Logan's Rattler (5 page)

Most days he didn’t mind the early hours, but most days he wasn’t sleep deprived or walking around with a constant hard-on jabbing him in the thigh.

Logan’s watch beeped, and he walked around the counter to flip over the
open
sign. It was time to start the workday no matter how bad he wanted to crawl back into bed with a spiky-brown-haired devil. He couldn’t believe he missed the little guy.

A smile spread across his face. He’d bet anything Finn wouldn’t like being called “little.” Later he would have to try out the endearment.

“Morning, Logan. What has you all smiles today?”

“Hey, Mrs. Parks,” he greeted the older woman. She had been their very first customer that walked through the doors on opening day and had come in every morning since. “Nothing in particular.”

“Don’t try and fool an old lady, sweetie. By the looks of you I’d say amore is in the air.” Logan handed Mrs. Parks her regular, a small black coffee with a shot of skim milk. She proceeded to add a sugar to the mix. “Please say it’s someone new. I don’t care much for that Brett you’ve been hanging out with.”

“It’s Rhett.” He corrected her. “And, no, it’s not him. I met a really sweet guy last night who took me by complete surprise.” He chewed nervously on the inside of his cheek, debating whether or not to say any more. “I can’t stop thinking about him. Is that crazy being as I just met him?” He was never good at keeping secrets and hoped the older woman could give him some grandmotherly advice.

Mrs. Parks laid money on the counter for her bill then reached across and patted his hand. “No, sweetie, you’re not crazy. Sometimes

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love has a way of sneaking up on you and biting you right on the ass.”

Logan giggled at her curse. “No matter how you find it, don’t let it slip away.”

He watched her walk out the door and across the street to her dog-grooming business. Nice old bird if a little quirky at times, but today she did have a point. Finn did seem like a good guy. Yeah, the way they met wasn’t ideal, but it didn’t mean they couldn’t build a relationship that would last.

Logan started to get excited about seeing Finn again. But just as that happy-go-lucky energy filled his body, a black cloud of dread hung over his head. He hadn’t heard any voices coming from Finn the previous night, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t hear something tonight.

More customers filed through the door, and he became too preoccupied with filling orders and neighborly small talk to worry about anything else. As the rush died down, he went around wiping off the table tops. Whenever he had any extra time on his hands, his mind often wandered back to that fateful day five months ago.

He had been sitting in his office when he heard Leo shouting at a customer for being a rude prick. He left his office to go assist with the situation but when he walked into the front area, Leo was handing the man his change and telling him to have a good day. Logan thought the scene seemed odd since he had just heard Leo yelling at the man.

Logan came around the counter and asked if Leo needed help with anything. Leo gave him the strangest look and said he was fine.

Logan soon found out after the customer left that he was in fact an asshole. He was hitting on Leo and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Not until Logan came out front did the guy take the hint and leave.

Leo said he was screaming internally for the jerk to go away.

It was as if a light had been switched on. He had heard every word his friend had thought without him ever uttering a single word aloud.

Logan could hear Leo’s thoughts. And he came to find out it wasn’t just Leo’s, it was everyone’s. It didn’t happen all the time, but when

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the voices broke through they just wouldn’t stop. He heard wives complaining about their husbands. He heard husbands complaining about their wives. How the manager of the grocery store in town was sleeping with his neighbor’s wife. He heard all types of shit that he would have rather not. It made being around the people in town kind of hard when he knew all their dirty little secrets they kept hidden behind their fake smiles.

Once he figured out he wasn’t going crazy, he confided in Leo.

Leo said he must be telepathic. Logan accepted that. It only happened on occasion, so he could live with being a mind reader every so often, but it didn’t mean he had to like it.

The whole telepathy thing put his dating life on hold. He had tried going out with a few guys since his odd gift flared to life, but any hopes of a relationship died a quick death when the guy’s true nature came to the surface. It seemed he attracted the fuck ’em and leave ’em type. He hated to admit it, but he would rather not know their true motives for asking him out. At least that way he could get laid every now and again.

When Rhett walked into his life, he could have thanked the heavens. Rhett came into the coffee shop, and they started chatting like old friends. The next thing he knew he was having dinner with the man. He was a little on the snobby side, but Logan couldn’t hear a single thought coming from Rhett, so in his book that made him a keeper.

All that changed though. What was supposed to be a romantic evening spent making love under the stars turned into a nightmare.

When Rhett’s friends showed up, they started teasing Logan then pawing at him. But that wasn’t the worst part. No, it was the outlandish thoughts racing through their perverted minds. The images coming from them were so graphic and violent it frightened Logan at first, then anger set in.

He blew up at Rhett for not defending him. Rhett’s response was that what Logan was thinking was all in his head.
No shit!
But Logan

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couldn’t explain to Rhett that he had actually heard every evil inner desire his friends had toward him. They fought for a few minutes before Logan took off walking into the woods. He proclaimed he could find his own way home. Of course, as best laid plans go, it didn’t go as he expected. He wasn’t complaining though because it led him to Finn.

Finn, Finn, Finn.

He couldn’t stop thinking about the guy. It was almost like a piece of the man was within Logan. Like a small part of Finn resided in his soul. It didn’t make sense, but Logan wasn’t going to question it too much. He deserved a little happiness, and if Finn proved to be the standup guy he acted like the other night then Logan would give the man a chance. Hell, a second and third chance at that.

It was coming on eleven o’clock when a sharp sting of fear punched him in the gut causing him to double over. Chills broke out across his skin, and his heart started to beat faster. It wasn’t fear for himself but for Finn. How odd? How could he possibly know that? It wasn’t like he heard Finn cry out for help but sensed it. Pain, anger, and terror coursed through his body making him dizzy.

Logan shouted for Leo, but it was too late. The floor raced up to break his fall.

The loud crash sent Finn racing down the hall behind his fellow warriors. The front of the house had been demolished, and Warriors of the Dark rushed into the home. A fight broke out instantly. Two Dark Warriors started to tag team him. Everyone always assumed because he was short he was an easy target. Their mistake.

He took his licks but gave as good as he got. The punch to his left kidney dropped him to his knees. He almost sent up a white flag in surrender, almost. Finn fed off his pain and let his teeth elongate, and

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venom dripped from the tips. He struck so fast his two foes didn’t see it coming until it was too late.

With their last breath, the dying men mumbled, “Fairy.”
Fuck it
all!
Somehow the Dark Warriors found out about Klaus’s mate being part fairy. Finn, like the other warriors, doubled up his efforts, mowing down the enemy.

No one was taking Astrid from them, no one. They had taken in a battered and bruised Astrid. He had suffered more than most men could have survived. Just thinking about the pain inflicted on Astrid caused Finn to go crazy with rage, lashing out at anyone stupid enough to come near him, and the Warriors of the Dark weren’t known for their intelligence.

As the Dark Warriors’ numbers started to dwindle, Finn followed Ben, the leader of the Warriors of the Light, toward the kitchen area.

The sound of fighting met his ears. Ben and Klaus took off down the hallway, pushing through the closed door. Finn and the other warriors skidded to a halt at what they saw. Ben’s mate, Miles, Astrid, and Miles’s cousin, Trevor, stood in an empty room littered with body parts. It would appear the little guys of the house didn’t need big strong protectors to keep them safe.

After Ben escorted a distraught Miles to his room and Klaus took Astrid upstairs to rest, Finn and the others started doing damage control on the house. They needed to get safeguards in effect immediately before nightfall. As it was now, they were sitting ducks should they get attacked again.

“What are we going to do, Quinn?” Finn asked the next in command.

“Not sure.” Quinn never looked at him just kept his gaze on Trevor. “I think once we get this all cleaned up we need to convene in the war room and discuss what happened here today.” Quinn dropped his head to his chest and ran a hand through his hair. Finn could feel the agitation rolling off the older man. “Miles hearing voices isn’t good. This could be some horrible trick by the enemy.”

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Finn nodded his head in agreement. Hearing voices was never a good sign, but no one said anything to Miles. “I couldn’t agree more.

But we need to focus on the present right now and what we’re going to do to keep Astrid safe. Those fuckers will come back. If the Warriors of the Dark are anything it’s persistent.”

“That they are.” Quinn rested a hand on his shoulder. “Finish up here then help gather the others. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night.”

“You got it.” He turned to call for Lawson and Jensen to come with him when his cell phone chimed. He didn’t recognize the number.

“Hello?”

“Are you okay? I’m freaking out here.”

Logan’s voiced rushed across the line, and the stress piling up on his shoulders lifted just a bit. He was happy to hear from his mate, but now wasn’t the time. “Yeah, honey, I’m fine. But I have to ask, are you okay?”

“Am I okay?” Logan shouted into the receiver. “Fuck no, I’m not okay. Something really weird just happened to me, and I think it has to do with you.” There was a pause, and Finn could hear Logan clicking his tongue. “I literally felt pain and fear, but it wasn’t my own. I had an all-consuming need to get to you. What the hell is going on, Finn?”

Now that was the question every paranormal dreaded to hear from a human mate. Because it meant the talk was coming and ultimately the possibility of losing his mate. Finn wasn’t sure where to begin.

With everything that had taken place earlier, this conversation would have to wait.

“Logan, honey, I really want to discuss this with you. I really do, but I’m not sure I can tonight.” It was the truth. He was a warrior above all else, and he needed to help protect those who couldn’t protect themselves, namely Astrid. His sense of loyalty was wearing

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thin though. With every breath he took, his allegiance was starting to shift toward Logan and his safety, not the Warriors of the Light.

“Why not? Are you breaking up with me?” Logan’s voice took on a high-pitch squeal so loud Finn had to pull the phone from his ear.

“How can you dump me? We just met and you pursued me not the other way around, mister. Jeez, just when I start to think I’ve found a keeper, he bales on me.”

Finn listened to his mate babble on and on. He loved how when Logan got flustered, he talked a mile a minute and just kept going, not breaking for air. Life with Logan would never be dull.

“Honey, I’m not breaking up with you. I’d never leave you.

You’re mine,” Finn said. No matter what, he would never leave Logan for any purpose. They were mates, and that was a bond that would last an eternity.

“Oh thank god.” Logan breathed a sigh of relief Finn could hear over the phone. Finn smiled at Logan’s honesty.

“I’m glad you’re good with that.” He chuckled. “But I do have to reschedule our date for tonight. Some work”—Finn racked his brain for a way to best describe the day’s events—“stuff has come up, and I’m needed here.” It was the best he could think of. The thought of lying to Logan didn’t sit well with him. Lies tore people apart, and he had full intentions of laying everything out on the table for Logan as soon as this nasty mess with Astrid was resolved.

“Oh, okay, I can understand that.” Logan took a deep breath. “So when do I get to see you again? Tomorrow? The next day? The day after? What kind of time frame we talking about here? I can be free whenever you want to see me.” Logan said the words so fast Finn was fortunate to have caught it all.

“Slow down, honey.” Finn chuckled. “Let’s shoot for tomorrow evening. Will that work for you?” Finn asked.