands were on her hips and his lips were on the back of her neck as he thrust into her, pulling her body back against him even as she arched and bowed to his touches.
They were a mess of muffled gasps and the slap of skin against skin as Logan took her. Emilie could feel him pressing against that spot each time he pushed back into her and she reached down between her legs to stroke the sensitive button that begged for attention. Logan’s hands made their way smoothly up her body, cupping her breasts and rolling her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. The buds were hard and responsive, each tiny pull shooting straight to her core like electricity.
Emilie’s body writhed as though that electricity pulsed through every inch of her body and Logan was there with her, taking her higher and higher until eventually, she cried his name out. Her pussy tightened around his length, milking him for all he was worth as her climax hit her and she pressed her body back against him, forcing herself back against his pelvis until he was as deep as he possibly could be. His hands tightened on her breasts, nails scraping across her skin as he groaned from behind her.
She knew he was close and Emilie pressed back again. And again.
“Oh, fuck,” Logan breathed. “Emilie…”
She didn’t stop, not until she felt the familiar twitch of his cock in her depths. Every glorious spurt as it splashed against her insides only heightened her pleasure and her clit thrummed with delight as Logan released his orgasm inside her. He held her body to his long after he was done, but Emilie didn’t mind. He was warm and he was close.
It occurred to her that she might be falling in love with the Bane son as he took his place beside her on the bed, holding her body tightly against his. His br
eath was hot against the back of her neck and his fingers gently stroked the curve of her hip. Every part of Emilie was hypersensitive and throbbing and she knew it wouldn’t be long before she climbed onto Logan’s lap and let him have her again.
Epilogue
“Hey Emilie,” Jack stuck his head into her office space. “You have a visitor.”
Emilie furrowed her brow and followed her partner out of the space only to find herself faced with none other than Brian Bane. He was dressed casually in a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a leather jacket. If Emilie didn’t know any better, she’d say that he fit in well with Logan’s bar crew. He usually wore a suit, as did all the Banes, except for Kathleen who could always be found in a lovely dress.
The sight of him brought a smile to her face and as she extended her hand to him, offering him a handshake, he shook his head and pulled her in for a bear hug that left her giggling.
“Well, hello there, Detective Harford,” Logan’s younger brother grinned at her.
“Brian,” Emilie returned the grin. “Can I get you anything? Tea? Coffee?”
“What, no doughnuts?”
Emilie rolled her eyes. “That’s police stuff, not detective stuff, I’ll have you know.”
“Oh, I thought they were one and the same.”
Brian’s grin told her that he knew they were different and he was messing with her. As the youngest Bane son, messing with people was his favorite thing to do. Emilie supposed she couldn’t blame him. She’d turn into a prankster too if she had to be surrounded by a family as serious as his all the time.
“No, I’m all right,” Brian eventually said, shaking his head. “It’s a quick visit.”
“All right, follow me.” He followed her back to her desk and they took a seat across from one another. “How are you doing?”