 
Janna Thompson believes she's going downright mental. In the past few weeks, she's seeing things no one else can see and can't shake an ominous presence. Yet, when a hot cop with a protective instinct moves into her apartment building, things might be looking up.

Cade Lanter is no ordinary being. The son of a human policeman and a Queen of the Fae, he lives in the mortal world for now. When an enemy of old threatens the balance of both the human world and Eiru, Land of the Fae, he must fight the would-be usurper in the human realm. Of course, that might require more focus than he can muster lately since a certain, sexy neighbor keeps him distracted.

Their two, unlikely worlds collide when he becomes The Fae Next Door.

# The Fae Next Door

by

Cherie Marks

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

The Fae Next Door

COPYRIGHT© 2014 by Cherie Marks

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or except in the case

of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information:  authorcheriemarks@gmail.com

For more interesting reads, visit the author at http://www.authorcheriemarks.com

Published in the United States of America by Cherie Marks

Thank you for downloading this e-book. This book is the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please put a review at your favorite online book retailer and either share with or encourage your friends to download their own copy, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

Dedication

This is dedicated to the best aunts anyone could ever ask for. Lois, Susan, Marcella, and Wanda, when I think of some of my favorite childhood memories, they were often at your homes. Thank you for sharing your character and love.

Acknowledgements

Teresa, you are still an amazing editor! Thank you for being there for me again.

Thank you Taco Bell, Wendy's, Arby's, Fazoli's, and Steak and Shake. Without your prompt service and variety of dinners, my family probably would have gone hungry many nights while I was writing this book.

Table of Contents

The Fae Next Door

About Cherie Marks

Other Books by Cherie Marks

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## Chapter 1

Someone...or something...was following her.

Janna Thompson moved quickly down the sidewalk toward her apartment building, throwing furtive glances over her shoulder. An acrid smell of smoke and decay floated in the air, yet no one else around her reacted to it. Couldn't they smell it? Couldn't they feel the impending doom that hovered like a cloud, smothering the light and any sense of goodness? No one behind her stood out as a creepy creeper, but she could feel darkness, like a chasing fog, inching toward her to engulf her. This wasn't the first time in the last week she'd felt it, and even more nerve-wracking, it was growing stronger and, to be perfectly honest, scarier.

A hot, bubble bath had been calling her name after a few grueling tests today. Her classes were getting harder at South-central Community and Technical College, and so far, she'd risen to the challenge. She'd loved every minute of her anatomy class--until today. Studying for exams was obviously going to require more than an overnight cram session. But, somehow she'd survived it, and pulled a slightly above-average grade. A little celebration had been on her mind. But not now. Now, that was completely wiped away. She clearly had a blip on her radar—one that felt particularly threatening.

_God, what was she thinking?_ A darkness chasing her? Could she just be imagining the whole thing? Not quite sure how to integrate this incident, the latest in a series of inexplicable episodes, she hurried on, hoping to make it to her apartment before whatever it was caught up to her.

What was wrong with her? Was she just shoulder-deep in a paranoid delusion? When she had no history of them? It was beyond strange and frankly made her concerned for her sanity.

Janna picked up her pace as her building came into view. She was close now, but as she drew nearer, it became obvious, like a flashing storm cloud, the dark presence had shifted to the front of her. _What the..._ Without thinking, she veered toward the park across from her building, preferring complete avoidance to a possible confrontation with some unknown evil manifestation. Since when had she become the ghost-freaking-whisperer?

Her attention was still focused on the energy behind her as she turned past the hedges and iron fencing that fronted the park. She didn't see the body in front of her until she'd collided full on with a tall figure clothed all in blue. She let her gaze start on the heavy, dark utility belt and rise up the shirtfront, past the buttons and the strong chin, past the straight nose into the impossibly blue eyes under his adorably wrinkled brow. He was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. And though she clearly had never met him, something about him felt familiar, like she did know him somehow. But without a doubt she'd never forget someone like him if they'd ever met before.

"Whoah! Everything okay?" His voice ran over her like warm, soapy water and heated her up from the inside out. Relief bloomed in her chest as she recognized the blue uniform of a police officer. And a gorgeous one at that. The burning in her lungs began to ease as her pounding heart thudded still. She suddenly became aware of his hands wrapped around her upper arms and his concerned gaze scanning her face and body. He'd asked her a question, and she needed to give him a believable answer.

But what could she say? _There's something evil blocking the entrance to my apartment building._ Her breathing sawed in and out heavily at the very real possibility. Yeah, that would go over like a pile of smelly garbage in the middle of a pristine white showroom. More than likely, he'd rush her off to the nearest in-patient treatment center. But he was staring at her, and she needed to say something.

"Um...think I'm fine." She worked to catch her breath. With a glance behind her, she felt the darkness dissipate until she could literally feel it disappear as if sucked into a vacuum, and she heaved a heavy sigh. Like that, it was gone. "It's...it's nothing now. Didn't mean to run you over..." Of course, one long look at his gorgeous face, and she had to admit she couldn't completely regret plowing into him. _Where did she know him from?_ She dropped her gaze briefly to the name on his chest before finishing her thought aloud, "Officer Lanter."

"Not a problem. Sure you're okay? You seem upset."

He acted reluctant to let her go, and she grew self-conscious. She had to reassure him she was okay, even if she really, really wasn't. "Seriously. Everything's fine now. Just need to go home."

He nodded and stepped back from her. "Where do you live? I'll walk you there."

She chewed at her lip. It would give her some security to have him by her side until she'd made it through the door. He was a policeman after all, and whose company could be better under current circumstances? "I live in the building across the street."

Time stretched out as he stared at her a few long seconds before lifting his hand and pointing behind her. "That one? The large, beige building with the green awning?"

"Yes. Wright Towers. If you could just walk me to the front door, I think I'd feel a little safer."

He chuckled low and the sound smoothed through her mid-section, causing all sorts of tingly sensations. "You live in Wright?"

She nodded slowly, wondering why he looked so confused.

"Then, we're neighbors. Just moved in. Is there something I should know about the place? Is it a hub for criminal activity?" She could tell he was having a little fun at her expense. Yet she couldn't blame him. It wasn't like this was a high-crime neighborhood. It was one of the most desirable locations to live in the whole city, but right now, with her fear riding high, it didn't feel very safe.

"No. It's a great place to live. I just...I mean..." No way could she make this not sound crazy. "I thought I saw an ex-boyfriend waiting in front of the building." Okay, that might do it. That seemed believable enough.

A knowing look came over his face. "Oh, yeah? I'm not unfamiliar with the –ex-significant other situation. No worries. I was just heading back to the apartment anyway. We can walk in together, Ms..." He trailed off, clearly expecting her to finish the sentence.

"Thompson. Janna Thompson."

"Now that I know we're neighbors, call me Cade."

For the first time, Janna noticed the long leash connecting Mr. Hot Police Officer Cade to the cutest little fluff-ball she'd ever seen in her life. She bent automatically and cooed as the adorable dog ran to her on four tiny legs, propping herself on Janna's knees. "How beautiful are you!" She looked up. "Is this one yours?"

"Yeah. This is Gertie. She's my girl."

Janna gave one last brush over Gertie's fur, stood and stared at him, her head cocked to the side. She couldn't hide the confusion on her face. She didn't like the idea she might be one of those people who bought into stereotypes, but Gertie seemed like such a...petite dog to belong to the big, bad cop standing in front of her.

"I know what you're thinking. Not exactly a manly kind of dog, but the ex- I mentioned and Gertie didn't hit it off as well as expected, so she got the condo, and I got the dog. To be honest with you, I got the better end of the deal. The condo was overpriced and the neighbors seemed to herd elephants day and night."

"Well, she seems like a little sweetie, and if you really don't mind, I could use a little back-up until I'm inside the building." And maybe she could get a glimpse at which floor button he pushed in the elevator.

As they made their way across the street, he put his hand in the small of her back, and the warmth seared her through her clothes, almost as if he burned hotter than normal. Probably did, hunk of hotness that he was. He'd only meant to be protective, she was sure, but she couldn't help but revel in the slight touch. She continued to sneak glimpses of him out of the corner of her eye. He was too beautiful to be human.

Now that was a crazy thought. Of course he was human. What else would he be? An alien? But the more she looked at him, the more she noticed just how unreal gorgeous he really was. The light from the sun mottling through the trees seemed to search him out and make golden streaks she hadn't noticed before practically glow throughout his brown hair. As his blue-eyed gaze followed her through the front doors of the building, she felt his stare like powerful sunbeams on her skin. What was such a hot guy like him doing in her apartment building? It all seemed so fantastic...too fantastic...to be real.

They got on the elevator, and she watched, fascinated, as he pushed the button for the third floor. It took a minute to register that he was waiting for her to give him a floor number. Her confusion was perfectly understandable, at least in her head, because he'd already pushed it. But after a few awkward seconds, she finally explained, "That's where I'm going, too."

He looked at her suspiciously a few seconds before nodding his head and crossing his arms, leaning back against the wall of the elevator. The doors closed and they began to move upward. "So, Janna, what do I need to know about the third floor?"

Did he doubt the truthfulness of her address? Or were they both just naturally paranoid? Could be legitimate curiosity on his part. She shrugged and decided to go with the least controversial option. "There are five apartments on the floor. Mr. Wong lives in the one to your immediate left as you exit the elevator. Keeps to himself mostly, but he's good for a genuine hello when you see him coming and going. There were two empty apartments, but now I guess one is occupied. Then, there's Ms. Gregory. Your best bet is to avoid her if at all possible. If she does happen to catch you unaware, she'll give you a hard time about Gertie and make you feel like a speck of dust in her pristine existence. She's kind of on a high horse, twenty-four-seven."

"Now, what could she possibly have against Gertie?"

"Nothing specific. Just hates dogs, probably children, too, and all things adorable."

A corner of his mouth lifted, and his eyelids dropped to half-mast. Lord, he couldn't get any sexier without causing women to spontaneously spark into flames on sight. How was he not in movies or on TV or something? All she could do was stare, probably with a big stupid look on her face.

The elevator stopped and broke the spell as they exited onto the third floor. The smell of freshly cleaned hall carpeting wafted up as they stepped forward. Another reminder that this was a safe environment, and she'd probably just imagined the whole "dark presence" thing anyway.

Except, she knew she hadn't.

"I'm at the end of the hall." She lifted and pointed at the door facing them.

"Not a bad location, facing the street."

"Lucky me." Of course, as it turned out, fortune was on her side most of the time. Sure she got down sometimes, but it never took long for her to bounce back, and good things to practically fall into her lap. She'd never really analyzed it, not looking the gift-horse in the mouth and such, but she had to admit she was pretty lucky.

"Well, I'm here." He turned to the door to the right, and she couldn't help but groan.

One of his perfect eyebrows lifted in question. "Something wrong?"

"You share a wall with Ms. Gregory. Trust me you'll know what I mean soon enough." Best to let him figure that one out himself, but too often Ms. Gregory gave her grief over imagined noises, even when Janna wasn't at home. How could she be making the noises the woman complained about when she was at her classes most of the day? It was annoying, if not baffling.

He walked her all the way to her door and stepped to the side as she pulled out her key and unlocked the door. "Do you want me to take a look around inside?"

Now it was her turn to raise her eyebrows. Was he coming onto her or was he genuinely offering to make sure she was safe?

His face twisted into a pained expression. "I just heard in my head how that must have sounded. Just the policeman in me, I promise."

"The ex- never had a key or anything. I'm safe now." Fortunately, the _presence_ really hadn't appeared anywhere near her apartment, and she did feel secure in her own space. Plus, she was a little on the messy side and couldn't exactly picture what revealing items she'd left out before leaving this morning. "Thanks for walking me to my door."

For a few silent moments, his gaze zeroed in on her face like he was trying to figure something out about her that confused him. She'd said thanks. Was he expecting more than that?

He suddenly shook his head and turned his attention back toward his own apartment, the easy smile falling from his face. With his intense focus, she glanced toward where he stared, expecting someone to be standing there, but the hallway was empty. "Is everything okay?"

He looked back at her again, a worried look in his eyes. Something had certainly changed his mood. "Yes. It's nothing." With slow, measured movements, he took a few steps away as Janna watched. "I've got to go, but maybe we can grab a bite to eat sometime, you know, as neighbors."

_Play it cool, desperado._ She opened her door and stepped inside. With a glance over her shoulder, she smiled and spoke, "Sounds good. I'm sure we'll see each other around."

The click of the door closing behind her should have brought more satisfaction than it did. As she leaned her back against the door, she resisted the urge to fling it open again and shout at him that she was starving and was perfectly willing to go to dinner right this minute. But she stayed right where she was. She didn't wanted to seem too eager, instead wanted to give him the impression she was unaffected by his unreal gorgeousness, though she _so_ wasn't. Yet, it should have felt better than it did. At the moment, she felt like she'd just tripped over her own fear of rejection and hit the ground hard. It hurt more than she wanted to admit and way more than she'd expected. Whether it was the repeat and amped up performance of the possibly evil presence haunting her or her intense reaction to Cade, Janna was clearly thrown off her game, and she didn't like that feeling one little bit.

To make matters much more confusing, it finally occurred to her where she'd seen him before today. His familiarity was very real because just last week, he'd literally been in her dreams. As crazy as it sounded, she knew it was him like she knew the cut of her own toenails, and though she couldn't quite remember the entire dream, one thing she recalled vividly was the moment when he'd called out her name. It had been sensual and without a doubt in the middle of one very passionate moment. Maybe she was psychic...or completely insane. She cringed. Obviously, psychic. Please, let it be psychic.

## Chapter 2

His mother was inside his apartment. Not a complete brainiac himself, he still knew one thing very well—she didn't come to the human world very often, which meant something was wrong. As a queen of the Fae, Orla Lanter wouldn't come to a dimension with such horrible memories otherwise, and as she caught sight of him coming through the front door, she turned her attention away from the blank television screen and focused her regal gaze on Cade.

He couldn't hide his concern as he asked, "Is something wrong?"

She stood from the couch, a study of perfect poise and grace, every bit the Faerie Queen. "Can't I visit my son every once in a while?"

Though she could dampen it if she chose, brilliant light emanated in a perpetual glow around her. It was the natural state of a Faerie in the human world. One even he, a half-Fae, had to suppress. She was and always had been one of the Noble Fae of the Seelie Court, and somehow, someway had found his human father, Niall Lanter, a policeman, in the human world. They'd fallen for each other, married, and had Cade. They hadn't really worked out the logistics of her immortality and Niall's lack of it. He'd been gunned down in a shootout. She'd been devastated and had yet to recover completely. Since then, Cade had sworn never to create a strong connection to another, and so far he'd stuck to that with superficial relationships and keeping commitment off the table from the get-go. He always made that clear. And he'd never been the pursuer, never wanted to give false hope for a future he couldn't give.

So why had he asked his new neighbor out? Truth was, something about her sucker-punched him straight to his gut, and he couldn't shake the feeling he wanted...no...he needed to see her again.

He embraced his mother, feeling the warmth she exuded naturally envelop him and set him completely at ease. "Of course you can visit whenever you want, mother. Just didn't think you liked coming to the human world."

She retreated several steps and waved her hand in the air toward his head. He felt a breeze lift his hair and lay it perfectly back away from his eyes. "You know, it's been ages since you've visited. I miss you, and I fear for your safety. Such a dangerous world here. You should come back to Eiru."

Eyes narrowed, he took a step in her direction. "Something is wrong. What's happened?"

Her regal demeanor never changed as she sighed heavily. "Aelfric has the Absolute Glass."

"What? Are you sure?" If what she said was true, they were all in danger--Fae and human both.

"With total certainty." The Absolute Glass was an ancient relic with immeasurable power and the lifeblood of the Seelie court. His mother was charged with protecting it, and she took her responsibility very seriously. It was essential to her continued survival. Without it, the Seelie were vulnerable. Yet, that wasn't even the worst of it. The greatest danger was that, in the wrong hands, and Aelfric was that exactly, the Absolute Glass was a dangerous weapon capable of destroying all life.

"How? It was guarded night and day at the Queen's Palace."

A pained look wrinkled her perfect brow for a moment, and Cade was sure he'd never seen that particular expression on her face. There was nothing beyond her power, and not a thing ever fazed her. It worried him more than anything.

"Some kind of dark magic we had never experienced before. He slipped in unseen and disappeared before we'd even realized what had happened."

"Then how do you know for sure it was Aelfric?"

"He sent this." She pulled something seemingly from thin air. Anyone who wasn't Fae might freak out at the sight, but having a Hammerspace, a magical storage of sorts, was just a regular part of fey life, something every Fae could accomplish without thought, and Cade moved in closer as she opened her hand. In it appeared to be an ordinary onyx stone, but on closer inspection, an unmistakable emblem with two circles--one large thin circle outlined in red circumscribing a gold, solid one that nearly touched the outer one was displayed. A gold triangle surrounded both, and it was unmistakably a threat from Aelfric. It was his symbol, a business card of sorts, and his mother would know it well. After all, Aelfric and she were cousins and had grown up in the Seelie palace together. Unfortunately, Aelfric found the dark power of the Unseelie more appealing. Yet, before Cade's mother thwarted a coup that Aelfric organized to take the throne, Aelfric had been the heir to the Seelie throne. Orla had had no choice but to put him in a dimensional prison. Aelfric constantly plotted ways to take over, and he may have found a way that would've finally worked if she hadn't taken such a strong step. The strange thing about it was that he wasn't powerful enough on his own, so he had to be getting help from someone else. But who had freed him and who was backing him with dark power?

Cade ran a nervous hand down his face. "We need to get you somewhere safe. You need to be protected."

She rolled her eyes and waved her hand in the air dismissively. "I've got that covered, which is why I'm here. I've set up a safe house with impenetrable magic in another dimension, and you're coming with me."

He shook his head slowly as her words sunk in. "I can't just run and hide. I've got to find him and eliminate the threat. It's my responsibility as a member of the Fey Guard and as your son to protect you."

"He's too powerful right now. Someone...or something...stronger than him is feeding him energy. But there's one catch he didn't count on."

Cade rested his hands on his hips, hoping she wasn't going to insist again that the solution was they hide away until he gave up. The reality was he'd never give up. "What's the catch?"

"He followed me here."

Icy fear shot through him like an electric current. His gaze frantically searched the room everywhere he could see. "Is he here now? Why didn't you tell me?"

She snapped her fingers and the stone disappeared from her hand as she reached her other up and stroked his face with a reassuring touch. "Calm, my son. We're protected here, and now that he's crossed into the human world, I've sealed the entrances to Eiru against his dark magic. Like changing the locks, his key won't fit anymore, though any other Seelie wouldn't have trouble."

Cade's head dropped back on his neck with a heavy sigh, relief flooding him. Once his heart rate slowed, he looked at her again. "Then, you can head back to the palace. If he can't enter again, you'll be safe."

"Unfortunately, I still don't know who or what is behind his actions. It's possible that the energy guiding him is still in Eiru. I think it would be best if I still went to the safehouse until we learn who is feeding him his dark abilities or until he gives up."

"It won't be that easy, and you know it. He won't give up now or ever."

She pursed her lips together and nodded. "Exactly. That is why you must come with me." She held up her hand, stopping his protest. "Now that he's stuck in the human world, he'll find you and use you to get to me. You have to leave."

She was most likely right, but for some reason, an image of Janna came to mind and a pang of something like regret bloomed in his chest. Oddly, he'd insisted his assignment to set up a kind of outpost in the human world would be short, and he'd return to Eiru as soon as he could, letting a lower-ranking officer take over once everything was established. Yet, now he found the idea of leaving made him uncomfortable, possibly even a little depressed. He'd only met her once, but Janna had made such a strong impression on him that he wanted more time to investigate what she made him feel. She was different, and he wanted to know why.

Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to put his mother in danger. His own logic couldn't be denied. He would follow his mother into the hidden dimension, would stay there possibly for thousands of years, but not quite yet. "I'll come with you, on one condition."

Though she was a regal queen of supernatural origin, the look she gave was purely that of an irritated mother. "What condition do you deem agreeable to me?"

"Give me a couple months to find him."

"No, no, no. Absolutely not. Never an option."

"Mother, he won't be as powerful as I am in the human world thanks to my human half, and I refuse to let him threaten you and get away with it. If after a couple months, I'm unable to take care of the situation, I'll come to you, and we'll formulate another plan."

She straightened imposingly, but he still towered over her lithe frame. She had long ago lost her ability to intimidate him. With a curt nod, she explained, "It's clear I can't stop you. I mean, I'm sure I could overpower you magically, but to what end? You're too much like your father."

A heavy sigh escaped her lips, "Don't let your ego rule you, Cade. He will use it against you, and he'll attempt to use anyone or anything you care for against you too. Your father was a proud man, and I believed in him and his ability to protect others, but pride is flimsy protection against the realities of life and death. Make no mistake, Aelfric will find what's most important to you, and he'll force you to give up your own life for it."

"Dad loved you very much."

"I know. Never questioned it. However, if you can see Aelfric's way to pull you into his trap, whatever you do, don't go to him. You've got to come to me. Promise me that."

Cade sighed and wrapped his arms around his seemingly delicate mother. Her frame was small, but the magic coursing through her practically hummed with electrical pulses. Her power was undoubtable. Clearly, Aelfric and whatever dark energy feeding him had Orla Lanter, Queen of the Seelie, more than a little scared. That more than anything pushed Cade to stay behind while his mother fled to safety. He refused to let anyone intimidate or threaten her in any way.

He would find Aelfric, and he'd discover who the true threat was, and then he'd eliminate all threats to his mother and the Seelie, even if he had to spend his final breath doing it.

## Chapter 3

Janna rolled her eyes and sighed heavily into the cell phone she held to the side of her head. "Of course, I want to help you, mom. It's just that I have classes all this week. I can't just skip them to go through the boxes in your attic."

She continued to walk down the sidewalk, weaving in and out of the other pedestrians and doing her best to hold her own with her domineering, but ultimately well-meaning, mother.

"I know _you_ don't believe I'm on the right career path, but becoming a masseuse is important to me. I have potential in the field, unlike everything else I've tried. Something about massage-therapy clicks, and I refuse..."

Her mother cut her off, giving the usual arguments about status and what other people would think when she told them her daughter touched people for a living.

It wasn't as if Janna were prostituting herself. "Well, you don't have to put it exactly like that. You could just say..."

Every last drop of air left her lungs in a rush.

The darkness was back and it was right behind her.

She could feel the creeping presence as if its strong, clammy hands were touching the back of her neck. Pure and raw, the threat was tangible. Resisting the crazy urge to turn and search out the source of the danger, she rushed ahead to the nearest door, flung it wide and threw herself around finally to see if anyone...or anything followed.

Her mother was still ranting on the other side of the phone, and Janna glanced down at her hand as if the device there were a foreign object she'd never used before. She lifted the phone, her hand shaking, and spoke in a hoarse whisper, "I'll call you later, Mom. Gotta go." Without waiting for a reply, she ended the call and let her gaze roam the storefront window.

Though she only glimpsed a few people here and there, seemingly minding their own business as they walked past the building, she could feel the darkness hovering just outside, as if it were peering in, searching for her.

"Can I help you, miss? Did you want a table?"

Janna glanced over her shoulder at the short, brown-haired hostess standing behind her. She looked around quickly and realized she was in a restaurant. It was a restaurant about a block from her apartment building where she often met a few close friends for lunch occasionally. She'd been here many times, but she'd been so lost in her panic, she hadn't even noticed where she was.

"Janna?"

She recognized that gravelly voice, and turned slowly to spot Cade moving toward her, concern etching deep grooves between his eyebrows. He still looked like a sex-god that most women would take high and tight on a cracker, but at the moment, she couldn't focus on that. Not when a waking-nightmare waited just outside the restaurant.

"You look scared. Is that ex-boyfriend bothering you again?"

All she could do was nod. No words formed in her sandpaper throat.

He searched the sidewalk as best he could through the window fronting the restaurant and started for the door, but Janna grabbed his arm and shook her head sharply, convinced whatever was out there was a threat to him as well as her. He narrowed his gaze briefly and looked like he was going to go anyway. Finally, he rolled his shoulders a couple times and seemed to be satisfied with a decision before turning his bright blue eyes back to her. "You eaten dinner yet?"

"No." The word came out as a weak whisper. She cleared her throat and explained, "I just left the apartment to get something to eat, but on the way...well, I'm just really glad to see you.

He wasn't dressed in his uniform. As a matter of fact, he filled out his civilian-wear quite nicely. A pair of jeans fit snugly in all the right places. A soft-gray t-shirt stretched over his well-defined biceps and chest and tucked nicely into his narrow waistband. It was clear he kept himself in good shape.

"Sit with me. I'm at this two-top over here in the corner. I haven't ordered more than a drink yet."

"Oh, I couldn't impose."

"You wouldn't possibly. I don't know many people in Greenview. I could use the company. You'd be doing me a favor." He cocked his head to the side boyishly, and her knees turned to jelly at the attractive gesture. "I can be pretty entertaining when I want to be. What do you say?"

A quick glance over her shoulder toward the street and she knew she didn't want to go back out there. Like it had its invisible fingers and a nose pressed up against the window, whatever was out there wasn't going away any time soon. No way was she taking one step out the door until she felt its heavy presence leave. She focused on Cade again. "Okay. Sure."

The two-top where he'd been sitting was a small booth in the back corner, and as she settled in, Janna couldn't help but imagine a presumed intimacy this particular seating arrangement created. This was a date table. Of course, she didn't mind and wasn't complaining or anything. Just had to remind herself not to get her hopes up.

After they ordered, he leaned toward her, resting his elbows on the table and clasping his hands in front of him. "I'm just going to cut to the chase here. Do you think you should file a restraining order?"

She just stared at him for a long moment before snapping to attention and explaining, "Trust me. Wouldn't help."

"So many people think that way, but it's a paper trail that can't be denied. You know, documentation so it's not just your word against his."

Her bottom lip was sure to have a giant hole in it after all the nervous chewing she was putting it through. "I just need to ignore it...him, and everything will be okay." As if on cue, she felt the darkness dissipate and vanish once again. Her relieved reaction was instantaneous. "See! He's gone already."

He leaned out of the booth and stared intently toward the window at the front. "You seem pretty certain. How can you be so sure?"

_Crapola!_ She'd nearly given herself away. Some super-spy she'd make. Just another profession to avoid, not that she'd ever really considered it. Not like she was superhero material, for sure. "Just a good feeling."

He did that thing with his eyebrows coming together to show his concern again, and she couldn't help but like that he wore the hero mantle like a second skin. "Well, I think I'll stick with you a while, just to be on the safe side."

Her anxiety eased now that whatever was following her had evaporated once again. She even smiled as she teased, "I suppose I could have worse company for dinner."

A grin slid across his sexy mouth. "Oh, really? Just for that we're talking about sports the entire meal."

"Maybe I'd like that."

"My sport of choice is professional basketball. I can talk about it for hours and hours."

She was more of a college basketball fan, but anything would be better right now than allowing her not-so-sane mind to run over all the impossible scenarios she was considering about her latest close-encounter of the weird kind. "Maybe I'd like that too." Where was she going with this? She so would not enjoy talking about pro basketball for hours, and she stood to gain nothing from the direction of this conversation.

He looked like he was ready to call her on her obvious bullcrap, but instead he smiled widely and asked, "Who's your favorite team?"

No doubt, he thought he'd outsmarted her, and maybe he had because for the life of her, she couldn't remember one single team. Just as she was ready to confess the truth though, she decided to try one more tactic. "You first. What's your favorite team?"

A hardy laugh crinkled his eyes nicely and made her tingle all over. With a shrug, he seemed willing to play along. "Miami's pretty hot right now, but I'll always be a Celtics fan."

Oh, she remembered that one. "Boston has a great history." She thought she'd heard that before. But she was saved from talking anymore out of her comfort zone when the waitress set their food in front of them. It wasn't like she'd exactly said she liked the same sport. It was more a lie of omission.

_Ugh!_ She really needed to re-evaluate this whole lying thing. It wasn't who she was. At least as far as she knew, it wasn't. She kind of felt like she still didn't quite know who she was, and maybe all she really was, was a giant liar after all. Now that was a twisty thought if ever there was one.

She took a bite of her sandwich and rested her chin in her other hand. Depressing thoughts weren't usually her thing either. Maybe it was this whole dark energy. Maybe it was influencing her behavior.

Yeah, that was the ticket. Now she might be lying to herself.

"So, what do you do, besides follow professional basketball?"

She laughed throatily. He surely knew the truth, but she wasn't going to reveal herself just yet, leave a little mystery for him to figure out. "I'm taking classes."

"Classes for what?"

Though, truly for the first time, she was proud of what she was doing with her life, and she actually showed aptitude, sometimes people made certain assumptions when she told them what she was studying. Yet, she wasn't ashamed of her future as a masseuse. It was the first thing she'd done that didn't feel like work. It was fun and fulfilling, and she would gladly do it for free. Of course, she hoped to make a living at it someday soon.

"Massage therapy."

As predicted, his eyebrows shot up and his lips parted slightly. Expected, but she had to admit she was slightly disappointed _he'd_ reacted so typically.

She was about to admonish him for thinking so stereotypically when he beat her to it and said, "Admirable. You help soothe life's tensions from sore muscles. Your coolness factor just went up in my eyes."

Now it was her turn to raise an eyebrow. Maybe she'd assumed too much even though she knew what it meant to assume. Fortunately, she hadn't made an ass out of herself or him by saying anything out loud.

"I have to admit, I don't normally get a positive reaction when I tell what certification I'm working toward."

He took a bite and chewed. After he swallowed, he shrugged one shoulder and said, "In my experience, people tend toward the negative, but I'm optimistic by nature. Just the way I'm made."

She liked the way he was made. His outside was surely attractive, but so far, she liked what he revealed about the way he worked on the inside too.

The rest of the dinner they talked easily, discussing his job as much as he could, considering the line of work he was in, and her progress toward certification. She was close to the end, thank goodness. It was about time to start earning a solid salary instead of relying on her mother so much for support. More and more, her independence was becoming important to her sanity.

Eventually, they both finished eating, but they nursed their cold drinks and continued talking for another hour before deciding they'd hogged the table long enough. They rose to go, and though he had to take care of a few errands before he headed home, he walked her to the front of the building first. According to him, it was just for his peace of mind. She had to admit to herself, it had made her like him all the more.

"We should do this again sometime." His suggestion sent a bolt of excitement down her spine.

She nodded enthusiastically and stepped up to the building. "I'd like that."

As she reached for the door, he grabbed her waist and pulled her close to him. Her mouth dropped open in surprise, but she melted into him, staring longingly at his perfectly shaped lips. Her mind automatically jumped to the idea of a kiss, until reality kicked in and she noticed another tenant had been going for the door at the same time as she. There'd been no romance involved. He'd just been moving her out of the way.

She dropped her gaze and felt a flush rush through her chest and into her cheeks, feeling the heat build as it rose. How silly was she? Of course he hadn't been about to kiss her. But then, he did the strangest thing. She looked up into his eyes again. He moved his hand to the small of her back and smoothed the stray hair away from her face. His gaze searched her face and landed on her lips. Everything slowed to an unhurried pace as he leaned in and brushed his lips lightly over hers once before pulling back and staring at her, a very confused look on his face. Maybe his brain was just as tangled about this spark of chemistry between them. No denying it, this no-limits attraction was certainly powerful, whatever it was.

He cleared his throat and stepped back, dropping his hands away from her. She felt the loss immediately. If she wasn't careful, she might just fall for this one. Truth was falling for Cade wouldn't be such a bad thing if only this whole dark presence thing resolved itself in a timely fashion. Losing her mind would _so_ put a damper on her love life. Of that she was certain.

## Chapter 4

Cade retraced his steps to the restaurant. He'd had the worst and most haunting feeling Aelfric had been close. Of course, he couldn't be sure of it, but when he'd sensed it, he'd nearly left the restaurant to see if it was indeed the dark Unseelie he'd detected. At that moment though, Janna had walked in like death itself was after her. With her wide eyes and heavy breathing, she'd looked like she was about to pass out, and all his energy was suddenly focused on her. He'd remained with her, feeling an irresistible need to make sure above all she was okay. Their conversation over lunch had kept him enthralled. Shockingly, like he was completely enchanted, he couldn't have left that table, even if he'd desired to, which even more boggling, he definitely hadn't wanted to go anywhere.

And like a gravitational pull that he couldn't fight, he hadn't lost focus on Janna until his body was against hers, aching for more, and his lips were on hers, reveling in the electric touch. In that moment, as her warmth invaded his every nerve-ending and her floral smell invaded his space, he felt like he'd die if he didn't kiss her that very second. Yet, as soon as he realized what he was doing, he'd pulled back. For the briefest of moments, he'd forgotten why he couldn't get into anymore relationships with humans. But just the thought of leaving her to pick up the pieces when he inevitably left, and even worse to him, the thought of losing the mortal he loved, gave him the strength to put enough distance between them, so he could walk away with conviction. When he'd seen the half-lidded look of her eyes and the puffiness of her beautiful lips, walking away had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done.

He sighed. But it had been the right thing to do.

Now that he was sure she was safe in her apartment and he was out of danger of her tempting mouth, he'd come back to have a look around the restaurant. So far, he hadn't found a damn thing that led him to believe Aelfric had been here, but then again, he didn't really know what he was looking for, especially since the Unseelie enemy Fae could disguise himself easily, and Cade didn't honestly have the ability to sense other Fae. So, the idea that he'd even had an odd feeling that Aelfric had been near was, more than likely Cade's wishful thinking and not an actual extra-sensory sensation.

Nevertheless, he continued to look around anyway, standing outside the restaurant door, against the building, arms crossed as he watched the passing people. Yet, he knew it was a waste of time. Aelfric wouldn't reveal himself until he was certain he had an advantage. Though Cade didn't pretend to know what Aelfric was thinking, he knew him well-enough to know he would bide his time and attack when Cade was vulnerable. Right now, with his mother safe and his powers stronger than ever, Cade had no weaknesses, and Aelfric wasn't about to show himself under those circumstances.

He glimpsed Ms. Gregory walking his way and thought she'd be a perfect candidate for a dark Unseelie. She certainly had the disposition. Yet, Cade was sure Aelfric wouldn't choose such a weak vessel on purpose, unless it really was to throw the Fae off his trail. Something to consider anyway.

Down the sidewalk, another figure leaned in the shadows, trying to keep out of sight and unnoticed. It was a tall male, and Cade could almost swear his eyes glowed an eerie green out of the recesses of the awning under which he stood. Even if it wasn't Aelfric, it was clearly a paranormal being, and Cade needed to figure out who it was and why he was here. He started toward the creature.

"Cade, what are you doing here?" He stopped at the sound of his name. The familiar male voice wasn't difficult to follow, even though the fellow officer was across the sidewalk, next to a parked police vehicle. Tall to the point of being lanky with dark buzzed hair and dark eyes, Officer William Richards walked toward Cade like he really thought there might be a crime in progress, and he might get left out of the action.

William was human through and through, so the truth of the situation had to remain a secret. "Nothing work-related. Personal reason." And as Cade glanced back down the sidewalk, he noticed the unknown being was completely gone. Now, he felt confident he was on the right track. He'd find Aelfric, and he'd find him soon.

He glanced back toward William, who didn't look entirely convinced, but he slowed his quick-pace, stopping next to Cade with his hands on his hips. "Must involve a female."

Cade laughed and looked the other way down the sidewalk for a moment before glancing back with a shrug. "I guess you could say that." No one seemed more-than-human, and even Ms. Gregory was long gone.

William joined in the laughter, his eyes crinkling as he said, "Everything usually does."

"So true."

As they relaxed and the humor faded, William looked at Cade and asked, "How's that other case going?"

"What case?"

"The one you've been working on the side. I think I heard something about it from Mike the other day. He asked if I'd seen a particular street source. Corvie, I think?"

Cade stared, suspicion growing in his brain like an antennae rising. What did he really know about William? With a magical check, he'd tested out human, but Aelfric had the kind of powers to disguise the truth easily. It was part of the reason he was so difficult to ferret out. Mike, Cade's partner, wouldn't willingly reveal anything about the search for Aelfric to a human, but they'd been trying without success to locate Corvie. Maybe Mike had asked William what he knew about the little informant's whereabouts.

Doubts still lingered in his mind, but he answered, "Yeah, it's kind of a missing person's case. It's been slow progress, but I'm getting bits of information." A thought occurred to him that he might need to protect his informant, so he thought it wise to add, "I doubt Corvie will be a worthwhile source anyway. He's usually not a major player."

William grunted and nodded once. "Well, if I can help out at all, don't hesitate to ask. I've got a few street connections I've cultivated over the last few years. I might be able to link you up with someone who could help find whoever it is."

_Dammit!_ Cade must be getting paranoid. William had been on the force for years. Aelfric would have joined recently. And he sure as hell wouldn't have offered to find himself, would he? No doubt about it, Cade needed to let go the idea he was going to detect Aelfric in any way until the Unseelie decided to reveal himself. Otherwise, he was going to suspect everyone he came across, and more than likely be wrong about every single one of them.

"Thanks, William. I'll keep that in mind. I'm sure I'll get a break soon."

"Yeah, you're clearly detective material. You'll figure it out, I'm sure."

Cade ran a hand down his face. He needed to figure things out sooner rather than later. "I hope you're right."

William shifted and took a couple steps away. "Well, I hope your...personal issue...that has you standing here gets resolved too. I'll see you around."

The mood lightened again. "Yeah, you and me both. See you later."

He walked away and Cade went back to watching the faces of the people walking by. Other than children, they all looked like possibilities to him. It would be just like Aelfric to become someone Cade would automatically dismiss as a potential target. At this rate, he'd just have to wait until Aelfric found a vulnerability of Cade's and used it against him. Only then would he reveal himself. Fortunately, Cade allowed himself few vulnerabilities. He'd cut ties to most everyone who might be used except maybe his dog Gertie.

The back of his neck tingled with little shocks as reality sunk in. And Janna. If Aelfric had seen them together, he might assume she meant something to Cade. Truth was he could be right, scary right.

## Chapter 5

Notice me. Notice me. Notice me!

Janna glided down the hall toward her apartment door, a grocery bag in each hand. She slowed as she padded behind her undeniably hot neighbor Cade. He stood in front of his door, his head bent over the mail in his hand. He still wore his dark blue police uniform and was probably just coming home from his overnight patrol. It was a testament to her recent goal of smarter decisions and more restraint, with just a dash more truthfulness, that she didn't jump up and down to get his attention. And to be perfectly honest, she wasn't entirely sure what would happen if she got too excited. The last thing she needed was to expose the fact that strange things, unexplained, almost magical things, had happened to her and around her lately. No one else had noticed yet, but she didn't like taking chances, especially with her sexy new neighbor.

Over the past couple months, since he'd moved in, they'd spoken several times. They'd even become a little close, and as far as men went, he was a Louisville slugger among broomsticks. Her last disastrous relationship had brought her to a momentous decision. Every woman deserved a good man, even her. Of course, she had to get his attention first. She should probably just say hi, but each time she spoke with him, she was afraid the intense attraction she fought so hard to hide would shine big and bold in her eyes. And that would ruin the fun for everyone, especially since he'd clearly put her in the friend-only zone and would probably run screaming in the opposite direction if he knew her feelings had moved way beyond that.

Oh, well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. "Hey, Cade. Just getting home?"

He looked up, and she nearly melted as a sexy smile slid onto his gorgeous face. His deep blue eyes looked a little tired but lit up as he turned toward her. "Yeah, long night. You?"

"I've been running errands this morning. I've got class in an hour, so my day's just starting."

"Well, somebody's got to learn how to relax people in this world. When you're working your massage magic, less people will go crazy on the roads. Make my job easier."

She laughed lightly, but soon grew serious, her breath caught in her throat, as he took a step toward her. A ribbon of heat enveloped her mid-section when he reached her, but rather than wrapping around her like she'd fantasized all too often, he just took the bags from her hands and stepped toward her apartment.

"Thanks, you don't have to do that."

"Just being neighborly."

Oh, her thoughts were anything but neighborly as she watched his fine ass in his uniform pants. Despite the seemingly universal attraction to men in uniform, not every man could actually look hot in one. But Cade did. Too hot--that was if she wanted to keep the drool in her mouth and off her chin.

When they'd first started hanging out on weekends occasionally and in the evenings every once in a while, one of the first things they'd _almost_ -discussed was past relationships. It had come up briefly because of Gertie, Cade's beautiful white Maltese. Gertie was with him because after his ex- and he split, they'd put the choice to the dog, and Gertie had chosen him. Janna wasn't at all fooled, though. He loved that little dog.

In the end, he hadn't elaborated other than to say the relationship ended a year ago, but she'd gotten the impression he'd sworn relationships off for a while, so it must have been a rough finish. Janna decided to slow-play her attraction, but it was getting harder and harder to hide.

He stopped in front of her door. She unlocked it and tried to think back to where she'd dropped last night's pajamas--in her living room floor or the hamper in the bedroom. Had she put her dishes in the sink? Maybe, if she were lucky, a fairy had whisked in while she was gone and cleaned things up for her.

As the door swung open, she saw her hot pink sleep shirt and black thong between the coffee table in front of her couch and her flat-screen. Yeah, no fairies here.

She rushed inside and picked them up. "Oops. Guess I was in a hurry to get out of here this morning."

A quick look in his direction floored her. He was framed in her doorway, his gaze roaming down her body, lingering around her abdomen and breasts, and back up again. The heat in his eyes was anything but friendly. It sizzled with lust, but just as quickly, it was gone, replaced with an easy-going smile as he walked inside. "No problem. I'm not exactly Mr. Organized. Where do you want these?"

"Um, just set them down there. I'll take care of them."

He set the bags on the hardwood just inside the door but didn't immediately leave. "I'm off duty the next couple days and there's a game on tonight. You want to come over?"

The idea she was a professional basketball fan persisted still. But in her defense, she had been to a game once with an easily forgettable date, and though she wouldn't officially qualify as a fan, so much as a spectator when it was convenient, she couldn't really confess the truth now. Of course, it didn't hurt that watching a game gave her an opportunity to spend time with Cade.

"Sure, I'd love to." She cringed and suppressed the heated glow low in her abdomen that signaled a craptastically paranormal activity was imminent. She couldn't get too excited or the result could be disastrous. Things would be donions—completely over—before they even got started. She should have played her cards a little closer to the chest anyway. She'd probably sounded like someone had just sprinkled pepper on her brain and all her thoughts just sneezed their way out. She needed to keep the "inside-the-mind-crowd" to a whisper, or at least a dull roar. _That's cool...sure, dude._ Couldn't take it back now. Hopefully he wouldn't read too much into it, and she could control these weird new happenings before they...well...happened.

"Great. I'll see you around seven or seven-thirty."

He left and she carried the grocery bags to the kitchen. That could have been eagerness in his voice. And what was with that lustful look? Could he be attracted to her too? No way. He'd probably run screaming if she even so much as sat too close to him. One thing she knew for sure, if she didn't get a grip on this fascination with him soon, she was going to be headed for a check-up from the neck up.

She reached mindlessly for a box of cereal and turned to put it into a cabinet hanging next to the refrigerator, but came to a screeching halt, dropping the box to the floor as she took in the view before her. Every cabinet door was standing wide open, as if by magic. What the hell was going on?

Had the darkness found a way inside? A haunting was completely out of the question, wasn't it? Or was she going completely crazy? Note to self: head-check, not a bad idea.

She picked up the cereal and glanced around cautiously before setting the box into the cabinet and closing it. She carefully closed all the doors and went back to pulling groceries from the bags. Nothing else strange happened the rest of the morning, but the damage was done now. Now, she was sure something was off, like off inside her. So unfair. She'd met the man of her dreams, and now she was losing her mind. Wasn't that always the way it went?

* * *

Cade walked through the door of his apartment, picked up Gertie and gave her an affectionate nuzzle. "There's my good girl."

He grabbed her leash and some small bags and headed back out the door. Even magical beings, such as him, had to clean up after their dogs. After a leisurely walk around the park across the street where Gertie could do her business, he headed back home, set out a little food and water, and went straight toward the shower. His mind was on rote, and he was following his usual routine after work. But that meant his brain could focus on more interesting things, like his finer than fine neighbor Janna. Anytime Cade encountered Janna in the building, it was a stellar day. Damn, but she was completely his type. All legs and willowy curves, smooth skin, and sexy, dark blue eyes. Something about her threw his mojo all out of whack, which was beyond impossible for Sidhe like him. His Tuatha De' side usually took over when it came to women, and he was uncommonly good at seduction. Normally he could be Mr. Smooth, but it was all he could do not to epically crash and burn when she was around. And to make it worse, no matter how badly he wanted her, he knew he couldn't have her. He was only here for a short time and a very specific mission. He couldn't allow himself to get distracted--especially not by a human.

And above all, he couldn't allow her to get hurt.

He started the water and began to undress, grabbing hangers he kept on the back of the door for his uniform. Being a cop is what he'd always wanted to do. Even in Eiru, he belonged to an elite, Fae police squad though he'd been away for a couple months now on his personal task originally to set up an outpost. Now, he worked tirelessly to find and eliminate Aelfric. He had every intention of returning soon once he'd removed the threat to his people and especially his mother. But, he never turned it off. He was a cop in the human world and the Faerie world.

When he'd been a boy, watching his dad put on the blue uniform, buckling his utility belt, seeing his dedication to the job, Cade's desire deepened to be that type of protector. He liked taking the bad guys off the street, saving lives. It's all he ever considered for a career, and though his own situation with his dad's demise had given him an idea how it could affect his personal life, up until he'd met Janna, he hadn't really cared. But putting himself in harm's way every day could mean leaving behind the ones he cared about. Just like his father had. His mother was never the same after his father's death. He didn't want to put anyone else through that level of pain. He'd learned it was best to avoid any and all connections. But it was getting harder and harder to remember that the more time he spent with Janna. It didn't help that no matter how hard he tried to convince himself to stay away, he couldn't seem to.

Once the water was the right temperature, he stepped into the shower and reached for the soap. Janna and he had spent several evenings together, getting to know each other over the last month, and she was the whole package. She was smart, in a breezily charming kind of way, and funny as hell. She made him laugh, and that wasn't an easy feat. After you'd witnessed some of the things he had, it was hard not to see the world as unnecessarily cruel and entirely unfair. Being able to laugh was like medicine for the soul. It brought back a belief in humanity he otherwise might never find again, especially when the fey side of him wanted to believe the worst of humans.

Not that Faeries were any better. They were often crueler than humans even. Aelfric was a perfect example of that. He was willing to eradicate anyone in his way for the Faerie throne, even his own family.

His anger boiled to the surface at thoughts of Aelfric. The one major problem with this mission kept coming up again and again--Aelfric was one of the Fae who had the ability to glamour himself, to become invisible. Or possibly worse, he could change his appearance completely to disguise his true self. There were certain Fae who could see right through the glamour. And though he generally considered himself a pretty decent bad-ass, Cade didn't have that particular power, and it was driving him crazy.

At one time, he'd considered giving up and leaving the human world, using a brute force tactic instead. He'd live with his mother in the separate dimension in which she was currently laying low and protect her there. He could have, even if he wasn't full-blooded Fae, but he had to admit, now that he'd spent more time with Janna, he was glad he hadn't gone. Besides, his mother could hold her own. She was over a thousand years old and thoroughly talented with her own abilities. Normally, he wouldn't worry about her at all, but Aelfric had a powerful weapon--the Absolute Glass--and it was strong enough to scare a thousand-year-old Faerie into hiding and her son into staying on the front lines to keep her safe, doing his damnedest to take out the menace that was Aelfric the Touched.

So he continued to work as a human policeman like his father, using the position to question the Unseelie and other supernatural beings he came across, hoping one would slip up and reveal the location of his enemy. He sensed he was getting closer, so he'd been relentless lately, but Cade still couldn't quite nail the damn Unseelie down.

And now that he was in the human realm, he had to rely mostly on his human half, which was clearly getting distracted by a certain hot, female neighbor who haunted his dreams, both sleeping and waking.

He wanted so badly to take it to a higher level, any level beyond friendship, for that matter. Hell, the last thing he wanted was to be relegated to the "friend" category. That was death for a guy, especially if you wanted hot, hot sex. And, with Janna, he did. Truth was he wanted more than the usual with Janna. More than was possible.

Maybe he was just dreaming, but she was different for him. Scary different. There was something about her he found irresistible, and he knew it was just a matter of time until he would cave. He'd try to seduce her, and then when she found out he wasn't relationship material, he'd hurt her, or even worse, drag her into the intrigues of the Faerie realm. The problem was he didn't want to see her hurt...ever. He couldn't live with himself if he caused her pain or if something happened to her. So, he'd just have to continue to deny his desires until he caught Aelfric and headed back to Eiru permanently. Better to keep his hands to himself, literally.

As he ran his hands over his body, a naked image of her popped into his head. Damn if he didn't find himself fantasizing about her all the time and the sight of that black thong in the middle of her living room this morning wasn't helping him. All he could think about was that smooth skin under him or her long, light-colored hair spilling over him as she rose up above him, riding him. He was getting hard just thinking about it. Working off a little sexual tension in the shower before he hit the mattress might be just what he needed.

He soaped his hands and eased them down to the middle of his body. When he closed his eyes, Janna's pouty mouth came to mind. He wanted to lick and suck her perfect lips until she opened and he could sweep his tongue inside to tangle with hers. At the thought, he gripped his cock in a tight fist and began to pump slowly up and down its length.

His other hand cupped his balls and a groan rose in his throat as the image turned hotter. Janna's mouth was bewitching and his fantasy about her got dirtier as he imagined her lips wrapped around his throbbing cock. His hand slid up and down in a steady rhythm, and pressure gathered in his scrotum as he imagined her deep, midnight-blue eyes, looking up at him through her lowered eyelashes as her mouth slid around the head. An amazing sight, and it was enough to push him over the edge.

A rush of sensation squeezed his balls tight. Ropes of come hit the water and poured over his hand as he groaned Janna's name. He continued to roll his hand over himself until the last wave passed. _Damn._ He washed off the remains of the most powerful orgasm he'd had in a long while, dried off, and slunk toward his bedroom. His mind still rolled impossible thoughts around. Thoughts like how kneebuckling it would be to make that fantasy come true and that this thing growing between them was earth-shaking and unique, something he'd never experienced before. He certainly never felt that way about his ex- from a year ago. She'd been a human and in no way came close to Janna's magnetism. Maybe it was wrong, but he looked forward to seeing her tonight, even if it were entirely platonic. He damn sure hoped he could keep it platonic.

Ah, hell. He had it bad for her.

## Chapter 6

As Janna exited and locked her door, the door of the apartment next to hers, opened and out walked a petite woman in her sixties with dyed hair, resembling the color of tar and sticking up on her head like one day she'd just decided to fight gravity. Janna cringed. It was Ms. Gregory, but a certain tune from an animated movie filled Janna's head on sight of her sour-faced neighbor, and secretly she referred to her as Cruella. Not just because she wore fur, not just because she hated Gertie and all dogs, but well, she was just plain cranky and difficult to tolerate.

"Oh, Janna, I'm so glad I caught you in the hall here. Hate to be a bother..." _No, she didn't._ "...but your television was a little loud last night. Could you be a dear and turn it down?"

The first time she'd asked Janna to lower the volume, Janna rushed to accommodate. She certainly didn't want to be a bad neighbor, but at this point, her television was turned down so low, she had to sit directly in front to watch a television show and hear it at the same time. One of these days, she might call the cable company to move the cable connection to a wall their apartments didn't share, but until then, she didn't have a choice where the TV was located. At this point, she was pretty sure, _Cruella_ just liked to make people squirm anyway, and she'd found a perfect target in Janna.

"And, whatever you cooked last night...fish or something...the odor is still lingering. Remember, sweetie, you're not the only one in this apartment building."

"I'll get right on those things, Ms. Gregory." The smile never faded from Janna's mouth, but her words were stilted through gritted teeth. She hadn't fixed fish last night or ever, for that matter. She was a vegetarian. Ms. Gregory's sweet voice and cheerful face didn't fool anyone in the building. Everyone avoided her like an extreme rash. She was the most negative person Janna had ever met.

Satisfied, Ms. Gregory threw her purse over her shoulder with a nod and headed toward the stairs. Janna waited a few minutes until she was out of sight and followed at a slow pace so as not to run into her again, if at all possible. As a general rule, she tended to avoid conflict, which spoke volumes about her level of self-confidence, but Janna struggled most of her life to fit in. Most places she went, she never felt like she belonged, and her usual mode of operation was to say whatever would get her out of the situation quickly before she embarrassed herself completely. Maybe someday, she'd stand up to Ms. Gregory, but today, she just had to get to class.

The rest of the day inched by with massage therapy classes. Though her mother didn't approve, she was on her way to becoming a masseuse, and a good one, if her instructors' opinions mattered. She'd tried college. Wasn't for her. She'd tried a few jobs. She was a terrible waitress, hated retail, but when she'd come across a brochure about fast-track careers, she looked into it. After trying a few absolutely nots--how can phlebotomists handle all that blood all day--she'd lucked into massage therapy. She'd loved it and still did. The calm atmosphere, the help she provided, even the ability to listen to people's issues and maybe offer a little advice all appealed to her like nothing ever had.

She was about half-way through the program and was having the time of her life. The classes challenged her, but felt worth her time. And she could so see herself doing this for the rest of her working life. Of course, it didn't hurt she loved hanging out with her fellow students.

The day she met Mia Alexander, Hope Gabriel, and Roxanne Elliot was the day she finally found a group to which she felt she belonged. They were in different programs at the vo-tech school together and spent most lunches at the sandwich shop across the way from the building where their classes took place. When lunchtime rolled around, Janna met them as usual.

She plopped into her seat and picked up the familiar laminated menu. She spotted the lunch she always ordered--roasted eggplant sandwich with white bean spread and pesto--and debated ordering water or soda. She was craving soda, but figured water was better for her. Oh, the important decisions she was faced with on a daily basis.

Hope, whose name often described how she actually viewed life, spoke up, "I think I might try the avocado and turkey today. I'm in the mood for something different."

With a sigh, a shake of her head, and her usual snark, Mia said, "No you're not. You always think you want something different, but you never like it. Order the pizza sub, like you always do, and save yourself the regret later." The sun through the windows glinted on a dark pair of sunglasses covering Mia's eyes. Janna almost questioned her about why she still had them on, but figured it was probably just a late night, and she was hiding the dark circles.

"Let the girl get whatever she wants, Mia. If she wants to order some crazy something she'll never eat, she should be able to without our input."

"Thank you, Roxanne."

Roxanne nodded with satisfaction then turned her gaze to me. "You're awful quiet over there, girly-girl. Something on your mind?"

Of course she would notice. She often took the temperature of the group and knew when something was up. And if Janna were being perfectly honest with herself, there was no one better to ask about the ins and outs of guys, having grown up with six brothers as Roxy had, she knew more about the male species than most girls had any desire to know. Janna was dying for her opinion but wasn't sure how to ask. Now that Roxanne had broached the subject with her question, Janna didn't have to.

"There's a guy in my building..."

Mia sat up straighter and adjusted her sunglasses. "The one you were telling me about a couple weeks ago? Ooh, dish it, girl."

"Yeah, his name is Cade Lanter, and he moved into the apartment a couple doors down about two months ago."

"You like him, huh?" Hope's grin stretched from ear to ear, and the shy-girl in Janna worried she shouldn't have brought it up. She squirmed a little in her seat. The subject of Cade made her a little uncomfortable, and their rapt attention on her made her fidget.

At that moment, a short, squat waitress approached and took their order, giving Janna a moment of reprieve, but as soon as she walked away, their eyes all swung back to her with interest.

Janna shrugged one shoulder. "I do like him, but I'm pretty sure he just sees me as a friend."

Roxanne sat back, crossed her arms, and sucked air through her teeth like she was in pain. "Ooh, no good. What makes you think that?"

"Well, we met two months ago when he first moved in. We've hung out for a few weeks now, just a couple evenings on the weekends, but he hasn't even tried to make a move. Apparently, his last girlfriend from a year ago treated him pretty badly or something. He didn't say much. Just that he was taking it easy on dating for a while."

Emotions were rolling across Roxanne's face. She was considering all the angles. "When you hung out with each other, was it in either of your apartments?"

She wasn't ready to reveal how they'd first met. None of her friends knew about her losing her mind and feeling like she was being haunted by a dark presence, and she wanted to keep it that way if at all possible. So, she kept the explanation neutral. "No, once I ran into him at the park when he was walking his dog Gertie."

Eyebrows rose at the mention of the dog's name. "He inherited her from the bad relationship." They nodded with understanding and Janna continued, "And a few other times, we ran into each other at the same little restaurant and sat at the same table together while we ate. We spoke for hours and could've kept going, but I had class, and he had to work. We're supposed to hang out at his apartment tonight though."

"That's a good sign, isn't it?" Hope the hopeful.

"Except we're watching some pro basketball game." I shrugged one of my shoulders and reached for my drink. Before I sipped, I let my sarcasm speak for me, "Feel my excitement?"

They all laughed, but Roxanne sat forward, rested her elbows on the table, and raised an eyebrow. "You've got to get some confidence, girl. It is a good sign. He's into you, but not ready to make a move. I guarantee he'd be receptive if you did though."

"What do you mean? I'm so not launching myself onto his bod at half-time or anything."

The snorts of laughter filled the air again.

"Janna, you got something men find irresistible." Everyone's eyebrows went up at that loaded comment. "Your hands. You're a massage therapist, or at least you will be."

"So?"

"So, use that."

Mia's head popped up as she said, "Yes! That's it. Tell him you've got to practice for a hands-on test. Then, put your hands on him--all over him. No way he'll be able to resist that."

"You don't think he'll see right through it?"

Roxanne shook her head. "It doesn't matter. If he's into you, he'll take it from there. If he's not, he'll thank you nicely and turn back to the game."

"I don't know if I've got it in me to seduce someone."

"Don't think like that. Just give him a massage. A really, really good massage." Enthusiasm floated in Hope's voice as her eyebrows wagged suggestively a few times.

The server set their sandwiches on the table, and everyone took a few bites. Janna still doubted she could go through with her friends' advice, but the thought of all Cade's naked skin under her hands, sent a tingle to her mid-section. More than ever lately, her sex-drive was in overdrive. She wasn't sure what switch had flipped, but all she knew was she wanted Cade every time she saw him. Felt it to her core. Could she use her new skills to see if he felt the same way?

When it came to massage, she was good, magical good. Everyone said so. But could she be seduction good? Could she be so daring? So bold? There was only one way to find out.

Across the table, Hope sighed loudly. "I should have gone with the pizza sub."

## Chapter 7

Janna resettled her bag over her shoulder and knocked on Cade's door. The bag was loaded down with her oils and lotions she'd bought from a local natural healing store where she often picked up a few supplies on occasion. Before today, she'd never entered the section where emollients associated with arousal were shelved, but she'd spent a good forty-five minutes there today and probably had more than she needed.

After a moment, she knocked again and second-guessed herself. He had said to come over tonight, hadn't he? She glanced at her watch--seven-thirty. Had she heard wrong? Was her desperation showing?

Out of nowhere, the feeling of darkness suddenly returned and hovered near her. At first she thought it was her own disappointment making her imagine the feeling again, or even worse, another weird, unexplainable happening. But then she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Yet, when she looked down the hallway toward the stairwell door and the elevator on the other side, no one and nothing stirred. Creeped out, she inched closer to Cade's door and knocked again lightly.

Suddenly, she heard the deadbolt slide back and the knob rattle. The door swung open half-way and Cade stood there in nothing but boxer shorts, staring at her through half-mast, sleepy eyes. The sight of him erased the darkness and lightened the air around her. She sighed in relief. It must have just been her anxiousness about possibly developing past friendship with Cade. She shook off her trepidation and took in the obviously freshly-awakened, gorgeous man in front of her.

"Oh, Cade. Didn't mean to wake you. I'll go. We can do it another night." She cringed at the implication she heard in her words. "I mean, we can reschedule for another game."

He shook his head slowly and grabbed her wrist, pulling her inside the darkened apartment. "More exhausted than I realized. Stay. I'm awake now that you're here."

In the dark, she felt the heat from all his exposed skin so close by, and felt her breaths shorten. He leaned closer and brushed her as he reached for the light switch behind her head. Once the light filled the room, he stepped back, and Janna nearly swallowed her tongue at the sight of him. His hair stood up in several places and gave him a sexy, well-loved look. As she let her gaze travel down, she noticed silky, tanned skin stretched tight over layers of muscle across his lightly hair-covered chest and arms. His abdomen rippled to a narrow waist and a sparse trail of hair pointed the way into his blue plaid boxers. Her own body warmed at the erotic sight.

"You sure? You're not too tired? I can go." Her voice sounded weak, like she had very little intention of leaving if he asked her to. They were the polite words to say, so she said them. By no means did she want to leave now.

"No, I want you to stay. Just let me change."

He turned toward the bedroom, crossed the room, and swiveled down the hall. A little late, Janna's wits returned, and she remembered she kind of needed him like he was if her plan was going to work.

She strode after him. "Wait. Can I ask you something before you change?"

Without warning, he spun back around the corner and ran right into her as she chased him. He grabbed her around her torso and pulled her in tight as they got their footing. With her hands caught between them, she felt the hard planes of his chest and just resisted the urge to squeeze and smooth over all that glossy skin. Her heart beat a fast rhythm as their gazes met.

Once their feet were planted steady, things slowed down for just a moment. One of his hands eased up her back and pulled gently through the loose strands of her hair. His gaze dropped to her lips, and she nervously ran her tongue over them. For just a moment, she got the feeling he was going to kiss her again. But just as quickly, he set her away and swiveled until he faced his bedroom, his back to her.

"I think I need to get some clothes on."

"Wait." She touched his back softly. His muscles tightened, but he stood still. "I have a favor to ask, and I kind of need you dressed as you are."

His eyes were wide as he stared at her over his shoulder. "What kind of favor are we talking about here?"

She couldn't help herself. A nervous giggle spilled out, but she forced a solemn face and, dropping her hand, forged ahead. "It's for my class. I need to practice on a real live person for a practical exam coming up. Would you mind a free massage?" She might have rushed it a little more than when she'd practiced alone, but she hadn't thought it sounded too rehearsed.

One of his eyebrows lifted, and his mouth quirked up at one corner. "You want to give me a massage?" His voice sounded crazy deep to her ears, and impossibly, her heart picked up even faster until the sound reverberated through her mind.

"Just a little one. You know, to help me with my technique."

Both eyebrows raised, and he shook his head back and forth slowly. "I don't think that's a very good idea."

"Why not? I'm actually pretty good. Everyone says so." Even to her ears, her voice seemed to come out as a purr. Maybe she was better at this seduction stuff than she thought.

He groaned and his face took on a pained look. "Can I at least put on some shorts? Otherwise things are going to get real awkward, real quick."

"I didn't realize you were so shy. I promise, I won't look--much." Yeah, she was actually pretty good at seduction. Scary good because when he turned to face her, she saw exactly why he'd suddenly grown so shy. The front of his boxers were closed but tented, and as far as she could tell, were stretched to the limit. Goodness sakes, how big was he?

"See? Awkward. Sorry. It just happened."

She stared at the evidence of his arousal, giddy with the knowledge that he did find her attractive, but aware it made him uncomfortable, and he was about to bolt. "So what? Your body reacted. It happens to me all the time." She gave him her best reassuring smile, but heard the words play back in her head and quickly amended, "I mean, not to me personally, just during a massage. The body just reacts sometimes, right? No big deal."

"Really?" He looked skeptical.

"Of course. I really, really need your help. It's a very important test. If you think you can help me, lay face down on the couch and I'll begin. By the time, I'm finished with you, everywhere on your body will be completely relaxed, and you'll be one satisfied customer. Promise."

He still looked doubtful, but slowly made his way to the couch, and after adjusting several times, seemed to find a comfortable position. "I'll help you get ready for your test, but turn the game on. It might distract me enough to keep myself under control."

That was the last thing she wanted. "I've got something better." She pulled a small MP3 player out of her bag with a matching docking station that doubled as a music player with speakers. After finding a wall outlet, she set it up and located a soft, sensual playlist she'd created this afternoon. A sultry saxophone played to a jazzy rhythm, and Janna grabbed her oils and lotions, setting them out on the faux-leather ottoman in front of the couch.

"This is better than the game? Are you mixing medicines? I think we need to re-evaluate all major decisions you made today."

Her laugh came out low and sexy, but she didn't say anything, just poured oil onto her palm, the jasmine scent filling the air, and with only the slightest hesitation, rubbed her hands over the hardened muscles at his shoulders. She squeezed his stiff tissues and ran her hands lightly down his back before pushing back up.

A moan slipped free from his lips, and Janna felt encouraged to keep going. "See, isn't this relaxing?"

"It does feel good."

With strong, sure strokes, she continued to smooth over his hot skin, trying her best to ignore the heated tingle rippling below her waist and the building warmth in her abdomen. All that bronzed expanse laid out before her and his total trust at her hands were both enough to send a thrill of womanly power through her. At least she thought it was womanly power. The feeling was beginning to change and she wasn't entirely sure, but it looked as if her hands were beginning to glow a light blue.

He continued to moan and groan as she worked a few particularly taut kinks out of his shoulders. It was obvious he carried a lot of tension in his upper back. Most people did. It was where stress planted itself when it couldn't be unloaded naturally. The warmth moved from her abdomen through her shoulders and down her arms, out her fingers in waves. Again it felt like magic, and she began to grow a little nervous something she couldn't control was about to happen.

She needed to change the subject, and fast, to something that would calm her excitement.

"You're seriously stressed out, aren't you?"

"The job's intense at times."

"I'm sure. Do you ever take time to unwind?"

He sighed heavily. "Not really. I run on my days off, and watch mindless TV, but stress is just part of the job."

She'd like to help him work his stress out in the most pleasant of ways--between the sheets--and the more she thought about that and the more she ran her fingers over his muscles covered in the poured silk that was his skin, the heavier her breasts felt and the more riotous the nervous energy rolled in her abdomen. The urge to bend down and whisper kisses along the column of his neck was almost impossible to keep in check. What was wrong with her? At this rate, she'd probably throw herself on his Adonis body and embarrass them both. Time to move to a less tempting area of the body.

"Is there anyone you can talk to?"

He answered with a humorless laugh before explaining, "I made a decision when I became a cop that I wouldn't drag anyone else into the life of a policeman."

"So, what does that mean? No close connections for you?"

"That's the idea. No one gets hurt that way." His voice sounded empty, maybe a little sad even.

She shifted down the couch, put a little more oil on her hands, and began working the knots out of his thigh muscles. Well, that was slightly disappointing. He clearly didn't want a relationship, yet if she were being totally honest with herself, it didn't really bother her. It was actually freeing. For the first time in her life, she was finally figuring out who she was, who she wanted to be. It really wasn't the right time for a relationship for her either. Maybe what she needed was something to build her confidence, something to make her feel good for just a little while. Maybe she just needed to feel wanted, even if it were just for a night...or two. It could be mutually beneficial to them both, and like he said, no one would get hurt.

His groans grew lower and longer as she used both hands and progressed slowly up his right thigh, alternating her hands and her grip from light to heavy. She stopped just short of his groin and worked her way back down, over the back of his knee, and squeezed from his calf to his ankle before working her hands back up. When she reached his knee, she shifted to the left thigh with a smooth transition and eased her hands up toward his fine ass.

He began to move restlessly, and for just a moment, she worried she'd hurt him in some way, but then he turned over, grabbed her hands, and met her gaze, a fire burning in his eyes.

Their gazes locked, the scent of jasmine hung in the air, and the jazzy sax played on as he eased her hands back onto his thighs, now face up like the rest of him. As she continued to move up, he dropped his head back and moaned. His arousal rose above the band of his boxers, and Janna noticed a drop of pre-cum sitting so temptingly at the tip.

"You definitely got my body reacting, Janna."

She looked up to find his half-lidded eyes back on her face. An electric thrill traced up and down her spine. This was the moment she'd been working toward, and a liquid fire filled her sex as she eased up his thighs until she wrapped her fingers around the tops of his legs, below his thick cock and squeezed.

A hiss rushed through his teeth and he gripped the couch cushions. "I don't know what you're doing to me, but please don't stop."

Stopping was the last thing on her mind. Instead, she rose up above him and slid her legs over the spot her hands had just been, straddling him just below his jutting erection, but rather than glide her hands over his hardness like she wanted to, she eased her hands up his abdomen and slipped them over his stomach and chest. The head of his cock slipped against the tops of her breasts, and a breathy groan rose up in his throat.

Janna reveled in the power of her skill. She'd never been good at much of anything, truth be told. Most definitely wouldn't consider herself a seductress in the bedroom, but combined with her massage skills, a confidence she'd never felt before enveloped her, and she slowly flattened herself until she lay flush on top of him. She sprinkled a few kisses along his upper abdomen, feeling a tingle in her lips with each warm touch, like little magic bursts with each contact. A riot of sensation swirled through her mid-section, and her breathing was out of control. Somehow, along the way, she'd gotten caught up in her own overwhelming desire and felt if he didn't touch her soon, she'd die.

She looked up at his face, not knowing what to expect, but delightfully surprised by his passionately pained expression. "How's that feel? You want to watch the game now?"

She gave a little squeak as he lifted her, flipped her underneath him, braced himself on his hands above her, and with a crooked grin, asked, "What game?"

His lips covered hers in a searing kiss, and she shifted until his erection pressed hard and insistent into her shorts-covered core. _Dang!_ She needed her pants off now.

Her mind quickly emptied of all thoughts as one of his hands slid into her hair, cupping the back of her head, and his tongue slid against hers with a sexy wild abandon. He ground himself against her once, twice, before pulling his mouth free and stilling on top of her.

"This is crazy. You drive me crazy. What are we doing?"

"Didn't your parents or a sex-ed teacher, explain this to you?"

He laughed lightly and shook his head. "I mean, a body reaction is one thing. But you're so beautiful and sexy. There's just something about you...I want to touch you everywhere. Are you sure you want this?"

A twist of emotion churned in her chest. _He thought she was beautiful and sexy_. "Oh, I definitely want this. I want you, Cade. All of you."

It was all the encouragement he needed apparently. His mouth came back down to hers and his hands roamed up and down her body, one sliding along the arch of her back while the other cupped her aching breast. His thumb strummed her pebbled nipple through her t-shirt and bra, and all she could think was how incredible it would feel skin-on-skin.

She pushed him back a bit and wiggled her t-shirt over her head, tossed it to the floor and reached for the clasp at the front of her bra, but he beat her to it and unsnapped it with shaking hands, brushing the fabric apart with a quick breath. Her nipples tightened even more, and she felt the warm moisture of his breath just before he captured one in his mouth and laved it with his tongue. Her own breathing became ragged, and she felt a flush come over her skin. Again, she couldn't believe how sexy she felt in his arms, or how dangerously vulnerable she suddenly felt as they so obviously progressed beyond their friendship. There was no going back once a guy sucked one of your nipples between his lips. No denial of feelings once your body reacted sexually to his sensual touches.

He moved to her other breast as she unsnapped her shorts and began to inch them down her thighs. Once she could reach no further down, he took over until she could kick free of the shorts. He rose up above her, and she felt the heat of his gaze. He released an appreciative growl, and she felt the warmth of a blush creep over her exposed skin. He apparently approved of how she looked.

"Janna, you're stunning. You're gorgeous, and I'm floored I'm finally able to touch you the way I've wanted to since the moment I first met you. Don't know how I've managed to wait this long."

A smile slid onto her lips. It was exactly what she needed to hear. She slipped her hand up to the back of his head and pulled him down to her mouth. Their kiss turned fiery in an instant, and she curled her legs around his thighs, brushing her hands down his back to cup his tight ass.

One of his hands glided along her side and skimmed the waistband of her underwear. He flicked his fingers lightly over the lips of her pussy through her panties, and a liquid fire burned between her legs, and she no longer suppressed the waves of energy that pulsed along her skin. She threw her head back at the erotic touch but quickly met his gaze again, unable to look away from him. His lopsided grin at her breathy moan did crazy things to her stomach. He pulled her panties to one side and began to rub the hidden nub between her trimmed curls. He began to stroke the spot with his thumb as he eased in one finger, then two. She moaned, feeling herself losing control in a most wanted way.

He was so damn good at touching her in just the right spot. She felt the first stirrings of an orgasm heating up her core, burning her in a wash of sensation impossible to subdue. Throaty sounds escaped her mouth unchecked. She couldn't make herself care whether she looked or sounded sexy. Too lost in the feelings he was building in her, she lost all her self-consciousness and just let him take her over the edge. The ember of pleasure in her blood fanned to a full blaze until she bucked and twisted her hips, the walls of her womb squeezing his fingers in a satisfying rhythm until the spasms faded and she lay boneless on the couch.

He pulled his hand free and stared at her with a look of awe. "Damn. That was one of the hottest things I've ever seen. Do you always come so quickly?" His voice was low and gritty, his breathing rapid and shallow.

_No, never._ But, did a girl admit she had enough experience to make that judgment call? Blech! The return of the confidence-vacuum. What did it matter what he thought of her? He'd already made it clear he had no intention of taking the two of them beyond this. It was freeing honestly, and the sex-kitten inside her decided to use it.

With desire still riding high, she looked at him through her lashes, and answered, "We've got all night to get the timing right." To keep the sexy theme going, she rubbed her calf along his and gave his ass a squeeze. The sexy grin on his face deepened.

"Are you sure? I mean, no denying this changes things."

At least he realized it too. "Having doubts?"

"Hell, no. You?"

"After that orgasm? I'm not ready to stop yet."

He shifted above her and propped his knee between her legs. His hand trailed along her bare abdomen, and she debated sucking in but decided he'd already seen all of her and if his erection were any indication, he found her attractive just as she was. She liked feeling all her inhibitions sliding away. If she were being totally honest, she'd never felt this open and free with anyone else. Maybe it was the lack of relationship pressure. Maybe it was because they'd hung out for a while before taking it further. She didn't know what the difference was, but whatever it was, she liked it.

He stood, lifting her in his arms. With a startled squeak, she wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled against his chest. His gaze was glued to her bouncing breasts as they walked toward the hallway, but he shifted his focus as they entered his bedroom and headed toward the rumpled bed. He laid her down gently, pushed the blankets aside, and she pulled him against her, feeling the searing warmth of his skin against hers.

He lightly caressed the sides of her arms and torso and whispered kisses along the column of her throat, bringing every nerve-ending to life. She closed her eyes, tipped her head to the side, and choked back a moan at the sensations firing along her skin with each touch. In a long caress down his back, she eased her hands to the bed, gripping the rumpled blankets in her fists. She needed him inside her now.

Then his hands lifted from her body. He pulled away, and the loss of his touch nearly made her cry out in protest. But she lay unmoving, anticipation building as she heard the whisper of his boxers dropping to the floor. He reached into the drawer of the bedside table and pulled out a small, black square package, tore it open, and rolled on a condom.

His hand stretched over her waist, but he just stared for a few moments before admitting, "I've been picturing you just like this for too fucking long. Just want to savor it for a second or two." With a satisfied sigh, he slipped his fingers beneath the elastic of her panties. The heat of his fingers burned along her skin as he skimmed them down her legs, taking her thong with him. It dropped to the floor, forgotten as he positioned himself over her and pressed the head of his erection to her core. She inhaled sharply, waiting for the suspense to end. With unhurried, measured movements, she released the bedclothes and reached her hands up to caress his face and rub over the back of his neck just as he began to slowly push inside an inch, then pull back. The wait each time was agonizing, but despite his tight muscles and ragged breaths, he took his time, using a deliberate rocking motion to gradually part her moist flesh and sink deep inside until she stretched tight around his throbbing cock.

"Cade..." The word tore from deep in her chest as she reveled in the feeling of being so completely full. The world fell away as it came down to the two of them, flesh against flesh, the slow process of give and take as they moved against each other.

Their mouths met and tangled in a soul-searing kiss, their tongues touching wildly in a mimicking dance as he eased in and out of her gently. A whimper sounded, and she recognized it as her own voice, but she was lost in the moment. Never before had she been this aware of sensation, and she felt all her insecurities melt away as she shivered with the intensity of the feeling. The hotness of the sex was building quickly, the mysterious energy pulsed hotter and faster. Briefly she worried it would be visible to him, that it would freak him out, but she was too far gone to really care one way or the other. She was getting close to another orgasm, and her anxieties were melting quickly.

Dimly aware that he was quaking with his effort to control the pace, rumbling sounds rose from his chest with each thrust into her pussy. His struggle affected her in a most surprising way. It made her feel desirable and sexy that he was so obviously desperate to come as much as she was. Unexpectedly, he pulled free, but before she could protest, he threw her legs over his shoulders, lifting her pelvis and opening her up even more as he reentered her. She cried out with pleasure as he rubbed over a particularly sensitive spot inside her body. Barely able to move her lower body, she rocked against him as best she could and reveled in the powerful sensations this new position brought.

It wasn't long before the pace quickened, and he began surging into her completely, his thighs slapping against her ass. The friction on her clit built, and the spot he'd found inside her bloomed, radiating pleasurable feelings through her core until, with another stroke, she pulled him in hard against her and bowed her back as the waves of a powerful climax closed over her. She felt herself milking him deep inside as throaty moans tore from deep within her chest. Her own spasms triggered a harsh cry from Cade as his thrusts became erratic, and he rode out his own climax. Suddenly, a blue, energetic glow emanated from their bodies, filling the room around them. She was sure she saw it. Whether inside her crazy mind or real, she wasn't sure, but she no longer cared as she screamed when the casual warmth from earlier changed red-hot, condensed then exploded all around her, taking her beyond any orgasm she'd ever had before.

She rode the crest of her orgasm and floated back down with a shudder. He lowered her legs to the bed and rested his forehead onto hers, his breaths sawing in and out rapidly.

"Wow. Just, wow." His voice was rough, like it'd been overused, and a feeling of pride washed over her at his reaction. He rolled to the side of her, his chest rising and falling rapidly, his eyes facing the ceiling.

"Are you okay?" Had he noticed anything unusual? A blue glow that exploded when she did, maybe?

A grin snuck across his features. "Beyond okay." He pulled her against his side, squeezing her naked body flush against his. "That was...it was..."

His inability to form thoughts into words was telling. She knew where he was coming from because she felt much the same way. She'd never had an experience so overwhelming to all her senses, making her intensely aware of every drop of pleasure he wrung from her tingling body. Just thinking about it was getting her all worked up again, and she rubbed her thigh up and over his.

"It was hot, wasn't it?"

"Hell, yeah, it was hot. You weren't lying. You're good with your hands." His eyes sparkled with humor, and nothing in his expression hinted he was anything but satisfied. Whatever she'd seen must have been for her eyes only. He didn't give any indication that anything was out of the ordinary. She could relax again.

A prideful thrill ran down her spine. "Told you so."

He stared at her intensely, like he was working something out in his mind, but he didn't say anything, and she grew a little self-conscious. Doubts crept in. What would she say if he asked her about the glow her body had given off? His eyes narrowed, and he opened his mouth like something important was on the tip of his tongue, but then shook his head and turned away. He shifted and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I haven't eaten since I got home. You hungry?"

She sighed in relief. "Mostly thirsty."

He chuckled and pulled a pair of athletic shorts from a drawer of a dark wood dresser and stepped into them. A t-shirt with large, block lettering fell on the bed beside her. She slipped it over her head and stood. The hem fell to mid-thigh and bore the insignia of some police league softball team.

His hand took hers and led her from the room. "Come on. I got a fully stocked fridge."

## Chapter 8

His sexual needs more than met, Cade grabbed her hand and pulled Janna behind him, unable to wipe the satisfied grin from his face. He'd known it would be good with her, but he'd been blown away by just how good. Like unforgettable as long as he lived good. Like he was going to be sore tomorrow good, and the fact that it was Janna made it all the better.

She was Fae. He recognized the truth the minute her energy began flowing out of her hands into his body. Why hadn't she recognized him though? Didn't she know the signs that two Fae were compatible, passionate even, with each other? He'd felt it to his bones, but she had yet to acknowledge the truth. Was it possible she didn't know?

They walked into the kitchen, and Cade let her go for just a moment to let Gertie out of her crate. The little dog hopped back and forth on her front and back paws around his legs, until she noticed they had a visitor. With a yelp, she sprang toward Janna, wagging her tail and jumping around with excitement, and Janna bent at the knees to get down to Gertie's level. Cade couldn't help but be warmed by the interaction. He was of the firm belief that a dog's reaction to a person told a lot about her, and even more telling was how the person treated the dog. He should have paid more attention to that with his ex-. She hadn't been into much of anything else but herself.

"You hungry? Want a sandwich or anything?"

She looked up and shook her head. "I'll just take something to drink if you have it."

"I got iced tea, water, or beer. There's milk in the fridge, but I'm not sure how long it's been there. Don't think I'd chance it."

He got another appreciative look at her long legs as she stood up and wandered over to him. "Is the tea sweet?"

"Are you one of those southern girls who likes her tea sweet?"

"No, Ohio born and bred, but my college roommate liked sweet tea."

"College? Do you have a degree?"

Her eyes dropped to the counter, and she began to fiddle with the restaurant-style salt and pepper shakers he kept there. This subject clearly made her uncomfortable. "No degree, much to my mother's strong disappointment, but there long enough to join a sorority and get to know a roommate."

He never would have taken her for a sorority girl. He'd known a few in his own college days, and she seemed too...easy-going. The ones he'd hung out with were die-hard, cheerleader types who were always looking for the next party. Maybe he should have met a few more.

Matter of fact, what did he know about Janna? They'd talked about massage-therapy, her mother, and other things a few times over the past couple months, but obviously there was more about her he needed to know. Maybe he needed to gather some information about the _Faerie_ woman who rocked his world up one side and down the other. She was also the woman he had every intention of hitting the sheets with all night long if she was agreeable. It wasn't a bad idea to find out a little more about her, especially what she knew of her apparent ancestry. "So, what made you decide to become a masseuse?"

She gave a throaty chuckle, put her hands on her hips, and looked up toward the ceiling for a moment before turning her gorgeous blue-eyed gaze on him full-force, causing the breath to catch in his chest. Yep, they were completely attuned Faeries. If he wasn't careful, he'd find himself mated to Janna. It didn't take much in the Faerie world, just a few uttered words, and they'd be joined for life.

"Believe me, I tried just about everything else. Massage-therapy was the first program that didn't feel like school. You know, didn't feel like work. I liked the idea of making people feel good, putting my hands on their skin, and using my fingers as tools to make all their stresses fade away."

Her hands rolled in a wave-like motion in the air before she settled them back on her cocked-hip. His body reacted instantly. He was hard as stone. She looked like a wild child with her yellow-blonde hair long and messy, eyes sparkling, and so much skin exposed. The sound of her voice and the motions of her hands mesmerized him. He wanted to swoop her up and carry her right back to the bedroom to finish this firestorm they'd started. He took a step toward her, intending to do just that but stopped when he accidentally stepped on Gertie, who gave a loud yelp and ran under Janna's feet. Janna stooped down again to calm his dog's stretched nerves. _Dammit!_ What was that? He wasn't clumsy...ever. Coordinated and athletic. He'd been on his high school basketball, golf, and swim teams, and Fae were naturally coordinated. Now he looked like the worst pet owner and biggest goof.

"Sorry, Gert. Didn't see you there, girl." He shook his head and swiveled toward the cabinets and fridge. He needed to stuff his mouth full of something edible and distracting before he completely embarrassed himself all over again. He was usually so cool and collected. Had to be to do police work, where he laid his life on the line with every car he pulled over or domestic issue he investigated, but this fiery connection with Janna threw him completely off, made him impulsive and downright stupid. He better slow down before he looked like a freaking teenager on his first date.

"You never told me what you wanted to drink." His voice came out rough, but he had himself in check now.

"I think I'll have a beer if you don't mind."

A quick trip to the fridge and he pulled two bottles free, opening them quickly and handing one to her.

"What about you? Why'd you choose police work?"

He shrugged. Here or in the world of the Fae, he was meant to be an authority. It was ingrained in him. He wasn't quite ready to explain about growing up with a cop for a dad, the anxiety and the loss he'd experienced, so he felt a little guilty but gave her his patented answer. "I like to boss people around, and navy blue's my color."

She laughed and seemed satisfied, but for the first time, he wasn't satisfied with his answer. He wanted to explain further. He had an urge to open up to her like never before, but he stopped himself, sure it was too personal to discuss such heavy things. It hadn't been easy growing up with a Faerie mother and a human father, especially when he'd died. But, something told him he definitely could and probably would talk to her about the childhood trauma that shaped the man he was. Over the last two months, he'd come to realize he could tell her just about anything, anytime. Just not tonight.

She sipped her beer and gave a sultry smile that made him weak in the knees and sent a riot through his abdomen. Hands down, she tempted him like no other ever had. At this rate, he'd go hungry in order to feed more pressing hunger, but again, he reminded himself he wasn't the impulsive idiot that only chased tail. And he especially wasn't that guy since he'd met Janna. Yeah, it had been since that fateful day he'd first literally run into her at the park. Since that moment, no other woman had interested him. If he wasn't careful, he might read more into that than he was ready to acknowledge.

He went about putting together a sandwich for himself and ate it standing at the counter, but it wasn't enough to distract him completely. He was still so aware of and curious about the sexy fey woman filling the air with her soft, feminine fragrance. His hands itched to touch her, and the minute the last bite was swallowed and his beer drained, he moved right next to her where she leaned her backside against the counter.

"I need to take Gertie out. You can stay here or go with us, whatever you want to do."

She looked thoughtful for a few minutes before shrugging. "If I stay here, it would give me a fantastic chance to snoop through your medicine cabinet, but Gertie and I bonded, so I feel like us girls should stick together. Maybe you should stay, and I'll take her out."

He laughed. There was a confidence about her tonight that wasn't always there. He liked it. He liked to think he had something to do with that. "Yeah, well, Gertie's habits might have you re-thinking your new bond. I better go with you to take care of the business, if you know what I mean."

"Okay. I won't argue with that."

They dressed fully, and she threw her long hair into a slick ponytail, making his fingers itch to mess it all up again. He grabbed the usual supplies and Gertie, and they headed out the door. Her laughter brought places inside him he thought long-dead fully alive, and he had to admit, he liked the two of them together.

The elevator doors opened and Ms. Gregory stepped off. Gertie gave a low growl until Cade touched her behind her ears a little, pulling her attention back to him.

Janna's laughter died on the air, and an anxiousness that hadn't been there before suddenly enveloped her. The confident Janna from earlier disappeared right before his eyes.

"Oh, Janna, don't forget to turn your television down tonight. I certainly don't need it blasting through the wall like last night."

"Don't worry, Ms. Gregory. You won't hear me at all tonight."

"Good. I see you're taking that dog out, Mr. Lanter. Is there a chance she won't return?"

_Cruella_ through and through. The resemblance had occurred to him just this morning. "We'll all return."

She swept past them and spoke under her breath, "That's disappointing."

He shook his head. The woman was insane. Who didn't love dogs?

One quick glance at Janna though when they stepped onto the elevator was eye-opening. Apparently, Gertie wasn't the only one who sensed the meanness in Ms. Gregory, but rather than showing the spirit of earlier, Janna retreated, and he didn't like it one bit.

"Don't let her get to you. She's just a lonely, bitter woman who likes to push people's buttons. You shouldn't take it personally."

Her gaze remained on the floor of the elevator. "Yeah, I know. I think she reminds me of my mother or something."

"Because she's so freaking warm and loving?" He pushed the button to go to the lobby and watched her.

"Right...both women are so full of compassion." She looked up with a grin on her lovely face, and he felt the full force of his desire hit him all over again.

She had a beautiful smile. It changed her face completely. Softened it for sure, but when she smiled she went from pretty to fantasy, and in his opinion, anyone who wiped the smile from her face should suffer badly and often.

He only ever wanted to see her happy. The realization rocked him. He didn't want to think about what that meant, but in all his previous relationships, he didn't even try to mess with the emotional stuff. Of course most of those had been with humans, and he'd never experienced this level of connection. He wasn't sure what that said about him, but it was true. Yet, with Janna, he wanted to know how she was feeling. He wanted to be a part of her life. He wanted her to turn to him. _Shit! This felt a lot like heavy-duty relationship stuff._ So not his area of expertise, and with a personal mission to accomplish, so not what he needed to be thinking about. But there just the same.

"So, your mother disapproves of your choice of profession? Doesn't sound like the first thing she's complained about."

Her eyebrows lifted, and he could see the debate in her eyes as the past marred her facial features. He was interested to know where her fey heritage came from. If this mother was so judgmental of her amazing daughter, he wondered about Janna's father. Was he the Faerie in the family? Had he somehow tainted the mother's view of their kind? Seemed like someone else besides him had fucked-up family issues. Maybe they had more in common than he realized. He stepped forward to stand directly in front of her and ran his hands up and down her arms.

"She pretty much disapproved of everything I did, most of my life."

"That must have been horrible for you growing up."

She slid into his arms, and he wrapped them around her. God, it felt so right to hold her. It was a little scary, but a whole lot more satisfying in a way he wasn't ready to question. All he knew was having her in his arms felt like a piece he didn't even realize was missing finally snapped into place where once there'd been a hole.

He felt her shoulders lift in a shrug. "I stopped caring what she thought of me. Rebelled for a long time. But, I guess those feelings of not being good enough don't just go away."

"I never thought I'd want to trip a lady, but your mom and Ms. Gregory might just deserve a face-plant each."

Her laugh was small, but there just the same, and he liked he'd made her feel better, even just a little.

"No, I don't need you going all caveman on my account. I learned to run from conflict a long time ago, and it still seems to work for me."

He was glad she couldn't see the frown on his face. Two things concerned him about what she'd just said. First of all, he didn't like the idea of others walking all over her. And second, you couldn't always run from conflict in a relationship, which is why he'd sworn them off. For some odd reason though, the idea of not being a part of Janna's life made him as antsy as a newbie cop with his first gun draw. But would she run from a relationship the minute things got difficult?

The elevator stopped, and they stepped out into the lobby of the apartment building. They crossed the street and began walking around the perimeter of the park. He scanned the area like he always did. He was always mindful that Aelfric could be near but relaxed a little when her hand brushed his briefly once. His gaze settled on the top of her head as he let Gertie lead them around. If they couldn't have anything more than this, he still needed to know she'd be okay. He didn't know why it was so important to him, maybe it was the helper in him, but at any rate, he wasn't ready to drop it.

"You can't run from everything."

"No, you're right. I can't run from everything. It just makes the situation feel worse in the end, but I don't know how to do anything different yet."

"I really like your honesty." And he did. It made him feel like he knew exactly who she was. No games, no hidden agendas, just what you see is what you get.

"You say that now. Another product of my upbringing. It was a way to get back at my mother, another form of rebellion. She's _Miss Perfection_ , and that meant fake to me, so I never wanted to be less than frank about anything. If you want to know the truth, I'll tell you."

So he could ask her right here and now if she knew what she was to him, if she thought they had a chance of anything more after this, but damn if that didn't sound a little too chick-flick. He wasn't sure he was ready for an honest answer anyway. His decision never to get too close to someone hadn't been decided overnight. It was ingrained in him through experience from an early age. Then why the hell did he want to know what she thought of him? This _was_ turning into a freaking chick-flick.

He breathed in the cool night air and thought a change of subject was a good idea, and with the right questions, he might be able figure out how much she actually knew about the Fae. "What about your father? How's he feel about your choice of profession?"

She shrugged. "Don't know. Never knew him. Mom said he died when I was just a baby."

_Interesting._ Maybe the reason she hadn't acknowledged he was fey was because she didn't know anything about her supernatural heritage. She obviously didn't know what she was at all. He was willing to bet her father was fey, and her mom had a fling that resulted in Janna. It would explain the constant disapproval. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yeah. I kind of painted this picture of him as some fantasy dad who'd swoop in and take care of me, protect me from my mother's constant reminders of how much I disappointed her. I would have liked to have known him."

Cade ran the back of his fingers over her cheek. She refused to meet his gaze, and he was sorry he'd brought up such painful memories. Even if he stuck to his guns and didn't let this develop into a relationship, he wanted to leave her with a new understanding of herself. He thought it only right she knew who she really was, what she could really do. He'd have to approach the subject carefully though. She'd been raised in the human world, without any knowledge of her magical roots. No way would she believe him immediately, if ever. He needed to ease her into the idea.

"I think he would have been very proud of you."

"I hope so. Ugh! No more about me. What about you? Tell me about your parents."

Cade chose his words carefully. "My mother is a strong, independent...woman. I am who I am because of her."

"And your father?"

He sighed. He knew this conversation would come eventually, and for once, he didn't mind talking about it. "Died in the line of duty."

Her face fell into lines of concern. "I'm so sorry. When?"

"I was ten. One night, he went out on patrol, and next thing I knew, his partner was telling my mother he wasn't coming back. Shot in the chest and died before the ambulance even arrived."

"How horrible for your mom and you. And you followed in his footsteps, becoming a policeman?"

"Yeah, but hopefully not in every way. It's why I try to avoid close relationships."

She cocked her head to the side and looked at him sharply. "Because you don't want anyone to feel the pain you experienced." She understood.

"I wouldn't put anyone through that, if I could help it."

"It sounds like it was devastating, and I wouldn't want to take anything away from the experience, but I wish I'd gotten the chance to meet my father just once."

He acknowledged her point with a solemn nod. Though the loss of his father was hard, he had to admit it would have been harder never knowing his father at all. As it was, Cade held onto good memories of him. Janna didn't know the bare basics about her father, matter alone that he'd passed on magical abilities. "What did your mother tell you about him?"

"Not much. Just that he'd been in the military, had been killed on a deployment. She said he was handsome, charming, and honest to a fault."

He tipped her chin up so their gazes could meet. "You must be like him."

"I am honest to a fault. Ask me anything you want to know the truth about."

"Alright. Are you really a pro basketball fan?"

She laughed hard this time. "You got me. Okay, so maybe I told a few white lies, but how else was I supposed to get you to hang out with me."

"And do you have a practical test coming up?"

"Actually, I do, thank you very much. Just not any time soon. More like, at the end of the semester. But, come on. I told you if you asked, I'd tell you the truth. That's what I'm doing."

"Oh, so there are some technicalities to your honesty. I didn't realize you could lie as long as no one asked for the truth." He didn't really believe she made a habit of lying. Considering he was keeping the fact he wasn't human from her, he supposed her philosophy applied to him as well anyway.

She laughed and nudged his shoulder. "Would you believe my friends made me do it? Peer pressure? Of course, I didn't hear you complaining a couple hours ago."

"No...no complaints here." Sexual tension built in his abdomen as the image of her sexy, naked body slid into his head. _Damn._ That was a picture he wouldn't forget for the rest of his life. "Matter of fact, I'd like it if we could repeat that whole earlier situation. Do you want to come 'watch the game' with me all night long?"

She nodded shyly and grabbed his hand this time. He wrapped his fingers around hers and lifted her hand to his mouth, brushing his lips across her skin lightly.

They turned and headed back toward the apartment building, Gertie leading the way. He knew the conversation about her father wasn't over, but for now, he didn't want to think about serious things. Right now he just wanted to enjoy being with her, and that's what he planned to do for the rest of tonight and into tomorrow.

## Chapter 9

Janna woke sometime in the night with Cade's soft snores beside her. It brought a smile to her face. _Amazing!_ Tonight was simply amazing. She thought for sure the first time they'd come together had been a fluke, and the next time would be just ordinary, awkward even, like it often was in the beginning, but she'd been pleasantly...pleasurably...surprised. The energy that filled her body before had done so again, and if it were possible, had intensified until its reality was undeniable. No doubt about it. There'd been an overwhelming release in both body and spirit when they'd both gone over the edge of their climax, almost simultaneously.

Something was clearly different with Cade than with any other guy she'd ever been with. What she'd thought had been sensational with others seemed pitiful in comparison with what she'd shared with Cade. It was like they were transported somewhere else, like they were one body for just an instant in time. _Oh, dang_. She really was going crazy. But if this was crazy, she didn't mind. She felt too marvelous to care about much of anything other than being here right now, content in this moment.

She felt so charged up, like she was floating on air, like she was ten feet off the bed.

With a satisfied sigh, she turned on her side toward Cade's sleeping form and barely suppressed the cry that rose in her throat, instead grabbing at the empty air in front of her. _What the...?_

A dream--this had to be a dream. No wonder she felt like she was floating on air. She was. She really was at least two feet off the bed, and that wasn't all. Circling around her were various items from the room, also floating in the air.

She froze, realizing as determined as she was to touch the objects around her, her hand passed right through them as if they were nothing more than air. Relief filled her. She really was just dreaming, but it felt so real.

Accepting this dream reality, she carefully glanced at the bed to see her body lying peacefully beside Cade's. That was one of the weirdest sights she'd ever seen. Never had she stared at herself in anything other than a mirror. It felt strange, and she grew a little anxious that maybe she'd died. What a way to go, but maybe she was a spirit, a ghost now. But as she watched, her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, and she thought she'd surely know if she'd died. At least, she hoped she would.

Nothing stirred as she floated above, so she decided she'd look her fill. As she let her gaze lovingly trace from the golden streaks threaded through Cade's light brown hair, down his naked body to the tips of his masculine toes, warmth washed over her. He was the stuff dreams were made of. Another reason to accept that this was indeed a dream.

She reached her hand down and skimmed the taut muscles of his abdomen, surprised when he stirred a little. Could he feel her touching him? She let her fingers trickle over his thighs, down his shins to his feet. He shivered at her touch. _Fascinating._

Would he be able to see her if he woke? This was the strangest dream she'd ever had.

Beginning to feel sparks wherever her fingertips made contact, she fluttered her touch back over his body until something on the inside of his elbow stopped her cold. There, marking his perfect skin was a series of rings with two deep red shapes crossing over the center. The shapes were the very image of swords intersecting.

Her gaze dropped to the inside of her own elbow, where the exact same image had always fascinated her. It resembled a coat of arms, in a way, and she'd always thought it was an odd kind of birthmark. Then why would Cade have an identical one? That was impossible, right?

With a whoosh, she felt herself falling quickly toward the bed until she slammed into her body. She whipped her wide-awake gaze toward Cade. He mumbled in his sleep and shifted an arm over his eyes. Had it been a dream?

She pushed herself up to a sitting position and looked around the darkened room. Light was beginning to stream in through the small bedroom window. Janna gasped and threw her hands over her mouth. All around the room, items that weren't there last night were scattered as if they'd been floating around and had suddenly fallen to the floor where they lay, maybe about the same time she'd snapped back into her body.

Pinprick nerves started at the base of her spine and trickled up in an almost painful realization. _She hadn't been dreaming._ The only other explanation was the one she feared the most. She was unequivocally insane.

Working to hold back the tears threatening to fall, she gathered her clothes and massage oils as quickly and quietly as she could and eased out the door, not even daring to change out of the t-shirt he'd loaned her. She'd return it tomorrow, but she had to get out of here tonight, before he realized just what a basket-case she really was.

She made it to her apartment, closing the door gently behind her and sinking to the floor before the flood of tears began to roll down her face. Maybe her mother was right. Maybe she was destined to be a nobody, a nothing. At this rate, they would have to lock her in a rubber room for the rest of her life.

As she wiped the salty tracks away from her cheeks, she caught sight of the reddened birthmark at her elbow. Was it a birthmark? Then why did it suddenly seem to be glowing a faint blue color?

That did it. Tomorrow, she'd call and make an appointment with a psychologist. None of this made any sense, and if she wasn't already crazy, she soon would be. Time to get the help she obviously needed.

But why did it have to happen now? She was finally on the right track with her career, had met a great guy who was into her, too, even if just for a mutually casual relationship. Was she destined to be miserable all her life? Her heart squeezed tight in her chest. She really hoped not.

* * *

Cade woke with a wide, wide grin. He stretched his arms over his head and turned to reach for Janna, but touched only the cool sheet next to him. She was gone, and he was surprised at the emotion filling his chest. Waking to find her gone...pissed him the hell off.

Okay, so maybe he'd started last night with the expectation that they couldn't have an actual relationship, but somewhere between the electric connection they'd experienced and the reality that she really was the most attractive female he'd ever met and a Faerie to boot, something had definitely changed. No doubt about it, he felt a little used. After all, she'd been the one to come on to him first. He'd worked hard not to make a move on her because he hadn't wanted to cause her pain. Turns out, he had no need to worry about hurting her. He was the one who felt a little hurt, and he didn't even care how much of a chick that made him. She'd used her hands to seduce him then left him in the morning like a nobody one-nighter. _Not cool, little Faerie. Not cool at all._

He rose and dressed quickly, determined not to let it get to him too much. He'd probably given her the impression he didn't want anything more than a one-night stand over the past two months. Even he had to admit, he'd probably been especially vocal about his poor opinion of relationships from the minute they'd met. How could she think anything different?

Well, he'd just have to show her his opinion had changed. He'd have to make it clear how much more he wanted with her, how much more he wanted to show her. She didn't even know she was a noble Fae for Danu's sake! He'd spend lots of time rectifying that part of her education, especially since, from what he could tell, her magic was maturing, and along with that, her sex-drive would naturally intensify. He certainly wanted to be the one around to help her out with that. The thought of her turning to anyone else pissed him off more than waking to find her gone. No need to deny it now, Cade was falling hard for Janna, and he had every intention of making sure she knew it.

A fluffy mass raced into the room and brushed his ankles, her loving, gray eyes turned upward, asking for his attention. He'd go see Janna today and begin enlightening her about who she really was and how he felt about her, right after he took Gertie for a walk.

After he'd fed, watered, walked, and settled Gertie, Cade got cleaned up and walked down the hall to Janna's apartment. However, as soon as he stood outside her door, he could tell she wasn't home. The connection between them went beyond the bedroom now. He would be able to sense her when she was near. He knocked anyway, just in case, but as expected, she wasn't there.

He looked at his watch. He had a meeting set up in an hour with one of his street contacts, who might know something about where Aelfric was hiding out these days. Though he hated to put it off, he'd come back to talk with Janna later this evening.

Cell in hand, he headed down the hall and dialed his partner Mike. Cade's supernatural secret wasn't something he shared, but Mike wasn't entirely human either, so they had a mutual agreement to help each other with as few questions as possible. The contact Cade was meeting wasn't exactly the most trustworthy, so having Mike as back-up would be necessary.

He picked up on the third ring. "This better be important."

_Damn._ Cade knew him well-enough to know he had bed-company. "Sorry, dude. Hoped I could borrow you for a little while this morning. I'll throw lunch in to sweeten the deal."

"I might do it for you. What's going on?"

"Could be a lead on Aelfric. I found Corvie, and he says he has some information. But I don't trust the little ass-wipe. Could use you at my back, man."

There was a shuffling sound, like Mike was covering the phone with his hand while he talked to someone on his end. When he returned, Cade could hear a smile in his voice as he spoke, "I could probably spare a few hours to help you out. Is there enough time for me to get showered and ready?"

"Um, if that's _all_ you do. Nevermind, man. Don't give me the details. Just meet me in an hour in front of Green's Diner, the little greasy spoon off of 7th Street."

"I'll be there." The phone clicked and Cade slid it back into his pocket. He stepped back into his apartment to get himself ready. Of course, his kind of getting ready involved making sure his gun was loaded and secure in the holster on his chest.

An hour later, Cade sat down across the table from a squirrel of a man named Corvie. His gray eyes were small and beady, his brown hair puffed up at the crown like he'd never heard of a brush, and his cheeks were round and covered by a scraggly, brown beard. He ordered a cheeseburger, fries, and a soda, which unfortunately wasn't going to do his already pimply complexion any favors. But, Corvie was a goblin, literally, so this really was the best he could look. It didn't get much better for this particular kind of supernatural being.

As soon as the waitress walked away, Cade glanced at Mike, sipping a coffee at a two-top behind Corvie. Then, leaned in and asked, "What've you got for me?"

"First, you got to promise me something." His voice was gravelly and rough--another goblin characteristic. "If I'm giving up information about Aelfric the Touched, I need protection."

He'd used Aelfric's full name, which was a good sign he actually had information to share. He was known as Aelfric the Touched because he was _touched_ in the head—cracked, insane—another reason Cade needed to get his hands on him before he did something crazy.

"You have my word as an officer of the Fae guard, I'll do whatever I can to protect you. That is _if_ your information is worth it."

The waitress returned with Corvie's soda and a cup of coffee for Cade. She walked away and Corvie dipped his head, lowering his raspy voice and said, "He's after you to get to your mother."

Cade frowned, sat back, and crossed his arms across his chest. "I know that already. You're going to have to do better than that. I need a location."

"I don't have a location."

With a shake of his head, Cade began to rise. He should have known it would be a waste of his time. He met Mike's gaze, telling him in a look they were leaving without what they came for.

"Wait! Wait. I don't have a location, but I know how to find him."

Ticked he was being jerked around, Cade settled back into his chair and slammed his hand on the table, making the cups and silverware on the table jump. "I don't like games, Corvie. I already know what he's after, and I already know it's because my mother was the judge that put him in the dimensional prison he escaped months ago. It's no secret he's in town, and that he'll hang close to me. Now tell me something I don't know."

Corvie swallowed hard, his throat moving slowly with the nervous action. "I know where Aelfric is right this minute."

Cade eyed him carefully before asking, "And how do you know that?"

"Because he's speaking with the Goblin King Andrex in an alley nearby. I transported the King to the meeting myself, so I can tell you the exact location."

"I'm listening."

The waitress set their food down on the table with the check and walked away. Corvie slid the check to Cade's side of the table and took a large bite of his greasy cheeseburger. After he swallowed his food, he leaned in and spoke in a whisper. "If I tell you his location, you have to protect me. You have to send me to a safe place in Eiru."

Cade knew he couldn't allow a goblin free reign in Eiru. The Seelie court would sentence Cade to a dimensional prison just for agreeing to it, but to be this close to finding Aelfric was too good to pass up. He'd just have to make Corvie think he agreed. Once Aelfric was locked away in a dimensional prison, protection would no longer be a concern.

"Nowhere is safer than Eiru."

Corvie took another bite and nodded as he chewed, a smile forming on his moving lips. Cade could feel the goblin's reluctance to tell melting away. He was so close to finally getting his hands on Aelfric and ending this.

"If anyone can protect you, I can."

Satisfied he'd be protected, Corvie said, "Once you leave here, turn left. Walk a block and the alley is on your left. They'll be at the back door of an antique shop."

"For how long?"

"At least another..." He stopped chewing and stared over Cade's shoulder. His face was as white as the plate onto which the burger dropped from his hands.

"Corvie?"

But he just stared until it occurred to Cade that something or someone had scared him. _Aelfric!_

Cade stood so quickly, his chair tipped over, hitting the floor behind him. He swiveled and looked through the large, plate-glass window at the front of the restaurant at the unaware faces of people passing. No one looked back, but a glimpse of a dark shadow in the corner of the window motivated him toward the front door. Yet, by the time he stepped out the door, Mike right behind him, the figure was gone.

He motioned for Mike to go one way, and he turned the other way, racing up the street, weaving in between people, and trying to find any trace of Aelfric. But by the time he'd run three blocks, he realized it was no use. He was gone.

Cursing, he stood on the corner of the street and searched in every direction. To be so close and not catch him was frustrating.

"Officer Lanter?"

Cade turned and saw William Richards. With his eyebrows dipping in the middle over his dark eyes, he currently looked very confused to see Cade. "Richards? Glad to see you, man. Did you happen to see anything strange? Someone running up the street?"

"Um, no. Was it a crime? Did you report it?"

Disappointment washed over Cade. "No. I just thought I saw someone. Someone who looked like a suspect in a case I've been working."

Mike came up behind him and nodded toward the other officer. "Richards." He turned toward Cade. "Nothing down the street. Any sign of him?"

Cade hung his head and shook it. "Dammit! We were so close. I know it." He looked back down toward the diner. "Come on. We better give Corvie some kind of witness protection."

"He's gone."

Cade looked at Mike. "What do you mean?"

"When I went back by the diner, the waitress was spitting mad because everyone ran out without paying the bill."

"Ah, shit. I better get back there and take care of it."

Mike patted him on the back. "You already owed me so much, I figured what was a few more bucks. I already paid her and left her a generous tip."

"Thanks, man. I knew I kept you around for a reason."

"Yeah. That's why. It has nothing to do with the fact I'm a damn good cop to have at your back."

"Well, there is that." Cade stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I just wish we'd caught him."

Richards nodded thoughtfully. "You know, some of these shops might have surveillance cameras. Maybe they caught something on one of them."

"I like the way you think." One of the cameras might give a good look at Aelfric's glamour. Cade had a feeling he'd recognize him the moment he saw him. Could even be someone he knew and interacted with every day. That would be a strategic move and one the Unseelie would take pride in pulling off, which was all the more reason for Cade to catch him and put a stop to his threats once and for all.

## Chapter 10

Janna took a deep breath, feeling the oxygen fill her lungs and pump back out as she picked up her cell phone and stared at the on-screen key pad.

_They were just people. People who could help her._ Or at least lock her away so she wouldn't hurt anyone else.

She glanced once more at the number she'd written down for a local psychologist. Dr. Maria Alvarez looked very qualified by all accounts. Every online review, all two of them, had been positive. She wasn't even the first therapist Janna had seen. Her mother had set-up many appointments for her when she was younger and a tad rebellious. Honestly, she hadn't gotten much out of the session, mostly because she chose not to, part of the whole rebellion thingy. Yet, she knew it would help to just confide what was going on to another soul, particularly one who would keep things confidential. That was, of course, assuming Janna had no intention of causing damage of the "another-person-or-self kind", which she didn't. She just needed answers.

Janna clenched her hand tighter around her phone and ground her teeth together. She pulled up the dial-pad once again and began to push the numbers in succession.

"Might want to hold off on that right now."

A scream erupted from Janna's throat, and she dropped her phone. Perched on the arm furthest from her at the end of the couch, she spied the strangest creature she'd ever imagined. She was humanoid, but clearly not of this world. She was small, barely over four feet tall. Her short hair was bright pink and spiked up all over her head, her pointy ears all the more obvious. Skin the richest color of mocha appeared smooth and sparkly, but the real kicker were her out-of-this-world, glowing violet eyes. They were mesmerizing.

"Not again." Janna inched toward the opposite arm of the couch. "Who are you? Where did you come from?"

"Would you believe I transported here through molecular break-down and reassembly? No? Yeah, I never understood that one either but still consider myself a total Trekky. Love me some Kirk, though Picard wasn't too shabby either with that hawt British accent, if you know what I mean."

Janna closed her eyes and counted backwards from ten, but when she squinted one eye open, her delusion was still there. She swallowed hard and asked, "What do I have to do to make you go away?"

"Funny you should ask."

Janna squeaked and leaped over the arm of the couch as the intruder inched closer.

"Janna, let's get one thing straight. You're a little odd, but you're not crazy, and despite what you believe, I'm real and not some delusion brought about by insanity."

"See! That's exactly what something I created in my mind would say. How else would you know I thought you were a delusion?"

"Ah, you got me there." But her monotone response sounded more like wry facetiousness. "Listen, I'm so real, I could write a rap song. Nothing about me is fake. What you see is what you get."

Her heart racing, Janna heaved in a few breaths before stating, "You still haven't answered my first questions."

"Sometimes I forget you were raised like a normo in the human world."

"Ugh! Saying stuff like that doesn't make me want to listen to you. Makes me think I'm bat-shit crazy."

The strange creature shrugged. "Most call me the Pixie. I know, I know. It's intimidating. The very sound of the title strikes fear into the hearts of many, but I'm not here to hurt you."

"Actually, not to argue with you, but the title, the Pixie, doesn't sound frightening at all. Honestly, makes you a tad more approachable. Maybe you should consider the Perilous Pixie or the Painful Pixie. Might work better for you."

The Pixie's eyes narrowed, and Janna backed toward the door, her hands held straight forward, as if to fend off an attack. "Okay. Okay. I see it now. The intimidation is clearly there."

Seemingly satisfied, the Pixie stood up and paced the couch, dipping down in the middle, where the integrity of the frame sagged a little. "I'm here for a couple reasons. One, I came to warn you about getting into windowless, white vans with strangers."

Janna straightened and dropped her hands to her side. "I would never get into any car with a stranger. Everyone knows better than that. However, white vans are the vehicle of choice for kidnappers everywhere, so I would avoid those especially."

The Pixie nodded her head slowly, as if to give Janna a point in this insane debate, but then she said, "Two, Cade Lanter might just be your key to survival. Of course, he could be your complete downfall too. _Reply hazy try again._ "

"Look, if you're trying to convince me I'm not going crazy, you might attempt to be a little more lucid yourself. Not sure I know what to do after this visit from one such as yourself. You know, those cracked in the head."

A maniacal laugh bubbled out from the Pixie's pert mouth. "One person's crazy is just another's point of view into a different reality, even another dimension. However, I wouldn't dial the shrink's number just yet. You might find the answers closer than you think, like right down the hall."

Now it was Janna's turn to pace. "That's ridiculous. You're telling me to completely humiliate myself and let my crazy show to Cade. Reveal how weak I am to the first man I've felt a connection to? Not. Going. To. Happen. I might be losing my mind, but I'm not that far gone yet."

"You might be surprised."

"That's the point. I'm tired of surprises. I want answers." Janna stood still and rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands.

"Oh, and it's probably best to keep my visit to yourself. He and I aren't exactly the best of friends."

"You aren't friends? This is all just so weird. I just want to know what's going on."

Suddenly a loud pop, like a cork breaking free of a bottle under pressure sounded, and Janna jumped back with a yell. When she opened her eyes, she was once again alone, only a sweet, pleasant smell remaining in the air, along with the whispered word, "Exactly."

## Chapter 11

As evening rolled around, he was pacing his apartment, completely on edge. Where the hell was she? Did she have another date lined up? Maybe she had dates planned for every night of the week. What did he really know about her?

_No!_ He wouldn't start down that path. He'd joined with her in more than one way, and he'd recognized qualities like loyalty and dependability. Hadn't he? He thought he had, but then again, he hadn't felt that kind of connection with anyone else before. Maybe he really didn't know how to read it as well as he thought he did.

_Dammit!_ He could drive himself crazy like this. Didn't help that the surveillance cameras from the businesses this afternoon showed nothing. They'd found a few pointed toward the street and watched them there, but just as the shadowed figure ran close enough to be seen, static filled the screen, like the video had been tampered with. No doubt, it had been by a certain magical Unseelie.

With a frustrated groan, he grabbed the remote and flicked on the television. The cable sports station popped on, and he tried to pay attention, but a flicker of awareness came to life at the back of his brain. _She was close._

He sprang toward the door then slowed at the last second. This needed to look casual, accidental even. As if he'd just been heading out the door to some purposeful destination, he opened it and stepped out, closing it behind him. He turned as if to leave, and nearly ran into her as she did her best to ease past him.

"Whoah! Almost didn't see you there."

"Yeah, that was close." The resignation in her voice wasn't a good sign.

For just a tic, an awkward silence filled the air, and rather than fill it up with nonsensical BS, Cade knew he needed to cut right to the chase. "We need to talk."

Her gaze shifted toward her apartment door. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Confusion rolled over him. Had she not noticed their connection last night? How could she not? "Is something wrong?"

She shook her head slowly, and he could feel the sadness rolling off her in waves. Something was definitely wrong. The need to wrap his arms around her hit him hard, so he did. He enfolded her, and at first, she just hung there limply, but then he felt her hands grip his back like he was a lifeline. He really needed to get to the bottom of this and fast.

He pulled back just enough to tip her chin up to look at him. "Something's wrong. Tell me what it is."

She wouldn't meet his gaze, and that worried him more than anything. Her connection to him should have made her feel like she wanted to be on him like a second skin. Why was she resisting it? It was near to impossible for him not to practically absorb her emotions as if they were his own. Instead, he could feel her yanking hard to break the connection. It caused a pain inside him he never would've expected.

Finally, she shrugged and said, "I'm just not myself lately."

Realization hit him hard. It should have occurred to him sooner, all things considered. Her magic was coming upon her, and she didn't know what it was. There was a time of a sort of puberty for Faeries when the magical powers that had lain mostly dormant finally surfaced, and not knowing she was born of the Fae people, she had no idea what was happening to her. She probably thought she was going crazy.

When he thought back to his own magical maturity, he realized just how freaked out he would have been if he hadn't known what was happening. Fortunately, he had a mother who was proud of her heritage and wanted to instill that same pride in her son. He'd known immediately when he was changing, and his mother and he had celebrated with a trip to Eiru.

He pulled her in closer, emanating healing energy as much as he could. She seemed to physically relax in his arms, but he had no idea how he could explain any of this to her without sounding crazy himself. It was going to be tricky and not a little difficult. He'd have to convince her without trying to convince her. _Easy as pie._ Yeah, if he were making the pie with off-world ingredients and blindfolded.

He had an idea how to start though. "Have dinner with me tonight."

He glanced down at her face. She looked like she was holding back tears. "I can't. It wouldn't be a good idea right now."

"Trust me. I can help you through what you're going through."

"No, trust me. You should run in the other direction...as fast as you can."

His heart broke for her. "Just give me this evening. I know I can make things better."

She looked like she was going to refuse him again. He couldn't afford to let her, not if she was as lost as she seemed. He didn't give her a chance. Without pausing, he stepped back from her, toward the elevator, pressing the button like he really was going out. He had something else in mind now and had some preparations to make.

"I'll pick you up at 6:00 tonight. I've got somewhere special in mind."

The elevator opened, and he stepped on, waving as the door began to close, and she took a step forward, as if to stop him and probably tell him not to bother. The doors closed and didn't give her a chance to decline his invitation. Whether she wanted him to or not, tonight he was going to introduce her to the new world to which she now belonged. After tonight, her entire life was going to change. And no doubt about it, he had a strong desire to fit somewhere in her new reality. Of course, there was always the chance she would refuse the Fae world. If that were the case, she could learn to repress her powers, but he couldn't be a part of that. His own magic instinct wouldn't accept that option, and he'd have to let her go.

For some strange reason, a reason he wasn't quite ready to analyze, the idea of not being a part of her life felt like a brick sitting solid in his stomach. It had to be the connection between them. Some connections were stronger than others, and he'd even heard of nearly unbreakable ones. Surely, he hadn't stumbled into that kind of bond. But every magical instinct in him screamed _she was his_ , and he couldn't let her go.

Until he'd explored these intense feelings a little more in depth, he had to make tonight work perfectly. He was afraid the alternative would tear them both apart.

## Chapter 12

Janna peered anxiously at the clock again. It was nearly 6:00. Fifteen minutes 'til, to be exact. Surely he wouldn't really show though. He'd been bluffing. Of course, he hadn't looked like he was bluffing. Hadn't sounded like it either. What if he showed after all?

She shrugged. She just wouldn't go with him. That's all. It was for the best anyway. The last thing she needed was to go to a nice restaurant and watch him and the other patrons freak out when the plates spun in the air around them or her skin glowed a bright, shiny blue in the dim light. Both were real possibilities and not easy to explain away. She'd be staying in tonight and every night until they came to cart her away to the local mental health facility.

Her delusions were becoming numerous and elaborate, and when she'd gone to the one friend she thought would understand, Mia looked at her like a second head would spring from her neck at any moment. She hadn't had any answers, but had allowed Janna to cry on her shoulder, giving her the number to a highly recommended psychologist she could call on Monday, if she could make it to Monday. She'd offered to let Janna stay with her until then, but Janna hadn't wanted to drag Mia any further into this mess than she already had. Mia seemed to be dealing with some pretty heavy stuff herself. She was still wearing those sunglasses, complaining the sun was brighter than it used to be and told Janna she was dealing with some weird shit herself lately. She claimed she was fine now and refused to talk about it anymore, but it was clear something was wrong in Miaville. Janna couldn't blame her for trying to stay in denial. Just like her, Mia clearly wasn't ready to deal with whatever was bothering her yet. So, Janna had come home instead. At this rate, she should probably just admit herself to the psych ward of the hospital a few blocks from her apartment. It was more than likely inevitable, but she'd put it off until there was no other choice.

Another glance at the clock put Cade's arrival in ten minutes. Nerves twirled in her abdomen. She sat the TV remote on the table in front of her, catching her reflection in the glass. Okay, so she'd put on make-up and fixed her hair, just in case he showed. She wouldn't go with him, but she wasn't ready to shoo away the best guy she'd ever met. Maybe the crazy that'd come over her was a passing phase and would disappear tomorrow. She still held out hope for that possibility. No need to burn any gorgeous bridges just yet.

However, she wasn't dressed to impress or anything. She'd just thrown on a pair of jeans and an oversized sweater. Though she didn't want to look like a total slob, she also didn't want to give him the impression that he could snap his fingers and she'd come running. Too many times she'd come across that woman, a couple times, she'd almost been that woman, but something deep within her refused to let her go down that path with anyone. Okay, that wasn't entirely true. Her mother and Ms. Gregory seemed to be able to twist her any which way they wanted, but she was determined to hold out when it came to Cade. No way would she cave just because he crooked his sexy finger in her direction. _No way._

A soft knock at her door halted her confused thoughts. _He was here._ She knew it was him. She didn't know how she knew, but no doubt about who was on the other side of her door. She could _feel_ him or at least her delusions led her to believe she could. He hadn't bluffed after all.

She took a deep breath, bracing herself to break the news to him gently, but still firmly. She could do it. She wasn't a total pushover.

Her legs felt heavy and her heart pounded in her chest as she crossed the room and cracked the door just enough to see him and yet, not give him room to step inside. A spicy musk wafted to her nose, and her knees went weak at the sight of him. Her gaze started at the floor and worked its way up.

He wore black boots, a pair of snug blue jeans like he was born in them, and a dark green plaid button down. His brown-blonde hair fell perfectly around his neck and head, curling just slightly around the tops of his ears. The silky shine made her fingers itch to smooth through it a few times as their lips melded in a series of passionate kisses. Maybe she should invite him inside for just a little while, before she sent him on his way.

"Let's get going. We've got a reservation of sorts." He glanced at his watch before meeting her gaze again. His electric blue eyes seemed to glow, and she could almost feel his gaze, like a sunbeam on her skin.

Her resolve faltered slightly. Everything in her was insisting she go with him, but as the warmth that usually preceded the crazy events crept into her mid-section, she remembered why it was a wildly bad idea.

"I can't."

"Sure you can. Just step out the door and leave the rest to me."

"No, you don't understand. Right now, it's a bad idea for me to leave my apartment. Leaving the building would be a colossal mistake."

He rocked back on his heels and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Well, the good news is, in a way, we aren't leaving the building. Trust me. You won't regret it."

She laughed a little through her confusion. "Yeah, but you probably will." Not sure this was going exactly how she'd hoped, Janna shifted her gaze to the door facing, rubbing over a nick in the wood with her thumb. "Thanks for the invite. Maybe some other time."

Her voice sounded rough to her ears, like the tears that were threatening to fall had lodged in her throat to wait. She stepped back and started to close the door, but with one of his hands, he stopped it from shutting and grabbed her hand with his other. "I told you. Trust me."

He pulled her into his arms, wrapping her close until he could whisper in her ear, "I know you're scared. I know crazy things are happening around you. And I know why."

She yanked back and met his gaze. All her muscles froze in tense shock. Could he really know what she was experiencing? Had he seen more than she realized the other night? What if he could help her understand it? _Impossible._ What was happening to her was unexplainable, at least if you were sane. "What are you talking about?"

His fingers smoothed over her cheeks as he cupped her face between his hands. "Weird, unexplainable things...almost magical things...keep going on around you lately. Am I right?"

She let her gaze drop to his chest. He did know. But how? How could he understand when she didn't know what to make of any of it? Yet, if he could help her understand...help her not feel crazy...

"You said you know why these things are happening. What do you know about it?"

He began backing down the hallway, pulling her with him toward the elevator. "I can't really tell you. It wouldn't convince you. Instead, I have to show you."

She hurriedly shut the door behind her, not bothering to lock it.

As they got onto the elevator, she turned to him, confused. "But I thought you said we weren't leaving the building."

"I said, 'in a way,' we wouldn't leave the building." He pushed the button for the basement, causing her concern to ratchet up another notch.

"You're going to have to give me something. Otherwise, you're freaking me out a little bit here."

He nodded, turned her to face him, and gripped both her hands in his. A deep breath filled his chest briefly before he released it with a rushed explanation. "You're not entirely human."

_Okay._ Not exactly what she'd expected him to say.

She pulled her hands free and threw them in the air. "So I'm crazy and apparently it's contagious." One of her fingers pointed in his direction before she shouted, "Because you're nuts!"

He nodded like he knew she'd say that. "I told you. It's better if I show you."

She wedged herself into the corner of the elevator, trying her best to give him the message she wasn't going into the basement with him now or ever. But he didn't seem fazed even a little. Just stared toward the elevator doors, just like anyone with good elevator etiquette, and a sane mind, would.

"Just to prepare you, when these doors open, there will be a Faerie gate on the other side. And I'm going to be perfectly up front with you. Only Faeries can go through this gate without dire consequences."

"Oh, dear Lord. Nuts!"

"Yes, I know it sounds like I'm spouting insanity, but here's the reality, that spot on the inside of your elbow...the same as mine...isn't pure coincidence. It's a mark of your birth. Not only are you not completely human, but I'm willing to bet you won't have any problem crossing through a Faerie gate."

The elevator came to a stop on the basement floor. The doors slid open slowly, and a blue light glowed on the other side just outside of her direct view. She'd have to step to the front to see what was creating the glow. Cade stepped in the way of the door to keep it from closing and held out his hand to her. The temptation to see how elaborate this whole thing really was, gnawed at the back of her brain, and despite good sense, she strode forward, ignoring his hand, but standing in complete and utter shock in the doorway of the elevator.

There, on the other side, was something out of a science fiction novel. An archway surrounded by and covered in tangled vines projected a blinding, blue glow and the closer she looked into the light, the more it appeared to be a doorway to another world.

"What is that?"

Cade stepped out of the way of the elevator doors, and they closed behind her. She hadn't even realized she'd exited the safety of the interior. Now what was she going to do? Continue in this delusional special-effects display or locate the stairs and get back to ground level?

It had to be special-effects, right? What else could it be?

"That is a Faerie gate, and I'm going to take you through it to the other side." He stepped up beside her and took her hand in his. It felt so warm and comfortable, and she felt that familiar pressure build inside, and for just an instant, fantasy and reality mingled, and all of this felt true and right.

Maybe she was conjuring up the whole thing. Yet, if this were one of her delusions, why was Cade such a large part of it? Had she completely imagined him? Was she, even now, just imagining the whole scenario from her first meeting of Cade to now? If she woke up from this, and she'd been dreaming all the time, she was seriously going to have words with whoever was in charge.

Truth was though, she was so beyond the room-for-doubt stage, and she could feel a pulling force gripping her, moving her toward the opening. The pull wasn't on her body, but clearly on her soul. She knew it didn't make sense. None of this did, and yet she was seeing it with her own eyes. Perhaps it was through her clinically insane eyes, but through her eyes just the same. And she didn't resist their forward momentum until they stopped directly in front of the archway.

Cade squeezed her hand, and she tore her gaze from the doorway to stare at him as he asked, "Are you ready for this? It will change everything you know about yourself."

"What if you're wrong? You mentioned something about dire consequences. What kind of dire did you mean?"

"Death."

He stepped into the glow and hauled her with him. His last word hung in the air as she felt the light close in around her. It felt like a thousand tiny pinpricks all over her body, and for a moment, she began to panic. _She wasn't a Faerie!_ What was she thinking to believe any of this? But the pinpricks faded to an all over, creamy warmth as Cade's hand gripped hers tighter.

The air suddenly became easier to breathe, silkily passing in and out of her lungs with an ease she'd never experienced before. Fragrant smells more potent than any of her emollients and oils filled the air, and a light breeze blew her hair back from her face.

A glance up revealed a sky such a lovely purple it almost blinded her, and as she looked around, the colors of everything appeared more vivid and intense than anything she'd ever seen in the world from which she'd just come. If this was a dream or a delusion or anything other than real, no one need pinch her. She didn't want to wake up.

"Come on." Cade dragged her along behind him as she worked her gaze all around her, her chin permanently dropped. As far as the eye could see, green grass, bushes, and trees covered where there weren't violet, fuchsia, and buttery blooms spilling over. This was a natural wonderland, and Janna hadn't died crossing into it. She was a part of this world. _She was a Faerie._

Oh. My. Goodness. That meant she actually believed Cade was telling the truth. Could he possibly be? Could this possibly exist?

She stopped, pulling their arms tight between them and halting his forward progress. He turned back toward her, a patient smile on his tempting lips.

"Just over this rise is a small outdoor café. It's my usual first stop when I cross, and I promise I'll answer all your questions there."

For a moment she just stared at the rugged features of his face. He certainly didn't remind her of a Faerie. He was too muscular and ruggedly handsome. Faeries were small, winged, dainty creatures, weren't they? None of this could possibly be real.

She rolled her gaze over her shoulder, back toward the glowing gate they'd just come through. It was her last link to a normal existence, her last chance to walk...no...to run in the opposite direction from all the unbelievable ideas Cade expected her to accept.

"I'll hold nothing back. Promise."

Slowly, she swiveled back around and focused on the small hill in front of them. "I am a little hungry."

## Chapter 13

Cade fought his excited nerves and worked to keep a calm façade as Janna continued to acclimate to the truth. She was as jittery as a kid on her first Halloween night, and she'd bolt the first sign of something untrustworthy. He didn't blame her. Frankly, he was kind of surprised she was still here with him. It spoke volumes about her level of bravery and fearlessness. He couldn't help but admire her right now.

He pulled out her chair at the small wrought-iron table, covered in a white, linen tablecloth, and pushed her closer after she'd settled. Then he sat across from her and waited for her to steady her gaze on him once more. She was fascinated by the elven servers as they began bringing drinks and prepared dishes all at once.

"Things are a little different here. You don't place an order. They pretty much bring the whole menu to the table."

"Oh. How interesting." But she didn't seem as interested in the courses as she was in the beings bringing the food. Elves were miniature compared to Faeries, and often chose to work in trades that involved serving others. Yet, their rights were equal to Faeries, and they even had elders sitting on the High Council, none of which Janna would know.

After the tenth dish graced their table and the tables surrounding them, Cade spoke to the creature in charge of the whole operation, "Harrana, I think that will be enough to tempt us. Thank you, and if you could keep the news of this little visit from reaching my mother, there'll be a few extra tokens in it for you."

"Of course, Cade. I will see to it."

They all left just as quickly as they came, and Cade and Janna were essentially alone in the wonder around them. Janna's head swiveled this way and that, attempting to take it all in.

"I think we should find you something to eat and then you can let loose with the gazillion questions that are no doubt buzzing around your brain right about now."

She nodded, her eyes wide and wary.

* * *

Just an hour ago, Janna sat in her apartment, feeling alone and scared, sure her world was collapsing in on her. Now she rested at a table in a small café in the middle of some fairytale...literally. The food in front of her was delicious beyond compare. Actual ambrosia was on her plate. Freaking food-of-the-gods was on her tongue, and it tasted...well...divine, as it obviously should.

She swallowed and looked up to see Cade watching her eat. "This is amazing! I could eat this morning, noon, and night."

"Yeah, it's delicious, but after a while, I just want a thick, juicy cheeseburger."

She cocked her head to the side and watched him take a bite. Everything around her was shocking, but Cade, especially, was such a mystery. How could he be a Faerie? He was a freaking cop in the real world. He looked nothing like a make-believe character should look. His size brought the word giant to mind more so than Faerie. And where were his wings? They certainly hadn't been there when the two of them had been in his bed, naked, touching each other all over. Pretty sure she would have noticed a pair of wings.

"One question--when is the whole crew going to jump out and tell me I've been punk'd?"

Even his eyes glimmered with a blue so bright, they looked like two sapphires flashing. "Do you really think I'd go to this much trouble for a joke? This is all real."

"So, you're a Faerie?"

"I am half-Fae."

"Can you fly?"

He stifled a laugh and rolled his eyes. "No, I can't fly, and I don't have pixie dust in my pocket."

At the mention of pixie dust, Janna's recent visit from the Pixie came to mind. The odd, little creature had been trying to tell Janna where she'd find the answers she needed—from Cade. He alone could show her this. He alone could tell her what she wanted to know. And she had much to learn.

"Come on. You've got to give me more than that. What can Faeries do?"

"Fae are a separate race of beings, compatible with humans, but not human. They live in a world that exists alongside the human world, like a separate dimension, but most don't interact. Most avoid all contact. However, it does happen that on occasion a Fae falls in love with a human, and a child can result. As the child grows, the Fae part of her matures and certain... _powers..._ manifest, making her feel like she's going crazy. Sound familiar?"

_Too familiar._ She was insane to believe any of this, but a deep-seeded need to know more pushed her to ask, "What kind of powers?"

"Telepathy, knowing things before they happen, or telekinesis, moving objects with your mind. Things like that."

Chills dotted her arms as his words sunk in. She couldn't stop the next question from spilling out, "What about floating above your body in the middle of the night?"

"Out of body experiences can be a regular occurrence for a Faerie. Has that happened to you? If so, your powers are advancing at a kick-ass rate."

The activity of last night came back to her in a rush. At the time, she'd thought it was a dream. For all she knew, she was still dreaming, but it felt truthful, in a strangely surreal sort of way. She should have been scared out of her mind, but instead, she felt like someone had just given keys to a secret mansion built just for her. What if he was right about all of this? What if she was more than human? The possibility of all of this weirdness being somewhat normal gave her the tiniest bit of comfort.

She nodded slowly. "Is that good?"

"Yeah. That's better than good. There are full-blood Fae who can't do that yet. What do you know of your father?"

"Not much. My mother told me he was in the military, but he died while on a deployment overseas when I was still a baby. She gave me a picture of him. It's somewhere in a box in my apartment."

He took another bite and chewed thoughtfully. "When did you first notice strange things happening to you?"

She felt her cheeks heat at his question. The truth would be embarrassing, but it might help him help her. Maybe she could leave out a few of the more lurid details and still get the gist across.

With her fork spinning through the remains on her plate, she focused her gaze on the tabletop as she admitted, "I think the first thing was a premonition of sorts."

"A premonition? That's a pretty big one to be your first. Of what?"

She wondered if it would freak him out as much as it did her. Yet, she'd already broached the subject. No way could she back off of it now, and he'd want to know the details. Of that, she was sure.

A deep sigh escaped her as she met his gaze again. "Of you."

"Me? What about me?"

"Before we met, I dreamed of you. You were in bed, asleep I think, and you called out my name. I remember being shocked to hear my name from someone so...well...from someone I didn't know, but then, you actually moved into the apartment building. That blew my mind completely." Of course, the fact he'd been face-down and grinding into the sheets below him when he called her name was a tidbit she planned to keep to herself. The thought of that dream made her blush and ache all at the same time. She'd never heard her name cried out so passionately before, and even now, the thought of it brought her body to life and made her want him all over again.

"When was that?"

Grateful he hadn't asked for more details, she answered with certainty, "About a week before I ran into you in the park. You know, the first time we met."

He pushed his plate to the center of the table and leaned back in his chair, a smug grin spreading across his face as he crossed his arms. "So you dreamed of me. Was I naked?"

So much for not asking for details. "You were from the waist up. I don't know about below. You had a sheet covering that area." That much was true and easy to explain.

"Did I do anything else?"

She felt the blush creeping over her cheeks again. "Not much." Time to change the subject. "So, say I believe you. I'm a Faerie. Now what?"

He looked slightly uncomfortable for just a moment before he shrugged casually and said, "It's up to you. You could stay here and explore for a while it you want. I can set you up with a place to stay and some Faerie folk who will guide you around. Or, you could go back to what you were doing before, and I'll work with you and teach you how to live in the human world without losing your mind or becoming a human science experiment."

He hadn't mentioned anything about continuing where they'd left off romantically, and she wasn't quite sure she wanted to broach the subject herself, but she'd be lying if she didn't admit a part of her hoped he still wanted to hang out with her for more than just a Faeducation. The idea of staying and exploring the bounds of reality of this beautiful place was tempting, but she had a life she had to get back to, friends and family who would miss her. As much as her mother disapproved of most of what she did, she still loved Janna. She'd never doubted that.

Of course Janna was anxious to learn more about a place she never knew she belonged. She just wasn't ready to let go of the life she knew yet, maybe not ever. It was a lot to take in at once.

"I can't stay here, and I don't want you to feel obligated to babysit me."

"Babysit you? Is that what you think I've been doing?"

She wanted to think what they had was more, but he'd made it clear he wasn't into relationships. She assumed that meant with anyone, including her. The last thing she needed was to be a burden he couldn't get rid of. She needed to play it extremely cool. She shrugged. "We had one night of fun, right? No reason to get all sentimental. I know how you feel about getting too involved romantically with someone. It's okay if you never want to see me again after this."

"What if it's not okay with me? Dammit! I'm not just going to show you why you've always felt so freaking different and then walk away. What kind of guy do you think I am? And for the record, you're not just anyone to me."

She wasn't quite sure how to respond to that so decided a change in subject might be safer. "When did you know I was like you?"

He ran a frustrated hand down his face before focusing on her again, his features strained. "Some Fae can immediately sense others. I can't, or I couldn't, before you."

Janna sat forward, sure he was about to reveal something important. "What do you mean 'before me'?"

He took a deep breath and blew it out noisily. "Okay, I'm just going to be honest. Something about you always drew me. Of course you're attractive," Janna couldn't suppress the smile that slipped onto her lips as Cade continued, "but there was something more to you that I couldn't quite comprehend. Then, last night, when we were together, we connected. I mean, to Fae, it's like a bond of some sort."

For just a moment, she struggled to take a breath as a possibility that hadn't occurred to her entered her mind. "We're not...I mean, it's not like we're married or anything, right?"

He rushed to assure her, "No! No, we're not married. Though we're not that far from it, and it's much more permanent for Fae. No such thing as a divorce."

"Oh." Why wasn't she freaking out? She should be freaking out. Instead, something like joy sparked and burned in her chest. What was wrong with her? She didn't want to be joined to Cade permanently. Did she? _No!_ Sure, the past couple months with him had been the best of her life and the sex had been amazing, but she wasn't ready to commit her life to him yet.

He suddenly grew serious. "Look, this is what I propose. We go about things as usual, but a few evenings a week and on weekends, we hang out. I'll answer questions for you, show you stuff, and...help you through whatever you need."

"What was that? Why did you pause before the word help?"

"Well, when a Faerie goes through his or her maturing, their senses intensify, as do certain drives."

She waited for him to finish, but he just stared at her expectantly. "Like what drives? Sex drive?"

"That's what I mean."

"Oh." The reality of how exactly he planned to _help_ her sunk in, and though she'd wanted an intimate relationship with him, something about this didn't feel right. She didn't want him to be with her out of obligation. She wanted him to be with her because he wanted to. One thing was for sure, she wasn't going to be a burden on anyone. "Well, aren't you so very generous."

"I don't mean to sound skeevy or anything. I just know what you're going to experience. I'm saying I'll be there for you no matter what you need, even help with any urges that go into overdrive."

She stood up, dropped her napkin, and leaned over the table on stiffened arms. Honed in her rebellious years when she decided to do the opposite of whatever her mother expected, her independent streak rose strong as ever. Her heart hurt with the idea of walking away from him, but she wasn't going to be one of his jobs. "Thanks, but no thanks. There are some lines I'm not willing to cross, and I think we're done here. I'm ready to go back now."

Cade rolled his eyes and stood, confusion all over his face. "I don't understand what's different now. Unless you think..." His confused look turned to anger as he continued, "It's not what you think. I'm not using you. I don't have to go to these lengths to get attention from women. If you don't want to take me up on my offer, fine. I'm not going to lose sleep over it."

She could feel her temper rising, even as she focused on his sensual lips set in stubbornness right in front of her. His level of arrogance must be pretty high. She'd like to knock him down a peg or two. "Are you so sure? That's not what it looked like to me. In the dream when you called out my name, it sure didn't look like you were getting tons of sleep. Looked pretty damn restless to me."

"Look. I've been nothing but honest with you from the start, which is more than I can say for you, little-miss-white-lies. So, if I offer, it's because I don't want you to suffer. No other reason."

Electrified silence filled the space between them, and even as she let his words sink in, she had to admit, the thought of him _helping_ her was turning her on more than pissing her off. No doubt, he was right. Maybe her sex drive was stronger, but she wasn't quite ready to jump back into the sack with him so soon, not if he was only doing it because he felt like he had to. _To keep her from suffering?_ Again, it sounded like he was taking her on because he felt responsible for her well-being, felt sorry for her. Nothing a lady appreciated more than a man who's with her because he feels it's his duty.

She tried to separate the anger from her voice as she said, "Fine. I appreciate your honesty, Cade, but I don't think I'll take you up on your offer any time soon. I'll be okay without your kind of help, thank you very much."

A look that said he knew way more about these things than she possibly could crossed his face, but he shrugged it away, dropped some coins on the table, and spoke over his shoulder as he turned toward the hill they'd come over earlier. "Okay. You'll never hear me offer it again." He began walking, long strides carrying him away from her, and she jogged to catch up as he said over his shoulder, "Come on. Let's get back before the gate closes, and you're stuck with only me for...uh...help."

## Chapter 14

Cade couldn't remember a time he'd ever been this furious. He was in his apartment, off duty for the first time in days, and he was already going fucking stir-crazy. For a full week now, he'd stewed and physically felt every time Janna passed his door. He knew her schedule probably better than she did. Thanks to their connection, he couldn't forget her no matter how hard he tried.

Every day, he'd thrown himself into his work. He'd collared so many perps this week, he was likely to get a medal or a thorough examination in a government lab any day now. It might be in his best interest to cool his abilities before someone noticed how fast he was, how strong he was, and just how good he was at anticipating the actions of criminals. He was trying to wear himself out though, to make himself so exhausted that the tether of the bond between them wasn't constantly pulling on his soul every time she was near.

But that wasn't the worst of it. Hell, he could feel her sexual need, and tonight it was growing to a fevered pitch. Even now, he was hardening just thinking about it, and he hated himself for it. He really wasn't sure what he'd do if she tried to leave and find some other man with which to release her frustrations. Possibly, he might do something stupid like follow her and dissuade any would-be takers who attempted to _help_ her out. With his fists. The thought of throwing his fist into any guy who dared look at Janna gave him his first feeling of satisfaction in a full week. It didn't last though.

Hell, he hadn't even been able to enjoy his usual guys' night Thursday poker game. He'd had to cancel and reschedule for the next week because the thought of so many testosterone-prone men in such a close-proximity to Janna would have set him off like some deranged Neanderthal. They all seemed to buy his exhaustion excuse, especially since he had been doing so well on his beat lately. But his partner Mike and William Richards stopped in just to check on him, and every instinct pushed him to get rid of them as quickly as he could. Like his nerves were on fire, he struggled to calm himself enough to be civil. As usual, Mike was just watching out for him, but his timing couldn't have been worse, and Cade had probably been a little rude in trying to get rid of them so quickly. He knew what it said about him, but he didn't want any other options hanging close by when her need was so great. Yeah, he was in deep.

He'd been a fool to believe he could ever avoid a relationship with Janna. They'd been fated from the start. That much was clear from her dream confession. She'd as much as described his every night for months before he'd gotten the urge to move into this particular building. Something had led him here, led him to her, and it was clear this tie to her wasn't going away anytime soon. Instead, she continued to haunt his dreams. He woke up all night, every night, desperate to touch her, to be inside her, to just be with her.

He drummed his fingers on his knees as he attempted to watch a basketball game, and tried not to think of Janna's perfect breasts or the rest of her lithe body lying beneath him as he pounded into her over and over until they were both panting and out of breath. A growl rose from his throat, and he pushed himself up off the couch, pacing back and forth in front of it. He couldn't take much more of this. Something had to give.

Okay, he'd have to leave. Go to his mother. She'd have some herb or something that would break the connection, and though a slight pain hovered in his chest at the thought of losing his bond with Janna, he needed to get on with his life. He couldn't go on feeling like he was helpless to fix the situation for her or for himself. He had to do something.

He stepped toward the door but stopped with his hand on the knob. She was on the other side. He knew it as well as he knew anything. Just as he'd feared, she was leaving to find someone else. Was the bond between them why the ache settled behind his breastbone? Somehow he doubted it.

His head against the doorjamb, he waited for her to pass, waited for the tumult of emotions to disappear down the elevator with her, but his awareness of her never faded. Great! Was he doomed to feel her whether she was in close proximity or not now? If that were so, he'd go crazy before the end of the night.

A soft knock vibrated his door, and he held his breath as she called quietly from the other side, "Cade? Are you there?"

He knew if he opened the door, the connection would remain firmly locked in place, that there'd be no escape-clause, but as he twisted the knob and pulled it inward, all logical thinking stopped. Only anticipation to see her, to maybe touch her, motivated his actions. He didn't figure himself as masochistic, but here he was willingly offering himself up for more torture at her hands.

"Cade." His name was an elated whisper on her lips. She sounded happy to see him.

His police instincts told him to hold back though, play it a little cool, assess the situation. He crossed his arms over his naked chest, crossed one jean-clad ankle over the other, and leaned against the door jamb while he let his gaze roam down and back up her body. She looked entirely too tempting in a loose, button-down blouse and a black leather skirt with a hem that fell about two inches below her naughty bits. Her legs looked long and lean, ending with her feet tucked into a pair of black _fuck-me_ heels if he'd ever seen them. He had to remind himself to breathe as he met her needy, blue-eyed gaze again.

With a calm he didn't come close to feeling, he nodded in her direction. "Janna. This is a surprise." But it wasn't. He'd felt her desire. The truth was, the only part that surprised him was that she'd come to him. He had to admit, it made him damn proud to see her at his door.

"Are you going to make me beg?"

The thought had crossed his mind, but her sexual hunger was palpable, almost painful in its strength. He couldn't stand by and let her suffer, even to salvage a little pride. Of course, he'd said she wouldn't hear him offer again. He wasn't going back on that one.

He shook his head slowly, eating up her delicious curves with his hungry gaze. "No, you don't have to beg. You just have to ask nicely."

"I need you. I need your...help."

"All you have to do is ask for it."

For a moment, her shyness took over, and she couldn't seem to meet his gaze as a blush crept up her chest and into her cheeks. She hesitated until he almost relented. A heaviness settled in his chest as he watched the play of emotions slide over her face. Maybe he should just let it go. She hadn't known how intense things would become at the time she'd rejected him so surely. Was it fair to hold that against her?

Then her chin lifted and her gaze locked onto his. Her lids lowered and her blush faded as she stepped toward him and said, "I won't ask you to lay a finger on me out of obligation, but if you want to be with me because you actually want me...then please touch me, Cade. Right now and all night long."

It was the sexiest thing he'd ever heard and totally beyond him to resist. He pulled her into his arms, covering her mouth hungrily, as she slid her body against his, warm and soft in all the right places. He stepped backwards, easing her through the doorway with him. Once inside he maneuvered the door closed behind them without breaking the kiss and swiveled her until she was flat against the back of it.

He pulled back to reassure her. "Janna, you should know this about me now. I'm rarely selfless, and I'm not the type to take a bullet just to help someone out, so you should never doubt that the reason I'm with you is because I think you're damn-near irresistible and I couldn't fight my attraction to you no matter how hard I tried."

Her sexy smile said it all as she relaxed completely in his arms. Man, he was an idiot. If he'd just made that clearer before, she might have come to him sooner. But she _had_ come to him finally. And now that she was here, he planned to make every moment count.

He wanted to feel her body fitted against his, wanted her naked as soon as possible, and pulled back to watch with excitement as her fingers pulled the buttons of her blouse open, one at a time, until the sides hung free. He helped her pull it from her shoulders, letting it fall to their feet, and locked his sights onto the fiery-red bra, barely covering her creamy tits. His breathing was rapid as he slid his hands up and down her torso and continued to kiss her perfect lips. Fighting to keep from ripping the rest of her clothes from her body, he pushed her skirt up instead. She released a whimper against his lips as he slipped his thigh between her legs, lifting her up to create a friction against her overly-sensitized clit, covered only by a thin g-string, from what he'd seen.

His cock thickened against the zipper of his jeans, almost to the point of pain. He couldn't help himself from pressing against her to alleviate the throbbing ache. He had her tight against the back of the door, and if they didn't get horizontal soon, he was fairly sure he'd be deep inside her right here within the next few moments.

He pulled his mouth away just enough to say against her lips, "Do you want to move to the couch or the bed?"

"When I said _right now,_ I meant right now. I can't wait any longer."

It was just what he'd wanted to hear. With a desperate need to soothe the pulse of sexual energy coming off her in waves, he eased her down his front, enjoying the sensation of their bodies sliding together until her feet met the ground. With a growl that surprised him, he tore at the front of his jeans and freed himself as she leaned in, and the sensitized head of his dick brushed the silky cloth still covering her sex. With a growl of frustration, he wrapped the thin string on each side of her underwear around his fingers, pushed them down until they fell to the ground, and leaned in to kiss along her jawline and brush her lips lightly.

She tilted her head back with a moan, rolling it on her shoulders before looking at him again, desire hot in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and nibbled and sucked along the column of his neck. He was nearly mindless, but knew he couldn't forget a condom. He reached into his back pocket where he'd stashed a condom packet earlier when he'd almost lost his mind and stomped to her apartment door to demand she let him take care of her. He was glad he'd waited for her in the end. Now, it was all he could do not to crush her to him and drive deep inside her until they were both screaming in release.

With more restraint than he ever knew he had, he ripped the packet open with his teeth, braced her against the door, and with shaking hands, rolled the condom onto his throbbing cock. Her need was getting to him in a shockingly unexpected way. He'd never felt like sex was life or death before, but now, he felt he'd surely expire on the spot if he didn't penetrate her soon.

It didn't help that she was running her silky hands over his bare chest, brushing his sensitized nipples with her bare knuckles. Any minute now and she'd find herself against the door, completely full of him. One deep breath, then two cleared his mind enough for him to say, "I'm trying not to lose control here."

He met her shy gaze as she looked up at him through lowered lashes. Her eyes sparkled a mischievous blue and a tiny smile played over her lips. "What if I want you to lose control?"

With a pained groan, he leaned his forehead against hers. "I want you ready for me."

"Believe me, I'm more than ready. I've been thinking about this...about you...all day. No, more like all week. Touch me. You'll see. I couldn't want you more."

He slid a hand down her abdomen, an electric anticipation rolled through him, making him feel like a kid with a present to unwrap. The minute he touched her wet flesh, he sighed in relief and his desire surged, making his cock harden more. If they didn't do something soon, this was all going to end too quickly.

"No doubt about it. You're ready. But there's still a little more I need from you."

"Anything."

He pulled her in tighter to his chest, wrapping his hands around her upper body. "Let me see those beautiful breasts." With a quick snap, he released her bra and pulled back to see his prize.

She let the cloth fall to the ground, then unzipped her skirt and let it follow. She stood before him completely naked, and he nearly had to remind himself to breathe at the sight of her in all her naked glory. Her fuck-me shoes were all that remained, and it was the sexiest sight he'd ever beheld.

His mouth watered at the pert nipples, hardened and begging for his mouth and tongue to cover them. Without an invitation, he dipped his head and kissed each peak before lightly running his fingers along the underside and taking one into his mouth. He sucked lightly and flicked over the pebbled pearl until pulling off with a kiss and moving to the other side, following the same pattern. After a few minutes, his head swam with need, and the breathy little sounds she was making were driving him crazy. He needed her now.

"Janna, baby, I want to make you feel so good, and I plan to spend all night doing that if you'll let me, but right now, I've just got to be inside you. To fuck you good until we're both yelling at the top of our lungs."

"Yes! That's what I want too."

He leaned in once more and kissed her fiercely as he lifted her, cradling her ass in his hands, until she wrapped her legs around his hips, and the head of his dick sat temptingly at the opening of her pussy. No way could he have stopped the inevitable joining of their bodies, even if he wanted to, which he definitely did not. He pushed to the hilt with one thrust and nearly came on the spot at the feel of the warmth squeezing so tightly around him. As much as he hated to admit it, he'd needed to touch her just as strongly as she needed to be touched.

With all the reserve he could muster, he pulled out gradually and eased back in, trying to set an unhurried pace that wouldn't end this too soon, but that didn't last long. Janna grabbed the back of his head with one hand and gripped his shoulder with the other. She locked her gaze on his and said, "Don't you dare slow down. I'm on the edge here. Fuck me right now."

_Ah, hell._ A thin sheen of sweat layered his skin as he felt a dark grin spread across his lips. He nodded and leaned in to delve deeply into the sweet recesses of her mouth one more time before locking gazes again and pushing himself into her so close he could feel her tight nipples rubbing against his chest. It was the best thing he'd felt in a long, long time.

Quickly setting up a furious pace, he gritted his teeth and pounded into her again and again, rattling the door behind her. She held on tight and dug her nails into his back, ratcheting his desire even greater. He could feel the pressure of his orgasm building, but he held it back, wanting her to go over first.

With little throaty cries, her head dropped back against the door, and he felt her start to lose control. He lowered his lips to the tempting column of her neck and began to suck and nip at the sensitive skin there. Her creamy skin felt heated and delicious, and he couldn't get enough of the taste of her. Giving her pleasure was his goal at the moment, and though every instinct was telling him to let go and find his own, he kept bucking into her, over and over, feeding her need, giving her more of what she wanted.

"Oh, yes! That's it! Cade, I'm coming."

Within seconds, he felt the tremors of her orgasm quaking around his cock. All his senses went into overdrive, essentially blending into a chaotic whirlwind of sensation, but he dimly heard her call out his name just as he felt his own release explode with another deep thrust inside her. He cried out with the strength of it, locking his knees against their sudden weakness. He continued to drive in and out of her as his seed pumped free in a long, spine-stiffening orgasm, knowing he was lost to the moment, to her, to ever being the same again.

The pleasure slowly faded and the silence filled with heavy breathing as they worked to inhale a lungful of air and ease down from the high of their release. He couldn't help feeling senseless pride once again that she'd come to him. Maybe he was just the convenient next-door-neighbor, but he'd make sure she didn't regret it. He planned to keep her busy for the rest of the night. Hell, he had some vacation coming, maybe he'd keep her busy for a few days.

* * *

Sometime in the middle of the night, Janna woke and lay still in the night, listening to Cade's easy and even breaths. She could feel a change inside her, like a dislocated bone she'd never known about slipping back into place. This felt right somehow. Pretty much, it felt like she'd walked through fire but emerged on the other side, molded and shaped into something new and wonderful. She still hadn't quite accepted her new life as a Faerie, but with Cade by her side, she would actually consider embracing the possibility.

At this point, she could even forgive her mother. In all fairness, people often feared what they didn't understand, much like Janna had in the past months of her maturing. Maybe one day she'd be proud of such a special daughter. Janna liked to think that day would come someday soon.

The only downside to it all was her lack of control. Just yesterday, she'd been rubbing the back of one of her instructors when her hands had begun to heat and glow. She'd made some sort of lame excuse about her stomach cramping and ran from the room. Later, the instructor said it was the best technique she'd experienced all day, up until the moment Janna had run out. If she couldn't learn to control her abilities, as useful as they might be, Cade had mentioned she could learn to suppress them and live a normal, human life. Except, if she chose that path, it couldn't be with him. They couldn't be together. Learning control seemed to be the better choice. Losing Cade at this point was out of the question. This week without him had taught her one, clear truth. She cared about him too much to just walk away.

Cade stirred and slipped his arm over her, pulling her close to his warmth. She snuggled into his body and drifted back to sleep, anxiety-free for the first time in a long time.

## Chapter 15

Frustration dogging his every step, Cade made his way back toward the apartment. He could feel time running out to find Aelfric and the glass. Something big was in the works, and every person around him seemed threatening. Progress was slow, and it was driving him crazy.

"Well, if it isn't Cade Lanter, my brother from another mother! My cohort from another world."

Cade's gaze lifted and met the familiar violet eyes of the creature who called herself the Pixie. "Lilly Bloom?"

She rolled her bright eyes at him. "I prefer my title, for obvious reasons, dude."

He clenched his jaw and grated, "Lilly. You've got some nerve showing your face to me again."

"What's the big deal? So you lost a few things. Anyone could make the same mistake."

"You caught the palace on fire. It was a disaster. Thank all that's paranormal, no one was hurt."

She chuckled low. "That was some party, huh?"

"No. What it was, was you doing what you usually do. Lilly, please don't say you're here to help me."

"Call me the Pixie, and I am here to help you."

Cade's groan turned into a deep growl. "Go away! Now!"

He turned to go around her, but she stepped in front of him again. "Aelfric is too close. He knows your weakness."

He stared at the small figure with her hand on his chest. "And what do you know of Aelfric?"

"I know he doesn't currently work alone."

"Do you know who he's working with?"

She shrugged. "When I watch him, I can never see what Aelfric's glamour is and the being who gives him his power is always hidden from me. It is unusual and concerning."

"How can you not see the creature?"

"He appears as a black mist."

Cade only knew of one other being who turned to a black mist, but he trusted Campbell Reid completely. He was a Supernatural Council Elite Guard and one of the most loyal men Cade had ever met. No way would he help the likes of Aelfric. Yet, it gave Cade an idea of where he needed to go for information. "Look. This doesn't in any way mean you'd be welcome in Eiru today, but if this helps to finally capture Aelfric, it would go a long way toward making amends for the damage you caused."

"Yeah, no offense, but I'd much rather party with Channing T. If you could hook that up, I'd forget the whole holding-a-grudge-about-a-little-fire thing."

Cade crossed his arms and pursed his lips. "Same old Lilly Bloom. I'm going to check a couple things out. I'll let you know if I learn anything."

"Oh, don't worry. I have my ways. I'll know what you know."

"Now that's concerning."

Cade started away again. He needed to get back to the basement to create another gate. He needed to see Campbell and find out what he knew about other creatures who could mist like he did.

"Cade, don't forget Aelfric knows your weakness."

_His weakness?_ Cade had trained for most of his life to eliminate any weaknesses. If Aelfric thought he had a weakness, it would make the fool confident, and his confidence would bring him within striking range of Cade. He'd take it as long as it put Aelfric in a dimensional prison and the Absolute Glass back in Eiru.

That would put things in balance again. Maybe then he could focus on helping Janna understand her new life, maybe even help her meet her father. He'd like to help her anyway he could because he cared about her.

Suddenly, Cade stopped in front of the elevator inside his apartment building and stood there barely breathing. He clearly understood Lilly's warning. Janna was his weakness, and Aelfric knew he'd do anything to keep her safe.

_Dammit!_ He'd have to finish his business quickly and get back to her. It occurred to him it might be best to stay here instead. He didn't want to leave her alone any longer than needed. But then Aelfric would win in the end anyway. Cade had to learn who was behind all of this, and the one way to do that was to leave her for a little while.

In the end, he was keeping her safe by leaving her for a short period of time. He'd get back to her quickly, and then he'd never let her out of his sight again.

* * *

Janna squealed and laughed as Cade came through her apartment door and scooped her into his arms, melding their mouths together in a passionate kiss. He kissed her like he hadn't seen her in years and like she was gourmet awesome on a silver platter. He'd been gone almost all day, and with such an adoring return, she felt cherished, maybe even cared for.

She loved this feeling. She loved this affection. She loved... She wasn't ready to finish that thought just yet, but no doubt about it, she wanted more of whatever this was.

They made their way to the bedroom without breaking the kiss at all. He didn't even bother to close the door, just laid her on the bed and covered her, returning to a tight embrace.

This night felt special, like they'd crossed a threshold and could move forward to a deeper relationship. She planned to show him just how much he meant to her with every kiss, every caress, every pleasure-filled cry. And as he began removing her clothes, she smiled against his mouth. No time like the present to begin.

## Chapter 16

Cade sat up in the bed suddenly. It had been a week since Janna had finally come to him and they'd spent every spare moment together. Last night, they'd stayed at her place, and usually enjoyed waking up in her space. Light streamed through Janna's bedroom window, slicing across the foot of the bed. But when he looked to where she should be, she was gone. With pinpoint accuracy, his mind cleared of everything but his bond with Janna. They'd hardly been apart recently, except when he was looking for Aelfric and she was at class, and right now, he could feel the tie between them stronger than ever. Rarely apart, they'd hung out either at his place or hers, and he'd gotten used to having her by his side and experiencing the bond they had whenever she was near--often even when she wasn't.

He'd expected to find her beside him in bed and instead it was empty. Not a problem on any other day, but this morning the connection between them was zinging with an awareness he could only describe as danger. She was in trouble. He knew it as sure as he knew how to take his gun apart and put it back together.

Without any more hesitation, he jumped from the bed and reached for his clothes. He was dressed and headed toward the kitchen within a matter of minutes. Yet, the apartment felt empty of her presence, and after a little searching, he confirmed the fact that she was gone without explanation. Not good.

On the kitchen counter, he spotted the card he'd given her last night. His hands had nearly sweated as he handed it to her. Of course, Fae didn't sweat, but he was half-human, so he'd come close a few times, and this had definitely been one. Inside, he'd put an image of her Faerie father. With a little effort and through his mother, he'd been able to locate the ages-old Faerie. As it turned out, he hadn't even known he'd sired a child and had shown interest in meeting Janna. He hadn't been sure how she'd react, and at first she was a little surprised, but when he saw tears in her eyes, it had made him even more nervous.

Then, she'd wiped her eyes and met his gaze before telling him, "This is the best gift anyone has ever given me. Cade, you amaze me."

The sex that followed had been the hottest of his life, full of an intense, sweaty passion that put him on the edge, making him want to say the words that would join them forever. But he'd held back from going that far, realizing she was reacting to the gesture he'd made, but might not appreciate being tied to him for all eternity. Cade had known he'd done the right thing. Now, though in the light of the day, and with her genuine disappearance, his police instincts were screaming as he grew more apprehensive by the minute. Something was clearly wrong, and he needed to get to her as soon as he could.

He grabbed his car keys and Gertie and headed out the door. On his way down the hall, he saw Ms. Gregory walking his way. A smile full of smugness planted itself on her face. As she neared, she glanced at Gertie then back to Cade.

"The building has definitely gone downhill since you moved in with your little dog. I think it's awful how you're taking advantage of sweet, little Janna. If you're not careful, you're going to get her in a whole heap of hurt."

It was the wrong thing to say at the wrong time, and Cade snapped back at her, "You really need to back off, you old crazy-woman. The way you treat Janna causes her more pain than I ever could. Besides, not everything that goes on in this building is your business."

She blustered a few seconds before pushing past him in an irritated huff. Before she left though she said something strange, making him pause, "I'd be careful what you say to me. I'm very powerful, and you'd be wise to take that into consideration before taking me on. I'll take care of you and Janna both if I have to."

Her words brought to mind his enemies in the Faerie world. It's something an Unseelie would threaten, and the hackles on the back of Cade's neck stood at attention as he turned and stalked in _Cruella's_ direction. It would be just like Aelfric to take on the glamour of a seemingly harmless creature, but the idea suddenly made her usual sour demeanor understandable. If it was Aelfric, he'd been reacting negatively to the positive energy coming from Janna and Cade.

Right before she opened her door, he grabbed her upper arm and twisted her around, staring hard into her eyes, hoping to sense whether it was his enemy or not.

"What...what's this? What are you doing?" She yanked at her arm but couldn't free herself. "I just knew you were a maniac. You better not hurt me."

Cade switched his grip to her wrist and pushed the loose sleeve of the arm of her blouse up, looking for the upside down, crossed swords of the Unseelie, but nothing was at her elbow. Knowing Aelfric, the problem was he probably had a way to hide that with a glamour too.

Pure frustration rode him, and he pushed her up against the door to her apartment, not enough to hurt her, just to give her a little scare, before saying, "I swear, if that's you, Aelfric, and you've done anything to hurt Janna, I'll pull you apart piece by piece with my bare hands."

Ms. Gregory's eyes widened, and Cade could feel the genuine fear rolling off her in waves. He began to doubt she was anything more than what she appeared--a bitter, lonely woman who enjoyed taking things out on those around her--and maybe backing off of her would be wise.

Then, something made it more obvious than ever. He physically felt Janna's presence, though he couldn't see her. A whiff of the smooth, rich scent of sensual jasmine that reminded him of her filled his nostrils. Whispered words seemed distant at first but then clear as glass in his mind, " _The park."_

In an instant, he knew where he'd find her just as her scent faded from the air. He backed up from Ms. Gregory and turned to make his way down the hall to the elevator.

"I should call the police and report you for assault."

He called out loud enough for her to hear him, "Don't worry. By the time you get inside your apartment, you'll have forgotten you ever saw me today."

She blustered a little more, but one of the abilities he rarely used was memory-wiping, but it didn't require much effort on his part, so he was certain, in about another minute, she'd forget he'd ever gotten near her, matter alone, spoke to her today. He was just a little bit sorry she wasn't Aelfric in disguise. Though it wasn't very nice of him, he might have enjoyed vanquishing her from the human world.

One thing he could do though. He turned back and knocked on Ms. Gregory's door. She opened it with her usual smarmy smile.

"Cade? Are you here for a visit?"

"No. Ms. Gregory, I'm going to leave something very special with you, and you're going to treat her like the most precious of treasures."

She appeared a little spaced-out for a moment because he was messing with her mind again, but she nodded.

"A treasure. Yes. I'll take good care of it."

He put Gertie into her arms and reiterated, "You love Gertie as much as you love your power in this building. You are to give her the best care."

"Of course. She means everything to me."

"Good. When I return, you'll give her back to me, and everything will return to normal."

"Yes. Normal."

Gertie probably wouldn't appreciate being stuck with Ms. Gregory. Even now, she was emitting low growls and small yips, as if to tell Cade he better not leave her here with this lunatic.

And though he loved Gertie, he had to get to Janna, and it needed to be now. He could feel the urgency humming inside her as if it were his own, and he wasn't going to slow down until she was out of danger. And then, he was going to make sure she knew he was ready to take this thing between them anywhere she wanted to go. And hopefully that was forever.

## Chapter 17

Janna worked at the knots binding her hands behind her back, but the cords were wrapped tightly and were magically reinforced. She'd walked right into this one, and though she wasn't the ultimate target, this guy meant business when it came to causing major hurt.

She needed to get away before Cade showed up and this lunatic led him into some kind of inter-dimensional trap. At least, that's what she understood. A couple weeks ago, she wouldn't have believed any of this, but now she was a little concerned that maybe the fey world was just too dangerous to be part of, but that was something to think about later...assuming there was a later. Right now, she was too busy fighting for her life--and maybe Cade's too.

_Such a dumb...as in "as a rock"...move!_ She'd stepped out of the apartment because she'd felt a dark presence. She'd known immediately it was the same one she'd felt before. Something about that sinister energy made her soul itch, and she was compelled to investigate. In the hallway outside Cade's door, she'd spotted a familiar face. She recognized the lanky, dark-eyed man as one of the officers with which Cade worked.

"Well, not who I was expecting, but you'll do nicely, little Faerie."

At first she'd been confused. He'd smiled and approached her with genuine friendliness. But she could feel the darkness in him, and the closer he got the more it suffocated her. She knew she should run, but couldn't seem to make herself move. Before she knew what was happening, she'd blacked-out, and when she awoke, she was tied up and locked inside a windowless van, probably white, if she had to guess. It was a given. Never get into a white, windowless van. _Ugh!_

At that point she couldn't help it. She panicked, screaming and thrashing as best she could, considering her mouth was covered with a tight piece of duct tape, her hands were tied behind her, and her feet were bound at the ankles as well. Needless to say, her struggles hadn't made a bit of difference. But it had gotten _his_ attention.

"Might as well give up, little Faerie. They're mystically reinforced and the magic is impossible to break, even for a powerful being like you."

_Powerful? Little 'ol me?_ Apparently he'd mistaken her for someone else. Maybe he was under the assumption she could do more than she really could. If she told him what a rookie she was, maybe he'd let her go. Then again, maybe not.

"Don't worry. I'm not after you. I've got a bigger fish to catch. You're just the bait."

_The bait?_ Who was he even talking about? Who would come for her? Then, as if the thought had been planted right into her head--Cade. He was after Cade.

"I am Aelfric, of the Unseelie court, and it is my sworn mission to decimate the princess Orla, Cade's _esteemed_ mother and the judge who sentenced me to an eternity in that dimension of hell I finally escaped." His words came out short and staccato, like he was spitting them. "You are merely a stepping stone to my ultimate goal of seeing her breathe her last and taking the throne of Eiru from her."

She began to thrash harder, narrowing her hands and trying to slide her wrists free. He just laughed at her pitiful effort.

"Oh, it won't be long now. And your reward for bringing me closer to my prize shall be a quick death. Something to look forward to."

He'd slunk out of the van at that point, leaving her alone with her tightly-ratcheted nerves zinging up and down her spine. But no matter how much she twisted and turned, he was right, she couldn't get out of the bonds.

She settled down and lay there a few moments until something occurred to her. If she'd had a free hand, she would have thunked her own forehead. For goodness sake, she was a Faerie. And though she hadn't mastered any of her magic, she did have an ability she thought she could muster. And it might be just enough to warn Cade not to fall for the trap this Aelfric-loser had set for him.

With her new purpose in mind, she calmed her breathing and closed her eyes. Her thoughts centered on finding Cade, and slowly she felt light and airy, like she was floating. When she opened her eyes, she looked down on her sleeping body and nearly fell back in her excitement. But she managed to hold on just long enough to think herself into the apartment building and next to Cade, who, when she found him, seemed to be roughing up Ms. Gregory. If she wasn't in a pure panic over the fact that she'd been kidnapped, she might have popped some popcorn and watched, but she did have a slight situation that needed handling first.

A new challenge presented itself though. Last time she'd left her body, she hadn't tried to speak. Now, she wasn't sure how to go about it. When she opened her mouth, nothing came out. It was like her vocal chords didn't work in this state of being. Now what could she do?

Her frustration level was rising, and with it, she could feel her body tugging her back. She had to do something quickly, but what could she possibly do?

This whole lack-of-a-body thing wasn't all it was cracked up to be. A rising gush of emotion made its way up her chest and made her metaphorical head pound. Without any more thought to how she was going to do this, she shouted the words in her head, "Stay away from the park!"

He turned in her direction, and for a second, she hovered there, shocked that something might have actually gotten through to him. But before she could really be sure, a sharp pain in her cheek sent her crashing back into her body in a painful instant. As if she'd fallen from a great height, her back felt like it snapped in half, and she rolled back and forth, groaning in pain.

"Am I boring you? Catching up on your sleep?" He slapped her with a sharp smack across her face again, and her teeth cut into the tender flesh of her cheek.

She wanted so badly to show him her big-girl words. One phrase in particular came to mind. It started with an "f" and ended with an "uck you," but the tape hindered her execution.

She needed to find a way to free herself. And she wondered what else she had in her magic bag 'o tricks. If only she'd had more time to soak up Cade's knowledge before this asshat hauled off and Lindbergh-babied her. Now, all she could do was hope something she tried was badass enough to get her out of this mess.

"If your boyfriend doesn't show soon, I'm probably going to have to make you scream a little to speed the process along."

_Dammit!_ Despite her best effort to remain unaffected by this psycho, he'd managed to scare her from her head to her quickly-numbing toes. _Highly magically-incorrect behavior, Sir Psycho-Faerie asshole._

His hand reached for the tape over her mouth, and without warning, he ripped it free, pulling half of the skin from her face and lips. For a few seconds, she was stunned with the pain, but as her senses recovered, she knew just how to hurt him in return.

"Cade's not coming, douchebag!"

His smug smile never wavered. "Oh, he'll be here. He'll come for you."

"Really? Well, just so we're clear, I wasn't sleeping. I projected myself to Cade and told him _not_ to come to the park. There's no way he's coming now."

His laugh was humorless, but he couldn't hide the touch of doubt in his eyes. She caught it and figured it might be enough to throw him off his game at least a little, enough for her to find a way out of here and away from him.

He stared at her a long minute before making up his mind about something. His voice was low and gritty as he hissed at her, "No. He's on his way now. I can feel him getting closer. You know what that means?"

"You're really, really sorry and you're going to let me go."

Another evil laugh rolled off his tongue as he shook his head. "It's time to make you scream, pretty Faerie."

She tried her best to remain stoic. She really did, but Aelfric knew how to push here past her limits in a matter of minutes. As "the asshole-monster Aelfric," which forever would be how she referred to him after this, snapped another of her fingers until it broke, she couldn't help but screech in pain. She'd bit her lip to hold back her reaction with the first one and had managed only to whimper through the second, but couldn't hold back from the throbbing, shooting pains by the third one, and despite her best efforts, she called out for Cade, like the coward she was.

"That's it! Call for him. Such beautiful music you make, my dear."

She tried not to hate anyone. Her mother wouldn't allow it. But, she hated the asshole-monster Aelfric. He deserved a long life of parasites eating him from the inside out, and if she could form words at the moment, she would have told him so. However, the pain shooting up her right arm dominated her brain and inhibited all coherent thought. All she could do was feel, and anger began to pulse in tandem with the pain throughout her body. As the anger grew, she began to emit a bright blue spark all over her skin.

He backed away and looked confused again. "Who are you, little Faerie? Someone of significance, I suspect. I might just keep you around for a little while."

Her answer was a lightning-like bolt, weak as it was, shooting out from her un-mangled hand and knocking him, hard enough against the side of the van that it dented from the inside.

He shook his head hard, as if to clear it, and hurtled himself back toward her, his fist raised as if to strike. But before his arm even began to slice the air, something made him turn his head and smile.

"He's here."

No doubt about it, she could feel the mix of fury, fear, and pure desire to kick the asshole-monster Aelfric's ever-evil ass coming off of Cade in waves. He was right outside the van, and he was pissed.

"Get out here, Aelfric, and let her go. I'm who you really want."

An evil grin lit his face as Aelfric lowered his arm and opened the back doors. For a split-second, Janna met Cade's gaze before his rage turned toward his enemy.

"Richards. Of course it would be someone close to me."

"Keep your enemies close...Right?" He slammed the doors, and Janna began to struggle again with the ropes binding her. Somehow, she had to help Cade.

"Where's the Absolute Glass, Aelfric?" Cade's voice held a threat she recognized as deadly.

A laugh that belonged to the evilest of villains in a B-movie emanated from Aelfric's chest. "Long gone. Nothing you can do to stop the plan for the Glass, especially once I'm through with you. Besides, my master has it now, and the whole world will know soon enough."

"Don't suppose you want to reveal who your master is, do you?"

Another laugh. "Not even to a man about to die."

The talking ended as Aelfric pushed off the van, gave a battle cry and charged away. The fight had begun.

Her wrists burned as if they were on fire. She didn't know if it was from the magic infused in the ties or just from the strain of trying to break free. Either way, both the pain and her anxiety were growing to unbearable levels.

The battle outside picked up and someone was thrown against the van, testing the shocks as it rocked back and forth a few times. Janna couldn't tell anything from the sounds coming from outside. Mostly she heard grunts and groans along with the crashes against the ground and other objects surrounding the area, unidentifiable just by the sounds. It was enough to push her into panic-mode. Cade needed her.

Then something strange began to happen. The burn in her hands moved to the center of her chest. Blue lightning flashed all along her skin again, but it wasn't painful. It was more warm and tingly, like static electricity building up before the release of a spark.

As it built, it crawled along her skin, down her arms, and centralized around her hands. She watched in awe as the bindings around her wrists fell away as if they were made of nothing more than powdered sugar. Almost instantly, the warm, blue sparks jumped to her ankles and dissolved the ties there as well. _Magic. Pretty cool magic._

Aelfric's words came back to her. He'd wondered aloud who exactly she was, and though at the time she'd wanted to say, _I'm the_ _terminator, so back off, bitch,_ now she had to wonder if she might just be an ass-kicker in the Faerie world. It was just another reason meeting her father was a definite go now that Cade had made it possible. She needed to know where she came from and the outer-limits of her abilities.

Pinpricks flickered in her hands as sensation returned, but she didn't slow down much as she flung the back doors open wide and jumped free of the make-shift prison.

The first thing she noticed was the color of the van--white, as predicted. Then her gaze turned toward Cade half-way across a long parking lot, spread-eagled and still. She reacted quickly and ran toward him. _Please, don't be dead._

The third thing she noticed as she shot a look behind her that she hoped burned his balls, Aelfric actually watched her, eyes widened, jaw slackened. "There you go again, surprising me with your abilities. Who the hell are you?"

Before she reached him, Cade rose to standing, legs braced apart, hands at his sides, palms forward. He looked like he was ready to do some damage. His voice carried across the parking lot as he said, "She's the daughter of Kalen, the Artist. None of your bindings have any chance of holding her. With her pinky, she could send you screaming back to your little corner of Eiru. You'd be wise to leave her alone and only focus on me."

"Kalen, the Artist, as in _escape_ artist. Oh, to have had him in the dimensional prison with me. Yeah, well, go big or go home. If I'm going to piss off the Seelie court, might as well start at the top." He sunk into a fighting stance again, seemingly ready to finish what he started. "Come on, Cade. It's time to end this."

"Cade?" Janna hated hearing the fear in her voice, but she couldn't watch this go badly, not now that her feelings went deeper than just caring for the man in front of her. He'd come to mean so much more to her. It was as obvious to her now as the asphalt under her feet. She loved him, maybe had since the moment she'd met him two months ago. All she knew was, she couldn't let him die for her.

She reached him finally and met his gaze. He didn't look worried at all. Determination glinted in his eyes. "Don't worry, Janna. I've been holding back, gauging his strength. I can take him."

He pulled her close and kissed her hard and quick before gently pushing her toward the closest grassy area. "Just promise me, no matter what happens, you'll stay out of the way. Don't intervene. You have to trust me."

_Trust him?_ That she could do. The problem wasn't trust. The problem was she couldn't stand by and watch him get slaughtered. That would be devastating. But she nodded and backed away, standing behind a large Chevy truck, out of the line of fire.

"Oh, isn't that so sweet. And sickening. If the love-fest is over, can we get back to the business of me killing you?"

"Ready if you are."

They leapt toward each other, hands raised, something like lightning firing from their palms. Janna glanced around, wondering how no one else could possibly be concerned about a battle in the park, but as she looked at the humans around her, no one seemed to take notice. Then, as she looked closer, there was a perceptible space surrounding the parking lot where humans seemed to be naturally avoiding. They'd be walking or jogging toward the area and suddenly, for no reason at all they'd turn and go in another direction. Obviously, someone had erected a kind of magical barrier.

As Cade shot a fiery red ball of energy toward Aelfric, he ducked and twisted, firing a green bolt back at Cade. Janna watched both shots miss and dissolve into the barrier, lighting it up as they struck.

Cade fired rapid shots from each hand as he moved in closer and Aelfric moved back, dodging each volley. Aelfric's back hit the magical barrier, and he seemed to be struggling to stay in the battle. Maybe Cade had been holding back. Maybe now that he'd figured out Aelfric's weaknesses, everything would end quickly.

As Aelfric went down on one knee and one of Cade's shots connected, singeing his upper arm, Cade halted, his chest heaving with the effort of each bolt he'd thrown.

"Stop now, Aelfric. Leave and never threaten me and mine again, tell me who you're working for, and I'll let you walk away in one piece."

"How very generous of you, but I don't need your mercy, and I'll die before revealing who my master is." By the strained way his words tumbled out as he spoke, Janna expected a very different answer. Instead, he rose to his feet and arced his arm over his head and shoulder, pulling free a long, broad sword that, as far as Janna could tell, hadn't been there before.

He wasted no time, charging toward Cade with sword raised and ready to strike. Janna tried to call out, but only managed a garbled shout as she watched Aelfric rush forward. She ran clear of the truck but stopped as Cade raised a hand in her direction, motioning for her to stop, before reaching behind him and pulling his own sword free just in time to meet Aelfric's first offensive blow.

Janna watched transfixed as Cade swung his glowing, electric red blade with a skill she never imagined he had. He was a cop. Skill with a gun she would have expected, but a sword? Must be a Faerie thing.

The two men paused, circling each other without striking, gazes locked, measuring each other.

Suddenly, Aelfric leapt catlike into the air, waving his blade in a figure eight before touching down behind Cade on the ground again. Cade smiled, actually smiled, as he swung around just in time to clash swords again. For a brief moment, she could see uncertainty in Aelfric's motions as he seemed to slow his strikes. Cade had him on the defense, and the Unseelie began backing away.

Driving. Driving. Aelfric met each of Cade's strikes, blade upheld, going to his foreswing and following it with a backswing. Cade dodged the first and met the second with his blade. The weight of his swing sent Aelfric back, back, back...but not far enough to knock him to the ground.

Hammering. Aelfric regained his balance, swinging forward with three consecutive strikes and caught Cade by surprise with the last one. With an arcing shot, Aelfric sliced toward Cade, and he jumped back enough to just get the tip of the blade as it cut the fabric of his shirt at the midsection. A thin, red line stretched across his abdomen, and she hoped the wound was superficial because he returned with a staggering strike.

Cade swung again. His sword missed though, slicing the air instead. Aelfric flashed another smirk and began his own assault. He twisted his body around, gaining momentum as he came around, knocking Cade off balance and causing Janna's heart to pound uncontrollably in her chest. If only she had a long-range weapon, like a gun or a bow and arrow.

A sudden weight touched her back and when she reached behind her, she touched the curved top of a bow. Man, she could really get used to this magic-thing.

She pulled the bow free and reached for the one arrow in the quiver. When she was younger, she'd actually participated in archery club at her school. One of those activities just for fun. Nothing usable in a someday-I'll-do-something-with-this sense. Who knew it might actually come in handy? However, she'd been much younger and hadn't had moving targets. Now, as she pulled the strings as tight as she could with three broken fingers, she didn't dare let the arrow fly for fear she might accidentally hit Cade.

Swing. Swing. Pound. Cade's next two arcs missed badly, but the third, a backswing off the one before it, struck true. The heavy swing sliced into Aelfric's thigh as easily as paper. He dropped to the pavement, tried to stand, and dropped again. With a backhand swing, Cade knocked Aelfric's sword out of his hand and several feet away from him.

Then, with a wide, swinging arc, Cade rocked the blade around, and for an instant, Janna thought he was going to remove Aelfric's head. At the last minute though, he pulled back, only allowing the tip to rest just below his opponent's chin. She could only imagine the amount of control it took to restrain his natural instinct to defend his mother with the ultimate consequence.

They both heaved air in and out, trying to fill their lungs, which had to be burning with exhaustion, but when Cade found his voice, he announced, "Aelfric the Touched, you are hereby sentenced to live out the days of your eternal life in the Eiru dimensional prison, stuck between two worlds forever. Do you have any final words?"

He shook his head once and kept his eyes lowered. Janna lowered her bow and took a few steps in Cade's direction. He dropped his blade to his side, still held tight in his right hand, and moved toward Janna. Relief was etched all over his face, and she wanted nothing more than to run into his arms. That had to mean something. She was sure of it.

As Cade and she got closer though, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Aelfric stood and turned, his hands raised, green energy sparking in his palms.

"Cade!" Instinctively, Janna lifted her bow, pulled the string tight, ignoring the spear of pain that shot through her injured fingers, and readied to release the arrow. Cade seemed to read her mind and twisted just as she let it go and watched it soar right past him aimed toward Aelfric's heart.

Just as the missile should have hit true, Aelfric lifted his hand and the arrow sunk through his palm, stopping just short of her goal. He cried out, but an evil grin spread across his face. He thought he'd won.

Janna was afraid he might be right. She didn't have another arrow. Yet, she wasn't totally helpless. She did have other magic.

Her palms glowed blue right as Cade's lit up red. As she fired a lightning stream toward Aelfric, Cade released his at the same time. Both bolts hit the arrow in a brilliant shower of sparks, morphing to a deep violet color and propelling the tip of the arrow into his chest completely.

A look of surprise crossed his face briefly before he stumbled and dropped to his knees, then went face-first into the concrete, pushing the arrow in further before it broke. After several gasps, he ceased moving and burst into an explosion of green fire.

Janna moved the rest of the way to Cade, and he pulled her into his arms, wrapping her tightly inside them. "I should have known better than to turn my back on him. I'm fortunate you're a great shot."

"Is he? Is he dead? I mean, he's not just in a different dimension?"

"He's gone forever. Not just in a dimensional prison. He's dead." He didn't look happy though. "I wish to hell I'd gotten the name of who he was working for and where to find the Absolute Glass. Unfortunately, that's need-to-know information."

They watched until the fire faded and nothing remained of Aelfric. As people walked beside them, getting into their cars, passing through the parking lot to another part of the park, Janna realized the magical barrier had also faded.

As inconspicuously as she could, she ran her hands over Cade, checking for injuries. He seemed to be relatively unscathed, with a few burns, several bruises, and the superficial cut across his abdomen. All in all, Janna was glad he hadn't sustained any major damage. She was relieved enough in that moment to catch him off guard as she slammed her uninjured fist into his upper arm.

"What? What was that for?"

Anger tightened her facial features as she pointed out, "I told you not to come to the park."

He chuckled and rubbed his shoulder and arm. "You'll have to work on that. All I heard was the park. I came as quickly as I could after that." He gently took her injured hand in both of his and closed his eyes in concentration. She felt a warm tingle and noticed a reddish glow escaping through his fingers, but when he opened them, she flexed and un-flexed without pain. He healed her from head to toe, then did the same for himself.

She thanked him quietly and grinned as a thought occurred to her. "Turns out, I can handle myself pretty well."

Cade met her gaze, an inscrutable look on his face. "I noticed." His quietly uttered words filled her with pride. Someone believed in her. After a lifetime of being a disappointment, it meant so much, and made Janna realize she needed to tell him how much he meant to her.

"Truth is I'm glad you showed up. Someone had to see what an ass-kicker I am." She smiled cheekily as he hugged her tightly to him. "Okay. You have skills too. We made a great team--you and I."

He nodded and let his hand drop to her lower back, turning her toward the street between the park and their building. "Come on. Ms. Gregory is watching Gertie."

"What? You left Gertie with Ms. Gregory? Are you crazy?"

"Don't worry. She wouldn't dare mistreat her. Gertie means everything to her."

Janna wasn't quite sure they were talking about the same Ms. Gregory, but she shrugged and rushed toward the entrance of the building. For the first time, she felt confident enough to give back anything Ms. Gregory or her mother gave to her. Vanquishing a powerful Unseelie had given her a new understanding about her capabilities, and nothing and no one would ever make her feel less than gifted again.

## Chapter 18

Janna rubbed her hands over her thighs nervously for the umpteenth time. She was about to meet her father, and to say her heart was doing its damnedest to beat right out of her chest was an understatement.

One thought rolled over and over in her head, "What if he doesn't like me?"

She was smart enough to realize this was perfectly normal, but it didn't help that she really, really wanted to throw up, run away, and never do anything this nerve-wracking ever, ever again. Of course, in her heart, she knew she really did want to meet him, wanted it more than just about anything. And the only way that was happening was if she kept her rear here in the small café to which Cade first brought her when he revealed the truth about who she was. Now, he'd set up the meeting between father and daughter and promptly left so they could be alone. Her father was on his way to meet her, and one thing was for certain--she was freaking nervous.

Matter of fact, she'd been so nervous, she'd called and talked to her mother...voluntarily. No doubt, it was a surprise to both of them. Even more surprising was her mother's reaction when she told her she knew the truth about her father. She hadn't denied anything. After several moments of silence, she confessed the whole story.

They'd met at an auction, of all places, and with his charm and heart-stopping good looks, she hadn't had a chance of resisting him. He'd been there to bid on a glass bowl that sparkled brighter than ice crystals in the sun. She'd been there for a client who wanted the same bowl and had been willing to pay almost whatever it took to get it. The bidding price had grown ridiculously high and finally, she'd hit her client's limit. Her very wealthy client wasn't happy, but Kalen had won the bid fair and square, but before he'd left with his prize, he'd offered to take her to dinner to make up for the loss. Maybe it was irresponsible, but she'd agreed, and they'd spent the evening and whole night together. Next morning, they'd said their goodbyes, and she'd cherished their one night of bliss, expecting nothing more. Next month though, she realized she was pregnant with Janna, and she'd thought it was the end of her world. What would her parents say? What would her clients say? There was no way to get in touch with Kalen. No amount of searching led to any discoveries of his whereabouts, but she'd decided to carry through with the pregnancy and put Janna up for adoption. She'd gone to an agency and explored her options, but in the end, she couldn't stand the thought of letting her baby go.

They were both in tears by the end of the conversation, and Janna would never forget her mother's response when she'd asked her if she was disappointed in her decision to keep Janna. She'd sobbed as she said, "Never even one moment of my life. If I've been hard on you, it's because I wanted you to have a better life than I did, but in reality, my decisions, good and bad, are what led me to you. I've been blessed with you in my life, so obviously I can't possibly know what will make you happiest in your life. I need to give you the space to figure that out for yourself, and I will. And I want you to find the path that's perfect for you, whatever it is." It was just what she'd needed to hear

It had been good to finally clear the air between them. It was clear her mother still didn't quite know she'd fallen for an otherworldly being and that Janna was half-Fae, but she felt closer to her mother than she had in years and they were planning to get together next weekend. Their relationship still wasn't perfect, but she understood a little more why her mother said and did things the way she did.

Now, she had to navigate a new relationship with the father she only recently realized she had.

She reached for her cup and lifted the sparkly glass toward her lips to take a drink, but her hand froze in mid-action as two figures, a male and a female, appeared over a small hill and made a beeline for the café. As they got closer, somehow she knew one of them was him. Not only did she and he share the same color hair and eyes, but a sense of recognition bloomed deep in her chest, a sense she'd known him forever, even if she was meeting him for the first time.

Though there were other beings in the small café around her--some Faerie, some elven, some creatures she couldn't really identify--he didn't hesitate in his stride right to her. She stood as he approached and they'd embraced immediately, like they'd always known each other, like father and daughter.

"Janna?" The question came from the female walking beside her father, and for the first time, Janna noticed her. Regal and beautiful, she could only be a Queen of the Fae. It was Cade's mother.

Janna nodded, still in awe of both her visitors.

"I wanted to thank you for being there for Cade."

"Not sure my presence helped him at all."

One majestic eyebrow lifted, and Janna didn't know if it was out of irritation that she'd dared to question the Queen or because she was surprised Janna had dared. Either way, her face relaxed, and she said, "Well, you have my eternal gratitude." She swept an arm toward the man standing next to her. "I know you two have much to discuss, so I'll leave you now. But, before I go, let me say that I am also thankful you've found us. You are always welcome in my kingdom, and I don't think Cade could have found a better match than you."

A genuine smile slipped over her lips as she waved and walked away. So many creatures followed her, reaching out to stroke her arms and legs as she went. Clearly, she was much beloved among her people.

After a few silent moments, Janna turned her focus back to her father. His eyes glowed mistily, and a crooked smile lit his lips.

He spoke, a rich timbre to his voice, "Janna, the daughter of my dreams."

She pulled back to look at him and couldn't wipe the grin from her face. He was tall, like most other Fae she'd met, and he carried a twinkle in his blue eyes like a planet rising on the end-of-the-day horizon of a summer sky. He looked young, like barely into his thirties, and her mother was right, he was extremely handsome.

"Daughter of your dreams, huh? Nice way to start this off, I suppose."

He laughed and swept his hand toward her chair again, suggesting they take a seat together. "Well, I meant it literally. I've dreamed of you as a child and a young woman over the years but never realized it was my own daughter I saw. I watched your life unfold like a movie in my mind and felt excited to see what each new chapter would bring, but I wish I'd made the connection that you were a real, living being, and someone so special to me as well."

"Do you remember my mother?"

"I do. I remember going to rescue a magical artifact that would have been dangerous in the wrong hands and falling in love with her competitive spirit and infectious smile. Unfortunately, love between a mortal and one of the Fae never ends well, but I made it clear from the start that I wouldn't be able to stay. I never imagined our night would result in a child." He lowered his voice and looked uncomfortable as he explained, "We were very careful. You were just meant to be."

She sat back in her chair. She rather liked the thought of her existence not being a mistake but instead, a positive addition to the world, maybe even someone who could make a difference in at least one person's life just by being here. It was a nice thought.

She smiled across the table. "You don't know how meaningful those words are to me."

"Well, from what I understand, you certainly saved a certain Faerie kingdom from Aelfric. Trust me, he wouldn't have been a force anyone wanted unleashed on Eiru. You made your people...and me...very proud."

Impossible not to love this man, she was thankful she'd finally met her father and that he apparently liked her too. It was time to steer the conversation toward more interesting topics.

"Tell me everything I should know about you."

He spoke of his missions throughout the dimensions, recovering artifacts that belonged to the Fae and of narrow escapes he'd barely accomplished. He was a regular ass-kicking spy of the Faerie kind, and she was completely impressed. She continued to listen to him for hours until the light began to fade, and she knew she needed to return to the human world.

They stood to go, and he assured her he'd take her to visit the rest of her family in a couple days.

"Thank you...father...for a wonderful first meeting." To think of him as her father didn't feel as awkward as it had a couple hours ago, and she relaxed into the comfort of finally getting to know him.

He embraced her one more time before they went their separate ways and whispered, "It truly was my pleasure, daughter of my dreams."

## Chapter 19

Everything was as it should be. Cade's mother was safe, Janna knew the truth about who she was, and Aelfric was gone forever. Of course, they never found out who was feeding Aelfric his powers, but that was an investigation for another day. Maybe he'd talk to Mike in a week or two about looking into the source behind Aelfric's quest to overthrow the current ruler of Eiru, but for now, Cade was happy right where he was.

Cade had never known contentment like he felt now as he lay in bed with Janna in his arms. They'd just made it through round two, and he still couldn't get enough of her. The smell and feel of her skin would be forever imprinted into his memory. And forever was a long time in the world of the Fae.

He squeezed her tightly to his side. Everything was as it should be. Aelfric wouldn't be a threat to anyone anymore. Janna knew who and what she was. Cade could even go back to Eiru permanently now if he wanted to. But that was the thing. The only place he wanted to be was with Janna, wherever that might be. And truthfully, after all she'd been through, she might reject the Faerie world completely, which meant no matter how much he'd wish it were otherwise, they could never be together. He'd lose her, and that didn't set well with him at all.

"You're awful quiet over there. Deep thoughts?" Janna's breathless words were enough to get him stirring again, but they needed to talk before they took things any further.

"When I woke up that morning, and you were gone, it was horrible. It felt like someone had used a dull, rusty knife and scraped my chest from the inside. You know what I mean?"

She nodded, but he didn't think she really understood. "Before we go any further, I need to know if I'm going to lose you or not."

"Who says you're going to lose me?"

"If we're going to be together, you have to be okay with the Faerie world and magic. I wouldn't blame you if you were a little freaked out by it all."

Janna was quiet for a long time, and he began to fear the worst. If she did walk away from everything, from him, he didn't think he'd ever recover.

She shifted on the bed until she was leaning over him. Her skin felt warm and soft as she cupped his face in her hands and leaned down to press her lips softly to his.

When she pulled back, her face was lit up from her smile to her sparkling eyes. "I'm not going anywhere. I know who I am now, and I wouldn't trade that for anything. Besides..." she wiggled her fingers in the air before continuing, "I rather enjoy my new-found abilities."

He pulled her on top of him and settled her over his hard cock. As she sunk down on him, he drew in air sharply through his teeth. Her head dropped back as she began to ride him slowly. He gripped her hips to increase the pace, but she shifted, leaned back and grasped his thighs, giving him a fantastic view of her body. The long strands of her hair tickled the tops of his legs, and every sensation pushed him closer to the edge. He let his hands fall to the sheets below, but his gaze remained riveted on the undulations of her body and the bounce of her breasts.

She began making moaning sounds as she let her hands roam up her abdomen and cupped her breasts, and he could feel the pressure in his balls tightening at the sight. He couldn't believe how the sight of her, the closeness of her, could affect him so strongly. He could see spending eternity with this woman and still not having enough time with her.

When he couldn't take it any longer, he pulled her back until her hands were braced beside his head and her gaze met his.

"I love you, Janna. You don't see how absolutely amazing you are, but if you'll let me, I'll spend the rest of forever saying it to you each and every day, making sure you know it in your soul."

He loved the crooked grin she gave him as she nodded and said, "I love you, too, Cade. And you have my permission to say many, many wonderful things to me every day for the rest of forever. I might even say a few back to you."

She leaned in, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him passionately. Her tongue invaded and he gladly touched his to hers, pumping his hips up and down at the same time until he could stand it no more and flipped her over to her back. A giggle escaped her lips as he broke their kiss enough to nibble along her neck to the hardened peak of her breast. He laved at the nipple and rocked into her over and over at a steady pace.

He moved to the other breast, kissing along the underside before taking her nipple into his mouth and sucking. His eyes rolled back in his head at the pure pleasure of the throaty sounds his attentions evoked.

Barely hanging on, he released her nipple and rose up on stiff arms, driving his hips forward, harder and harder, releasing just a little bit of his energy, a bright red warmth and vibration all along her skin until he heard her cry out and felt her clench around him. At that moment, he let go and took his release within her, yelling out her name over and over.

He eased down beside her physically and from the cloud he was on mentally as he pulled her into his arms and began to lightly stroke her back and perfectly formed ass. He couldn't get enough of touching her.

Her breathy whisper fanned across his chest, "I could really get used to Faerie magic."

"Even if I come along with it?"

"Especially because you come along with it. Besides, you get the better end of that deal. You get a genuine, Faerie ass-kicker by your side for eternity."

He laughed but kissed her quickly before saying, "I'll gladly take you forever. Couldn't ask for anything better."

# # #

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About Cherie Marks

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It all started with an old fashioned typewriter. When my family brought it home, for the first time, I knew what I wanted to do. All those stories rolling around in my head could finally get out. The press and click of the keys were satisfying in their own right, but when I pulled out a finished page, I knew this was for me. Since then, I've graduated to a laptop, but the stories still find a way out.

I'm a breast cancer survivor, a teacher, a wife, a mother, and a writer. I continue to strive for less procrastination and more tact. The battle wages on.

More Books by Cherie Marks

The Vampire Next Door

For Mia Alexander, the world is getting hotter—literally. Not only is she slathering on gobs of sunscreen, but she's developed a ravenous desire for rare meat. As if not strange enough, a freaking hottie-like-no-other just moved in next door and can't seem to keep his gaze off of her.

Campbell Reid has wandered this earth as a vampire for a long time, but since the tragedy of his family's death, he's perfected an unbreakable control—until he encountered his latest target. His mission from The Supernatural Council is to protect her from other vampires as she transitions and from a mysterious, emerging threat. But can he protect her from himself?

Things heat up as the danger closes in, and Campbell fights by her side as The Vampire Next Door.

Excerpt:

Mia Alexander woke, hands around her neck. They were her own and there to protect against an attack, guarding her exposed skin from some unknown horror. Yet, she recognized there wasn't any real threat near her. A quick glance around reassured her she was still in her bedroom and seemed to be completely alone.

She dropped her hands to her sides, using them to brace herself on the mattress below her and sit up, slick droplets of sweat sliding down her torso. Another nightmare. She'd had another nightmare. One just like the others where she fought for her life against dark figures she could never quite bring into focus. And as before, she'd reacted in real life, trying to protect herself against the acts going on in her dream world. These vivid dreams were driving her crazy.

A quick look at the red glow of the clock showed 2:34 A.M., the same time she always woke when she had the nightmare. An odd coincidence, surely, but not one easily explained away. Something was off in her brain, and it was beginning to affect her everyday life.

She'd researched the heck out of repetitive dreams, specifically about ones in which the dreamer was attacked, but all she'd figured out was that she might have trust issues with the people around her or she might be beating herself up over recent experiences. _Well, duh!_ Either way, with such vague answers, she was pretty sure dream interpretation was a throw-a-dart-at-the-wall kind of science, and she'd better look for answers elsewhere.

The t-shirt she'd worn to bed stuck uncomfortably to her skin. She threw the covers back, deciding to change before attempting to drift back to sleep. As she rose, a feeling she was being watched raised the hairs on the back of her neck. Using the scant light from the streetlamps and the moon shining through the closed French doors that when opened led to the tiny balcony outside, she scanned the bedroom. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She shook off the sensation, feeling a little silly. Must just be a remnant of the nightmare.

She turned to the oak wood dresser and pulled another shirt from the top drawer. With careful movements, she peeled the damp shirt she wore over her head. Thank goodness she'd gone braless tonight. One less piece of sweat-dampened laundry to worry about.

She jerked her head up at a low, strangled sound behind her and covered herself quickly as the cool night air cascaded through the now open door to the outside. She caught a glimpse of a shadow exiting and took two steps back toward her closet as the figure turned one last time before disappearing over the rail of the balcony. Her instincts had been on target, and she didn't have a weapon. _Why didn't she have a weapon?_ There had been someone in her room. From the tall, broad frame, over six feet at least, it had to have been a man. And son of a beezy, she'd undressed in front of him. _Eeeewww!_

Mia swallowed a few times and waited, paralyzed. After a few moments, she realized the intruder was truly gone and crossed to the open door to search the grassy area below, but nothing stirred. Whoever it was seemed to disappear in the blink of an eye, but he'd left a trace of himself behind. A rich, spicy aroma, a sensual promise in its very essence, still floated in the air and tickled her nostrils. She paused, processing the enticing smell, committing it to memory. Her skin sizzled and electric fingers slipped down her spine, spreading through her mid-section. Surprised by the intensity of her reaction, she worked to slow her breathing and stepped back into her bedroom. She closed the door and turned the deadbolt, watching the metal slip into the casing to be sure it was locked.

Nervous energy fired through her as she stood in the dark trying to understand what had just happened. _Someone had been in her bedroom while she slept._ Tune her guitar to freaked-the-hell-out. That shit was scary.

The Dragon Next Door

Roxy Elliot is fed up with her non-existent love life. She is dying to turn in her V-card, but no matter how often she throws herself at a man, it never goes anywhere. If she didn't know any better, she might think she was cursed. Now, though, she's just been tapped to take her turn as the caretaker of the family business--a safehouse that caters to paranormal beings. She knows nothing about their next client, but the minute she sees him, she knows she's in trouble.

Donovan Warren is a battle-worn dragon who has danger on his trail. He needs a safehouse, and he needs it now, but the minute he meets the caretaker, he recognizes the risk. She's a maiden, and everyone knows dragons can't resist maidens. What everyone doesn't know--it's a dragon's lust that makes him lose control. Now, he has to resist the beautiful temptation of a woman who drives him to distraction in order to keep them both safe.

Yet, when someone...or something...threatens Roxy, Donovan soon finds himself embroiled in a situation he never saw coming. Thanks to a promise to a purple-haired pixie, he will fight to the death to protect the maiden who could be his destruction...or his salvation...as he becomes the Dragon Next Door.

Excerpt:

As he reached for the doorknob, it turned and the door eased open. Roxy leaned against the door frame and smiled a crooked smile up at him, so obviously inebriated.

" _Going somewhere?" She slurred her question, emphasizing just how drunk she actually was._

" _I was going to ask Dorothy if she had wifi or something."_

Her hand came up and rested on his chest. She pushed at him slightly, but it didn't do anything more than make him hyperaware of the heat of her touch.

" _Not sofassst, Dono...van." She leaned into him, her hand still a slight barrier between them._

His first instinct was to laugh and move around her until the moment he felt the cool contrast of her hair against his neck as she snuggled against him. Without warning, the beast inside him reared its head, and he groaned with the urge to wrap his arms...and barely-contained wings...around her, pulling her into the room and onto the bed to finish what she clearly wanted to get started.

Muscles rippled tensely under his skin, and as sense returned to him, he just resisted the urge to push her strongly away from him, slam the door in her face, and remove the temptation she presented. Instead, he closed his eyes, breathing slowly through the sensations until he felt fully in control once more. He lifted his hand and dared to tip her chin up to meet his gaze. Her eyes were blurry but filled with a lusty passion he'd never expected to see from one so innocent. Maybe, he should stop thinking of her as innocent, as tonight proved.

A heated knot formed in his throat, and his nostrils flared as the scent of her arousal hit his nose. His animal urges rushed to the forefront, making him more dangerous than ever. He could feel the fire burning deep in his chest, threatening to unravel any control he'd managed to knit together.

" _Sweetheart, it's time to put you to bed."_

" _That's 'swhy 'm here, of course...Sssweetheart." Her eyes slid closed, and she lifted onto her toes, bringing her mouth closer. Too close for his comfort. The air between them wafted with whatever had infused her blood system so recently and put her in a drunken state._

His chest tightened. Everything inside him wanted to see whether she was as soft as she looked. Resisting the powerful lure of her bow-shaped lips, he took a step backward into the room, pulling her with him. A hiccup fell from her delectable mouth, followed by a snorted laugh, and he was beyond tempted to swoop in to meld them together in a kiss that left no doubt what he wanted and didn't end until they were both naked, sweaty, and thoroughly satisfied. Only the promise to keep her safe kept him from giving in to his desires.

Sure as the blanket of sky and stars above, he'd transform into the thing of nightmares and end anything and everything within smashing distance without thought or care. It was the curse of a dragon. He could never be given a maiden to bed without losing all ties to humanity. It was a fact well-known by medieval warlocks, who often used the lust of a dragon to wipe out entire human villages. Therefore, the dragon would be blamed, and the warlock would walk away freely, no one the wiser to the havoc he'd caused.

" _This is a very bad idea, Roxy. I should go and return when you're less..." mouthwatering, wild, everything he ever wanted in a woman, "...shitfaced."_

Just as he swiveled around her and headed for the still-open door, she placed her hands on his ass, drawing him to a complete standstill. He turned back toward her in time to catch her as she used his shoulders for leverage, leapt into the air, and wrapped her body around his, her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Not an inch separated them, and he groaned as she used her heels to grind their groins together, causing his cock to harden instantly.

Wicked Jackal

Woodland Creek Series.

30 Authors. 30 Shifter Stories.   
http://woodlandcreekseries.com

Freedom never felt so good.

Anastasiya Petrov ran from her fate. The youngest of seven sisters and promised to one of the Princes of a rival pack, she refuses to be a bargaining chip. Instead, she flees to a remote area in the United States, changes her name to Tasia Connor, and settles into her new life.

Alex Chilikov might be an Estonian prince, but he was raised in the United States and loves it here, especially Woodland Creek, Indiana, where he's followed close behind his bride-to-be. She might be able to hide who she is from the others, but he'd recognize her scent anywhere, and he plans to use his trickster abilities to help him obtain what he wants. He wants out from under his own father's heavy thumb.

However, he's not the only one searching for her. Her father has made some dangerous enemies, and though she continues to attempt to escape Alex's protection, he'll fight to keep her safe. Tasia will risk almost anything to keep her freedom, but only if she can resist a Wicked Jackal.

Excerpt:

"And what if it hadn't been me on the other side of that door. What if it had been the Russians?"

Tasia let him pull her along, but she was getting angrier by the second. She didn't like to be told where she could and could not go.

"It was not them."

"But it could've been. It was reckless and dangerous and the reason you're in this mess in the first place."

She dug in her heels, and yanked her arm free. He rotated to face her.

"No...I am in this mess in the first place because my father wanted to force me to marry someone I have never even met."

The guilty look that entered his eyes wasn't just something Tasia imagined. Did he know something about her father's plans for her? Was he planning to take her back just in time to walk down the aisle? Well, she wasn't going back to Estonia to marry some prince she'd never even met. Not now, not ever. At least not until she got the opportunity to choose her own future.

"Look, I'm not being paid to worry about your petty worries. I'm supposed to protect you from the men who are trying to kidnap you. That's why if you pull anything like that again, I'll tie you to the bed and never let you go."

Damn! That was an image that would stick! His hand on her upper arm as he wrapped it around her again sent a chill chasing along her spine. Why did his provocative words sound like something she wanted to try? Shouldn't it make her want to run faster and harder in the other direction? What was wrong with her?

Thief of Sanguardia

Skeleton Key Book Series One Skeleton Key. Endless Adventures.  
https://skeletonkeybookseries.com

His otherworldly charm is all too real.

Kaia Skipwith is having a very bad Monday. A reformed thief who has to pull one last job in New York City to save her sister, she must bring some barely-guarded, ancient artifact to the Seagate Building in Manhattan by midnight Saturday, or she'll never see her sister again. An in-the-bag finale for an experienced B&E expert such as herself. Yet, not more than five minutes into the job, alarms blare and car tires screech up. She grabs the creepy key with a skeleton emblem—a literal skeleton key—looks up at the door that appears in front of her and gets the strangest feeling she'll be safe on the other side of that door.

Zegorie Fay of Clan Montgomerie has taken charge of the Vampire Army, and though he knows his duty, he no longer knows why he fights. War has been raging in Sanguardia for as long as he can remember. Battle-worn and searching for meaning in his existence, he gets distracted in a most unusual way. The minute he sees her, he knows she's trouble. For one, she's the most attractive female he's ever seen. For another, she's clearly human, enemy to the vampires and bringers of war. But, above all, he senses something special about her, something...otherworldly. He must possess her secrets.

Excerpt:

"I know you are hungry, Kaia. It's not poisoned, which is why I took the first bite. I was attempting to show you it was safe to eat."

He held it out to her again, and with just the slightest hesitation, she flexed toward him and allowed him to feed her, his fingers lingering over her lips before pulling back to get another bite. She moaned as the taste rolled over her tongue. A mixture of savory meat and something like cinnamon filled her mouth, and she chewed hungrily. In the dim light, he looked pleased, with his lips tipped up at the corners, but she didn't miss his eyes shining with desire. She needed to be cautious with her own reactions so that he didn't get the wrong idea.

Again, he offered her a bite with his fingers, and she took it, trying to be careful not to get carried away. The strangest temptation to grab his hand and hold it to her mouth while sucking his fingers slipped into her mind, and she barely resisted acting on such a wild thought. Something was seriously wrong with her.

With the next offering, when she tilted toward him, he pulled the food back from her mouth before she could get the bite, and in a tight voice asked, "The armory is guarded on all sides and impossible to get into. How did you get your hands on that cleaner, Kaia?"

She closed her mouth and shrugged her shoulders. It wasn't the only weapon she was packing, and from the way the handgun still weighed down her hidden holster, they hadn't taken it from her yet. With a cross of her arms, she explained, "I told you, it's what I do. I'm a thief. I haven't come across a place that can keep me out."

He eased the food toward her again, and she took it from his fingers once more, holding his gaze this time as she took her time and licked the juices from his fingers. She pulled back, but his hand seemed locked in place as he continued to stare at her, a look of utter lust in his unblinking scowl. She didn't know if he'd liked the touch of her tongue exactly, but if the bulge in his pants were any indication, he hadn't been immune to it.

Lost in New Falls

Blurb:

Twenty-eight-year-old, former fat-girl, Kate Delaney left New Falls, Tennessee, heartbroken and determined to be a screenwriter. She's spent ten years in Los Angeles, but is back, fifty pounds lighter, California hotter, and she's written _The End_ on a screenplay, which a Hollywood mega-producer believes is movie magic. Just one problem—a nerve-nuking thief absconds with her laptop, attached USB back-up, and the contents of her underwear drawer, and just in case that wasn't enough, the heart-breaker from ten years ago just walked through the door wearing a sheriff's badge and looking more hormone-carbonating than ever.

Quentin Taylor likes the new and improved Kate, but to be perfectly honest, his feelings aren't new. Unfortunately, when a teen-aged Kate bloomed, her older brother Reese established a no-look, no-touch, no-anything else rule. Quentin figured it was the _anything else_ that worried him most. She'd been attractive then. Now she was near irresistible, and he wanted to know one thing. Did Reese's dictate still stand? Of course, he has more pressing problems—a meddling, matchmaking mother, a gossiping dispatcher/receptionist with an obsession for the color orange, and a small-town burglar who steals thimble collections, garden tools, and underwear, along with the usual electronics and jewelry. Nevertheless, he agrees to help Kate find her missing script, and the time together sparks undeniable chemistry.

Yet, once Kate's screenplay is back in her hands, will she return to L.A, leaving Quentin behind forever, or is their romance destined to be a blockbuster?

Excerpt:

"I don't think you've been hanging out with the right people."

"Oh, and who would be a good person to hang out with?"

He crested a hill and the lake came into view. "Someone with a good heart and a huge..." he paused for effect, "...fascination with you."

He felt her gaze like a heated wind until she turned away. What was she thinking? She stared quietly out the car window. "Did you have anyone in particular in mind?" She chuckled and his abdomen tightened.

"I might know someone."

She seemed to hesitate, but spoke quietly, "I realize I'm kind of a little-sister figure for you, but I don't appreciate you teasing me about this."

Don't tease her? Hell, if he had his way, he'd tease her all the rest of this weekend and beyond. Time to lay his cards out and make his play. "What if I'm being totally serious? What if I'm attracted to you, Kate? Always have been?"

Her mouth dropped open as she shifted to face him. "I call bull, Quentin. You can't pretend I didn't come onto you ten years ago, and you can't deny you pushed me away. I was there. That did happen."

And there it was. The biggest mistake of his life thrown back at him, and for the first time, he saw it from her perspective. She'd thought he didn't want her. In her mind, he hadn't found her appealing. How did he convince her the opposite had been true? He'd wanted her so badly, he'd been ready to sacrifice a friendship with the one guy who'd been like a brother to him, with the one guy who'd stood by him when everyone else had run.

The minute he saw a gravel drive on the right side of the road, he pulled off and parked the car. He turned to stare at her for a moment. Her hair was down and fell in large, loose curls he wanted to twist around his fist, and her fiery blue eyes were wide and expectant, even as her lush lips pursed and her cheeks flushed in annoyance. Like this, she was his fantasy come to life, and she didn't even know it.

"Truth—and this might be a little vulgar, but I'm just going to say it—I wanted you that night and would have gladly taken what you were offering. Kate, you've always turned me on. But I couldn't do it because Reese would have gone ballistic. He'd already told us all to keep our hands off his little sister."

"What are you talking about?"

"That night at the lake, I wanted you. I thought I'd won the ultimate lottery when you pulled me in for a kiss, but then at the last moment, I remembered a promise made to a friend, and I knew I couldn't do it. No matter how irresistible you were to me, I couldn't do that to Reese."

"So, Reese told you not to kiss me?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, or anything else. I think he was more worried about the _anything else._ "

Her face twisted as she contemplated his words, and he was sure it was news to her that all the boys had lusted over her. He wasn't going to enlighten her about the others, but he wanted to make his own attraction clear.

"No doubt about it, Katie. You turned heads ten years ago. And the minute I saw you in your cabin yesterday, even before I recognized you, instant attraction hit me like a log roll on the loose. I still want to know."

"Know what?"

"Well, seeing as I screwed it up the first time, I want to know what it's like to actually kiss you."

Her gaze met his. Electricity sizzled between them. His heart raced. What would she say? Would she kiss him or had he blown all chances ten years ago?

"What about Reese?"

_What about Reese?_ They were all adults now, and Kate was fully capable of making her own decisions without Reese. And, hell, Reese would surely understand.

He smiled. "I don't want to kiss him."

She laughed lightly, but her eyes closed half-way, and the heat between them intensified. "I mean, what do you think he'd say now?"

"I don't know, but I'm at the point, I'd rather ask for forgiveness than permission."

Into the Fire

Months after he stole her affections—then her executive chef position—Shyann and Luke meet again under sizzling circumstances, competing head-to-head on a televised cooking show called Kitchen Twist. Each arrives with a motive: Luke intends to win back Shyann's heart, even as she wants closure on the not-so-tasty heartbreak he once served up.

Luke knows culinary masterpieces require a delicate touch, but that knowledge is tossed out with the leftovers as he works to show Shyann he's not such a bad guy. Now he pushes his skills to the limit to win the competition and satisfy a bet.

Can two top chefs resist each other as they move out of the pan and into the fire?

Excerpt

Silence reigned for half a minute before he reached out a hand and touched hers like a breezy whisper. Her head went a little fuzzy at the warm contact. He shouldn't still be able to affect her so strongly.

"I regret it went down the way it did, but why did you show me the exit before giving me a chance to explain, not to mention—dress? Enlighten me, sugar cheeks?"

With a jerk, she pulled her hand free. He was really asking for it. Sugar cheeks? Seriously? Now she knew he was only messing with her. She could give as well as she got.

"Tell you what. You win tonight, and I'll give you your chance. You lose, we go our separate ways, and you walk out all by yourself, big boy."

A crooked grin formed on his face as he reached a hand toward her hair. He fingered an escaping curl before she pulled away, leaving his hand hanging in mid-air.

"You can call me big boy all you want, but I'll do you one better. How about if I win, I take you to dinner, and you let me explain the whole situation?"

She felt her eyebrow rise and knew he'd read it as interest, but she didn't care at the moment. "I honestly don't want to hear any explanation from you now or ever, but if I win? Which I will, of course."

"Then I'll leave it up to you. If you want me to walk away, I will." He took a step closer, placed his hand on her shoulder, and leaned down, his mouth right next to her ear. "But if you want me to call you darling, sweetheart, and sugar cheeks all night long, I'll do that too."
