“You think?” Aric growled.

“The effects feel like they’re deteriorating as she runs,” he said, releasing me. “Just let her go, she’ll burn it off.”

I sped off then, and damn, did it feel good to increase my speed. Aric picked up his pace and joined me. “I’m okay, Aric. Check on the others. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“I’m not leaving you,” he said. “The others can take on Mancuso alone.” He thought about it. “Maybe.”

Well, let’s hope.

We cut through the path leading to the road. We crossed it quickly and hurried onto the beach just when it started to rain. My bare feet hit the cool sand, moving fast. Shayna’s blood was amazing. I couldn’t remember feeling so alive.

I thought I’d run a few miles and then turn around, but I kept going long after we passed the five-mile mark. My physical endurance seemed unstoppable. We reached the seven-mile mark at full speed and yet my legs had no desire to slow down.

Aric dutifully ran next to me despite the thunder, lightning, and hailstorm that had begun. It wasn’t until we ran another mile, however, that Aric and I began talking. “I mooned Mrs. Mancuso.”

Aric’s head whipped around to me before he let out a laugh. He coughed some as well. I assumed it was hard for him to pant and guffaw at the same time. “Taran’s essence in your system probably had something to do with it,” he said, gasping.

I groaned. “Why couldn’t I have just acted like Emme? You know, blushed a few times and called it a day.”

“Because Taran’s blood is more dominant,” he answered, continuing to laugh. “My guess is that Shayna’s wolf side responded more to Taran’s aggression.”

We ran another three miles before I finally relaxed enough to turn back in the direction of the house. By the time we were almost to the path that led back to our neighborhood I’d slowed my full-out run to a fast walk.

Aric reached for my hand the moment we stepped onto the path. I gasped when that wonderful heat between us returned full force. He stared at our entwined fingers, and we slowed to a stop. He breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, a sense of peace appearing to envelop his entire aura. “It’s back,” he said.

My grip tightened. “I know.”

Twilight was quickly approaching. Our porch light flickered on as we reached the front walkway.

Shayna and Koda glanced up from where they lay sprawled on the couch. “You okay, Ceel?”

“I’m fine,” I said, this time meaning it.

Aric gathered the hair that dangled to my knees and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “She just needed to burn off some energy.”

Koda laughed. “No shit, she did.”

“Where is everyone?” I asked.

“Emme took off with Bren after he talked Mrs. Mancuso out of suing you for public indecency.”

More than anything, Emme’s decision to leave with Bren caught my attention. “Did Emme and Bren say where they were headed?” Please don’t say to bed. Oh, please, please, please.

“Not really. She said something about helping him out in his apartment.” Shayna cocked her head. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Oh. Sorry.” I cleared my throat, but it did little to clear the disturbing images racing through my head. I loved Bren. I truly did. But Emme had been lonely since Liam left her and his death practically destroyed her. My little sister was vulnerable. I only hoped Bren realized as much….

“What about Danny and Taran?” I asked, struggling to come back to the moment.

“Danny left. He needed to get back to the lab.” She made a face. “Gemini stopped by to make sure we were okay. He and T got into a bad fight and she left. I tried calling to check on her, but she’s not answering her phone.”

I played with my hair, hating what was happening between them. “She probably needs some time alone. I think the least we can do is give her space.”

“I know,” Shayna said, her voice quiet. She rose and motioned to my hair. “What are you going to do with all that hair, Rapunzel?”

“Donate it,” I answered at the same time Aric said, “Keep it.”

He tugged on it, smiling. “All right, but it could have been fun.”

Shayna grinned and quickly braided my hair. She had Aric hold the end while she skipped into the kitchen and used her gift to transform a wooden spoon into a sharp pair of scissors. In one motion she cut the braid. She played with my ends, smiling. “If you want, I’ll even them out, maybe add a few layers?”

“Tomorrow, okay?” I glanced at Aric as he continued to speak quietly to Koda.

“Do me a favor, Koda,” he said. “Go to the Den and ask Makawee to check on Shah.”

Koda frowned. “Why?”

Aric rubbed his chest. “I don’t think he’s safe there. I think he’s better off here, with us. If she’s agreeable, ask her to give him to you, but don’t touch him directly.”

Koda leaned back on his heels. “You’re sure about this? After all the shit that went down last night?”

“It’s clear Shah wants to be with Celia, and I’m not certain the Den is the best place for him.”

Koda nodded slowly. “I don’t agree, Aric. But if this is what you think is best, I’ll leave right now.”

Shayna shoved my braid into a giant sandwich bag and skipped to Koda’s side. “I’ll go with you, puppy. Maybe we can pick up some dinner on the way up.”

Any wariness that remained in Koda seemed to vanish when Shayna wrapped her thin arms around his big bulging one. He bent to meet her lips. “Okay, baby.”

Aric kicked off his shoes and led me upstairs when they left. He shut the door and stripped out of his shirt, taking a moment to push his long hair away from those tantalizing brown eyes. “Do you want to take a shower?” he asked.

His chest continued to rise and fall in steady motions and drops of perspiration or rain glistened against the hard muscles of his chiseled torso.

“Later,” I answered before I pounced.

It seemed I still had some energy left after all.

Chapter 21

I rolled onto my side sometime later, blinking with my tigress eyes to make out the images in our dark room. Aric had left our bed. My hands pressed the sheet over my breasts as I sat up. I frowned. The house seemed unusually quiet. Yes, my family was out, but it was more than that. Something was different in our bedroom, as if all life had vanished.