Sparks flashed through her body, zinging around like a thousand fireflies. He growled against her neck and pressed against her raging clit. She exploded into particles of light, crying out his name, holding on to keep to this earth. His hold was absolute, from his hands to his body to his fangs inside her flesh.
There was no pain.
Only the sharp edge of ecstasy coupled with a need for more. She wanted more.
He took her blood—her very life force. She was now inside him, and a part of her would always belong to him. He retracted his fangs and licked the wound closed, his rough tongue flaring her nerves wide awake.
She panted out breath, her body relaxing against his, her eyelids lazily opening. The intensity in his gaze shot her body into full awareness again.
“You’re not a virgin,” he rumbled, his hold tightening even more, his cock pressing insistently against her sex.
“No,” she whispered, fully aware of her nudity. They were so close.
His eyelids dropped to half-mast, giving him a deadly quality that seemed right at home on his face. She shivered. Wait. This was too much. He’d only kissed her and she’d all but lost her mind. She’d orgasmed from his fangs alone.
Fear grabbed her, but she couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move.
His gaze narrowed on hers. His chin lifted, and realization dawned across his expression. His shoulders went back and, keeping her gaze captive, he leaned down and swiped the comforter off the ground. Then he gently, way too gently for what had just happened, wrapped it around her and provided cover.
She blinked. Her body was on fire. She wanted this. Mostly. “Logan,” she whispered.
“No,” he said softly. “Not if you’re scared. No.”
That quickly, after all the subterfuge and strategy, her heart slammed hard against her rib cage.
For him.
Chapter 13
Logan lifted Mercy into his arms, turning back toward the cabin. The storm was increasing in force, and they needed to find shelter to ride it out until morning. His body was still on fire and having her in his arms was a torture too raw to contain. He’d been less than a whisper from entering her, from going hard and deep into that wet heat.
Until he saw the fear in her eyes.
Oh, there had been desire and need, too.
But with the fear, he’d had no choice but to stop. Even if it killed him. Which fucking frankly, it might.
The anger still rode him, just under the surface. She was cute and sweet and spunky, and she’d done nothing but make a complete fool of him. A part of him he didn’t much appreciate was impressed and intrigued by that fact. The other part wanted to lay her down and spend days showing her the true meaning of submission. Every time she dared him, the demon deep down inside, the demon he controlled ruthlessly, roared wide awake.
What was it with this female?
Why did he want to protect her—even from his own true nature? No stranger in the world could’ve gotten away with kicking him in the head and knocking him out. Maybe his mom or niece. Possibly his sister-in-law. But that was it. And not one of them would’ve done those things in the first place.
So why was he giving her a pass?
If he had half a brain, he’d turn her over to Zane to deal with. But no matter how much he wanted to find Sam, he didn’t want her scared. Zane would never truly hurt a female, but he’d probe her brain until there wasn’t a secret compartment left. Logan should do the same. Plus, he’d been the one to lose Sam. It was his damn job to find his brother.
“If they’re hurting Sam, I’m going to burn your nation down,” Logan said, ducking his head over her to protect her from the rain. “You might find it hard to believe, in light of the last twenty-four hours, but I could take out most of your soldiers in an hour—and not by knocking them out. I’m talking heads rolling away from bodies. And I would.”
“I know,” she whispered. She snuggled her cold nose into his neck like a satisfied kitten.
His chest warmed. What in the world was he going to do with her? He’d bitten her, for Pete’s sake. While he’d been with more females than he could count, he’d never once bitten one. Not even the shifters he and Garrett had dated for a while.
Speaking of Garrett, Logan had to get back to the Seven. Garrett was still dealing with the aftereffects of the Seven ritual, and Logan was his best friend. More like brother. As soon as he saved Sam, he had to get back to Garrett.
But there was Mercy.
He looked down, mildly surprised to see her completely asleep. The scent of blood perked up his senses, and he leaned down to check her neck. His bite mark remained, but he’d sealed it. Where was the blood?
