For the last hour or so, we have been travelling in silence. Mr Tickle is snug in his cat basket, currently wedged between Rhain and Ezra on the back seat. I didn’t want to leave my home, of course I didn’t, but what choice did I have? Blake was adamant that more of Edrin’s men would follow and frankly I didn’t want to stick around to see if he was telling the truth. Besides, how could I explain this whole mess to the police without them believing I was some crazy, murdering psychopath? I wouldn’t be able to. I’d end up as one of Zinnia’s patients in the mental health unit at the hospital for my efforts. My hands begin to shake as the adrenaline starts to wear off and the realisation of what has happened finally begins to sink in. It’s a good job we are nearing my friend’s house.

“Where are we going?” Ezra asks for the hundredth time. I’ve been ignoring him until now.

I feel his eyes boring into the back of my head but refrain from looking at him, concentrating instead on the steady stream of traffic in front of me.

“To visit a good friend of mine. We’re almost there,” I say eventually.

“Almost where exactly?” Ezra snaps.

“Does it matter? I’m here, aren’t I?” I snap back, on the verge of tears.

He doesn’t mean it, Accacia. Ezra is only concerned for your safety, Devin says silently.

He could have fooled me, I reply, blinking back the tears that are threatening to spill.

“Will your friend be there?” Rhain asks, changing the subject.

I swallow a shaky breath. “I sure hope so, otherwise we’ll be sleeping in one of her greenhouses.”

“What is a greenhouse?”

I glimpse in the rear-view mirror at Rhain. He catches my eye and I feel a bolt of desire pierce my chest. My foot jerks on the accelerator and the car speeds forward. I would have hit the car in front had Devin not pulled on the steering wheel.

“Thanks,” I mutter.

“Rhain asked you a question,” Ezra snarls. Had I not been driving I think I would have smacked him in the face for being such an arsehole. Does he not see how difficult this is for me?

“If you must know,” I snap, unable to keep the anger from my voice, “a greenhouse is a place used to grow plants. It is made up entirely of windows to maximise the sun and the heat. Most plants grow well inside of them. My friend, Clover, is an arborist, she studies how plants grow. Her greenhouses are filled with hundreds of different species of plants from her travels all over the world. Her place is beautiful, but more importantly it’s the only place I could think of going to at such short notice.”

“We should have returned to Ever Vale. It would have been far safer. You are putting everyone at risk. It is selfish,” Ezra says, his voice cold and harsh.

“I’m selfish? You’ve got a bloody cheek,” I rage. This time, in my haste to get to Clover’s house, I purposefully step on the accelerator. In less than a minute we will have arrived and I’ll be able to escape from them all.

“Yes, that is what I said.”

I glare at Ezra in the rear-view mirror. “My whole existence has been turned upside down. In just two days, I’ve met you three sodding vampires, been attacked by a colleague twice, almost raped and tortured, drugged, burnt, bombarded with a desire that I don’t wish to feel because of some stupid Claiming that I don’t understand, almost killed again by some half-wolf, half-human hybrid, been faced with a real-life wolf-shifter and made to leave my home, and I’m the one who’s selfish.” I swerve into the part-hidden entrance to Clover’s house, almost missing it in my anger, and drive down the dirt track. I continue my tirade. Ezra has the good grace to remain silent. “Oh, and don’t let me forget the bit about the fact that my whole life has been a lie, that I am in fact the missing daughter of Clan Lux, where some demented queen wishes me dead for something I had no control over, given I was a damn baby when it happened!” I slam on the brakes just as I pull up outside Clover’s house and jump out of the car, storming off to the front door. Rhain follows me.

“Cia, don’t listen to Ezra right now. He’s not himself,” Rhain says, touching me on the shoulder.

“I don’t care. He’s an arsehole. I had to leave my home, damn it!” I turn from Rhain, not able to stand his touch either.

“What you said, about being bombarded with desire…” he stops, uncertain how to continue. I wait, not in the mood to try and make him feel better.

“I am sorry about the Claiming. Where I come from, it is welcomed. It is one of our most revered customs because of its rarity. Yes, there is attraction between clan members, but the Claiming is something altogether different.”

“Well, I grew up here and this kind of thing just doesn’t happen,” I say, absentmindedly pressing a palm against my chest and the desire burning there.

Devin approaches with Mr Tickle, who is sleeping soundly in his cat basket. I feel my out of control emotions dissipate in his presence, the relief is immediate.

“Is your friend home? All the lights are out,” he says.

“She didn’t say anything about going away.” I knock on the front door only to find it is open. That’s odd. It isn’t like Clover to keep the front door off the latch. I move to step inside but Rhain stands in front of me.

“Hold on, let me go first.”

“Fine, but I’m going in too. Clover is my friend and if she’s in there, you’re going to scare the crap out of her, just waltzing in all mysterious and broody with those teeth…” I say, my cheeks colouring at the look he is giving me.

“Then you had better follow me,” he says, stepping into the darkened hallway.

Devin places Mr Tickle on the porch and holds open the door. “After you.”

I glance over at the car to see if Ezra is coming too, but he’s nowhere to be seen. I find that I am glad.

Inside the house it is eerily quiet and I feel a sudden sense of foreboding. Waving Rhain and Ezra over, I point to the back of the house where Clover’s kitchen is situated. That is where she spends most of her time. If she is anywhere at this time of night, it is there. Her kitchen opens out onto the back of her property and there is a short walk across the back lawn to her largest greenhouse.

We move through into the kitchen. There is a half-drunk cup of tea on the table, stone cold and growing fur. I crinkle my nose.

“It doesn’t look like she’s been around for a while. When was the last time you spoke to her?” Rhain asks.

“A couple of weeks ago, I think. We usually call each other once a week, but we’ve both been busy with work. I should have called her Thursday evening, but I’ve been a bit distracted these past couple days. God, I hope she’s okay.” I bite my lip as a thread of worry weaves through my gut. She is my oldest and dearest friend and my only playmate while growing up until she moved away to this farm at fifteen.

“I’ll check the rest of the house. It might be best if you check outside,” Devin says. “Don’t worry, Accacia, I’m sure she’s fine.”

I press my lips into a hard line. I hope so, Devin, I say, and he squeezes my hand before leaving me alone with Rhain.

“Follow me,” I say, and walk outside before he can say a word.