I clenched my teeth, trying to evaluate my options. I wasn't going to use Ares again since I knew he'd turn it around to make me uncomfortable once more. I had to do something he wouldn't expect.

I raked through my mind trying to think of anything. I wanted revenge for all the times he found amusement at my expense, even if it was one of the lesser evils I had faced in life.

Just as I was about to give up on retaliating in some form, an idea came to mind. It was a foolish and immature one that had me questioning my age but it was a plan nonetheless. Even if I had doubts about whether I'd be able to pull it off without making a fool of myself or not.

Putting on a sugary sweet smile, I leaned toward him and latched onto his arm, hugging it tightly.

The action surprised him as intended. He looked down at me in confusion, but it was quick to morph into suspicion.

At least he wasn't a complete fool like a certain dragon who thought burnt pancakes could fix everything.

Keeping my smile in place I looked towards Ezra, not letting up my hold on Ryder one bit. Not that he fought my hold, but he also didn't encourage it like I would have suspected. That had doubts of my own rising.

"Do you need me to take his temperature?" I asked Ezra, once more breaking his mystified observations.

I didn't know what to make of the strange way his eyes were taking me in. It was like he was trying to figure something out.

I pushed the thought from my mind, choosing to prioritize making Ryder uncomfortable. It didn't matter what Ezra thought of me anymore. I already knew I wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

But what I could do was make Ryder blush redder than what I had previously witnessed the curly-haired brunette before me turn.

I would win.

If he wanted a nurse, I would give him one, I thought as I recalled a certain scarring encounter I had with a nurse at a hospital when I was a young child with a high fever. She was going to serve as my inspiration for the role Ryder wanted me to play.

Ezra looked between us wearily. "Seeing how much his complexion has improved since yesterday, it's not necessary..."

Although my heart rejoiced that he was no longer looking like a brooding, pale-faced, sunken cheek vampire, my stomach dropped, dejected as the prospects of my idea disappeared. My plan was admittedly very stupid and purely fuel by the need to make Ryder uncomfortable since he loved to do it to me so much, but I hadn't realized how much I wanted to try it until the option was taken away.

"But-"

My eyes snapped up to Ezra when he continued.

"It wouldn't hurt to check." His lips quirked up in a hesitant smile.

It grew in confidence when the crestfallen expression that had overtaken my face began to lift again.

The muscles in Ryder's arm flexed, moving beneath my hands as he clenched his fist, drawing my attention back. It was only then that I was aware of the barely noticeable, yet growing hum of suspicion I could feel in my chest.

It was coming from Ryder.

My eyes widened. If I could feel his emotions, he could feel mine. He would know I was plotting something. If he didn't, it wouldn't take him long to realize it.

I jerked to pull my hands away but paused before I could make my alarm clearer than it already was. Slowly and calmly, trying not to show my panic, I let go of his arm, took a step back towards Ezra who stood farther into the infirmary, and smiled at him. I didn't know if it would have an effect on how strongly he felt what I was feeling, but the distance gave me some semblance of comfort and security.

A shiver of unease travelled down my spine. It was becoming clearer and clearer that my safe place was no longer just mine. I didn't doubt that I was still safe in my own head in his presence, but it no longer held the privacy that the inner mind should have provided. It was supposed to be the one place I was safe. Sure, Axel had violated that safety before, but that was different. It had felt impersonal, an action done to achieve what they needed.

But with Ryder...

The way Ryder, Ares, and the others had their claws dug into my very being terrified me. Enough to even entertain the idea of going to Zev to learn his little blocking trick. But that was only for a split second before rationality beat some mental sense into me.

Just because he couldn't kill me, didn't me he wouldn't hurt me. Our past was evidence of that. I had a feeling I would have suffered far worse if they didn't have plans for me to eventually show in the public eye.

I pushed the worries away, trying to calm my mounting panic. Nothing would happen if Ryder realized what my immature plan consisted of. He was going to find out soon enough anyway. He would react then too.

But not like him.

Not that I'd try anything so stupid with a real threat.

Nonetheless, the reminder reassured me. Ares and Ryder were safe. The man had risked his life to save mine, almost losing it. I doubted he'd take it over a little teasing.

Though I appreciated it more than I could ever express, he was still going to be the one with a flaming red face of defeat. Last night had already pushed the limits of what made my blood heat in the way Ryder loved to rile me up best.

Turning away, I tried to form a mental wall around my body to keep any signals from reaching out to him. I didn't know if it would work, but it wouldn't hurt to try.

I took another step into the bright and sterile environment. I was surprised to see only a hand full of beds towards the front of the room while the majority of the room resembled a scientist's wet dream.

I nodded at Ezra. "I'd feel much better knowing that he was completely fine."

The statement earned a raised brow from the fox-eared man in question. "Oh, since when?"

My eyes narrowed on him. His ear twitched in amusement.

"I'll get the crystal," Ezra said before I could respond to the teasing.

His words had me freezing. The glare I had aimed at Ryder widened.

Shit. I forgot.

We weren't in Kansas anymore.

Or the same realm. Things didn't work the same here. The chances of them using thermometers similar to the kinds we had on earth were slim to none. Hearing Ezra say crystal gave me the impression he wasn't going to return with something I could use to continue my childish plan.

My heart sunk once more.

"What wrong, sweetheart? Something the problem?"

I jumped at the voice in my ear. Ryder had snuck up the few steps I had put between us unnoticed while I was lost in thought.

From his tone, I could tell he knew that something was, in fact, wrong. He should have kept his mouth shut. Or at least he should have kept the mocking tone out of his voice that told me he had sensed my shift in emotions.

Pushing my shoulders back, I followed after Ezra, heading towards where he was hunched over and digging behind neatly labelled glass jars in one of the glass cabinets. I could feel Ryder follow behind me before his light chuckle confirmed it.

Ezra straighten, a clear crystal in his hand as we came to a stop near him.

"Got it," he beamed, holding it up for me to see.

Deciding to just let things play out as they come, I didn't try to disguise the confusion on my face as I examined the smooth gem from a distance.

"That's a thermometer?"

"Thermometer?" Ezra's brows furrowed in confusion as he mulled over the word, seeming to try to recall where he had heard it. "It's a device to take human temperature, right? Oftentimes had a red, liquid, marker?" He asked, surprising me.

I guess Axel wasn't lying when he shared that Ezra had been researching humans.

I nodded.

He rose the crystal in his hand. "This does the same-"

I shook my head.

"I don't know how you're devices work," I tried to reason. "I need to make sure he's okay using something I know how to use and can rely on. Seeing him so close to death..." I trailed off, my throat closing as my act became true. Seeing Ryder on death's door had affected me more than I was willing to face.

Seeing the unspoken words written on my face, he nodded grimly. "I understand, but the crystal is a more accurate-"

He tried to explain, but I cut him off. It wasn't his fault he didn't know I wasn't taking Ryder's temperature out of a place of concern. If he was well enough to tease me, he was well enough to be teased. The need to distract me from the intruding memories that Ezra's presence brought out, just pushed me to continue with my plan that at this point just seemed ridiculous.

"I know how to properly use a thermometer to get the most accurate reading," I said, my voice coming out clipped

Ezra watched me closely with furrowed brows. I could see the confusion in his eyes. I could also see the exact moment he realized that I was up to something. The slight rise of his brows and the softening of the fine lines around his green eyes gave him away.

At first, I didn't think he knew what I had in mind, but when his grin grew deviously, doubt entered my mind. If he was learning about humans, did that include learning the most accurate way to take one's temperature?

Because soon, Ryder was going to be explaining the unpleasantness that came along with the accuracy. Or at least his face would be flaming as he heard of what needed to be done and refused. I was going to enjoy watching him squirm.

He wanted to get intimate, and he wanted a nurse. Now he was going to get both.

Ezra's grin widened, earning a scowl from Ryder. "Hold on," he said, raising a finger.

Turning away, he jogged towards the back of the room. He stopped at the desk at the very end, the only one whose surface was littered with loose pieces of parchment. It was enough to tell me who the owner was. I didn't need to witness him heft the box off the floor behind it to know it was his. He returned to where we stood near one of the longer work tables with it and set it on top of it when a light thud. I could hear various pieces of metal and glass clatter against each other.

Opening the top, he began to pull out pieces of equipment that I was surprised to recognize. First a stethoscope, then a blood pressure cuff, and then one of those knee reflex testing things I never could remember a doctor using on me before. He removed a few larger pieces before rifling around in the box and finally pulling out what he was looking for.

He held up a thin glass thermometer with a metal tip. He presented it to me.

A bit small, but more than enough to get the job done.

I looked up from the thermometer to see Ezra smiling a familiar smile at me. It twisted my heart.

Seeing the joy on his face reminded me of the old days that I once enjoyed. Ones where I looked forward to spending a few minutes in peace with him. Days that were now memories marred by his betrayal. Though Zev had been the one most responsible for the gruesome events that took place that night, Ezra was the one that hurt me the most.

More than lashes to the flesh ever could. The deepest cuts were oftentimes invisible.

Forcing a smile on my face, I tried to mirror his excitement while pushing back images of a blood-stained ballroom floor. Taking a step forward, I reached for the thermometer. As I took it from him, he leaned in and spoke softly so only I would hear.

"Do you want me to hold him down?"

The question had me raising a surprised brow at him. I couldn't help the laugh that burst past my lips.

It helped ease the line that had formed between his brows.

I shook my head. "The goal is to elicit a reaction. The redder the better," I quietly shared before pulling away. I didn't know why I gave him that little tidbit of information, and I didn't waste too long dwelling why not when sweet victory was so near.

"What are you talking about?" Ryder asked, his voice carrying annoyance.

It made my amusement grow. Ezra didn't know he already helped me by triggering Ryder's envy where I failed to with Ares.

"Nothing," I answered, my grinning face looking as convincing as my mischievous eyes.

He eyes me skeptically, but I saw the moment he made the mistake of underestimating me. It was in the way he casually leaned back against the table behind him.

It reminded me of Jaxon this morning and how little of a threat he considered me to be that he didn't even pause to think I may have reacted wrongly to being awakened by a hand over my mouth.

I tightened my shaking hands into fists before anyone could notice.

Maybe this morning had left a greater effect than I realized.

"Nea?"

Ezra's concerned voice had me clearing my throat and meeting Ryder's concerned gaze. His brow rose when I narrowed my eyes.

I put on a smile that was anything but nice. "Turn around. It's time to take your temperature."

He blinked at me. "What?"

"I need to take your temperature," I repeated, raining the small glass stick as Ezra tried to hide his laughter behind us.

If it wasn't clear that he knew where I was headed with the whole nurse act Ryder had wanted me to put on before, it was now.

"Okay..."

Ryder held out a hand palm up. "Give me the crystal."

His actions and words earned another stifled laugh from behind us.

I shook my head, not taking my eyes off Ryder as confusion continued to invade. My smirk grew slowly. I was sure it was a terrifying sight with the manic look in my eyes.

"That's not how it's done on Earth." The way I had planned for him wasn't the proffered or most common method, but it was the most accurate.

"Well, good thing we're not on Earth."

I shook my head again. While I tried to come up with words to counter him, Ezra jumped in.

"This is for her ease of mind, not to determine what we already know. The bond will make her want to confirm you're alright in the way she believes is most reliable. Let her use her human tool."

Ryder looked skeptical. Until Ezra's next words.

"I would never let my mate worry needlessly if I knew how to ease her troubles."

The fox ears on his head lowered threatening as he lightly snarled towards him.

"Fine," he spit out. "What do you need of me?"

My cheeks began to ache as my eyes sparkled. He had walked right into the trap. I couldn't help but glance towards Ezra in thanks.

The question was, would he back down once he learned what came next?

Trying to straighten my face, I looked him in the eyes and pushed my shoulders back as I told him what he needed to do in a clear voice.

"Turn around, drop your pants, and bend over."

The widening of Ryder's eyes was my first taste of victory.