"So what is it we are supposed to be doing?" I glanced at Heather as she paced alongside a van. Apparently collecting my parents was a matter of immediate importance. Heather smiled grimly. "We are supposed to wait right here for Xander and Rhys." She glanced at me curiously. "So, someone spilled some tea earlier." "Oh. That's too bad?" I wasn't sure why someone having to clean up their spilled tea was much of my concern, but if she wanted to talk about it–"There's some hot gossip. Don't you know slang?" "Well yeah, but spilling tea sounds weird." "Anyway, I may have overheard a bet being placed." It was official, I was going to murder that she-wolf from the dining room. "About how long a polyamorous relationship might last within a wolf pack." "Polyamorous?" Seriously, was she just making up words now?"Maddie! Are you and Xander and Rhys all together?!" She huffed out,

No one told me that the shift back to human was nearly as painful as the shift to wolf. Condensing back into my human flesh set my nerve endings on fire. My senses blunted, still sharper than a typical human's but not nearly as sharp in my canine form. I lay in the back of the van, the gentle rock of the moving vehicle calming me as I gasped in pain. Well in the echo of pain. The actual agony was only a flash. "You'll eventually get used to it." Heather's voice was soft. Rhys had joined Xander in the front of the van and they were discussing the logistics of visiting a Vampyr colony. "I hope so." I rolled to my side, groaning. I had been naked more in the past few days with some form of audience than I had in my entire life. Well that's not entirely accurate. Doctor Smith had been more acquainted with my intimate anatomy than any one person really had a right to be. Over something that didn't even last to my wedding night.

I stood in the shower, my forehead pressed against the slick wall. I always did my best thinking surrounded by hot steam. I love you. Those three words should have sent a thrill through me. He loved me. He wanted me. But here I was, where I had fled so I didn't have to look him in the eye. It's not that I didn't care for Rhys and Xander, and they both proved that I could rely on them. I needed them. But I wasn't at the declaration stage. It was too soon. Two weeks was not enough time to fall in love. In lust? Most definitely. Starting to build a base to form a true, lasting relationship from? Check. But love? Not yet. I didn't want to break his heart by not returning the sentiment immediately. But I could feel the shift in the atmosphere when the words didn't fall from my lips in return. I could see myself loving Rhys and Xander. I couldn't imagine a future where they weren't my guys. But love was such a stro

The Sidhe palace was an imposing structure of trees blended into stone with glittering quartz crystal on the spires that reached into the late afternoon sky. It stole my breath, as I stared up. How many people lived within its walls? My ass and legs hurt. I was so ready to get out of the vehicle and stretch my legs. It had been a while since our last pit stop, and my bladder was crying desperately. The atmosphere in the car was tense. I could see it in the line of Xander's shoulders and the way Rhys' jaw twitched as he ground his teeth. Even Heather was sullen, and she was just about the sunniest person I'd ever met. I missed having Eclipse in my mind. Xander told me that around the full moon I would be able to talk to her again, as the wolf would be in control. I couldn't wait to hear her snarky observations. I understood the reason for the mood shift. Aside from the fae dress maker, I didn't have much dealing with their k

I stared down at Heather, my heart pounding in my throat. I couldn't move. I didn't know what to do. I was frozen, my limbs refusing to work as chaos erupted around me. Rhys was yelling for a healer, Ella had her hand over her mouth, features painted with horror. Prince Aeryck was screaming for his guards. And Xander was on the floor, cradling Heather to his chest. "She's breathing." Relief flooded me. Not a literal stolen heart then. "Her pulse is thready though." Several guards burst through the door, followed closely by a small brown man with gigantic eyes. He hustled to Heather."What happened? We all felt the burst of magic." "Mabon stole her heart." Prince Aeryck's voice was deadly. "I need a messenger. Queen Maeve has declared war on the Seelie Kingdom." "Unseelie witch!" Rhys joined Xander on the floor, his hand grasping Heather's tightly. "Who isn't he Queen of Air and Da