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“Because it is true. It is only the brief breeding urge that hits near the end of our life span that causes such a dramatic turnaround.”
I said, “Meaning you’re near the end of your life span?”
And if so, maybe I’d better rethink the whole sex thing. I might be chipped to prevent conception—all wolves of breeding age were—but that didn’t mean accidents couldn’t happen. Especially around someone who’d been born energy rather than flesh.
He smiled and shook his head. “I am nowhere near the end of my span, but I have been in this form for a long time now, and have come to appreciate its more—shall we say—earthy peculiarities?”
“Peculiarities?” I said, releasing his arm and stepping away on still-unsteady legs. “I’ve never heard sex described that way before. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Do,” he said, shoving his hands into his pockets—as if to stop himself from reaching for me again.
I turned and walked away. His gaze followed me, burning into my spine long after I’d turned the corner and he was no longer in sight.
Rocky’s beat-up SUV was parked three cars down. Tao leaned across the passenger seat and opened the door for me. His nostrils flared as he retreated, and a wry smile touched his lips.
“Don’t you smell unbearably frustrated.”
“And you smell unbelievably satisfied.” I tossed my purse into the back and climbed in. “If you say one more word about my condition, I shall beat you to a living pulp.”
He laughed, threw the car into gear, and took off. “I’m always available for a little light relief. All you have to do is say the word and I’m there.”
“We agreed six months ago we were not going to cross that line anymore.” Because it was easy, because it was safe. Because it wasn’t forcing me to step out into the dating scene and risk my heart again.
“Yeah, but that was before your current level of frustration.” He gave me an amused glance. “You’re going to cause a riot at the Phoenix.”
“Only if there are other werewolves in the club. And if there are and they try to hit on me, you can beat them up.”
He laughed again. “So, are you meeting with the man who got you into this state again?”
“Tomorrow.” The sooner the better.
“Then he checked out?”
“As much as anyone can check out on a first date, yes.”
“Good.” He glanced in the mirror, then said, “The road is fairly empty, so it’s safe to face-shift.”
I did, imagining a face that was broader than either mine or Kiera’s, with fuller lips, blue eyes, and jet-black hair. Once the magic had done its work, I waited for the trembling to ease, then stripped off, changing into the jeans, baggy sweater, and boots I’d brought along.
“You do realize,” Tao commented, “that you smelling like you do, and stripping so blatantly like that, would test the control of any other wolf?”
I leaned across the car and kissed his cheek. “That’s why I love you.”
He snorted softly. “Love teasing me, that is.”
“That too.” I gathered my belongings and threw them all into the big bag. I’d need them later to change back into—I couldn’t go home wearing jeans, just in case Ilianna was wrong and those men were still watching.
We arrived at Stane’s fifteen minutes later. Tao parked several doors down from the shop—away from the club, not closer to it. The heavy beat of music vibrated through the car even from this distance, and underneath it ran the sound of raucous voices. Men and women.
I reached around and grabbed Kiera’s coat from the backseat then climbed out of the car, trying to ignore the noise emanating from the club as I dragged on the coat and studied the shop. As on every other building nearby, the brickwork was grimy and graffiti-covered. Thick grates barred the windows, but a lot of the bars were bent. Given the thickness of the metal, it had to be the work of drunken nonhumans. Short of using power tools, humans wouldn’t have been able to do that sort of damage.
I glanced at Tao as he walked around the rear of the car, a bottle of Bollinger in one hand. “Did you warn Stane that we won’t be looking like ourselves?”
“Yep.”
I grunted, and glanced down the street at the sound of more laughter. A man in blue jeans had fallen into the gutter, and his friends seemed to find it hysterical. “Why doesn’t he shift his shop? This area has to be bad for business.”
“He’s somewhat stubborn, and refuses to be driven out.” He touched a hand to my back, guiding me toward the front door.
