Ani's brow furrowed in confusion. She had never felt that before, nor had she been told that she would. "What does it mean?" she demanded, thinking there was something wrong with her body.

Nikolai leaned against the wall and sighed, "It means you are ready for sex. I sexually appeal to you." He explained. "or something like that, women are so confusing."

Now that, she did understand. Animya hissed and backed up. "Me? Attracted to you? As if."

Nikolai laughed and shook his head, "your body seems to disagree." He teased.

She growled with irritation. "Damn animal." Ani muttered sourly, pushing past him and jostling his shoulder.

Nikolai laughed and walked beside her, "Look it was either me, or Mason over there." He teased again.

"I say niether." she snapped, though heat pooled below despite her words, which only put her in a worse mood.

Nikolai laughed, "oh some one is." He growled in her ear, wrapping an arm around her hip and pulling Ani into him with a little twirl. "I can smell it."

She stiffled her yelp with a snarl. "Dont." Ani's leg twitched against his. Damn her body.

"Don't what?" Nikolai said teasingly, tip toeing the tips of his claws up her body. "What's the worst that can happen if you give into your desires just once?"

Shivers traveled up her body and a tiny moan escaped her lips as goosebumps formed after the trail his claws left on her.

Niko let out a laugh and nipped at her neck before pulling away, "Tell me. What do you feel?"

Ani squinted her eyes shut. "I...." but she couldn't get anymore words out, she could hardly think straight.

Nikolai smiled, and nipped again. "Go on. Tell me" he growled.

"Nervous and uncomfortable." she said blandly, though her back was arching from his nipping and nuzzling, and itw as making her nervous and uncomfortable, but it was flaring some sort of desire within her core.

Nikolai laughed and pulled away again, "Right then." He said, his voice going from teasing to normal. "Well. Welcome to our home." He said with a wink, "You're always welcome to visit me alone in my room."

She backed up away from him and breathed heavily, then quickly scuttled into the room where her clothes and feather were in. Ani slipped into bed quickly and trembled under the cool sheets.

Niko smiled and returned to his room next to Lix and Lilly. He sat down and thought to himself, "I still got it." He laughed and laid down.

The next morning Lilly was still curled up against Lixa, almost in a coma of much needed sleep. And Ani's room was vacant.

Lix remained curled against Lilly, not wanting to move.

Nikolai stepped into the hallway and yawned as he stretched.

Ani was out by a nearby lake, skipping rocks over it with her knees tucked up to her chest.

Mason walked out to the lake and sat down next to Ani. "Hey." he greeted.

"Hi." she skipped another rock.

"So..um.. Niko." he smiled slightly and ran a hand through his hair.

Animya growled under her breath.

"Are you attracted to him?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Do you like him?"

"No."

"Do you like me?"