The loud snarls from Tye forced Aric to break our kiss. The lion was absolutely out of his mind. I couldn’t comprehend his fury. Had something happened that I wasn’t aware of?

Aric held me tighter and smiled. “Damn, girl. That was one hot smooch. I wasn’t expecting that, especially after the other night.”

I angled my head. Aric’s manner of speaking was so unlike him, and his comment made no sense. “I would think you would,” I whispered.

Taran rammed her way between us, forcing us apart. “Celia, what the hell are you doing?”

“Hey, get away from her.” With her newfound strength, Shayna shoved Aric away past the granite fireplace and farther down through the entrance hall.

“What? No!” I tried to follow them. “Don’t take him away from me!”

Gemini and Koda stepped in front of me, blocking my view of Aric. I pushed my way through them.

“Gemini, Miakoda, stand down,” Anara commanded when they attempted to restrain me.

Taran clasped my wrist with both hands and dug her heels into the hardwood floor. I yanked my arm hard enough to send her sprawling across the floor. She screeched when her back hit the wall, but I didn’t care enough to look back. Aric was getting farther away the more Shayna continued to shove him.

Bren and Danny snagged my wrists when I charged after him. The desperation to be with Aric overwhelmed me. I struggled and fought to break free. Their tightening holds fueled my hostility. Instead of just trying to escape, I attacked, not caring whether I hurt them.

“Ow! Celia, calm down,” Danny said.

“Watch her hands and feet,” Bren snapped. “Her claws are out.”

“Let go of me, damn it. Let go of me now!” I hissed.

I could no longer see Aric, only hear him down the large expanse of space. I kicked Bren in the face and smashed Danny’s nose with a head butt. I lurched forward, my legs strangely weak, and ran for all I was worth.

Bren tackled me before I could make it very far. My breath released in short pained gasps, as if I couldn’t breathe without Aric. I needed his scent, his taste, his warmth around me. What remained of my sanity rushed out in an agonized scream before my body lost control and I began to hyperventilate. Bren loosened his hold. “Jesus, Celia. Breathe, kid. Just breathe.”

My elbow nailed him hard in the temple and I clawed away from him. I staggered to my feet, my tigress eyes fixed to where Aric’s heated voice continued to fight with Shayna. Bren and Danny grabbed my arms once more, their faces battered and dripping with blood. I broke away so forcibly my body flew through a wide French door leading into an office. Taran screamed. Glass cut my body, stinging my arms, face, and neck. Warm fluid dripped down my chest and soaked my stomach, but I didn’t matter. Only Aric did.

CHAPTER 22

Bren’s and Danny’s injured faces paled with horror and panic. They approached me cautiously, their palms out pleading. I crawled backward through the glass, slipping on my blood as I moved.

“Celia, honey, please look at me,” Danny whispered anxiously. “I need you to focus. Please look at me.”

My hand clutched a large piece of broken glass. “No. You won’t keep me from him!” My chest ached with every sob. “I need him! I can’t live without him! I won’t live without him!”

“Celia!” Taran screamed.

Something shattered and Anara roared in pain. The shard of glass I held rested just above my heart, piercing through my thick sweater. Tye had stopped me from stabbing myself. His hand clamped my wrist, he dripped with sweat, and he worked to catch his breath. Bren lay across my other arm, and Liam and Danny restrained my lower body. Slowly, my fingers uncurled against my will and the glass within my grip floated away.

Emme had appeared. She discarded the piece along with the remaining shards surrounding me with the power of her force. Her face had blanched. Taran stood beside her crying.

Martin and Makawee slowly rose from the floor. Martin staggered to Anara, who lay unconscious several feet away. Martin shook his head. “Anara will be all right. He just failed to shield himself properly. I suppose he never expected Aric to break his hold.” He looked over at Aric. “And neither did I.”

At the mention of Aric’s name, I struggled again. This time the wolves made certain I couldn’t move.

Shayna waited by Aric with her arms hugging her thin frame and her voice shaking. “What about my sister? Is she okay?”

Aric’s eyes scanned the area before falling back on me. “What the blazes happened?”

“Let me go!” I sobbed. “I want to be with Aric—just let me be with Aric!” My cries grew hysterical and again I struggled to breathe.

“Sweetness, I’m right here. I’m right here, baby,” Tye said.

I screamed at him when he tried to hold my face. “Don’t touch me, you stupid goddamn lion!” With the exception of Makawee and Martin, everyone looked at me as if I’d gone insane. Maybe I had.

Makawee stroked my forehead. I shrugged her off; the only touch I wanted was Aric’s. “Celia has been poisoned,” she said gently. “Release her and I will try to cleanse her body.” Everyone climbed off me except for Tye. Makawee placed her hand on his shoulder. “Do not fear, dear wolf. No harm will come to her.”

I rushed to Aric the moment Tye let go. I managed only a few paces before Makawee caught me and restrained me with a strength that belied her petite stature. She held me by my arms while waves of nausea slammed into me like an angry tide. Cold sweat rushed down my body and the room spun. I started to faint. Strong arms caught me before I hit the floor. Makawee carried me to a bathroom and placed me in front of a toilet just in time. I threw up violently. Instead of the sickening smell of vomit, the scent of dark magic filled the air. My body shuddered with weakness. The moment I finished, I slumped into someone’s arms. “I’ve got her, Makawee,” Shayna said. Her voice trembled over Taran’s and Emme’s sniffling.

“Emme, fill the tub with warm water and then help Taran and Shayna take off her clothes. We need to bathe her. I will return shortly. I must gather some herbs to purify the water.”

“I need to heal Celia, Makawee,” Emme pleaded. “She’s still bleeding.”

“In sealing her wounds, you’ll trap the poison inside her. The yellow dock I’ll add to the water will help cleanse her blood, but we must hurry. We’re running out of time.”