“Uh-oh.”
“The car hit me instead. I got … pissed. Lost my temper a little. Smashed the hood in.”
“With what?”
“My fists.”
“Oh my god.”
“Bunch of humans saw me.”
“Shit. Was there fire?”
“No. But it was close.”
“Shit.” Eva was personally acquainted with the phases of Bel’s temper tantrums. First, his eyes flickered with hellfire, then he started to gain height. The air around him would waver with heat waves, and then he’d burst into flames.
But that was only the beginning.
“You got hit by a car though?” Eva asked. “Are you okay?”
“The car was in worse shape than I was.”
“Well, that’s kinda badass.”
He snorted. “Ask Skye how badass it was.”
“She thinks you have like, next-level anger issues.”
“Again, she’s not wrong.”
“And … she’s inexplicably, irrationally terrified of you.”
“What?”
“Yeah, I had to help her through a near panic attack just from talking about you. I think the supernatural stuff made her instincts go haywire. She doesn’t even understand why she’s so scared.”
“Fuck.” He really had traumatized her. This was exactly why Eva hadn’t wanted him hanging around her. Maybe he ought to foot the bill for all the therapy Skye would need to cure her sudden crippling fear of tall blond men. “Eva, I—Shit.”
“It’s fine, Bel. Actually, I wanted to say I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to glare at you from across the club like this was some stupid high-school drama. I was just worried—”
“You were looking out for your friend. There’s nothing to be sorry for.”
“I know, but I don’t want you to think it’s because of you. I mean, it is kinda, but you’re a great guy, and—”
“It’s fine. And please never call me a ‘great guy’ again.”
She snorted. “My apologies. What I mean to say is that it has nothing to do with you personally. I just don’t want Skyeto get hurt. She’s human, and she doesn’t have the Sight. I just don’t want her to get caught up in all this.”
“Eva. I get it.”
She sighed. “Did you have fun at Bootleg at least? It was great to have you out with us again.”
“Yeah, I did.” He dragged a hand through his hair and then dropped it back onto the bed. “But I think it’s safest if I stay away from humans for a while.”
“You live on Earth, Bel. Humans are kinda par for the course.”
“I know.”
