I wanted so badly to stay at Rhonda's. I had to force myself to beat a hasty retreat before Rhonda's soft smile could tempt me any further. I wanted to be with her, but my heart clenched at that thought. I didn't know if I could be what she wanted. What she needed.

I closed her apartment door and bounded down the steps. My mind was in a whirl, thoughts spinning faster than I could keep up with. I spent the entire drive home trying to make sense of what was going on with me.

I was driving into the parking lot for my condo before I knew it. I pushed the button to open my garage door and impatiently waited for it to open. I drove in, keeping to the far right of the garage. My vehicle barely fit front to end, but it fit and that was all I needed.

I glanced over at the other side of the garage where the other spot sat empty. Something about it bothered me. There should be another car there.

I got out of my Suburban, closed the garage with the click of a button, then opened the door to my condo. It softly closed behind me as I stepped inside. I barely noticed the gleaming kitchen as I passed through it to the living room. I signed the lease on this place almost a year ago. The kitchen was huge and everything someone like me could ask for. The owners had remodeled it into a chef's dream before they put it up for rent.

That wasn't why I moved here, though. I chose this place because it was closer to Rhonda and the kids. There was a park nearby, and the complex had a pool and a small playground—perfect for the kids on a lazy summer day. The condo itself had three bedrooms and a loft. Abby and Caleb could each have their own bedroom and a place for all their toys in the loft. I didn't use it. I barely used anything in this place.

It was all waiting for them. I could easily picture them all sitting at Rhonda's kitchen table in the condo's small dining room. The living room had plenty of space for my couch and hers—they even matched. The only furniture I had before I moved here was a TV, couch, and some bedroom stuff. I hadn't added anything since. I spent all my time over at Rhonda's and hadn't felt the need to add anything else here.

Whenever I looked around, I saw places for Rhonda's stuff. Not that I'd ever said anything to Rhonda. I hadn't even told her I moved. I couldn't even see how to have that conversation.

Hey Rhonda, I have this great three-bedroom place. I actually rented it with you and the kids in mind. Why don't you just move in with me? Oh, by the way, we'll have to share a bedroom. No problem, right? I've got a king-size bed, so there's plenty of room. Clothing optional, of course.

Yeah. I was sure she would love that.

When she called me her fiancé at her place earlier, I thought of how it would be if our engagement was real. My mind had transported me here, to my place. Specifically to the king-size bed with Rhonda here, too. On my sheets with her beautiful burgundy hair spread out like a halo around her head, smiling up at me. The thought was ruined instantly when I thought of her ex. I had no idea what to do about him.

I paced around from the kitchen to the living room and back again. Somewhere around the fifth circuit, I decided I needed to get outside before I wore a hole in my carpet. Some fresh air would help clear my mind. I went out the front door and took a deep breath. My sensitive nose rapidly caught a myriad of smells.

The scent of the plants in my small herb garden mingled together in a refreshing bouquet. I could tell three of the neighbors' cats had passed through sometime today. The blooming hibiscus near my fence mixed with my neighbor's fresh cut grass.

I walked down the sidewalk and opened my gate. A large orange cat sauntered up to me and rubbed against my leg. He lived two condos down from me. He had watched me come and go for about a week after I moved in. Then one day he decided he didn't care that I smelled like a bear and has made it a point to greet me every day since.

"Hey, Fritz," I said, reaching down to scratch between his ears. The cat purred and butted my hand. "Abby would love you, y'know that? You would have to run to escape all the petting she would give you."

The cat threaded himself through my legs with a purr, then stepped away. He escorted me to the end of the sidewalk before disappearing into the bushes.

"Later, Fritz." My smile faded as I walked away.

Thoughts ran around and around in my head. I had kept a careful distance from Rhonda all these years as I waited for her divorce to go through. Now? I had kissed her three times in the span of a week. I was out of control. I had to admit, if only to myself, that each kiss had been better than the last. All I could think about was the taste of frosting on her lips, her laughter in the kiss.

If she wanted that life, cooking and laughing together, I knew I could give her that. But would that joy I saw in her eyes fade when she didn't get fancy flowers or expensive candy down the line? She had never seemed to want them before and didn't seem so crazy about them when Jude gave them to her.

Although, that could be because he was the one giving them. My gifts of rosemary and sage seemed to please her, even though I was pretty sure I was the only one who cooked with them. The fanciest chocolate I'd given her was a hot cocoa blend I made myself.

My feet moved along the sidewalk on their own accord as I got lost in my thoughts. I left the complex and continued to follow the sidewalk. I went past one street, then another. I had no idea how long I walked, the streetlights passing over my head uncounted. I could walk for miles when a lot was on my mind and not even notice it—especially at night when I had no sun to tell me how much time had passed.

It didn't matter how far I traveled or if I paid attention to my route. My bear would always be able to find the way home. My thoughts went in circles and the walk wasn't really helping, I realized. There was no escaping my problems and no answering them either.

I could walk and walk and never find what I needed. In the time I'd been walking, I passed storefront after storefront. I started to realize many were closed up for the night. An open toy store ahead caught my eye, bringing my attention out of my head. I decided I'd stop in.

One day on a whim, I had given Rhonda a giant pencil from a store like this because she kept on losing hers at work. She had even tried using it while taking her orders. The customers thought it was hilarious and Rhonda seemed to get a kick out of it, too.

Maybe I could find something else like that for her again, and a gift for each of the kids, too. Although, looking back, that gift I gave her had been silly, especially compared to fancy roses. Had she really enjoyed it, or had she been humoring me?

I felt a sudden tingling on the back of my neck. If I'd been in bear form, my hackles would have risen. I was upwind, and couldn't tell who, or what, was behind me. There was one more closed store between the toy store and me. I heard the hurried scuff of shoes against asphalt behind me. More than one pair.

"Hey, you!" a male voice called out from behind me.

"We need to get him alone," a second male voice added under his breath, but not quiet enough to evade my shifter hearing

There was no one else around. I knew it was me they wanted and I could sense the menace in their stares without even seeing them. I twisted to the side, dodging into the alley between the stores.

The narrow alley was empty except for a big, lidless dumpster filled nearly to capacity. A rat scurried along the wall, and there were several closed doors. There were no lights to pierce the darkness.

I spun around and took several steps backward to put some space between the alley entrance and myself. Since the street lights didn't reach the dark space, I shifted my eyes to see better.

My bear was ready for a fight, roaring in the back of my mind. I took a shallow breath, not wanting to get a good whiff of the dumpster. I tried to calm my agitation. I needed to be cool for the fight they were looking for.

My shoulders tensed when the two men stepped into the alley in front of me. They were large, bulky guys, though neither was as big as me. I eyed them both. They stood ready, shoulders loose, hands out at their sides. Sneers stretched their lips. They looked as eager for a fight as my bear was.

I stayed silent, waiting for them to make the first move. I took a chance and inhaled deeply. The smells from the dumpster almost made me gag, but it was worth it. They were both human, which meant no claws and no shifting into a bear.

Probably for the best. My claws would slice through their flesh easily, far too easily, then I'd have to deal with dead humans. Never a good thing. Dealing with dead anyone was never a good thing.

The two men walked into the alley, taking their time. They moved as if they expected me to be intimidated. Why? Two against one? Sure, they were big, but I was bigger.

"You picked the wrong night to take a walk," the one on the right said.

"Who are you? What do you want?" I asked.

"We're here to teach you a lesson in respect."

The one on the left snickered. As if that was some sort of signal, they both darted forward. I dodged one and felt the fist of the other slam into my cheek. That was gonna leave a bruise.

I pulled my arm back and plowed it into the stomach on one. When he bent over, I grabbed the other guy's arm and threw him into the wall. Wall-guy grunted on impact. The first guy straightened up and lunged for me, fist in the air. I grabbed his arm and threw him into the side of the dumpster. Its wheels squealed and it slammed back into the alley wall.

I grunted as wall-guy punched me in the side. I slammed my right fist into his face, my knuckles stinging. He groaned and stumbled back.

Dumpster-guy staggered back to the fight. I could see a lump forming on his forehead.

"You sure you want to continue?" I asked, a growl in my voice.

He snarled and threw a fist at me. I dodged and punched him with my left hand, feeling my knuckles sting as they connected. Both my hands were going to look ugly tomorrow. He fell back and the other charged in. I grabbed his arm and slammed him into the wall again. This time he bounced off with his head, not fast enough to catch himself with his hands.

A flash of pain went through me as the other rallied again and punched me in the cheek. He managed to connect in the same place as before. If it wasn't gonna bruise earlier, it definitely will now.

A low grumble rolled out of me. I'd really only been playing with them before. Now, I was done messing around. I couldn't simply kill them, though. I had to incapacitate them. That was harder.

I grabbed the man in front of me by the shoulder and spun him around so his back was to me. I slammed my palms against his back and shoved him at wall-guy, who was charging back into the fray. They collided head-on with a loud thud, both grunting. They staggered apart, each taking a few wobbling steps before they collapsed. I watched for a moment. Neither moved.

I stepped forward and carefully checked them each for a pulse. I let out a little sigh of relief when I confirmed they were both alive. I reached into my pocket and frowned when I didn't find my phone.

Right. I'd left it at home. I sighed as I studied the two idiots on the ground. Maybe that toy store would let me call the sheriff. I wasn't sure who they were, but I had a feeling it was an attempted mugging, even though I was an odd target. Typically people like that didn't even bother someone like me. It could have gone so much worse if they had attacked someone else.

When I reached the end of the alley, I looked toward the toy store and frowned when I saw the lights were out. It was already closed. In fact, everything around me was closed. I didn't have a watch, but it didn't feel that late. How long had I been walking?

I glanced back at the two attempted muggers, and they were still out. I shook my head. I'd have to make the call when I got home. As I started the walk back, I was startled to realize how far I'd come. I had a long walk ahead of me.

By the time I opened my front door, I decided not to call the sheriff. They were probably already up and gone. No need to waste the sheriff's time. A large yawn surprised me. The long walk and fight had worn me out.

Even though I was looking forward to celebrating Caleb's birthday, tomorrow was going to be a busy day.

* * *

Anticipation raced through me as I took the stairs up to Rhonda's apartment two at a time. When I knocked, I winced when my cut and bruised knuckles tapped on her door. The door shivered under the impact and I frowned. I hadn't meant to hit it that hard.

"Come on in, Sam." I heard Rhonda call out. The door clicked and swung open, but nobody was on the other side.

Rhonda was using her magic? That was new. I grinned and stepped inside.

"How'd you know it was me?" I called out.

"Honestly, Sam," Rhonda called back her bedroom, "only you knock like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you have a personal vendetta against my door."

I frowned. I didn't think I knocked that hard.

"Sam," Caleb yelled as he raced out of his room, “we're going to the fair!"

"I know, buddy," I said with a smile as he hugged me and I gently placed my hand on his back. "But not without your shoes."

"I was getting there," he groused.

"Sam, what happened?" Abby said as she ran up to me, lifting her arms up expectantly. I picked her up and she threw her arms around my neck for a hug.

"Yeah, what happened? Run into something?" Caleb asked as he grudgingly started putting on his shoes. The kid really hated wearing shoes. I could empathize—I liked to feel the ground beneath my feet, too. Not my bare human feet. Only my tough bear feet.

Before I could answer, Rhonda came out of her bedroom and my breath caught. She was wearing tight jeans and a V-neck T-shirt that hugged her curves. The turquoise looked amazing on her. I didn't think I'd ever seen her wear that shirt before.

"New shirt?" I couldn't stop myself from asking as I forced my eyes to her face.

She gave me a knowing smile, but the smile faded the moment she saw my bruised face. "Samael, what happened to you?"

"Somebody's in trouble," Caleb sang out.

"Make sure you tie those shoes," I replied when I noticed Caleb was already in the act of trying to tuck his laces inside the shoes rather than actually trying to tie them.

"I have on my shoes," Abby said, lifting a leg up to show me as I held her.

"That you do."

"But you need to go get your jacket," Rhonda said. "Caleb, help her find it."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes, you do." Rhonda's voice left no room for argument. I put Abby down so she could follow her mother's orders. As soon as the kids reached their room, Rhonda stood in front of me, concern in her eyes. She reached out and gently ran her fingers over my cheek.

"What happened?"

I shrugged. "Nothing."

"Nothing? Nothing? You don't get bruises and swollen, scraped knuckles from nothing."

I sighed. I really didn't want to worry her on such an important day. "I took a walk last night. Lost track of where I was. A couple of muggers thought I was an easy mark."

"What happened?"

"I proved them wrong."

Rhonda rolled her eyes. "Men."

"What?"

"You know what."

I blinked as I tried to puzzle it out. Nope, I couldn't say that I did.

Rhonda looked over her shoulder and shouted, "Kids, let's go."

The two came racing out of their bedroom and shortly after that we were on our way. It didn't take long to get to the fair. Caleb and Abby chattered, full of excitement, the entire way. They didn't stop until we were out of the car. The sight of the giant Ferris wheel rotating high in the air stunned them both into awed silence.

"Are we gonna ride on that?" Abby whispered.

I didn't miss the slight quaver in her voice. "Nope."

"Why not?" Caleb asked. "I wanna go high."

I shook my head. "Look at that thing. You think it could take me all the way to the top? It would break down halfway up. I think there'll be plenty of rides that'll be a lot more fun."

"Really? Like what?" Caleb asked.

We were able to distract the kids with ideas of fun rides as we waited in line to buy our tickets. The kids were practically bouncing in place as the line wound around. Finally, we were at the ticket counter. The bored teenager took my money and waved us in.

As we passed the ticket booth, the sounds of the high pitched whistles and chimes from the games assaulted my ears. The thud of the whack-a-mole caught my attention to the left. Carnies hawked out calls for us to play their games.

Bright lights blinked from the games, trying to entice us to try our luck. The smell of all the people surrounded me, their perfumes and deodorants mixed with sweat and excitement. The ground had been trampled on by so many feet that it was hard like cement, though dust still managed to fill the air.

I heard the shrill screams of the people of the rides, and the cheerful shouts of children calling to their parents and friends. I could tell there was a horse ride nearby as the musk of the animals rose through the air.

Through it all, one scent rose above all the others. Fried dough and sugar, along with butter and cinnamon. An irresistible combination. I never made the treat for myself, or even the kids. It was to be had at the fair only.

"Sam, what is it?" Rhonda asked, seeing the intent look on my face.

I grinned wildly. "Do you smell it?"

"Smell what?"

Both kids sniffed, crinkling their noses.

"This way." I held Abby's hand and Rhonda took Caleb's. I easily wove through the crowd, people making a small clearing before me.

"Sam, pick me up. I wanna see," Abby said, tugging on my hand.

I scooped her up, and she craned her head around, looking at the games. Suddenly, she pointed excitedly in the distance. "Elephant ears!"

Rhonda's laugh rang out behind me. I felt a flush hit my cheeks. Those delicious things were my weakness. I'd managed to get the kids hooked on them, too. We got in line and, in no time, we were standing off to the side, sharing the deep-fried treat. Powder sugar was sprinkled all over my shirt from holding Abby as we ate. I didn't care in the least.

Rhonda reached out and brushed her hands over my chest. My skin felt tight where she touched me. I took in a deep breath and the scent of Rhonda and deep fried dough hit me hard. I'd never smelled anything better. My two weaknesses.

"What am I going to do with you?" she said with a smile, shaking her head.

I grinned and was about to answer her when something over my shoulder caught her eye. The smile dropped from her face and alarm tore through me. I craned my head around and saw a young woman in a turban staring at us from a fortune teller's tent. There was something familiar about the robed woman. I squinted, then realized it was . . . Paige.

Rhonda worriedly chewed on her lower lip. "I need to talk to her. Can you take the kids for a minute?"

"Yeah. Go. I've got this."

She smiled and brushed a kiss on my cheek. My heart raced in my chest as I watched her walk away.

"Okay," I said, turning my attention to the kids. "Where shall we go?"

"To the petting zoo," Abby cried out.

"Sorry, kids, but I don't know if that's the best idea."

I held my hands up in a claw shape, giving the kids a knowing look. They knew I was a shifter, although I thought they forgot sometimes. I didn't shift into my bear very often. Unlike Fritz, the cat, most animals reacted negatively to my scent. I might be human, but I still smelled like a bear to them. I didn't want to deal with a stampede at the fair.

"Let's go to the merry-go-round. That way Abby can at least ride a fake animal."

The kids cheered their agreement and soon enough, we were on the ride. Caleb decided on a boar. Abby wanted to ride on a pony. I stood between them as they rode up and down. The kids whooped and hollered with joy and I found myself joining in. These were the moments that I lived for.

We were about to get off the ride when I felt a tingle go down my spine. Someone was staring at me. I snapped my head around and met Rhonda's gaze as she stood next to Paige.

She looked terrified.