I wake up in a tangle of limbs and blankets and, for a moment, everything is okay. There's no fear, no hate, to disturb me. I feel almost weightless. Then, all too soon, it all comes crashing down on me.

With a sigh, I sit up and find that I'd somehow managed to get underneath the covers last night, though I'd fallen asleep on top of them. Goosebumps appear on my skin when I throw back the covers and expose myself to the chilled morning air. I stand and the soft material of Ryder's t-shirt falls into place against my thighs, still smelling of warm spice.

Annoyed by how good it smells, I pull the t-shirt over my head and let it fall to the ground. I slip on a pair of black shorts and a loose grey tank top, figuring that I'll shower after a quick morning run to get my blood pumping. After all, if I'm going to escape Ryder, I'm going to have to be fast. Though, maybe I'll end up going with him. Where else do I have to go?

I shake my head.

Don't think about that now, I tell myself as I stick a toothbrush in my mouth. Focus on surviving today.

Once my mouth is minty fresh, I pack away my toothbrush and take a good look in the mirror. My dark curls are a mess, tangled together and poking out in every direction. I comb my fingers through it a few times, then give up and put it in a high ponytail. Now that that mess is out of my face, I can see the dark circles under my eyes and the scratches on my lips from biting them.

It's moments like this, before my succubus powers kick in, that I feel the most human. I can see how the world has affected me. It assures me that I'm not the robotic monster I'm suppose to be.

Then, of course, my powers wake up and, before my eyes, the scratches heal and the dark circles fade. Then I'm renewed once again, fresh and strong. Too bad my succubus charm doesn't work on scars, I think a little bitterly as I trace an old, thin scar along my collarbone. Little scratches and bruises? No problem. Deep cuts or broken bones? Not so much.

Sighing, I rub a hand over my face and move out of Ryder's bedroom, making my way into what must be the living room.

"Oh good," Ryder says, looking up from the shoe he's tying, "you're already dressed."

Frowning, I note that he's wearing a pair of loose shorts and a white cutoff. There's a silver chain around his neck but whatever it holds is hidden beneath his shirt. He notices me looking and readjusts the collar of his shirt to conceal it better.

"I'm going for a run," I say slowly, eyeing the incubus as he leans over to tie his other shoe.

His long, inky black hair falls into his face as he looks up at me from under his lashes. Those icy blue eyes are piercing, seeming to look right through me. "No, we're going for a run. Your training starts now." He smiles with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Welcome to hell, darlin'."

My mouth drops open and Ryder smirks as I flounder for words. I snap my jaw shut and settle for a glare. Ryder shakes his head, snorting softly. My glares apparently need as much work as the rest of me. They'd never really worked on Ryder anyway. Even when I'd held a knife to his throat, he hadn't been intimidated. He would smile at me and his eyes would gleam almost as if he was proud of me or something ridiculous like that.

I look away and see that the couch has a pillow from the bedroom and a crumpled blanket thrown haphazardly upon it. Turning back to Ryder, whose hand rests on the handle to the front door, I ask, "did you sleep on the couch last night?"

A dark brow is raised in my direction. "I would've slept in my bed but it was occupied."

"Right," I mutter, a slight blush coloring my cheeks.

Annoyed and slightly embarrassed, I follow the man I hate out of the house and into the woods.

My legs burn as I struggle to drag in another breath. My legs, having gone numb a few miles back, threaten to give out on me. I duck under low hanging branches and leap over fallen trees with less and less success each time. All the while, Ryder is yelling "faster, faster" in my ear. He, of course, has barely broken a sweat.

Finally, my foot catches on an upraised root and I collapse. My fingers dig into the dirt as I dry heave. Luckily, I haven't eaten anything since breakfast yesterday so nothing comes up, but it still hurts.

I hear the crunch of dead leaves and old twigs crumbling under Ryder's feet as he approaches and groan. My chest heaves with the effort of breathing and my heart pounds with such ferocity it might burst. The light morning jog has turned into a run from hell, just as Ryder had promised. At this rate, there's no way I'm going to be up to Octavian's standards in two weeks.

"Get up. We're not done yet," he orders in his rumbling timbre.

I groan as another wave of nausea hits me. Beneath it, anger begins to spark, though I haven't been antagonized. My fingertips begin to strain against claws that want to be free. Something is wrong. This isn't exhaustion, this is losing control.

Claws burst from my fingertips, leaving them bloody and aching. My power wells up inside of me, ready to pounce from my lips and steal from another. My skin tingles, looking for something to heal, something to make perfect again.

"What's wrong with me?" I cry out as witchy sparks begin to fly from my fingertips. Dark red blood drips from my savaged nail beds. Hot tears pool behind my eyes but I hold them back. I will not cry in front of Ryder. Even if my entire body is revolting against me.

Ryder crouches down by my side and frowns at me disapprovingly. His pale blue eyes are filled with annoyance and exasperation but there's the slightest pinch of concern in their frozen depths. I must really be in trouble if Ryder is worried about me. His lips are moving and I have to strain to hear him over the ringing in my ears.

"You haven't been training since you wound up with that Archer guy, have you?" Ryder asks, spitting out Archer's name like it tastes bad on his tongue. I'm too focused on not accidentally ripping out his throat that I don't reprimand him for it. I shake my head. He sighs in annoyance. "This is happening to you because you've suppressed your violent nature for too long. Viridian, you were born to be a fighter not a pacifist. You learned to control your powers by releasing the beast within and fighting. It builds and builds inside of you until it can't be restrained anymore." He smirks a little mischievously, looking up at me from under his dark lashes in a way that would have made my knees weak, had I been standing. "That's what made you snap and kill those men I sent to collect you. You fought them until you had nothing left in you. You were magnificent."

"You were watching me?" I ask angrily, then whimper as a sharp wave of pain hits me again. I dig my claws deeper into the moist dirt and cry, "nevermind! Just make it stop."

Through my pain-filled haze, I see the annoyance and exasperation on his face melt away, and I swear I see earnest concern in the depths of his eyes. His dark eyebrows draw together, seemingly troubled -like he's having some internal argument with himself. I cry out as the burning rage pounds against my ribcage, screaming to be set free. It taints my thoughts, making me think that maybe I should kill him. Maybe I should sink my teeth into his neck and tear. My claws grow sharper and werewolf fangs slide out from under my lips in response to the bloodthirsty thought.

The sight of me must have made his decision clear, because the troubled expression fades. The tension in his shoulders, however, remains.

With a sudden clarity, he reaches out and cradles my face in his large, calloused hands. Ryder's icy blue gaze meets mine and there are thunderstorms and raging oceans in his eyes. I tremble beneath them silently, afraid that if I make a sound or move a muscle this bloodthirsty rage inside of me will force me to kill the only person who can help me.

I place my hands on his chest. The claws protruding from my bloody fingertips rake across his shirt, leaving bloody scratch marks through the fabric and on his chest. Unfazed by my accidental maiming of his skin, he tilts my chin up to meet his eyes, whispers, "please don't kill me for this."

And he kisses me. Roughly. Without hesitation. His hands cup my face tightly, like I might disappear if he loosens his hold on me the slightest bit. I'm frozen. Terrified. Horrified. All I can think about is Archer. Archer who loves me. Archer who would be so hurt. Archer who left me in the dirt. Ryder deepens the kiss and I forget all about Archer.

He tastes like cinnamon and smells like warm, dizzying spice. I grab a fistful of his torn shirt and pull him closer. I don't realize that my claws and fangs are gone. Only that Ryder's arm is slipping around my waist.

My head is spinning.

There's a fire -a passion- between us that I never would have anticipated. This chemical reaction to his lips shouldn't be happening. I should be repulsed. Disgusted. This is Ryder. The man I hate. The man that destroyed my one chance at happiness. The monster that's training me to be just like him.

As much as this dark side of me doesn't want me to, I pull away, breaking the mistaken kiss. I scoot backwards, away from him and out of his reach. My lips are swollen and moist but I force them to ask, "what the hell was that for?"

Ryder blinks as if dazed.

Did he feel that too? He frowns at me, standing up and brushing off his shorts. "You were losing control. I had to distract you fast or you were going to attack me. I'm really not in the mood to explain to my father why his weapon is dead, so I kissed you." He says in nonchalantly, but his voice is deeper, huskier and he won't look me in the eye.

He holds out a hand and I take it, giving him what I hope is a menacing glare. Unfortunately, it's probably more of a pained grimace. "Well, don't do it again," I mutter irritably as I brush the dirt off my bare legs. My head still spins and my heart still pounds against my ribcage. How can a meaningless kiss from Ryder mess me up like this?

The incubus smirks down at me, mischief returning to his blue eyes. "Of course, darlin'. Wouldn't want you falling for me, would we?"

This time, the glare comes easily.

"The last thing I want to do is fall in love with you."