Henry grimaced as he recalled the massive punch that thing had. If he hadn’t moved

when he did, that demon would have killed him. What a way to die, being torn in half by a monster. He was damned lucky and he knew it. Vampires, demons, everyone had weaknesses.

No one was immune to death.

He should have been watching where he was going and not lost in his thoughts because he ran straight into the one person he didn’t want to see. Nanu came around the opposite corner just as he did and smacked into him.

“Ow,” she said shaking out her wrist that had pushed into him.

“Sorry,” he said, rubbing the spot on his chest where she’d touched him. She looked beautiful today. Well, when didn’t she? But today she had her hair pulled back like she’d done it in a hurry and her lab coat was open, revealing the dress slacks and silk button down blouse she wore. Aquamarine earrings, a reminder of her heritage adorned the dark skin of her ears and neck.

The jewelry almost made the expensive clothes she wore look ridiculous, but somehow she managed to pull it off. Or maybe it was just because he’d like her in a baggy sweatshirt made of plastic.

Henry quickly moved before he stayed there any longer. He started around her. She

called after him, but he ignored it and made for his bedroom. He’d contact the commander after he showered and cleared his mind. Right now, he was too frazzled. He closed the bedroom door behind him and pulled his shirt over his head.

The door opened, had him turning hard to it.

“Get out,” he said.

Nanu closed the door, shaking her head as she approached him. He could either stay still or back away. He backed up. She shook her head and rubbed her hands over her face.

“You drive me crazy, Henry.” You and me both.

“Get out,” he said instead.

“No, not until you tell me, specifically, the other reason.” This time he was genuinely confused.

“What reason?” He watched her jaw tighten and slide side to side.

“The other night in the gym. I asked you what your reasons were for not being with you.

You said because you’re a warrior, which I think is completely ridiculous, Henry. I know what you do and I support it. I have no qualms with it. I find it brave,” she said softly. Henry looked away. If he didn’t, he might do something stupid like blush.

“You said I am the other reason. Tell me what that means.”

Henry wadded his shirt into a tight ball and threw it hard into the bin. “Leave me alone, Nanu. I don’t want to talk about this.” He walked into the bathroom, leaving her alone. When she followed him into the much smaller space, he didn’t know if he wanted to yell or hit something.

“Tell me honestly and then I’ll leave you to your precious moping.” He rounded on her, anger and shock marring his face.

“Moping? I do not mope, Nanu.” Her eyes glittered in a rush. Her chest was rising and falling fast and her eyes trailed over his mouth. Shit, he jerked himself away from her. The woman was a trap, constantly drawing him in. He stepped as far away from her as he could in the bathroom.

“You do, too, mope, Henry. I want you Henry. Don’t you see that? I don’t know how to make it any clearer.” Henry ran a hand over his face, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Yeah, I know that, Nanu, but there seems to be one thing you haven’t realized about me.” I love you. “I’m not someone who will just take your body and walk away the next day.”

Several emotions flitted across her face.

He’d thought about it. Hell, he could practically write a novel on all the reasons he wanted her but couldn’t have her, on why he couldn’t just take her body and not keep her. He was sure if he did that it would break him apart and he’d never be able to fix himself.

“Don’t you see that that is one of the reasons I admire you.” She took a step, then another until she pressed herself against him.

“Don’t press me when we both know you’d never accept me like I want.”

“Yes I would,” she said sounding desperate. His hands curled around her arms and shook her.

“No, you wouldn’t and neither would your brother.”

She opened her mouth, stunned, but he saw the truth in her eyes and knew he was right.

Where she came from, the males in the family, in this case, her brother, dictated whom she mated with, whom she married. And Heru would never let a half-vampire, half-demon touch his sister. He was basically the bottom of the food chain to him.

“Now you know. Now get out of my room, Nanu.”

That damn look of determination crossed over her face. In the next second, her mouth was plastered against his, soft and needy. Her tongue licked across the seam of his lips then pushed inside. A groan escaped him.

She pressed closer, and he jerked away from her, stalking to the bedroom door. He

opened it and nodded to the hall.

“Get out.”

Nanu stalked to him with the same determined look in her eyes. Henry steeled himself.

Had to or she’d run all over him.

“Why can’t you just let us be together? I don’t get you.” Anger bit at her words. Henry clenched his jaw left and right.

“That’s why, Nanu, because you don’t get it. You don’t see what I really want. Now get out before I call your brother.”

She stiffened, her mouth flattening into a hard line, then stormed out. Henry closed the door behind her with a sigh, resting his sweaty forehead on the door. How he wished things were simpler, easier. But he and Nanu couldn’t be together.

The heavy patter of feet beat after her. Willow’s heart raced loudly in her ears, blocking out everything but her quick breathing and the sound of leaves rustling behind her.

Alphas Lyonis Keelan was quick in human form, but as a wolf, she barely stood a

chance. Inwardly she grinned. That one chance was all she needed. Sprinting over fallen trees, Willow ran with a different kind of fear pushing her. Not the fear of death but the fear of what might happen if she were caught.

I will not let him have me. It took several seconds for her mind to register that the thundering of paws had stilled.

She didn’t stop. Willow broke through the tree line and came to the side of a road.

Panting, she turned, searching the forest. Shit, shit, shit. No fur, no man, nothing. A car whizzed by and then she started running again, across the street and into a field filled waist high with rows of wheat.

“Shit.”

Coming to a stop halfway through the field, Willow spun in a circle looking for anyone, anything. She was winded and, dammit, she knew she was in better shape than that. It must be the new moon. She needed sex. It’s what fed the succubus, kept her strong and healthy.

“Not with him, ever.”

A soft noise brought her to a standstill. She held her breath, made her racing heart slow so she could hear.

As the hard weight of an animal came crashing into her back, she had only one thought—

no animal could ever be that quiet. The heavy mass of fur above her contorted, twisted, with only a whisper of sound—a purr, and then he was on top of her, breathing steady and sure as he thrust his hips against her bottom and spread her legs with his knees.

“You please me,” he said, the syllables guttural and harsh as if his voice hadn’t

completely changed back yet.

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Alpha.” She cocked her arm and sent her elbow flying back. Sweet relief coursed through her as bone connected with jaw. The purring turned to a sharp, snapping growl and she had the feeling he was trying to reprimand her. “I’m not an animal,” she bit out.

He moved so fast, she had no way to prepare herself. He lifted her chest off the wheat-flattened ground and wrapped one arm around her, trapping both of her arms at her side.