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“Of course.”
The air around him shimmered, and in two blinks, a rather ordinary-looking young man with short brown hair and green eyes sat in front of her. No wings. Then the air shimmered again, and he became a portly, older bald man. Then a buff, muscular black man.
“Wow! That’s incredible.” The others around the cafeteria were getting into the fun, calling out suggestions. Sariel did a few more before reverting back to his normal self.
He shrugged. “It allows me to move freely in your world. If I can’t be myself, the ruse will do, for a short while.”
That sobered her some. She couldn’t imagine having to pretend to be someone else just to move freely in society without censure.
But then, there were regular people who had to do that every day.
Purely on a whim, she asked, “Would you like to go shopping with me sometime?”
He beamed with pleasure. “I would love to. There are so many things I haven’t discovered, and I enjoy getting out of the compound. If your mate wouldn’t mind, that is. I wouldn’t want him tearing out my throat.”
She seriously doubted even Micah could tackle an eleven-thousand-year-old Fae prince, but Sariel’s words were endearing. “I’m sure. He’s not like that.”
“In that case, yes.”
“How about you?” she asked Rowan. “Think you could get away from Pack duties for an afternoon for some retail therapy? We’ve been under plenty of stress, and shopping is the cure.”
“As long as Nick approves and Sariel is with us, I think we’ll be safe enough.” Rowan nodded. “I’m in!”
“Great! We’ll get that mate of mine home, and then it’s a date.”
They were all due for some fun. She couldn’t wait.
Thirteen
“Admit it. You like Sariel more than you like me,” Micah grumbled. “What’s he got that I don’t?”
Jacee paused in stirring the chili on their stove. “Hmm. Besides the pretty wings, the rock star hair, and the magic? Nothing, sweetie.”
Growling, he grabbed a pillow off the sofa, threw it into the kitchen at her. And missed.
“Now, now, my grumpy wolf.” Retrieving the abused cushion, she brought it back to him, plumped it, and placed it behind him. “You’re just going nuts because you hate being inactive and the doctors are being cautious about clearing you.”
It was true. He was going crazy, and the whole team knew it.
“I don’t mean to take my foul temper out on you. But dammit, they know I’m fine!”
“You lost two major organs, superhero. Give yourself a break.” She arched a brow. “And me, too.”
Instantly he was contrite. “Sorry. I’ll try to chill out. You deserve a break, too. When are you going shopping with Rowan and Sariel?”
“Day after tomorrow.”
He still didn’t like it. But she’d sworn up and down it would be okay. Nick had cleared it since the Fae prince was powerful, and they were going in broad daylight, sticking to populated areas. Micah wanted to go, too, but knew he couldn’t stay in her hip pocket at all times. That wasn’t reality, and it could take weeks or months before the creature who’d attacked him was ID’d and caught.
Besides, he had something to work out. A tiny niggle in his brain, struggling to bring itself forth. It had to do with the night of his attack—but not with the creature. No, it was afterward. When he was fighting to survive.
He vaguely recalled being rushed through the hallways in Sanctuary. Bleeding, hurt. Watching, dazed, as the walls and doorways rushed past. And then—
He’d seen a woman. One who looked like Jacee. In fact, he’d thought at first it had been her, but the woman’s face had been too young. He remembered reaching for her, and the surprise on her face when he said Jacee’s name.
The incident had happened so fast. One second or two, and she was gone. Then he was unconscious again.
He didn’t even want to voice what he was thinking. Especially not to Jacee. It was just a weird circumstance, probably nothing. He was likely wrong, and he sure wasn’t going to watch his mate get crushed all over again. He’d put in a quiet inquiry to Mac when he walked over for his checkup later.
