Chapter 25
As Logan’s ice soul melted, the fiery heat of his newly released dark memories, deep inside him, rose to the surface, filling his body.
Tumbling over each other as they rushed into his mind, he was quickly overwhelmed, panicking as each one brought with it a different emotion.
So many…trembling at the onslaught…unable to deal with them… Logan began to shift, just to get away.
Kieran, aware of what was happening, reached under his mate’s shirt and laid his cool hands over Logan’s heated chest, sending out everything he had to help.
Kieran focused solely on Logan’s face, seeing the constant flickering of pain shoot across it as his mate relived all the feelings he’d kept locked away for so long.
Though shadows grew long and the sun began to set, Kieran refused to move his hands or leave Logan until the last painful memory took flight and his mate was at peace.
When Logan’s face grew calm, Kieran felt it through his hands, he finally collapsed, exhausted and drained from the energy he’d spent.
Logan lay quietly searching for the darkness that had been his companion for so many years but found nothing; hatred…
guilt…shame…anger…all gone. In their place, he only saw light and love from Kieran.
In that moment, Logan could see the terrible cost he’d paid for his wall.
Never really feeling any emotion fully, he’d existed in a half-life, not even able to savor his successes or achievements…
all because he’d buried what had happened to him for so many years.
He owed his mate so much. His arms tightened around Kieran who was still on his chest. Then, through their joined wolves and spirit, Logan realized the cost Kieran paid for helping him.
Sitting up slowly while Kieran lolled limply in his arms, Logan looked for the enforcers and driver; his mate needed food and rest.
He spotted Groose and motioned him over. The enforcer asked, “Mr. Blackwood, are you ready to go to the house?”
“Yes, Kieran needs sleep. How close are we?”
“Twenty minutes, sir.”
Logan rose carefully while cradling his mate. Walking to the car he saw the driver holding the back door open. Logan slid in with Kieran and rearranged him in his arms. “Thank you,” he said to the driver. “Do you know where we’re staying at?”
“Yes, sir.”
“As fast and as smooth as you can, please,” said Logan.
“Logan,” Kieran called, his voice very weak.
“Yes, mo anan cara, are you all right?”
“So tired…”
“I know, babe, I’m taking care of that,” Logan crooned to his mate, his hand gently rubbing Kieran’s back. “Hush, don’t worry, we’ll be there very soon.”
“Okay,” Kieran whispered, giving up the fight to try to keep his eyes open. Enveloped by his mate’s scent and held by gentle arms, he slipped back to sleep.
While his mate slept, Logan’s mind was on the revelations Kieran had expressed.
With rejection and little love, he marveled at his mate’s resilience in overcoming everything to become the loving and giving person he held in his arms and vowed to give Kieran all of him from that moment on.
He deserved no less. Leaning down to kiss his mate’s head, Logan inhaled Kieran’s scent—orange blossoms and sunshine—a scent he’d found so disagreeable a few days ago, but couldn’t get enough of now.
His eyes roamed over Kieran, taking in every detail while loving how perfectly he fit into Logan’s arms. Astounded at how protective he felt toward his mate, Logan vowed no one would ever hurt him again, including himself.
Chuffing at Logan’s vow, his wolf signaled full agreement and stood guard over Kieran’s smaller wolf.
Logan was still uneasy about having another wolf and spirit inside him, but the more he thought about it, the more he liked it.
Logan wanted to, and could give Kieran his whole heart, body, mind and soul so it wasn’t important anymore what his mate was—only that he belonged to Logan forever.
Feeling the car slow down, he looked out and found himself staring at a very large country house built when the English ruled Ireland.
Fuck, Steel doesn’t do anything half way.
As the driver pulled up to the front doors, a man dressed in a suit came out and down the stairs. He opened Logan’s door, and after seeing Kieran sleeping, whispered, “Sir, I’m Thomas. May I help you with him?”
“No, that’s okay, I’ve got him,” Logan whispered back, “but if you could tell me where our room is, I’d appreciate it.”
“Certainly, please follow me.”
Logan held Kieran close as he followed Thomas into the house and up the grand staircase until they reached a room at the end of the hall.
After Thomas opened the door, Logan’s gaze zeroed in on a small bedside lamp casting a soft glow on the huge bed and headed there.
Setting Kieran down on the fluffy comforter, he removed the pink shoes and picked up a blanket from the bottom of the bed to cover his mate.
Turning off the lamp, Logan turned back to Thomas who was standing inside the door. “Thanks, Thomas.”
“Certainly sir. Will you be eating dinner tonight?”
“I’m not sure. He’s pretty exhausted…”
“I can see that. Might I bring you a plate of sandwiches?”
It didn’t take long for Logan to agree as his stomach chose that moment to announce it was looking for food. “Sure, that’d be great. Thanks.”
Logan went back to his mate and pulled a club chair over so he could be near him, then sat, leaning back, thinking about all that happened since he woke up yesterday morning to discover Kieran had fled.
Each of them with secrets, not wanting to lose the other, but for different reasons each unable to be honest. Well that was going to stop.
From now on, I’m telling my mate everything and no more hiding.
He must have dozed off because the next thing he knew he was awakened by delicious scents wafting around the room.
Thomas had wheeled in a cart filled with snacks causing Logan’s mouth to water and his stomach to growl loudly.
Holding a finger to his lips, Logan rose and walked over to the sitting area on the other side of the room and sat at the small table while Thomas placed the food before him.
“If you need anything, just pull on the cord over there, sir.”
“Thanks, Thomas, everything looks fine.”
“You’re welcome, sir,” said Thomas.
Lifting the silver dome cover off his plate, Logan found stacks of rare roast beef sandwiches.
Groaning, he picked one up and couldn’t stop eating until the entire plate was bare.
Leaving Kieran’s food covered, Logan poured himself a cup of tea, then moved over to the tall windows that graced the room and sat down.
As he looked out into the dark of the night, he smiled as he listened to the mewling sounds his mate made in his sleep. Soon he, too, drifted off.
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Something woke him, and Logan froze, listening for whatever it was that startled him.
Concentrating on the noise, he realized it was coming from the sitting area and whoever it was, was trying to be very quiet.
Thinking through his options, he settled for the one he felt would give him the greatest advantage.
With split second timing, he leaped from his chair and shifted at the same time, landing in the middle of the room with fangs dripping and growls loud enough to be heard at the other end of the house.
Watching a huge wolf land five feet away from him, in a fighting stance with warning growls rumbling out of a tooth-filled mouth caused Kieran to squeal, drop his sandwich, fall to the ground and crawl under the table, trying to hide.
Closing his eyes, he called on his spirit to help him and found it chastising the wolf for scaring his mate.
Logan’s wolf looked at the tiny spirit facing him down and chuffed as he received the order, lowering his belly to the floor and placing his head on his front paws.
Kieran opened his eyes after hearing the order and seeing his mate’s wolf in all its beauty, slowly crawled out, got up, and walked hesitantly over to Logan.
Stretching out his hand, he gently touched the wolf between the ears, loving the feeling of the soft fur under his fingertips.
Then remembering what had happened, Kieran bopped Logan on the forehead saying, “Holy shit balls! Do you know you almost caused me to have a heart attack? Wolves don’t even get heart attacks!
Or are you trying to scare me to death because I’m pretty sure that can happen to a wolf although I’m not sure when that ever did happen but let me tell you, the way my heart is pounding, I’m halfway there!
Before you went all caveman on me, did you think about anything?
Like me being hungry? I thought about you, all tired and sleeping when I tiptoed over here to eat.
You know, like food? You ate but didn’t wake me, so I could, too!
That was nice of you because I was exhausted, and you did save me something, which did surprise me seeing how big your wolf is, but still, you took years off my life or maybe you added wrinkles to my face.
Oh shit! Not wrinkles…anything but wrinkles…
if I have any, I’m blaming you because you scared the bejeebies out of me. ”
Kieran ran to a mirror, carefully examining his face.
“Wrinkles will ruin my face and then what, you won’t want me anymore because I won’t be cute…
oh my gods…I think I have one.” Kieran turned around, stomping his foot and putting his hands on his hips.
“We need to have a talk about you checking with our spirit before you pull a stunt like that again.”