Every woman deserves to know that kind of decadence. The touch of a skilled hand. Someone who can make her senses catch fire. Someone who can make her body come alive.

Adele was never going to fall asleep. Not with those words buzzing in her head, and definitely not with the image of his bare, chiseled chest seared into her brain. And now he was probably wearing even less.

Who was she kidding? He was probably buck naked and lying less than ten feet away with nothing more than a thin blanket over his…

Heaven help her. She did not need her mind traveling down that dirty road. She had enough to deal with.

She rolled and faced the wall. She didn’t need to check, didn’t need to see those taut abs again, or the definition of those arm muscles…or what was beneath those jeans of his.

Adele bit into her lower lip at the thought.

She let out a long, slow breath and unclenched her hands from the sheets. She was overwhelmed. That was all. She’d had a hell of a day, ate too little, drank too much, and now she just needed to rest.

She’d hoped that the wine would make it easier for her to relax and fall asleep, but no such luck. The alcohol only let down her defenses and opened the floodgates in her mind. Now every stray thought and memory had free rein to roll through.

She closed her eyes, but instead of dreams all she saw was a slideshow of all the horrors of the day—the fight in the alley, the gleam of the goblin’s teeth, the murderous look in his eyes.

Her eyes popped open. She adjusted the pillow beneath her head.

Now she was really never going to fall asleep. Not with thoughts of Bron’s naked body filling her head when her eyes were open and visions of the monster that wanted to kill her when they were closed. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

But what a hard place it was…

Warmth grew inside her. At first, Adele thought it was just another reaction to Bron’s attributes, but this one was quite a bit higher—right at the top of her breastbone.

The phoenix.

She quickly wrapped her hands around the cage that held the bird’s soul. The moment she did, a wave of concern flowed through her. Apparently, she was keeping more than just herself awake.

“Sorry,” she whispered down into her palm. “I guess I’m a little wound up.”

The phoenix answered with a surge of calming energy that radiated out through Adele’s fingers. Her arms and legs relaxed. She felt herself grow heavy, sinking deeper into the mattress. Suddenly, she was every bit as tired as she’d claimed to be.

This time when she closed her eyes, there were no images of imminent death, just the sweet promise of darkness and rest.

“Thank you,” she whispered to the soul around her neck.

She felt a brief flash of grace sweeping through her before she succumbed to the pull of sleep.

* * *

Bron felt every minute of the night pass.

He didn’t mind. He was used to staying on the shallow side of sleep. Keeping an ear in the waking world was part of how he stayed alive while on a hunt. But last night had been different. For the first time he’d had more than his own skin to worry about.

He had Adele, and he couldn’t forget about her. Not even when he was asleep.

Especially when he was asleep.

He was hyperaware of every move she made during the night, every rustle of sheets, every creak of her bedsprings. He heard it all. How the cadence of her breath changed from short and uneven to deep and regular as she fell asleep. The whimpers and moans she made as she dreamed. Every last bit.

All these little sounds echoed in his mind as he slept, never letting him forget that he was no longer responsible for just himself.

Now he had Adele to look after.

Adele…and the phoenix.

The soul cage was his main priority. He couldn’t forget that just because of the intriguing way Adele looked at him, the way that he could practically taste her desire when she stood against him.

No. His job was making sure that the cage never fell back into the Redcap’s hands, and he’d do anything to make sure that never happened. Anything…even take on the unfamiliar role of protector instead of hunter. A role he definitely was not qualified for.

So why hadn’t he refused to take on this responsibility when he’d had the chance?

Simple. He’d sensed the fear surging through her when Fenrir had suggested taking her off his hands. She’d been silently pleading for him to stay, and he hadn’t been able to say no. He hadn’t even thought about it…something that was becoming a habit.

The worst part was he wasn’t sure why.

He wanted her, sure. Hell, last night he’d been tempted to slip under the covers and help her work off all that restless energy. But he hadn’t. Because this desire went deeper than simple physical attraction.

Still, he hesitated to name the feeling. Emotions more tender than lust simply didn’t reside within him. He was a hunter. A killer, she’d called him. Someone who survived off instinct and skill, not sentimental emotions.

The best thing he could do for Adele was use every skill he had to keep her and the phoenix safe. Hopefully, that would be enough.

It had been enough to get them through the first night, at least.

Bron pushed his consciousness all the way to wakefulness when the sun’s rays began to warm his skin. He opened his eyes and found the apartment filled with soft early morning light.

The room was relatively quiet. The constant background hum from the refrigerator filled the space. A few voices drifted up from the street below. He didn’t catch any movement in the apartments on the other side of her walls. Everything felt calm.

Even Adele looked tranquil on the mattress across from him. He rose from the couch and went to her side.

She lay on her back, no longer turned away from him. The phoenix cage rested on the center of her chest, emitting a low silver light. Her red hair splayed across her pillow. Her body was still and her sleep was deep.

Deep but not totally peaceful.

Little lines fanned out from the corners of her eyes from tension. Her lips were pressed together tight. Even her hands were balled into fists. Whatever feelings she kept hidden in the day she held on to in her sleep.

He reached out and slid his palm over her shoulder. Instantly, the tension along her jaw eased some, and she rolled into his touch. He smiled at her unconscious reaction.

Until he felt the press of cold stone against his forearm.

Bron glanced down and saw the phoenix cage resting on his skin. Acting on instinct, he pulled away, acting before his mind could process that he wasn’t burning. Not even so much as a sizzle.

He grabbed his arm and looked down at the spot where the phoenix had touched…but there was nothing there. No redness, no blister. Not even a mark.

It didn’t make sense.

Unless…just being in Adele’s possession tempered the firebird’s blaze.

“B-Bron,” Adele’s groggy voice floated up from the bed. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” he said, lowering his arm.

She rubbed her eyes as she sat up. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s fi—” Bron froze before he could reassure her.

A step sounded from out in the hallway, low and muffled. Then another. And another. Long, efficient strides, moving with a sense of purpose Bron knew too well.

“Get behind me.” He whispered the command to Adele, but she only blinked up at him.

He couldn’t tell if fear or confusion made her freeze, and he didn’t have time to find out. Without another word, he wrapped his hand around her arm and wrenched her out of bed.

“What the hell?” she shouted.

But there wasn’t time for answers. The footsteps had stopped outside Adele’s door.

A second later a deafening crack exploded through the apartment. The wood door shattered, spraying the room with splinters. Bron swept Adele behind him, shielding her from the worst of the debris. Her fingers bit into his shoulders as she held on tight.

Bron lifted his chin as the Redcap strode inside, his wide mouth opening and twisting into a perversion of a smile as his gaze locked on to Bron’s.

“Bron Douglas,” he snarled. “It seems Titania gave you too much credit. I once heard her praise you as the best hunter in the Realm, but where do I find you? Cowering behind scrapped relics.”

“Not hardly,” Bron said, raising his arm to block Adele from the goblin’s line of sight. “You forget. There’s no need to hide from you. Not now that you’ve lost the only real weapon you had.”

All amusement drained from the Redcap’s face. He pulled back his upper lip, showing the top row of his razor-sharp teeth.

“Hand over the girl, and I might allow you to live,” the goblin said.

Bron stiffened. “And who said I’d let you do the same?”

* * *

This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t be. Not again.

Adele closed her eyes and desperately tried to suck in a breath. But she couldn’t. Her chest wouldn’t move. It was like a vise was threaded down tight against her rib cage. Of course, panic didn’t keep her heart from hammering against her breastbone.

The Redcap had come for her. For her. Not for Bron. Not for the exiles.

For her.

Because she was the one who had taken his power. She was the one who had taken the phoenix.

She snapped her eyes open and, keeping one hand on Bron’s shoulder, grasped the crystal. The necklace was ice cold in her hands. It seemed she wasn’t the only one who was terrified.

At least Bron didn’t seem to be. He seemed to grow bigger right before her. His whole body tensed. His muscles tightened. His knees and elbows bent slightly. He was readying himself, Adele realized.

Readying for a fight.

Dangerous energy poured off his body, so intense that Adele instinctually pulled her hand away and shuffled back a step. This was Bron the hunter—the killer—and he was every bit as terrifying as she’d imagined.

At least he was on her side.

“Don’t be a fool, hunter,” the Redcap said. She peeked around Bron’s side and saw him inching closer. “I’ve killed far stronger creatures for that phoenix.”

“Not in this world you haven’t,” Bron shot back. “How long did you last before losing the source of your power to a mortal? An hour? Two?”

The goblin snarled, exposing a row of deadly teeth. Her blood froze at the sight. Maybe taunting the monster wasn’t the best course of action.

“Oh, I still have plenty of power left, hunter.”

The Redcap sprang forward, moving faster than Adele could track. But Bron was ready. He grabbed the Redcap’s arms and slammed his body to the ground with enough force to make the whole room rattle.

Adele’s hands flew over her mouth. She rushed back, not looking where she was going. Her feet hit a pile of books and she struggled to keep her footing.

Her flailing must have caught the attention of the goblin on the floor. His head snapped toward her, his eyes zeroing on the glowing crystal around her neck. His eyes grew even colder at the sight, more violent. He pushed off the ground, tossing Bron off in the process. Bron landed on his feet. He rushed the goblin.

Adele couldn’t blink as the two went at each other, fists flying. She flinched as the goblin landed a brutal punch to Bron’s side, but the hunter stayed up, giving as good as he got. His muscles bulged as he laid into the Redcap, hitting him hard and fast, again and again. This was his element, she realized. This was who Bron was. Strong and fast and relentless. Fighting as if his life depended on it.

Because it did.

And so did hers.

She let out a gasp as Bron landed a hard hit against the goblin’s jaw. For a moment, hope took root in her heart. But the feeling didn’t last long.

The Redcap came back even stronger.

“Enough.” His voice echoed across the room. He rushed at Bron, landing a blow to his core, and knocking the hunter off balance. Another hit to the side sent Bron flying. His massive body crashed into her coffee table, breaking the wood slab clean in half.

Adele’s breath froze in her lungs.

Get up. Get up. Get up.

She mouthed the words over and over as she stared in horror at Bron’s motionless form, but he didn’t so much as twitch.

Oh God, no.

It was over. It was all over.

She couldn’t control her shaking as she looked at the Redcap. His mouth spread to reveal that hideous grin. Then he moved—so fast she didn’t even have time to blink—until he was standing right up against her. Terror overwhelmed her. She tried to scream but only a tiny whimper squeaked out as he slowly raised his hand and wrapped his bony fingers around her throat.

Pure malice poured through him. She could feel the anger in the coiled strength of his fingers. The bloodlust. The evil. Just like she could see every horrific thing he wanted to do to her—horrors her mind couldn't fathom. It was all there in his eyes.

Adele’s heart thundered as she waited for him to clench his fist and crush her windpipe…but he didn’t. Not yet anyway.

"You took my phoenix," he hissed. His eyes narrowed. “How?”

"I-I don't know," she said, shaking her head frantically.

His gaze slipped down to the necklace. He lifted a finger to the crystal, but quickly snatched his hand away. A whiff of acrid smoke rose up.

“The soul cage still has its power. The crystal still burns,” he said. “But not you. Why?”

"I-I don't know," she repeated.

His pale eyes slid to hers, and a fresh wave of chills ran down her spine.

"Give it to me," he said.

The crystal trembled against her breastbone.

“No.” She barely squeezed the word out.

“No?” The Redcap’s eyes narrowed to slits. “It was not a request.”

He let go of her neck long enough to grab hold of the crystal. A grisly grimace twisted his face as he yanked hard enough to pull her forward, but the chain held fast. The links refused to break. Still, he held on.

“Take off the necklace and give it to me and I will grant you a swift and painless death.”

Adele tried to swallow her fear, but her throat was knotted too tight. Not even words could make it out anymore. She shook her head instead.

The frustration in his eyes turned to rage.

“Fine,” he growled. “Then I’ll rip off your head and take the necklace off myself.”

He released the phoenix and pulled his hand back.

This was it. Adele closed her eyes and grasped the phoenix. She drew in a breath and bit into her lip, waiting for the end.

It never came.

A thundering crack filled the room—the sound of wood breaking and metal twisting. She opened her eyes just in time to see the Redcap crumple to the floor. Bron stood behind him, the remains of her coffee table still clutched in his fist.

She sucked in a shaky breath. “Thank God, you’re ali—”

She wasn’t able to get out another sound before Bron rushed toward her, wrapping his arm around her waist and heading for the window. In one smooth move he kicked out the pane and jumped. Shattered glass rained down around them as they fell to the pavement.

All the air tore from Adele’s lungs at the impact of Bron’s feet hitting the ground. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to have the same trouble. Before she could drag in another breath, he was off and running down the street.

They had to be a hell of a sight, Bron half-dressed and her slung under his arm like a damned piece of luggage. Even this early in the morning, a line of astonished faces gaped at them as they raced by. One woman even had a camera around her neck and managed to snap a couple of pictures.

Damn. Adele dipped her head and shielded her face, even though a few photos were the least of her worries right now.

Bron ran a couple of blocks before he slowed and put her down. Adele did her best to steady her shaking knees and draw in a real breath. It wasn’t easy, but after a couple of seconds she found the strength to speak.

“I-Is that it?” she asked. “Is he dead?”

He shook his head. “Goblins aren’t that easy to kill.”

Easy? Nothing about what she’d just witnessed looked easy.

“Can you move?” he asked, his voice strained and breathy.

She nodded. “I think so.”

“Good,” he said. “We need to keep going.”

He grabbed her hand and hustled them down the street. Even walking, Adele struggled to keep up his pace. Of course, it didn’t help that she wasn’t wearing any shoes, just the socks she’d gone to bed in last night. At least they were thick and fluffy.

Screw that. At least she wasn’t dead. After what they’d just been through she’d never complain about less than perfect situations again.

Still, she was careful to watch her step as Bron dragged her up one street and down the next. She was so focused on the sidewalk ahead of her and the pure relief of still being alive that she didn’t notice that he was leading her deep into a less than savory part of the city…until he stopped in front of a rundown residence hotel.

“What are we doing here?” she asked.

“Going inside.” Bron didn’t look back as he threw open the rusted metal gate that barred the door and pulled her inside.

“Why?”

“Because this is your new home.”

* * *

The Redcap groaned as he picked himself up off the floor. The wooden shards fell from his back and he bent down to dust the wood splinters off his knees. He went over to the window and stared at the broken glass and busted window frame scattered below.

A few people lined the street looking up at the hole he peered out of. One held up a machine that flashed a bright light. He pulled back into the apartment.

He’d made a mistake.

Another one.

He’d been so amazed by the sight of the phoenix—his phoenix—dangling around the woman’s neck that he’d turned his back on the hunter before dealing a finishing blow. He’d left himself open to attack, and given Bron an opportunity to recover. The hunter was more resilient than he’d thought.

But not the woman.

Oh, no. That one was a delicious bundle of fear and nerves, despite her play at courage.

Still, she’d managed to humiliate him twice now. Not only that, she continued to mock him by wearing his property around her scrawny little neck…one he longed to snap.

It wasn’t possible. And yet, there was no denying the truth—the crystal dangling against her skin, refusing to break free. It made no sense.

But what did in this disgusting mundane world?

All he knew was that the next time they met he wouldn’t hesitate. He would make her pay for what she’d done. He’d revel in her screams before he dined on her heart.

The Redcap turned on his heel as skittering footsteps sounded in the hallway behind him. Outside the shattered door, he saw a man and a woman poking their heads inside. Neighbors, no doubt, come to investigate. He curled back his top lip, and they gasped in unison. A second later they were gone, running down the hall.

That’s right. Run. Run and hide.

Smart mortals.

Unlike Bron and the woman. There was nowhere they could run to. Nowhere they could hide from him.

Nowhere at all.