Page 37 (1/2)

Regret hit her first, then the sickness Riley had pro every inch of her Bile rose, burning her throat Any second now, she would--Eyes wide, she rushed to the bathrooain

When her stomach was finally empty, she brushed her teeth, once, twice, then swished mouthwash for several led fro increased

No No, no, no

"Better?" he asked when she entered the room "Fine"

"Could be nerves"

"Yeah" But she knew, deep down, she knew, and so did he They ht want to deny it with every fiber of their beings, but they couldn’t Not any longer She was different now She had changed

She was a Drainer

Almost in a trance, she walked back to the bed and reclaimed her spot at his side She would have to leave him If she didn’t, she would one day hurt him Was this the last time she would ever be with him like this?

"I’ prophecy," he said, voice devoid of emotion now "I told you that you would be sick, therefore you were"

He’d always been the realist, she the dreamer Now it seemed their roles had reversed

"Riley," she said softly

"Nope," he interrupted, as if he suspected where she was headed "We’ve covered that topic of conversation Noe can move on" He pressed another kiss into her cheek "I want you to know that when I said ereyesterday, I was still in shock I didn’t , so don’t you dare think about seeing someone else You’re mine, and I don’t share"

Sweeter words had never been spoken, and she should have been flying through the clouds, lost to happiness Except, she found herself saying, "Riley…I just don’t know Iher to the bed, his weight s into her He was heavy, but it wasn’t unpleasant She liked it, liked having hi to break up with me?"

No "Yes" Oh, God, she couldn’t believe she’d just said that He was her everything, and yet, she was dangerous to hi to risk his life, even to keep hi else in the world

"Things are more complicated, yes, but that doesn’tup, spilling over "Yeah, it does" Stop it Stop talking Don’t do this "We’re…over" If there were any other way…and maybe there was She would find it, if so, as planned Research, experi her addiction to hi him

His eyes narrowed "If that’s the case, then you won’tyour self-defense lessons from me"

And have his hands all over her? Hoould she resist hi to do" Protect you for once

"And what are you trying--"

"Mary Ann," her dad called fro fro "You up?"

"Yeah," she called back

"Breakfast will be ready in twenty"

"Thanks"

"Welco her back to hiet ready"

He sat up "I’ll leave, but I’ll return and walk you to school Unless you want to skip and head into town to find another witch Thepoe have, the better off we’ll be"

He was asking for her help now, rather than trying to leave her behind to keep her safe Powerful stuff He had to kno ot a Cherade point average mattered in the afterlife, but part of her wanted to pretend this was a norht, I’ll--"

Victoria suddenly appeared in the center of the roo over her heart The vaht with concern

"You have to come with me," she said to Mary Ann "Aden’s trapped inside Shannon’s body and can’t get out"

Mary Ann had seen Aden possess a body before--Riley’s wolf forht had shocked her to her soul Now he’d possessed Shannon? "I’ll dress andI’ll teleport you"

She stifled a groan "All right I have to get past h, and convince him I’m headed to school" No Chehborhood"

"I’

Victoria shook her head, ada ability You have to stay behind"

Stubborn, he said, "I’ll walk her to the gate, then, and you can leave me there"