every night to my open arms, and a hearty meal befitting a badass wolf.
“I want to work, Aric. Besides, waiting for you to come home will drive me crazy.”
Aric shrugged. “If that’s what you want, fine. But if it gets to be too much, stop, no questions asked.”
“I think it will be okay.” Or I hoped. Visions of exploding demon parts danced in my head. I shuddered and adjusted the belt on my ivory robe, careful to hide my scars. “What’s going to suck is I have to travel far to chase Shah. I don’t like us being apart….”
The scent of shock and anger hit my nose like a blast of cold air. Aric was suddenly facing me and he wasn’t happy. “What do you mean, ‘chase Shah’?”
I frowned. “We just discussed me going back to work. That means tracking Shah. My job is working for the Alliance and getting the bad guys.”
“Don’t you mean working for Misha ?” Aric growled. “Damnit, Celia. I thought you were talking about returning to nursing!”
My frown softened only because I was trying not to cry. “You mean going back and delivering babies? Sorry, Aric, I don’t think I’m strong enough to do that.”
Aric rubbed his eyes before gathering me in his arms. “I know, sweetness. I didn’t mean…” He sighed. “There are other jobs in the nursing field. If it suits you, work with Taran in the cardiac lab.”
“It doesn’t suit me, Aric. What does is ridding the world of evil.”
“As a were that’s my duty. You are under no obligation to be involved in our affairs.”
I pulled away from him then. “How can you say that? This is my world, too.”
Aric crossed his arms and glared. “Because you are my mate, my fiancée, and soon to be my wife.”
“Just because I’m all those things doesn’t mean you have a right to tell me what to do.”
“I’m not.” He held out his hands. “Can’t you understand that I don’t want you hurt?”
“Can’t you understand that I’m not going to sit around catering to your every need while whatever evil creature wants Shah gets him first?”
Aric became quiet. “I don’t expect you to do anything but to keep safe. That can’t happen if you’re back with the vamps.”
He didn’t consider my guardian angel master vampire a trusted member of the Alliance, even though Misha had shielded me from danger in Aric’s absence. But as much as the vamps had their own agenda, Misha included, they were the ones who’d trained me to become a weapon.
They also came through for me when it mattered.
I took a deep breath in an effort to calm my temper. “Aric, I haven’t always agreed with your decisions—especially when they’ve pertained to Pack politics or were ways and tradition. But regardless, I’ve always tried to respect your reasoning and your sense of duty. You need to respect that when their actions fall within the Alliance agenda, and will help the greater good, my allegiance is to the vampires.”
“Have you talked to him?”
Aric meant Misha and Misha alone. Way to go off topic, wolf . “No. He’s still in Europe.” I didn’t bother telling him that he was actually in Transylvania trying to find a wife because, yeah, that would’ve earned Misha creepy points he didn’t need.
“So he hasn’t mentioned anything about Shah?”
Aric could sniff lies. Why would he be asking me about Shah so soon after telling me about him himself? I frowned. “Ah, no,” I said slowly. “The last time I spoke with him was a few weeks ago. You know this.”
“The vamp hasn’t called again?” Aric questioned me with more bite in his tone than I was used to or appreciated.
I lifted my chin, willing myself not to go all crazy Latina. “That ‘vamp’ helped save my life more than once. He’s a friend, and I have no reason to keep any interaction with him a secret.”
Aric opened his mouth then snapped it shut. He took several breaths, and then several more as if struggling to stay in control.
I watched him, stunned and
“I want to work, Aric. Besides, waiting for you to come home will drive me crazy.”
Aric shrugged. “If that’s what you want, fine. But if it gets to be too much, stop, no questions asked.”
“I think it will be okay.” Or I hoped. Visions of exploding demon parts danced in my head. I shuddered and adjusted the belt on my ivory robe, careful to hide my scars. “What’s going to suck is I have to travel far to chase Shah. I don’t like us being apart….”
The scent of shock and anger hit my nose like a blast of cold air. Aric was suddenly facing me and he wasn’t happy. “What do you mean, ‘chase Shah’?”
I frowned. “We just discussed me going back to work. That means tracking Shah. My job is working for the Alliance and getting the bad guys.”
“Don’t you mean working for Misha ?” Aric growled. “Damnit, Celia. I thought you were talking about returning to nursing!”
My frown softened only because I was trying not to cry. “You mean going back and delivering babies? Sorry, Aric, I don’t think I’m strong enough to do that.”
Aric rubbed his eyes before gathering me in his arms. “I know, sweetness. I didn’t mean…” He sighed. “There are other jobs in the nursing field. If it suits you, work with Taran in the cardiac lab.”
“It doesn’t suit me, Aric. What does is ridding the world of evil.”
“As a were that’s my duty. You are under no obligation to be involved in our affairs.”
I pulled away from him then. “How can you say that? This is my world, too.”
Aric crossed his arms and glared. “Because you are my mate, my fiancée, and soon to be my wife.”
“Just because I’m all those things doesn’t mean you have a right to tell me what to do.”
“I’m not.” He held out his hands. “Can’t you understand that I don’t want you hurt?”
“Can’t you understand that I’m not going to sit around catering to your every need while whatever evil creature wants Shah gets him first?”
Aric became quiet. “I don’t expect you to do anything but to keep safe. That can’t happen if you’re back with the vamps.”
He didn’t consider my guardian angel master vampire a trusted member of the Alliance, even though Misha had shielded me from danger in Aric’s absence. But as much as the vamps had their own agenda, Misha included, they were the ones who’d trained me to become a weapon.
They also came through for me when it mattered.
I took a deep breath in an effort to calm my temper. “Aric, I haven’t always agreed with your decisions—especially when they’ve pertained to Pack politics or were ways and tradition. But regardless, I’ve always tried to respect your reasoning and your sense of duty. You need to respect that when their actions fall within the Alliance agenda, and will help the greater good, my allegiance is to the vampires.”
“Have you talked to him?”
Aric meant Misha and Misha alone. Way to go off topic, wolf . “No. He’s still in Europe.” I didn’t bother telling him that he was actually in Transylvania trying to find a wife because, yeah, that would’ve earned Misha creepy points he didn’t need.
“So he hasn’t mentioned anything about Shah?”
Aric could sniff lies. Why would he be asking me about Shah so soon after telling me about him himself? I frowned. “Ah, no,” I said slowly. “The last time I spoke with him was a few weeks ago. You know this.”
“The vamp hasn’t called again?” Aric questioned me with more bite in his tone than I was used to or appreciated.
I lifted my chin, willing myself not to go all crazy Latina. “That ‘vamp’ helped save my life more than once. He’s a friend, and I have no reason to keep any interaction with him a secret.”
Aric opened his mouth then snapped it shut. He took several breaths, and then several more as if struggling to stay in control.
I watched him, stunned and
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