by Dannika Dark
As we turned, a tall man with a shaved head pushed his hand against Logan’s chest. “Why don’t you leave some for the rest of us, Cross?”
A staring match began between the two men. I rolled my eyes and was trying to walk off when the Chitah blocked me with an outstretched arm.
Logan stepped closer and the man’s nostrils flared as if picking up a scent. He suddenly took three steps back and pivoted around, rejoining his table. Something passed between them on a level I didn’t understand.
Logan took my hand and we distanced ourselves from the crowd. Crisp white moonlight filtered through the branches of the tree we stood beneath, leaving pale highlights on the ground.
“Did you come here alone to hurt me?” I asked, folding my arms.
“I should ask you the same question. I came to show my support for Levi.”
“Funny. I didn’t see your brother at the table.”
He arched a brow. “I keep polite company.”
“Lending out your leg for dry-humping?”
His lip twitched and he covered it with a fist.
Logan’s amusement fueled my anger. “You could have answered my calls.”
“I was busy,” he said, lowering his hand and tilting his head to the side.
“Doing what?”
He squinted his eyes a fraction. “Did you see inappropriate behavior outside of me sharing their company? Would you prefer if I stood alone in the corner, cursing anyone who speaks to me? It may come as a surprise to you, but my family holds an important status among my Pride. I’m trying to rebuild my reputation. Some of these people I’ve known for years, Silver.”
The top of his white dress shirt was unbuttoned. Logan’s features were riveting—so different from other men. His smoldering gaze alone was capable of holding me captive.
“I was fooling myself,” I said quietly. “We’re not a permanent fixture and I have no claim on you. It doesn’t matter if there’s any truth to kindred spirits because it’s what you believe.”
Logan widened his stance.
My voice cracked beneath the weight of my own words. “You demonstrated that regardless of any promise made, I’m not worth a phone conversation. If your life revolves around finding your soul mate, then who am I to deny you of that chance?” Tears were on the doorstep, so I bit them back and transformed that pain into anger. “But if women are nothing more than a conquest to you, then this is one island that you’ll never explore. I don’t belong here.”
I had started to walk off when Logan backed me up against the tree and flattened his hands on the trunk. Splinters of bark showered in my hair and he leaned in close enough to kiss.
His eyes shifted—one minute radiant and piercing and the next, drunk and heavy with lust. It was like staring at something wild and unmerciful.
“Do you want him?” Logan drew in a deep breath through his nose and I shivered.
“What I have with Simon is platonic. You cut me out of your life over a text message. You’re older than I am, and these are childish games we’re playing.”
“What do you want, Little Raven?” he breathed against my cheek. “Why can’t you say it?”
His knee parted my legs and he pinned me to the tree with his entire body. I sighed from the immediate warmth. Logan was a pounding heartbeat of energy and at nearly six and a half feet—that was a lot of energy. While I couldn’t see what he was doing, I knew that he licked his lips because his tongue grazed my cheek.
“Say it,” he beckoned, sliding his leg further between mine.
“Maybe this wasn’t meant to be,” I said in an unconvincing voice.
Skin rubbed against skin as he moved even closer and kissed the tender spot on my neck. “This is one argument that I won’t let you win. You’re wrong.”
I peered around his shoulder. The red dress with the plunging neckline was moving our way like a devil’s parade.
“Logan, come keep me company.” Her beady eyes narrowed on mine as she analyzed our position. “It’s so dull in there without you; I want to hear more of your stories. Don’t let the Mage steal away the time you could be spending with a Chitah.”
Her steps slowed and she got a better glimpse. Simon would have considered it a tactical maneuver the way she ran her fingers along the fabric of her neckline until it reached her breast. Was she also putting out a scent that only Logan could detect?
“Your harem awaits, Mr. Cross.”
He pushed himself so hard against me that all I felt was body heat searing me through his clothes. When my fingers smoothed up his neck, a seductive vibration rumbled against my entire body from neck to hips. I should have complained about the bark chewing into my back, but all I felt was his knee moving between my legs. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was doing that on purpose.
“You outshine all those females,” he said in a softened whisper.
“I don’t need you to tell me that; I know what I’m worth.”
He brought his head around and spoke against my lips. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
“Maybe I don’t want you to kiss me,” I breathed against his mouth. The tension was an electrical storm as each brush of our lips set my body aflame.
Logan licked his lips and mine. “Then don’t. I’ll stand here and tell you everything I want to do to your body until you crave nothing but my kiss. And then I’ll withhold it until your body aches for my touch.”
“That’s arrogant,” I murmured.
His leg shifted and I sucked in a sharp breath at the pressing ache between my legs.
Logan’s mouth was the next breath I drew in. His tongue insisted its way in—moving in such a provocative motion that every stroke devoured me. His strong arm slipped around my waist, but I wasn’t going anywhere because he caged me to that tree with every inch of his body.
My fingernails lightly clawed the skin on the back of Logan’s neck and his lips peeled back.
“Do that again and I’ll lose control,” he growled in a rough voice against my ear.
Logan’s hands lazily slipped beneath my shirt and gripped my waist possessively. I groaned when his hips circled against mine. Energy swirled within me as I became the kerosene and he was the fire. His lips found that sensitive spot below my ear—kissing and circling his tongue until a shudder racked my body.
“Am I forgiven?” he whispered against my skin.
My impatient fingers pulled at his shirt and I heard the soft pop of buttons coming off. He tasted indescribably wonderful as I kissed his chest, keeping my focus on leveling my energy down.
Red Dress didn’t exist anymore.
When Logan pulled back, the look he gave was synonymous with raw sex. Anticipation widened his pupils and soaked me in.
“I’m not like your women,” I pointed out. “You won’t miss that?”
“They have nothing I desire. You’re an intriguing, stubborn, lovely Mage, and I would have you no other way.” He straightened his back and despite the cold air, an inferno blazed between us.
“Did you want to stay here a little longer and mingle?”
“I’ve seen enough,” he said, tenderly stroking my cheek with the back of his hand.
I smirked when I noticed his disheveled shirt and my pale brown lipstick smeared across his chest. I liked the idea of marking him—a secret I kept to myself.
“Did that woman really turn you on?”
Logan laughed and reached over his shoulder, tying his hair to the nape of his neck with a small band he had fished from his pocket.
“No, Little Raven. I picked up your scent at the table beneath all the heavy layers of emotions. I never thought you would be jealous over me and I must admit… I like it very much,” he said with a sardonic smile.
“Say the word and I’ll go back and turn you on some more. Would you like me to kick her bony ass by the lobster table or in front of the ice sculpture?”
I walked past him when he swung me back around and playfully spanked me. I laughed and bravely ran
my hand over his firm backside.
“Careful, Mr. Cross. I hit back.”
“And I deserve it,” he said, levity absent in his tone. “Would you have allowed Simon to feed you that berry?”
Hand-feeding was a sign of trust among Chitahs, but I knew it was something far more intimate that wasn’t done with just anyone.
“If that’s what it took,” I said coolly.
Before I knew it, he had snaked his arms around my waist and leaned down as if to kiss me.
“You play dirty,” he said against my lips.
Logan backed away, strutting across the lawn like a man who just won the lottery. “I’ll go tell that date of yours that you’ll be leaving with me,” he yelled out.
No matter which way I sliced it, if I accepted him in my life, then I would always be the woman he settled for. The other thought that ate away at me like a parasite was that I had my whole life for him to find his soul mate and leave me. I was already planning our failed relationship. Even more disturbing was the phrase “my whole life,” because now my life was a lot longer than it used to be.
I kept a slow gait along the winding trail. My shoes were dirty at the edges and I frowned, wondering how much Justus had paid for them. A peculiar smell hovered in the breeze. Beyond the trees in a clearing, a young couple stood in the moonlight. They looked Finn’s age. Her wispy dress floated like a butterfly and she covered her arms with a white shawl. They were too far out of range for me to hear their conversation, but I knew he had marked her. I didn’t know the custom of the Gathering; the whole thing felt foreign as I watched how they interacted with one another. She twisted her hair back playfully and ran off. He paused for a moment before going after her at Chitah speed. Was that all there was to it?
I hoped that she gave him a good chase.
“Well, well, well,” a familiar voice said.
I sharpened my light, knowing exactly who was behind me.
“Lookie what we have here,” the black-haired Chitah said mockingly.
Not wanting a confrontation, I rushed forward when the Chitah grabbed my upper arm and twisted hard. “Not so fast. We have a box to discuss.”
“What’s in there, your IQ? Because you seem to have lost it.”
His fingers squeezed bruisingly and I gasped. “Your reluctance to give up the contents has only piqued his interest that something of value is inside. I’m warning you, Mage; think carefully about how you decide. You have your hand in the fire pit and don’t even know it. I could decimate you.”
“Shadow me all you want, but I’m not afraid of your threats. Tell Nero that he’s wasting his time. Now let go of me before I put three hundred volts into your sorry ass.”
“I wouldn’t suggest that in present company.” His fingers opened up like a spider stretching its long legs—setting me free. I apprehensively hurried past him with my eyes on the building.
“You’ve made your choice,” he said from behind me.
He yanked my shirt so hard that I swung around and slammed into the ground, scuffing my chin on the dirt. I felt my lip split when a sharp pain sliced through the bottom. He flattened me on my stomach and before I could increase my power, the Chitah crushed his heavy body on top of my back. My arms were pinned. I could barely breathe.
“Logan!” I wheezed. “Get off me!”
“He’ll tire of you eventually,” he said, shoving my face against the dirt. “I sure as hell would if my female couldn’t give me a blowjob without frying my junk.”
I became paralyzed with fear when his sharp teeth scraped against the back of my neck.
“By the way, my name is Tarek. It’s only right that we get the introductions out of the way since I’ll be claiming you.”
A bold, suffocating stench leapt on me like a black panther.
It was nothing like Logan’s, and I realized that each of them had their own unique imprint. Logan’s was heady, like freshly brewed spices, seducing me like nothing else—a siren’s call, soaking into my pores and intoxicating my senses.
Tarek’s was like poison and my nose burned from how heavy it was. I charged up, ready to strike—but he was gone.
Chapter 15
I spit out a pebble and rubbed my nose with the back of my arm. One minute Logan was moving at an aristocrat’s pace across the grounds and the next, he was sprinting.
Tarek’s scent stopped Logan in his tracks and he covered his face with the crook of his elbow. His gaze lowered and locked on the blood trickling down my chin. A swirl of darkness swallowed up every bit of gold in his eyes and in less than a second, Logan flipped his switch.
His muscles went rigid, a vein protruded from his neck, and all sense of the man I knew evaporated—replaced by something primal and thirsty for bloodshed.
“Hey, Lo!” Levi yelled from behind. “Are you taking the car or is this a split?” He came up and slapped Logan on the back. His jaw slackened when he caught the scent in the air.
“Pull it back, brother. Don’t you dare flip out here! Look at me,” he demanded, grabbing Logan’s jaw. “Focus on my eyes. There are too many elders here and if you lose control then you’re going to end up regretting this for the rest of your short life. They’ll make sure of that. Hell, I’ll make sure of that.”
I managed to sit up and speak calmly. “Logan, this isn’t about you. He’s trying to instigate something, hoping that I’ll surrender to his demands. He doesn’t know that I’ve fought worse battles against the copy machine at my old job. Calm down and let’s go home.”
Levi turned to face me and spoke gravely. “He can’t ignore it. A male has officially marked you at the Gathering; I don’t think you realize what that means.”
By the lengthening of Logan’s fangs, I had an idea.
“What you two need to remember is that I’m not a Chitah and his cologne was not my type.”
“Only kindred spirits are marked at a Gathering.”
If I hadn’t been sitting, my knees would’ve buckled.
“Well, he’s not the one for me.” I stood up and brushed the dirt from the back of my pants.
Levi stepped forward and pointed a serious finger. “You weren’t just marked, honey—you were claimed. We’re a walking spice rack and there are messages that you can’t detect as a Mage. Maybe to you it’s all the same, but to us it’s a big damn deal.”
“I’m a person, Levi. Regardless of your customs, I have the right to reject him because of something called free will.”
My heart stammered when I noticed that Logan was gone. “Go find Simon and tell him I’m going home with Logan,” I said in a rushed voice.
Levi ran his hands down the length of his pants and bent over. “You can’t leave with Logan. You can only leave with the Chitah who marked you—it’s our custom. Logan is tracking his scent and we need to find him before this escalates from ugly to fucking catastrophic.” He cursed under his breath.
“I’m a Mage,” I said in a low voice. “I’m not going anywhere with Tarek.”
“Tarek?” He straightened his back and spoke through clenched teeth. “Tarek marked you?”
“Nero hired him. Don’t any of your leaders care about traitors?”
“We don’t get involved with Mage business unless it concerns us, but Leo will need to know,” he said as he scanned the crowd. “Tarek comes from a powerful family next to ours. There’s a history with him that goes way back. This is not good.” Levi turned around and took off in the direction of the clubhouse.
We pushed through the door and saw a crowd of people in the center of the room. There were shouts as we shouldered our way through. Some didn’t seem to care for my new perfume as they caught a whiff and arrowed their judgment at me. No, I wasn’t a Chitah, and that made it all the more controversial. I paused with trepidation when I reached the center. Three men held Logan while Tarek faced him with his thick arms crossed.
“Sweetie,” Tarek greeted in mock adoration with an outstretched arm. “I think it’s time we get going.”
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Logan lunged, straining every muscle as the men struggled to contain him.
“You know the rules,” a voice out of sight warned. “No violence at the Gathering.”
There were disapproving grumbles in the crowd.
Simon appeared and fell quiet, watching the scene. I tensed when Levi’s hand touched the back of my neck and he whispered, “If Logan challenges him here, then the punishment will be severe. Violence is forbidden when elders are present in any peaceful gathering. He could be put to death.”
I gasped, and my heart fluttered like a hummingbird.
“They’ll detain Logan so he won’t follow after you. Tarek will drive you home because he’s supposed to announce his intent to the father, or in your case, Justus.”
The lack of help was infuriating.
My sharp voice cut through the room. “I am a Mage. I don’t know what bearing that holds here, but no Chitah can claim me. These are not my customs and I forbid it.”
An older man with a long face emerged from the crowd. I stepped forward and stood beside Logan.
“We are not asking you to consummate your relationship, Mage. If you are under our roof then you abide by our rules. The tradition of the Gathering is longstanding, and if Tarek has claimed you as his life mate, then he has full rights until we investigate further.”
“My answer is no.”
“Courtship hasn’t begun,” the older Chitah pointed out. “Therefore, he must be given one year to court you.”
My knees almost buckled. “Bullshit!”
His eyes narrowed dangerously and he spoke in an authoritative voice. Meanwhile, Tarek held his position with a smug grin on his unshaven face. “This is a respectful act, one in which you will be given the choice to accept or deny him. It is not an arranged marriage, nor would we legally recognize the coupling as you are not a Chitah—that’s irrelevant at this point. There are rules within our kind that are honored, so allow me to quell this little outburst by suggesting that you speak with your Council. You’ll find there is little they can do in this regard. I am ordering that the three of you leave the premises; this outburst is an insult to all present.”