Trusted Bond

to my friend Eddie‘s to––‖
    ―Jin.‖ He cut me off. ―I––what is going on?‖
    I was silent, because the conversation was headed in a bad direction.
    I could not be ordered home.
    ―Jin?‖
    Crap. ―I thought I had more time.‖
    ―More time for what?‖
    I couldn‘t say that I was trying to save a man‘s life.
    ―Jin?‖
    I let out a deep breath. ―You‘re gonna be really pissed.‖
    Trusted Bond

    5

    ―I‘m already pissed,‖ he snapped at me, ―because you‘re not talking
    to me and you‘re trying to hide things from me. I‘ll ask again––what the
    hell is going on?‖
    ―See… it‘s not Abbot‘s fault.‖
    ―What?‖
    ―I mean it is but––‖
    ―I don‘t––Abbot George? The sheseru Yuri‘s training from Kellen‘s
    tribe?‖
    On the request of Kellen Grant, another semel, the leader of a
    werepanther tribe, Logan had agreed to have his sheseru, his enforcer,
    Yuri Kosa, mold another. Kellen‘s sheseru had been killed during a
    menthuel, or honor challenge, and so his brother, the next in line, became
    the new tribe enforcer. Abbot George had been with us a month when
    Logan left to attend Simone‘s mating ceremony in New York.
    ―Jin?‖
    ―Sorry, what?‖
    ―Focus.‖
    I was trying to, but it was just hard. I was too worried about what
    was about to happen, and the man‘s voice was doing things to my
    stomach. Fluttery, rolling, twisting things that were not altogether bad. I
    had missed him like crazy.
    ―Jin!‖
    I moaned because he‘d yelled and reminded me that he was the
    dominant in our relationship. He was the semel, leader, and I was his
    mate. The ache of need pooled in my groin.
    ―What‘s wrong? Tell me.‖
    His voice was deep and growly, and my thoughts roamed to the last
    time I had been in bed with him. He had wanted to tie me down, and I had
    let him. The bindings had been his silk dress ties, but they had held me
    because we both allowed them to, both of us wanting the fantasy.
    ―Jin?‖
    ―Missed you,‖ I whispered.
    ―Me too.‖ He told me gruffly, his voice deep and low. ―Honey,
    what‘s going on?‖
    6

    Mary Calmes

    Lost in the sound of his voice, my body‘s yearning for him, the
    craving I felt down deep, I almost tipped my hand. I cleared my throat,
    pulled myself together. ―Logan, I––‖
    ―You‘re talking about Abbot George, right? The guy Yuri is
    training?‖
    Was training.
    ―Jin?‖
    ―Yeah,‖ I said solemnly.
    There was a pause as understanding hit him. ―What did he do?‖
    ―It was a mistake.‖
    ―What was?‖
    ―Just keep in mind that it was a mistake.‖
    ―Jin, so help me if you––‖
    ―I‘m fine.‖
    ―Why wouldn‘t you be fine?‖ His voice hardened. ―What are you
    try––‖
    ―It was a mistake.‖
    ―You said that already. What the hell happened? Just tell me.‖
    I winced because I heard how icy his tone was. ―Okay, so I guess
    because I was missing you and because I‘m your reah and––‖
    ―Christ, this is like pulling teeth! Just tell me what the fuck
    happened!‖
    He wasn‘t mad at me, and I knew that, but still, he was irritated.
    ―The pheromones,‖ I sighed. ―I didn‘t even realize I was… but Abbot said
    it was like I was in heat.‖
    ―Abbot said.‖ His voice dropped low, going deadly still.
    I made a noise in the back of my throat.
    There was a shuffling noise, muffled, and then, ―Jin.‖
    Mikhail‘s calm voice washed relief all over me. Him, I could talk to.
    The sylvan of our tribe, the teacher, the counselor, he was a constant
    source of sound reason and strength. Confessing to Mikhail was
    something everyone did, and I was no exception. ―Hi.‖ I smiled widely,
    the deep sigh coming up out of me. ―How was your trip?‖
    Trusted Bond

    7

    There was a deep male grunt. ―I will tell you all about New York
    when I see you, but first I need to know what went on here. My semel
    demands it, and so do I. Why are you not in your home, my reah, and
    where is your sheseru?‖
    I thought a minute about what to say.
    ―Just tell me.‖
    But it had all happened so fast. One minute I was in the kitchen
    making spaghetti, and the next I had turned to find Abbot George, the
    sheseru in training, the panther from Kellen Grant‘s tribe of Selket,
    standing in front of me. As the reah of my tribe, the mate of the leader, he
    should not have been allowed to be alone with me, but in my own home,
    my rules were lax. If you were in my house, I trusted