I just stood there with a funny look on my face as Dax waved the wand in front of my head, then lower, working his way all the way down my body, then back up again.
“Well?” he asked, when done. “Feel better?”
I shook my head. “No. I don’t feel any different.”
“What do you feel like?” Sarah asked.
“My heart is racing and I’m hot. Every spot I see in the floor is making me crazy. I’m thirsty. My skin is tingling. Look, it’s pink.” I held out my arm for Sarah’s inspection, but Dax looked me over as well as I continued. “And I’m…” Shit, I couldn’t say it.
“Horny as hell?” Sarah finished for me.
I blushed then, but Sarah wasn’t laughing. “Yes. I can’t stop thinking about Deek, about… what we did together.”
Dax studied me. “If it wasn’t something you ate, then who did you come in contact with?”
I thought about the party, began pacing the kitchen, letting some of my restless energy bleed off.
“I came in contact with everyone at the party, but no one touches here. You guys are all too macho or whatever. So crazy. You guys are crazy, you know that?” God, Deek was so possessive, so growly when another man even looked at me, and I loved it! Loved the feeling of being cherished. Desired. Wanted.
And now, he wanted Seranda.
Dax growled. “Yes, no one touches another’s mate.”
I thought back. “Engel does. He touched me. He made Deek go crazy. He’s a jerk. I don’t like him.”
I blurted the words and immediately felt contrite. He was Deek’s cousin. Family. I shouldn’t disrespect Deek’s family.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” I looked at Sarah, pleading. “Please don’t tell Deek I said that.” Not that it would matter, because he wasn’t mine anymore.
I moaned in pain and turned away.
“Tiffani, it’s okay. We won’t tell him,” Sarah whispered.
Needing to believe her, I turned my head and watched her nod solemnly at me. Good. She wouldn’t tell. The relief was immense and instant and I felt like a three-year-old who’d just been handed a lollipop.
Dax tilted his head, watching me. “What did you mean about Engel touching you?”
It was hard to think, but not to recall the creepy feeling of Engel’s hand. “I put my hand out for Engel Steen, Deek’s cousin, uncle, whatever he is. He didn’t take it, but I shook Tia’s hand. I guess she knew it was an Earth thing.”
“Tia?” Sar
ah asked. “Why would she do this to you?”
“She wouldn’t,” Dax said. “But we were talking about Engel Steen, Tiffani. Try to remember. Did he touch you?”
I shook my head slowly as I continued to pace. “The only time was when Engel touched me at the end. I didn’t like it, but Deek was already crazy with his fever. Remember, Engel touching me was what got him all fired up and out of control.”
I stopped moving and clenched my hands into fists, furious all over again about Deek.
“Are you sure there’s not anything else?” Sarah asked. “Close your eyes and think.”
I did as she asked, working my way through the timeline of the party. “The first guests arrived and Deek actually reminded me that Atlans didn’t shake hands, but bowed in greeting, so I was thinking of that at the beginning. There was that ridiculously tall guy, remember him?” I asked, keeping my eyes closed.
Sarah laughed. “Yeah, he could have played basketball, huh?”
“After he left, Engel and Tia came. That was when I shook her hand. Engel gave me Deek’s family necklace.”
My eyes popped open and I touched the links that still rested at the base of my neck.