Her lips pulled straight. “Without a central agency to do the typing across the realms, genetic tracing of all the possible hybrids is just not conceivable. The Cryptid council is considering just such an organization, but it is not yet reality. Until that happens, our best method for determining heritage has been by evaluating powers. Yours could just be a mutation among the Cryptid population. But what happens between you and Matt is subtly different, and I am still trying to get a handle on it. Did those you killed with your power fight you?”
I remembered the feral Dire. Grievan. And Darius. “Yes. Not at first, but once I started really pulling from them, they did.”
“They all fought you?”
I started to nod, but then I remembered the Dragon. “The Dragon was different,” I said.
Her eyes sharpened. “In what way?”
I squirmed a bit on the grass. “I couldn’t pull from him at first. So—I started talking to him. Seducing him. And it broke down his barriers.”
She stared at me. I thought I sensed surprise in her energy. “You seduced him?”
My cheeks heated. “Yeah.”
“And he went along with it? Even though he was there to stop you?”
I leaned forward. “Is that significant? Once I pulled the energy from him, I used it to destroy his brain.”
“His brain? Not his heart?”
“His heart was resistant, it was taking too long. So I switched tactics.”
Her brows rose. “That was quite ingenious.”
“Desperate was more like it,” I admitted. “Do Bellatis ever use seduction?”
Her lips twisted. “No. That is unique to you.” She fell silent for a moment, then rubbed her hands together. “Okay. Let’s do another session of suck the life out of a flower.”
I grimaced. “Poor flower.”
“The plant will push out more. Let’s get started.”
She had me do it three times—pull the energy out, then put it back in—before we had to call it quits. I was shaking by the end.
“How am I ever going to run?” I lamented as I staggered after her.
Cara smiled and laid a hand on my arm. Instantly, energy flowed into me. My inner beast sat up hungrily, but Cara didn’t give it enough time to react, pulling back her hand and digging around in her pockets. She emerged with a new set of gloves.
Someday, I wanted a look inside those pockets.
“There you go,” she said. “And do I need to warn you about sex with Matt?”
I sighed. “No, I get it.”
“Excellent. We will forgo our evening session—I will see you tomorrow morning. I think you’d be better off sleeping. And I have a favor to call in.” She smiled and waggled her eyebrows mysteriously before leaving me in the foyer.
I reflected that I had enough mysteries in my life without adding anything further...
* * *
Kitani was near the lake with the twins, and I took a joyful Trix out to her before joining Matt and Mari.
Alex was once again leading the run. Matt and I placed ourselves right behind the redheaded Dire. I tried not to resent him for taking Sebastian’s place. Would the Bellati ever run with us again?
When Matt and I exchanged glances, I saw the doubt in his eyes too.
We’ll find him, Angel.
