Page 51 of The Fate of Black Hearts

This pillow wasn’t his. Far too fluffy. This comforter with its complex geometric patterns was unnecessary in the warm temperature of the room, but also not his. He didn’t have a comforter. Or curtains. Or an area rug at any of his properties.

Two other people hovered in the vicinity, both lycans.

He tried to decode the flashbacks of what happened. A chunk of his memory was missing—the time between fighting the monster, which turned out to be a feral dev, to waking up here. He’d cleaved off five of the six heads of the monster. The last head spit acid, which burned his left arm. It shot one of its spikes into his chest.

He remembered Evie being there. She had glowed like a star come to earth. Efrem had openedthe windows to let in the natural light and eliminated the monster.

Under the covers, he still wore his pants, but his shirt had been removed. The wound in his chest had healed, and someone cleaned away the blood. A pile of his weapons rested on a side table beside a lamp.

A small handwritten note by the bed next to a glass of water read:Take a shower. New clothes in the washroom. Afterward, meet me on the porch for a meal. -E

Unfamiliar warmth spread through his body. He buried his nose in the pillow next to his and inhaled her scent. For the space of an unknown time, he welcomed the luxury of being somewhere where he wasn’t alone. Someone had made him breakfast and provided him with clothes.

In the shower, he scrubbed and performed the magical ritual taught to him by his master centuries ago to purge any residual evil energy from the previous confrontation. The black tactical pants and T-shirt provided were tight, but he wasn’t fussy about clothes.

He halted at the entry to a glassed-in patio and realized one thing. He’d survived many things, but Evie Lanzo was not going to be one of them. Whatever this was, she was his future and his end.

She stood in a gauzy white dress with her golden hair unbound to her mid-back. The strands blew softly in the breeze from a fireplace fan blowing heat, and she watched ocean waves crash in the distance.

This was a million shades of bad. So bad that he ought to utter a quick thanks and retreat to his home. He should return to that bleak stone cottage wherehe’d be alone. Utterly alone.

The delicate line of her shoulders and curves of her body were shadowed by light filtering through the dress. It tempted him to give in to the need to touch her. The yearning scorched through him. He forced himself to stillness and kept one hand on the doorframe, waiting for her to face him.

“You’re staring,” she said before turning. A soft smile broke on her face.

He was lost.

“Are you okay? When I pulled the spike out of your chest you bled a lot. Then there was an incident with another spike through your leg.” She cringed. “I tried to move you before it got you again, but I wasn’t fast enough.”

All he could manage was a nod.

She moved so fast he wasn’t ready. What was it with her and hugging?

Her arms banded him as she held on. “I was so worried. I thought I was going to lose you. I didn’t know where to take you, but I couldn’t leave you there.”

His eyes went bleary. His body tightened. This was…too much.

With a glance up, her eyebrows pressed together. “What?”

“How did you find me?” His voice came out hoarse.

“The falcon led me to you.”

“The what?”

“You didn’t send the falcon?” She released him from the hug. “I see it almost every time before I see you.”

“A falcon. Do you see animals associated with other people?”

Her gaze drifted off, lost in thought. “Maybe. I never considered it.”

“You see spirit animals. Mine is a falcon?”

“I’m not entirely sure it’s a falcon. It’s a large bird as brutal and moody as you. Never thought of it as a spirit animal.” She released an uneasy laugh. “Is that weird to be able to see sprit animals?”

“You dream walk and see spirit animals.” His lips tipped upward. “Decently badass skills.”

“Shhh.” She put a light hand over his mouth and whispered, “I don’t want Efrem to overhear about the dream walking. That’s for us only. Okay?” She waved at a modest array of fresh foods. “Come. Join me to eat. I wasn’t sure what you like. Coffee or tea?”