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“A few centuries,” I answered, standing up.

A scream cut through the air, and all of us felt it reverberate in our cores. All together one name left our lips.

“Juniper.”

Chapter

Twenty-Three

JUNIPER

Ibarely made it through the café door before the tears took me over. My vision blurred, transforming the streetlights into hazy stars as I stumbled forward, desperate to be anywhere but here. Pride's cold, clipped "No thanks" echoed in my head with devastating clarity.

I deserved it. Of course I deserved it. But knowing that didn't make it hurt any less.

People milled about on the main street—faeries with gossamer wings, a trio of vampires debating the merits of synthetic blood, a werewolf checking his watch as the moon rose. Too many witnesses to my humiliation.

My feet carried me toward the small park at the end of the street, past a fountain where teenagers had gathered to share cigarettes and gossip. Their easy laughter followed me as I found an empty bench beneath a streetlamp, settling onto the cold metal with a heavy sigh.

I'd fucked up. Badly.

He'd dressed up tonight. Had probably spent time choosing it, planning what to say, maybe even been nervous about seeing me.

And I'd turned it into a joke.

The worst part wasn't even that I'd pranked him. It was why I'd done it. Because I'd felt powerless, out of control, like everyone around me was making decisions about my life without consulting me. So I'd decided to make someone else feel small instead.

Just like my mother always did when she felt cornered.

The thought made my skin crawl. Was this who I was becoming? Someone who lashed out at others when I felt threatened?

"Excuse me, miss?"

I looked up to find a middle-aged man in an expensive suit standing near my bench. Something about his posture, the way he held himself, made alarm bells ring in my head.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" I asked, my grip tightening on my phone.

His smile was perfectly polite and completely cold. "I work for someone who's been looking for you. Would you mind coming with me?"

"I'm fine here, thanks." I started to stand, but froze as another figure emerged from behind the fountain. Then another from the opposite direction.

They'd surrounded me while I'd been lost in my own thoughts.

"Now, now," the first man said, his voice still pleasant. "No need to make this difficult. Ms. Blackwood is very eager to see her daughter."

My blood turned to ice. "I think you have me confused with someone else."

"Juniper Grey," he said, pronouncing my chosen name like it tasted bitter. "Age thirty-five. Recently employed at Eternal Matches. Living in a cottage on Diana Morningstar's property." His smile widened. "Shall I continue?"

Before I could answer, a familiar voice cut through the evening air. "That won't be necessary."

I turned as my mother approached from the direction of the main street, her silver hair perfectly styled despite the evening breeze. She moved with the same regal bearing she always did, like she owned whatever space she occupied.

Behind her, Xavier emerged from the shadows near the park entrance.

My heart hammered against my ribs as fight-or-flight instincts warred in my chest. There were too many of them, and we were in public. Whatever they wanted, they'd planned this carefully.

"Hello, sweetheart," my mother said, settling onto the bench beside me like we were old friends meeting for coffee. "You look well. That dress suits you better than your old clothes did."