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“We’ll see,” Rhenn muses, exiting the house.

“Asshole,” I mutter.

Josten pulls a smooth, polished object from his pocket. At first, I think it’s just a piece of wood, but then he swipes his thumb over the top, and the surface comes to life, glowing softly under his touch.

“I’ve gotta get going,” he says, his eyes flicking over whatever’s lighting the screen. “Promised my roomies I’d cook tonight. Hope they enjoy the flavor burnt.” He chuckles, lowering himself from the counter.

My brows furrow as I tilt my head. “What is that?”

“This?” He holds the object up so I can see better. It’s oval-shaped, fitting in the curve of his palm. The casing looks hard, like petrified wood sanded down to make it smooth. The screen itself is crystal, thin and transparent. “It’s my Thornlink.”

“What does it do?”

“I mean, a lot. But its main purpose is for communication.”

“Like a cellphone?” I ask, still examining it.

Josten blinks at me. “A cell what?”

I open my mouth, then close it. Right. Different worlds.

He raises his Thornlink a little higher and the crystal face flickers with the light above us. “It’s pretty neat. You can talk to anyone with one.” Josten places it back in his pocket. “Anyway, I better head out. See you around.”

I offer a faint smile as he makes his way toward the door, then bring my hand to the side of my neck, surprised when it doesn’t sting. In fact, it doesn’t feel tender at all anymore. It’s like the punctures aren’t even there. Like Rhenn sinking his teeth into me this morning never happened.

Had I imagined it? No. I saw the blood on his lips when he pulled away. Even my delusional ass wouldn’t have created that image.

Heading to the bathroom, I pull my hair over my shoulder, leaning close to the mirror as I tilt my neck to one side.

Nothing.

How is there nothing?

CHAPTER SEVEN

RHENN

Sumner meets me on my front porch wearing jeans and a T-shirt. Jeans and a white T-shirt. I had considered not inviting her, but I can’t ignore her forever, and brewing silently over morning meals won’t result in anything.

I’ve struggled to come up with a balance between my normal life and the one that now includes her. The easiest solution is to just combine them, so that’s what I’m trying.

Walking beside her, being so close, it’s impossible to fully relax. This girl, this one small girl, is capable of destroying so much. I’d expected more, or at least, something different. Everyone is already at the top of Phantom’s Cove by the time Sumner and I arrive. We spent most of the walk in silence, which is how I prefer it. Her curiosity did get the better of her a few times, leading to an annoying game of “What’s that?”

It’s still hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact she isn’t familiar with any of this. The people from her world don’t know the extent of the universe, how big it really is. She looks at everything here with a wonderment I don’t understand. Except when it’s me her focus is on, of course. Then she usually wears a look like there’s a bad taste in her mouth. It’s fine, since that’s exactly what happens to me when I see her too.

I don’t think Sumner being here has actually sunk in yet. Finding her was starting to feel like a lost cause. Hell, I was even becoming content with the idea our paths would never cross. Now that they have, what am I supposed to do with her?

“Is that her?” Rai whispers when Sumner and I approach.

Until Sumner actually came here, I’d told no one about her. Now, all they know is she’s some human I’m letting stay in my guest house out of pity. Not a complete lie, just not the full truth.

None of us have experience with humans, apart from the stories we’ve heard growing up. I don’t think any of us expected they’d look so similar to us. That doesn’t mean they are. Sumner may share our features, but she is nothing like us.

Rai sits with her legs propped over Ashen’s, her back against Cedric’s side. Siena and Moxin are in a fit of laughter at the back of the group, each holding a cup in their hands. A fun concoction of Rai’s, no doubt. She loves playing her hand at different potions. They’re more than likely lost to a vision the rest of us can’t see.

This is our circle—a group made up of five different orders. Two vampires, including myself and Ashen. We have one witch, Rai. Siena, who’s a faerie. Moxin, a siren. And finally, Cedric, a shifter, though, he rarely does. His spirit animal is an eagle. Not exceptional or even strong, but to fucking fly, I’d live in my changed form.

“You can sit by me, sweetheart,” Ashen calls to Sumner, patting the rock at his side. “Just be careful, I bite.”