Page 30 of Facade

The world grew quiet when he spoke—as if it were only the two of us. Even the fighting in the woods grew distant. If it weren’t for the burning reminder in my ankles and wrists, I might have forgotten my current situation entirely.

My mouth dried as my gaze flicked past him to the corpse once more. Aiden’s group still hadn’t dispatched whatever remained out in the woods, yet this male took one out by himself within minutes.

He wasn’t Fae or human. His rounded ears were proof enough, but the fangs and dominance rolling off him—a pure, primal threat—belonged to another beast entirely.

“Interesting,” he said as he took a casual step toward me, his black boots silent. I swallowed dryly, my gaze darting to the thick trees. The pain from my marks seemed to lessen—Aiden was close.

“What’s interesting?” I asked, forcing the words out evenly.

“Most would say thank you to the one who saved them, instead of gawking.”

“I’m not gawking,” I barked.

His mouth hooked up at one corner, a canine grazing his bottom lip.

I forced my breathing to steady. I could easily scream or bolt for the door. Yet my mouth clamped shut, and my feet were glued to the spot.

With his hands in his pockets, he took another lazy step toward me, utterly unfazed that the knights and Thaddeus could return at any second. That Aiden could return.

“Who are you?” I demanded. His eyes flashed, lighting up once more. “What are you?” Brazen. Too brazen, but I wanted to know. Needed to know.

He froze with predatory stillness, studying me, calculating and relentless.

“It’s rude to ask beings what they are.”

“Answer my question.”

“You first.” His smirk was slow, deliberate. My brows furrowed.

“I’m a human. Obviously.” My fists furled and unfurled at my side. Of course, he noticed, his otherworldly eyes flicking to the movement for a split second before returning to my own relentless stare, that smirk spreading.

“Is that so?” he mused.

I gritted my teeth so hard I could chip a tooth.

“Are you going to tell me what you are?”

His head cocked to the side. “What do you think I am?”

“Dangerous,” I breathed, the word escaping me.

A wry smile lit his face. “Fair assessment.”

“Are you—are you a guest of Thaddeus?” I skirted around the pillar, putting space between us.

“Not exactly.”

A howl erupted from the woods. Startled, I stepped back, my foot slipping off the sidestep. Muscles tightened as I braced for impact—there was none as a large, warm hand caught my forearm, firm, but gentle.

A picture slammed into my mind—gone as quickly as it came—of beautiful snow-capped mountains and fields of moonflowers, swaying beneath a full moon.

In the next breath, he pulled me to him. I forgot how to breathe as my head screamed this is how I die—his teeth, tearing into me like they had the skur.

Yet, just as quick as it set in, the panic in my head ebbed—he won’t hurt me.

The thought struck from nowhere, jarring in its effect.

His mouth hovered near my neck, causing goosebumps to skitter across my skin as anticipation curled low in my stomach. He breathed in, slow and deliberate—