“Liam?” Emme stood in the doorway, dressed in one of Liam’s T-shirts. “Is everything all right?”

I gripped the edge of the table, still feeling faint. “Fine. Everything’s fine. Emme, the poison seems to have left Aric’s system. Could you please help him heal?”

Liam blocked Emme’s path when she advanced, shaking his head. “Aric’s wolf could still be on the defense. I don’t want Emme near him just in case.” He patted my back. “Give a holler if you need me. He’ll respond better to me since I’m one of his Warriors.” Seeing how Aric hadn’t bitten Liam’s hand off when he poked through his skin like a skewer, I tended to believe him. Still, I’d rather have called the Catholic schoolgirls.

“Oh, and, Celia?” Liam paused with one foot in the hall. “Aric’s going to wake up very grateful to you for taking care of him—very grateful. He’ll probably want to have sex for a few hours, so be sure to get some shut-eye. Night.”

I nodded, stupidly, though his back was now to me. In his own, boyishly naive, unfiltered, inappropriate way, Liam meant well. Knowing that kept me from launching the water bottle into the back of his skull. I locked the door after them and bandaged Aric’s shoulder, then crawled back into bed with my wolf.

CHAPTER 15

I rubbed my eyes. They remained sore from lack of sleep and from the strange flashes of light that had haunted my dreams again. Aric had woke feeling better, and, as Liam promised, extremely grateful for my care. He’d kissed me when I tried to check his bandages and whisked us into the shower for one hell of a good morning.

I sighed contently. Aric’s dark brown hair curled, still wet from our romp in the shower. It tickled my belly as I lay against the fresh sheets. “You really scared me last night, wolf.”

Aric brought my knuckles to his lips. “And you scare the hell out of me for wanting to take part in the hunt.” He focused on the tiered ceiling painted in alternating tones of deep creams and antique whites. “The Leader of the Bear Clan on the Nevada side is taking over my duties for the next few days.”

I breathed a sigh a relief. “Good. It will give you time to recover.”

“I’m recovered enough.” Aric turned a little to nibble on my belly. “Or didn’t you notice?” A playful grin swept across his face. If his “gratitude” hadn’t worn me out, I might have pounced on him. His palm stretched across my skin to massage my shoulder. “The crisis has kept me from my duties as chancelor of students. The young wolves at the Den are behind on their studies. With my Warriors and me gone all the time, the staff has been stretched thin. Already the term will continue way into the summer.”

I hated Aric searching out the demon lord without me. And I hated the demands his Elders placed on him. At least in returning to teaching duties, he would be safe. My fingers swept over his moist strands. “You miss teaching, don’t you?”

Aric smiled fondly when he thought of his students. “I do, but I won’t be returning to the classroom just yet. I’m to prepare our senior students to assist in tracking the demon lord.”

“They’re so young,” I said quietly, more thinking out loud.

“They are. But they’re also not average students. The predators in them are enlivened by the idea of stalking prey. They’ll travel with seasoned weres. It will give them a taste of their duties without putting them in harm’s way.” Aric’s voice grew distant. “At least that’s what I’m hoping. The demon lord is starting to feast on the men before he abandons their remains.”

My back tensed. This was news, and not the post-lovemaking conversation any gal ever wanted. “Is he taking their blood?”

“No. He craves meat—lots of it. The last set of bodies I’d found had all the muscle stripped from their thighs.”

I grimaced. “And it’s not demon children feasting.”

Aric rubbed his forehead. “No. The bite marks suggest something bigger, with fangs that mimic more an angler fish than werebeast or vampire.”

Damn it. “I wished you’d let me hunt with you.”

Aric rolled onto his stomach, supporting himself on his elbows. “You heard the leech, Celia. This thing has already threatened to come for you. To bring you along would be like handing you to him on a platter.” He shook his head. “You’re the best thing in my life. I won’t risk losing you, sweetness.”

Aric feared that the demons, the monsters, and every other thing that bumped the night and shadowed the earth would come for me. Maybe he was right. But my ignorance wouldn’t protect me; knowledge and vigilance would. “I’d rather meet him head-on than risk running into him unprepared. But it’s not just that, is it?”

Aric frowned. “What do you mean?”

Maybe I shouldn’t have discussed it just then, except it was a concern that continued to gnaw at me. “I think you’re worried I’m in danger just by being with you.”

Aric’s expression softened so that the remorse in his features matched his tone. “Yeah. I am. It’s something I wrestle with all the time.”

“Don’t.” And please don’t leave me, I didn’t say. His arms encircled my waist. I mused over the way his soft breath drifted across my bare flesh. It just felt right to have Aric against me. It’s how it should have been. For me. And my sisters. “Is this why Gemini is so afraid to become close to Taran? He fears what his presence could bring?”

Aric turned his head again and buried his face against my stomach. He jerked once, twice. At first I thought he was coughing, but then I realized he was full-out laughing. “No. Gemini is just trying to be gentle. He worries about scaring her since she’s a virgin and all.”

“Oh—wait, what!” I pulled Aric off me and covered my mouth. “You can’t be serious. Taran is many things . . . but a virgin is not one of them. Why would he think that?”

Aric slipped out of bed and clasped my wrists, pulling me to him. “You have to know Gemini. He’s shy around females. He’s never been openly affectionate in public. Even with women he’s been intimate with. Gem’s behavior toward Taran is extremely aggressive for him. Since she’s not responding to what he feels is obvious interest on his part, he’s convinced Taran is untouched.”

Aric led us into the bathroom. “Oh no, she’s definitely been touched.” My sides had started to ache, but it felt good to laugh. “Aric, most males are more straightforward when it comes to pursuing Taran. I was starting to think something was wrong with him. And what the hell is up with the damn head pat?”

“It was his way of touching her. I told him there are other things he could do.” He winked and cupped his hand over my backside, gripping it for emphasis.

I gave him a gentle shove, though I liked the attention. “Do you think I should say something to Taran?”

“Someone sure as hell needs to.” Aric put on a fresh T-shirt and sweatpants the wolves had brought him. He huffed. “I’m tired of scenting his sexual frustration all over the damn place.”

I paused before slipping a cashmere sweater over my head. “Is that what the scent is?”

Aric grinned. “I thought for sure you’d recognize it from all those times I almost jumped you. Especially that night you flashed me your br**sts.”

I yanked my jeans on over my thong. “You forget, I’m the one without much experience.” My face heated. “And I didn’t flash you on purpose.”

Aric backed me into the wall and grasped my hips. “I wasn’t complaining, sweetness.” He kissed me deep. I thought he meant to play more, but then he pulled away and let out a long, controlled breath. “I have to head to the Den. But I promise to be back to take you out to dinner.”

My hands rubbed against his stone-hard abdominals. “You haven’t eaten in so long, though. Aren’t you hungry?”

“No. The gold did a number on my digestive system. I’ll be famished later.”

We walked hand in hand down the backstairs and into the kitchen. Koda, Liam, and my sisters were finishing breakfast. Their mouths collectively parted when they caught sight of Aric.

“What the hell happened?” Taran threw her hands in the air. “Damn, Aric. Last night you looked like shit with gravy on it.”

Aric’s pulled me to him so my back rested against his chest. “I had a nurse take care of me.”

Liam nodded. “Oh, we know, Aric. We heard you ha**ng s*x in the shower. We just didn’t expect such a full recovery this fast.”

I buried my crimson face in my hand. Aric cleared his throat. “Any news on what happened last night?”

Koda scrolled through his phone. “Paul’s Beta and his team found the EMT truck on the Nevada side just before dawn. Though it would have been hard to miss since someone torched it. The girl was gone, but they tracked her and the vamp to Washoe Lake.”

My brows shot up. So much for hoping they’d located the secret demon lord’s hideout. “There’s nothing there this time of year.”

Koda placed his phone down. “Except the vamp’s leftover EMT uniform. The Beta was the same raccoon who accompanied Paul the other day. He said the scent around the uniform matched the one of the exploding body.”

Aric swore under his breath. “What the hell is happening?”

Koda rose, lifting Shayna as easily as a long-stemmed rose. “I don’t know. But Liam and I are going to take a look after we check in at the Den.” He paused. “Anara wants a full report on your altercation last night.”

Aric clenched his jaw. “Then he’ll get it. Come on, let’s go.”

We walked the wolves outside where, hip-hip-hooray, Mrs. Mancuso was busy tending to her garden. I stayed on the porch with Aric. Call me chicken. Call me yellow-bellied. But call me safe from the wrath of Mrs. Mancuso. Shayna wasn’t so lucky. She waved as she passed her. “Looking good, Mrs. Mancuso.”

No. She wasn’t. Mrs. Mancuso’s neck skin dragged a path between the tulips. “Go to church and get some morals, hussy!”

Taran adjusted her cl**vage just to piss her off. “What’s the matter, Mancuso? Did the aliens forget to remove the probe rammed up your ass?”

“Taran!” Emme abandoned Liam to haul Taran in the house using a combo of her puny arms and her telekinetic force. Mrs. Mancuso rewarded Emme with another middle finger in addition to the one she was swinging at Taran. There must have been a two-for-one special at her church.

Shayna was busy pulling Koda away. He liked Mrs. Mancuso as much we did, but generally ignored her. Not today, and especially not after she called Shayna a hussy. He snarled and took a step toward her as Shayna dug her heels into the walkway.

“I love you.”

Shayna’s words froze the big guy in place. He turned his head slowly until he met Shayna’s beautiful smiling face. “What did you say?”

Shayna continued to grin. “I said, ‘I love you.’”

Koda took a deep breath to inhale her scent and reinforce the truth behind Shayna’s declaration of love. His dark eyes widened briefly before he gathered her to him. My sister’s willowy frame disappeared beneath the thickness of his arms and the sheet of long black hair that draped around her like a protective cloak. “I love you, too, baby,” he whispered.

Aric stiffened against me and I felt his spirit pull away from mine. My thumbs skimmed the back of his hands. “What’s wrong?”

Aric kissed my forehead but failed to meet my gaze. “Let’s allow them time to have their moment. I’ll see you tonight.” He jogged down the wooden steps, giving Koda and Shayna plenty of space before stepping into the Yukon, where Liam waited. I backed into the house, wanting to give Shayna and Koda their privacy, all the while trying not to react to how quickly Aric’s demeanor had changed.

Taran was still fuming when I walked into the kitchen. “That old bag needs to get laid. It’s the only thing that’s going to save us. But who the hell is going to want to bang a woman with a saggy vajayjay—”

“Taran, please.” Emme stopped in the middle of filling her mug with tea. “I realize Mrs. Mancuso is very . . . unpleasant. But even she deserves some kindness. Perhaps if we made more of an effort to be nice to her, her attitude might change for the better.”

Taran took a sip of her tea. “I’d rather photograph her saggy vajajay.”

I wouldn’t.

Emme sighed and resumed tea pouring duties while I placed a basket of fresh-baked sweet breads in the center of our wooden table. I’d just finished setting napkins and small plates beside each mug when Koda’s Yukon roared out of our development. Shayna sprinted into the house, tears streaming down her cheeks as she threw her arms around me. “He loves me, Ceel. Koda loves me.”

I held her against me, careful not to crack her spine. Shayna didn’t throw the “L” word around. If she’d said it, it was because she meant it and Koda seemed the perfect guy to mean it to. “It must have been something to hear it,” I told her honestly.

Her ponytail swayed as she shifted her h*ps back and forth. “Has Aric told you that he loves you yet? I mean, it’s so obvious the way he looks at you. And gadzooks, the chemistry between you is the stuff of legends. . . .”

Her voice faded as my smile took a hike off my face and landed somewhere between my toes. “Things are still new between us. I’m not sure how either of us truly feels.” That was only a half-truth. I knew exactly how I felt, and while I believed Aric cared for and was passionate about me, his reaction on the porch suggested our feelings weren’t as mutual as I’d wished. “You’re the best thing in my life,” he’d said. But that wasn’t quite love, was it?