“My sincerest apologies, gentlemen, but you gave me no choice,” the stranger mused as he looped an arm through mine. “Now, we shall be going.”
The leader managed to untangle himself, and by extension, the others, and they sprang to their feet, a line of trembling, red-faced fury. “You’ll regret that!” he snapped as he drew his hand behind him and pulled out a knife from a back sheath. The blade shimmered in the starlight as he held it up to his face, his reflection a grotesque distortion that reflected his soul. “Now you’re done for.”
The fiend lunged at the man and thrust the knife into his gut. I let out a scream that echoed up and down the alley. Even his compatriots stood frozen, their mouths open.
Then something clattered to the ground. My whole body trembled as my wide eyes lowered to the ground. Something shimmered at the feet of the stranger. I blinked, and the article came into focus.
It was the blade of the knife.
The fiend stumbled back, his mouth agape and his bulging eyes staring unblinking at the stranger. He grasped the broken knife in his trembling hand, but his grip was untrustworthy. The weapon fell from his shaking fingers and clattered to the ground beside its broken tip.
A few quivering words slipped from his pale lips. “W-what are you?”
The man brushed out the wrinkles on the front of his coat. “Merely a stranger.” He paused, and his cool blue eyes flickered up to the trio. “You would do well to avoid other strangers in the future.”
The men shrieked and scrambled back, running over one another in their haste to escape. They vanished in a few seconds. That left me with the man and the broken parts of the weapon.
He turned to me, and a smile graced his lips. “You have nothing to fear from me, Miss-?”
I replied more out of habit than anything else. “Grace. Grace Holt.”
The stranger inclined his head. “A lovely name, Miss Holt. I must thank you for your help.”
I swallowed hard and managed to shake my stiff head. “I-I didn’t really do anything.” My eyes invariably dropped back to the blade. “And it looks like you never needed me.”
He took a step toward me. “On the contrary. I need you a great deal.”
I cast a suspicious side eye at him. “Why?”
“I am a stranger to your city, but I have heard there is a wonderful view of the river at one of your parks. May I ask that you guide me there?”
I pointed a finger at his chest. “First, you have to tell me how you did that. That guy looked strong enough to shove that knife through you.”
The man smiled and set a hand over his chest. “I have an armor over me that prevents any such attacks from coming to fruition.”
I squinted at the shadows over the front of his clothes. “I can’t even see where the blade stabbed you.”
The stranger dropped his hand to his side. “I see my presence makes you uncomfortable. I would not wish to impose further on your kindness, so I will bid you goodnight.” He bowed his head to me and turned away.
“Wait.” I wasn’t sure why I spoke up. Maybe it was just plain curiosity, or maybe it was my natural desire to help people.
It was his eyes. They looked so sad.
He paused and half-turned toward me. “Yes?”
I bit my lower lip. “I. . .I could show you the way to the river. It isn’t far.”
How I was to regret my kindness.
Chapter 3
The stranger’s bright blue eyes lit up, and a crooked smile slipped onto his lips. The stranger turned to completely face me and bowed his head. “You do me a great honor, Miss Holt.”
I waved my hand to brush away his compliment. “It’s no problem. Just follow me and we’ll be there in a few minutes, unless you want to find a taxi.”
He raised those stunning eyes to the sky above us. “I would rather walk and enjoy this wonderful night. That is, if you would not mind.”
“No, and I wouldn’t mind getting out of this alley,” I mused as I hurried up to him, being careful to skirt the remains of the broken knife. It was a hideous reminder of the worst that could have happened.
