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They drifted closer together, these two who kept pretending they weren't interested. When they finally ended up near each other, their individual hazes reached out like curious fingers, swirling together where they overlapped.

"I'm losing it. This is what a breakdown looks like." But I couldn't stop watching as their colors danced and merged while they made careful small talk about wine vintages.

A movement near Diana's herb garden caught my eye. The wolf shifter—Jeremy—was doing that thing where he was trying to disappear into the landscaping. Sickly green fog surrounded him, giving me the sense of seasickness and anxiety.

My gaze drifted to Elena, the female wolf he kept stealing glances at. Her aura glowed healthy spring green, reaching out like sunbeams while his kept curling in on itself.

"For heaven's sake," I grumbled, heading for the drink table. "Even their weird energy things are flirting better than he is."

I grabbed a glass of wine, heading back to work on my latest match, when I slammed straight into Lust's chest. Red light blazed around him like cinnamon and clove, spicy and sharp enough to make my nose tingle.

"Look who's back for more punishment." He smirked. "Given up already?"

"Actually, check the lovebirds by the fountain," I said, nodding toward where Marcus and Vivienne were deep in conversation. His aura pulsed hotter as he followed my gaze.

"We don't know if they are a match yet." But there was intrigue in his voice as he studied the vampires.

"Being such a downer is only working against you. Maybe that's part of why you're so terrible at this." The words came automatically, but I was fighting not to sneeze from the intensity of his spice-rack aura.

Wait. Was some of that crimson heat swirling into my wine glass?

The red light around him curled like smoke signals. "Bold claims from someone who barely knows the job."

"Bold concerns from someone who sucks at theirs," I shot back, but my mind was racing. That wolf's aura looked sick with nerves. Lust's essence was pure heat and confidence. Maybe...

"Such fire in my newest employee," he said, voice rich with amusement. His aura wrapped around us both like a warm blanket.

"Just watch your wallet, boss." I headed for the herb garden, glass in hand, an idea taking shape. Either I was crazy, or I was about to do something impossible.

The wolf startled when I approached, his sickly green aura curling tighter. "Hi, um, I was just..."

"Studying herbs? Fascinating stuff. But you know what goes great with herbs? This wine. And conversation. With Elena. Who's right over there, looking amazing, and who specifically requested someone who knows about pack histories."

His aura brightened slightly. "She did?"

"Mhmm. Here." I offered the glass, watching gold swirl through the red wine. "Liquid courage. Diana's special blend."

He took a careful sip. The sickly green shifted and brightened, unfurling like leaves in springtime. His shoulders straightened as he glanced toward Elena.

"You know," he said, voice stronger, "I did just finish researching the Northern Pack migrations."

"Fascinating stuff," I lied cheerfully. "You should definitely tell her all about it."

I watched him walk over, his healthy green aura reaching out to meet hers. When they started talking, their colors danced together like northern lights.

"Huh," I murmured, trying to ignore how my head was starting to pound. "Either I'm having a very specific stroke, or I just did magick."

Across the garden, Vivienne laughed at something Marcus said, their merged purple aura pulsing like a heartbeat.

"Two down, three to go," I whispered, watching Jeremy and Elena's auras dance. I tried to focus on the success, but my heart was still racing from using whatever power this was.

I scanned the garden, tracking the remaining auras. Astrid's golden glow hovered near the reflecting pool, while Lunara's silver mist wove through the hedge maze. Sarah's rust-red aura crackled near the roses.

"Hazel? Hazel Blackwood?"

Ice flooded my veins. One week. It had only been one week since I clawed my way out of that grave. And I was still hearing Xavier’s voice in my head.

Keep moving. Act naturally; like you’re not hearing things. I forced myself to drift toward Astrid, as if I hadn't heard anything.