by Kim Schubert
I huffed, “After that mind-blowing example of your bedroom skills, I really like you.”
Logan laughed, moving ahead with traffic, and I loved the sound of it. I shook my head, where had that come from?
“Mind blowing?” Logan repeated, smug.
“Don’t let it go to your head. That room was magically enhanced, which may have been the only reason I used that term.”
Logan turned a serious gaze to me. “I’m happy to pull this car over for a demonstration without magical enhancements.”
“Pay attention to the road, Logan.” I was pretending very hard that his offer hadn’t sent warmth to where he had just been.
“Maybe the bite won’t affect you? Other shifter bites haven’t before?” Logan debated out loud.
I nodded, turning to stare out the windshield, numb and uncertain.
“Maybe,” I agreed. Fuck, hopefully? If a mate bond was as forever as Logan was making it sound, I was fucking terrified.
…
“So you aren’t feeling any different?” Logan asked for the fifth time.
I slammed the SUV door. “Annoyed, I feel annoyed.”
He wanted to say something else, I could see it etched into the lines of his face. Whatever it was, he wasn’t sharing. He continued to keep his thoughts to himself.
“Let me walk you to your room.” Logan positioned himself in front of me on the elevator to hit our floor.
I turned, looking at him as the elevator dinged and the doors closed. “Are you feeling different?” I asked, crossing my arms and leaning against the elevator wall.
He shrugged, taking out his phone and playing with it, not looking at me.
The elevator announced our arrival to our floor and Logan ushered me out with a hand on the small of my back. He stayed close and in my personal bubble until I pressed my fingerprint to the room door.
I opened the door, looking at him. “Do you want to come in?”
Shit, why had I asked that?
He instantly moved closer and I tilted my head up at him, thinking very seriously about a repeat performance, when Mark yelled for Logan.
I groaned, of course they would be keeping an eye out for him walking the hallway alone.
He shook his head and I nodded, closing the door softly behind me.
I went to my room with no interaction with my roommates. Maybe that was the problem with Grams, we were just shoved too closely together. I sighed. That still didn’t excuse her betrayal, as much as I wanted to. I didn’t want things to crumble between us, but I wasn’t blind.
Stripping out of my clothing, I shut my phone on silent and headed to the shower.
I doubted Logan would call. Shit, why would he? I really wanted him to. That desire didn’t feel like my own, didn’t settle right inside of me. Absently, I rubbed my breastbone. Maybe this thing just had to run its course. I’d really like to weather the side effects in bed or on any flat surface with Logan’s tanned body.
Fucking hell that sex was good. I shook my head, willing myself to pay attention to showering.
The hot water glided over my skin, easing the pain his bite had inflicted on me. How did I not know mate marks were real? I supposed I’d have to shove it in the same category with the witches gaining power by stealing it from other witches. Secrets of the clans.
Heat seared from the bite on my neck, dropping me to my knees. I gasped as my sight was taken from me, my own panting breath dulled from my ears.
Voices whispered to me. Thoughts, feelings that weren’t my own bombarded my senses. The hard surface of the tub disappeared and I felt like I was falling, plummeting through golden cords, following the connections as I touched each one with my essence. I received shock and disbelief through the bonds as I traveled faster and faster. Faces blurred together, emotions ripping into me, anger beginning to greet me, followed by hatred and finally envy. I tried braiding the emotions down, but they weren’t my own and I couldn’t control them.
The falling sensation stopped, but I was still trapped in the intricate web of golden veins. I did what I do best, I threw my guards up, blocking my emotions. Well, I thought it would work that way. Thoughts still pinged around me and I caught the briefest flash before they disappeared. It seemed we were all waiting for something.
I huffed, this had to be from Logan. This was the shifter magic that had allowed Darren and Logan to find Mark when the insane witch Destiny had kidnapped us.
The question was, how the hell did I get out?
I focused on Logan, trusting my instincts to guide me. He blossomed in my sight, blinding me from his powerful radiant glow. I felt his confusion as I merged our essences together.
What the hell, Logan? I screamed at him.
We are not having this conversation here. His voice was level. I threw guards up around us both.
Better? We are going to have to do this here, because I can’t get back to my BODY!
I – how did you do that?
Logan, focus! I could be drowning and not know it!
You are in danger? I felt his protectiveness and heard his lion’s chant of ‘mine.’
I don’t know, I was in the shower when this happened.
I’m coming.
That was so not helpful. I bounded around trying not to experiment with the veins surrounding me, these were people’s feelings and lives. I honestly had no right to be here.
Finally, warm hands cupped my cheeks and I sucked in a fresh breath, my back arching off the bed. My eyes opened to Logan, slightly bloodied, in front of me.
“What happened?” I asked, instantly regretting opening my eyes. I closed them again, feeling my heart pound painfully loudly in my ears. With a groan I swallowed down the bile creeping up my throat.
“What have you done?” Garrick asked softly.
“Garrick, what the hell are you doing in my room?” I asked, rolling onto my side, wrapping the blankets tighter around my freezing body.
“Logan was attacked on his way to see you. He yelled for me to open your door, that you were in danger.”
I grunted.
“You were passed out under freezing water,” Garrick informed me. Logan was holding me close, stroking the side of my face.
I didn’t even have the strength to grunt.
“I didn’t realize you had decided to mate the Alpha of the United States,” his voice was deceptively quiet.
“What does it matter, Garrick—and did you know about mate bonds?” I squinted at him.
“Yes, I did. It matters, Olivia. Not only have you demonstrated the ability to use magic against the Fae, now you have a controlling interest in the Shifters and The Council. You are amassing quite a powerbase.”
I sat up, pushing Logan down so I could look at Garrick through squinted eyes. “Garrick, I wasn’t given a choice. We were touring the new Lovely Lust establishment and—things just happened. I in no way, shape or form am trying to grow my power.”
Garrick nodded, watching Logan and me closely. Something flickered into his gaze, but I couldn’t catch it between the heat of Logan’s hands and the fact I was naked with him in bed.
The asshole had the nerve to laugh. “My dear girl, you are in quite the pickle.”
I threw a pillow at him. “This is not funny! I have no idea what the fuck is happening!”
Garrick continued to laugh, shaking his head. “Oh Olivia, my darling girl.” He took a step forward but Logan’s deep growl stopped his movement.
“Yes, I suppose you are off limits now, unless I want to fight your mate to the death for you.”
It was my turn to growl. I squawked when I realized what I had done, covering my mouth. It only fueled Garrick’s laughter.
“Well then, I suppose I shall leave you to…” He waggled his eyebrows before heading out.
I heaved a monumental sigh, falling back into bed, hearing the door close behind Garrick.
“What the ever loving FUCK, Logan?” I screamed at him through the pillow I had buried my fac
e in, it muffled the effect.
I could feel Logan’s uncertainty about how to approach the situation, his raw need to bed me again flaring alive in my bed with my scent heavy on the air. Damn if my body didn’t warm to that thought.
“Argh!” I flung myself out of the bed. “You are not getting in my pants until you explain this shit!”
He smiled. “So, I get in your pants after I explain?” His eyes roved over my naked body.
“Dammit,” I hissed, roughly pulling on clothing.
“Better?” I yelled at him, freaked the hell out, my arms crossed over my midsection.
“Olie,” he tried to begin.
“Don’t you fucking Olie me!” I was freaking out. “I need something to kill.” I groaned, raking my hands through my hair.
“Olivia.” Logan put force behind my name.
“Logan,” I countered, looking at him.
He was smiling. The fucking fool was smiling. I tried hard not to return the smile.
He stood up, closing the distance between us. I head butted his chest. “Logan,” I whispered, “what is going on?”
“We are mated, Olivia, bound together through pack magic. You are part of the packs now.” His voice was soft and I wrapped my arms around his waist, needing comfort.
“That’s what all the golden threads are, pack members?”
“They look like golden threads?” he asked.
I nodded. “What do they look like to you?”
“I feel them, Olie. I’ve never seen them before.”
I grunted, feeling his contentment at this situation.
I felt guilty asking, given how he had confessed that he actually liked me, a lot, “Is this reversible?”
His muscles tightened, rage and anger flooding my brain. I hobbled back, clutching my head before stumbling against the nightstand. I sagged down, focusing on breathing.
“You want it reversed?” Logan hissed.
I checked my internal blocks, finding they had slipped down. Forcing them back up, I imagined solid thick metal protecting me. The throbbing in my head eased and I dropped my hands.
I was pissed. “How fucking dare you be mad at me? I didn’t bind our futures together without even asking!” I pushed myself off the floor and into his face.
Guilt and shame hit my shields before he managed to pull back.
“Drop your guards.” His voice was low with the command.
“Make me,” I hissed back, still too pissed to be rational.
Logan kissed me and all the tension dissipated from my body. I was hungry for him. I needed him. He was mine.
Raw, base instincts had me writhing against him. I was so preoccupied with his hands kneading my ass that I missed the probing of his mind against mine.
Logan broke the kiss, panting heavily. I whined, pulling him back down for more.
“Olie, we need to talk about this,” he whispered, not fighting my pull.
“After,” I whispered against his lips.
Logan’s weight pressed me into the bed.
“You owe me,” I whispered, letting his lips work along my jaw line.
He grunted a noncommittal response, his warm fingers pulling up my shirt. I tipped my head and shoulders up, discarding the garment. Logan’s stubble tickled against my stomach as I tilted my hips up so he could remove the rest of my clothing.
My lids were heavy with desire. I reached up, slowly releasing the buttons on his shirt. His chest heaved and the muscles of his arms tensed from my slow movements.
I smiled; he deserved every ounce of torture I was about to lay onto him.
Pressing my hands against the coiled muscles of his stomach, I ran the pads of my fingers up to his shoulders and under the shirt, forcing the garment off.
“What are you feeling so smug about?”
“You’re going to beg me, Logan.” My words radiated confidence, right next to his ear. His startled look was quickly replaced by a disbelieving one.
“Bring it, little girl,” he whispered close to my lips.
I tilted my head, taking the corner of his bottom lip between my teeth and biting down hard, his body jerking before I sucked the sting away.
He panted, “You’ll have to do better than that.”
“Oh sweetie, I’m just getting started,” I whispered into his ear, with a whisper of a kiss floating over the lobe. He groaned, pressing the bulge between his legs into my soft flesh.
“No powers,” he groaned.
My hands roved down his back, toying with the belt at his waist.
“I don’t need them,” I breathed against his skin, enjoying his muscles clenching under my soft assault.
“But you if you want me to use them,” I said, dipping my fingers into his waistband, “just ask.”
He groaned, grinding his length against me. I searched for the band of his underwear and found myself coming up with only more warm skin. Shit, that was hot.
As I worked my fingers to the clasp of his belt, he lifted his hips while his lips continued to trail a path of fire along my neck, dipping down to my breasts.
“Two can play this game,” he whispered against my nipple.
I laughed, a sultry sound.
“You can try, love, you can try.”
I leisurely pulled the tail of his belt through the clasp, taking my time, being sure my knuckles brushed his tense stomach muscles. Bringing my hands together, I carefully undid the button before sliding the zipper down his engorged length.
A long groan sounded from Logan’s throat, his eyes closing.
I smiled, careful not to touch what I wanted to. I slid the fabric over his glorious butt and down his thighs. Logan’s body shuttered and he kicked off his pants vigorously.
I gave a low, throaty chuckle. “Just say ‘please,’ Logan, and all this stops.”
He growled, turning his gaze back on me, his caramel eyes darkening with flecks of espresso as his lion roused.
“Here, Kitty, Kitty,” I taunted him, my lips closing over his shoulder blade. I let Logan keep his position. I didn’t need to be on top to make him plead for his pleasure. Besides, the shaking in his arms was a perfect gauge for me.
I snaked a leg up his, trailing my toes lightly over his calf before moving up, rubbing the inside of my thigh against his hip.
“Olie,” he whispered, finding my lips again. I let him kiss me deeply, feeling his desire and need through our bond and our bodies.
“Say it, Logan,” I taunted him, lifting my hips to align with the searing heat between his legs.
“You win,” he said, smiling against my lips, shoving his hips forward.
I tilted back down, his attempt at piercing me leaving a fiery path against my stomach.
“Uh-uh, you know what I want to hear.” Needed to hear. I needed to know I had retained some part of myself in this “bonding.”
“Please let me make love to you, Olivia,” Logan whispered, drawing back and cupping my face with his large palm. His eyes were earnest, his beast clawing to be let lose.
“I’d love that,” I whispered. Somewhere in the back of my mind, my defunct emotions screamed I wasn’t ready, couldn’t cope and wouldn’t be able to care for him as he was on his way to caring for me. I pushed them away. I could handle our bodies at this moment and that was it.
His hips pulled back again, but instead of the throbbing member, his fingers slid inside of me.
“Fuck,” he groaned, testing my readiness. “You are so goddamn wet,” he whispered, pulling his fingers from me as I whimpered. He brought the digits to his lips, his tongue taking the glistening liquid into his mouth.
“That was hot.”
He chuckled, nuzzling my neck, “I’m glad you think so.” I tilted my head, wanting his lips back, wanting to taste myself on him. He obliged me, the tip of himself pressed to my wet entrance. I shifted my hips. Lifting my legs to lock around his waist, I pushed against his mounded ass.
He smiled against my lips, ramming into me.
; I squealed, part pleasure part pain. Panting, Logan drew back before pushing into me again.
I clutched to him, feeling him filling my body. It felt right on several levels I didn’t know I had inside of me.
“Mine,” I whispered as I felt his impossibly hardened length grow firmer.
“Forever,” Logan whispered, setting off warning bells. His next thrust drowned them out.
“Harder,” I demanded, my hands needing to feel all of him, every inch of flesh I needed to memorize.
He pulled back, watching me closely, his beast riding him hard. He was struggling to keep it at bay.
“All of you Logan, I want all of you.”
Relief danced across his features, his hips shifting slightly before the next thrust.
I yelped, not prepared for the assault of pleasure. His grin was feral with teeth and I bucked my hips against him, demanding more. He readily supplied what I was craving. There was no doubt I’d be sporting bruises tomorrow.
I just didn’t give a shit.
Logan moved within me as though he had done this thousands of times before. He read my slightest sigh of pleasure, knew when to shift positions. He drove me to lengths I’d never experienced.
And that is saying a LOT!
My back arched off the bed as Logan drove forcefully into me, pleasure built to impossible heights. Winding around his thick cock, I clenched my thighs and cried out as pleasure swamped me. I didn’t hear his own release, so wrapped up was I in the layers of pleasure wrapping around my own body.
Logan pulled my muscleless head to face him. I stretched under him contentedly.
“I love you, Olivia,” he whispered, before kissing away my protest.
…
After a second and equally mind-blowing bedroom romp, I was lying nestled on Logan’s shoulder.
His breathing was even, but he was waiting for me.
“How do you control all the voices?” I asked, still safely tucked away in my metal ball.
“You hear voices?” he asked softly, and in any other situation, I’d think he was teasing.
Instead I nodded, shifting so I could look at him. “Yes, you don’t?”
He shook his head, shifting the arm it was resting on. “Emotions are what I can feel.”