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Rainwater streamed over my face.

That was too much.

Still, I opened my fist and six new bullets sat in my palm. “Thank you, Grandma.”

The only problem was that they didn’t have that shifter blood to pack an extra punch, but they would do to help me run again if I met with Yoichi.

My hands shook as I loaded them into the magazine. Each one clicked into place. Once done, I slammed the magazine into the gun and racked the slide. “There we go.”

The bite throbbed.

My black heart answered with a deep ache. Then, throbbing formed at the back of my neck.

What’s happening to my body now?

I reached up and rubbed the spot. It felt bruised, although nothing had struck me there. The pressure sank beneath my skin and spread along the base of my skull.

What the hell is that?

Another wave of heat rolled through me.

My breasts grew heavier. My nipples tightened against the wet silk, and every small movement dragged fabric over them. In fact, each brush sent a bolt of pleasure into my stomach.

It did not feel like ordinary arousal. This was deeper and way more intense. I had never been hornier than this moment right now.

I gritted my teeth. “I do not have time for this.”

A hollow throb opened low in my belly.

Let’s go.

I pushed away from the wall and ran out of the alley. My bare feet struck the sidewalk, and the rain fell harder, sheeting down in silver curtains beneath the streetlights.

Cars slid over the wet road.

Paper lanterns strung above a noodle shop swayed, though the wind had died. A shrine bell somewhere far off rang once—a single clean note that had no business carrying through rain this heavy.

I swore on everything that Kyoto itself was watching how this was about to go down.

This city held ghosts older than my whole country. Ancestors who walked the streets beside the living. Foxes who had apparently learned to wear human faces before America had a name.

And one of them would be racing for me soon.

Is he out here?

I looked back and saw no one behind me.

Good. He should be still on that floor healing. At least I hope that’s the case.

I ran on, yet the very thought of him in my hotel room delivered a gush of slickness that coated my inner thighs.

Girl. . .what is your problem? Like what sort of bite from a creature makes them super horny? This is worse than dealing with a succubus.

Yoichi had called it heat.

I thought he meant intense arousal. Some supernatural version of being dangerously horny.

This was not that. My body was changing all the rules without asking me. My skin had become too sensitive. My breasts hurt. The back of my neck ached for whatever fucking reason. My lower belly clenched with a throbbing need so specific that understanding it made panic rise in my throat.