Rush Against Time (3 page)

“Oh,
Jessa, stop being embarrassed!  The man can kiss. I would stare too!  It’s that cat’s tongue.  He can lap me into a puddle of need, that’s for sure.”  Autumn grinned and tilted her chin to meet her eyes.  She gave her a quick wink before turning to Braden.  “You better be able to finish what you started later, mister.” 

He grinned again, this time at
Jessa.  “Jessa, I hope you find a mate who keeps you wanting more and more, like my little witchy poo does us.  I almost think she is destined to meet yet another mate at some point.  She keeps us worn out!” 

Autumn
laughed, giving him another swat but not making contact.  “Get out of here, you ornery feline.  I love you.”

“Always
, baby,” was his response as he went out the door. 

She turned her attention back to
Jessa.  “Now, how are you getting to the country house, sweetheart?” 

“
Logan is picking me up at six.  I will have him take me out there and drop me off.  He said there is a pack of wolves waiting to pounce on me, and he wanted to help me make my escape.  I only believe him because he still thinks he stands a chance.”

“Well, does he?” 
Autumn’s eyebrows quirked up in a playful questioning expression.

Jessa
blew an over exaggerated sigh.  “I don’t know.  Maybe?  Never?  Possibly?  Who knows?  I don’t know which way is up from down anymore.  I just want to hide somewhere and forget all of this crazy wolf stuff for a while.  It is just so weird.  I may be a pure blood shifter, and have grown up traditionally, but I just can’t help but question the meaning to it all.  What if all of it is just a bunch of bologna?  I mean, of course we are different, we turn into a freaking animal.  But all of the fate, mate, destiny, and heat stuff is just a brain overload.  Geeze!  Why not throw in a few ghosts and goblins while you’re at it, put trolls under the bridges.”  She threw her head back with a thud, leaning it on the sofa to stare at the ceiling. 

Autumn
remained silent for a long time, allowing Jessa time to settle.  Going into the first heat was like starting puberty for a human.  It was an emotional, confusing, scary, and a downright suckish experience.  “Well, let me first start by setting your little mind at ease.  Goblins were made up by parents a long time ago to keep children out of the streets at night.  There are no trolls under bridges, that is all a myth.  Trolls actually live mostly in the deep recesses of Asia.  They aren’t grumpy but actually very gentle creatures.  Unfortunately, ghosts are real.”  Her eyes sparkled when Jessa made eye contact at last.  She couldn’t help but smile at the radiant, knowledgeable witch. 

“Serious
ly?”

“Yep.  I have only met a few trolls in my day though. 
They have really bad breath.  Ghosts are both good and bad.  I prefer to only make their acquaintance when absolutely necessary.  They give me the creeps.”  She slanted her eyes in a mischievous grin, making Jessa giggle. 

“Oh,
Autumn, you are too much.  Thank you so much.  I needed a good girl chat.  I think this and the secret tea you have is my answer to getting through this heat!”  She leaned over and hugged her again.

“Oh
, girl, stop.  You are going to give me a big head!  Now, there is a fresh batch of tea in the fridge.  Heat it in the microwave for a minute and three seconds.  Not a second more, not a second less or it won’t have the same affects.  Eat dinner at nine o’ three.  These times are important love, so don’t forget. There is also a little gift in the nightstand that might make things a little more bearable. It will give us a little more time to figure out how to find your lucky mates and get you hitched!”

“Three
?  What is with that number? And hold up on the
mates. 
One will suffice just fine.  I don’t think I could handle more than one.  I just can’t wrap my brain around you and your mates, Autumn.  I would think they would run you to death!  Let’s not even get started on what else they probably wear out!  I don’t even know if I can handle one man.  He better hope he isn’t the bossy type.  I refuse to take any orders from anyone.  Screw that.”  Her long-winded rant left her breathless, and she took a few deep inhales to settle her.  When she had calmed, she caught Autumn staring with a huge grin.

“Alrighty then.  It seems you may need another cup of tea before you go.”  She reached over and topped off her cup with the pewter teapot.  It was delicately
engraved with intricate detail of pirate ships, open seas, and a ring of roses around the edges. 

“Your tea set is beautiful.  I just noticed all of the details on it.  Is it old?”

“It is very old.  It was handed down from my grandmother and hers before that and so on.  It is used in a lot of our potions and rituals.  This single little tea pitcher is capable of so much magic.”  She smiled, setting it back on the serving tray. 

“Maybe I should lick it or something then, because I need all of the magic I can get right now.” 
Jessa puffed out a breath of air, half-laughing while she did so.

“Oh, it
is giving you more than you realize.  I made this blend just for you.  Now, drink up, lovie.  It is almost six, and I know Logan will be looking for you before long.”  Autumn stood and walked over to a small wooden box that sat atop a dark dresser. 

She pulled out a small golden brace
let with three different charms and hooked it on Jessa’s wrist.  One was of a wolf, made of the finest, richest, most delectable chocolate diamond she had ever seen.  The second was a sapphire heart that shimmered in the light.  The last was a round moonstone.  It was slightly bigger than the others, and upon closer examination, she could almost see visions of different places and people deep inside. 

Different feelings washed over her with a simple touch to each one individually.  She became lost deep in thought, mesmerized in an unlike
ly space.  She could faintly hear voices, but the pull to each charm proved to be more powerful.  Her head began to swoon, and her wolf leapt and howled in an odd display.  She had never had her beast act so lunatic, and somehow sensed that it knew something she didn’t.  Jessa reached out to her wolf, hoping to gain an understanding to what was happening.  She could feel a jolt of anticipation and impatience mixed with excitement through the now bouncing brown fur ball.  Regardless of how hard she concentrated, her wolf refused any helpful information.  She shook her head, more confused than ever.  Just before she was able to make out faces and piece together a few of the pieces, her wolf bolted to the edges in an ambush. 

The beast fought for control, racking her body in tremors and convulsions harder than she had ever experienced.  She was caught off
-guard at the animal’s sudden outburst, and felt the transformation consuming her. 

Fear ripped through her, gripping her like a vise. 
Autumn!  Watch out for Autumn! 
The wolf understood, and sent her in a backflip to distance and protect their friend while she shifted mid-flight.  Instead of fighting it, she accepted her wolf and landed on all fours.  With a feral roar, she stood tall and proud.  Her head whipped to the doorway, realizing for the first time that Logan stood propped against the frame sporting a cocky grin.  Her wolf gloated, tangling her dirty thoughts and desires with Jessa’s, sending a flush of embarrassment over her.  She may be in wolf form, but her human thoughts were still there.  Her attention drew back to Autumn, who smiled calmly.  Jessa tilted her head, hoping the woman would understand her apology and not be angry.  She did a quick sweep of her surroundings to make sure nothing had been damaged during the transformation, and huffed a sigh of relief when everything seemed to be in order. 

Autumn
petted her head gently.  “Jessa sweetheart, don’t apologize.  You are the most graceful shifter I have ever known!  Do you know how much furniture we go through with my two oafs living in such tight spaces?  Even with our regular trips to our home, they still tend to let emotion get the better of them, and it usually costs me a sofa, a table, or something.  Braden thought it would be okay to let his cat use my china hutch as a scratching post one day, and shattered my whole set of eighteenth century china and crystal.”  She waved her hand in a dismissingly gesture.  “I was afraid she would burst through sooner or later, and I am glad I got to see your wolf, sweetheart.  You are the most stunning golden wolf I have ever seen.”  She offered up a huge smile, showing her geniality through the warmth in her eyes.  Jessa gave her hand a small lap, offering up the only affection she was capable of at the time.  She relaxed back on her haunches, allowing her fears to drain away. 

“Logan, there’s been a change in plans.  Jessa is going to spend some time at my country cabin, so you can take her there when you leave here,” Autumn explained to Logan.

****

Logan
was mesmerized at the stunning, shimmering, blonde wolf that sat before him.  Her long coat looked to be silky to the touch, and his fingers ached to test his theory.  His wolf seemed more than interested in the beauty, and he couldn’t help but agree.  This girl surprised him at every turn.  He loved that she was pure, and only made him want more and more to be the first she gave herself to.  He felt an unfamiliar pull to her, but dismissed it as her heat strengthening his animal’s instincts to have her.

He slowly stepped one foot in front of the other, testing her reaction to
his approach.  She jumped up and flattened her ears, not immediately attacking, but challenging him.  Her pale blue eyes never broke or faltered in the stare down she gave him.  She circled slowly, testing his strength and worth.  When he remained facing her, and rounded his movements to fall into step with hers, she began to growl.  He didn’t show weakness or fear, but instead smiled at her.  “Easy, girl.  We don’t want to upset Autumn by tearing her sitting area into shreds, now do we?  I don’t want to change into my wolf, but if you keep challenging me, I won’t be able to stop him.  I definitely don’t want to feel your sweet body until we are flesh on flesh.”  She snarled at his last statement, and crouched down into an offensive pose.  In a deep commanding tone, Logan said, “Stand down, Jessa.”  He felt his chest vibrate with the testosterone and puff up with dominance.  He squared his shoulders, and waited for her decision.  Either she'd back down, or he'd shift and make her, then take her however he could, fur or no fur.  His eyes locked with hers, and he didn’t blink until after she lowered her huge blue pools to the ground and sat back down.  He slowly relaxed, dismissing the events as if they had never happened.  He strolled casually over to her and laced his fingers through the fur on the side of her cheek.  Just as he had suspected, she was soft and silky like the finest satin sheets.  He smiled, loving the way she responded to his petting.  A huge tongue came swiping across his palm, and he could see the sudden embarrassment in her eyes and the battle between wolf and woman taking place. 

“Well, now that that is out of the way, what do y
ou say we get you home?”  He gave her a final caress, making sure his hand left enough question in his intentions to keep her on her paws for the ride out to Autumn’s country cabin.

Autumn
cleared her throat before speaking, obviously hiding all she had revealed.  “She wants to change back, but her wolf doesn’t seem to want to give back control at the moment.”  The quick glance she threw at Jessa before continuing almost went unnoticed.  “I think you should go out and take her for a run through the woods first.  The boys are all on guard so it is safe, and it might calm the animal enough for Jessa to slip back into control.”

Logan
smiled ever so slightly, making sure Autumn knew he was on to her little white lie.  Her eyes twinkled back, and the two kept their little secret to themselves.  “Sure.  I haven’t had time to get exercise in a while either.  It will be good for both of us.”  He turned back to Jessa nodding toward the door.  “Will you do me the honor of a run, Jessa?”

Her eyes narrowed in a warning, sending a chuckle to escape
Logan.  “I promise not to try anything.  If I do, you can let loose Alan and Braden on me, deal?”  The corners of her mouth tilted up in a wolfie smile, letting him know the idea of the two barbaric gargantuan Alphas beating him into a puppy puddle made her happy. 

He shook his head and hugged
Autumn.  “Thank you, Autumn.  I promise to have her back in an hour in human form.  If you wouldn’t mind leaving clothes at the edge of the woods for us, I would be in your debt.  I doubt Jessa wants me to see her in her birthday suit, much less prance her back to the mansion with everything on display.”

Autumn
giggled.  “Of course.  No, I don’t think that would be a good idea.  It might hurt business in the coffee shop with the humans, or worse, and bring in the wrong kind of clientele for Christina.  That’s all we need in this house full of protective males.  I will leave them by the edge of the meadow.  You two have fun.”  She reached over and petted Jessa’s head.  “I will see you tomorrow, Jessa.”

The big blonde wolf barked a soft noise in response and walked over to the door where
Logan now stood waiting on her.  Before they made their leave, Autumn added one suggestion.  “Oh, and take her out the tunnels.  I don’t know if we can explain a blond wolf prancing around in the daytime.  Take the hallway to the left, and it leads right into the heart of the forest.”