Sarai was silent as Blood Moon patrolled the Old Square. Today, they were working a few blocks around Luna's Temple. Sarai could see the black stone of the Oracle's temple as well, although they were steering clear of it. They weren't even going near the park that surrounded it.

"That place creeps me out," Holly said, drifting to Sarai's side. "What's it like inside?"

"Even worse than outside," Sarai replied. "It smells like sulfur and roasting meat. The smoke is so thick that it will give you a headache, and you can't see anything."

Holly wrinkled her nose. "Gross. What about the Oracle? What's she like?"

"Every bit as beautiful and terrible as they say." Sarai turned away from the temple, drawing a steadying breath.

She remembered every moment of her meeting with the Oracle. She remembered everything up until the demon attacked and her young mind erased it from her memories. Only in her dreams could she see the monster that had nearly taken her life. When she woke, her memories were blurred once more.

Holly flipped a dark braid over her shoulder and pushed her glasses up. "Is it true what they say about you?" Her voice was quiet, so that only Sarai could hear. "About the prophecy you were given?"

Sarai's cheeks burned even as she nodded. When a few Wolves had come to collect her from the hospital, Sarai had made the mistake of telling them what the Oracle said. It wasn't long before the whole of Moonwood knew about the walking doom they kept in their midst. That was one reason why it had been difficult for her to find friends growing up.

Nathalie had been the only one there for her after her parents died until Danika came along. The first time Sarai met Danika was when they were teenagers. Sarai had been cornered by a few older males who were taunting her. Danika saw what was happening and hurried to help her.

After the males were gone, Danika had turned to her and asked, "You're the cursed Wolf, aren't you?" Sarai had simply nodded, waiting for the usual string of insults to follow. Instead, Danika merely said, "Cool. I've always found curses interesting. Do you think you could share yours with me?" And they'd been friends ever since.

"Have you ever figured out what it means?" Holly asked, her curiosity unsated.

"I don't know anything more about it than what I was told," Sarai answered.

"Are you talking about Sarai's prophecy?" Lucas' head appeared between their shoulders and he draped a bronze arm around each of them.

"It's none of your business," Holly snapped. "You're always poking your nose where it doesn't belong."

His hazel green eyes sparkled with mischief. "That's because you won't let me put it where it does."

"You mean between Cassia's legs?" Sarai fisted her hand in his short brown hair and shoved him away. "No one has any objection to that. It shuts you up, after all."

Behind them, Cassia huffed indignantly while Willow snickered. Salem was wisely minding his own business. Rafe walked a few feet ahead of the pack and seemed to be ignoring them. Lucas used that to his advantage.

"It could be between yours," the male countered.

"Like Hel that will ever happen. I'm not interested in slimy sniveling assholes."

"Right, how could I forget? You'd prefer a male who's pining after a worthless half-breed slut or a perpetually shitfaced Fae."

Sarai rounded on Lucas, her fist already raised. Holly caught her by the wrist and gave a slight shake of her head. Cassia and Willow tensed, ready to take her down should she attack one of their own. Sarai bared her teeth and Cassia flinched. Willow, whether by courage or stupidity, snarled back.

"Sarai," Rafe barked. "That's enough."

"He started it," she muttered, pulling her arm away from Holly. Her phone began to buzz and Sarai answered it before anyone could protest. "What's up?"

"I'm surprised there's not an insult in that greeting," Ruhn chuckled.

"What's up, Asshole?"

"Much better. I got a call from the Witch who was running tests on our sample. She thinks she found something and wants us to come check it out."

Sarai's mouth curled into a frown. "Now? I'm on patrol, and it's Bonding night this evening."

"I don't even know what that is. Anyway, yes, now. She said it was important. How long will it take you to get to the Old Square?"

"I'm already here, by Luna's Temple."

"Meet at the Heart Gate again?"

"Just a minute." Sarai lowered her phone, holding it to her chest, and turned to Rafe. "Something came up with the drug investigation. I need to go."

Rafe studied her through narrowed eyes. For a moment, she thought he would just say no. Holly cleared her throat and Rafe blinked rapidly. "Fine. But don't be late tonight."

Sarai brought her phone back to her ear. "I'll be there."

"See you then, Rai Rai."

"You're still on my shit list, Danaan. Do you plan on staying there?"

Ruhn just laughed before hanging up. Sarai pocketed her phone and set off down the street. "What did I say?" Lucas hollered. "Perpetually shitfaced Fae."

Sarai froze, anger prickling through her veins. She rounded on Lucas and socked him right in the nose. He stumbled back, blood spurting down his face. "Sarai!" Rafe hollered.

Sarai shook blood from her knuckles, glaring daggers at Lucas. "Better a shitfaced Fae than a pretentious douchebag." She shifted into her wolf and bounded away, not waiting for Rafe's reprimand. No doubt she'd suffer the consequences tonight, but right now... A wave of self satisfaction shot through her.

◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ☾☽ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦

Ruhn sat on a bench near the Heart Gate, waiting for Sarai to arrive. The warm sunlight was beating down on him, but he didn't dare roll up his sleeves. He wore them to hide the burn on his arm, and would do so until it was healed enough that he could cover it with a tattoo. Until then, he didn't need anyone to ask questions. He hadn't even gone to see a medwitch, knowing that she'd take one look at the handprint and ask who had done it.

Ruhn winced, touching his bicep gingerly. It had been ages since his father last injured him. He'd almost forgotten how badly magical burns hurt. Gasps filled the air, catching his attention. A large black wolf was running towards him. Sarai shifted into herself just as she reached him. His gaze fell to one of her hands, which was stained by blood.

"What happened?" Ruhn asked.

"Lucas didn't know when to shut his mouth," she answered dismissively. "I have to be back in time for Aux inspection and Bonding night."

Ruhn took the lead as they left the Old Square. "What is Bonding night? It sounds like..." He grimaced, not wanting to voice the thought.

"Every week, each pack has one night off when we're supposed to stay in and spend time together, strengthening our bonds and such. Blood Moon's Bonding night is Saturday. The Pack of Devils' is Thursday."

Sarai heaved a sigh. "Of course, Blood Moon doesn't do much bonding. Lucas, Salem, and Cassia are usually fucking each other. Rafe is being a broody dick. Willow is pretending to be a big bad Wolf. Holly is the only one I like being around. We just watch trashy TV together unless there's a sunball game on."

"That sounds tiresome."

"It is."

"And you can't skip it?"

"No. I only skipped Bonding Night once, the night before we went to the warehouse again. Rafe was furious. I'm lucky he didn't tell Sabine. He swore that if I ever skipped again, he would."

"You skipped Bonding night to fuck Connor Holstrom?" Ruhn clenched his hand into a fist. "I mean..."

Sarai gave a wry laugh. "Not exactly. That sort of just...happened. Sometimes you need an outlet. We'd both had a shitty day and needed to take the edge off somehow."

"Drugs and alcohol weren't enough?"

Sarai glanced at him and Ruhn held her gaze. "Have drugs and alcohol ever been enough to help you forget how you tortured someone?"

Ruhn looked down. "No."

"They don't help Connor either."

"And you?"

"I can only handle so much condescension before I start to believe the words they say."

The burn on his arm almost seemed to hurt worse as he nodded. "I know what you mean." Sarai bumped his arm with her shoulder. Whether or not it was on purpose, he didn't know. "So...you and Holstrom aren't a couple then?"

Sarai laughed and shook her head. "As much as I sometimes wish it, no. He's more like my brother than anything."

"And yet you fucked him?"

"Out of necessity, and I highly doubt it will ever happen again. You must know how hung up he is on your cousin."

"I thought maybe he was finally over Bryce."

"I don't think Connor will ever be over her, no matter how many times she shoves other males in his face and tries to send him away." Sarai knit her brows and looked at him. "Why do you ask?"

Ruhn slid his hands into his pockets, staring down the street before them. "Not out of self interest, if that's what you're thinking." The tips of his ears warmed. "Flynn is still convinced he's got a shot with you."

"Tristan Flynn lost any chance he ever had when he sent me that picture."

Ruhn grimaced. "He'll be devastated."

"He'll recover." Ruhn tensed, feeling Sarai's curious gaze roaming over him. "Why are you wearing long sleeves today? It's hotter than usual."

"None of my other uniforms were clean," he lied.

"I don't think I believe you." Her voice took on a softer tone, one he'd never heard her use before. "You never said how your meeting with your father went."

"I figured the details would bore you. After all, we aren't friends. Just partners."

"Just partners," she echoed, that gentle note gone. "Are you sure we won't be able to convince the Angels to tell us what they found in the crate?"

"If they didn't mention it while we were at the Comitium, no. Whatever was in it, the Governor wants kept under lock and key."

They walked in silence the rest of the way to FiRo and the Fae Aux division headquarters. Ruhn let them inside and took the lead, winding through corridors and staircases. Demelza's lab couldn't be reached by elevator, as she had wanted somewhere private to work when she first arrived.

They reached the floor her lab was located on and instantly, Sarai went rigid. Ruhn glanced over his shoulder. "What is it?"

"I smell blood."

Ruhn drew a deep breath, but even with his Fae senses, he couldn't pick up the blood Sarai smelled. "Where is it coming from?"

Sarai brushed past him and hurried down the hall. Each step brought them closer to Demelza's lab, and dread pooled in Ruhn's gut. Presently, the metallic tang of blood reached him. He swiped a keycard through the terminal and the door hissed open. Ruhn's eyes widened in shock. The entire lab was in disarray, and lying face down in a pool of blood...was Demelza.