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thundercloud. These two need to chat, and I won’t sit out another song.” Caught off guard, Ben allowed himself to be tugged away from the table. A second later, he was out on the dance floor, looking miserable as Ella grooved effortlessly beside him.
    “Well then!” Chance smiled rakishly, bending closer and whispering in my ear. “There doesn’t seem to be a problem now. Shall we?”
    I nearly refused out of pique, but took a deep breath instead.
    Chance obviously wanted something. I wanted to know what.
    H
e isn’t my enemy. He
may even be an ally
.
    “Tactful as always, Claybourne.” Taking his hand and rising.
    “A gift.”
    Chance led me onto the hardwood, away from where Ben was awkwardly trying to keep up with Ella. He nodded toward the bandleader. Instantly the song changed, a slower tune filling the room.
    My eyes rolled. “Oh, very nice.”
    Chance wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me in. “Easier to talk this way.”
    We moved in rhythm, our heads nearly touching. I wasn’t able to see his eyes, but his voice crawled straight into my ear. “How have things been, Tory?”
    “Fine. Wonderful, actually.”
    A pause, then, “No . . . external complications?”
    I tensed, but responded quickly. “Nope. None.”
    He pulled back to look at me, his tone low and insistent. “Are you certain? No rooftop watchers? No suspicious visitors to your little island? Nothing at all?”
    “Nothing, Chance. They’re gone.” I swallowed. “I hope.”
    Chance nodded, seemed to relax a bit. We resumed our dance. “Same. Claybourne Manor has been positively . . .
tame
since you four stopped happening by.”
    I snorted. “If by ‘tame’ you mean nobody’s had to jump off the roof, then I’ll take it.”
    He chuckled, spinning me in time with the music. “I’ve had several less-than-cordial discussions with my security team about that, believe me.”
    We fell silent for a moment. I tried to spot Ben, but couldn’t pick him out of the mass of swaying bodies. I knew more was coming. Chance already knew that our pursuers had called off the chase. Whatever he really wanted to discuss, we hadn’t gotten there yet.
    “And you?” he asked suddenly.
    “Me what?”
    “Nothing going on . . . inside?”
    I felt a jolt. Tried to cover it. “You know what happened, Chance. You were there.”
    He didn’t respond at first, and we took another turn around the crowded floor. But I was beginning to sweat. Did he suspect my powers weren’t actually gone? Then I went cold. Was he experiencing the same thing?
    I decided to go on the offensive. “And you?”
    He cocked his head slightly. “What about me?”
    “Any lingering . . . feelings?”
    Chance watched me for several heartbeats. I couldn’t get a read on him. Then, “Not a ripple. It seems my work was entirely successful. Same goes for the rest of the red-eyed pack, I looked into it. None of the old magic remains. Being Viral has been snuffed out entirely.”
    “Good.” I turned away. “Same here.”
    Chance stopped dancing. “Are you
sure
, Tory? Have you really tried?”
    I glanced around, voice dropping to a hiss. “
Of course
I did
. It’s gone, Chance. Done.”
    He watched me intently, for what seemed like an eternity. Then he sighed, drawing me in again. “I suppose it’s for the best.”
    “You think?” I whispered sarcastically. “Losing our powers was the only thing that saved our lives! We’d be locked in cages otherwise.”
    Chance nodded unhappily. “I know, I know! But I can’t help missing it, and I was Viral for a much shorter time than you. Surely you have regrets?”
    Regrets? How could I? I’d recently become something else. Something more.
    But
I’m not telling you
that.
    “There’s no point looking back,” I said curtly. “Done is done.”
    I could tell Chance didn’t share my opinion. To keep him from prying further, I said the first thing that popped into my head. “You and Ella seem to be getting