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“Are you alright?” I asked with a grimace. Of course, he wasn’t alright. He almost got sucked dry by a vamp. He will probably need therapy after one night of hunting with me.
He eyed me suspiciously, his gaze boring into my face as if he was trying to solve a mystery. Finally, after an uncomfortable moment of staring, he said, “Let’s go before those kids call the cops,” instead of answering my question.
Hysterical cries penetrated the background. I bit my lip, angry that I had tuned everything out until now. Two kids were fighting about whether they should leave in case the monster returned. Another one cried that she wouldn’t go and leave her friend there. Ignoring everyone, I nodded to the shifter, and we headed back toward my car in complete silence.
Unlike the trip here, I didn’t mindnottalking as we headed back to the car. What would I even say? Something strange happened and I couldn’t process it all. Fang acted like he knew I was somethingother,somehow healing the shifter—so much for keeping my magic hidden. I wanted to go home and forget about tonight because nothing made any sense.
Staying just inside the tree line, we skirted the edge, avoiding the fairgrounds until we made it back to the parking lot. The darkness helped conceal the blood on us.
Reaching my car, I refused to dirty the inside of the vehicle. It may be old, but I always kept it clean. Popping the trunk, I grabbed two bottles of water from the case, handing one to the shifter and keeping the other for myself, rinsing my hands. Once the stream ran clear, I grabbed a towel and tossed it too— “What is your name?”
“Devon,” he said without hesitation.
Devon. Huh, nice name. Couldn’t he have told me that earlier? I nodded at his hands “Clean the blood off before you get in my car.”
Once he finished, I threw the empty water bottles in a plastic recycling bin before getting in and shutting the door. Tonight’s events overshadowed the joy I should have felt by killing Fang. The quicker this night ended, the better.
Heading back, the silence grew as Devon kept staring at me until he finally asked, “What did you do?”
My breath barely caught. Did Devon know that I healed him, or was he asking about something else? This! This was why I avoided shifters. All supernaturals really. This was what Caroline had warned me about. I wanted Devon out of my car. The need to run, to hide from everyone, made my knee bounce from nervous energy. I may be comfortable working solo with The Agency, but I didn’t do well under scrutiny and wanted far away from Devon.
“What do you mean? I staked him.” Could he hear my nervousness?
He slowly nodded while staring at me like I was a puzzle he couldn’t figure out. I tried not to squirm in my seat.
“How did my neck repair itself?” He asked, sounding suspicious.
“How would I know? I’m a shifter,” I said defensively, gripping the steering wheel a little too tight.
“Yes, but you also smell of something different. Something I can’t put my finger on.”
I tried not to react even though my insides trembled. Not my wolf, though, she wanted to take care of the threat. This was why I had always insisted on working alone. Caroline warned me about how others perceived people who were different years ago. Back then, the council I would have killed immediately and punished my parents for their abomination. Times may have changed, but it wasn’t a gamble I was willing to risk.
“Probably sweat and vampire blood. That happens sometimes.” Humor always helps divert attention and lighten the mood. Except Devon didn’t find my comment very amusing.
I sped down the nearly empty highway and headed for the tavern. Devon and the others met me there so someone should be waiting on him. If not, he could call a friend to pick him up because I needed a shower and a stiff drink. I also didn’t want to chance running into Luca again. But unlike last time, the energy simmered underneath my skin and didn’t demand release.
Pulling into the parking lot, I shifted into park and then waited for Devon to get out. Instead, he sat therestillstaring at me, giving me his full laser-focused attention.
Without looking at him, I gritted out, “Do I have to say it?”
“Say what?” he asked.
Slowly turning my head to look at him, I plastered a fake smile on my face. “It’s been really nice chatting with you. I thoroughly enjoyed my evening. Now, get the fuck out.” Did I sound too sarcastic? Because I was going for sarcastic.
“Ahem,” he cleared his throat,finallylooking away. “Thank you for saving my life.”
That could have meant an array of things. I did kill Fang while he was trying to kill Devon. I held pressure on his neck, and by some miracle it healed—without him shifting. I wouldn’t think about my part in that.
“You would have done the same thing if the situation were reversed. Now Fang is dead.”
“That’s not…” he started, but I interrupted before he could finish. I didn’t want to hear him confirm or deny if he would’ve saved me. I’d had enough rejection in my younger years to last a lifetime.
“Goodnight, Devon.” I didn’t add the ‘see you around’ or ‘it was nice working with you.’ Nothing. The mission was over, and tomorrow I would go back to working alone on a completely different case.
He stared at me with more questions in his cold, intense gaze, and somehow, I knew this wouldn’t be the end. Luckily, he didn’t know where I lived and if Curt tried to pair us together again, I would quit this time. I would take a job with Kelly as a bounty hunter. Hunting humans would be easier anyway.
Devon slid out of my car without commenting and shut the passenger’s door. I shot a quick text to Curt sayingFang is dead. No more partners!And then I reversed out of the parking lot and never looked back.
