“But Prish, you and I could go again.” With any luck, something would change and my magic would finally manifest even though that now seemed doubtful. Still, I had to try.

Prisha nodded and took a step back. Magic began shimmering around her, and a blue flame erupted across her sword. She lifted the weapon, positioning herself in a fighter’s stance before coming at me in endless strikes.

∞     ∞     ∞

Prisha and I carried on for another two hours, until we both became so tired that our muscles were quivering and our arms shaking.

When we finally stopped, my clothes were soaked with sweat and my legs felt like jelly. All I had to show for our efforts was a nicked forearm, which had stopped bleeding since Prisha’s flame hadn’t been soaked in her venom, only her enhanced magic.

“Are you sure you have a new power?” Prisha said in a joking tone between pants.

I bent over and cupped my knees, taking in huge gulps of air. “It seems questionable right now, doesn’t it?”

She laughed, and I joined her. It was either that or cry. My new power had made zero appearances despite our endeavors to do everything we could think of to provoke it. If I hadn’t been through so much in the past few days, I would be questioning if I’d imagined its existence.

Azad crossed his arms as he stood several yards away and watched us with a frown. I knew he was thinking the same thing. That this new power I claimed to have could very well be a figment of my imagination. I groaned. How embarrassing.

“We shall try again tomorrow.” Azad clapped his hands together. “Until then, you should rest.”

“Sounds good to me.” Prisha straightened just as two servants appeared in the gymnasium corner.

They rushed forward, each carrying towels and refreshments. They held them out to us on silver trays. Yep, it was that kind of place.

Even though I’d grown up training with my best friend, I still felt awkward being waited on. Because outside of here, that never happened. I didn’t think I would ever get used to the lavish lifestyle that Prisha led. To her, however, it was a normal way of existence. Not that I was judging. Prisha’s family was not only incredibly wealthy, but they were also unique and respected throughout the world’s supernatural communities, and for good reason. They were one of a kind. Nobody else in the world had fighting magic like theirs.

“Are you going to head back to the store?” Prisha took a long pull of the sweet drink infused with lemon and pomegranate.

The beverage fizzed slightly, tickling my nose. “I should.”

“Or you can hang with me for the rest of the day. You’re entitled to a day off every now and then. And after all the crap you’ve been through, now seems like a good time.”

I sighed, because being a small business owner meant little time to relax. I was lucky if I got a day off each week. Some weeks I didn’t even have that.

“I should really check in with Tess at the store first, but then I can meet you back at your place. Do you want to grab dinner at that new sushi restaurant tonight? I know you’ve been dying to try it.”

Prish grinned. “Sure, sounds good. See you in a few.”

∞     ∞     ∞

Azad sent two of his servants with me to the supernatural marketplace, and he insisted that I take his private car. Like everybody he employed, the three men traveling with me were all trained in battle. The chauffeur, the butler, all of the servants—every single one of them—could hold their own in a fight.

I truly felt sorry for anybody that ever got the harebrained idea to attack the Kumars’ estate. They probably wouldn’t make it past the front gates without being fried.

Sitting in the back of the spacious sedan, I finally pulled out my phone to check the Fire Wolf’s text message that I’d been avoiding.

I’m free this afternoon if you want to train.

My breath sucked in when I imagined the Fire Wolf shirtless with sweat dripping down his chiseled chest. Of course, that was where my mind went.

Perving fantasies aside, I would give him credit for one thing—the dude was as persistent as hell, even though I’d declined his offer to train and had made it clear that things were over between us.

But I wasn’t surprised. As I’d come to learn, relentless was how many described him in the community, and it appeared that I was getting a very hefty dose of that trait right now.

Well, my relentless hunter, I happen to be quite stubborn, so it appears you’ve met your match.

I swiped his message closed without replying, because the reality was, cutting all strings was the only way to treat this going forward. It was what I would have done if the attack hadn’t happened last night. And even though he’d saved me from death, I wasn’t obligated to him.

I was about to put my phone away when another text dinged. My heartbeat kicked up, but when I saw the name on my screen, my breathing calmed. Just Carlos.

Can you come in today? Commander Klebus would like to discuss something with you.

I straightened, then wondered why the commander hadn’t told me she wanted to see me when we’d spoken this morning. I tapped in a reply to my ex.

I can. What does she want to talk about?

His response came back immediately.

There’s been a new development.

My eyebrows drew together. It hadn’t even been a day since I’d been attacked in my bedroom. I leaned forward in my seat, then tapped the driver on his shoulder. “Do you mind changing course? I actually need to go to the Supernatural Forces’ office.”

“Of course, ma’am.” He swerved at the next corner, heading west instead of downtown. Cars buzzed around us as he expertly wove in and out of traffic. Twenty minutes later, we pulled up to the barbershop that fronted as the SF’s office.

“Thank you so much for the ride.”

“My pleasure,” the driver replied.

The two men who had ridden along to guard me stepped out of the vehicle. They accompanied me inside, until I was safely encased within the SF’s walls, before returning to the vehicle and smoothly pulling away.

I hurried to the front desk and was relieved to see that Jeff wasn’t working today. Instead, Shelley was on. She and I usually got along pretty well.

“Private Lopez told me that Commander Klebus wanted to see me.” I pushed some loose strands of hair behind my ears and hoped I didn’t look like a sweaty mess, even though I was pretty sure I did.

Shelley smiled brightly. “She does. Right this way.”

Unlike Jeff, she didn’t wave me to the back offices. Instead, she rose swiftly from her chair and took off at a clipped pace down the hall.

I struggled to catch up only because my legs were still throbbing from training. Despite doing my best to keep in shape, today’s session had been particularly brutal.

Commander Klebus was seated behind her desk, looking as fresh as a daisy, when I stepped into the room. One of the benefits to being a vampire was that they never needed to sleep. Those lucky ducks could work twenty-four hours a day and never tire.

“Oh good, you’re here.” The commander waved at the seat across from her. “I see that you’re done with training.”

I raised my eyebrows. “You knew I was training?”

“Of course, I did. You’re now part of an active investigation. The SF knows your whereabouts at all times.”

My jaw dropped. So now I was being stalked by the SF? Huh, wonder why nobody had told me that. I bit back the irritation that provoked, even though I knew they had my best interests at heart. “Is that why you didn’t call me about whatever’s going on?”

She dipped her head. “Private Lopez said that he would be happy to contact you, and since we knew you were training and well-guarded, I didn’t feel the need to rush things.” She watched me carefully, and I knew what she was thinking. She was wondering why a nobody shop owner was training with the elite Krishnalanthala warriors. And she was probably also wondering why my ex-boyfriend was back in my life if I was supposedly mated to the menace of the Shadow Zone. Male wolves weren’t exactly known for being the sharing type.