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“I think you can,” he growls. “Spark for me, Nova.”

I whimper and throw my head back. Finally, Luther is there licking my nipples, sucking as if he wants to savor every last taste of blood that remains on my skin. I look down to see Kole’s hand around Luther’s erection. The sight of Kole’s thick, tattooed knuckles moving up and down Luther’s pierced shaft makes me yell.

I can’t take it anymore. I rip my legs free from their ties.

Kole growls at me, but I don’t care. I wrap my legs around his middle; the vines around my arms and waist still holding me in place while he shudders and climaxes inside me.

As Kole grunts and slams into me once last time, Luther comes too. I look down to see him painting Kole’s fingers white.

Kole kisses my neck, grazing me with his teeth as if he can’t help thinking about biting me again. But then Tanner pushes him out of the way, pulls me free from my restraints, and into his arms. His dick is still hard. It twitches against my stomach. I sink to my knees and take him in my mouth. With just three deep thrusts, he comes at the back of my throat. I swallow it, then turn to Mack. Instead of using my mouth, though, Mack sits with his back against the tree and gestures for me to climb on top of him.

I slide down his shaft easily, my pussy slick with Kole’s seed, and brace my hands on the tree trunk as the professor settles his large hands on my full hips. I move slowly, easing up and down, teasing his lips with my nipples. Mack runs his hands up my back, digging his nails into my skin as I ride him faster and harder. When he comes, I am staring into his amber eyes, but I don’t just see pleasure…

I see pain.

36

TANNER

“Something’s wrong with him…” Nova stumbles to her feet. Luther grabs her hand and pulls her toward him.

“Is he having a heart attack?” Kole asks, squatting next to the professor.

“I’m not that fucking old,” Mack growls, but he is gripping his chest. “I just don’t feel…” He yells and lurches forward. His back is moving. Literally moving. Like tectonic plates are shifting beneath it.

He yells again, but this time it’s more like a growl. His fingers dig into the ground. His elbows bend. They snap, moving the wrong way, and Nova yelps. She rushes forward, but Luther loops his arms around her waist and drags her back.

Mack’s jaw stretches, cracks, widens. There’s a shudder of movement. The ground vibrates. He screams at the top of his lungs, and then… Snow is there. The giant bear peels itself from Mack’s body like a spirit being sucked from a vessel. At first Snow is air and mist and particles, then he is real.

He’s real, and he’s standing next to Mack.

Nova slams her hands over her mouth and whispers, “Oh my stars, Snow?”

“Professor…” I crouch in front of Mack and put my hand on his shoulder. His body is his again, not moving or breaking open, just still. Panting, he looks into my eyes.

“What the fuck was that?”

I move my gaze to his right, and Mack follows. When he sees Snow, he looks like he might pass out.

I help him to his feet.

Snow’s eyes lock onto Mack’s and the polar bear releases a sound that’s half-yawn, half-growl.

Mack walks slowly forward like he’s trapped in a dream. He reaches for Snow’s fur and gently presses his palm onto the polar bear’s shoulder. “Snow? Buddy? Is that you?”

Snow huffs and shoves his shout into Mack’s chest.

“Yeah, I know I’m naked, but that’s not really the issue right now, is it?”

As Mack and Snow start to communicate—Mack speaking, Snow offering a series of huffs and snuffs and growls—my brain almost can’t compute what’s happening.

“Holy hell,” Luther mutters. “Was that supposed to happen?” He looks at Nova.

She’s deathly pale, and I’m not sure if it’s because we drained her blood then gave her four orgasms or if it’s because she just watched Mack separate from his shifter self.

“This has never happened before.” Kole sweeps his hair back and ties it at the back of his neck. “Has it?” He looks at me and I shrug, shaking my head. “Has this ever happened to a shifter before?”

“Not that I’ve ever seen or heard of.” I look for Sam, because he saw all sorts of freaky shit in Spine and he’s the only other shifter among us, then realize he’s not actually here. “Guys, where’s Sam?”