Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 208 Ava: Moon Goddess (I)

At least the physical pain is over, Selene says as I'm groaning on my bed, limper than an overcooked noodle.

"It isn't over. I'm still dying."

You'll be fine. This is why you should have kept up with your exercise. Even a few days off and you're already back to being out of shape.

"Must be nice to be a dog. You never get sore."

That's because I don't sit around like a couch potato.

Harsh.

But true.

Sliding off my bed in the most dramatically sore fashion I can muster, I ignore Selene's snort and tremble-walk the entire length of the room to the closet where I set the magic book.

Mrs. Elkins goes home today, right?

"Right. They're driving her to Cedarwood. Lucas sent scouts to make sure she gets there okay."

"Enforcers," Marcus corrects me from his corner.

He doesn't offer to help me get what I want, but he's quick to make sure I'm calling his comrades by the right title. Giving him a sour look, I amend, "Enforcers."

Grabbing the book off the top shelf, I decide to sit on the floor in front of the closet, not really wanting to walk on sore legs all the way to the bed. My muscles protest even this, quivering more than a leaf in the wind.

Look at you, taking the lazy way out, Selene mocks, her voice echoing in my mind with a teasing lilt.

"I'm not being lazy," I retort, settling cross-legged on the plush carpet. "I'm being efficient. Why waste energy when I can just sit here?"

Selene snorts, her furry head shaking in amusement. Don't come crying to me when your butt goes numb.

my tongue out at her like a child, I

is cool to touch, almost unnaturally so, and I

it releases, and I carefully open the book. Once again, I'm met with a sea of blank

of magical lock to keep its contents secure, but how is someone without the knowledge

from a mentor, of

have one,

my skin, warm and inviting. I pause, staring at my hand, trying to figure out why it's triggering some sort of memory buried

like being gently shocked, doesn't it? Like a low level of a

she knows

it's more than that. It's like..." I

spreading up my arm and into my chest. My heart beats faster, and I feel a strange pull, as if the book

a bolt of lightning, a memory flashes through

and I block out the pain and exhaustion in my legs as I stumble around looking for

a few minutes before I'm back at the book, necklace in hand. "At the apartment, I touched this once, and it had this same feeling on my fingers. I was shocked. I didn't know that

Selene sounds excited, then dubious. But unlike

"Is there a scent?"

then,

So, she doesn't know.

don't spend that much time around

"Sorry, sorry."

silver chain cool against my fingertips, much

there's warmth

odd sensation, like it's alive, pulsing with an

blue eyes fixed on the necklace.

I have to

heavy, thick with anticipation. Even the dust motes hanging

my pulse pounding in my ears. One second.

And…

Nothing.

waves of anticipation, holding me deep