"How much farther?" Derek asked. "Patience is a virtue," Ghastek advised. "Lecturing a wolf about patience is unwise." That was the first time Derek condescended to addressing Ghastek directly, and his face plainly showed he felt quite soiled by having to stoop so low. "Should I find myself speaking to an animal for some bewildering reason, I'll take it under advisement." The magic hit, so thick my heart skipped a beat. Derek clenched his teeth. His face strained, muscles on his forearms bulged, and his eyes flooded with yellow. The hair on the back of my arms rose. The intense cold fire of those eyes chilled me. He was on the verge of going furry. "You okay?" His lips quivered. The fire in his eyes died to its usual soft brown. "Yeah," he said. "Took me by surprise." The vampire kept galloping as if nothing had happened. "Ghastek, you okay?" He offered Derek a smile. "Never better. Unlike Pack members, the People don't tolerate losses of control." Derek's eyes flashed gold. "If I lose control, you'll be the first to know." "I'm quite perturbed by the idea."