“Are you seriously comparing me to an amusement park?”

  “Apparently, not nearly as many people have passed through your gates as I originally thought.”

  Jen threw her hands up. “Now you’re saying you thought I was a whore!”

  Sally shushed her. “Just listen.”

  Jen motioned for Sally to get on with it.

  “Finally, your day comes, and your parents take you to Disney World. You’re going to see the beautiful castle you’ve seen so many times on T.V. Only, when you get there and walk up to the big castle, you realize it’s not a castle at all. It’s just a big castle-shaped building with a hole going through the middle where people are walking in and out.” She blew out a deflating breath. “Even though it was still a pretty awesome place, it was a little disappointing the castle wound up being a fake.”

  Jen shook her head. “Sally, you realize that you just compared the news of my virginity to an amusement park castle, right? Just want to be clear on that.”

  Sally nodded, biting her bottom lip. “Yeah, now that you put it like that it’s really kind of disturbing,” she said, closing her eyes and shaking her head. “I guess I was just expecting you to be the one to tell me what it was like, ya know? Kind of like how you were the first one of us to shave your legs, and try tampons, and wax your bikini line,” Sally said wistfully.

  “Well, the night’s still young, my sweet, innocent flower. Who knows what could happen between now and tomorrow morning?” Jen laughed at Sally’s dubious look.

  “Come on, Virginia, let’s go get something to eat.” Sally darted out of Jen’s reach, knowing Jen would try to hit her when the blonde heard her new nickname.

  “Sally.” Jen growled out a warning, unable to move quickly due to the annoying IV.

  “Did you say something, Virginia?” Sally darted here and there, just out of reach of Jen’s slapping hands.

  * * *

  Fane and Jacque looked up from the table when they heard Sally’s singing voice echoing across the cafeteria. She was belting out Meet Virginia at the top of her lungs. A pissed off looking Jen was dragging her IV pole as quickly as she could without falling, trying to catch up to her quarry. By the time Sally had reached the table, she had tears streaming down her face from laughing so hard. She leaned over the table, panting, finishing her serenade. Sally ended dramatically, arms in the air like Vanna White indicating where Jen now stood. Much to Jen’s chagrin, the entire cafeteria broke into applause.

  Jen pasted on her most dazzling smile and waved at everyone adoringly, but to Sally she muttered under her breath, “This is war.”

  Sally bowed to her audience and then to the table where all their friends sat clapping as well. Decebel stood up and walked over to Jen. It was obvious he was trying not to laugh, and Jen was disappointed because she really wanted to know what he looked like when he was cracking up. But since his mirth was at her expense, she could stand the disappointment.

  “Why don’t I help you to your seat?”

  Jen grabbed Sally’s hand. “That would be nice. Thank you, Decebel.” She dragged Sally behind her as she followed Decebel to a nearby table. He indicated an empty chair. Jen sat, and he pushed in her chair behind. As he did so, Decebel leaned forward and whispered in her ear. Jen’s body went rigid. Sally looked at them curiously, then looked at Jacque to see if she was seeing this. Jacque shrugged her shoulders in an ‘I have no clue what’s up’ manner. Sally watched as Jen tilted her head up to look at Decebel. She batted her eyes sweetly and offered a sensual smile. Sally noticed Decebel’s eyes begin to glow. “Hey, Fane,” Jen raised her voice above the noise in the room.

  “Yes, Jen?”

  “Didn’t you say something about your kind healing rapidly?” she asked him, never taking her eyes off Decebel. It was then Sally noticed Decebel was propping himself on the table with his hand, and Jen had her hand around his wrist. It looked like a flirtatious gesture unless you were seeing it from Sally’s point of view. She could see that Jen’s other hand was wrapped around the butter knife next to her plate.

  Fane cleared his voice, clearly unsure of where Jen was going with this. “Yes, that is correct, we do heal a lot faster than—” Before Fane could finish what he was saying, Jen interrupted.

  “Okay, thanks, that’s all I needed.”

  Jen moved faster than Sally had ever seen her move, but it still seemed as if everything happened in slow motion. Jen raised the knife as her grip around Decebel’s hand tightened. At the same time, Sally and Jacque yelled, “Watch out!” Decebel realized what was happening and moved quicker than the eye could see, grabbing Jen’s wrist before the knife could contact his flesh.

  To Decebel’s credit, he didn’t give much indication that he’d nearly just been stabbed. His golden eyes were glowing, and Sally thought she could see flames dancing in them. “Jen, you might want to, um, go sit by Jacque, or ru-ru-run. I’m just saying,” Sally stuttered.

  Jen’s gaze never wavered from Decebel’s. The entire table sat frozen, waiting for his reaction. Decebel slowly pulled the knife from her hand. He smiled, showing Jen his canines had lengthened. “You’re running out of checks, Jennifer.”

  “Depends on whose checkbook you’re looking at, now, doesn’t it, Decebel?” Jen matched his cold sarcasm.

  Before they could continue their sparring, Dr. Steele walked up to Vasile and asked to speak with him in private. Naturally, everyone at both tables got up and followed them.

  They ended up, once again, back in the family waiting area. Jacque was beginning to think that no other families came to this floor because they were the only ones ever using the room.

  “Vasile, when I said privately, I meant just you,” Dr. Steele told him.

  “I understand, Dr. Steele, but everyone in this room will know what you have told me in a matter of minutes.”

  “More like seconds,” Sally added.

  “Good call,” Jen said, moving to bump fists with Sally. But she stopped just short, remembering she was supposed to be mad at the brunette. Sally just rolled her eyes.

  “Fine,” Dr. Steele said, giving up on trying to persuade him otherwise. “Jennifer’s blood results have come back.”

  The entire room seemed to hold their breath. Jen stepped forward slowly, forgetting about the attached IV and pole. Had Sally not caught it, the pole would have fallen on Jen’s head. Jen never even noticed.

  “Then why do you want to talk to him? Shouldn’t you be talking to me?” Jen asked. Sally and Jacque both stepped up on either side of Jen in a show of silent support.

  Dr. Steele ignored her question. “Jennifer, do you know anything about your genealogy?”

  Jen looked at her blankly. Sally nudged her. “Jen, she wants to know if you know about your ancestors?” Still no answer.

  This time Jacque tried. “Jen? Your lineage, forebearers, pedigree—”

  “I got it, Jacque,” Jen cut her off.

  “If you mean, do I know of any non-human blood in my family, then the answer is no,” she told Dr. Steele.

  “Well, you definitely have … something abnormal going on. I’m not sure if it is a were-gene or not. I’ll need to do some more tests on the blood and see what I can figure out. I’ll confess this isn’t something I come across every day.

  “What do you mean abnormal?” Jen asked.

  “I wish I could say with certainty, but your friend Jacque might be able to help.”

  “Why me?” asked Jacque.

  “Since you are not a full-blooded werewolf, I could use your blood as a comparison. I can put the samples side by side, see if your blood matches what Jen has going on.”

  “Okay,” Jacque nodded, confusion mingled with excitement showing on her face.

  “I’ll need to draw some more blood from you, but I don’t want to do it now. I will come by later tonight, after the lab techs have gone home. I don’t want anyone to ask questions.”

  Jacque looked over at Jen with a smile. “We might be fur-besties.”

  “Oh, great,” she replied, rolling her eyes.

  “Um, Sally?” Jacque said absently as they sat on the bed in the hospital room.

  “Yep.”

  “While Jen is taking a shower, why don’t you tell me exactly what happened between you two.”

  “What makes you think something happened?” Sally asked.

  Jacque could see the guilt written all over her friend’s face. “Really, Sally? You were singing at the top of your lungs while Jen chased you, IV pole and all.” Jacque lifted an eyebrow at her. “You still want to go with that answer?”

  “Okay, fine, you win. She’s mad at me because I was teasing her.” Jacque waited for Sally to continue. She didn’t.

  “She’s mad because you were teasing her? That’s it, nothing else?” Sally shook her head and continued to look guilty. “If I go in the bathroom myself and start singing Meet Virginia she won’t come out here and throttle you?” Jacque made as if to rise from the bed.

  “WAIT! Ok, Jen is mad because I was teasing her because she’s a virgin.” Sally said the last part so fast that Jacque nearly missed it—nearly.

  Jacque didn’t hide her shock. “Jen’s a what?”

  “Mother of pearl!” Jen stood in the open bathroom door, wrapped in a towel. “Did you guys both think I was a slut and just hanging out with you two wallflowers in my spare time, ya know, in between tricks and what not? Why is everyone so surprised I’M A FREAKING VIRGIN? If you two are so interested in my sex life, then let me just throw out my reason, and you can swallow it or choke on it, okay?” She continued before they could answer. “I actually think sex is supposed to be for that one special person, and not just ‘hey, I love you, let’s do it now’ special person. I mean the one you decide to take on for life.”

  “Are you saying you’re going to wait to have sex until you’re married?” Sally asked. Jacque could see that she, too, was not trying to hide her shock.

  “Geeze, Sally, is it really that hard to fathom? I know I joke about it a lot. I like to joke so I can see the shocked look on people’s faces. But, personally, my forever man is the only one getting a piece of all this hotness.”

  Jacque had just developed a newfound respect for her perverted friend. “Okay, three things. First, I’m totally digging what you’re saying. I get it, and I think it’s great. Second, don’t change. Because out of us three, only you could get away with the things you say, and we desperately need the comic relief. And last, I’m dying to point this out. Technically, Jen. You couldn’t be a freaking virgin, it’s an oxymoron.”

  “Good one, Vern.” Sally bumped Jacque’s fist.

  “I know, right?” Jacque smiled. “We learned from the best, Sal.”

  “You two hussies better not forget it, either.” Jen growled at them.

  “Are you done being mad at me?” Sally asked.

  Jen glared at her for a minute. “Yeah,” she said, waving her off. “I was having a hard time staying mad, anyway. I have to give you serious props for the whole ‘Meet Virginia’ bit, that was pure genius.”

  “I know.” Sally dusted off each shoulder. “I got mad skills, yo.”

  “Had I known you were singing that because you had just found out about our perverted little friend’s deep, dark secret, I seriously would have peed on myself from laughing so hard.”

  “So, Jen. You going to fess up to what Decebel whispered in your ear that caused you to try to stab the poor wolf?” Jacque asked her petulant friend.

  “Where’s Fane?” Jen asked, ignoring Jacque’s question.

  “He’s sitting on the other side of that door, growling at anything and anyone that comes within a few feet of it.” Jacque nodded her head. “Now, answer the question.”

  Jen didn’t answer right away. She wasn’t sure how to answer if she was being honest with herself, which was a practice she liked to avoid because it usually led to being reasonable. And, frankly, where was the fun in that? Sally and Jacque waited patiently, not wanting to provoke Jen’s as-of-late testy temper.

  “I don’t really know what it means,” Jen told them.

  “Well, if you tell us, we might be able to help you figure it out. You know we are good at figuring stuff out and what not.”

  “Oh, yes. How could I forget the mighty Sally and Jacque, super sleuthing divas?”

  “Hey, that has a nice ring to it,” Jacque said.

  “Jacque, focus.” Sally elbowed her.

  “He said,” Jen began, and much to her amusement her two friends edged toward her, bodies leaning forward, hanging on her every word. “You guys are like two monkeys waiting for a tourist to throw you a banana peel.”

  “Jen, you do remember what monkeys like to throw back at those tourists, don’t you? Spill it now,” Sally said.

  “He said…” she furrowed her brow. “He said if the time came when he called me Virginia, and I couldn’t answer to the name, it would give him a reason to kill someone.”

  Sally and Jacque said nothing. Jen looked up at them and saw they were both wide-eyed and their mouths hung open. “Are you going to say something?”

  Sally got up and paced the room, chewing on her bottom lip and muttering under her breath. Jacque continued to look dumbfounded.

  “Hello? This is mission control calling out to all pushy, know-it-all friends who bullied me into telling them something I didn’t understand myself and are now acting like the monkeys earlier referenced.”

  That got Jacque to shut her mouth and finally acknowledge Jen.

  “I’m sorry, I was sort of thrown off for a moment. I just can’t believe he said that.”

  “What does it mean?” Jen asked, her voice uncharacteristically soft.

  Sally looked at Jen and then at Jacque. “Does it mean what I think it means?”

  “I don’t know, Sal. I mean, why else would he care if she was a virgin?” Jacque answered.

  “Maybe, it’s a little sister thing, like he feels he needs to be her big brother, look out for her.” Sally nodded her head as if that would somehow make it true.

  “I’ve seen him looking at her,” Jacque said. “If he sees her as a little sister, then he’s got some serious issues.”

  Jen watched the exchange between her two friends as they communicated as if she wasn’t sitting right in front of them.

  “Hey, Ricky, Lucy, I’m sitting right here. Would you please stop talking like I’m not in the room?”

  “Right, sorry, Jen.” Sally said. “Decebel’s obviously being possessive toward you.”

  “That’s your sleuthing in action? Really? Well bloody hell, why don’t you guys go clear up the mystery behind Stonehenge seeing as how y'all are so good at figuring things out and all. Any fool can see that. He’s done everything but lift his leg and pee on me.”

  “There’s more to it than just possessiveness, Jen.” Jacque stood up and started the pacing Sally had abandoned. “He’s treating you like …” Jacque was motioning her hands as if trying to encourage someone to spit out what she couldn’t get her mouth to say.

  “It’s like he thinks, maybe …” Sally began but then aborted her thought.

  “Just spit it out already. He thinks and is treating me like what already?”

  “Mate,” Jacque blurted out so fast it looked like someone had slapped her on the back, causing her to expel the words. “He’s treating you like a mate would.”

  The words were a punch to Jen’s gut. She tried to take in air, but her lungs wouldn’t work. Jen’s thoughts jumped from one image to another like a flipbook. Only this wasn’t a book, this was her life. She saw Decebel coming toward her bed when he asked her if she was all right. Flip. Now, he was kneeling next to her, looking at the skin on her legs. Flip. Now, he was standing in the hall of the hospital all but growling at her. Flip. Now, he was laying a blanket over her as she lay in the hospital bed shivering. On and on, the images came. There was one common denominator in each image: Decebel was nearly snarling at her in all of them. Suddenly, she felt cold wetness on her face. She gasped, trying to get her bearings, filling her lungs with precious, life-giving oxygen.

  “Crap, Sally,” Jen sputtered. “There better be a stinking, world-changing reason you just threw water in my face.”

  “You weren’t breathing.

  “And you wouldn’t respond to us saying your name,” added Jacque.

  “I was going to slap you,” Sally said, “but Jacque decided a handprint marring your skin might not be the wisest thing right now.”

  “I have found a flaw in your reasoning.” Jen looked for all the world like they had better agree with her. As Jacque handed her a towel to dry her face, she explained her theory. “Any time Decebel is in the room with me, he looks at me like he wants to throttle me. Not once has he ever appeared to be interested in me in that way.”

  “You, of all people, should know that a look of intense desire can be mistaken for the look of throttling,” Jacque said, matter-of-fact like.

  Jen cocked her head to the side, one eyebrow lifting. “Oh, really, do tell, Jac. At what point in your long, full of incredible opportunities, mystifying life, have you ever confused those two looks? Really, please tell me so I can fan the tiny flame of hope that my common sense is desperately trying to douse with the cold reality that Decebel is NOT, AND NEVER IN MY ‘I’M-NOT-A-FREAKING-WEREWOLF’ LIFE, WILL BE AN OPTION!” Jen cursed the damning tears that betrayed the depth of her emotion concerning the brooding wolf who was a constant shadow in her mind.

  “Jen, I’m sorry,” Jacque whispered. She sat down on the bed and wrapped an arm around her friend’s shoulders. “I didn’t know you had feelings for him.”

  “Of course, I have feelings toward him. I feel like he is a pompous, hairy, flea-infested butthead.” Jen thought if she said it out loud, then maybe she could believe it. No such luck.

  The room was quiet without Jen’s loud voice to fill the empty spaces.

  “So, how ‘bout this weather we’ve been having?” Sally said, forever the one trying to smooth things over.