My mouth went dry.

But not in a good way.

I felt myself falling backward. Aric caught me on the way down. “Celia. Celia!”

My vision blurred and I couldn’t stay awake. My last memory was of Aric as he raced us along the sand.

CHAPTER 21

I stumbled down the stairs and into the kitchen. The sun was shining, my head was pounding, and I needed to consume every last morsel of food in the house. Damn, my stomach growled like a cave full of pissed-off cheetahs ready to claw the nearest— Ooh, doughnuts!

I tore into the box like a woman possessed, pausing between swallows to pour milk into a glass. I rubbed my belly after the third powdered doughnut. Feel better, sweetheart? No? Let’s get you some nachos!

Nachos, a carton of bacon, and a few breakfast burritos later, I checked my phone. There were several texts from Aric, wondering how I was, asking me to call him…and one from the vampires.

Celia,

The master fell into a deep coma. That means you and your sisters will, too, since he gave you freaks some of his energy to help him fight Zhahara. Do not operate any heavy machinery, drive, or juggle knives or anything because you could like crash or die or something.

Hugs and kisses,

Ana Clara

Friggin’ vampires. The time on the text told me they sent the message around the time Aric and I had left for our walk…two days ago.

My body went numb. This meant my sisters and I had been asleep for two days. I called Aric as soon as I checked on my sisters.

“Hey.”

There was a pause. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Beneath Aric’s growl I heard his concern, and because of it, I continued to speak reasonably. “I’m sorry I haven’t called. I just woke up.”

Another pause. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d borrowed that idiot’s power?”

“I didn’t borrow it. He gave it to us following the fight at his house.”

“So you’d have the energy to risk your life to help him battle his enemies.”

Aric’s tone told me he thought Misha had manipulated and used me again. And that I’d lain down like a sap and let him. “He was only trying to help, Aric. See, getting the tar kicked out of us by your pack left us a little drained.”

Silence. Followed by a low growl. I paced around the island in our kitchen. “I didn’t call to fight with you, Aric.” I called to hear your voice…because I miss you, damn it.

His growls stopped. “I don’t want to fight with you either, Celia. And I’m not mad at you.”

I leaned against the counter. “You could have fooled me.”

Aric sighed. “I just don’t want anyone taking advantage of you, sweetness.”

Sweetness…? My heart flew out of my chest on the wings of a dove, soaring around the kitchen until it crash-landed against my sternum. “Thank you. Ah, thank you.” I repeated my words in haste, trying to find something worthwhile to say. When nothing came to mind I reached into my inner tigress for courage. “Would you like to come over for dinner again tonight? You and the wolves, I mean.” I supposed I could have asked him over by himself, but even my tigress remained a little shy.

There was a brief pause that felt more like a lifetime. Rejection pounded my heart with every passing second. “I’d like that very much. But this time let us bring the meal. We don’t cook, but we can barbecue. Do you have a grill? If not we can bring one.”

I smiled into the phone. “We have one built into our back deck, but we’ve never used it.”

“If it doesn’t work, we’ll build a fire out back.”

“Oh, you’re manly men, I see.”

He laughed. “Yes. For werewolves, that is. Does six work for you?”

No. I want you here now. “Sure. I’ll see you then. Bye, wolf.”

“Good-bye, sweetness.”

I stared at my phone as my thumb grazed over the screen. Bren was right. I was in trouble.

The doorbell rang at exactly six. I hurried downstairs. Koda and Liam sauntered in carrying several bags of food. It struck me as odd to see Emme with someone like Liam. He personified the typical bad boy, in his faded jeans, tight T-shirt, and spiky hair. But looks were apparently deceiving. Liam killed malicious creatures on a weekly basis, yet treated Emme with all the kindness she deserved. He bent to kiss her lips gently, only to laugh when she blushed. “You’re such a doll,” he told her.

Koda lowered his head when Shayna skipped toward him. “Hi, baby,” he whispered when she hugged him and kissed his cheek.

Gem came in next, awkwardly carrying a bouquet of purple roses. He smiled shyly and handed them to Taran. “I wanted to bring blue ones to match your eyes. I’m sorry I couldn’t find any.”

Taran approached like the shy virgin she so wasn’t. “They’re beautiful. Thank you for thinking of me.”

Aric stepped in last, carrying a large box and greeting me with a warm smile. “Hi, Celia.”

My natural impulse was to welcome him with an embrace and a kiss—a ridiculous thought, considering we’d only recently met. And yet his warmth drew me hypnotically to him. Liam stepped in my path to whisper in my ear, “Aric’s been thinking of you, too, Celia. He brought you a special treat.”

My bashful smile vanished when Liam hurried out of the way. Every part of me was stunned stupid by the smell of fur, moist forest soil, and whiskers—lots of whiskers—wafting from the box Aric held. His grin faded the moment he caught a gander at my face.

Emme glanced over her shoulder at me while my mind raced with what to say. “Um, Celia. Don’t you want to see what Aric brought you?”

I shook my head slowly and backed away, my mind stuttering with fear of what might happen and terror that I’d scare Aric away. Emme widened her eyes as I stood there like a jackass. She stepped forward. “Um, here, I’ll get it for you, Celia.”

My hand reached out to stop her. “Emme, don’t—”

She screamed upon lifting the flap. Eight wild rabbits scampered around inside. Koda picked up one by the ears like a prize bass. “We thought we’d skin them and roast them over a fire.”

Like that was the greatest idea ever. My sisters joined me in my petrified state. “Oh, shit,” Taran muttered.

Oh, shit was right. One of the fuzz balls poked his head out of the box and narrowed his little evil eyes at me. I tried to prepare myself and block his spirit, but the bastard bunny didn’t give me a chance. He leaped out of the box and nailed me in the chest. I fell backward as if tackled by a high school varsity team. A violent seizure rocked my body as my skull bounced off the hardwood floor.

Aric reached me before my sisters could, dropping the box of bunnies. I was vaguely aware of an army of scampering little paws and him yelling. “Oh, God, Celia!”

My sisters surrounded me. “Damn it, don’t touch her!” Taran yelled at him.

Aric ignored her and swept me into his arms. “I’m taking her to the hospital. Koda—get the truck!”

My skin peeled excruciatingly away where Aric held me. Emme inhaled sharply as my back bowed, and I clenched my jaw tight to keep from shrieking in agony. “Aric, no. You’re hurting Celia!”

Aric pulled me tighter, probably thinking his body heat could soothe me. I beat my screams back down, but couldn’t muffle my whimpers. “Sweet Jesus,” Aric whispered as tears streamed from my eyes.

Fortunately, Shayna kept her voice calm and managed to reason with him. “Aric, you have to let her go. Her skin is more sensitive during the seizure. Please, Aric. I promise she’ll be fine in a moment.”

Aric released me slowly. I knew he meant to be gentle, but the glide of his hands over my skin was like metal barbs scraping the span of my body.

“Breathe, Celia, just breathe. That’s right, honey,” Emme cooed at me.

The convulsions worsened until slowly my body shrank and my ears lengthened. I lay on my side as my body curled into a ball. Instead of panting, I felt my nose twitch in rapid succession, and my whiskers tickled as they brushed against the dark-stained floor. When the spasms subsided, I scampered out of my clothes. I sat back on my haunches and gazed up at everyone.

My sisters sighed with relief. “Damn, that was a bad one,” Taran said.

The wolves stepped in front of Aric, guarding him protectively. Gemini’s dark almond eyes watched me, waiting, it seemed, for the killer rabbit to attack. “She’s a shape-shifter.”

Aric shook his head. The doubt shadowing his features dissipated like a storm cloud in the face of the noon sun. “She can’t be. She’s not evil….I can sense her heart.” He took a step in my direction, but Koda pushed a firm hand into his chest.

“No, Aric. It could be dangerous.”

My little body trembled with shame. Koda referred to me as “it” and not “she.” Sweet God in heaven, what did they think I planned to do to him?

“Careful, Liam,” Koda said when Liam circled around to my other side.

“What the hell are you doing?” Taran seethed with boiling rage. “Nothing’s changed. She’s still Celia.”

Emme walked to Liam and took his hand, trying pointlessly to lead him away. “Liam, stop it. You’re scaring Celia.”

Liam scratched his head before glancing up at the others. “What if Emme’s right? I’d hate to have to kill her.”

My sisters went ballistic at the same time Aric rammed his way through the wolves. “Don’t even think about it!”

The hall table overturned, shattering the pot housing our fern as Koda and Gemini tried to haul Aric out of the house and away from me. The screams, growls, and chaos overloaded my sensitive nerves. My newfound instincts told me to run. So I did, up the stairs and under my bed. Seven pairs of feet paused briefly before scrambling after me.

I was probably five times the size of an average rabbit. It was a tight squeeze under the box spring. But my growing terror and mounting humiliation propelled me forward. The wolves think I’m a danger to Aric…and that he should stay away from me. My bunny eyes burned from impending tears. I covered my face with my little paw until part two of my dilemma sank in. Holy Mother. They also think they have to kill me!