you’ll realize that your old life is nothing to mourn, that being human is boring.”
“Maybe.” Claire shrugged. Most of the humans she knew had lives that seemed a hell of a lot simpler than hers did. There was something to be said for that.
Zahlia laughed. “Give it a little time, New One. If you want, we can meet again next week, work on some things.”
“That would be really great, actually. I’d like that.”
“Good. You’ll have an easier time getting home if you stay in your true form. The scent trail will be easier to follow.” Zahlia jumped over the log where she’d been sitting and strode to the edge of the clearing. “See you next week.”
“Yeah,” said Claire, heading for the faint path that had brought her through the woods. “Thanks.”
Only a few yards into the forest, Claire started to get tired. With each tree she passed her fatigue grew, like she’d finished the hardest workout of her life and the adrenaline rush had finally faded. The sight of her practice spot sent a wave of relief through her, and she nearly lay down and slept on the spot.
Instead, Claire forced herself to transform. She crept back across the lawn and into the house, took the quickest shower in history, and fell into bed with her hair still wet.
The relentless clanging of pots and pans forced its way intoher dream, waking Claire. She lay blinking at the clock on her bedside table. It was only eleven thirty, for crying out loud. Did Lisbeth really have to make that much noise in the kitchen?
Still half-asleep, Claire stumbled into the bathroom and stared at the mass of snarled hair framing her face. That’s what she got for not drying it before bed.
While she picked through the mess of tangles, Claire called Emily.
“Hey,” Emily answered, her voice glum.
“Hey, yourself. How’d things go with your parents last night?”
“Ugh. I mean,
ugh.
They weren’t listening at all. And my mom wants to go shopping with me later—”
“Well, that might be good, right? Some time to talk?” Claire interrupted.
“You didn’t let me finish. She’s taking me shopping for luggage.
Luggage!
Like I’m going on some sort of old-lady cruise or something.”
Claire winced. “Oh. Ouch. Maybe you won’t find anything you like?”
“Ha. I don’t think that’s going to stop them, but nice try. How about you? Did you do anything fun yesterday?”
“Actually, yeah, Matthew and I went to The Juice Junction.”
“You did
?
That’s awesome. How was it? What did you talk about? Did he kiss you?”
“Um, you know … we just talked about random stuff.”
Stuff I can’t really tell you about, that’s all.
Emily would kill to hear the specifics of the conversation, but Claire had promised Matthew she wouldn’t say anything. And she’d meant it.
“Fine, you talked,” Emily teased impatiently. “But what about the kissing? C’mon, you know I’m living vicariously through your love life right now.”
“Yeah, we kissed,” Claire said, tingling with the memory of it. “And yeah, it was amazing. But that’s all I’m saying.”
“Okay, I can take a hint. I’ll change the subject. So, um … anything else exciting happen yesterday?”
An image of the trees flashing past her as she ran through the woods popped into Claire’s mind.
“No, not really.” God, it was starting to feel like there wasn’t anything she could talk to Emily about. It was weird and uncomfortable and it made Claire want to get off the phone. “Listen, I’ve gotta get downstairs for lunch before Lisbeth gets ticked. Call me later?”
“Yeah, sure.” Emily sighed. “I’ll tell you all about my fabulous matching suitcases.”
After they’d hung up, Claire stared at the phone in her hand and let out a long, slow breath. Friends weren’t supposed to lie to each other, but what other choice did she have?
Chapter Eight
C LAIRE STARED AT the ringing phone, chewing the last bite of her toast while Matthew’s number flashed
“Maybe.” Claire shrugged. Most of the humans she knew had lives that seemed a hell of a lot simpler than hers did. There was something to be said for that.
Zahlia laughed. “Give it a little time, New One. If you want, we can meet again next week, work on some things.”
“That would be really great, actually. I’d like that.”
“Good. You’ll have an easier time getting home if you stay in your true form. The scent trail will be easier to follow.” Zahlia jumped over the log where she’d been sitting and strode to the edge of the clearing. “See you next week.”
“Yeah,” said Claire, heading for the faint path that had brought her through the woods. “Thanks.”
Only a few yards into the forest, Claire started to get tired. With each tree she passed her fatigue grew, like she’d finished the hardest workout of her life and the adrenaline rush had finally faded. The sight of her practice spot sent a wave of relief through her, and she nearly lay down and slept on the spot.
Instead, Claire forced herself to transform. She crept back across the lawn and into the house, took the quickest shower in history, and fell into bed with her hair still wet.
The relentless clanging of pots and pans forced its way intoher dream, waking Claire. She lay blinking at the clock on her bedside table. It was only eleven thirty, for crying out loud. Did Lisbeth really have to make that much noise in the kitchen?
Still half-asleep, Claire stumbled into the bathroom and stared at the mass of snarled hair framing her face. That’s what she got for not drying it before bed.
While she picked through the mess of tangles, Claire called Emily.
“Hey,” Emily answered, her voice glum.
“Hey, yourself. How’d things go with your parents last night?”
“Ugh. I mean,
ugh.
They weren’t listening at all. And my mom wants to go shopping with me later—”
“Well, that might be good, right? Some time to talk?” Claire interrupted.
“You didn’t let me finish. She’s taking me shopping for luggage.
Luggage!
Like I’m going on some sort of old-lady cruise or something.”
Claire winced. “Oh. Ouch. Maybe you won’t find anything you like?”
“Ha. I don’t think that’s going to stop them, but nice try. How about you? Did you do anything fun yesterday?”
“Actually, yeah, Matthew and I went to The Juice Junction.”
“You did
?
That’s awesome. How was it? What did you talk about? Did he kiss you?”
“Um, you know … we just talked about random stuff.”
Stuff I can’t really tell you about, that’s all.
Emily would kill to hear the specifics of the conversation, but Claire had promised Matthew she wouldn’t say anything. And she’d meant it.
“Fine, you talked,” Emily teased impatiently. “But what about the kissing? C’mon, you know I’m living vicariously through your love life right now.”
“Yeah, we kissed,” Claire said, tingling with the memory of it. “And yeah, it was amazing. But that’s all I’m saying.”
“Okay, I can take a hint. I’ll change the subject. So, um … anything else exciting happen yesterday?”
An image of the trees flashing past her as she ran through the woods popped into Claire’s mind.
“No, not really.” God, it was starting to feel like there wasn’t anything she could talk to Emily about. It was weird and uncomfortable and it made Claire want to get off the phone. “Listen, I’ve gotta get downstairs for lunch before Lisbeth gets ticked. Call me later?”
“Yeah, sure.” Emily sighed. “I’ll tell you all about my fabulous matching suitcases.”
After they’d hung up, Claire stared at the phone in her hand and let out a long, slow breath. Friends weren’t supposed to lie to each other, but what other choice did she have?
Chapter Eight
C LAIRE STARED AT the ringing phone, chewing the last bite of her toast while Matthew’s number flashed
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