Page 46 of Mated
I snort. “Yeah I do. And so are you, idiot. Now tone it down.”
The demon rolls his eyes and the effect is dizzying. “Fine. But you guys are no fun.”
My fingers tighten. “You will be on pack land tonight, Caine. And again tomorrow. As the full moon grows fucking bigger, you will be in the middle of a world made of sinuous bodies, fur, and slick flesh.” He trembles, gaze widening. “Shifters can be a lot of fun. Raw. Wild. But I need you to focus now and shove allthis,” I motion around us, “down in that fucking little Pandora’s orb of yours so I don’t fuck Nisha out in the hall.”
It’s the first time I’ve freely admitted wanting her. At least out loud. And in those exact terms.
The silence that follows is audible, and I am eternally grateful she stepped out of the room.
Caine nods slowly. “I got you, cat,” he murmurs and slowly the glow begins to fade. All the lust in the room evaporates like steam through an open window.
I pat him on the cheek. “Thank goddess.”
He chuckles. “Not quite, but you let me play with some of your pretty friends tomorrow, and I’ll be whatever you want me to be.”
Chapter 21
Nisha
I hate hospitals. That hasn’t changed. And it never matters if I’m a patient or a visitor. Being inside the too bright building is like gazing through a white tunnel at the past I would rather forget. I wrap my arms around my waist as the hospital’s coldness seems to seep into my bones.
No one came after me when I walked out of Caine’s room. Oh I’m sure Lilah would have if she wasn’t so worried over the demon. They were all pretty hush-hush over what is wrong with him. But I’ve seen enough needle marks in my life to know he was juiced up with something. Something no one will talk about with me around.
Hence my walk.
I trail through the narrow halls like a ghost. Every minute, the crawling feeling under my skin grows. It’s like having an itch you can’t quite scratch.
Will I change tomorrow?
Considering the fever filling my skin, it is a very real possibility. And I would be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid. Scared.
Terrified.
Tanner made the change look effortless, but some of the pack weren’t so lucky.
Standing there at the pack building as their grunts were punctuated by the snapping of bones … I shudder.
“It’s too hot for you to be cold.”
I turn.
As though I summoned him by thought, Tanner walks down the hall toward me, his hands shoved into the tight pockets of his jeans.
My eyes dip of their own accord to his midsection. There is no sign of a bandage under his shirt, but I want to tug up the material anyway. Verify that he is okay.
“I hate hospitals,” I say honestly.
He raises a brow. “Is it the smells? Because I totally agree with that.”
My lips tremble into a weak smile. “The smell is terrible,” I agree. “But the part that bothers me is the memories.”
Some of the teasing light in his eyes dies out. “You’re fine now—“
“Not me. My dad.”
He looks at me and then glances away. “Oh.”
I chide myself for thinking he would care either way, but it does nag at –
