“You’re apparently known throughout all of the magical community. I don’t think that’s a bad example of anything…”

I yanked on the wheel of the hose roller, only getting another foot.

“What the hell is the point of this thing? To make sure no one uses the hose?” I yanked again, using all my strength. It wouldn’t budge. “Screw this thing. Rip it out and toss it.”

Austin laughed and bent, bumping me to the side with his big shoulder. “Lemme try again.” His yank cracked the plastic, breaking it from the base. He ripped the hose off the side, tearing it from around the spindle, and got enough out to reach his back. “There. See? Nothing to it.”

“If Edgar asks, we have no idea how this thing got broken.”

“Agreed.” He pushed down his sweats, and I ripped my gaze away, my face heating and my heart quickening. I breathed through the heat worming through my core. Wrong guy for this reaction. I had a willing partner upstairs. Hell, I had a whole host of willing partners. This guy was off-limits.

I just wished my mind and my body would get in sync for once. I was still hesitating with Damarion, although I had no idea why. He was hot and nice and a gentleman and insistent—boy was he insistent—but I never got further than the roaming hands before I freaked out and pushed back. I wanted to close the deal while at the same time wanted a longer ramp leading up to it.

The poor guy was probably frustrated, though he didn’t show it. I just didn’t know what my problem was.

“Can you get it?” Austin turned and showed me his blood-slicked back, the wound newly closed and the edges already starting to crust. The top of his muscular butt was smeared red from where blood had soaked into his sweats.

“Why on earth does Mr. Tom insist on white sweats?” I asked, turning on the water. Austin didn’t react to the frigid air or the cold liquid washing down over his defined back. He turned into a polar bear—ice was kind of his thing; it was intense heat he probably disliked.

“There is one thing I would like to apologize for, Jess,” he said, his voice sending shivers racing across my skin. “You’re right—you’re your own woman. A smart woman, at that. I need to trust that you know what you’re capable of.”

“When you’re not flying off the handle because of a few bruises, you mean?”

He let out a slow breath. “I’m not sure I can control my reaction to seeing you…like this, especially knowing who’s doing it. We won’t ever get along, him and I. It will never be peaceful between us, not until one of us submits to the other.”

His voice turned harsh, a growl riding his words. He’d die before he’d submit, that much was clear. I knew without needing to ask that Damarion was the same way.

I struggled to control a sudden surge of emotion. The writing on the wall was entirely too clear. They could not coexist. This town was too small, and this house smaller still. If they’d flipped out this much just at the sight of each other, they’d end up rumbling one way or another. If I kept interceding, eventually they’d figure out how to get at each other when I wasn’t around. It was only a matter of time.

I swallowed down a lump in my throat. I could not bear to see Austin leave. He’d been my first real friend in my new life. My first normal friend, at any rate. I’d come to depend on him, as much for his easy conversation and comforting presence as for his ability to keep the magical world from completely going off the rails. I’d almost died, for heaven’s sake, and someone wanted to kidnap me. Those things should’ve given me nightmares, but they hadn’t—because I knew Austin was watching the property. Because I trusted that he’d keep this town, with me in it, safe.

But I also trusted Damarion. He’d saved my life, and I needed him for training. Ivy House had given him the ability to draw out my magic, and without him, I’d be back learning at a snail’s pace. With mages sniffing around, I didn’t think I had that kind of time.

And yet…I couldn’t help but wonder why Ivy House had chosen Damarion as my trainer over Austin. It wasn’t the wings, because Ulric or any of the other guys could’ve helped with the flying thing, no alpha required. They weren’t as strong or powerful in that department, but I wouldn’t be either. They were probably more my speed than the breakneck diving and rolling that Damarion did.

I knew why, though, didn’t I? Austin didn’t want to be a part of all this. He didn’t want to answer to anyone, especially Ivy House’s magic. He wasn’t a sure bet, and so Ivy House couldn’t trust him. It had chosen the next best option.

I trusted him, though. Even though he hadn’t taken a seat in that Council Room, he still checked in. He still helped. I had but to ask, and he’d see me through all of this.

“About that…” I said, turning off the water.

“Do you mind if I air-dry?”

“Do you mind if I accidentally look?” I laughed, picking up his sweats and handing them over.

His eyes were steady on mine, and I quickly looked away. I really needed to get over this embarrassment. It was getting downright ridiculous. I’d seen plenty of naked men. I’d raised a boy, for God’s sake.

False equivalence, I thought.

Boy, wasn’t that the truth.

“Just kidding,” I said, staring forward. “I won’t look.”

“No, I don’t mind,” he said quietly.

“Where does that leave us?” I asked. “I mean, with Damarion, not with your very appropriate confidence in your body.”

He didn’t answer for a moment as we crossed the lush green grass, the garden as lush as ever despite the chill air and dusting of snow.

“I don’t know, Jess.” I could hear the regret in his voice. I could hear the resolve.

I could hear the sound of a man taking the harder road, being the bigger person, and leaving.

“We will work this out, okay?” I clenched my fists. “This is your home. You’re staying here. I haven’t been trying to free you from the magic, and that’s my bad, but I will, okay? We’ll get that worked out, and then—”

“The magic isn’t the problem…”

“Just shut up.” Magic infused my words. This time, it was his jaw that clicked shut. “Sorry. Sorry, I didn’t mean— Just, let’s not talk about it right now. I’ll sort it out, okay? I’ll make this work. I’m a mother, damn it—I’m used to accomplishing the impossible.”

“Okay,” he said, and bumped me with his shoulder.

I wanted to turn and hug him, or grab his hand, or maybe slap him, I wasn’t sure. I settled for bumping him back.

“I wanted to ask you…” I bit my lip, thinking about the feeling of danger I’d felt with the second summons, as we passed the maze and turned left toward the little cottage at the very back of the grass, nestled into the trees. Edgar’s little sanctuary. I’d never asked why he didn’t live in the house, and given I didn’t really want to extend an invitation, it seemed better to continue avoiding the topic. “Remember when you said you were good at reading people?”

“This is the second time you’ve started a conversation like this.”

“Oh, right. Well…as a man, and not as a…whatever it is that annoys you about Damarion, what do you think about him?” I paused. “Is it okay to be asking you this?”

“You can ask me anything.” He was quiet for a moment, though, his pace slowing as we walked. “It would take a decent effort to subdue him, but I would. He will never tolerate us being friends, you and me. It will never sit right with him. He is loyal, though, and he’ll protect you with his life. If it can’t be me watching out for you, as much as it pains me to admit it, it’s good that it is him, regardless of my views on his training methods.”

“And it does pain you to admit it.”

“It absolutely does, yes. I hope to never think of this moment again.”

I could tell he was only half joking. We slowed even more, nearly at Edgar’s front porch, one chair overturned next to the door and another lying at the far edge on its side. I frowned at the setup.

“Do you think this is normal?” I asked, putting out my hand to stop Austin’s progress.

“Why don’t you text him to make sure he isn’t…otherwise unoccupied? Because normal and that vampire are not two words that should be said in the same sentence.”

I huffed out a laugh and patted my pockets. “Oh. I don’t have my phone.”

“You know I don’t.”

I sure did. I’d taken in his flat, muscled stomach and the happy trail leading down to its well-maintained destination before I could stop myself.

Before we finished our approach, I said, “I don’t want you to leave. That needs to be said. I will find a way to make this right, but in the meantime…” I shrugged. “Just figured you should know that.”

His gaze was heavy on my face, but something stopped me from turning and looking at him. Thankfully, there wasn’t a chance for it to get awkward. At least not between us.

The door swung open and Edgar stepped out, a red-fanged smile stretching across his face.

“Hello! You finally came to visit. And Austin Steele, too? Wow.” He rested his fingers on his chest. “This is a treat. Come in, come in!”

He stopped beside the door like he was nervous about a cat escaping. But instead of shooing an animal, he nudged a man’s leg, ending in a hiking boot, out of the way. Given its stubbornness in moving, it was thankfully still attached to the—hopefully living but definitely unconscious—source.

I hesitated. “Is it too late to turn back?”

“Yes,” Austin answered, “and unfortunately, this sort of weird isn’t something I can protect you from.”

19

“What a treat. Sorry I didn’t clean up a little more.” Edgar led the way into a cheery though incredibly cluttered living room just off the entryway, with bright yellow walls, sky-blue curtains, and large white barrels lining the walls behind the furniture. Little canisters of all kinds topped the barrels, as well as squirt bottles with the labels either peeled off or mostly disintegrated.