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Misty waited for me at the car, to keep an eye out for anyone who might have followed us here. I knew she could handle it with no problem. People seriously underestimated her.
Sam was the first person I saw when I limp ran into Hyattown. Yep—all the power walking I did in the mall caused more of a flare up than I expected. Because running away from an unseen monster wasn’t enough torture on an ankle that just didn’t have a chance to completely heal.
“Alex!” Sam sprinted forward and caught me as I stumbled on the uneven ground. “I told you to stay away. I don’t know if I—”
I wrapped my arms around him and held on.
“I believe in you, Sam.”
To my relief, he gathered me in, burying his face in my hair. “You shouldn’t be here,” he whispered. “Not when I could be the one who—”
“Stop it.” I leaned back, met his eyes. Anguish darkened the grey-blue depths. “I won’t believe it, not until I see some hard proof that you—”
“There’s a witness, Sam.” Jake stepped forward, pushing through the crowd of residents who had started to gather around us.
“What do you mean?” I pulled out of Sam’s arms, but caught his hand, lacing our fingers together.
“The Fenris who can keep himself from changing, the one I keep badgering you about? I asked him here. He arrived today, and he saw you—attack Leo.”
My heart skipped. Oliver had been here longer—but I couldn’t say anything now, not without being forced to explain why I neglected to mention meeting him.
“Sam.” I tightened my grip on his hand. “He doesn’t know anyone here. He could have seen something else—”
“I am afraid not.” The familiar, accented voice spun me around. Oliver stood by the office, Louise right behind him. He was exactly as I remembered him. Rumpled, good looking, and oh so polite. “I am sorry—sorry that I wasn’t here sooner to prevent this. Sam had not changed completely when he attacked the demon.”
I covered my mouth with one hand—and Sam jerked free of my other one. He backed away from me, what little color was left draining out of his face. “Jake, get her out of here.”
“Sam—”
“Don’t come back, Alex. Not until this is over. I don’t want—I can’t protect you, not like this.”
Anger shoved the tears away. “I never asked for your protection.”
“I can’t control this!” He kept retreating, and with every step it felt like he was tearing a piece of my heart out.
“I’m not abandoning you, Sam.”
“But you heard what he said!” He gestured to Oliver.
“A stranger, who doesn’t know you.” I looked at Oliver. “I need to hear more before I condemn.”
“Jake, get her out of here—”
“I called Simon.” Both Sam and Jake froze. Simon freaked them out, more than a little, since he now carried the consciousness of the angel who had once been their shield. And along with him, every secret the haven had ever held. “He was a cop, and he can help us.”
“She’s right.” Candace appeared next to Jake, and her hand closed over his shoulder. The contact seemed to unclench his muscles. “We need to keep this down here, where we can control it. Simon understands that, and his experience as an investigator can help.”
Sam turned on her, and I recognized the start of a change. “I will not have a stranger digging through my personal—” He doubled, on his hands and knees by the time I reached him.
“Breathe, Sam.” I took a chance, and wrapped my arm around him, leaning against his back. He shook against me as he fought to stay human, to stay Sam. “I’m right here, and you’re going to be fine. We’ll find the truth, I promise you. I know Simon, and you can trust him. Please, Sam.”
His panting slowed, evened out, and he finally pushed himself up, sitting on his heels. Sweat slicked his face, dripping off the ends of his hair. Before I could think to say anything, he dragged me into his arms and held on.
“I can’t live like this, Alex.”
My heart pounded, hard and fast. We’d been through this before; last time I lost him, when he decided the wilds of England would be the only safe place for him to stay.
“We’ll find a way,” I whispered. “Candace is—”
“Closer to a way to control it,” she said. She crouched next to Sam, one hand rubbing his arm. “Give me time, Sam. I’ve been studying your blood, and Jake’s been testing some preliminary serums. I think I’m close to a breakthrough.”
“So all that blood you’ve been taking—”
“Has been put to good use.” Candace smiled at him. “I’m not going to get technical, since Jake’s eyes tend to go glassy when I do.” She raised an eyebrow at Jake and he grinned. “Your blood is different, and if I can find a way to—correct the difference, I may find a way to help you control it.”
“That’s the reason I asked Oliver to come here,” Jake said. “He’s the first one to survive a Fenris attack. He knows how to control the change, and he’s willing to share. You’re stupid if you don’t take him up on his offer.”
With a low growl, Sam let go of me and stood. “You brought him here, even after I told you no. Repeatedly.”
Jake backed out of reach. Candace stood and stepped between them. I had to commend her for her guts—they both were a hot second away from lunging at each other.
“Sam.” She took his hand, and he calmed, his shoulders slowly dropping down from the vicinity of his ears. “Jake thought he was doing what was advantageous for both of you. And before you gloat, wolf boy,” she turned to Jake, poking her finger into his chest. “You should have talked to Sam before you contacted Oliver. For all you know, they already met and are mortal enemies.”
“How the hell could they—oh.” Jake scrubbed his face, and met Sam’s eyes. “Sorry, cousin. I didn’t think you met anyone out on the wilds of our property, not when Oliver lives in the haven outside London. He’s the only victim who never changed after his attack. Never, in more than twenty years. I had to bring him here, so he could help.”
I stared at Jake. There was no way Oliver had been a Fenris more than twenty years. He didn’t look any older than Sam—
“A side effect,” Candace said. She’d obviously read the disbelief on my face. “What changes their blood also slows the aging process. Dramatically.”
“Oh.” I glanced at Sam. The idea of him not aging while I did—was a thought I’d put aside for later. Much later.
Candace took Jake’s arm, leading him away. She probably figured that it was safer for them to have some distance for a while. I agreed.
She stopped next to Oliver, poked her finger into his chest. “I want blood from you.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Pardon me?”
“For my tests. You don’t change, and I want to compare your blood to theirs, see if there’s any difference. It is the reason you came all this way—to help.”
“Of course. Once I have settled in, I will be happy to—”
“Now works for me.”
“Candace.” Jake caught the hand still prodding Oliver and pulled her away. “Give him a chance to breathe. There’ll be plenty of time for your tests.”
She let him lead her away, but she glanced over her shoulder and gave her signature glare. “Blood. Soon.”
Oliver stared after her, then turned to Sam. “Is she always so—demanding?”
“That was mild Candace you just met. Wait until you experience her bedside manner.”
“I can hardly wait. Jake told me it would be all right for me to move into the haven’s temporary quarters. Is this a good time?”
“Sure.” Sam held out his hand, and relief flooded me. I was afraid he might push Oliver right out of the haven. “Thanks for coming all the way over here.”
“My pleasure.” Oliver shook his hand, both of them studying each other as they tried to squeeze the life out of each other’s hand. I managed to keep from rolling my eyes. After they proved their manliness, Oliver finally let go. “I will return sometime tonight, then.”
I watched him walk down the street—and caught a glimpse of blonde hair before the owner ducked behind the office building. Diana.
Standing on tiptoe, I kissed Sam’s cheek. “I’ll be right back.”
I followed her down the path that divided the back of the Main Street buildings from the new forest of support beams. That’s what we called the huge lot of thick wood supports that stretched along the side of town, added during the renovation. No one spent any time there, since the gaslight didn’t extend beyond the buildings. They lined up like naked trees, disappearing into the shadows. I hated going in there, and most of the residents avoided the area. It was for support, but they could have made it less—creepy looking, in my opinion.
“Diana.” She froze at the sound of my voice. “It’s okay.” I moved to her side, and what I could see of her face was white, and strained. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“Alex—y’all have been so generous, letting me stay here, leaving me alone when I need to be—”
“Spill, Diana.”
She let out a quiet sigh, and finally turned to me.
“It’s Sam,” she whispered. My heart skipped. Since she saw only death, in all its forms, I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear any more. “I saw death surrounding him.”
“Not—his death?”
“No.” She gripped my hand. “I’m so sorry I had you thinking that. I’m like bad news walking.”
“Stop.” I held both her hands, looked into the troubled blue eyes. “You have a gift, Diana. It’s not an easy one, but because of you, we were able to find Simon. Now tell me exactly what you saw around Sam.”
She took a shaky breath, and nodded. “It wasn’t Sam, but someone close to him. Someone he spends time with. I don’t know who, because I didn’t recognize the—energy is the only way I can describe it.”
“Can you tell—how they died?”
“Alex.” Diana pulled away, crossing her arms, like she was protecting herself. “I never told you this, but I only see violent death.” Relief fled, my heart pounding harder with every word. “Someone passing away in their sleep? I don’t read that. I only see the death if it’s unnatural.”
“Like murder,” I whispered. She nodded, backing out of range. “Diana—please don’t go. I’m not afraid of you—”
“Only what I represent.”
I rubbed my face, wanting to keep her from climbing back into the protective shell we’d finally coaxed her out of.
“What you can do—we’ll find a way for you to work with it, use it to help.”
“That won’t happen. Death never helps anyone, Alex.”
Before I could stop her, she spun and ran into the forest of supports.
I wasn’t surprised she found refuge there, since no one else did more than glance at it and walk faster.
“Alex!” Sam stood next to the back corner of the office. I let Diana go, and limped along the path. He met me halfway. “How is she?”
“Not so great. She’s having a hard time adjusting to what she can see.”
“I’ll have Candace talk to her.” He held up his hand when I opened my mouth. “Before you say anything, Candace happens to be amazing with the more difficult residents. Her way of getting straight to the truth seems to work well with them. Diana’s tough, because her ability is unique. We don’t have any sort of guideline for her—except to make it up as we go.”
He stared out at the support forest, and ran one hand through his hair. It had grown back since Mrs. Hyatt chopped it, brushing the collar of his shirt. I was glad he decided to grow it out again. I’d always loved that thick, sun streaked blonde hair, framing his model gorgeous face with— “Alex? You still with me?”
Sam’s voice jerked me out of my hero worship. Yeah, old habit. “Here.” I tried not to blush—and there it was, the heat flushing my pale skin. “I was—I just—”
Sam saved me by cupping my chin and kissing me. As usual, my mind went blank, and my body took over. By the time he freed my lips I forgot to be embarrassed. Sam kissing me was too right for that to even be an option.
I was also relieved—it meant he wasn’t afraid to touch me. That would have been unbearable.
He lowered his forehead to mine, whispering. “I love it when you study me like that. Like I’m the only person in the room.”
“Good. I don’t think I can give that up.”
His laughter wrapped around me, and for a minute I forgot everything but the feel of his hand on my face, the intensity of those grey-blue eyes looking into mine. Then someone loudly cleared their throat, and reality crashed back in.
Sam kissed me one last time, then turned us around. Jake leaned against the building, a grin on his face.
“Glad to see you feeling better, cousin.”
“Shut up, Jake.” Sam said it without any anger. Another good sign. He looked down at me. “I want you to go home, and rest that ankle.”
“Okay.” My ankle was aching badly now, screaming at me for the mall run. And climbing the ladder down here. Twice.
“Until I know I didn’t do this, you’re getting nowhere near me.”
“Sam—”
“I won’t have you hurt, Alex. Not again. Are we clear?”
“Yeah.” I knew better than to argue. Sam would just walk away from me if I did decide to show up. I’d had enough of that to last a lifetime.
After one more kiss, Sam walked with me around the building, and out to the ladder leading up to town. It was still strange not stepping through a shield, but having Elias and his temperamental presence gone was a relief.
“You’re not going home alone,” he said.
“Misty’s up top, playing watchdog.”
A smile flashed across his face, and my heart skipped. “I wouldn’t want to try and get around her, not when she’s in friend protect mode. Call me when you get home.”
He kissed me again, my head spinning by the time he let me go. I watched him walk back to the haven, giving myself time to recover before I attempted the ladder.
Misty leaned against the black Mercedes, arms crossed, looking as fierce as any guard dog. She straightened when she saw me limping toward her.
“Alex! Let me help.” She ran across the dead yard, leaping over the piles of leaves and trash. We were going to have to start strategically cleaning this place, or pretty soon we’d be climbing over piles to get to the entrance. Once she reached my side, she wrapped an arm around my waist and we moved forward. “The ankle’s not cooperating?”
“Cold weather, too much running, not enough recovery time. It’s my fault—I haven’t let it heal fully, and then I expect to be able to dance around like it’s perfectly fine.”
“Okay, then—you get a lecture instead of sympathy.”
She raised her eyebrows and I laughed, appreciating the effort to cheer me up. I was also grateful she didn’t bombard me with questions, though I was waiting for it.
Misty didn’t disappoint; the second we were settled in the car she started in on me.
“Was Sam there? What did he say? He’s not playing the blame game again, is he? We’ll have to set him straight if he thinks he—”
“Misty.”
“Sorry.” She glanced over at me while making a left turn. I held on, trying not to visualize a fiery death. Again. It happened pretty much every time I was in the car with her. She swerved into the right lane, missing the car in front of us by inches. “I’m worried about him, and about you.”
“Yeah. I’m hoping Simon can help with that.”
“You do know this doesn’t get you out of the dance.”
I sighed. “We’ll have to take this a day at a time. Sam might not be ready by then, and I won’t force him into a situation when he feels out of control, not for a stupid dance.”
“You really go all out to avoid something, don’t you?”
I opened my mouth, ready to defend, and saw the amusement flash in her eyes. She was starting to pick up my sarcastic humor. Not sure that was a good thing.
“We can—plan for the best-case scenario,” I said.
“And hope for the worst? Sorry—you left yourself wide open for that one.”
When did I become the straight man?
“I just hope it all goes away,” I said, “because Simon finds the truth.” And that truth had to be that Sam wasn’t the killer. It had to be.
Misty sobered, her speed dropping with her mood. “You got it in one, Alex. Sam so doesn’t need this, not now.”
Not with the necklace, and the power it had given him to control gone, she didn’t say. I wanted to go home, crawl into bed, and try not to think about it. By the time Misty turned on to my street I was exhausted.
Adrenaline burned it away when I saw Detective Sampson standing in my driveway.