song,
that’s how. Shhh, it’s all right. See, I too can sing.” Jack’s warm
fingers stroked her hair. “This will do for now. By the time I
finish singing you this song—part by part, mind you—everything will
be fine, and you’ll be in love with me. And not because you
swallowed a love potion, but because you want me. And if you’re not
ready, I’ll sing it again, until you give up and love me like
you’ve never loved before.”
“Oh, Jack, I’m so lost,” Astrid whispered.
Her hands moved up and encircled his neck. She rested her forehead
against his.
“What upsets you so much? You were fine
yesterday with me in your life. Even when we talked earlier today.
What’s changed so dramatically?” Jack said quietly.
Astrid closed her eyes and sighed. “It
suddenly seemed so unfair, to both of us. I wanted you to like me
for who I was, not because some uncontrollable, random power threw
me in your path. I knew it was going too fast, but I thought we’re
still in charge. I thought it was some sort of fast-acting
chemistry.”
Jack lifted her chin. “Hey, but I do like who
you are, and you like me, I know that. Why don’t we take it from
there and we’ll see where it can take us, as you said?” He took her
hand. “Come on, let’s go to the living room. Your bedroom’s
probably not the best place for these little talks about our hot
chemistry. And your floor squeaks.”
JACK TUCKED Astrid into the sofa and made her
hot chocolate. He took the opposite corner, staying close, but
leaving some space between them.
“I’m sorry, Jack,” she said again. “I can’t
explain why I was so upset with something that actually feels right
and good, and why I wanted to hurt you. And I was rude.” Jack’s
presence, his touch, even the hot chocolate he’d made for her
instantly made her feel better.
Jack gave her a lopsided smile. “Are you
apologizing for your lusty thoughts about screwing me or marrying
me and having my babies? I don’t remember asking you to marry me
and have little puppies. Not yet anyway, so don’t worry about it
now.”
Embarrassed, Astrid buried her face into her
hands. “Oh, God, Jack, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay, baby. I know you’re crazy about
me.”
She let out a deep breath and found his eyes.
“Jack, I like you a lot. I couldn’t care less about what you
are—blaidd, human, white, black... It doesn’t matter. And I’m fine
with being what I am. The problem is that my change is difficult,
painful and maybe dangerous. That part I don’t like. You’ll see
what I’m talking about soon. For you, this is a controllable
process, and you choose if you’re going to do it or when. You
change when you have an excess of energy, or if there is danger.
I’m literally sick for days.”
“It will change, baby, soon. May I come
closer? Please?”
Jack waited until she made a tiny nod, and
moved close to her. He took both her hands between his, turned her
palms upward and kissed them one at a time.
“Jack, please...” she whispered.
He placed her hand on the side of his face
and closed his eyes. “I hope the change will soon become easier for
you. This full moon, or maybe one or two more, that’s it, Astrid. I
promise.”
“You said you could help me. How?”
He smiled. By screwing you .
“Don’t you need to go to work?” he said.
“We’ll leave that part for some other time. Don’t force me this
time to explain it before I think you’re ready.”
A little alarm in her head went off. “You are
not trying to tell me another shocking revelation, are you? Like
that I have to have sex with the whole pack in order to stay sane.
I once read a novel—”
Jack laughed and tightened his grip around
her. “No, silly, relax. No need for such drastic measures.” He
kissed her temple. “I’d never let anyone else touch my mate or, god
forbid, have sex with her, unless you decide otherwise. See, you’re
not without choices, but you’ll soon realize how
that’s how. Shhh, it’s all right. See, I too can sing.” Jack’s warm
fingers stroked her hair. “This will do for now. By the time I
finish singing you this song—part by part, mind you—everything will
be fine, and you’ll be in love with me. And not because you
swallowed a love potion, but because you want me. And if you’re not
ready, I’ll sing it again, until you give up and love me like
you’ve never loved before.”
“Oh, Jack, I’m so lost,” Astrid whispered.
Her hands moved up and encircled his neck. She rested her forehead
against his.
“What upsets you so much? You were fine
yesterday with me in your life. Even when we talked earlier today.
What’s changed so dramatically?” Jack said quietly.
Astrid closed her eyes and sighed. “It
suddenly seemed so unfair, to both of us. I wanted you to like me
for who I was, not because some uncontrollable, random power threw
me in your path. I knew it was going too fast, but I thought we’re
still in charge. I thought it was some sort of fast-acting
chemistry.”
Jack lifted her chin. “Hey, but I do like who
you are, and you like me, I know that. Why don’t we take it from
there and we’ll see where it can take us, as you said?” He took her
hand. “Come on, let’s go to the living room. Your bedroom’s
probably not the best place for these little talks about our hot
chemistry. And your floor squeaks.”
JACK TUCKED Astrid into the sofa and made her
hot chocolate. He took the opposite corner, staying close, but
leaving some space between them.
“I’m sorry, Jack,” she said again. “I can’t
explain why I was so upset with something that actually feels right
and good, and why I wanted to hurt you. And I was rude.” Jack’s
presence, his touch, even the hot chocolate he’d made for her
instantly made her feel better.
Jack gave her a lopsided smile. “Are you
apologizing for your lusty thoughts about screwing me or marrying
me and having my babies? I don’t remember asking you to marry me
and have little puppies. Not yet anyway, so don’t worry about it
now.”
Embarrassed, Astrid buried her face into her
hands. “Oh, God, Jack, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay, baby. I know you’re crazy about
me.”
She let out a deep breath and found his eyes.
“Jack, I like you a lot. I couldn’t care less about what you
are—blaidd, human, white, black... It doesn’t matter. And I’m fine
with being what I am. The problem is that my change is difficult,
painful and maybe dangerous. That part I don’t like. You’ll see
what I’m talking about soon. For you, this is a controllable
process, and you choose if you’re going to do it or when. You
change when you have an excess of energy, or if there is danger.
I’m literally sick for days.”
“It will change, baby, soon. May I come
closer? Please?”
Jack waited until she made a tiny nod, and
moved close to her. He took both her hands between his, turned her
palms upward and kissed them one at a time.
“Jack, please...” she whispered.
He placed her hand on the side of his face
and closed his eyes. “I hope the change will soon become easier for
you. This full moon, or maybe one or two more, that’s it, Astrid. I
promise.”
“You said you could help me. How?”
He smiled. By screwing you .
“Don’t you need to go to work?” he said.
“We’ll leave that part for some other time. Don’t force me this
time to explain it before I think you’re ready.”
A little alarm in her head went off. “You are
not trying to tell me another shocking revelation, are you? Like
that I have to have sex with the whole pack in order to stay sane.
I once read a novel—”
Jack laughed and tightened his grip around
her. “No, silly, relax. No need for such drastic measures.” He
kissed her temple. “I’d never let anyone else touch my mate or, god
forbid, have sex with her, unless you decide otherwise. See, you’re
not without choices, but you’ll soon realize how
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