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He was considerate while dominant in the bedroom. Which would seem contradictory, but the dude made it work. As if my body was his, the other Hunter knew what I wanted and when I wanted it. It was pretty impressive the way he sometimes knew what I needed even before I’d figured it out. Not to mention a Kamasutra level of positions.

And the sex was amazing.

I didn’t have any other experience to draw from, but I was almost ninety-nine percent confident he was superior to anyone I may sleep with in the future. Definitely better than the teen boys around me, who only thought about themselves, from what Kate told me. Probably one of the benefits of choosing an older lover—centuries old, in fact—to be my first partner.

If I got anything out of our night together, it was an unrealistic expectation of sex with my peers. Even I realized it wouldn’t get better than Phil, and it was a terrifying notion that he was the only one who could possibly give it to me that way.

I’d never be caught dead telling him so, but the dude knew exactly how to pleasure a woman. It annoyed me, because it wasn’t something I wanted to admit, but I also knew when I’d lost.

Last night, I lost a part of myself. But then I gained a whole new part.

Ugh. I sound like some kind of self-proclaimed teen poet.

“Did you and Nigel make up?”

I jerked out of the memory of Phil’s beautiful body moving over mine. “Sorry?”

“Nigel,” Kate emphasized with a glance over to said person. I finally noticed Nigel’s gaze, and guilt was a vindictive bitch. “He’s been staring at you like he wants to say something.”

Closing my eyes, I let loose a sigh, terrorized by shame. “We’re friends.”

“Just friends?” she questioned, clearly not convinced.

“Yes.Just friends,” I confirmed slowly.

I stole a glance at the tall Shifter, whose face projected an emotion nothing close to welcome. He looked unexpectedly angry. It took me by surprise to see his body postured as if he was about to fight, the muscles in his chest and arms pulled tight. The look in his eyes could only be described as homicidal. They were the eyes of someone who wanted revenge.

But before I could make sense out of it, Nigel turned away and walked off the other direction, opposite the classroom Kate and I planned to step into.

“Did he seem angry to you?” my friend asked, throwing an arm around my stiff shoulders. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him angry before.”

“Me either,” I said softly, staring the direction he went.

*

FINALLY DONE WITH SCHOOL—I’Dbeen the most distracted in Biology class for obvious reasons—I headed for the back lot where Phillip usually parked. Now that everyone knew we lived together, it wasn’t weird for me to come to school or head home with him.

I hadn’t been very attentive in class, and it was a problem because I’d be out with the other Hunters and pack for another scout mission to find the Shadow Goblins’ hiding place. Loss of concentration was the number one reason Hunters were injured or killed. Granted, I’d regenerate, but I didn’t really love the idea that it was likely to hurt if I didn’t get my head in the game.

I adjusted the shoulder strap of my backpack and brushed my hair back with the other hand. But a shadow eclipsed mine on the sidewalk, and my eyes shot up to find Nigel’s much taller body blocking my path. The anger from before still gleamed in his stare, and it made me freeze mid-step.

“Hey...?”

His jaw visibly clenched. “You said there wasn’t anything between you two.”

Confused, I tilted my head. Then it hit me. Nigel was a Shifter with a crazy Shifter nose.

Maybe...

Irritated, I narrowed my eyes on him. “And? We’re not together, Nigel. What I do is my business.”

Nigel took a step forward, further blocking my way. “I thought you couldn’t be with anyone right now and that’s why we aren’t. But V—”

“It’s just sex!” I nearly shouted.

Way to go, V. Make sure the entire school knows it.

Looking around with a twitch in my cheek, I cleared my throat and crossed my arms over my chest. “I-It’s just sex, Nigel. No big deal.”