“No, don’t! I…” Her gaze rushed to his. “I’m on my way back.”
“Okay, see you soon.”The female rang off.
Ely pushed her cell back into her jeans pocket. “I have to go.”
She moved to get off her stool, but he was faster, stopping her. “Hey.” He slid his palm around her nape, caressing her warm skin with his thumb. “You okay?”
“Yes.” She smiled, but her lips trembled. “I must leave before Kira decides to look for me, and she’ll come with her mate.”
“Yeah, I figured.” He stroked her flushed cheek with his other hand, yet he swore she appeared as if in shock. “I’ll see you later?”
She nodded. He kissed her, but she pulled back far too quickly. Nate frowned as she slid off the stool, crossed to the couch, and fumbled on her socks and boots, her long hair sliding forward and concealing her face. Then she jerked up, glanced around, and grabbed her coat from the backrest.
“Your car?” he teased, holding it out to her.
She blinked, staring at it as if he’d offered her a poisonous spider, then she took the toy, shoved it into her coat pocket, and dematerialized without another word.
Nate stood there, worry creeping in, hoping nothing was wrong because she sure looked like she wanted to flee. What the fuck had caused her to take flight? It wasn’t like she didn’t know about his damn monstrous side.
Well, he’d give her till the evening and then find out what the hell was going on. Because he didn’t like this feeling that she’d shut him out.
CHAPTER22
Ely reformedon the library’s terrace, so sure her lungs would shut down. Her legs gave way, and she dropped to the icy steps, scrubbing her heated face repeatedly as if it would clear out Nate’s words pounding inside her skull.
Everything he said fit, except he was too old to be the boy she sought, wasn’t he?
Goddess, she didn’t want to be the one responsible for his suffering. Andshewanted to find and beat the crap out of the fool who had done this to him. Instead, she was likely the perpetrator. Hysterical laughter bubbled in her throat, tears burning her eyes.
Again, she tried to work out the timeline, but coming to a new world for the first time and desperate to hide from her pursuers, she had no idea exactly how long ago it was. To her, it seemed like a few years had passed. Maybe it was longer?
She had to speak to the old man in Brooklyn again. He would know when the incident occurred, give her a time frame—
“Hey? What are you doing out here?”
Ely shot to her feet to find Darci peering through the slight gap in the barely opened French doors. “Went for a swim, now simply enjoying the cool weather.” The words came out of her mouth even though her mind wasn’t tracking.
“Cool?” Darci laughed, opening the door wider. She grimaced. “I might no longer be mortal, but I still can’t stand the cold.” She wrapped her arms around her sweater-clad torso. “Are you okay?” Concern shone in her sunflower-hued eyes.
No, I’m not. Ely shook her head, then nodded, her rioting thoughts splintering her skull. “I am, for now.”
She shoved back her tangled hair and joined Darci. The waft of warmth from the fireplace jacked up her temperature again.Gods, she pressed one fist against the back of the couch and rubbed her hot face with the other.
“Ely, what is it?”
Her head snapped.
Shadow rose from her armchair near the crackling fireplace. “You look as if you might tip over.”
Stars, she was losing her mind. She hadn’t even noticed her friend, caught in her tumultuous emotions. But meeting both their anxious gazes, her own eyes dampened. Instead of blurting the truth, she scraped up a smile. “I’m okay, really. I just need another shower to cool off, then I’m off to—”Brooklyn, the word nearly slipped out. “The Village.”
“Ah, meeting Mr. Mysterious.” Darci smiled. “How’s that going? We’re all hoping to meet him soon.”
But Shadow watched her quietly because she knew.
Ely huffed out a laugh, the sound more pained than anything. She shook her head and walked out of the library. She wasn’t in any frame of mind to talk to anyone, not when her relationship with Nate could be hanging by a thread.
Another icy shower later, she changed into her usual day wear of jeans and a t-shirt. Hair braided once more, she grabbed her jacket and dematerialized, reforming in the narrow lane between two brownstones in Brooklyn.
