Chapter 36

Ava watched him get over the fence and come toward her. “Was that the same idiot at the river? It felt familiar.” She shook her head. “I know that probably sounds stupid.”

“No. It is not. It is a magical signature, and everyone has their own.” He frowned. “Like a fingerprint.” He nodded, his expression asking if he was right with the comparison.

“So it was the same.” She leaned a hand on the seat of her machine. “Are they following me?”

“I cannot say, but my princess believes they want your power. After what you did to them at the river.”

“Great.” Her expression changed quickly to worry. “What if they show up at home? The others…”

“I will talk to Capri, and I am sure my princess and her can come up with a barrier that will prevent them from accessing the building.”

She nodded. “Okay. Good. If anyone can do it, Capri can.” She wanted to wake up and find out that this was all some sugar-induced dream—a nightmare, but she knew that it would be just a fantasy.

“Are you injured?” He moved to stand in front of her quickly and touched her chin to tilt her head up. He touched the side of her jaw with a finger, and she felt the sting.

Moving out of his grasp, she touched the spot. “Just a scratch, probably from sticks and things flying up when they tried to smack me down.”

His mouth was pressed together in a tight line.

“I’m okay.” She looked at the gas gauge. “I’m more worried about having enough gas to get back than I am about a scratch.” She tapped her fingers against the gauge and wished for it to increase.

“Avalie.”

She turned and looked up at him. “If you’re about to say I can’t take my bike back, we’re going to have a few loud words.”

His mouth quirked into a small grin. “I would never suggest such a thing.”

“Good.” She nodded abruptly. He continued to stand there, and if she could have looked away from that soft expression in his eyes, she would have. It made her feel things she wasn’t comfortable feeling. “What were you going to say?”

His expression changed, and she felt disappointment. “Aireese wants me to plead with you to come and see the elders.” He reached over and adjusted the collar of her jacket. “If this other magic wielder is after your power…”

Ava sighed. “I’m going to need to know how to use it.” She motioned down the hill. “Other than when I’m pissed off.”

He smiled. “Your ability is amazing. I am in awe of you.”

It was the corniest thing anyone had ever said to her, but her heartbeat still kicked up a few gears. “I don’t know what to say to that.”

“Say you will consent to come and see the elders.”

If he continued to stand there and look at her that way, she would have agreed to just about anything. What was wrong with her? Closing her eyes, she sighed again. “Fine. I’ll do it.” When she opened them, he had moved closer to her. It was as if he reached out in slow motion and put his finger under her chin again. She let him lift it so she was looking up at him.

“Thank you.” He leaned down and brushed his mouth over hers.

It was only for a second, not even, but it felt like fireworks went off throughout her whole body. She blinked and then moved her head back. “Okay.” She touched her lip. “That was little…”

“I did not know what would happen.” He straightened and stepped back.

His expression was full of contemplation. “What do you mean?”

He took a deep breath. “I didn’t get the chance to tell you when we were on that roof, but I feel I should be forthright with you.”

Ava never thought she’d be thankful that Capri made her read all those stuffy old books, but now she was glad she had, or she wouldn’t understand half of what he said. “Honesty is best.”

He nodded. “When you were born, I did not realize…”

“I was the one.” She made quotes in the air.

“Yes.” His mouth twitched. “By the time I did, I had already marked you with my magic—unintentionally.”

She held up her hand. “You what?” She looked at her hands like she was going to see a mark there that she hadn’t noticed in the last fifty years.

“It is nothing visible, but I did, and it is how I am able to find you so quickly.”

She blinked as his words registered. “Like that day in when…” She hissed out a breath when the pain stabbed into her skull.

“Yes. And just now, when you were stressed.”

She breathed away the pain and then looked at him. “I can’t say I’m mad about that.” She shrugged. “Either I guess.” She tilted her head and studied him. He looked so wary. “But what does that have to do with kissing me?”

He suddenly looked uncomfortable. “Because I marked you so long ago—” He searched her face. “Our magic is very connected, and it has been waiting a long time to—” He lifted his hand. “Blend.”

She wondered if there was a dummies guide to fairy magic, because she was going to need all the help she could get in understanding this stuff. “So—” She squinted and looked at him for a moment. “Our magic has been getting stronger? Like something steeping? Or am I way off here?”

“Steeping.” He said quietly. “Yes, it has gotten stronger because it has existed for so long without—” He moved his hand around like he couldn’t find the word. “Because of it—” He changed directions, she thought. “Being close is going to become more difficult without…”

Her breath caught in her throat. “Are you saying it’s like an aphrodisiac or something?” She didn’t need to know this.

He frowned. “I don’t know what that means.”

She opened her mouth and then snapped it shut. How the hell did she explain that? “It’s like we’re—” She searched for the words as she spoke in slow motion. “Unable to resist each other.” That wasn’t the point she wanted to make, but it would do.

He took a short breath. “Yes. Something like that.” He nodded.

Ava smiled. “Don’t let it stress you out, Firo. I’m not really into relationship stuff and all that.” She shrugged. “I’ve never been into any of it.” It was the truth. She had never had issues with attraction or infatuations like some of the other women did. Maybe it was the angel part of her—which made no sense. Obviously, they had sex, and she was proof of that. Firo was pretty; she wasn’t blind, but that kiss he’d just given her was the first she’d ever gotten from anyone that didn’t make her want to hack off their tongue, so she wasn’t overly worried about some magic thing between them.

He opened his mouth and then closed it and nodded. He looked over the fence, and she noticed the other three standing a good distance away, watching them. Clearing his throat, he pointed to her bike. “If you have trouble getting home, just focus on me, and I will know I am needed.” He bowed his head. “I will tell my princess you will go see the elders.”

Ava shrugged and picked up her helmet. “Okay. Let me know when.”

He nodded again and then backed away from her.

“I’ll take some of those clothes that don’t rip because of wings, too.” She held up her arm. “At least one has to be a decent leather jacket.”

“I will ensure it.”

She gave him a long look. He was being weird now. “Great.” Putting the helmet on, she got on the bike and put the kickstand up. She gave the gas gauge a hard look. “Just get me to the gas station.” She nodded and started it. Now, all she had to do was not freak out over the fact that she had agreed to go to another realm to see elders to make sure her heart wasn’t evil. She didn’t even know how something like that could be checked, but if it involved needles, she was out of there, and they were out of luck with her being their magic-wielding superhero.