The look of dread we all shared told him he was dead-on. For as strong and heartless as this shifter was, he knew to cover his tracks by muddling and manipulating our thoughts and memories. I felt so stupid, but as the tension around me soared, I knew I wasn’t alone.

Some days simply sucked beyond reason.

“It makes sense,” Gemini growled. “Weeks had passed since the shifter attack, giving Tura time to feed off your power and grow stronger. It also gave him an opportunity to learn your strengths and weaknesses, and to test your connections to those you’re linked to by taking turns invading their bodies.” He rubbed his goatee irritably. “As Misha suggests, the blood he stole from Celia was the catalyst to solidify his control.”

It must have taken a lot for Gemini to agree with Misha, but there was no time to be petty. My head throbbed when I clutched Shah closer to me. “He wants Shah.” I scoffed when everyone simply stared. “That’s why Shah has refused to stay in Makawee’s stronghold. He knew Tura could invade any one of you and become his new holder.”

Aric muttered a curse, and ran a hand through his hair. Around me, no one seemed able to keep still. There was something more to Tura’s presence that seemed to rile them. I’d learned enough not-so-fun facts for the day. Yet it seemed there was more crappiness to be had. “Aric, what’s happening?”

“There’s something you should know that could explain Tura’s yearning to destroy you,” he said, the anger surrounding him rising. “The shifter you killed several months ago was known as Cara, ‘the face.’ She was one of the deadliest shifters…and Tura’s mate.”

“Of course she was Tura’s mate,” I said, sensing my bullshit meter reach its limit. “Of course.”

“Celia—”

“This is ridiculous!” I screamed, cutting Aric off. “How many other ways can one person get completely screwed? The goddamn shifter has possessed you and everyone I love—revenge for his mate, I presume—even though that crazy bitch of his came after me first.” The vamps took a collective step back, recognizing I’d completely lost my shit. “Can’t for once one of these bastard bad guys cut me a break? Can’t for once I just be safe?”

I didn’t really expect anyone to answer, but I needed to unleash then. It was either that or cry, and I was done with that.

The thing was, I understood what it meant to be mated, and as a result understood Tura’s drive. Had anyone harmed Aric, I’d make them suffer, too. Except knowing this didn’t offer one shred of comfort; it only made me fear what was to come.

Possession by shifter, no means to stop him, and no means to know when he’d strike next. Damn. Seriously damn.

“Celia,” Aric said, his deep timbre and ire snagging my attention. “It doesn’t matter who he is. I’ll make sure he’s reunited with his mate soon enough.”

But at what cost? My thumb traced over Shah, the motion helping to lessen my hysteria and sort things through. “Tura could have forced any one of you to send those vamps and weres after me. That’s how they found me in the ED.”

Shayna shook her head. “But Shah wasn’t there with you—he was already in the stronghold. At least, that’s as far as everyone knew.”

“Unless Tura knew something you didn’t,” Makawee reasoned. “When Shah attached himself to you, Celia, Tura knew or at least felt that link.”

Misha lifted his chin. “If Shah attached himself to Celia, can Tura take Shah’s power or use Celia as his holder to obtain what he wishes?”

Our unease swelled and the world seemed to stop spinning, waiting for Makawee’s response. She considered me, frowning ever so slightly. Genevieve and Delilah limped forward, stealing glances at Makawee as if they understood what was happening. “You don’t consider yourself Shah’s holder. Do you, child?” Makawee asked.

“No,” I answered truthfully. “For all that Shah’s a rock, he’s a being with his own thoughts and feelings. I’ve felt his pain, I know he hurts. I have no business owning or claiming something so human.”

For the first time, Aric’s eyes softened. Even if I hadn’t spoken aloud, he knew me well enough to know I’d never force an innocent to do something against his will. To me, Shah was simply that. “Had anyone else found Shah, things would have been disastrous,” he said.

Delilah didn’t seem to hold my beliefs in the same regard. “But if you declare yourself as Shah’s holder, you could wish all this away, shug.”

“Or give Tura full access to him,” I countered.

“You don’t know that,” Genevieve said.

“I think you’re wrong,” I told her. “I’m better since Shah attached himself to me. He’s helped me without asking, but only because I haven’t asked.”

“That doesn’t make any sense,” a were standing behind Aric said. She averted her gaze when Aric glared at her.

“It does to me. I don’t think—” I paused to glance at Shah. “—scratch that. Tura can’t force me to attack someone else, but like Genevieve said, he can still infect my mind. I’m seeing things. Bad things from my past…”

“We’ll stop him,” Aric ground out. I imagined he had an inkling of what I was referring to.

“And how are we going to do that?” Taran asked. “Look, this Tura guy isn’t screwing around.” Her eyes became bloodshot when she pointed at me. She was trying not to cry, but her tears were seconds from releasing. “I saw what he showed Celia. And even though the images were clouded, I’ll remember them for the rest of my life.” Her voice trailed off and at first I thought she wouldn’t say anything more, yet something in her mind clicked as the severity of our situation appeared to hit her all at once. “I’ve been dreaming of Griselda, the aunt who cursed us—well, of her eyes technically. The image in the reflection replays the murder of our parents—the way I imagine she watched it unfold.”

“She was there that night?” Aric asked me.

I was the one who’d found the gang members who broke into our tiny apartment standing over the bodies of our parents. “I don’t remember seeing her or scenting her,” I told him. “I only remember the men who killed our parents.”