Okay, so I didn't exactly struggle. My back arched all by itself, straining toward him.

The mirror snickered, and spilled onto the sheet by my ear.

Images seared my vision, of his mouth on me, his bold hands exploring me, his tongue pleasuring me deep. I shuddered, l.u.s.t ripping a ragged swath through my reason that filled rapidly with scorching embarra.s.sment.

What was wrong with me? Was I still drunk? Blaze is hot boy-candy and we play flirty games, but I'd never seriously desired him before. Of course, I'd never lain under him naked with my wrists trapped in his double-jointed fingers and his hot thigh jammed hard between mine and that gorgeous red hair tickling my chest and . . . Oh.

He nuzzled my breast, lipping my twisted nipple. Sensation stabbed straight to my s.e.x, and desire splashed my skin like hot oil. Mmm. Pretty boy. Naked. Kissing Mmm. Pretty boy. Naked. Kissing. "Blaze . . ."

"Uh-huh." He nibbled me again, harder. Yellow flame curled from his lips, licking deep warmth into my breast. My nipple stung and tightened, begging for his mouth.

-Don't fight it, Ice. You know we want him.- I squirmed, burning. Insane. Mad. Stupid. Tell him to stop it and get off me before something ugly happens. Insane. Mad. Stupid. Tell him to stop it and get off me before something ugly happens.

-How about, gosh, that feels good, make love to us right now?- Just shut up, okay?

But careless glee sprinted in my head like a line of banshee blue, and hungry words scrambled in my mouth. I bit my tongue, but they slipped out. "Mmm, kiss me, that feels so good. Umm . . . I mean . . ."

"You mean you like it." Strange harshness edged his voice, and he flicked my swollen bud with his sharp tongue. "You taste h.o.r.n.y, Icy-girl. Wanna fix that?"

He sucked my nipple hard into his mouth. Water sizzled under my skin. I whimpered. His sharp teeth grazed me, and when he bit me gently, my insides melted, it felt so good.

Decision time's pa.s.sing, Ice. This is crazy. Get him off you. "But . . . don't we have this rule? . . ." "But . . . don't we have this rule? . . ."

"Screw the rules. Come taste me. You want it." Ruby sparks ignited on his breath, entrancing me, showering my skin with stinging desire. He slid onto me, nudging my legs farther apart with his hips, and I didn't stop him. His svelte weight pressed down on me, and he would have forced his burning lips onto mine, only I strained forward and kissed him first.

Hard, needy, cruel. Mad. My lips bruised on his teeth. But I couldn't stop. I didn't care.

He tasted as I knew he would, of a winter bonfire, woody and aflame. He laughed into our kiss, and I did the same, reckless delight boiling inside me. I wrapped my leg around those slender hips, and he pressed my wrists harder into the pillow and slid his clever tongue into my mouth.

I swallowed, dragging more of him into me. My b.r.e.a.s.t.s hurt deep inside, my belly squirmed hot and empty, longing to be filled, aching with a deeper need than I wanted to acknowledge.

I wanted to feel him on me and inside me, enjoy his l.u.s.tful flames licking my skin. I wanted to stop pretending he didn't turn me on. I wanted to stop caring what other people thought.

But more than anything, I wanted to stop being afraid.

Of other people, of men, of s.e.x, of getting hurt. Of myself, of what I might do in a careless moment.

-Yes,- hissed the mirror, triumphant.- hissed the mirror, triumphant.-We're us. Love you, Ice. Love you always.- "Ice." Blaze's whisper burned my mouth, his lips sliding on mine. "f.u.c.k me. Do it. You know you wanna."

"Mmm. Yeah." His erection jammed hard against my pubic bone, tempting, and the twinge of delicious pain threaded a glimmer of reason through my crazed senses.

This isn't you, Ice. You're the sensible one. You don't want this. And even he's not usually this cruel. Why is he acting like this, after so many months of meaningless flirting? Something's wrong here.

The mirror buzzed, angry, and I broke off, breathless, too desperate to laugh anymore. "But what about Azure, she'll be jealous-"

"Screw Azure, too. I want you." He dragged my hands down to his waist, red flames reflecting in his eyes, and at the stickiness of his smooth hips under my fingerpads, my resistance simmered away. Selfishness tickled my spine like a warm feather. My body glowed with pleasure. For once I didn't care about consequences, and it felt f.u.c.king fantastic.

By my ear, that crafty squidgy cackled, and I grinned.

I scrabbled to get his pants open, and the truth spilled out, irresponsible, beautiful, no shame, no regret: "I've always wanted you."

A sweet, arrogant Blaze grin. "Yeah, I know. 'Bout time."

His mouth demanded mine again, hot and wet and laced with fire. At last I found the buckle and released it, and his skin burned my thighs. We didn't have a condom. I didn't care. I worked my fingers around his c.o.c.k, and at the delicious throaty sigh he made into my mouth, l.u.s.t unraveled in me like a coiled snake. I wanted to impale myself on him just to hear it again, to feel his desire slide down my throat. Flame licked his wings, singeing the quilt. The swollen flesh between my legs still hurt from so many times last night, but that only made this more enticing. I wanted to feel him where I'd felt Kane, erase the chilly feeling inside, and the nerves in my s.e.x twitched hungrily. I shuddered, disbelieving and shamefully eager.

This is actually happening. I'm about to screw my best friend, and it's gonna feel really good.

"What're you lot doing in there, the laundry? Can't ya let a girl sleep?"

From the next room. Querulous. Infuriating. Predictable.

Okay, so that broke the mood. Guilt scrubbed me like a scouring pad, stinging and painful. What the h.e.l.l was I doing?

"Forget her." Blaze rubbed himself between my legs, his lips still sizzling on mine.

Hot, hard, willing. My flesh ached with need. I squeezed my eyes shut in disbelief, my breath harsh and short. The words that came out weren't the ones I needed. "Oh, G.o.d . . . Please, just . . . Christ, get off me."

"You're kidding, right?" He pushed, and I wanted so much to push back that my bones hurt.

But I summoned the ragged sc.r.a.ps of my will and squirmed out of the way, shame boiling my skin. "We shouldn't be doing this," I whispered. "Quick. Before she finds out."

"Told you you're scared." He nipped the point of my ear, cruel and arousing.

"Not scared. Sensible." The happy, alien urge to crucify sensible clawed at my guts again, but I dragged my imagination to Az's reaction if she saw us. Not good, especially after I'd promised her . . . G.o.d, I'd actually promised her I wouldn't touch him. What was I thinking?

He sucked my earlobe with a sorrowful whimper. "Pity."

"Yeah. Get off me." I shoved him away and scrambled off the bed, hunting on the floor for some clothes, any clothes before she came in and saw us. I found a crumpled blue sundress and dragged it on, fumbling to tie the halter around my sweaty neck. Hastily I fluttered my sore wings to unwrinkle them, and water showered. I smelled of him, smoky with phosphorus and boy sweat. Surely she'd notice. d.a.m.n it.

By the time I turned, Blaze was up and decent, and I'd missed the curious spectacle of him stuffing that delicious hard-on inside those tight leather pants. I giggled and whispered, strange levity polishing my guilt. "How's that thing fit in there, anyway?"

He adjusted himself with a naughty wince. "You'd be surprised where it f-"

"Noisy p.r.i.c.ks, aren't you? What's the party?" Azure fluttered in the doorway in her wispy white nightie, dragging a waterfall of green curls from her delicate neck. Sleepy glitter drifted from her wings to set her pale blue skin aglow.

Envy scratched my overwrought nerves, and I felt geeky and ugly and wished Blaze wasn't there. Even just out of bed and hungover after a night on the town, she's pretty as an angel.

Blaze winked slyly. "Icy's got a new toy."

My conscience stung. He's such a sweet liar. But his muscles shine with sweat, his lips are swollen, his wings tight and glowing, you can't miss the bulge in his pants or the stink of singed hair. Surely she'll notice, say something, hate me forever.

But poor innocent Az just blinked beautiful sleepy eyes, eager. "Ooh. I love toys. Show, Icyspice."

Great. Now we're both liars.

I shook my head loftily, eyeing that treacherous squidgy, who winked and teetered back and forth beside my pillow. "Nope. It's m-Oh no, you don't." Blaze dived for it. I dived after him. Az leapt on top of me, and we all hit the bed in a crunch of bones, snapping wings, and breathless laughter.

The mattress springs groaned. I gasped, my breath squashed away in a fairy sandwich. Blaze wriggled beneath me, and Azure flailed and yelled on top, waving her slender limbs. The squidgy giggled and rolled away, chased by three sets of grasping fingers-yellow, blue, and white.

Blaze came up with it first, his pale fingers smudging the gla.s.s as he held it in front of his face in yellow sunlight. "There's me. How ya doin, me? You're mighty fine. If you wasn't me, I'd take you home and-Oof!"

Azure elbowed him in the tummy, grabbing the mirror as he twisted away. "Nuff of that. I'm prettier than you. Look, there I am. Ugh. Wrinkles. No wonder he wanted the light off. That's it, I'm getting Botox-hey! No fair!"

I trapped her wrist with one hand and tickled her skinny rib cage until she let the mirror go in a squirming giggle fit. "Mine, I told you. Don't scare the poor little thing." I peeked inside, the pretty gla.s.s shimmering, and my heart tumbled happily, home. "There, there, squidgy. Don't let the scary fairy upset you. She's just jealous."

Azure wriggled and reached for it again. "Am not."

"Are too." I held it away, laughing and dodging, our limbs thrashing in tangles.

"Am not." Her voice took on an insistent, childish tone, and I decided not to press it.

"Are too," chimed in Blaze, pulling her hair.

Az shoved him away, hard, and he tumbled wailing to the floor. She scowled. "Am not, I said. What sc.u.mbag did Ice screw to get it, anyway?"

"What?" My heart stung, and I squirmed away and sat up, clutching the mirror in my lap. She sounded nasty, petulant. Like she meant it.

Blaze laughed and whacked me in the head with my pillow, dust flying up my nose. "A hot dirty demon lord, that's who."

Azure sniffed, haughty breeze lifting her hair. "That'd be right."

Ire seared away my restraint. I struggled to keep my voice even. "Lobster telephone! What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know what it means. You always get everything." Her eyes narrowed, her chin tight.

"Do not! Where the h.e.l.l did that come from?" But I knew where it must have come from, and I swallowed again, desperate not to look at Blaze.

But Blaze laughed, nasty, and flung the pillow at Az's head. "Jeez, Az, why are you such a b.i.t.c.h? Didn't you get off last night?"

She batted the pillow away, and her face darkened, blue leaching deeper in her cheeks. "And what do you care, s.l.u.t boy, off s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g everything with a pulse?"

A cruel grin twitched his lips. "Except you. That what this is about? You jealous?"

Her forehead crumpled, and tears blotted her lashes like green ink. He'd sc.r.a.ped too close to the truth.

My cheeks scorched, sour water flooding my mouth. "Let it be, Blaze. You don't have to rub it in-"

"Shut the f.u.c.k up, Ice." Azure rounded on me, green hair whipping her face. "You don't fool me. I know what you're doing. Always putting on that clumsy dopey-girl act to make people look at you, always trying to show me up. You're just jealous because I'm prettier than you."

"Yeah?" Her peach-scented wind lashed my hair, and I yanked the knots back, ire stinging my skin. The mirror hissed warmly in my hand, and spite gnawed my blood like a hungry rat. I let it chew. "Good thing you are, or no one would ever put up with your whiny-a.s.s s.h.i.t. At least I can still get laid after I've opened my mouth."

The silence sc.r.a.ped loud. We stared. Tears streaked her face like verdigris, her mouth quivering. Her wings drooped, and abruptly her breeze died.

My breath hurt, like I'd run too far, and my eyes stung hot. Not true, what I'd said. Nasty, thoughtless, an envious so-called friend. Christ, what's wrong with me today? Christ, what's wrong with me today?

Blaze gave a shaky sigh and dragged sheepish claws through his hair, his wings curling. "f.u.c.k. Sorry, ladies. I'm a b.i.t.c.h. Guess it was a rough night."

Remorse cramped in my belly. "Jeez. I can't believe I said that. I'm sorry, Az. I didn't mean it."

She wiped her nose, her voice indistinct. "Really?"

"Really. It's not true, what I said. I don't know why I . . ."

"Me, too." She sniffled. "I feel weird. Like someone made me. Please, can we forget it?" Her eyes shone, pleading.

Cool relief filtered my blood. I hugged her, and she hugged me back. Blaze whispered something in her ear, and she laughed and swatted him, and he winked at me over her head.

I smiled back, uneasy. I felt weird, too. I'd felt weird all day, edgy and careless and intoxicated, an uncomfortable emptiness inside like something I loved had been torn out. I couldn't possibly be drunk now, after so many hours.

Sharp metal edges nipped my palm. The mirror stared at me, its whisper rustling in my ears like wind from a distant storm. I squeezed it, and it protested with a shudder and a high-pitched whine. I squeezed harder. Grudgingly it snapped shut, and the whine silenced.

First the guy on the tram. Then throwing myself at Blaze. Then this stupid argument. Like I couldn't help myself, and just did whatever I wanted and screw the consequences. Like I wasn't afraid of anything.

All since this morning. All since I found the squidgy.

Hesitantly, I placed it down on the bedspread and s.n.a.t.c.hed my hand away.

I looked up, and Blaze looked back at me, the memory of what we'd almost done lighting wary coals in his eyes. I swallowed, disappointment fresh and salty. Shoulda known he'd never want me for real. Shoulda known he'd never want me for real. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

He pointed at the rusty sphere, hesitant like it might bite him.

"What?" demanded Azure. "What is it?"

"The squidgy," I explained reluctantly. "I think it's . . . making us feel weird. I dunno. Maybe."

The squidgy sniffed.-That's right. Blame me. Like you didn't want him, too.- "Shut up! Don't like you anymore." I swatted at it, and it rolled over sulkily and stayed silent.

Azure arched her fine brows at me, and I shrugged, sheepish. "There's someone in there. It talks to me. Can't you hear it?"

"No."

"Not even a little b-?"

"No," she insisted, tilting her chin away, but not before I saw a hint of sky-blue flush. So it talked to her, too. Interesting.

Jealousy burned my blood that the squidgy found another friend so soon, and I felt like smacking myself across the head for being so stupid. But it didn't make the jealousy go away.

Blaze wiggled bony fingers impatiently. "Where'd you say you found it?"

"In Kane's pocket. He had it at the club. I saw In . . . I mean, someone gave it to him. I saw."

Azure turned her stern mothering glare on me. "Whole truth, Slicey. Who?"

I shrugged, pretending it didn't matter, but my voice emerged small and scared like a mouse. "Indigo."

Blaze chuckled, scratching chocolate from his hair. "You're such a fangirl. You took it 'cause of him?"

"It was shiny," I protested feebly.