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Nigel ran for his car, tripping and stumbling the whole way. As he pulled away, tires screeching, I focused my attention on Zayn, encouraging him with a healthy dose of magic to change back into human form.
Which left me standing in front of the cottage, my arms around a very naked human Zayn.
“Well, that was an adventure,” I said. “How are you feeling?”
“Okay, I guess. What happened?” Zayn said, grabbing his head.
“You don’t remember any of it?”
“I remember the asshole showing up and threatening you,” he said. “And then…and then…” He blanched. “I think I threatened to eat him.”
“Yeah. I was pretty sure he’d taste terrible, especially since he’d pissed himself, so I stopped you.”
Zayn looked at me like I’d grown another head.
“What?” I said defensively. “I didn’t want you to get food poisoning, or indigestion.”
“That’syour response to me almost eating someone?”
“Anyway, you didn’t eat him, and I don’t think he’ll be bothering me anymore.” I hoped not, anyway. “So… Thanks for scaring him off.”
We headed back inside the house, and Zayn went straight to the coffee table and started to put the watch back on.
“Fuck,” he said.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“The clasp just broke.”
I took the gold band from him and examined it. “I guess it’s a little old to be worn day in and day out.” I’d just gotten that spell updated on it, too. So much for all that work.
It was a nice watch, good quality, probably passed down from his grandad from the time when the family still had money. But Zayn had worn it when he was sleeping, and in the shower. Add in the fact that his snake fighting the spell would have put extra wear and tear on it, and the delicate gold antique clasp had given out.
Zayn looked crestfallen, like a part of him had died.
“It’s okay,” I assured him. “You’ve lived without its protection for years. You can do that again for a few days until I recharge enough to fix it. We’ll choose something more durable this time.”
I could tell he was still worried, so I did the only thing I could to distract him.
I took him to bed.
Chapter 23
Zayn
Islitheredthroughtheforest, my eyes, ears, and tongue all on high alert as I hunted for prey. I was hungry. Very hungry. My stomach was an empty pit, and it felt like I hadn’t eaten in weeks, months, maybe even years.
The woods looked vaguely familiar, though I couldn’t quite place where I was. No matter: this was a forest, and there had to be food somewhere. But as I continued through the forest, all I saw were trees and leaves. Nothing edible.
This wasn’t good. I was growing weaker by the moment.
A sound in the distance had me pausing. What was that?
Whatever it was, it was alive and therefore edible. I headed toward it.
The woods opened up to a meadow, and on top of a small hill, there was a house. Like the woods, the house looked familiar, though I didn’t know why. I slithered through the tall grass toward it.
The sound of a woman’s voice filled my ears, but I didn’t understand what she was saying since she was speaking in the strange human tongue. It was choppy and awkward, lacking any of the sibilance and flow I was used to.
