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Riley’s and Shannon’s terrified faces jostled in my thoughts, and my chin quivered as moisture flooded my eyes. “Oh, Jasper, don’t drag them into this mess. I don’t think I could bear it if something happened to them because of me.”

His face twisted in concern as he placed his hand on my forearm. “I wouldn’t dare, lass. More than half the things I say aren’t real at all. It’s the wily side of me, and a habit’s hard to break.” He withdrew his hand and cleared his throat. “As it is, I’m more than a little serious about Olivia, though she’s not interested in anything like that.”

“What about Rachel?”

Another stalling question. Jasper’s love life was farmore interesting than trying to conjure a believable lie for my mother.

He shrugged and lifted the spoon, stopping halfway between the dish and his mouth. “Rachel was an ill-advised attempt at making Olivia jealous.” He took a bite and then glared at me. “I’ll thank ye not to mention it to her.”

“Secret’s safe with me,” I said, drawing an X over my heart. “Were your feelings for Olivia your confession?”

“Not feelings,” he sputtered. “I never said I hadfeelings.”

“If you’re serious about anyone, Jasper, it’s feelings. You don’t strike me as the monogamous sort.”

His shoulders shook with a silent chuckle. “I suppose it counts as one, but no, that’s not what I had a need to tell you.”

I took two large bites, waiting for him to expound. Finally, I asked, “Then what?”

“I know more about Acheron than I let on.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, didn’t want to open that can of worms while ye were waiting on Logan to show up. Didn’t make much sense to tell ye what we knew only to have to tell ye again after Logan left yer brain a load of mush.”

My cheeks warmed. Jasper had expected Logan and me to have sex, and he’d made himself scarce so we could. “You’re very pro-copulation, aren’t you?”

“Very.” He considered me. “Is it a problem?”

“No, it’s just not the attitude I’m used to. You’re all somatter of fact about it. No shame, no embarrassment, not at all prudish.”

“Well, I’m not tied up by human Victorian morality, and shifters are usually naked. Why bother pretending we don’t notice attraction? Besides, there are many health reasons to participate in the activity,” he added, coyly. “Not the least of which is a clear mind and good sleep. Ye needed both.”

“Don’t think I’ll get that medicine for a long while yet,” I muttered under my breath. Louder, I said, “Tell me about Acheron.”

“I thought ye needed to make a call?”

My wince turned into a sigh which turned into a groan. “I don’t want to lie to my mother again, so I’m putting it off while I try to figure out something plausible.”

“Then eat while the food is hot.”

“As long as you tell me about Acheron.”

“Do ye want the dramatic version we tell kids around the campfire or the abbreviated version?”

“I have enough drama in my life right now. Let’s go for the abridged version, so I can start reading whatever Dr. Wise brought me to read.”

After I check on my mother.

“Ye know a bit about geography, and ye’re correct about Acheron being named after the river in Greece. It’s also known as the ‘river of woe.’”

“What else?”

“I’ll tell ye the one I prefer,” he said. “Logan tells a different one.”

“There’s more than one?”

“Of course.” He nodded. “His mother served as a priestess in an old temple to an old, nearly forgotten god. She became pregnant after a forbidden affair, though some say she was raped by a demigod. Either way, she didn’t want Acheron, and she tossed him into the river after he was born.”