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g around。 I spoke through the pain； teeth gritted a little。 〃Arm's giving me trouble； but other than that； I'm okay。〃
Cherry touched the arm； running her hand lightly over the sleeve of the robe。 〃The muscles are tightening up from the rapid healing。 It will be alright in a few days。〃
〃Am I not going to have the use of my left arm for a few days？〃
〃The spasms will e and go。 Massage helps。 Hot presses may help。 There must have been some severe muscle damage for this much spasming。〃 Did I mention that Cherry was a nurse when she wasn't turning furry？
〃I can give you the use of your arm today；〃 Micah said。
We both turned and looked at him。 〃How？〃 Cherry asked。
〃I can call flesh；〃 he said again。
The look on her face said she knew what that meant； and she was impressed。 And a second later； she looked doubtful； suspicious。 That was my girl。 Though truthfully； Cherry had had a hard enough life before I met her that she'd e with an overly active suspicion。 I really couldn't take credit for it。
I was trying to remember what 〃calling the flesh〃 meant； when Nathaniel stepped through the door。 The last time I'd seen him he'd been pierced with blades； his flesh grown around the steel。 Now he was perfect not even a scar。
I must have looked as pleased； and as astonished； as I felt； because he grinned at me。 He did a little turn so I could see that back and front he was healed。 I touched his upper chest where I'd pulled out one of the blades。 The skin was smooth as if I'd only dreamed the knife。 〃I know you guys heal almost anything； but I never get over the surprise。〃
〃Eventually； you'll get used to it；〃 Merle said。 There was something in his voice that made me look at him。 Cherry's and Nathaniel's smiles faded。 They looked suddenly serious。
〃What's wrong？〃 I asked。
Cherry and Nathaniel exchanged glances； but it was Micah who spoke。 〃May I fix your arm？〃
I turned to tell him to go to hell until I knew what was happening； but my left arm chose that moment to curl up from fingertips to shoulder； one massive； painful； charley horse that bent my knees。 Only Cherry catching me kept me standing。 My hand looked like that of a strychnine victim； the fingers convulsed； clawlike。 It felt like my arm was trying to tear itself apart from the inside out。 Cherry was supporting almost all my weight as I tried not to scream。
〃Let him fix your arm； Anita； if he can；〃 she said。
The muscles in my arm relaxed by painful inches； until the urge to scream was only a small voice in my head。 My voice came out breathy from the strain； but it was clear； no whimpering。 〃What is calling flesh again？〃 I was leaning so heavily on Cherry that it was only politeness that kept her from picking me up in her arms。 She was holding all my weight。
Micah came to stand by us。 Merle hovered behind him like an overly anxious nursemaid。 〃I can heal damage in my pard with my body；〃 Micah said。
I glanced up at Cherry and saw Nathaniel standing beside her。 They both nodded at the same time； as if they'd heard my unasked question。 〃I've never seen a Nimir…Raj that could call flesh； but I've heard of it；〃 Cherry said。 〃It is possible。〃
〃You don't sound like you believe him；〃 I said。
She gave a faint smile that left her eyes tired。 〃I don't believe in much of anyone。〃 She smiled then。 〃Except you。〃
I stood； still leaning on her arm； but almost standing on my own。 I squeezed her arm with my right hand； trying to put into my eyes what I was feeling。 〃I'll always do my best for you； Cherry。〃
She smiled again； and her eyes lightened a little； though that edge of cynicism never quite left them。 〃I know that。〃
〃We all know that；〃 Nathaniel said。
I smiled at him。 I said the prayer I'd been saying since I inherited the wereleopards： Dear God； don't let me fail them。
I kept a tight grip on Cherry's arm； but turned to Micah。 〃Why is my arm the only thing that's hurting？〃
〃You don't hurt anywhere else？〃 he asked。
I started to say no； then had to think about it。 〃I ache； but nothing like the arm。 Nothing else hurts like it does。〃
He nodded as if that meant something to him。 〃Your body and our energy healed the life…threatening injuries first； and the smaller ones like the marks on your back。〃
〃I didn't think healing energy could be that selective；〃 I said。
〃It can when directed；〃 he said。
〃Who directed it？〃
His eyes locked with mine。 〃I did。〃
I glanced at Cherry； and she nodded。 〃He is a Nimir…Raj。 He was the dominant for us all。 Him and Merle。〃
I glanced at the big man。 〃Do I owe you guys a thank…you？〃
Merle shook his head。 〃You owe us nothing。〃
〃Nothing；〃 Micah said。 〃We were the ones who entered your territory without your permission。 It was our transgression； not yours。〃
I looked at them both。 〃Okay； now what？〃
〃Can you stand unaided？〃
I wasn't really sure； so I let go of Cherry in stages and found that I could stand on my own。 Great。 〃Yeah； I guess I can。〃
〃I need to touch the injuries to heal them。〃
〃I know； I know； bare skin is best for healing among lycanthropes。〃
He gave a small frown。 〃Yes； it is。〃
I used my right hand to slide the robe off my left shoulder。 I realized that it didn't bare enough of my arm。 I started to wiggle my left arm out of the sleeve； and another spasm hit me。 It was Micah who caught me this time as my arm tried to tear itself off my body and my hand gripped something that I could neither see nor feel。 It wasn't just that it hurt。 It was unnerving； like I had lost total control of my arm。
Micah whispered； 〃Scream； there's no shame in it。〃
I just shook my head； afraid to open my mouth； afraid I would scream。 He lowered me to the floor。 His hands going to the robe's sash。 The spasm relaxed in stages again； leaving me gasping on the floor while he bared most of my left side。 Once he'd revealed my left arm and shoulder； he pulled the robe back over me； covering everything I cared about； except for my left breast。 I appreciated the gesture。 Since I was now lying on the ground staring up at him； I also appreciated that he was no longer erect。 That was somehow less threatening。
He was on his knees； tracing his fingers just above the skin of my arm。 Except he wasn't touching my skin； he was touching that otherworldly energy that spilled off of my skin。 His energy flowed from his hand and mingled with mine in a dance of electricity that sent goosebumps down my skin。 For the first time I thought to ask； 〃Is this going to hurt？〃
〃No； it shouldn't。〃
I heard masculine laughter。 I was looking up at all the men in the room except for one。 I turned my head to see Caleb still sitting on the bed。
〃Is there a joke I'm not getting？〃
〃Ignore him；〃 Merle said。
I looked up at their so…serious eyes； while Caleb's laughter played background music。 〃Are you sure there isn't something you want to tell me about the calling of flesh？〃
Micah shook his head； sending the tangle of curls sliding around his face。 I realized that no one had turned on a light。 We were still moving in the twilight of the night…light。 〃Can someone turn on a light？〃
There was a flurry of eye flicks； one to the other； to the other； like they were playing hot potato with the glance。 〃What's wrong？〃
〃Why do you think anything is wrong？〃 Micah said。
〃Don't fuck with me； I saw the glances。 Why can't we turn on the lights？〃
〃You may be photosensitive because of the rapid healing；〃 Cherry said。
I looked at her and could feel the suspicion on my face。 〃That's what all those looks were about？〃 I said。
〃We're worried about how your body is 。。。 reacting to the injuries。〃 She knelt beside me on the side opposite Micah。 She stroked my hair like you'd pet a dog to soothe it。 〃We're worried about you。〃
〃I got that。〃 It was hard to be suspicious with her vibrating sincerity at me。 I finally had to smile。 〃I guess we can do without the lights until after he heals me。〃
She smiled； and this time it did reach her eyes。 〃Good。〃
〃You might want to give us some room here；〃 Micah said。 〃Otherwise the energy can spread。〃
Cherry gave me a last touch then stood and moved back； taking Nathaniel with her。 Micah stared up at Merle。 〃You； too。〃
Merle frowned； but he moved across the room with the others。 They all ended up by the bed with Caleb。 Strangely； I'd e as far across the room as I could get from the bed without leaving the room。 Totally unconscious on my part； honest。
Micah stayed kneeling； but leaned back on the balls of his feet； hands open on his thighs； eyes closed； and I felt him open himself。 His energy swirled over me like a thread of hot air that closed my throat； made it hard to breathe。 He opened those alien eyes and looked at me； face slack； as if he were meditating or dreaming。
I expected him to lay hands on me； but his hands stayed on his thighs。 He leaned his upper body towards my shoulder。
I put my right hand on his arm； and the moment I touched him； his beast curled through me。 It was almost as if some great invisible cat were sliding in and out of my body； the way they'll entwine themselves around your legs； except this cat went places that not even a lover should be touching。 It froze my words in my throat； and from the look on Micah's face； I could