With a wink, the rogue turned and vanished into the darkness as swiftly as he’d appeared. A motorcycle roared to life somewhere in the sea of cars, and tore off into the night.

“Ember!” Dante’s voice rang out. Glaring at me, my twin stalked to the edge of the driveway, keys in hand. “Let’s go!” he ordered, pointing to the vehicle we’d arrived in. “Get in the car, right now!

We’re going home.”

I bristled at his demanding tone. Who was he to order me around?

He wasn’t my boss. And I wasn’t looking forward to the conversation on the ride home, either. He’d seen me talking with Riley and would probably demand to know how I knew the rogue, something I wasn’t about to confess, especially now.

The sirens got louder. Most of the crowd had disappeared, or were in the process of driving off. Unable to stop myself, I looked at Garret, standing alone in the shadows several yards away, his metallic eyes on me. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t step forward, either to defend me or offer a ride, and hurt flared up to join the anger, confusion, and disappointment.

“You know what?” I growled, backing away from Dante and Garret, back toward the house. Blue and red lights flashed in the distance, coming up the road, as I made my decision. “Screw you both.

I don’t need any of this. I’ll find my own way home.”

“Ember!” Dante yelled, but I turned and ran, sprinting around the house, down toward the shore and into the darkness. Leaving them all behind.

Maybe a hundred yards down the beach, I slowed, kicking up sand as I stalked along the edge of the water, thinking. Small waves rumbled as they rolled onto shore, then hissed as they returned to the sea. Overhead, a full white moon blazed down, turning the beach into a fantasyland of silver and black. I could still hear the sirens from the squad cars, probably at the party right now, breaking it up.

Hopefully, everyone got out okay, though I didn’t know why I should be concerned. I did feel guilty for running out on Dante, who would call my phone every ten minutes, but who also knew me well enough to know I could get home by myself. I wasn’t worried about him. at least he cared. The other boys could fling themselves off a cliff.

I sighed. Riley, Dante, Garret. Three impossible boys who, for different reasons, were making my life very difficult. Dante for being a paranoid jerk sometimes. Who said I could trust him but then agreed with everything Talon said. Who was a perfect model student, didn’t bend the rules, and expected me to do the same. Riley, a rogue dragon who encouraged me to do the exact opposite. who flaunted Talon’s laws and tempted me with the secrets he possessed, and the freedom he represented. Who called to my dragon and was impossible to ignore.

And Garret. A human. Enough said right there.

I sighed again, tipping my head back. My skin was still flushed, whether from anger or adrenaline or both, and my dragon crackled and snapped in myriad different directions. I needed to calm down.

I wished I had my board. It was impossible to stay tense while floating on the surface of the ocean, its cold, dark depths lulling you to sleep. The sea was fascinating. It always amazed me, how calm and peaceful it was one moment, only to bear down on you a moment later with the power and savagery of a hurricane.

A wave crawled up the shore, foaming over my toes. Taking my phone out of my pocket, I walked away from the water and set it and Riley’s note in the sand. When the next wave hissed over up the shore, I followed it back to the ocean, wading out into the depths.

I stopped when I was waist deep, feeling the cold seep into my skin, calming the flames that still flickered inside. Hugging myself, I closed my eyes and let the salty breeze cool my face. I should probably go home. Dante had the car, which meant I’d have to take a cab, the bus, or walk back to the house. Flying was, as always, a tempting option. But I’d promised my brother I wouldn’t jeopardize our time here, and tempting fate seemed like a bad idea right now. I sighed again, resigned to a purely human trek back home.

“Ember.”

My heart leaped at the low, quiet voice, and I turned. Garret’s lean silhouette stood on the shore watching me, the ocean wind tugging at his shirt. Seeing him, I felt a rush of happiness and longing; he’d come after me. Quickly, I shut it down. Garret wasn’t interested. He’d made that clear tonight.

“What do you want, Garret?” I called, not moving from where I stood. A wave slapped against me, cool on my skin, smelling of salt and foam and the sea. I faced Garret across the dark water and crossed my arms. “Shouldn’t you be heading home? The cops have probably broken up the party by now.”

“I wanted to talk to you.” He took a step forward, stopping just shy of a wave as it hissed onto the sand. “I didn’t want to leave things between us as they were.”

“So talk.”

Those mercury eyes blinked, reflecting the moonlight, as he gave a slight frown. “Maybe you could come onto the beach?” he suggested, nodding to the sand behind him. “That way we won’t have to shout at each other.”

“I’m fine right here, thanks.” I raised my chin, feeling stubborn and insolent. Garret sighed.

“All right,” he said…and strode into the ocean, wading through the water in jeans and a T-shirt. I dropped my arms, startled, as he stepped in front of me, the waves lapping at his stomach and chest, drenching the front of his shirt. I felt the heat from his body as he leaned in.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly, his voice just a murmur between us, nearly lost in the rushing waves. “For tonight. For everything. I guess I…”