Eye of the Beholder Read online

  “Logan!” Travis’s shout echoed off the walls, sounding like it came from everywhere at once.

  “Shit! What?” Logan threw the door open and rushed to her side. “What did you do to her?”

  Travis scowled at Logan. “I moved.”

  “Maybe you should go back to sleeping on the couch.”

  Travis snarled, “Fuck no.”

  “Boys.” The two men turned to her. “Ow.” She really wanted to be a man about it, but the pain was excruciating. She couldn’t stop the tears that dripped down her cheeks.

  “Sweetheart.” Travis stroked her hair back from her forehead. “Do you need to go to the hospital?”

  “Fuck that.” Logan left the room, returning swiftly with a knife. “Give me your hand.”

  “What?” She stared at the knife in his hands, wondering what he had planned. Cutting off a finger? Give her some other pain to focus on, perhaps?

  Maybe he was just really crazy.

  “Are you sure about this?”

  Logan was staring at her, ignoring Travis. “Trust me, Pita. Give me your hand.”

  Travis sat up, balancing on his stump. He grimaced when she groaned as even that careful movement jostled her. “If we’re doing this I’m going first. No argument.” He held up his hand, not even wincing when Logan sliced his palm.

  “Now you.” Logan took her hand, ignoring her feeble attempts to pull free. He sliced her palm. The pain was minor compared to the one in her back and leg.

  Logan took her hand and placed it in Travis’s, palm to palm, wound to wound.

  The pain receded as warmth raced up her arm from her palm, straight into her chest. She felt filled with light, glowing inside, surrounded, protected by the light in a way she’d never before experienced. The glow suffused her skin, embracing her in its warmth, wrapping her in a cocoon of comfort and strength. It was the same sensation she got when Travis pulled her into his arms; warmth, comfort and that little tingle of awareness only he gave her, amplified. It was like she was breathing his living light.

  She opened dazed eyes to find Travis, softly glowing, staring down at her. “Now Logan.”

  She frowned. If Tyr felt like that, what would Loki feel like?

  Before she could say no, Logan slapped his bloody palm to hers.

  Travis watched as Logan shared blood with Jamie, bonding them for all eternity. She’d already received his gift. Her skin and hair glowed from it with a shine no beautician could imitate, her innate power amplified by his unbreakable connection to her. I have to see about finding a mage willing to train her. From that little display when she’d dimmed his light he knew she was one of those rare instinctive human mages. He had no idea how his and Logan’s powers would react with hers, but—

  She gasped, her back arching impossibly high off the bed, her body going into intense convulsions as Logan’s blood coursed through her veins. That pale light that infused her skin turned bright red. “What’s happening?”

  Logan backed off, shaking his head. His expression was horrified. “I don’t know.”

  Please don’t let it be the power mix. He’d heard of reactions like this where the bonded had wound up dead due to some sort of psychic shock. It was so rare that it was practically myth. He couldn’t lose her now. Not now, not ever.

  Her face was set in a rictus of pain, her entire body thrashing from side to side, her heels drumming against the bedding. He quickly grabbed a pen from the side of the bed, holding her tongue with it as she continued to convulse, worried sick that she’d swallow it or, hell, bite it off.

  “Kir!” Logan raced for the bedroom door, nearly colliding with Jordan and Jeff. “Kir!”

  The desperation in Logan’s voice frightened Travis almost as much as Jamie’s whitening skin. Even her light was beginning to dim. “God damn it, Logan, what the fuck is going on?”

  “I don’t know.” Logan shouted back, moving out of the way for Kir. Kir held Gungnir in his hand, and his eyes had taken on their inhuman aspect. Outside the bedroom window, lightning flashed, followed swiftly by thunder.

  “Holy fuck.”

  Travis looked over to find Jeff staring at Kir. Kir’s hair was moving in an unseen breeze. He glowed with a faint green light, like sunlight through leaves. A spring storm flashed across his eyes, blues and whites being rapidly swallowed by grays and blacks. He laid his hand on Jamie’s forehead, his own creasing as his eyes closed.

  Jamie gasped, settling down against the bed, her eyes unseeing as she stared up at the ceiling.

  The silence was deafening, broken only by the sound of the rain. His heart pounded with terror. “Jamie?”

  “Too much, too soon.” Kir’s voice was deep, reverberating through their chests with an undeniable power. “Travis and then Logan, one after the other. It was too much for her body to handle.”

  No. Travis pulled her out from under Kir’s hand, cradling her unresponsive body to his chest. No. He buried his face in her neck.

  He didn’t even realize he was shaking his head until he felt Jordan touch him. “It’s okay, Trav. Look, she’s breathing.”

  He looked, blinking rapidly to clear the tears he hadn’t even known were there.

  She was breathing.

  “It didn’t hurt me when you and Logan did this. Why did it hurt Jamie?” Jordan was being held in Kir’s arms. Baldur was once more sleeping. Kir looked like his normal self, though still slightly worried. Gungnir was secure on the chain around his neck.

  “We did it days apart, remember? Besides, I don’t think anyone expected this reaction. This wasn’t exactly a common occurrence way back when.” Logan flopped down onto the bed with a relieved sigh. “She’ll be all right.”

  Travis studied the woman in his arms. Her eyes were closed, her breathing normal. She was sleeping, her features peaceful. There was even a slight smile on her face, a face now almost completely free of bruises.

  He pressed a kiss to her lips, laying her down on the bed as gently as he could.

  “Take her cast off.”

  Jeff frowned at Kir. “Why would we do that?”

  Kir smiled softly. “She doesn’t need it anymore.” He pulled Logan to his feet, took Jordan by the arm, and tugged his lovers out of the bedroom.

  “Can I change my mind and take the blue pill instead?” Jeff shook his head. “What the hell just happened?”

  “I’m not sure.” He checked every inch of her body he could see, the smile growing and growing until he was grinning like a loon.

  It had worked. Logan’s crazy gamble had paid off. She’d gotten Logan’s ability to heal.

  “Where are her bruises and scars?”

  “Gone.” He picked up her hand, staring at the cast on her wrist. “Get me a pair of scissors or a knife or something, will you?”

  “Yeah, sure.” The frightened awe in Jeff’s voice barely registered. He came back with the scissors, and together they got the cast off Jamie’s wrist. She barely twitched.

  Travis put the scissors on the nightstand and shooed Jeff away. “Go on back to bed. Everything is going to be fine now.”

  Jeff nodded, averting his gaze, but not before Travis saw the other man’s lips curling into a grin. “Night, Trav.” Just before he closed the door, he leaned back in. “Nice ass, boss.” He shut the door before Travis could respond. Travis could hear Jeff’s laughter moving down the hallway.

  He looked down, groaning as he saw his ass hanging out of the sheets. He covered himself up, pulled Jamie into his arms, and buried his face in her curls.

  It took him a long time to fall asleep, the memory of her convulsions haunting him. Thankfully when he did it was dreamless.

  Grimm stared in satisfaction at Tyr’s house. He sat in Rina’s car, his eyes glued to the house. Rina’s blonde head bobbed in his lap, almost distracting him from the task at hand. He had to admit, she was a world-class cocksucker. He hadn’t yet found anyone else who equaled her, though some came close. He clenched his fist in her hair, slowing her movement
s, hissing as she laved the head with her tongue. He wanted to savor this moment. It was such a small thing, compared to what he wanted to do, but it was the first step in their plan to regain Gungnir.

  Tyr would hardly be able to ignore this. He would be forced out of hiding to deal with the damage, and when he did, Grimm would have him.

  Grimm could feel his balls tightening, his muscles clenching off and on as Rina’s talented tongue edged him closer to orgasm. He laughed as his orgasm raced through him, erupting out of his cock and into his lover’s willing mouth.

  He sighed in satisfaction as the last of his come was sucked out of him by Rina’s warm mouth. In the distance, the windows of Tyr’s house were an inch thick in ice, glittering beautifully in the streetlights. He could just barely hear the first of the pipes bursting inside.

  Rina lifted her head from his lap and nibbled gently on his neck. She practically purred against him.

  “Nicely done, my dear.” He nipped her ear, savoring her shudder. “I must say it was a pleasurable addition to such a simple spell.”

  He could feel her smile against his neck. “I live to please.”

  The strange thing was she was telling the truth. Grimm hadn’t fed an apple to Rina in over a month. Any effects they might have had over her were gone. Instead of diminishing her passion for him, she’d become even more devoted to him.

  She’d even come up with a way to pay Val back. Her errant son was in for a world of hurt when his pissed-off mother got a hold of him.

  Grimm pulled Rina off his neck. “Time to go.”

  “And then time to come?”

  He enjoyed the sexy smirk on Rina’s face as she caressed his spent cock. “Anything for you, my sweet.” He put the car into gear and pulled away from Tyr’s house, uncaring that his cock was still exposed. After all, if he got stopped, he was confident he could talk himself out of a ticket.

  Chapter Seven

  Toni Mancinelli sat eating a pint of Chunky Monkey and watching Project Runway reruns on Bravo, but she was having a hard time rooting for her favorite designer. Her mind kept returning to the Grimm case.

  Why is this not meshing for me? Something about the way Danny had presented the evidence just didn’t sit right with her, and she couldn’t put her finger on why. The DA loved it, Cap loved it, the judges loved it. Hell, at first even she had loved it.

  But the more she studied it the more she didn’t trust it. Every instinct she had said she was being snowed, and by an expert. She planned on keeping a closer eye on Danny-boy from now on.

  Still, if anyone could fuck around with cops it would be Travis Yardley-Rudiger. He’d worked with them often enough to know how they thought. Planting evidence at a scene would be no big deal. She’d just have to see what the test results came back with. If they confirmed what Danny had told her, good enough.

  If they didn’t, there would be hell to pay.

  She took another bite of ice cream, rolling her eyes and muttering under her breath as Sissybear was once again robbed of his time in Bryant Park. All because of some human hair?

  Puh-lease. Grow a pair, people. I still want that retro jacket.

  Jamie stretched, smiling in the early morning light. “Mmm.” Every muscle felt loose and liquid, just the way she liked it. She was warm and cozy, and best of all, no alarm clock was going off. Must be Sunday. I love Sundays. She yawned, opening her eyes.

  She frowned. She didn’t recognize the room she was in at first, but then memory came back in a horrifying rush. She rubbed her eyes with her hands, trying to take in everything that had happened last night.

  “Morning.”

  She stifled a shriek. “Good morning, Travis.”

  “You forgot I was here, didn’t you?”

  She peeked from between her fingers. “I knew.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  She sniffed. “Is Logan making breakfast?”

  “Nice subject change, and yes, I think he is.”

  She stuck her tongue out.

  He laughed, pulling her into his arms. “Can I have a good morning kiss?”

  “Ew.”

  One dark blond brow rose in disbelief. “Ew. I ask for a kiss and get an ew?”

  She wrinkled her nose at him. “Morning breath.”

  “Your breath smells f…hell, woman, what crawled into your mouth and died?” He laughed as she began beating him with a pillow. “Uncle! Uncle!”

  “Hah. Big bad warrior dude felled by tiny female with a pillow. Take that, sexism!”

  “Don’t forget the hideous breath weapon you wield.” Travis laughed again and hid behind his arms when she raised the pillow, snarling at him.

  “That’s better.” She lowered the pillow, settling back against his thighs. His erection throbbed between her thighs.

  Wait. When did I crawl into his lap? She looked down at him, startled. Her legs were curled up on either side of his hips. She raised and lowered herself carefully, her movements becoming bouncier as she realized there was no pain. She scrambled for the edge of the nightgown, pulling it up to reveal a perfectly smooth stomach. She touched, unable to believe her eyes. “The scars are gone.” She looked down at him, knowing she was grinning like a loon. “My scars are gone!”

  He nodded, his smile growing as his hand joined hers on her stomach. His touch was warm and soothing.

  “Did you do this?”

  He shook his head. “That’s one of Logan’s powers.”

  “How pissed do you think Jordan’s going to be when I offer myself up as his love slave?”

  She was on her back so fast her head was spinning. “Care to repeat that?” Travis lowered his body against hers, his hips pinning hers to the bed.

  “Breath of death, remember?” She grinned weakly. She blew at him, laughing reluctantly when he gagged and fell off her, curling up on his side. His hand was at his throat as he gasped for air.

  She got out of bed with a sniff.

  “Aw, c’mon. Come back to bed? Please? Just keep your face away from mine and everything will be fine.”

  She slammed the bathroom door shut, ignoring his renewed laughter.

  He came in just as she finished brushing her teeth. “Are you done yet?”

  She turned off the water. “Mostly. I still need to brush my hair, wash my face, put on my makeup, what are you doing?” She watched as, naked, he bent over the tub.

  “You ask me that a lot. Have you noticed that?”

  Dear God, he had the most incredible ass. He turned on the water before turning to the toilet. “I gather you want a shower?”

  He lifted the seat. “Yeah, don’t you? Where are you going?”

  She ignored the sounds of him relieving himself and left the bathroom. She’d just go ahead and get dressed while he did his, um, morning stuff.

  She pulled the nightgown over her head and tossed it on the bed. She leaned down and pulled her panties off, adding them to the growing pile of dirty laundry. She’d need to get to that sooner rather than later. Relying on the men to take care of things was getting old, even if Kir was a fairly decent housekeeper.

  She missed her apartment, more than she’d thought she would. The freedom to do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted was something she’d cherished after living with her overbearing father. But she had the feeling that freedom was a long way off for her now. Until Grimm was stopped permanently none of the men were going to be willing to let her out of their sight.

  “Damn.”

  Especially Travis. She didn’t turn around. Even though he’d seen her naked breasts in the mirror last night she hadn’t been aware of it until after the fact. Add in that this time she was not only completely naked but bent over and he had to be getting an eyeful. Turning around now felt tantamount to giving him permission. “I thought you were going to take a shower?” Because I planned to have clothing on the next time I saw you.

  “Huh?”

  She looked over her shoulder to find his gaze glued to her ass. She slapped her hands over
the globes, horrified. “Travis. I thought you were a gentleman.”

  He sighed happily and walked forward, his arms reaching for her. “Someone lied to you, then.”

  She squeaked and dove for the bed, determined to preserve what was left of her dignity.

  She didn’t make it. She found herself over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. “Shower time.”

  He stroked her side with his cheek, the gesture loving and sweet. His beard tickled her side, making her want to squirm. “I didn’t say I wanted a shower, and I especially didn’t say I wanted a shower with you.”

  He put her directly under the spray, grinning when she sputtered. “You’ll feel a great deal better once you’re clean.” He picked up a bottle of shampoo, pouring some directly onto her head. “Ready?”

  One of her hands flew to her breasts, the other to her pussy, covering them from his heated gaze. “For what?”

  He began washing her hair, his left hand massaging her scalp. His right arm was around her waist, pulling her in tight to his body and out of the spray. If he’d had a right hand she bet it would be stroking her butt.

  “I can wash my own hair.” She could hear the huskiness in her voice and knew he could too. It might have had something to do with the heated iron bar digging into the back of her arm. She risked a quick peek down to find the head of his penis practically against her belly button. She lifted her head quickly to find a satisfied male smirk on his face.

  “I know.” He dipped her back, rinsing the soap from her hair. When it was gone he leaned in for a nipping kiss to her neck before standing her back up. “Now for the rest of you.”

  He soaped up a washcloth, running it over her body with intense focus. He didn’t miss a single square inch of her skin. She struggled a bit when he began washing her pussy, but the attempt was half-hearted at best. After all, this had to be a dream. Naked and wet in the shower with Travis, watching his hard, wet cock bounce around and knowing that all she had to do was reach out and touch it?

  Oh yeah. She’d dreamt this before. It usually had a really good ending too.