Fated Hearts (Echoes of Darkness Prequel)

31

Ava

W e spend the first half of the concert dancing, sweating, and having lots of fun, even if the crowd is crazy tonight and is pushing us toward the stage from all directions. They’re all screaming the lyrics so loudly my ears are ringing. Even with the earplugs I brought from the hotel, I still feel like my eardrums are bleeding, and my brain is being scraped with sandpaper.

When I can’t take it anymore, I tell Chloe I’m not feeling that good, and we weave our way out through the throng of sweaty bodies accompanied by one of the bodyguards. A multitude of people mingle in the small room that serves as the backstage area. They nurse drinks and shoot the shit as they wait for the guys to finish their set. Chloe introduced me to so many people earlier, from the band’s publicist to their stylist, and I quickly forgot all of their names.

One of the bodyguards brings in a group of long-legged beautiful girls, their eyes ravenous, glinting with excitement as they shuffle nervously on their feet. I wonder if Chloe and I looked as desperate as them when we were brought to the band’s tour bus a few months ago. Who am I kidding? Of course, we did.

The guys finish their set with an encore of their most popular song, and a deafening chorus of screams and applauses erupts from the crowd, making me grind my teeth together and push my fingers into my temples, trying to stop the imminent headache from taking over completely. I don’t think I’ll attend a concert too soon or ever again if this is what it’s going to be like. They’re all sweaty and high on the crowd’s excitement as they file in from the stage, their bodies brimming with pent-up energy. Chloe squeals as Knox stalks forward, lifts her, and circles her legs around his waist. He pushes his tongue into her mouth and kisses her like she’s the last drop of water in the desert and he’s dying of thirst.

A small smile lifts the corners of my lips at their enthusiastic display of affection. And I’m not sure why, but the sight gives me a weird tug in my chest as if the mating bond is telling me Logan is close. I ignore it, dismissing it as wishful thinking. I’ve been missing Logan like crazy, even if I just saw him two days ago. It’s disgusting how clingy I’m becoming, but I can’t help it.

I turn around, but as soon as I take a step away from the band members, a hand wraps around my wrist, whirls me around, and pulls me into a sweaty, naked chest before soft lips seal over mine.

Cinnamon mixed with fresh sweat. Jude takes advantage of my shocked gasp and pushes his tongue through the seam of my lips, groaning in my mouth. My wolf claws at my mind desperately as the sense of wrongness washes over me, and before I can push Jude away, he’s ripped from me and tackled into a wall by a big, muscular body.

Chaos erupts in the next second, and my heart trips over itself at the sight of Logan pinning Jude to the wall with a hand around his throat. My eyes drink him in ravenously. He looks amazing, with his black jeans and simple dark green Henley hugging his muscular body. And yes, I am aware of the incredulity in the way I’m ogling him while he chokes the life out of the Deadly Sin’s lead singer.

The band members and two bodyguards try prying Logan off Jude but are unsuccessful. They don’t know they’re dealing with a dark creature, not a human. Jude manages to sneak an uppercut, but Logan seems unfazed as he growls menacingly, “She’s mine!” at him and starts a round of body shots that would send any man into a coma.

My wolf is pleased with how Logan is claiming me, but I can only imagine how this is going to end if Logan doesn’t stop—with a dead singer. I finally snap out of it and take long, purposeful strides toward them, grabbing Logan’s shoulder while dodging his vicious elbow that almost breaks my nose as he cocks his fist. I use all my strength to pull him away and scream loudly, “Stop!” into his mind. He lets go of Jude, who leans on the wall, sputtering and gasping for air.

Logan’s chest is heaving, anger rolling off him in noxious waves as he turns toward me with a crazy, animalistic glint in his eyes. He’s more wolf than man as he crushes me to his chest, and his whole body shakes while he bands his arms around me. Immediately, I melt into his punishing hold. The air between us crackles with the singing energy of the mating bond.

“Let her go!” Jude booms as he spits out blood and takes a step toward us, holding his ribs protectively. Nasty bruises are already forming on the side of his face, blood seeping from his split lip.

“Come any closer, and I’ll rip your spine out and strangle you with it,” Logan growls at him, his tone dripping with menace and iciness. His nostrils flare, and I can sense how close he is to losing control of his shift.

Three more bodyguards come running into the room, joining the other two, and form a protective barrier in front of Jude.

“Are you okay, Ave?” Chloe asks. She pops her head over the side of Logan’s shoulder, concern evident in the lines etched around her eyes and in her high-pitched voice.

“Yeah,” I answer.

“I’m so sorry, Logan. I didn’t know he was going to do that. I didn’t kiss him back, I swear.”

“Fucking hell, Ava. If you would have shot me with a bullet dipped in aconite, it would have hurt less than seeing you with another man.”

His words land like a punch to my solar plexus. Fuck. “Let’s get out of here, and we can talk.”

“I can’t move. My wolf will end up shifting and killing him.” He dips his head and buries his nose in my hair, inhaling deeply, sending a shiver down my spine and my pulse in overdrive. “Fuck, baby, how I missed your scent. How I missed you. You’re mine, Ava. Fucking mine!”

“I know, baby. I know,” I tell him. “I’m yours and only yours.”

“Let’s get some fresh air, Lo,” a voice I vaguely recognize says, and then Malik approaches us and grabs Logan’s shoulder. “Hey, Ava. Long time no see.” He winks and gives me a roguish grin. “You look beautiful.” He looks like sex on legs with his leather duster and silver mane glinting in the overhead lights, his cat-like eyes fixating on me.

Logan glares at him.

My cheeks flush red. “Hey, Malik. Thanks.”

“If you don’t leave in the next five minutes, we’ll call the police, and I’ll press charges for assault,” Jude bites out, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“We’ll go, right, Logan?” Malik’s fingers flex around his shoulder, and Logan finally disentangles himself from me. The dangerous edge in his eyes softens, and his muscles relax as if Malik sedated him through his touch. Then I remember he is a warlock and probably used magic to calm him down.

I step back from Logan’s hold. “Wait for me outside. I’ll be right back.”

“I’m not leaving without you,” Logan snaps, his nostrils flaring.

“I’ll be right with you, okay?”

Logan’s eyes search mine, and then he nods and stalks toward the exit, spine rod straight and fingers clenching and unclenching at his sides as Malik follows closely behind him.

“What the fuck are you waiting for? Aren’t you going to escort them out?” Jude snaps at the bodyguards. “And how the motherfucking fuck did they get in? You’re useless. All of you.”

Two bodyguards stride forward, catching up with Logan and Malik, and when one of them tries to grab Logan’s arm, Malik says, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you…unless you want to lose that hand. If that’s your intention, then by all means.” He chuckles darkly, and then they disappear through the door.

“Hey, you okay?” Chloe asks, taking my hand in hers, squeezing lightly with Knox glued to her side.

Swallowing through the heavy knot lodged in my throat, I murmur, “Yeah,” and pick a piece of imaginary lint out from the sleeve of my turtleneck. All the groupies are huddled in groups, whispering and pointing at me, and it makes my skin crawl.

“Ava, can we talk?” Jude approaches us with a grimace.

I gasp with a hand over my mouth at the state he’s in. He looks like he was run down by a speeding car. His torso is already marred with nasty bruises and caked blood. “Holy shit, Jude. You need to go to a hospital.”

“I’m fine,” he says, and waves a hand in front of him like it’s nothing, but I don’t miss the way he winces with the small movement.

Knox glares at him and pulls out his phone to make a call. “You’re clearly not, you idiot. I’m calling you an ambulance.”

Jude looks at Chloe and Knox. “Can you give us some privacy?”

They both nod and step away, but Chloe’s eyes are still fixated on me as she nibbles on her lower lip.

“You shouldn’t have kissed me. Especially after what happened outside,” I tell Jude. “Wasn’t my earlier reaction a clear indication that I didn’t want you to kiss me?” My gaze flits over his battered body and then locks with his, now greener against the splash of red and purple.

He shrugs. “It was worth it, but you’re right, I shouldn’t have…I’m sorry,” he says sheepishly and runs a hand over the back of his neck. “But you look so fucking beautiful tonight, and I thought that if I showed you how good we can be together, then you’ll leave that guy for me.”

“Yeah…you took what you wanted without thinking of the consequences.” I sigh and tilt my head slightly. “Are you going to press charges?”

He looks down, ponders my question, and after a while, he says, “I don’t know.”

“Well, consider this, Jude. If you do press charges against Logan, I’ll press charges for sexual assault. I don’t know what got into you tonight, but I hope you learned your lesson. Women throw themselves at your feet all the time; just pick one who is willing.”

His jaw locks with anger. “But I want you .”

“Only because you see me as a challenge, and you’re used to getting everything you want. Being famous doesn’t grant you the privilege to act like that, Jude. Now go sit; I don’t think you’re supposed to stand right now.” I turn on my heel, but he grabs my wrist, making me look over my shoulder.

“I’m coming with you. That guy is dangerous.”

I shake his hand off, annoyed. “Do you have a death wish? Logan is going to kill you if he sees you again. Plus, I don’t want you near me, and he would never lay a hand on me. Please, just go sit and wait for the doctors to come take a look at you.”

“Then, at least take a bodyguard with you.”

“Fine,” I huff, relenting, knowing he won’t let this go until I accept.

“One of you, go with her,” Jude commands behind my back.

I don’t wait around for any of them, though, and stride directly toward the bathroom on the club floor instead of the door at the back that leads outside, where Logan is waiting for me. I need a moment to compose myself before facing him, and I don’t want to stumble upon any of the spectators to the earlier shit show that has become my life by going to the bathroom closest to the backstage room.

People are waiting in line to get out of the club, talking excitedly, some of them slurring their words and barely keeping their balance. I walk past them and descend the stairs to the dark bathroom corridor while the steady beat of the bodyguard’s footsteps echoes behind me.

I push the bathroom door open and sigh with relief when I see I’m alone. Ambling to the sink, I splash some ice-cold water onto my face, my mind reeling with tonight’s events. Jude acted like a proper pendejo . I can’t believe he kissed me…again. I have the urge to use bleach as mouthwash to somehow erase him from my skin. Even if Logan pummeled him into the wall and almost killed him, my wolf doesn’t deem his actions as enough.

She’s been clawing at me to get out since Jude’s lips crashed to mine, but I repressed the urge. Getting Logan settled and out of there as soon as possible wasmy top priority. But now, she demands I deliver my revenge on a platter of snapping teeth and sharp claws. My whole body trembles as I drop my head between my shoulders, white-knuckling the sink.

My wolf’s bloodthirsty thoughts are interrupted by the door to the bathroom swinging open, and I lift my head to see the bodyguard with auburn wavy hair cross the threshold, only he is not wearing sunglasses anymore. His pale blue eyes collide with mine.

Why the hell does he seem so familiar?

His eyes, I have seen his eyes before.

But where?

“Um, this is the women’s bathroom. What are you doing here? Did something happen?” My eyebrows pull together in concentration as I’m racking my brain, trying to remember where I have seen him before.

He smirks, and a wolfish grin curves his lips. His eyes are like two icicles as his gaze rakes over my body lazily. “I’m here for you, little wolf,” he mocks, using the pet name Logan likes to call me.

My heart slams violently to a stop.

Those eyes. He’s the rogue.

Adrenaline gives my eyes a fuzzy edge while I frantically scan the room for an escape route, but there isn’t one. If I want to get out, I have to pass by him.

He stalks forward and backs me into the tiled wall. I widen my stance, my fists at the ready. I don’t exactly know how to fight aside from the brief self-defense lessons I received from Ben, my mother’s boyfriend, but I can be a scrappy bitch if needed. He shoots out his hand and grabs my upper arm, his fingers digging viciously into my skin.

“Let me go!” I snap, cock my fist, and send it flying at his face.

He easily dodges and barks out an amused laugh as if I’m no more than an annoying fly. He grabs my wrist and twists it painfully. “Now, where would the fun be in that?”

I let out a strangled cry of pain, and then I dip. My teeth elongate in my mouth, and I sink them as hard as I can into the meaty part of the hand gripping my wrist. I feel his skin breaking and the taste of copper floods my mouth. The rogue lets out a sharp curse and lets me go for a flitting second. That’s all I need to drive my knee into his crotch.

“You stupid bitch!” he spews, his features twisted in a grimace as he grabs his junk protectively.

My victory cry is short-lived because the moment I try to push past him, he grabs me by the throat and slams the back of my head into the wall so hard I feel the tiles shatter and something wet and sticky coat the hair at the nape of my neck. My world tilts upside down.

I try to contact Logan through our mental link. “Logan, the rogue, he’s—”

Before I can finish my sentence, blankness washes over me.