Free Queen of the Magnetland (The Elemental Phases Book 5) by Cassandra Gannon

I
still bathe.”
    Mara’s
eyes widened.
    Was
he crazy?
    Chason’s
head did that unnerving head tilt, again.  Something about the angle of it had
Mara’s heart pounding.  It was like a bird of prey sighting on a rat.  He moved
towards Zakkery and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he intended to
kill the other man, right in front of her.
    Literally kill him.
    Zakkery
shifted into a defensive position.  “Go for it, asshole.  I’m not giving you
any more freebees.”
    “No.” 
She stepped between them again, her eyes on Chason’s seething face.  “Don’t. Please.”
 She looked back over at Zakkery, her arms outstretched to keep them apart.  “Are
you trying to incite him?  You can’t just proposition another person’s Match,
even in jest!”  Especially not right in front of said Match, when he was
obviously feeling so… agitated.   “You know I’m going with
Chason.”
    “You’re
not my Match.”  Chason said.  “And he’s not jesting.”  His attention stayed
riveted on Zakkery.  He wanted to get by her and go for Zakkery’s throat.  She
could tell he was just looking for an opening.
    So
could Zakkery.  “I’m not jesting.”  He agreed tauntingly.  Smoky grey eyes met
hers and he gave a slanting smile, only slightly dimmed by his battered face.  “Be
fair.  What kind of man would I be if I didn’t at least take a shot at you when
I had the chance?”
    “A
man who’ll live past tomorrow.”
    Chason’s
tone had her cringing.
    Zakkery
ignored him.  “But fine, kid.  You stay with him.  I had a feeling you would.  You’re
that kinda girl.  Just watch your back.”
    “Son-of-a- bitch .” 
Chason made a sharp move to the left, somehow sidestepping Mara.  “I told you
what would happen if you threatened her.”
    “ I’m not the threat.”
    “Who
is, then?  That Banished Light Phase?”
    Zakkery
silently stepped back, getting ready to jump.
    Chason
lunged for him and Mara caught hold of his arm, afraid of more violence.  He
didn’t even seem to notice.  “ Who took my Match? ”  He bellowed.
    Mara
stumbled backwards as he raged right passed her.  She gave a surprised cry as
she nearly fell backwards onto the mattress.
    Chason
caught her.  His hand whipped out with almost unimaginable speed, steadying
her.  His touch jolted her system, right through the sleeve of her dress.  It
was more forceful than he’d had ever been before.  It didn’t hurt but it felt…
different.  Strangely erotic in the midst of this nightmare.
    Mara
looked up at him in shock.
    Something
happened to Chason’s face.  A flicker in his purple gaze, that was almost…
    Lust.
    He
had never lusted for her before.  He’d always been a perfect gentleman,
who’d seemed perfectly content with their polite, slightly tepid physically
relationship.  Before, he never would have tugged her closer to him and
just inhaled, like he wanted to breathe in her scent.  Especially not in
public.  Now, he made a sound like he wanted to devour her and he didn’t care
that Zakkery was standing six feet away.
    Mara
found that very… appealing.
    “Be
careful, kid.”  Zakkery said quietly.  “This Chason’s not the man you knew.” 
He disappeared from the room.
    Mara
swallowed hard, finding herself alone with Chason.
    A
pissed off, much more possessive Chason, with super good reflexes and a deep
hunger.
    He
tore his eyes away from her and glowered over at the spot where the Smoke Phase
had disappeared.  “Where do you think you can fucking hide that I won’t find
you?”  He bellowed up at the ceiling as if Zakkery could still hear him.
    He
was swearing around her.  Mara couldn’t get used to it.  Couldn’t get used to any of it.  She surreptitiously tried to tug free of his hold.  Not because she
particularly wanted to go free, but because she was feeling so
overwhelmed.
    Instantly,
Chason’s grip grew tighter, like he was afraid she might try to get away.  His
gaze