Claimed by Shadow Page 0,49

very little thought was happening in my mind, except how to get that damned zipper down.’

Before I could act on that plan, Pritkin grabbed my wrists. I'm not sure whether he meant to push me away or to pull me closer, and judging by the look on his face, I don't think he did, either. But neither of us had the chance to find out.

It suddenly felt like someone had doused me in gasoline and thrown on a match. It wasn't pain that flared through me; it was agony, and it seemed to spear every cell in my body simultaneously. I screamed and jumped back, hitting Mac and taking us both to the floor. Pritkin followed us down because he still had hold of my wrists, and I vaguely heard Mac yelling something at him, but I couldn't concentrate enough to understand. I arched my back and began convulsing like a fish out of water, only what I wanted wasn't air but relief from the excruciating pain.

I gained a real understanding of what it must feel like to burn alive, fire ripping its way up my spine, every nerve ending exploding with white-hot agony. I forgot where I was, forgot my problems, which suddenly appeared trivial to the point of absurdity next to the torture I was undergoing. I think I would have forgotten my name in another few seconds, but then, as abruptly as it had come, the pain was gone.

I found myself on the linoleum floor of Mac's workroom, trying to relearn how to breathe. I looked up to see him holding Pritkin's wrists captive. He'd obviously pulled him off me, and for that I could have kissed him, if I hadn't been shaking too hard to even sit up. Once he'd solved the immediate problem, Mac dropped Pritkin's hands and turned to me.

"Are you all right? Cassie, can you hear me?" I nodded, unable to do more at the moment. "Right." He looked freaked out, his usually laid-back, G'day, mate, attitude entirely gone. "Stay where you are and I'll be right back. Whatever you do, no touching!”

Mac disappeared through a door that led off from his workroom, and I heard water running. The pain had receded, but the memory of it was burned into my body the way an afterimage of a blinding light damages a retina. My nerve endings pulsed with vivid recall and, although I was no longer convulsing, a light tremor seemed to have settled in for good. I was terrified to move, afraid that I might accidentally trigger it again.

I vaguely realized that the gasping breaths I was hearing weren't all mine, and shifted my eyes to the side without moving my head. I got a glimpse of Pritkin, lying on his back, staring at the ceiling with eyes that showed white all around. His face was flushed, his muscles corded, and his breathing was as shallow as mine. It occurred to me that maybe I hadn't been the only one affected.

Mac returned with a damp washcloth, which he put on my forehead. I was about to tell him that I needed a bit more than that, like a shot of codeine or a bottle of whiskey, but the small gesture did seem to help. I watched a moth circle the halogen light overhead and tried to regain motor control. The very idea of sitting up sounded insane, so while Mac tended to Pritkin, I lay there and thought. I had been having what qualified, even after some memorable experiences in the past, as a crazy day. So maybe it was understandable that it would take me this long to figure something out.

I'd been reacting strangely all day around men. Normally, I noticed attractive guys as much as the next woman, but I'd had years to learn how to admire in a detached sort of way and then move on. Living on the run meant that any guy I became involved with got the added bonus of a death threat. Not wanting to get anyone killed, I'd made sure to keep my distance, and practice, as they say, makes perfect.

I'd found it hard to concentrate around Casanova and Chavez, but come on. They were both drop-dead gorgeous, not to mention being possessed by incubi. I'd assumed I was having the reaction any heterosexual female could expect around them, and had just been grateful that I hadn't dragged one or both into the nearest closet. But Pritkin was another matter.

Not only did I find