The only other time I’d felt the bloodhunger this intensely, I’d wanted to put my face in a wulfen

boy’s throat and drink. The Aspect Mastery practice wasn’t doing any good. Because now I just

wanted to hurt her, and it scared the hell out of me. The fear spurred the rage, both fueled the

hunger, and I almost threw myself at her again. Stopped just in time.

She was looking at me like I’d grown another head. One petite manicured hand came up, lacquered

fingernails shaking a little, as if she wanted to touch her nose.

She should get that set, I thought in that weird dispassionate way. It’s broken. Probably hurts like

hell, too.

Good, a deeper voice replied. I hope it hurts. I hope she chokes on it.

“Bitch.” Her voice was a trembling half-hiss, staggering under a load of pure hatred. “Oh you

bitch.”

“Look who’s talking.” It was hard not to lisp, because the fangs meant my tongue hit the roof of my

mouth weird. “You started this.”

“And I’ll finish it, too.” She twitched, as if she wanted to go another round. I stiffened, and the

owl’s clear Who? Who? reverberated through the gym. “You’re just like her. Just like her. Elizabeth.”

It shouldn’t have made me feel better, but it did. I got my hair from Mom and my eyes from Dad,

and Gran said I got her beaky nose. Maybe she was just being nice. But hearing someone else say I

was like Mom, even when their face screwed up like the very thought of it was a bad smell, was

good. It shouldn’t have warmed me up, but it did. The feeling cut straight through the rage pulsing

under my skin, spiking it with gasoline. The fumes filled my head, just waiting for a spark.

I swallowed the rage as best I could. It only made the burning in my throat worse. “Good,” I said

quietly. “I’m glad.”

Anna’s hair was pulled half-down; blood smeared her face. She didn’t look so glossy now. “You

shouldn’t be. She was weak.”

“Braver than you.” I don’t know what made me say it. It was like someone else’s voice in my

mouth. The sound of wingbeats echoed in my ears, and the owl called again. The cat was spitting

and hissing, but I ignored it. I had all I could deal with right in front of me. “When was the last time

you really went anywhere without a bunch of bodyguards, huh? Did you bring them when you came

creeping around my door? I’ll bet they’re waiting right outside for you after you finish picking your

fight with me. And getting your ass handed to you, bitch.”

Anna went pale, two splotches of ugly color high up on her flawless cheeks. People hate it when