She met his cool stare. God, if demons were real, then what washe?
Because…she finally admitted to herself, he sure didn’t look or sound like any human she’d ever encountered.
* * *
Aerén watched the female in front of him, her pretty amber-specked brown eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Urias, having to explain the supernatural to a human who didn’t believe she possessed a little telekinesis would be difficult enough, but telling her she might possess magic from his world?
He’d have better luck fighting off the entire rebel army himself.
But finally alone with her, just to be sure, he lowered his mental shields a little—
The faint spark of her untapped psychic ability rippled through him. Yes, she did have a little magic, but was it the kind his world required? He wasn’t sure.
Then her scent struck him straight in the lungs, stealing his breath. Warm and musky from her labor, judging from the dirt mark on her cheek and hands, it reminded him of a thousand blooming flowers. Awareness crept through him, setting his blood to a slow burn and stirring his groin. Shit.
He slammed his psychic shields shut and took another step back, struggling to reset his mind to his usual cool self again. Hell, he didn’t need this unexpected draw to her to get in his way now.
“Well?” she demanded, dragging him out of his worrisome discovery.
Stars,this female! Yes, it would be better if he got the test done as fast as possible and dumped her with Daén.
Exhaling deeply, he rubbed his nose like it would eliminate her smell.
Her brow lowered at his action. “I’m sorry I’m not smelling all roses and sunshine, but working in soil and manure does keep the vermin away.” She smirked.
Aerén lowered his hand, refusing to get into an argument with her or explain exactly what her scent did to him.
“I’m a warrior on a quest,” he said, keeping to the other side of her office. “We’re searching for an artifact—a mystical artifact that disappeared from my world to yours.”
“Wait, wait, wait!” She flashed up her hand, then she dragged off her bag and tossed it onto the desk. “You come fromanotherworld?”
“Yes.”
“Jesus…” She rubbed her brow. Her every action indicated she didn’t believe him, just as she’d refused to accept he’d killeddemonslast night.
By the damn stars, what would it take to get her to believe he spoke the truth?
Then she nailed him with those striking, thickly lashed eyes. “So, demons exist. Man…” She shook her head, but he caught a tinge of fear in her eyes. “Of course they do. God, I wanted to relegate it to a bad dream, but I’ve never seen humans move like the wind or have red eyes and vanish when dead…”
She fingered her swollen cheek, darkened to a purple bruise, despite her covering it with some kind of skin-tone coloring.
Anger resurged that she’d been injured. However, demons weren’t his problem right then, but getting her to hear him out. “The reason I sought you out is I need your help. My world is dying.”
She stilled, eyes narrowing.
“The mystical artifact I search for disappeared from Empyrea to shatter on Earth over a decade ago, and its magic dispersed. That magic is needed back on my homeworld.”
“Magic?” She sank against the desk. “Ooo-kay. So, how do you find this magic if it’s dispersed? I mean, can you see it?”
Urias. She wasn’t going to give an inch. “No, you can’t see magic. You feel it. Something that ancient and powerful will seek to protect itself, so it’s not ensnared by the wrong beings.”
“You mean demons?”
“Yes, and rebels.” His expression hardened. “They seek ways to weaken our already dying world, just for the power to rule it.”
With her scent permeating the air and teasing his senses, restlessness crawled through him, causing his powers to roil. He planted his feet down so he could get this conversation done and secure her agreement to aid him, not stalk over and sniff her.
