Page 113 of Broken Bonds

Or so I thought. As I’m preparing to shut it down, a new email message pops up.

From Morning Caldwell.

The current fae leader.

The subject line sends a chill through me for some reason, although I don’t have a logical explanation for it:

We need to talk this morning.

Innocuous, right? The body of the message consists of his phone number, which I already have, and that’s it.

Fuuuuck.

The hackles on the back of my neck uncomfortably prickle, and I even turn just to make sure there’s no one in the office with me.

I’ve had a few dealings with the fae, although the ones I have had were genial, as best I could tell.

Since the man just sent the email, he’s obviously awake. I text him from my work phone.

What’s up?

Can you meet me in Ocala this morning to talk? Alone?

I study the message, still not feeling any better. I respond.

We can’t do this over the phone?

I prefer in person. As soon as possible. Urgent, regarding logistics.

I rock back in my chair again. This obviously wasn’t what I wanted to do this morning on top of everything else.

Of course, I’m going to carry. I’m carrying now, duh. I nearly always carry concealed when I’m out and about. Not that I think a gun would give me much of an advantage over someone as old and powerful as Morning Caldwell. Maybe more of an advantage over him than it would be a vampire, but I also suspect if this was bad-bad, Father would have already called to give me a heads-up.

I hope.

Then again, I had no clue about the dealings with vampires before all this happened.

Already mentally rearranging my schedule in my head, I reply.

Sure. Send me an address. What time?

How long will it take you to get here?

Followed by an address.

I groan because I was hoping he didn’t literally mean as soon as possible.

I pull it up on a map app and it’s a small mom-and-pop diner not too far from I-75. I send him my eta after adding a time cushion, and he sends me a thumbs-up in response.

After texting Shawn about my change in plans and where I’m heading—because I’m not an idiot—I get in the truck and start driving.

It’s past dawn when I arrive at the little restaurant and quickly spot him sitting in a booth in the back with no one around him. I’ve never met him before but I can tell he’s fae just from the energy I sense radiating around him.

No, they don’t have pointed ears.

I mean, not usually. Not the ones I’ve met.

I head straight back and hate that he’s already in the seat with his back to the wall, because it means my back’s now to the door.