Rush Against Time (10 page)

“
Hello!” His voice barked into the receiver with fury. 

“
Damion?  What the hell is wrong?  Is Jessa okay?”  The concerned and confused sounding patron was none other than Alan Black. 

Shit!  This day just keeps getting fucking better! 
“Sorry, Alan, yes and no.  The fever is starting to hit her.  She is going downhill fast.”

“
Aww hell.  I knew this was going to happen.  It is ridiculous to keep allowing her to believe she can save herself for her marriage.  It will probably be years before she finds her fated mate.  Okay, I will get Autumn to head over as soon as possible.  In the meantime, I need you here the moment Christina gets there to relieve you.  Two boys from the pack were taken today.  There is rumor that some whack job is kidnapping innocent victims to use as lab rats to create an ‘all powerful’ potion.  If it is true, then we will have a shitload of people needing medical assistance, and a vampire with a Napoleon complex on our hands. We have a meeting with all of the tribe leaders in the morning in Joplin, Missouri.  It is about a five hour drive from here, so we need to get up there and get settled tonight.”

“
Roger.  So are the vampire clans getting involved this time too?” 

“
Yes.  Michael is taking care of that end of it all.  They are all meeting there and will convene with our group tomorrow night.  It gives us time to address all of the shifter incidents, get reports made up, and start delegating security details,” Alan explained.

“
Okay will do.  Anything else?”

“
If you could give the others a heads-up and have them go on red alert on the reservation I would appreciate it.  No one is allowed in or out of the gates until this is resolved.  I want the women and children taken to the forest compound and kept under tight security.  Every male who is sixteen and above is to assist in guard duty and protection.”

“
I will head straight there the moment Christina gets here.  Oh, and Alan?”

“
Yeah?”

“
Uh, I thought you should know that I am Jessa’s mate.  Unfortunately she hasn’t realized it yet,” his voice had softened.

“
Shit!  It would have been nice for you to have led the conversation with that, Damion. Well, you are to take care of her and get this over with now!”

“
I can’t!  There is no way she will believe me until she can feel that it isn’t just her raging hormones.”  Irritation started to mount in his stomach.

“
Whether she realizes it or not Damion, this has to end.  I will give her until we return to figure it out.  Then, you do what you gotta do to make it happen. If not, you may lose her.”  Alan’s stern command ended with heartfelt compassion. 

D
amion’s heart sunk.  He knew Alan was right, but it didn’t help his stomach from hitting the floor.  Maybe he could convince her.  She had already melted with a single kiss.  Who was to say that with a little of the ‘Damion’ charm she wouldn’t be more than willing?  A small gush of confidence filled his heart, making his mood lighten a fraction.  Alan calling his name through the phone brought his attention back to their conversation.  “Yeah, I am here.  Okay.  I know and will take care of it.  See you tonight, Alan.”  And with that, he hung up without waiting for a response.

By the time he had finished his outdoor chores and headed toward the house,
Christina was pulling up in her bright pink SUV. 
Fuck.  Now I won’t get time alone with Jessa before I have to leave.  Maybe I can lure her outside...

“
Hey, Damion!  Are you hungry?  I brought beef stew and garlic bread!”  Christina’s chipper voice made him feel guilty, so he plastered on the biggest grin he could.

“
I am starved.  Thanks, Christina.  Let me get washed up and I will give you a hand in the kitchen.

“
Oh no, I got it.  How is Jessa?”

Damion
felt his face heat when the not so distant memory came back of his view through the window.  He stuttered for words, unsure what to say. 

“
She…well, I think the fever is already starting to set in.  I haven’t been in to check on her because…she…uhh…the bedroom…and sounds… she needs privacy...” He shook his head, unable to make a coherent sentence. 

Christina
smiled knowingly, and hugged him.  “Okay.  Chill out there, Rambo.  I swear all of you boys are the same.  I don’t understand how something so normal can make ya’all spit and sputter like a thirteen-year-old boy seeing his first porno.  I will go check on her.  You just get a grip and come eat.  I assume you have realized by now that you two are mates, right?”  She tapped her foot like an impatient schoolteacher. 

His jaw hit the ground.
After the shock morphed into anger, he responded, “How did you know?  You knew all this time?  Why didn’t you tell me so I could have started wooing her weeks ago?  All of the damn embarrassing moments from today wouldn’t have happened!” He hardly recognized his own voice that for some reason had raised a few octaves and cracked. 

“
What embarrassing…oh never mind I don’t want to know.  The visions hit me about a week ago.  I couldn’t tell you because fate wouldn’t have ran its course and something could have messed up.  You don’t have much time before she becomes trapped in wolf form,
if
she makes it out of the fever.  She is going to get really sick, Damion.  I have seen a few different scenarios and some are worse than others.  There are a lot of obstacles that
both
of you will face.”  Christina’s eyes were narrowed and clouded with worry. 

He knew that
whatever she had seen must have been bad by her reaction.  A sharp pain shot through his gut at the idea of Jessa not making it.  It was his job to protect her and he would do whatever he needed to accomplish that.  Determination stomped out the fear that had started to mount, and he took off in a rush to confront the situation head on, leaving Christina standing in the yard.

Just before
Damion reached the front door, the roar of an engine came barreling up the road, stopping him dead in his tracks.  He watched cautiously as a jacked up bright yellow truck came skidding to a stop in front of him, sending a cloud of dirt up that made him cough. 
And this day just keeps getting better.  Now I have a horny little shit to deal with too.  Super.

Within seconds,
Logan had parked, climbed out, and was now running toward him with a huge grin on his face. 
What the hell is he so excited about?  There is no way in hell I am letting him around Jessa.  She is mine!
When he reached the porch, he slapped Damion on the shoulder in a bro tap.  “Hey, Damion.  What’s goin’ on, man?”  Under normal circumstances he liked Logan.  They hung out, shared a few beers from time to time, and talked about the slew of women each had conquered.  He was like a younger, more goofy, less responsible version of himself.  He knew Logan flirted shamelessly, and would be damned if he allowed him even in the same room as his mate. In the last few hours, his whole world had changed dramatically. 

“
Not much.  What are you doing way out here?” Damion tried to keep his tone casual, but he still ended up sounding a little more gruffly than he had intended. 

“
I came to check on Jessa.  Braden said that Christina was heading out here, and I didn’t want the girls left alone.  Hey, aren’t you supposed to be leaving with them in a little while?”

“
Yeah, Christina just got here.”

“
They were already loading up the vans.  I guess they are in a hurry to leave.”  Logan propped his arm against the porch railing. 

“
Shit.  I gotta get going.  So are you staying then?”  He almost didn’t want to know the answer to his question. 

Logan
grinned again, making him feel uneasy.  “Yeah, man.  I have a lot of work to do.”

“
Work?  What do you mean?  I already installed all of the new alarms.  Did Alan add to the list?”

“
No, this work is a hell of a lot more fun.  When I brought Jessa out here, we had dinner and, well, one thing led to another, and we ended up kissing.  That single kiss changed my life forever.”  His eyes held a certain nostalgic gleam that set Damion’s nerves on edge. 

Rage bloomed in his veins. 
“You kissed her!  What the fuck do you mean it changed your life forever?” his voice vibrated and echoed off the house. 

Logan
narrowed his eyes, obviously shocked by his outburst.  “I mean, the world tilted off its axis…the stars began to shine only in her eyes…the moon began to rotate around her…every breath I took was for her.  She is my mate, Damion!  I know she felt it too, but I don’t think she knew what it was.  Now I am going to make
sure
she knows what it is, mate her, and make her all better.  She is not going to get sick now!”  He grinned, obviously impressed with himself. 

Damion
felt the rumble start in his toes and work its way up.  A booming growl snarled through his clenched teeth.  Logan looked freaked out and confused, but stepped back, knowing what was about to take place.  Damion leapt over Logan’s head and shifted in midair.  He turned and crouched down, ready to attack.  Both of Logan’s hands went up in a defensive posture, and he stepped slowly toward the door.  Before he could get to the knob, the door swung open and Christina stepped out. 

“
Stand down, Damion, NOW!”  She flipped her hands in a half circle and thrust her palms outward, casting a powerful force of air.  It knocked Damion backwards, holding him pinned to the ground. The air was knocked out of his lungs momentarily, causing him to whimper.  When he recovered, he stared astounded by the power the small woman had.  She kept her hands outstretched while she spoke.  Her eyes glowed a deep golden, and he swore he could see little sparks in them.  “Logan honey, go in the house now.  Keep Jessa inside.”  She didn’t break eye contact with Damion, keeping her full focus on him.  “Damion, Logan is Jessa’s mate too.  Now shift your furry ass back into human, get some damn clothes from upstairs, and stop acting like a pompous ass.”

Damion
couldn’t believe his ears.  All he could do was whine, unable to ask questions or express his emotions.  He laid his head on his paws and waited for her to release him.  She must have understood his intentions because she lowered her hands and the magical barricade released.  He stood slowly, careful to not startle her and unleash another wave of magical ass whoopin’, and shifted back.  He reached for his clothing, only to find they were in shreds scattered in the yard. 
Of course they are.  Shifting with my clothes on—perfect. This day is fucking awesome! 

Christina had been around them so much she didn’t so much as flinch at him standing for the world to see in all of his naked glory, but instead turned on her heel with a huff and went back in the house.  Logan soon appeared, handing him a stack of clothing.  He wanted to rip the guy’s head off, but nodded his thanks instead. 

When he was finished getting them on, he joined
Logan on the porch swing.  They sat in silence, staring aimlessly out at the yard a good ten minutes before either spoke.  Logan was the first to break the silence.  “I assume, by your overdramatic reaction, that you are Jessa’s mate also.”  The smallest hint of irritation laced each word. 

“
Yep.”  He understood that Logan was probably feeling the same apprehension that he was, and his anger began to settle. 

“
Wow.  I thought convincing Jessa was going to be hard.  Now we get to try to convince the little temperamental she-wolf that she is destined to mate both of us.”

“
Yep.”

“
This is going to be hard.”

“
Yep.”  Damion kept his guard up, still feeling jealousy toward his friend.  What sucked was he liked Logan.  The longer he rolled it all over in his mind, the more at ease he felt.  “Logan?”

Logan
finally turned to look at him.  “Yeah?”

“
I guess if I am going to be stuck sharing Jess, I wouldn’t want to with anyone else but you.”

A small smile crept over
Logan’s boyish face.  “I guess you are right.  Same goes, bro.”  After a quick knuckle tap, they both stood and went inside.

Logan closed the door behind him, standing beside Damion in the entry hall.  From their position, they could only see Christina sitting on the edge of the couch overlooking Jessa.  Both men exchanged a worried glance before walking over to investigate. 

“
Christina, what’s going on?” Logan’s voice shook with uncertainty. 

“
It’s started.  Jessa fainted in the kitchen, and now is teetering between conscious and unconsciousness.  You two need to fix this
now,
” the tone in her voice said it all. 

D
amion’s mind whirled with their options, but the mere idea of marking her without her full consent held his feet affixed to the floor.  He shot a glance at Logan, and realized he wasn’t the only one in a mental dilemma. 

“
Christina, we can’t mate her without her consent.  Plus, she has to partake…is there any way for you to make her aware of her surroundings long enough for us to explain to her?”

“
I can try to reach out to her telepathically and get her to drink some of Autumn’s tea concoction.  It will only work for a very short amount of time, so you both best get your words planned out now.  One of you carry her to the guest bedroom upstairs.  I will go heat the tea and meet you up there.  With a little luck, we might be able to pull this off,” she hustled from the room, hollering the last sentence over her shoulder.

“
I will shoot a text to Alan.  This will have to be one meeting you miss.”  Logan flipped out his cell phone and had punched the buttons in record time, shoving it back into his pocket only moments later. 

“
Thanks.”  Damion scooped her up in a rush and carried her up the winding staircase with Logan hot on his heels.

****

Jessa could hear the voices around her and fought to understand what was going on.  Random words would push through the black smoke that buried her.  She floated between the darkness and a peaceful, beautiful meadow.  In the nothingness, she heard the two voices who soothed her aches and calmed her heart.  In the meadow, visions of a very familiar, yet strange man accompanied her.  He was beautiful.  His pale blue eyes sparkled in the moonlight, etched with darker blue specks that almost glowed.  The prettiest color of blonde she had ever seen framed a masculine face.  His smile seemed to light up the night. 

She knew she should be frightened, but it felt like he had wrapped her up in a protective bubble.  She knew he would do her no harm, and walked toward him.  Through the satiny plush moss that squished under her feet, she walked through the abundance of purple flowers that swayed against her legs.  The familiar sounds of frogs chirped, and lightning bugs blinked everywhere, giving the magical place a twinkle that could only be real in a dream.   

When Jessa reached the man, he pulled her into his arms without a moment’s hesitation and stole her breath away with a kiss.  When he pulled away, he smiled down at her.  “Hello, Jessa love.  Do you remember who I am?”

Her mind whirled random puzzle pieces of memories, until at last they formed a single thought. 
My dream. 
“Gavin.”  The single word fell from her swollen lips in a whisper. 

“
Yes, my love.  I had hoped we would have more time before we met this way.  Do you know why you are here?” His voice caressed over her skin like satin, submerging her into a state of contentment and peace. 

“
I…remember the darkness took over.  I could hear voices…it was Logan and Damion.  I couldn’t make out what they were saying though.  Did I fall down a well or rabbit hole or something?  Is that why I couldn’t hear or see them?”  She pulled back slightly and gazed up into his eyes, half afraid of his answer, “Is…that why I am here with you?” 

A soothing hand raised to her hair and gently stroked away her apprehension. 
“No, love.  I am here because I have the ability to connect with you telepathically.  Instead of just talking like most telepaths do, I have the ability to appear.  You can touch, taste, smell, and feel me as if we were sitting in your living room together.  Once I found you, I couldn’t waste time getting to you.  You are mine, Jessa love.  Soon we will be together forever.”

“
What do you mean?  You aren’t a shifter, are you?”

“
No, love, I am something else.”

“
Are you a wizard of some sort?”  Jessa was certain he was special, she just couldn’t put her finger on it.

Gavin snickered. 
“No, I am not a wizard, my sweet.  I am something far darker, and hold powers that can outshine a coven of wizards.”

Jessa
thought about his words, rolling them over and over until a light bulb went off.  Her throat constricted, unable to speak the words.  She had lived among many, but the idea of being in the arms of her polar opposite was mind-blowing.  When the lump in her throat released, she whispered, “Vampire.”

“
Yes.  But, not just any vampire.  I am of the original blood.  I have capabilities that others of my kind have never heard of.  I come to you, Jessa, after centuries of searching.  I have sailed the ocean and have flown the skies, searching endlessly.  You are my destiny, Jessa Renee Meadows.”

Her heart palpitated in her chest.  The mere notion of being sought
after for any length of time was the most romantic gesture she had ever been given.  Her, a plain shifter girl, desired by a centuries old, powerful vampire…the idea blew her mind.  She opened her eyes once again, hoping the dream wouldn’t end.  She felt her past, present, and future all whirl together into this single moment.  Dream or not, she couldn’t release the immediate connection her heart felt.  It was if an invisible cord joined them together. 

His voice cut through her thoughts, startling her. 
“Yes, Jessa.  There is a ribbon that connects us through time and space.  We are destined to join into a life together for the rest of time.  I will come to you soon, but not in a dream.  I will hold you in the flesh.  You will feel the heat from my gaze, and the brush of my hand.  The heat you suffer from will be no more when we bond together for eternity.”

Every word he spoke was poetic.  She basked in the romance of each word, sinking into a love that did not yet exist, but did.  Her heartbeat thumped the same rhythm as his.  With a tender smile, he lowered his lips toward hers
…

Before they made contact, a bright light blinded her from the world around her.  Something hot sizzled down her throat, making her frantically swallow or risk choking.  Voices echoed in her ears, demanding her attention.  She fought to keep
the peaceful world where Gavin existed but felt herself being pulled away.  The last sound she heard was, “Soon.” 

Her eyes fluttered open, fighting the intense light that made her eyes water and burn.  She blinked the tears away, hoping to find Gavin sitting with her.  Instead,
Christina held a cup to her mouth, instructing her to drink more.  She complied, realizing she didn’t have much of a say in the matter.

“
Drink it all, Jessa, now!  Stay with us!  Drink!  Good, girl.  That’s it, one last swallow…done.”  Christina hugged her, and quickly moved to the other side of the room, then snuck out the door, quietly closing it behind her.  The feeling of loneliness started to rip at her insides immediately.  She went to wrap her arms around her middle to ease the fear when her body began to relax.  Two strong men wrapped their arms around her, calming the hollowness that had threatened and replaced it with the same tranquility that Gavin had just provided moments before in her hallucination. 

“
We gotcha, baby.  Shhhh…that’s it.  Jess, we have to talk, but we only have a few minutes.” 

She pulled her head up out of the muscled cocoon they had enveloped her in. 
Damion and Logan were her protectors.  Surprise sent a tremor through her body. 

“
Damion, she is shaking.  Something isn’t right.  We need to hurry!”  Logan sounded upset, and she immediately felt the need to comfort him. 

“
I’m fine, I guess I just needed a nap.  What is all the fuss for, and why are you two in my bed?”  Instead of being angry like she should have, it didn’t feel like an invasion.  It felt…
right. 

“
Jessa honey, I wish we had more time to explain.  You are going into the fever, and hard.  The good news is, we can make it all go away.  Both Logan and I had Christina get you conscious long enough so we could talk before we claim you.  Neither of us could take you without your consent, love.  We are your mates.” 

She glanced from one to the other, not giving any clue as to her emotions or reaction.  Without hesitation, she answered,
“Okay.”

The two looked at each other wide
-eyed, making her giggle.  When they brought their attention back to her, Logan was the one who addressed her this time.  “Okay?”

“
Yes.  Okay.”  She smiled at them both, growing desperate for a release of the building, unrelenting desire that grew inside her. 

Logan
was the first to snap out of shock, flashing his adorable boyish grin at her.  She noticed more and more about both men than she ever had before. His smell was woodsy, with a twinge of sweet and spicy.  It made her instantly yearn for his touch.  Her desire must have been written on her face because before she could inhale another breath of his mouthwatering scent, he smashed his lips down on hers.  He took her from normal to a heated frenzy of lust in a fairy’s blink.  Then she felt hands behind her, causing her to pull away from his mouth and turn to meet the tantalizing touches from Damion as he took her eager kiss in a feral conquer.  She soon became submerged in the heated sensations they created.  Logan’s lips heated a trail down her throat, stopping only long enough to rip her shirt and bra from her in shreds.  She felt the material tug against her body before the sounds of ripping rang through her ears.  Her peripheral vision caught sight of the shredded material being thrown through the air.  He immediately picked back up, leaving no skin un-kissed or un-licked. 

She let out a moan into
Damion’s mouth when Logan captured her nipple between his teeth, pulling and tugging it into a tight pebble.  There was no room for sweet and sensual, but instead they worked together to bring her to the brink of explosion.  Hands were all over her, touching and teasing.  One pair would be light and gentle, leaving goose bumps along her skin, while the other set would be hard and demanding, throwing more fuel on the fire.  Rough calluses scraped over her breasts, making her arch into the contrast of sensations.  Her breaths came in desperate pants from her burning lungs, releasing some of the heat that boiled through her soul.  She felt them in her heart, taking their place and joining the love that had been saved for them in fate. 

Their mouths and hands traded, keeping her guessing
on who was kissing her and who was tormenting her body.  Logan had taken over her mouth while Damion went to work on her throbbing clit, licking the sensitive bud with the tip of his tongue, and then flicking it in a fast flutter that sent a flood of juices to gush from her channel.  Fingers joined in on the escapade, working deep into her core.  Logan pulled and pinched her nipples simultaneously, making her buck against all the different tormenting sensations.  Tingling began to spread through her body, begging to be released.  She tore her mouth away from Logan, mumbling between gasps, “I need you both now!”

D
amion’s voice vibrated against her sex.  “Not yet, baby.  You aren’t ready for us.” 

Before she could argue, he removed one of his fingers from her dripping pussy and dr
agged it back to her ass, prodding gently.  She immediately shut up, flashing them a heated look of understanding.  Logan amped up his assault on her mouth and breasts, keeping her attention flashing between him and Damion.  When Damion inserted his digit into her forbidden bud, she screamed.  Instead of the instant pain she had expected, a shower of bliss cascaded down her trembling body.  She instinctively pushed against it, easing the slight sting, allowing him to penetrate past the tight ring.  Her hips bucked off the bed, tossing her from side to side like a tethered bronco. 

She felt
Logan’s body cover over hers, rendering her motionless.  He swallowed her moans and screams, keeping her busy with the double delights they created together like a choreographed performance.  When more fingers were added to both holes, she thought she was going to die from pleasure.  The mere feel of being totally stuffed full made her wolf howl with approval and her body combust into a nuclear explosion.  Fireworks flashed before her eyes as ripple after blissful ripple quaked through her body.  She felt her cream squirt and drench Damion’s fingers as he continued thrusting in and out of her constricting pussy.  He kept her on an endless ride of euphoria, not allowing her to come down from the high she was flying on. 

Jessa
didn’t notice the movements around her until Damion’s fingers were removed, leaving a void feeling.  Logan lay next to her, pulling her leg over his hip, sliding his thick cock into her pussy.  He prodded gently at her tight opening, easing the tip in slowly.  She felt a hand from her hip move to rub her clit, easing the tight pressure that pushed against the walls of her virgin sex.  Damion continued to torment her bud of nerves, and plucked and twisted at her nipples with his other hand, giving other sensations to counter the slight pain.  The mixture of sensual tingles and pain drove her higher with need.  She could feel herself stretching around Logan’s enormous girth, burning and aching with each inch he fed her.