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own two feet. No wallowing in the past. Just moving steadily forward.” Her seemingly endless positivity often made me envious. Still, I was glad to see it now.
    “Ok good. But, if for even a moment, you feel uneasy or you need me, call.
    Promise?” I gave her a look that said I wasn’t kidding. The last thing I wanted was for her to be in some kind of danger and for me not to know about it.
    “Promise.” She rolled her eyes at my serious expression but grinned. “I should go hit the shower so I can be ready for sunrise. I don’t think leaving the house in an old flannel nightgown is going to be too fashion friendly.”
    When she’d gone down the hall to her room and closed the door with an audible click, I turned to Shaz eagerly. “I have been waiting for this all day.” I had only to beckon to him with a finger, and he’d crossed the space between us.
    His well-muscled arms slid around my waist, pressing me to him. His warm lips were soft on mine but firm, possessive. I reveled in the taste and scent of him. The pine and musky fur of wolf tugged at my instincts, and the desire to shift forms was immeasurable.
    As the kiss deepened, I felt his growing passion and squirmed against him in obvious invitation. My fingers played in the softness of his naturally white-blonde hair. I pulled back to admire his perfect features with a tingle racing to my loins.
    Everything about being with Shaz spoke to the soft, sensitive side of me, the side that I really didn’t get to access much. He brought out my lovey-dovey nature that I enjoyed with total abandon in the moment but never openly admitted to.
    I gently traced the outline of his jaw, lingering over the soft underside near his neck.
    I had been seeking a lot of solace in him over the last few months. And, I found something better than I’d imagined love could be. The fact that he puts up with my strange and permanent bond to a vampire, albeit begrudgingly, makes him one of a kind.
    “This is exactly how I wanted to spend my night off,” he whispered, nuzzling me close. His warm breath near my ear tickled, and I giggled girlishly.
    “Aw, I hate when you make me laugh like a school girl.” I closed my eyes and took another deep breath, loving the scent and feel of him. “I’m glad you’re here. I missed you.”
    He held me close for a moment but then pulled back so he could look at me. “Are you sure you’re ok? You don’t want me to beat his ass?” His sensual lips twitched in a partial smile, but I wasn’t sure he was kidding.
    “Cut it out.” I punched him lightly in the arm before downing the last sip of wine in my glass. “It’s not like you to treat me like a damsel in distress.”
    “That’s because you’re not. This is more of a territorial thing.” He grinned then, and a slight blush colored his cheeks. “Don’t blame me. It’s all instinct.”
    It was stupidly cute when he got like this. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t touched.
    “You’re too cute. And, I love you for it.”
    “You better.” He growled playfully and gave me a light smack on the behind. He’s the only person in the world who would get away with that and not end up on his ass.

    “We should go for a run. Unless you want to save that for after our naked bedroom romp?”
    I laughed and grabbed some grapes from the fruit bowl Kylarai had left on the counter. Popping one in my mouth, I said, “Sounds like you’ve got your game plan together. I sure hope you factored in adequate time for a sufficient warm up.” I winked and reached for a strawberry.
    “Oh baby, you know the games never get underway until you say go.” He pulled me in for another spine tingling kiss, and I held my berry forgotten. “Mm, you taste so sweet.”
    The slightest chill crept up the back of my neck as the vampire energy within me seemed to awaken. For a moment, I was afraid. When it came up like this, it was often accompanied by the blood hunger. Not this time though. It just swept me