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food hit the table, and he reached around Jasen’s hand to snag a popper. Jasen glared at him but laughed when Dean winked.
    “Is Nate still talking to Tabitha?” Jasen asked.
    “Yeah. Apparently, she rushed down here and almost got in a fight with the CDC people when they wouldn’t let her in.”
    “Who’s Tabitha?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
    “Nate’s sister. They inherited the bar, and she was actually supposed to be working tonight. She begged off to go on a date with some loser. She probably feels pretty guilty.”
    “No!” Nate yelled, making me jump. “They haven’t paid a dime for food or beer. Don’t worry, they’ve paid me trade. I’m sure Jasen would eat your pussy if you really want to demand some payment from them.”
    I looked around to see if anyone else seemed as shocked as I was at the tone Nate used with his sister, but Jasen and Dean didn’t look the least bit put out by it. They continued grazing through the baskets as if they were used to hearing Nate speak that way to his family.
    Nate slammed the phone down with a loud “Fuck!” before stalking around the bar to join us at the table again.
    “What a bitch,” he said with a huff as he threw himself into a chair. “Where are the cheese sticks?”
    I lowered my gaze to the table, not wanting to admit that I’d eaten all of them. A finger lifted my chin, and I saw Nate making me look up. He was grinning at me.
    “You’d better get your skinny ass in that kitchen and fry me some more sticks, woman.”
    “Yes, sir,” I said, giving him a mock salute before heading back to the kitchen yet again.
    Dean followed me and helped me set the timer on the fryer. “You sure can put away food,” he said, nuzzling my neck as he wrapped his arms around my waist. “How do you stay so damn skinny?”
    “I’m not that skinny,” I said with a laugh. “But I do have a very high metabolism.” I left off the part about how it spikes the week before a full moon. I’d come too close to telling him too much already. I wasn’t going to put myself in a situation where I might spill to him again.
    “Besides,” I continued. “I think all that sex made me hungrier than usual.”
    “Well eat up, love,” he said, nibbling on my earlobe. “If we really are stuck here for a while, you’re going to need your strength.”
    Oh my.

 
     
     
     
    Chapter Five
     
     
    After we had all eaten enough that most of us felt sick, Jasen and Nate went back to their cot and Dean pulled me back to our makeshift bed of blankets on the floor.
    I think he knew I was too tired and full for him to even attempt to arouse me again. He just spooned up against my back, threw his arm over my waist and nuzzled my neck.
    I lay awake for awhile, listening to the steady sound of him breathing. Having seen the large plastic tent the CDC had erected over the building made my plans to escape seem pretty unlikely.
    The sun was coming up outside. I could feel it in my head the same way I sensed the moon cycle without having to think about it. It was Thursday. The full moon was tomorrow night, and if I was still here, I would turn into a cougar and possibly hurt these men.
    Panic stirred in my stomach. The food that weighed heavily there churned, and I feared I might be sick. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe the feeling away. Freaking out wasn’t going to help any of us. It could make everything ten times worse if it brought my beast out. I had to stay calm. I had to think of a way to get out of here.
    Dean jerked, his arm tightening around me for a minute before he snored softly and rolled away. I envied his ability to sleep. There was nothing I wanted more than to close my eyes and let unconsciousness take away my worry for a few hours. I had managed to swallow the panic down, but I was still scared. Scared of hurting Dean, Jasen and Nate. Scared of hurting myself. Terrified that Kevin would be able to find me. I’d tried to never stay in one town for more