Rocky stared at them both for a moment. “Well, I still don’t like it, but I trust you guys. If you trust this guy, then I’ll leave it alone. Of course, this does open up a new issue for us regarding security.”
“I’m not sure what you mean,” Gray said.
“Gray, I can’t be sure that this system will keep out the Others. It has never been tested against any magic outside the pack before. We’re unprepared to defend ourselves against mages and demons.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve thought about that, and there’s nothing we can do but try. Bottom line, when the cubs were taken, the kidnappers disabled the existing security system. That tells me that they needed to, for whatever reason. Garon said to me the other night that magic is energy. The way you’ve set this up, if the energy is tampered with, the alarms will sound. All I can do is believe that and keep our guard up until this gets resolved.”
“I hope you’re right. You know, I wonder if this mage of yours would be willing to help with that. If he’s willing to share information, maybe I can work with him and figure out some way to enhance the security.”
“We can ask him.” Gray sat back down behind his desk, resolved to find some way to help Simon. He couldn’t sit by and allow Simon to be cut off from the mages, not when he was so close to completing his training. There had to be something they could do, some way to get themselves out of the mess they were facing.
He stared at the phone for a long moment and considered calling Simon, just to hear his voice. No, he’d wait a while, let Simon do what he needed to do, and Gray would find a way to spend time with him later.
13
Simon read the pages one more time before closing the journal and jumping to his feet. He hissed when all the blood rushed to his legs. He’d been on the floor so long they’d fallen asleep. The once bright light pouring in through the windows had dimmed to the faded ash of dusk. Waddle-limping toward the back door, Simon groaned with each step, even though he felt lighter than he had in weeks.
He wanted to tell Gray what he’d learned from the journals. With a laugh, Simon realized how much the alpha had invaded his thoughts. He leaned down to rub at his aching legs as the circulation began to return and knocked off a layer of filth from the morning’s chores.
Changing course, Simon went to shower. The hot steam only increased his excitement. He scrubbed, his homemade blackberry and sage soap scenting the air as the suds covered his body. When he saw Gray again he wanted to look, and smell, his best.
He thought of Gray smelling his neck, his nose trailing down the sensitive skin there. Maybe he’d lick a little, tasting as he dipped down farther. Simon rubbed his hands down his chest, over his stomach, to his very interested dick.
Arousal surged through him when he gave it a quick, hard stroke.After gathering a palm full of bubbles, Simon used them to slick the way and began a rhythm of pulls and twists that had his knees wobbling for a totally different reason.
Imagining Gray kneeling before him, mouth open to receive Simon’s erection, made Simon arch and lean against the shower wall for support. He gasped, picturing Gray’s hot lips and tongue around his dick, sucking and teasing at the slit.
With a groan, Simon shot his load into the bottom of the shower. All it took was a few thoughts of Gray’s gorgeous mouth to bring him off. He stood under the steaming water for a few more moments, gathering his thoughts and his breath. He dried off and threw on a clean pair of jeans and a dark green T-shirt. He’d been told the color looked amazing on him. He hoped Gray agreed.
Shaking aside his lustful thinking, Simon restarted his journey to the back door. Once outside, he looked around for Liam. He headed for the section of woods where Cade had concealed himself earlier and heard a rustle in the trees to his right. Simon turned with a smile, expecting to see the pack member, but instead came face to face with a charging demon.
Simon didn’t have time to react. The journal fell from his hands as the demon tackled him. They hit the ground hard, Simon’s left arm twisting behind him. He cried out in pain and tried to struggle out of the demon’s grip.
It was crazed. When Simon had last faced it, there wasn’t this madness in its eyes. Before, it had been controlled and determined. This time it was out of control, set on its course, and Simon’s fight didn’t seem to faze the demon at all. Simon swung as hard as he could with his right arm, his fist connecting with a solid punch to the demon’s jaw. It didn’t even blink to acknowledge the strike. It grabbed Simon on either side of his head, sinking claws into the sensitive skin to hold him steady.
Simon threw up his shields, but it was too late. The demon was focused on the leech inside him, and for the first time in days, it pulsed with renewed life. He reinforced the bubble surrounding it,throwing everything he had into keeping that leech held tight inside the protective barrier he’d created.
One minute the demon was there on top of him, and the next it was gone. Simon heard a roar and felt the jerk of the demon’s body lift from him. Stunned, he rolled his head to the side. Liam wrestled with the demon only a few feet from where Simon lay. It didn’t even acknowledge Liam’s presence. Its focus stayed on Simon and trying to get back to him.
That made it easier for Liam to fight it off. Simon cradled his sore arm against his chest. A few drops of blood oozed down his face from where the demon’s claws had cut him. He tried to think of a way to help, to come up with some way to keep Liam from getting hurt, but he didn’t know how.
Simon was beginning to panic, but after a few minutes of struggle, it stopped. Liam threw the demon, and it landed several feet away on the opposite side of the yard. Instead of coming back at Simon again, it turned and ran off into the woods. Liam started to chase it, but Simon quickly stopped him. “Liam, no! We have to get to Gray. It’s important.”
Liam growled, and for the first time, Simon noticed he was partially shifted. He looked like he was in pain, so Simon approached him. He winced and held his side. “You need to shift?”
He nodded.
“Go ahead. I can drive us.”
Magic began to gather in the air. Before he had time to process the thought, a huge black wolf stood beside him on a pile of clothes. “You okay now?”
Liam’s answer was to nudge at Simon with his head. Simon laughed and took the hint. “I’m going, I’m going.”
He grabbed Liam’s clothes off the ground, then hurried to the house. “Crap,” Simon said, as he spun around to run back to the yard and grab the journal. Liam growled at him, and Simon could hear the “hurry up” in the tone. “I need to take this to Gray,” he explained.
Spinning around again, Simon winced when his left arm suddenly began to throb. “Shit. That hurts.” Liam was immediately at his side,his nose sniffing along Simon’s arm. “It’s fine. We’ll worry about it later. Let’s get out of here.”
They went through the house, and Simon took a minute to grab his keys and wallet, then headed out the front door. The drive to the compound was strange with a wolf filling his tiny backseat. “I think I’m going to have to get a bigger car if I keep hanging around with you guys.”
