“Yeah, yeah. You’re right.” I made a face. “I just feel like I got a raw deal here. The vampires are having a non-stop party. Me? I somehow get bad hair. Not sure the energy break is really worth it.”

Seth tilted his head, face puzzled once more. “Energy break?”

“Yeah. Along with everything else, I lost the need for life energy, so I’m not—”

I stopped. The world stopped.

I met Seth’s eyes, those beautiful golden-brown eyes that were filled with utter and complete shock as we both realized the full weight of what I had been about to say. His hold on me stiffened. The casual embrace suddenly became so much more. I was acutely aware of every place we were touching and exactly how much distance was between the places we weren’t touching. He felt warm, so wonderfully warm, and every place he touched me tingled—not necessarily in a sexual way but in a Oh my God, it’s Seth way. My entire body was on full alert, waiting and watching—and hoping—for him to touch me more.

He swallowed, eyes still wide. “So you aren’t . . . I mean you can . . .”

“Yeah,” I said, my own voice husky. “That’s the theory, at least. I haven’t really tested it . . .”

My words faded off because they didn’t matter. My relationship with Seth had been plagued with a hundred small problems, everything from communication to trust and the myriad details in between. And always, always underneath that had been the knowledge that we could never be physically close. Oh, we’d been able to hug and do some kissing—there was even a fair amount of tongue we could get away with before my succubus hunger started stealing his life. But ultimate intimacy? Sex? Making love? It was totally off-limits, and that denial had tortured both of us, no matter how much we talked about love being the most important part in a relationship.

And now . . . here we were. Those barriers were removed. I hadn’t tested if my succubus stealing really was gone, but I didn’t need to. I could feel it, as Hugh had said. The perpetual craving that always lurked within me was completely dormant. I could touch and kiss anyone without restraint. I could touch and kiss Seth. There was nothing standing between us now.

Well, except for one thing.

A knock sounded on my door. “Georgina? Are you in there?” Maddie called.

It was like cold water in the face. Seth and I sprang apart. He backed toward the door, and I promptly sat down at my desk. My heart was pounding again. Damn it. I was going to have to talk to Hugh and get an anti-anxiety drug. “Yeah, come in,” I called.

Maddie stuck her head in, surprised to see both of us. “There you are,” she said to Seth. “I just got here and couldn’t find you.”