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“It’s not fine. There were some spots I didn’t like.” He was holding me still with his hands at my waist, examining my back.

“I think—”

“Billie, I’m putting more on your back.”

I could hear it in his tone, as if he were about to snap. Whenever he looked at it, the cords in his neck grew tight and his voice changed. It was this bond we had. It was getting to him, not that he’d acknowledge it.“Sit down. I want to touch up a little more now and then I’ll redo it completely tonight.”

“I don’t want to leave Luisca hanging.”

“She’ll be fine.”

He steered me toward the bed and then sat right behind me, so I was sitting nearly in between his legs. He tended my back almost painstakingly slowly.

I sat there, letting him do his worst as I concentrated on my words. He was clearly losing it, and someone needed to bring him back into reality before he took us both down with his delusions. Unfortunately, I didn’t have Cookie or Dice to cajole into talking to him.

“It’s very strange how I can sense you because we’re mated. I guess you have the same issue?”

“Yes.” He sounded as if he were barely listening to me as his small brush trailed markings over my skin.

“This mating bond stuff is pretty strong. It’s weird how we have this link between us.”

The brush stopped moving as he said, “Billie, my feelings don’t need to be managed. I understand the mating bond very well.”

This was why I needed Cookie and the guys here. He was taking it exactly the way I figured he would. Badly.

“I’m not trying to manage you. I’m saying how startling I find it. It’s a new concept to me, after all, and I could see how deceiving it would be if someone didn’t know better, which of course you do. Of all people, you’d understand what the bond would do better than anyone, right?”

“Yes, I do. I’m glad you realize that as well, because otherwise I’d have thought you were trying to make sure I remembered.” He swept a lock of hair that was falling back over my shoulder, and the brush of his hand gave me goosebumps.

“No, no, not at all. Of course you realize. I mean, you’ve been around all of this weird mating stuff a lot longer than I have.”

This wasn’t going well. Or was it? He sounded annoyed with me. That might be a good thing, right? It was better than his being duped into thinking he wanted me, when he really didn’t. The way he was acting since he’d gotten back, one would think he actually cared. A person didn’t go from furious he was stuck with me tothisunless there was some weird mojo going on.

It didn’t matter. If he wasn’t ready to see what was happening, I wasn’t going to be able to force him. I looked about the room, thinking of anything else to distract me.

“Have you noticed anything weird lately?” I asked, as if this situation with him weren’t weird enough.

“Weird how, exactly?”

“I don’t know. Like a stronger sizzle of power in some of the people here?”

“Yes. I’ve noticed.”

That was it? He didn’t think that it was worth a conversation? No comments?

“Is this normal?” I said, fishing for information he didn’t seem to want to offer up.

“No, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything.”

I nodded, not knowing enough to argue. But it didn’t feel like a little surge. Just today, I thought I’d picked up on a surge of power from no less than five people I’d passed.

“Could it mean something?” I asked.

“I guess,” he said.

Forget it. Whatever causes there might be, he wasn’t looking to discuss anything.

“Are we done?” I asked.