Page 19

E vie stopped her car on the pad behind her house and turned off the ignition. The ancient compact shuddered and then went ominously silent. She muttered something dark. The car wasn’t long for this world. Somehow she’d have to find the cash for a new one.

It was Saturday night, nine days since she’d found Jace bleeding in her backyard. Not for the first time, she wondered how he was doing—and then scowled and told herself he was fine, and probably back doing whatever it was he did.

She grabbed her backpack and got out of the car.

The house was dark except for the light she’d left on over the back door.

Kyler must still be at Ben’s house. At least she hoped that was where he was, because he hadn’t bothered to check in with her—again.

He’d been pushing her all week, “forgetting” to check in and then coming home way after his curfew.

“School’s almost out,” he’d said. “All we’re doing is taking finals, and I’m allowed to go in late.”

“You’d do better on your tests if you had a good night sleep.”

“Relax,” he returned in a tone that had Evie tightening her jaw. “I’ve got practically a four-point average.” And he did, so what could she say?

Now she glanced at her phone—it was after midnight. He should be home, damn it. And he hadn’t left a message either.

She sighed and slung her backpack over one shoulder, flipping her keys so that the tips stuck out between her knuckles. If someone attacked her, she was going to be ready.

Evie was almost at the steps when her nape tingled in an eerie repeat of last Thursday. Someone was watching her. She gripped her keys and glanced around.

Across the alley, a pair of luminous green eyes stared at her, unblinking, from the shadows.

Her heart kicked into a gallop. “Jace? Is that you?”

Please let it be him.

He stepped forward. She blew out a breath. It was Jace.

He crossed the alley in a few long, loose strides. An atavistic tremor went down her spine. This was the real Jace—and he was nothing like the injured, feverish victim of last week.

No, this man was dark. Powerful. Raw-boned. A panther in a T-shirt and jeans.

She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin, because damn it, she’d saved the man’s life. She refused to let him spook her.

He stopped a few feet away. “Hello, Evie.”

He was bigger than she remembered, but then, last week he’d been hunched over nursing his injuries. Now she realized he was a good half foot taller than her with the lean, hard build of a soldier. Another shiver went down her spine—but this one had nothing to do with fear.

She swallowed. “You’re better?” She glanced at his stomach, although the wounds were covered by the shirt.

“Suha thinks I should still be in bed, but yeah, I’m much better.”

“Suha?” Evie felt a pinch of jealousy, which she immediately stomped on. Why should she be jealous? She barely knew the man.

“Our head healer. She knows her stuff, but she’s one tough mother, you know?”

Evie pictured an older, somewhat overprotective woman and smothered a smile. “Seriously? You let her boss you?”

“Better than listening to her nagging. She’s so calm and reasonable—and she makes you feel like a shit if you don’t take her advice. But we’re lucky to have her. We lost our last healer in the Dark—” He halted.

Evie flashed on those stories about the murderous Baltimore shifters and glanced away, somehow sure she didn’t want to know.

“Anyway,” Jace said, “I came to see how you are.”

“Me?” Her eyes narrowed as she recalled how he’d acted when Adric had accused her of being part fae. The man had growled at her. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll bewitch you or something?”

“No.” Shame flashed across his face. “I’m sorry about that. You helped me, and you didn’t deserve that in return.”

She shrugged. “I would’ve done the same for anyone.” And he had stood up for her with Adric. From what she knew about the fada, the alpha was king, so that meant something.

He stepped closer, a slow, graceful ripple of his muscles. “Would you? Have done the same for anyone?”

Her mouth dried. “Yes.”

Their gazes snagged and Jace smiled—not with his lips, but with his eyes. The corners creased in a way that made her stomach flip. “You have a good heart.”

She smoothed her hands down her pants, painfully aware that she was still dressed in her server uniform—straight black slacks and a white button-up shirt. And she probably smelled funky; it had been a busy night at the restaurant.

He fiddled with the hoop in her left earlobe. “But you should be more careful, living alone with only a young kid like your brother.”

“I’ve known most of the neighbors for years. We look out for each other.”

“Yeah? That’s good. I’m glad you have someone, at least.”

As if on cue, Mrs. Linney’s stoop light went on three houses down and she stepped out her back door dressed in flip flops and an outsized neon-green nightgown. Jace immediately stepped back from Evie and tucked the quartz pendant out of sight beneath his T-shirt.

Mrs. Linney lit a cigarette and peered at them over the top of cat’s-eye glasses. “’Evening, hon. You’re out late.”

“I just got off work.”

“Ah…” The older woman blew a perfect smoke ring and then narrowed her eyes at Jace. “Don’t I know you from somewhere?”

Evie concealed a grin. Not much happened on their block that Mrs. Linney didn’t know about.

“No, ma’am,” he responded. “I don’t believe so.”

“This is a friend of mine,” Evie said. “Jace—” She realized she didn’t know his last name.

“Jones.” He nodded politely to the older woman. “Good to meet you.”

Evie glanced from him to her neighbor’s curious face and made up her mind. “We were just on our way inside,” she told Mrs. Linney. “Tell Mr. Linney I said hi.”

She grabbed her backpack and headed up the steps, Jace following. Inside, she flipped on the kitchen light and shot him a rueful smile. “That’s our version of a neighborhood watch. I swear the woman never sleeps.”

“I don’t mind. For all she knew, I was some strange man looking for trouble.”

“I do feel safer knowing she’s keeping an eye on things.” Evie opened the refrigerator. “Want a beer? Or I have ice tea if you’d rather.”

“Beer, please.”

She got out two cans and handed him one. He glanced curiously around the kitchen while she took a sip of her beer. It was ice-cold, just what she needed. She leaned against the counter and let out a breath, tired to her very toes.

Jace frowned. “You work too hard.”

She moved a shoulder. “It’s the weekend. I run my ass off but I make a ton of tips.”

“When will you graduate from nursing school?”

“In two or three years. I just started.”

He shook his head. “It’s too much.”

“Maybe, but it’s worth it.” She set the can on the counter. “Why are you here, Jace? I thought you lived in Baltimore.”

“I do, but I come up pretty often. My niece lives near here, and the clan is mining across the river.”

“Mining what?” she asked curiously.

“Quartz. This whole area sits on a thick vein of quartz. That’s why radios and cell phones sometimes can’t get a signal—the quartz blocks it.”

“But what do you do with quartz other than wear it around your neck?”

“We make things with it.” He took a gulp of beer, clearly done with the subject. “Anyway, I wanted to let you know we had someone watching you and Kyler all week, and there’s been no sign of the night fae.”

“You had someone watching us?” She frowned, not sure how she felt about that.

“Just as a precaution. You don’t know the night fae.”

She recalled the cold, malevolent presence that had come to her door and decided to be grateful. “I have to admit, that guy creeped me out. In fact, that’s why I drove to work—normally I just walk or ride my bike.”

His brows knit. “At midnight?”

“It’s a small town.”

“Your brother should pick you up at night.”

“What would he do against a night fae?”

“Nothing. But there are human predators, too.”

She rubbed her nape. “Look, I’m careful.”

Jace pressed his lips together but let it go. “Well, you don’t have to worry. He must know I’m back in Baltimore.”

“You know who it was?”

“Yeah, but it’s better if you don’t know. Besides, saying a fae’s name aloud can draw their attention.”

“Right.” Evie recalled hearing that somewhere, although with the fae you never knew what was real and what was myth.

Jace finished his beer and set it in the kitchen sink. “How long have you lived in Grace Harbor?”

“Since I was eight. My mom and dad bought this house.” Or rather her dad had—right before he left for good.

“But it’s just you and your brother?”

“Yeah. Mom passed a couple of years ago, and who knows where my dad is?”

His eyes flickered. “I’m sorry about your mom. That’s too young.”

Evie swallowed. “Yeah.” That’s what she thought, too; your mom wasn’t supposed to die before you were out of your twenties. “It is.”

“So your dad’s the one who’s part fae?”

“I guess. If I’m part fae, it must’ve come from him.”

She’d had a week to get used to the idea. She supposed it could be true. Fane was tall and blond like the local sun fae—and gorgeous, even if he was her dad. He could be a mixed-blood. Her mom had never really gotten over him, although she’d made a good life with Kyler’s dad.

And Fane had a way of knowing things, like that her mom was on her deathbed.

“I’m sure it’s just a trace,” she added. “I mean look at me—no magic, no Gift.”

Jace prowled closer. “You’re beautiful like the fae.”

Evie’s pulse sped up, but she rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right.” He was the one who was beautiful—a spare male beauty with high cheekbones and a firm, knowing mouth, his eyes a brilliant mix of gold and green and brown framed by those impossibly thick lashes.

“And your brother—Kyler?” he asked, just as if he weren’t standing so close. “He hasn’t seen or heard anything?”

“Not that he told me. He’s at a friend’s house right now—but you already know that.”

He shrugged but didn’t deny it. “I was standing guard outside the restaurant most of the night, but yeah, I checked in on Kyler a few times.”