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As he comes closer, more details become clear. His ears are pointed, and his wickedly sinful smirk shows off a pair of fangs.

Hands raise phones all around me, aiming them at the sky .

“He’s an angel!” Skye breathes.

“Or a demon,” Autumn says. “One of the sexy kinds.”

“No,” I say. “He’s a fae.”

A month ago, I met a few fae orcs and shifters, but it’s been quiet since then, so I hoped the fae would continue to stay away from Ferndale Falls.

But this new guy squashes that wish flat. More fae have found their way to Earth. Only, what kind is he? I’ve never seen one with shadow wings. And if the silver crown on his head is any indication, he’s a king.

King or not, I don’t care how hot he is—he’s not going to endanger my town!

I step onto the green, putting myself in front of the rest of the townspeople. “What do you think you’re doing?” I yell up at him, hands on hips. “You can’t just go flying around like that! People on Earth don’t know about magic! The government will lock us all up if this gets out!”

“Are you the leader here?” He scowls at me, which only makes his cheekbones look even more amazing. How is that fair?

“I’m the mayor,” I say.

His hand slashes through the air.

All sound goes muffled. I spin to find everyone behind me waving dead phones, their mouths moving, even though I can’t hear them.

“What did you do?” I jab a finger toward the townspeople.

“I turned off their devices and wrapped the two of us in illusion to give us privacy.”

“Why? ”

“I am King Severin, ruler of the shadow fae, and I come to make you an offer.” He hovers in the air above me, his eyes spearing me in place. “Give me and my people a place here on Earth, and you will be amply rewarded.”

Rewarded? Ferndale Falls could seriously use a major cash injection, no matter where it comes from. I say, “Explain.”

“I will do better than mere words.” He spreads his hands wide, and the ground beneath my feet stirs.

I shriek like an overheated tea kettle and leap backward onto the sidewalk, destroying any hope of keeping my mayoral poise in front of King Severin.

But who the hell can blame me?

The bare dirt of the green churns . Small trees thrust upward, growing as they go, branches spreading and breaking out into a riot of leaves.

I don’t recognize all of them, but the dogwoods bloom with familiar, cheerful white flowers.

Bushes come next, azaleas with rich pink blooms and other plants I can’t name.

Local ferns dot the ground in the shade of the trees, and beds of flowers break into bloom.

Thick grass—the kind of grass I dreamed of every single time I sowed another batch of seed—covers the open spaces.

In only seconds, the town green looks even better than it did when I was a child.

It’s perfectly landscaped, with a large enough grassy area for kids to play.

I can picture picnic blankets spread out on sunny days and music nights with Jared strumming on his guitar.

The breeze picks up the smell of flowers, their sweetness teasing my nose.

The brightly painted shops on Main Street appear transformed, looking instantly cheerier due to the restored green.

Tears prickle my eyes. It’s like seeing everything I’ve ever wanted for my small town, peace and prosperity written in lush plants that vibrate with beauty and life.

In a gust of wind, the fae king lands directly in front of me, and his shadowy wings disappear into his body, the tattoos on his chest moving as they do so.

God, he’s even more gorgeous up close, his eyes a rich emerald that matches the leaves of the trees he just conjured.

He’s also taller than me, at least six-and-a-half feet, and his shoulders are deliciously wide.

Long dormant butterflies stir to life in my tummy.

In a flash, my lady bits let me know I haven’t dated anyone since I got back from college.

There hasn’t been time. I’ve spent every moment of the past few years doing everything I can to save Ferndale Falls, and the dating pool has only gotten smaller since high school, because most of the people who went off to college had to take jobs elsewhere instead of being able to come home.

“Well?” Severin cocks an imperious eyebrow.

“It’s beautiful,” I admit. At his smirk, I add, “But pretty flowers won’t solve Ferndale Falls’s problems. We need shops and cafés and customers for them.

We need money.” God, it hurts to admit that to him and his calculating gaze, and heat flares across my cheeks.

Dammit. When I blush, I blush hard , and it’s really freaking embarrassing.

But I swallow my pride and lift my chin.

I’ll do anything for my town. “And we need magical protection. You just put on quite the show—one that could get everyone here in trouble. I refuse to let my town become some kind of government science experiment. ”

“I can provide all of those,” he says, his voice beautiful and resonant and beguiling. “For a price.”

I stop myself from swaying forward, a thread of caution cutting through this attraction I feel. “What price?”

“You are the leader of this place?”

“Like I said, I’m the mayor.”

“And you have magic?”

“Yes.” I hide a wince. It’s not a total lie. Even if I have no idea what my powers are, I’m pretty sure I’m a witch.

“I’ll do everything within my power to save and protect your town.” His smirk turns positively wicked.

“All you have to do is marry me.”