Page 94 of Shifters Unifying
“Thanks, I appreciate it. Whoever wants to help, stick close, and when I link to you, you’ll know. Let the energy flow through you. Don’t fight it. Maybe we’ll even come up with something new to show everyone.”
They all nodded.
Then I raised my chin, squared my shoulders, and marched into the gathering place like I owned the place. Or at least like I was in charge of it.
Logan met me as I stepped inside. “There you are,” he said, raising his voice to be heard over the cacophony. He hooked his arm around my waist and pulled me close.
The scent of him, of smoked whisky and freshly cut pine trees nearly strangled my resolve to bring the conclave to order.Fuck me.“I missed you.”
He nuzzled my neck. “It’s been an eternity, and I have a lot to tell you.”
I have a lot to tell you, too.
Nearby, Jasper nodded toward me and returned to his conversation with Olivia.
I took a deep breath, sighed, and stepped out of his reach. “But we have work to do.”
He shoved his hands through his hair, making it stick out in all directions. “They’ve been waiting… not all that patiently.”
“It took Salali a while to get all her people gathered up, and I needed to talk to the younglings before we came in. I plan to link with them later and show off lightning or balefire or something else with a lot of pizazz.” My use of “jazz hands” when I saidpizazz didn’t seem to impress him. “Well? Tell me all the reasons I’m making the wrong decisions. Out with it.”
“It’s risky, Emma.” His mouth puckered. “After what happened last time.”
“Well, it’s what I’ve got to work with right now, and I’ve gotten much better.” I moved to get around him.And I might try something new while I’m at it.
Logan scowled and caught my wrist, drawing me back. “Say what?”
I shrugged, unwilling to hear any more reasons I shouldn’t do what I thought was needed to help drag these bunch of obstinate alphaholes along on my mission to save them. Several in the rear rows of the amphitheater glanced toward us and then turned around in their seats, their eyes gleaming with interest. More and more would soon realize I’d arrived, and I took a step toward the front.
Logan released my hand, but his frustration reverberated through our bond.You risk yourself too easily, carelessly.
Without turning to face him, I took three steps down the center aisle.Logan, you know as well as I do that it’ll be a miracle if we both make it to the end of everything… alive and together.
His pained gasp stopped me short, and I turned to face him, one step up and behind me. Hurt and concern clouded his icy blue eyes. “Don’t say that,” he snarled, his voice a harsh whisper. “Don’t you ever fucking say that. The only way I care about any of this,” he gestured to the crowd of growing onlookers, “is if we make it to the end alive and together.”
I laid my hand on his chest, inhaling the essence of him, relishing his aroma. “I know, my love. But I have to do what I have to do, and I’m tired of not being in the driver’s seat.” Then I winked at him. “I never said riding bitch wouldn’t get bumpy.”
His mouth opened in a silent ‘o.’ Then the corner of his mouth twitched, and he barked a laugh. He took a predatory step toward me. “I like this version of you,” he growled. “Come here.”
Instead, I spun and marched the rest of the way down the aisle.I recognize that look, and I don’t plan on fucking in the middle of the conclave. It’s not my orgasms that’ll win these ones over.
We could try.
No.
Don’t tempt me.
His words and the image of him enjoying my ass walking away from him flashed in my head and nearly took my legs out from under me. But I kept on. When I reached the bottom, I turned to face the chaotic crowd.
I raised my hands, and Torbin lifted a heavy rock beside him and banged it twice on the front row where he sat beside Salali. Silence took the place of the voices, and I caught Marcus’s gaze. His expression didn’t change, but something I didn’t recognize flickered in his eyes.
Waving for the younglings to come down to the front, I pointed to an empty spot on the front row, across the center aisle from where Torbin sat. Others scooted aside, and they squished together in the spot where I’d pointed. Blaze settled on the farthest end, her face lit with excitement. Izzie sat next to her with Oliver on her other side and John on the interior, next to some big burly shifter with a scowl nearly hidden by bushy eyebrows.
Logan made his way toward the front of the gathering and took a position to my right, choosing to stand rather than sit. He leaned against a small tree on the perimeter of the conclave. After the quartet of my volunteers settled, Torbin nodded to me as though encouraging me to speak.
“Hello, my friends,” I said, my voice quivering slightly. Clearing my throat didn’t help much, but it gave me time to form my next words. “You’ve been looking for me.”
The murmur of descent rippled through the crowd. “Where have you been?” someone yelled. “Yeah, where? Acheron’s still out there!”
