I leaned my wrist against the door frame. “You know you weren’t invited, right?”
His answer came in the form of a patient stare. One that said he could sit there all night in that weird trance-like state he sometimes used. Arguing would be nothing but a waste of breath and precious time.
“Fine,” I said, giving in. “But don’t complain later when the naiads flirt with you.”
I climbed inside, slamming the door behind me. It would be just as easy to brood with him in the car as out of it.
nine
Hourslater,Iwassweaty, tired and sore.
A rip had appeared on the knee of my jeans. It had gradually spread, leaving me worried my jeans were soon to be one-legged shorts. The new boots I’d found in my closet were smeared with matter I didn’t want to think too closely about. Mud was splashed half way up both legs. Specks of it dotted my shirt.
Beside me, Connor was immaculate. Not a hair was out of place after the activities of the night. Somehow, he’d also managed to avoid every bit of mud during our trek around the lake. He still looked like a model who’d stepped out of the pages of a magazine.
Lucky bastard.
“I did warn you there was a hole there,” he said, keeping pace with my limping progress.
So, he had.
I hadn’t listened, too distracted with trying not to tear off my own skin to pay attention.
I must have twisted my ankle pretty bad when I stepped into that pit because it still twinged. Another hour and it would be fine.
Go vampire healing abilities.
“At least the naiads paid us,” I grumbled.
It was the sole bright spot of the night. We were a thousand dollars richer. Not bad for two hours of work.
Up ahead, I could see the path that would lead us the rest of the way back to the car. A fact I was thankful for.
Forests and I had a complicated history. Mostly because I usually had to run for my life at some point while in them.
Hoover Reservoir Park couldn’t be considered a true forest, since it was more on the scale of a nature park, but that was no reason not to be cautious. I’d been fooled in the past.
With the way the shadows gathered under the trees, their depths deeper and more ominous than normal, I was already a little on edge. Tree branches creaked over head as we walked beneath them, having a conversation of their own.
We weren’t far from High Banks, a local metro park and the location of the Fae burrow. While I didn’t think I’d run into any Fae, there were no guarantees.
I could see some of the more water reliant Fae being attracted to the reservoir, which acted as one of the major water sources for Columbus. The acres of forested landscape around it were perfect for hiking and fishing. Not to mention the many ways spooks might use it.
The reservoir had already drawn a clan of naiads due to its clean water. At least in comparison to the rest of Ohio’s lakes and rivers.
“Why is it that I’m the one who always gets injured?” I asked Connor as we reached the path.
“Perhaps because you are rash and jump into situations before thinking?”
I stopped to glare at him.
He ducked his head, but not before I saw the way his lips twitched in amusement.
“What’s next?” Connor asked, changing the subject.
My ringtone cut off my response. I held up a finger to tell him to wait as I fished the cellphone of my back pocket.
“This is Traver’s Agency. Aileen speaking. What service may I provide tonight?”
