My heart thundered as I whirled around to see what the hell had just happened.

A man—at least, I thought he was a man, since he was made entirely of rough stone—fought a giant hairy winged thing.

I stumbled back, side to side with Cade.

“What the hell?” I asked.

“I think the rock man is on our side.” Cade winced as the rock swung his heavy fist at the creature’s head and removed half its skull.

The hairy winged thing flew to the side and slammed against a tree. Dead.

The rock stepped back, dusting his hands together in a move that said job well done.

I peered at the creature, realizing it was a giant bat-like thing. Huge fangs protruded from its mouth. Blood began to seep from every inch of its skin, flowing into the ground, which drank it up like a sponge. The bat shrank down to nothing.

“Ew!” I grimaced.

“Yeah, not pretty, those VDBs.” The rock man sounded like a teenager with a slightly strange accent. New Zealand-ish almost. “Murderous pests, is what they are.”

“VDBs?” I asked.

Rock man turned to us and smiled. He was about the size of Cade. But yeah, he looked like a kid. Or at least, as much as a rock figure could look like a kid.

“Vampire Demon Bats, the scourge of this fair land.” He swept out his arm to indicate the creepy forest. “You’ve never seen one before?”

“No,” Cade said. “We’re not from around here.”

“Well, I coulda told you that. Ain’t nothing but rocks from here to the abandoned city. The VDBs saw to that.”

I stepped forward and held out my hand. This kid was going to be our ally, if I had anything to say about it. “I’m Bree Blackwood. Thanks for taking out the VDB.”

He nodded and smiled, then stuck his hand toward mine. He gripped it gently, as if consciously trying not to pulverize my bones. “I’m Rocky. Good to meet ya.”

Rocky. How fitting.

“I’m Cade.” He stepped forward and shook Rocky’s hand.

“So, what are you two doing here? Haven’t seen a Breather in a couple hundred years, at least.”

“Breathers are humans?” I asked.

“And Fae. Anyone not made of rock that walks on two legs. And breathes.”

“Where are the Fae?” Cade asked. “Isn’t this their land?”

“Was their land.” Rocky hiked a thumb toward the withered corpse of the VDB. “Until those bastards showed up. Drove the Fae off about three hundred years ago. Nothing but outcasts living in their city now.”

I glanced at Cade. Three hundred years was about the time that the Fae portal had closed. And if there were only outcasts left, we didn’t have to worry about inciting a war, at least.

“Is that why they closed their portal to the Undercover Protectorate?” I asked.

“Wouldn’t know nothing about that.” Rocky shrugged. “I’m only two hundred years old. Just a kid, according to me mum. But yeah, safe to assume they didn’t want the VDB to get through to you. Did you a favor right before they ran for it.”

Cade rubbed a hand over his jaw. “So they just disappeared.”

“Ran off. Those that weren’t killed, at least. Can’t kill me though. I’m a rock. Ain’t got nothing the VDBs want.”

I looked around at the miserable forest. “Isn’t it lonely out here?”

“Nah. I got my family. They’re rocks, too, so they made it out okay. Can’t kill rocks.”

Right. Of course. He had a way of stating the obvious that was somehow charming. “Do the VDBs have anything to do with the dark curse that’s spreading from this world and out through the portal into ours? And the oily black monster that was near the portal?”

Rocky shook his head. “Don’t think so. This blackness came after the VDB. A while.”

“How much later?” Cade asked.

“Don’t know. Not so good with time. I’m a rock. Rocks can’t tell time.”

I chuckled softly. Rocky liked to be precise, that I could tell. But at least we knew the two were separate—and this new problem hadn’t destroyed the Fae.

“We’re looking for the source of the new dark magic,” I said. “Do you know where it’s coming from?”

“Not a clue. Just showed up one day. But the people in the old Fae city might know.”

“Can you take us there?” Cade asked. “Show us the lay of the land, so we don’t run into any more VDBs?”

Rocky grinned wide, clearly delighted to be asked. “Not a problem. Long as I’m home for dinner.”

“Wait—what do rocks eat?” I asked.

“Nothing.” Rocky shrugged. “But me mum learned it from the Fae before they left. She likes the tradition. So we all sit around the log and look at each other.”

“All right, then. Back by dinner, it is.” I clapped my hands once. “Let’s go.”

“This way.” Rocky started off through the trees in the direction we’d been headed.

While we would probably eventually find the city on our own, it was much better to have a guide.

“Good job getting us an escort,” I whispered to Cade.

“I like the kid.”

“Me too.”

As we walked, Rocky rambled on about the dangers in the forest—which he seemed to regard as something like his own personal video game.

“So, you like it here?” I asked.

“Oh yeah, love it. The VDBs may have made life a nightmare for the Fae, but they’re downright entertaining for us.”

“Everyone needs a hobby.” I jumped over a puddle of blood, trying not to look too closely at it.

“Did the new poisonous oil make the trees bleed?” I asked.

“No, that’s the VDBs. They become one with the forest when they die, giving it their blood. Not much I can tell you about that oil stuff. Hasn’t been around long.”

“For a rock, long could mean anything from weeks to a few years, right?”

Rocky nodded, smiling. “Now you’re getting it.”

I pointed to a bubbling yellow river ahead. It was about a hundred feet across and stank like sewage. “What’s that?”

“The bubbly pit. Don’t want to get that stuff on you,” Rocky said. “Melt right through your clothes.”

“Through rock, too?”

“Yep. Through granite. My Uncle Al lost a finger that way. Uncle Al never was the smartest.” He stopped at the edge of the pool and pointed to the rocks dotting the way across. “But you can jump on those fellas. They’re my buddies. They don’t mind.”

“Why aren’t they dissolved?” I asked.

“Different kind of rock. This is like a steam bath to them.” Rocky waved. “Hey, fellas! We’re just gonna cross, all right?”

One of the rocks rose up slightly. It was a head. “Sure thing, Rocky.” The rock creature’s gaze landed on me. “You hanging out with Breathers?”

“Visitors. Ain’t it the thing?”

The rock grunted, then slipped back below the water.

“He’s not going to throw me off, is he?” I asked.

“Ha!” Rocky slapped his knee, as if that had been a hilarious joke. “Nah, Boulder liked you. That was friendly, for him.”

I glanced at Cade, who shrugged and nodded. “I’ll go first.”

“Nope. Me, my good man. Follow my lead.” Rocky stepped onto the first rock, then began to hop his way across.

We followed, Cade going before me.

The stench was eye-watering as we leapt from stone to stone. My muscles ached from the strain of maintaining my balance. By the time we reached the other side, sweat was dripping down my temples.

“Not bad, eh?” Rocky grinned. “My best time is forty-five seconds, but you weren’t too slow.”

“Thanks.” I saluted.

“This way.” Rocky turned and set off through the forest.

We followed. This side didn’t look any better than the other—same bleeding trees and dark sky. By the time the growls and hisses started up in the distance, I was almost relieved. I’d been on edge, waiting for another monster.

“Oh, this is a treat!” Rocky said.

Sure, Rocky. I didn’t know what was making that noise, but I sure as heck wanted my sword. Cade seemed to agree, because he drew his at the same time.

Rocky turned to us, his expression clearly aghast. “No swords!”

I frowned at him. “Sounds like a pretty ferocious beast.”

“Nah, not if you know how to treat ‘em right.”

At that moment, five huge, rat-like creatures crept out of the bush. They had scraggly black fur and blazing red eyes, along with whiskers that were at least two feet long. Their lips were pulled back from yellow fangs as they hissed and spat. The largest one was growling like a washing machine full of screws.

“Hey, fellas!” Rocky waved at the rats, which didn’t so much as look at him. “I know, I know. Treatie time!”

I shifted closer to Cade, so we could fight back-to-back if necessary.

Rocky just ignored us, going over to one of the large trees and leaping up to pull off one of the withered fruits. He tossed the dark gray thing at the nearest rat, which leapt into the air and snagged it with yellow fangs. It tore into the fruit like it had to break its neck.

Rocky repeated the drill, tossing withered fruits to the rats, which couldn’t get enough. Their eyes calmed down to a dull, red color—no longer flaming—and the hisses and growls eventually stopped.

I lowered my sword.

Rocky turned to us, a smile on his face. “Mice love apples.”

A laugh escaped me. “Those are neither mice nor apples, but whatever. Good job, Mouse Whisperer.”

Rocky’s grin spread wider on his face and he turned. “We’re almost there. Let’s get out of here before the mice finish their treaties. They get moody after that.”

I glanced at the enormous devil rats who were massacring their withered fruits, then hurried after Rocky and Cade.

“Did the mice come with the VDBs?” I asked.

“Nah, according to me mum, they used to pull the Fae chariots. Now they’re kinda wild, rampaging through the forest, looking for treaties.”

Considering I was frequently on the hunt for a nice pink cocktail, I couldn’t blame them.

After walking for another forty minutes, the trees began to thin.

“Almost there,” Rocky said. We reached the edge of the tree line, which looked out onto a wide-open plain. Rocky pointed. “Just beyond the horizon is the village. Be careful, though. They don’t love visitors. I’d take you, but it’s almost dinnertime.”

“We will.” I turned to him. “Thanks, Rocky.”

Cade thanked him too.

“Glad to do it.” He grinned. “Stop by and see me again. I’ll show you Razor Mountain.”

I gave him a thumbs-up. “For sure.”

Lie. Big, fat lie. As much as I’d like to see Rocky again, I didn’t want to get anywhere near Razor Mountain.

He saluted, then ran off into the woods. Before he disappeared through the trees, he turned around and shouted, “Oh yeah, and watch out for the VDBs!”

Great.

I turned to Cade. “Ready for this?”

He rubbed his hands together and smiled. “Looking forward to it.”

I nodded and conjured my sword and shield. Cade did the same, though his weapons were far larger than mine.

I sucked in a bracing breath. “Let’s go.”

We started across the sandy expanse. The ground was hard-packed and dusty out here, away from the forest. It was a totally different ecosystem from the last two we’d just been in. Bright sun shined down. Nothing like Death Valley, but I’d have preferred the cover of night.

When the first shriek sounded in the distance, my heartrate spiked.

I glanced around, catching sight of the oncoming VDB. It was huge—the size of a horse—with massive fangs and blazing red eyes. The stench of its magic reached me from far away.

“Got this one.” Cade didn’t break his stride as he drew his arm back and hurled his shield.

The shining silver metal flew through the air so fast it was hard to see, and collided with the bat. The beast tumbled through the air, and the shield returned to Cade.

Nice.

I kept up the pace, my breath coming short. I was more used to riding than running.

The next bat came out of nowhere. I barely heard the flap of wings in time. I ducked, and the beast sailed over me. Cade threw his shield, taking it out.

The third was mine. It flew from the left, hurling toward me with a bloodthirsty glint in its eyes. When it was close enough for me to see the hairs on its hide, I stabbed with my sword. The blade sank into the creature’s belly, and it tumbled to the ground.

I kept sprinting, occasionally cutting down VDBs as Cade knocked more out of the sky with his shield.

My lungs burned and my legs ached, but soon, there was a massive city on the horizon. It rose tall and pale, a strange conglomeration of buildings built out of the earth. They all looked to be stacked on top of each other, making a city that was more vertical than horizontal.

We were still a few miles away, but this wasn’t going so bad.

“Incoming!” Cade shouted. “From behind.”

I turned to look.

Shit.

I’d spoken too soon. A horde of VDBs darkened the sky, hurtling toward us from the forest. As if someone had told them that a snack waited for them out on the planes, without even a tree for shelter.

The stench of their magic filled the air as they flew toward us, their red eyes blazing.

The ground rumbled, sending vibrations through my legs.

Then the ground in front of me dropped away, leaving a two-foot-wide crevasse. I leapt over it, fear chilling my skin.

But the ground kept rumbling, dropping away in sections as the bats gained on us.

Oh, we are so screwed.

I sprinted harder, but there was no way I could outrun the bats. And the crevasses in the sand were getting wider and wider.

“Hang on!” Cade stashed his sword and shield in the ether, and his magic flared around him.

He never stopped running, but a moment later, a massive wolf was loping along in his place. The beast was four times the size of a normal wolf, with rippling muscles and a sleek, silvery-gray coat.

It swerved toward me, green eyes intent on my face, and jerked its head.

Get on.

Holy fates.

The message was clear. Cade wanted me to ride on his back.

No way.

The ground dropped away in front of me, creating the widest gap I’d seen yet. Cade leapt over it with ease, but I barely made it.

Behind me, the bats shrieked.

I glanced behind.

They were so close now. And the ground rumbled.

“All right!” I called.

Cade slowed beside me, and I stashed my sword and shield in the ether. I jumped onto his back, grabbing the scruff of his fur and hauling my leg over his side.

He was so warm, his heat sinking through to my skin. I could feel the ripple of muscle as he ran, his great paws eating up the ground as he bounded over giant crevasses. I crouched low, hanging on for dear life, and he hurtled over the ground. My leg muscles burned as I clutched his sides.

Every time he leapt over a newly formed crevasse, I felt like I might tumble off him.

The scent of his magic wrapped around me, a storm at sea that was so at odds with this strange desert environment. The taste of fresh apples exploded on my tongue, and the sound of swords clashing in battle rang in my ears. It felt like I was within his magic shield.

A sense of goodness and honor flowed through me. It was him.

I could feel who he was—everything that made him special. This was the main reason people never rode Shifters. It was too intimate. Too personal.

The VDBs shrieked again, a cacophony that was like a battle cry.

I clung to Cade and turned my head, catching sight of the horde of them. They were hunting as a pack, and their hungry red eyes were on us.

Fight.

I could hear Cade in my mind. Not quite telepathy. More a joining of the souls—two people who knew how to fight and what must be done. Maybe the Shifter thing gave us a greater connection. I had no idea.

I drew in a ragged breath and let go of the scruff of his neck, slowly raising myself from a crouch.

The ground whizzed by beneath us, making my stomach drop.

I was going to have to turn around to fight the VDB.

Oh fates, this sucked. But the bats were coming from behind. As quickly as I could, I scrambled around, finally facing back toward the forest.

And the VDBs.

They were only twenty yards off now.

I clutched Cade’s sides with my legs as I drew my sword and shield from the ether.

Focus on those.

The cold steel was comforting beneath my hands. Much better than the sight of the ground and frequent crevasses. I could fall off any moment and plummet into the earth.

Yep. Better to focus on stabbing the VDBs.

The first VDB dived, shooting toward me like a missile. I swung, slicing across its neck and sending it tumbling through the air.

The next came from the left. I stabbed it in the throat with my sword, gagging at the scent of its rotten blood. A third bat came from the right.

Too soon.

I raised my shield as I yanked my blade from the throat of the other VDB. The monster plowed into the shield, sending me careening to the side.

I clutched hard with my legs, barely managing to stay on.

“Faster!” I cried.

Cade put on a burst of speed, racing across the plains like a beast possessed. I clung to his back as I fought off the VDBs, slicing and stabbing as the monsters attacked from all angles.

Sweat dripped down my face and stung my eyes, but the attack slowed as I took out more and more. Finally, the last VDB thudded to the earth.

I sagged on top of Cade, stashing my sword and shield in the ether and holding on to his back for support. My legs felt like jello, weak from clinging to him.

Behind us was a trail of broken ground and VDB corpses. Their blood soaked into the earth as they disappeared, leaving no trace that they’d ever existed.

Panting, I kept my arms wrapped around Cade’s waist. His fur smelled divine. Like his stormy magic and whatever soap he used.

Honestly, I probably liked this too much.

Finally, he slowed. I straightened on his back, looking behind me to see how close we were to the Fae settlement.

Nearly there.

It was the strangest place I’d ever seen. A city made entirely of packed sand, from what I could tell. It rose at least six stories into the sky, but the whole place was like some fantastic, jumbled high-rise. It was actually many buildings all piled on top of each other with stairs and passages winding throughout. Very maze-like. Very Fae. I’d forgotten to ask what kind of Fae they were, but maybe a desert variety.

Cade slowed to a halt at the edge of the city.

I leapt off his back, stumbling as I hit the ground.

He leaned toward me, and I grabbed the fur at his side, steadying myself.

Fae magic drifted from the place, smelling of the forest and sea and desert. It brushed across my skin like a feather and pricked like nettles. It sounded like a crackling fire and the roar of wind.

“Lots of magic here,” I murmured. The place looked abandoned, but the magic belied that. There were thousands of places to hide, anyway. I could only see the outer edge of the city. There was much more within.

Despite it all, I could still feel Cade. So close and real.

Magic flared around him as he shifted back to his human form. He stood right next to me, his heat still reaching for me. I looked up, struck anew by how tall and broad he was. His pupils were blown out, darkening his eyes, which roved over my face.

Electricity prickled between us.

He’d felt it, too, that same intimacy I’d sensed.

I sucked in a ragged breath, resisting the urge to lean up and press a kiss to his strong jaw. Or his full lips.

Out the corner of my eye, I spotted his hands turning to fists. He drew in a slow, steady breath, then stepped back. Tension sparked in the air between us, remnants of one of the most intimate supernatural acts.