“Will do,” Lachlan said.

“Good. And one last thing—I’d suggest approaching from the alley. You can expect three, maybe four, demons.”

“Thank you.” Lachlan pulled his shirt on over his head and looked at me. “Ready?”

I nodded my thanks to Damian, then followed Lachlan from the basement, up the stairs, through the heaving crowd, and out into the cold night air.

“Where to until morning?” I asked, eying his injuries worriedly. “You need to get cleaned up. Maybe take a healing potion. I have one.”

“No potions,” he growled.

“Sure, whatever, Cujo.”

“Cujo?”

“You know, the killer dog from Steven King.”

The edge of his lips quirked up in a reluctant smile, and he winced. “We’ll find a hotel to spend the next few hours. I heal fast, so I should be mostly good by dawn.”

“Suit yourself.” Why he was so against potions, I had no idea.

We found a seedy motel a few streets down. There wasn’t much else in this part of town, and it would do for our purposes. Lachlan looked too rough to be let into any of the nicer places, anyway.

The motel was one of those two-story establishments with doors that exited onto the outdoor walkway. Very 1960s America. Lachlan insisted that we share a room. A plaque on the wall advertised that Elvis had once stayed in the very same suite.

“Last time it was updated, too, I bet,” I muttered.

Fortunately, there were two beds. I flopped onto one while Lachlan headed toward the bathroom. “I’ll be in the shower.”

I heard the water go on, creaking as the pipes filled. A few minutes later, I heard a pained groan and had to assume he’d climbed in.

I thunked my head back against the old headboard. What the hell was I doing, thinking about him in the shower? That was all kinds of bad news.

I should be knackered, but I wasn’t. Even though it was after three a.m. here, I was still on London time.

A few moments later, Lachlan emerged from the bathroom. He had a towel wrapped around his waist, revealing a broad expanse of damp, bare chest. My heartrate picked up, and I swallowed hard, looking away. “You didn’t want to put on trousers, at least?”

“Too stiff.”

“I should have my own room.”

“I’m not letting you out of my sight in this town, collar or no collar.”

He had a point. In Guild City, there were people with the skill to remove the collar, but no one would dare, since he’d put it on me. That wouldn’t be the case in Magic Side.

He turned to the sink. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him flinch.

Concern pierced me, and I slid off of the bed. “Are you sure you don’t want a healing potion?”

“I’m sure.” His voice was rough. “I’ll heal quickly.”

“Well, you’re still bleeding from that cut on your brow.” I went to the bathroom and knelt down to fish around in the cupboard for a first aid kit, hoping we’d get lucky.

Lachlan made a low noise in his throat, and I looked up, realizing that he stood right over me. He hadn’t moved, either. I’d been the one to kneel here—which now seemed like an insane idea. He looked like a mountain towering above.

Tension tightened the air between us, making every inch of my skin prickle as heat flushed through me. Fortunately, I spotted an old first aid kit and grabbed it, then hopped to my feet. I waved it in the air like a ninny and said, “Found it.”

He frowned. “A plaster?”

“And antiseptic. With any luck, there will be paracetamol in here as well.”

His gaze lingered too long on me, so I popped open the plastic container and fished out the alcohol wipe and wrapped plaster. Before I could stop myself—or before he could stop me—I tore open the wipe and smoothed it over his cut brow.

Up close, he was even more beautiful. Terrifying, too, with the way his eyes flared bright green.

His wolf.

I swallowed hard, my skin igniting as heat flushed through me.

He was so much bigger than me. So much stronger. But somehow, I knew he’d never hurt me. Not physically, at least. He’d hurt me plenty when we were children, and he’d have no problem locking me up if he thought I was the killer. But right now, with the way he looked down at me…

“What is it about you?” he murmured. He lifted a hand, holding it near my temple. Close, but no contact. His full lips parted, and his eyes flashed with desire.

He wants me.

I knew it like I knew my own name. It was written all over his face. It made my breath catch in my throat and my mind go blank.

It was crazy, but I wanted to sway forward. To close the distance between us.

“I don’t know what you mean.” Shivers raced over my skin. All of my previous hatred, my anger…it was hard to recall them right now, when we stood so close. It was insane. But something drew me to him, pulling at my soul.

The mate bond?

No. I didn’t feel it. I couldn’t, not as long as I wore the necklace that made me fae.

Yet still, I wanted him. I was a terrible, shallow person to want the man who’d been so cruel to me.

“There’s something about you.” He leaned close and inhaled, sniffing me.

I stiffened. A wolf’s ability to smell was one of their primary gifts. Could he recognize me this way?

No.

Changing my species with potions had changed that as well. I’d covered all my bases.

He withdrew his head and met my gaze, his eyes dark, the pupils dilated. His gaze moved to my pointed fae ears, then back to my eyes. “I feel like you’re someone you’re not. And what I’m thinking isn’t even possible.”

A chill chased away the heat that had surged through me. “You’ve had a real knock to the head.” I stepped back. “A little rest will put you to rights.”

He stared after me, his brow creased, and I walked to the far bed, then curled up and faced away from him. “I’m going to sleep.”

He made a noncommittal noise, and I heard him climb onto the bed next to mine. As I stared blindly at the wall, I couldn’t help but be aware of every one of his movements. Of his gaze, burning into my back.

I still wanted him.

I’d walked away from him, but damn it, my entire body still buzzed. It was crazy.

He was growing more suspicious, there was no question. My disguise was good—only a few people in the world even knew that it was possible to do what I’d done—but every minute in his company was a step closer to him learning the truth.

10

Eve

 

Just before dawn, we departed our seedy motel and headed for the old bottling plant. It was located at the edge of the Midway Dens, and we had to cross through the part of town that had been so busy last night.

In the early light, the streets were empty of drag racers, and everything was silent, save for a few pigeons that strutted from bin to bin, gorging themselves on discarded takeaways from the night before.

Lachlan and I hadn’t spoken much, but I could feel his gaze constantly on me. It was almost as if the further we got from his suspicion that I was the murderer, the more he suspected me of other things.

I shivered, careful not to look his way.