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“Right, I need to put Vi to bed,” Wills said before looking at us. “Catch you both tomorrow?”

“Absolutely,” Zinny said, then gave me a nudge. “You ready to head home?”

“Yeah.”

Zinny got up with a yawn.

I tried to get up as well, but the blanket was tangled around my legs. Rome obviously felt me struggle beside him because he hooked me around the waist, tugged me forward, then gripped my hips and lifted me to my feet.

I grinned. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

“And thanks for the new ink, we love it.”

“We do,” Zinnia said. “Thanks, Rome.”

He shrugged one of his big shoulders. “Anytime. No hardship having a couple hot babes in my chair.”

“Idiot.” I gave him a shove. “Later.”

He flashed his teeth. “Later.”

I turned, and bam, I was instantly caught in Ren’s sights again. I felt his gaze like a lightning strike. I refused to react. What the hell was his problem, anyway? I rolled my eyes, even as my heart pounded like mad. Turning away, I hooked my arm through Zinnia’s, and we headed out.

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Chapter 3

Jasmine

* * *

Zinny and I walked out of the clubhouse and onto the parking lot. It was early autumn, and there was a chill in the air. We weaved our way through the bikes lined up along the front of the building, and I waved to Brick, who got the short straw that was patrol duty on movie night. The hounds looked like a human motorcycle club to anyone paying attention, which worked for them perfectly. If they weren’t running in the forest in their hellhound forms, they were on bikes.

Reaching up carefully, I helped the weakened mourning cloak butterfly onto the palm of my hand. After hibernating through the summer, something unique the mourning cloak did in certain areas, she’d ventured out late last month and found me again. We’d spent months together before she’d found a place to hide away during the hotter months, but now she’d reached the end of her life cycle.

My tiny familiars poured every bit of love and comfort they were capable of into me while I had them. I loved them just as much, and it hurt every time I lost one of them. From spring through to autumn, I lost at least one of my tiny friends every week, and in winter, while they lay dormant, hibernating or waiting to emerge when it warmed up, I missed them terribly. I wasn’t sure why the mother did this, to them or me, but it seriously sucked.

“Thank you,” I whispered to her as she lay on my palm. She gave one last gentle flutter of her wings. “I’ll miss you.” Then she was gone. A tear streaked down my face, the pain sharp, like it always was.

Zinnia wrapped her arm around my shoulders. “I’m sorry.”

“I thought I had another day.” I closed my eyes, gathering control, and used my power to soothe the jagged edges of my pain. It helped, which I guess was why the mother had given me this empathic gift in the first place. The weight of their loss would be too heavy otherwise.

The door opened behind us, and Ren walked out, Bree at his side barking out a laugh that had me jolting. I gritted my teeth as they strode past. “Night, witches,” she called, waving without looking back, and the way she said witches, she totally meant bitches.

I hated her. Zinnia scowled after her.

Ren glanced back right as I swiped the tear from my check and stopped in his tracks. He said something to Breanne, and she looked pissed but headed to his hearse parked on the other side of the lot. He strode toward me, and I knew my eyes were huge in my head.

“Jaz…you okay?” he said in that husky voice of his that lifted gooseflesh all over me.

“She’s good, Ren, thanks,” Zinny said.

He ignored my sister, his pretty amber eyes locked on me. “You’re crying.”

A million replies ran through my mind. Your wolf’s waiting. Remember what I said I’d do if you ever looked at me again. But I didn’t have it in me to start something with him, and honestly, there was no reason to. I was in love with a part of him he’d buried so deep, I wasn’t sure that male even existed anymore. It was as if the evil spirit who’d possessed him had broken our Ren beyond all recognition, but when he looked at me now, I was positive I saw him. I saw the old Ren, and goddess, it took everything not to rock back.