His arm shot out, fingers circling my wrist until the bones ground together. The skin there throbbed under the pressure, my pulse jumping wildly. Around us, boots shifted against concrete.
A wolf with silver rings in his ears folded his arms and leaned back against a Camaro, watching. Two fae women whispered behind manicured nails, their wings fluttering once before settling. A demon lifted his drink and took a slow sip, eyes never leaving me.
The warehouse felt smaller.
I caught myself scanning for exits instead of help.
For a split-second, my mind betrayed me with the memory of Alto’s shop. The dim yellow bulb over my cot, the thin blanket folded at the foot, the familiar scent of oil and steel. Safe in its own rough way. Mine.
Why did I not listen to myself? Why did I come here? Why did I let the magical allure tempt me?
I bit down on the inside of my lip until copper flooded my mouth. The fairy’s fingers cinched tighter, grinding bone. A hiss slipped through my teeth before I could stop it.
“Your min?—”
“What’s all the fuss, Manshu?”
The voice cut clean through the tension.
Heads turned in a ripple. Whispers died mid-word. The crowd parted faster this time, bodies stepping aside without being asked.
Calix Winstale stepped up into the space as if it had been waiting for him.
His rose-gold eyes swept over the scene once; me on the edge of the circle, Manshu’s hand locked around my wrist, the gathered audience. His mouth curved faintly.
“Do I need to ask you again?”
He turned, resting back against the fairy’s own car, fingers tapping idly against the polished hood as if claiming it by proximity alone.
“If this is your way of trying to get with a woman, I’ll tell you first hand, they don’t like being bossed arounduntilyou get them in bed,” he drawled, gaze flicking between us, “but, you know, to each their own.”
A few nearby supes snorted softly. Calix pushed off the car, and in a blink of an eye, he stood inches away. Close enough that I could see the gradient of gold and pink blending in his eyes.
“With this one shaking,” he added lightly, his eyes on me like I was beingseenfor the first time, “I’d say you’re misreading the room.”
Manshu’s jaw tightened. His grip dug deeper for a final second, sharp enough to draw a gasp of breath from me. Distracted by the pain at my wrist, I didn't see the shove coming.
My hip struck the concrete first. The impact shot white heat up my side, stealing the air from my lungs. The warehouse lights blurred overhead as the crowd’s boots shuffled backward to avoid being touched by the fallen human.
I didn't expect a pair of gentle hands to slide under my arms and lift me up.
“Are you alright, miss?”
The voice came low and controlled. I tipped my head back.
Striking deep plum eyes met mine, flecked with silver that caught in the warehouse lights. A strand of dark brown hair fell forward across his brow. His chest was solid against my back, heat seeping through my shirt where he supported my weight.Why did supes have to be so fucking gorgeous?
For half a heartbeat, the noise of the warehouse faded and I blurted out, “N-Nathan.”
Confusion creased this man’s brow, his lips pulled into a thin line.
Then Nathan’s voice tore through the air.
“She’s mine! I claim her!”
The crowd shifted again as Nathan rushed forward, Lark close behind him. Lark’s hands latched onto me the moment the stranger released his hold, pulling me upright and into her arms.
“We’re here,” she whispered, clutching me tight.
