her temples and winced as the perspiration matted the fur on the backs of her hands.
“You look hot.” Zahlia smiled. “There’s a way to fix that, you know.”
“Uh, no. What do you mean?” Claire sat up, interested. Sweat trickled down her spine and pooled in the small of her back.
“Close your eyes and think of something really cold. Snow, ice—it doesn’t matter what.”
The icicles that clung to the edge of her window every winter popped into Claire’s head. The way they hung there like a set of uneven, shimmering teeth …
“Do you have something?” Zahlia asked.
Claire nodded.
“Okay, so this is where it gets a little tricky. You have to sort of pull that idea around you, like a cloak, and hold it there.”
The cool air that slid through her fur surprised Claire, and her eyes flew open.
Holy crap.
The heat rushed back over her.
Zahlia laughed. “We’re not done yet. You have to stay focused. That was only the first step. Why don’t you try again?”
Claire squeezed her eyes shut and pulled the cold aroundherself, shivering a little against the sudden chill.
“Great,” Zahlia whispered. “Now you’ve got to let it in. Hold it under your skin, the same way you keep your wolf-self hidden.”
Claire felt the cold slide under her fur. It was like the jolt of diving into icy water on a hot day—shock and relief at the same time, and the tiniest edge of pain that disappeared as her body adjusted to the change. She opened her eyes and stared at Zahlia in disbelief.
“That’s amazing,” she breathed.
Zahlia nodded. “I love that one, especially. It really comes in handy when you’re hunting—keeps the temperature from being a distraction. Go on, move a little—give it a try.”
Claire ran a little way into the woods, experimenting. An hour ago, even a short run had left her panting and drained. Now, the heat of her exertion was whisked away by the cold inside her. Claire let out a
yip
of pleasure. She could run for miles, for hours, like this. Without the thick air pressing down on her, she was filled with new energy. It tingled through her, and she shivered happily as she made her way back into the clearing.
“So—I can do this to stay warm, too?”
“Sure. You can keep either heat or cold beneath your skin, but only as a werewolf
.
In your human form, you’ve gotta listen to the weatherman, just like anyone else. You’ll get hot and cold like the rest of the humans.”
Claire nodded, grateful. “Thank you so much for teaching me that. It’s just—it’s nice to have these extra things, you know? It kind of helps make up for everything else.”
Zahlia wrapped her arms around her legs and stared at Claire. “Being a werewolf isn’t a curse, Claire. It’s hard, but it’s got more benefits than drawbacks, I promise. Wait until the first time you get to hunt with the whole pack. It’s amazing—like you’re everywhere at once, and totally unstoppable. Humans don’t get to feel that. The Goddess has given only us that honor.”
Claire rubbed a hand across her forehead. “Yeah, okay.” She wasn’t really convinced about the whole honor-of-the-hunt thing yet—she’d still trade it in if she could be normal again. She took a deep breath. “So, what else can we do?”
“Oh, lots of stuff, as long as you’re in your true form. Fire will do your bidding. Some of us can open locks with our thoughts. Things like that.”
Claire’s mouth fell open.
Well, that’s a hell of a lot better than just being able to hunt in the off-season.
“When can I learn them?”
“Soon enough.” Zahlia stood up and brushed the dirt off her pants. “I’ve gotta go if I’m going to able to drag my butt out of bed tomorrow morning.”
“Oh—sorry. I used up all your thinking time, huh?”
Zahlia smiled at her. “Are you kidding? I’m happy I could help. I just wish I could stay longer, show you some more stuff.Really, Claire, the sooner you master all of this, the faster
“You look hot.” Zahlia smiled. “There’s a way to fix that, you know.”
“Uh, no. What do you mean?” Claire sat up, interested. Sweat trickled down her spine and pooled in the small of her back.
“Close your eyes and think of something really cold. Snow, ice—it doesn’t matter what.”
The icicles that clung to the edge of her window every winter popped into Claire’s head. The way they hung there like a set of uneven, shimmering teeth …
“Do you have something?” Zahlia asked.
Claire nodded.
“Okay, so this is where it gets a little tricky. You have to sort of pull that idea around you, like a cloak, and hold it there.”
The cool air that slid through her fur surprised Claire, and her eyes flew open.
Holy crap.
The heat rushed back over her.
Zahlia laughed. “We’re not done yet. You have to stay focused. That was only the first step. Why don’t you try again?”
Claire squeezed her eyes shut and pulled the cold aroundherself, shivering a little against the sudden chill.
“Great,” Zahlia whispered. “Now you’ve got to let it in. Hold it under your skin, the same way you keep your wolf-self hidden.”
Claire felt the cold slide under her fur. It was like the jolt of diving into icy water on a hot day—shock and relief at the same time, and the tiniest edge of pain that disappeared as her body adjusted to the change. She opened her eyes and stared at Zahlia in disbelief.
“That’s amazing,” she breathed.
Zahlia nodded. “I love that one, especially. It really comes in handy when you’re hunting—keeps the temperature from being a distraction. Go on, move a little—give it a try.”
Claire ran a little way into the woods, experimenting. An hour ago, even a short run had left her panting and drained. Now, the heat of her exertion was whisked away by the cold inside her. Claire let out a
yip
of pleasure. She could run for miles, for hours, like this. Without the thick air pressing down on her, she was filled with new energy. It tingled through her, and she shivered happily as she made her way back into the clearing.
“So—I can do this to stay warm, too?”
“Sure. You can keep either heat or cold beneath your skin, but only as a werewolf
.
In your human form, you’ve gotta listen to the weatherman, just like anyone else. You’ll get hot and cold like the rest of the humans.”
Claire nodded, grateful. “Thank you so much for teaching me that. It’s just—it’s nice to have these extra things, you know? It kind of helps make up for everything else.”
Zahlia wrapped her arms around her legs and stared at Claire. “Being a werewolf isn’t a curse, Claire. It’s hard, but it’s got more benefits than drawbacks, I promise. Wait until the first time you get to hunt with the whole pack. It’s amazing—like you’re everywhere at once, and totally unstoppable. Humans don’t get to feel that. The Goddess has given only us that honor.”
Claire rubbed a hand across her forehead. “Yeah, okay.” She wasn’t really convinced about the whole honor-of-the-hunt thing yet—she’d still trade it in if she could be normal again. She took a deep breath. “So, what else can we do?”
“Oh, lots of stuff, as long as you’re in your true form. Fire will do your bidding. Some of us can open locks with our thoughts. Things like that.”
Claire’s mouth fell open.
Well, that’s a hell of a lot better than just being able to hunt in the off-season.
“When can I learn them?”
“Soon enough.” Zahlia stood up and brushed the dirt off her pants. “I’ve gotta go if I’m going to able to drag my butt out of bed tomorrow morning.”
“Oh—sorry. I used up all your thinking time, huh?”
Zahlia smiled at her. “Are you kidding? I’m happy I could help. I just wish I could stay longer, show you some more stuff.Really, Claire, the sooner you master all of this, the faster
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