Page 14 of Jace's Mate

Yes.It was there.Lingering.Beckoning.

Part of her wanted to chase it down—follow it to the source and bury her face against whoever orwhateverhad created it.

She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the strange pressure building in her chest.

But there was another layer to the scent now.Beneath the seductive lure was danger.

Real danger.

Her body responded even more strongly to that realization.

Her legs tensed.Her pulse pounded.Her body coiled, bracing.

For a fight?

The thought made no sense.

And yet, her instincts screamed:Be ready.

She forced herself to turn.Forced her feet to move.

Walk.Just walk.

But her steps were slower now.Stiff.Her body was buzzing with so much sensation that even carrying the heavy bags felt surreal.

Like she was moving through water.

The scent clung to her senses, teasing her.Drawing her.

And as she trudged up the sidewalk toward the house, one thought kept circling her mind—wild, feral, and shockingly vivid:

Find the source.Lick it.

The words startled her.

Lick a scent?

What waswrongwith her?

“Are you okay?”Eldin asked, then suddenly froze, sniffing the air.

His expression shifted abruptly.

Anikka watched, startled, as confusion morphed into something much darker—wide-eyed fear.He'd smelled it too.That same scent.That same danger.

Without a word, he grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the rental house.

“We need to get inside the house,” he hissed.

Anikka turned, flipping her hair over her shoulder in irritation.“I think—”

But then it hit her again.

Another breeze.Another wave ofthatscent.

Her knees buckled.

A clawing ache bloomed low in her belly—a burning hunger that had nothing to do with food.Her fingers tightened around the grocery bags, though a deeper part of her wanted to drop everything andrun.