Trusted Bond

behalf.‖
    I cleared my throat. ―Did Avery come after you alone?‖
    ―No,‖ he sighed. ―That‘s not his way.‖
    So Domin had been jumped far enough out of Christophe‘s presence
    that he could claim he didn‘t know what was going on.
    ―Domin,‖ Logan said gently, ―tell me how many of them there—‖
    ―Morning,‖ Koren announced as he barged into the kitchen,
    throwing open the swinging door. ―Has anyone seen—‖
    Trusted Bond

    71

    ―He‘s right there,‖ I said, cutting him off, pointing over at Domin. I
    didn‘t have to be told who he was looking for. He was always looking for
    Domin.
    Whatever was going on between them, the rest of us could really
    only guess at. No one knew: we assumed we did; some of us hoped we
    did; others wondered, speculated; but we didn‘t know . The truth was
    between the two of them. I could give voice to my dream, my wish, but
    even though Crane thought I could influence them, in reality I had no pull
    over either of them. None of us did, not even Logan.
    Koren stopped like he‘d suddenly come to the edge of a cliff, and I
    watched him stare at the long line of the man‘s back for a moment before
    he charged across the room to him.
    ―Don‘t,‖ Domin warned him, turning his head to the left, away, as
    Koren moved up on his right.
    ―Lemme look at you.‖
    ―I‘m fine,‖ he muttered. ―Don‘t you have somewhere to be?‖
    The accusation was there in the wounded tone and the defeated
    words. Koren had been running, and Domin wanted, needed someone to
    stay. It was time.
    I held my breath.
    ―I‘m where I should be.‖
    Domin was silent.
    ―Don‘t be an ass.‖ Koren smiled slightly, leaning into Domin,
    rubbing his chin on the man‘s shoulder and then his nose, smiling slightly
    as Domin shook his head. The emotion there on display eased the vise on
    my heart. No one could miss the familiarity between the two men.
    ―Don‘t rub your scent all over me,‖ Domin groused at him.
    ―Why the hell not?‖ Koren grumbled back, the grin that the other
    man couldn‘t see absolutely wicked. ―I like you smelling like me.‖
    Domin grunted, but I saw the shiver, the first sign of the thaw.
    ―I want everyone to smell me on you.‖
    ―When did—I….‖
    72

    Mary Calmes

    I looked back at Logan, arching an eyebrow for him as he grinned
    sheepishly, rubbing his head. He had been clueless about the whole thing,
    which showed from his comment.
    ―Where have I been?‖
    ―Oblivious,‖ I assured my mate, smiling at him.
    He lifted his eyebrows, sighing deeply. ―Apparently so.‖
    Looking back at the two men whose relationship I had been losing
    sleep over, I saw Koren‘s eyes drift closed. Domin‘s scent was obviously
    intoxicating as he breathed the other man in. When Domin lifted his hand
    and buried it in Koren‘s hair, leaning him into the crook of his neck, I felt
    a wave of relief flood over me.
    Domin drove me crazy. He fought me at every turn, and he was a
    smartass who took great delight in pointing out my flaws for everyone.
    And I liked him more with each passing day. Something about Domin
    brought out all my nurturing tendencies to protect and love. I wanted
    someone else to get it, get that the man was worth having, keeping, and by
    Koren‘s actions, I felt like maybe, finally, he did.
    Logan cleared his throat. ―Domin, tell me what happened when you
    went to see Christophe.‖
    He didn‘t turn around, but his voice, when it came, sounded better,
    stronger. ―Christophe told me that Kellen‘s panthers ran. Their semel
    called, and they went. Why Kellen would call for them knowing that both
    of them, as well as him, have to answer to you for the attack on your reah,
    Christophe has no idea. Avery didn‘t know either. All they did know was
    that now they too have to challenge Kellen Grant.‖
    ―Because Avery, and so ultimately Christophe, is responsible for
    both panthers,‖ Mikhail sighed deeply. ―God, what a mess.‖
    ―Why would Kellen call his panthers to him knowing that they
    should face me?‖ Logan asked the room in general.
    ―Isn‘t it obvious? He doesn‘t want them to face your wrath.‖ Domin
    sighed, tipping his head to the right as Koren pressed his lips, again, to the
    side of his neck.
    ―Koren,‖ Peter Church said suddenly, his voice sharp, shrill. ―May
    I—‖
    Trusted Bond

    73

    ―No.‖ My voice was louder, deeper, with more than a thread of
    warning in it.
    I was aware of the eyes of