LogansEmpath (2 page)

“You needed time to recover.” Ryuu handed him a cup, black
with two Sweet’N Lows.

After his first sip, Logan held the cup under his nose and
inhaled the wonderful scent. He flopped onto his couch, trying not to slosh the
precious beverage as he collapsed in on himself. “Okay, whatever you’ve got to
say, I’m ready to hear it.”

Ryuu sat down in a chair across from him, taking his own cup
off the coffee table. After a few sips he looked over at Logan. “I had a
vision.”

“So you mentioned.” Logan leaned his head back and closed
his eyes. “We got another nest of demons to take down? ‘Cause I gotta tell you,
even with my magic, this last one was a real bitch. I need a break.”

“No, no nest to take down, not exactly. Though imps were
involved.” Ryuu stared down into his cup, going all enigmatic on him. “I saw
someone else taking care of them.”

Blinking and jerking his head back up, Logan shook off the
need for sleep again. “Goody, we’ve got mystery reinforcements. I could use the
help, especially with Eric out of town and you up to your eyeballs with
expansion plans for the hotel.”

“This person wasn’t in San Francisco. The environment they
fought in was mountainous and the trees were not all indigenous to the Sierras
either. I believe it was the Appalachians or the Smokey Mountains, though I
need to research a bit more to be certain. I did see a town name,
Browningsville. That should help.”

He’s babbling. I can barely keep my eyes open and he’s
babbling. Get to the point already.
“Okay, I’m ready for the catch. What is
so important about a demon hunter on the other side of the country? Are they
being overwhelmed and need help, ‘cause we’re not that far from it here. That
leak we had lasted nearly a decade. That’s a lot of imps and demons to clean
up, especially now that the older imps are maturing into those nasty young
demons. If we don’t get them all soon, they’ll start breeding.”

“I saw the woman’s face.”

“Yes,” Logan prompted. He was bone tired and getting more
irritated at Ryuu’s pussyfooting around the issue by the second.
Doesn’t
Ryuu realize that I’m hanging on to consciousness by the skin of my teeth here?

His friend took a deep breath. “I think it was Sabine, or
the woman she is now. I haven’t had many visions of the past with your Empath
in them but it seemed to be her.”

Sabine
. Logan’s heart stopped at the mere sound of
her name. He’d been searching so hard for her and for Brandr over the years,
never able to find them due to his own Visionary limitation of not being able
to see clearly his future or those entwined with it. Ryuu had tried to help as
well, without luck. Now, finally, he had a lead.

All hint of fatigue faded as a jolt of adrenaline shot
through his body. He had to force himself not to fly over the table and grab
Ryuu. “Are you certain?”

Ryuu licked his lips, eyes locked with Logan’s. “As certain
as I can be. I already have Katashi looking for a Browningsville in the Eastern
mountain ranges.”

Logan stood slowly, every muscle shaking with restrained
action. “Wait here.”

He walked to his bedroom instead of dashing there like he
wanted to. He went to his bedside table and pulled out an old sketchbook, the
only thing he’d taken with him when Katashi had come to bring him from the
institution and introduce him to Ryuu and Zen. His fingers shook as he leafed through
the pages. When he found the one he wanted, he ran the tip of his finger over
the surface. He closed his eyes in a short prayer as he held the book to his
chest.

Ryuu waited patiently in the other room as Logan returned,
sketchbook still in hand. He held it out, picture first, to his friend and
fellow Visionary. “Is this the woman you saw?”

Taking the book, Ryuu peered at the black and white sketch
of a woman in a long flowing gown, her hair piled on her head with a few
ringlets framing her smiling face. He raised his eyebrows as he looked up at
Logan. “This is very good. I didn’t realize you had such a talent.”

Logan felt his cheeks heating.
Damn redhead complexion,
never could hide a blush.
He shrugged, waiting for Ryuu to answer his
question.

“Yes, this is the woman I saw.” He handed the book back to
Logan. “Her hair and eyes are brown and she was wearing a turtleneck and jeans
but this is the same woman.”

Grabbing the back of Ryuu’s chair with his free hand to
support his suddenly weak knees, Logan trembled. “Thank god. Finally, I’ve
found her.”

“Or you will soon.” Ryuu stood, clasping a hand on Logan’s
shoulder before heading across the room. “Sleep friend. You need to rest and
recover. It will take a bit of time for Katashi to finish his research. I’ll
also have him put together some supplies for you take on your journey. I assume
you’ll be taking your motorcycle? She was fighting demons in my vision,
remember?”

“Yeah, no way to smuggle any weapons on a plane these days
and I’m not going anywhere unarmed. I’ll leave it to you then.”

“I’ll take care of everything.” Ryuu opened the door but
paused on the threshold. “And make certain to speak to Janice before you leave.
She feels like your big sister. If you disappear without at least saying
goodbye, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

Logan nodded, his mind already spinning in a hundred
different directions. Sabine, he’d finally found Sabine. Next would be Brandr
and his family would be complete.
He
would be complete.

For the first time in years, Logan could feel his heart
warming He’d found one of his loves.

Chapter Two

His soft bed embraced him. A warm, thick comforter covered
him. Silence and darkness filled the familiar room. But as tired as he was
Logan still had difficulty sleeping. After such world-shaking news, his mind
had trouble letting go. After an hour of tossing and turning, he’d had it.
Time
to take matters into my own hands.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath
and pushed himself into a Visionary dream state. Anything to get some rest.

Not that he minded dreaming about the past, his past with
his Three.

Slowly, his consciousness following glowing strands of the
past, an image solidified.

~The battle had been worse than any before. More warriors
died on the field than ever. It was as though the creatures knew that the
resistance was working on a way to close the gate to the mortal world. They
were determined as well as vicious. Many times Laughlin thought either he or
Brandr would never see the dawn, falling under the seemingly endless swarm.
Even with the support of Sabine and her magic shoring up their own powers, the
fight was a near thing.

Now all Laughlin wanted to do was to find the peace of his
small hut and enjoy time with his lovers.

Sabine waited for them to return from their council meeting,
ointments and bandages already prepared to see to their wounds. Though the
fighting was fierce, only Brandr suffered any serious damage. A slice to his
head bled heavily and required several stitches. Sabine offered him warm ale
before tending his injury. Her steady hand and skill as a seamstress made short
work of the cut. Laughlin sat on the side of his makeshift bed and cleaned out
his own scrapes and scratches in the meantime.

When Brandr had been taken care of Sabine came to sit by
Laughlin, pushing away his hands to check the state of his injuries. “They are
becoming more brazen in their attacks.” She dabbed a bit more ointment on his
longest scratch. “This is the first time that I have seen them try to take a
village so large.”

Brandr sat next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder
and cuddling her close. “What do you think, Laughlin?”

“I fear they are nesting.” Laughlin closed his eyes and sent
up a prayer to the gods to protect them. “The demons are attempting to create a
stronghold, a home for themselves.”

“Do they suspect you are close to finding a way to stop them
completely?” Sabine snuggled closer to Brandr but put her hand on Laughlin’s
knee.

Laughlin took her hand, raising it to his mouth for a kiss.
He wanted to imprint the moment of peace with her in his memory, in case it
became their last. “I pray not but that may be possible.”

“When do we try?” Brandr watched Laughlin’s lips as they
caressed Sabine’s hand, hunger strong in his gaze.

Laughlin watched Brandr’s stare.
This is hopeful.
He
shot his oldest friend a grin. “Soon. I think it best to try soon. But we need
to be comfortable with one another. Trust and love are the keys to this magic.
Without both, the backlash could destroy us all.”

“But do we not have that between us, love and trust?” Sabine
looked at both men in askance. “If we do not, it comes as a surprise to me.”

“We love you, both of us.” Brandr hugged her close and
kissed the top of her head.

“And you love each other?” She reached out to cup Laughlin’s
cheek.

Laughlin looked over at his longtime comrade-in-arms. He had
lost count of the years he and Brandr had stood together against the hordes.
They’d been together years before meeting Sabine. When had the feeling of
friendship and trust turned to love? How long had he desired to hold the larger
man in his arms? His answer to Sabine came easy. “I love him. The real question
is, does Brandr love me? Will he not only share you with me, Sabine, but also
embrace me? If not, the ritual will fail.”

Sabine laughed while the larger man blushed, dipping his
head. It was rare to see Brandr showing such emotion. But his cheeks bloomed
the same bright red as Laughlin’s hair.

“You men never speak to each other about the important
things if you can even doubt his feelings, Laughlin.” Her eyes sparkled with
laughter as she reached back with one hand to slide fingers around the back of
Brandr’s head. “I watch how both of you look at one another. To be honest, I
had doubts when I joined you that I could find a place here with you. I thought
for certain that neither one of you needed any other person. If you two cannot
tell that you love one another, then you are both fools.”

Laughlin looked over at Brandr, not daring to hope. He
fought the demon hordes day in and day out yet the thought of facing his friend
with his feelings brought true terror to his heart.

But the look on Brandr’s face was anything but hostile. It
seemed more…hopeful.

Leaning forward and over Sabine, Laughlin took the greatest
gamble in his short, violent life. He placed his lips gently across Brandr’s,
licking and nibbling, begging entrance. His friend groaned, his lips parting.
Laughlin let his tongue slide forward in answer to the invitation. He lapped
hungrily at the inside of Brandr’s mouth, savoring the slick feel against his
tongue. He swallowed Brandr’s groan as he leaned ever forward.

Sabine chuckled but wiggled out of their way as Laughlin
pressed Brandr back onto the bed, desperate for this connection that he’d
feared would be impossible, unwelcome even. Mouth still locked and tongue still
dancing, Laughlin straddled the larger man. He paused to pull Brandr’s tunic
over his head and tossed it to Sabine. Brandr’s long chestnut hair pulled free
from its braid, spilling over the thin mattress. Laughlin slid his fingers
through the length, almost as smooth as silk. Damn, Laughlin loved the feel of
Brandr’s hair.

“Is this for the ritual?” Brandr’s eyes glistened with what
looked to be more fear than Laughlin could remember ever seeing.

“No, this is for us.” He kissed his way down Brandr’s bare
chest, his tongue paying homage to each and every scar the other man bore. So
much pain. Laughlin wished he could have spared his friend all that pain.

Why did life have so much pain?

Brandr twisted under the oral assault. He dug his fingers
into Laughlin’s hair, pulling his mouth up to take in a kiss that was savage,
nothing like their previous gentle exploration. Teeth and tongue ravaged
Laughlin’s mouth, sending a flash of desire straight to his already straining
cock. Brandr tasted of desperation and lust. Had he always been filled with
this much wanting?

When Brandr finally released him Laughlin felt a small hand
resting between his shoulders. He looked over at Sabine, beautiful Sabine, his
avenging angel. She smiled but tears welled up in her eyes.

She looked so alone and that was wrong.

Laughlin held out a hand to her. “Why do you stand so far
away? You should be here with us, next to us, loving us.” He looked down at
Brandr, rubbing his thumb across his friend’s swollen lips. So wanton, the
image of his friend like this burned itself into his memory. “Isn’t that
right?”

His friend and soon-to-be lover grinned, giving Laughlin’s
thumb a nip. “Of course. Without her, we stupid men are certain to get
something wrong.”

Sabine laughed but pulled her dress over her head as she
stepped forward. Laughlin and Brandr wasted no time and took the opportunity to
undress as well before settling back on the bed. Their woman looked back and
forth between the two of them. “This feels odd. I’ve loved both of you before
but now, with the two of you together, I’m not certain where to start.”

“Leave that to us, love.” Laughlin licked at Brandr’s lips.
Brandr groaned and tried to suck Laughlin’s tongue into his mouth. Laughlin
pulled back. “The question becomes, will Brandr take you or me?”

The other man swallowed, eyes darting between the two of
them. “And were I to take Sabine, what would you do?”

“Take you of course.” Laughlin let a wicked grin slide
across his face. “What say you?”

“I don’t know about him but that sounds perfect to me.”
Sabine’s eyes glittered with desire as she stared at the two of them. Laughlin
felt that desire wash over him.

Laughlin watched as Brandr’s cock jerked at the attention.

“I’ll have her.” Brandr’s big, rough hand cupped Laughlin’s
cheek. “I put my trust in you.”