Her hand fell from the door. As my pulse thundered, I saw her fingers tremble, knowing she heard the truth in my voice even as I accepted it. She felt it. She smelled it in the air with her incredible senses and her even more incredible brain that could decipher it. “Why are you doing this to me?” she said to the door. “Why now?”

She turned, her haunted eyes shocking me. Breath shallow, I stepped closer, reaching out but hesitating. “I don’t know what to do,” I said. “I hate feeling stupid. Please do something.”

She didn’t move. A tear had slipped from her, and I reached to wipe it away. Ivy jerked, catching me about the wrist. Her fingers were stark next to the black gold of Kisten’s bracelet, their long whiteness covering my demon mark. I stifled my instinctive jerk, going pliant when she pulled me close, leading my hand to the small of her back.

“This isn’t right,” she whispered, our bodies not touching but for her hair mingling with mine and my arm around her waist and her grip on my wrist.

“So make it work,” I said, and the brown ring about her eye shrank.

She took the air deep into her, closing her eyes and scenting the possibilities of what I would and wouldn’t do. Her eyes were black when they opened, the last sliver of brown gone. “You’re afraid.”

“I’m not afraid of you. I’m afraid I won’t be able to forget. I’m afraid it will change me.”

Ivy’s lips parted. “It will,” she breathed, inches away.

I shivered and closed my eyes. “Then help me not be afraid until I understand.”

Her fingers lightly touched my shoulder, and I jumped, eyes flashing open. Something shifted. I took a breath, then gasped when she slid into motion. I staggered backward—her one hand gripping my shoulder, the other still holding my wrist behind her—and she followed until my back hit the wall. Eyes wide and fixed to hers, I held my breath, unwilling to object. I’d seen this before. God, I’d lived it.

Expression intent, Ivy’s unchecked blood lust struck a chord and made my blood pound. Her fingers pressing into me grew firmer and her breath quickened. I told myself this was what I wanted. Believing it. Accepting it. “Don’t be afraid,” she breathed as she held herself poised.

“I’m not,” I lied, a tremble shaking me. Oh God, it was going to happen.

“If you are, you’ll trigger paralysis. It’s not under my conscious control, and it’s triggered from your fear.” Her gaze broke from mine, and I felt a delicious dropping sensation plink through me when she looked at my neck. I closed my eyes as a slurry of bliss and fear rose inside me. I took in the feeling of her being so close, accepting it. Did I need danger to remember I was alive? Was it wrong? Did it matter if no one but me cared?

Head bowed, Ivy leaned close. “Please don’t be afraid,” she said, her words a tingle against my skin, to pulse deeper. “I want you to be able to touch me back…if you want to.”