“Mayling, don’t stop now,” Gabriel murmured, his mouth busy with my breast as I rode him, my hips moving in a rhythm that seemed to sing with the beauty of our act.

But it wasn’t beautiful, not when it wasn’t really me who was there with him. With a cry of pain that went soul deep, I tore myself off of him, backing away with my arms wrapped around myself.

“May?” Gabriel’s face was a study in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

I sank to my knees, rocking with pain and regret and confusion, not sure of what I wanted anymore, not sure even of whether my thoughts were my own.

“Please, little bird. Tell me what I’ve done.” Gabriel’s hands were warm on my knees as I rocked silently, wishing things had happened differently.

“May. Please.”

I couldn’t ignore the pain in his voice. He thought it was something he’d done, and I couldn’t let him continue to think that.

“Put the necklace away,” I said, the scent of it driving me almost insane with desire.

He said nothing but returned it to the box, locking it away in the safe.

“It’s the dragon shard,” I said, looking up at him as he returned to me. My heart was so filled with regret, I thought it might break.

A little frown appeared between his brows. “You’re still worried about that? I’ve told you that you will learn the ways—”

“I don’t want to,” I interrupted with a wail, taking his hands and tugging him down to me. “Don’t you see? I don’t want to be a dragon, Gabriel! I never did! But the shard is too strong for me. It’s taking over, and every time we make love, it gains a little more ground. It’s not going to take much more and it’ll have taken over all of me!”

“It’s taking you over?” He touched one of my scarlet claws. “You mean physically? That will end when the shard is placed in another phylactery.”

“No, not just physically. It’s taking over my emotions, too! Haven’t you noticed? I can’t believe you haven’t noticed. Dear gods, man, I’m almost yelling, and as you pointed out, I never yell! Cyrene yells, but I don’t.”

He looked thoughtful for a moment. “You have been a little . . . er . . . passionate the last few days.”

“I was passionate about you before the phylactery exploded. But the shard is doing more than just making me want you—it’s changing my emotions, changing me, and Gabriel, what if I don’t change back when the shard is gone? What if we can’t get rid of it?”

He opened his mouth to protest, but stopped. “I wish I could assure you that your fears are unfounded, but I don’t know the answer to your questions.”