Eleven hours later, Shay found Nicole in the same spot. She was still sitting in the window seat, her eyes glued to the darkened street below. She didn’t turn around when the hinges of his door creaked, signaling his return. He had a terrible feeling she hadn’t moved in all that time. Not to eat. Not to rest. Maybe not even to blink.

“Nicole,” he said softly, not wanting to startle her. She didn’t stir.

He said her name once more, louder this time, reaching out with his mind as he did so. This time she shifted in her seat before turning toward him.

“Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

Shay didn’t have to guess why. The waves of both mental and physical exhaustion rolling off her were intense. Strong enough to make him wonder how she was still upright.

“You should get some sleep,” he said.

She shook her head, turning all the way around so that her feet dangled down from the window seat. “I’m fine.”

The hell she was.

“What warding did you put up?” she asked before he could argue with her.

“Protection against physical damage,” he said. “A perimeter which extends to the other side of the street against anyone who bears malice toward the store or anyone in it.”

“And what about protection for us?”

“We should be safe as long as we stay inside the building.”

She grimaced. “But not if we go outside?”

“That wasn’t part of your wish.”

“You’re willing to let us die over a technicality?” He didn’t need extra powers to feel her frustration. He could hear it in her voice. It went along with her tiredness, muddying her thinking.

“It’s not that.” Shay shook his head and pushed away from the door. He walked slowly across the room, toward the sofa opposite her. “The power of your soul is strong but not inexhaustible. Most of it had to go into setting up the warding you specifically wished for.”

“You didn’t seem worried about using it up when you zapped everyone home,” she snapped.

“That was nothing,” he explained. “A parlor trick. Insignificant in comparison to warding both of us against every possible attack Marrow might try.”

She drew in a deep breath, and he felt her surge of regret.

“Sorry,” she said, scooting off the window seat and on to the floor. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m just—”

“Tired,” he finished for her.

“Worried.” A flash of annoyance in her eyes told him she didn’t like to be spoken over.

Fair enough. But that didn’t make him a liar. She might be worried, but she was also exhausted. And one of those problems was a hell of a lot easier to solve than the other.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but I really don’t mean to be snippy.” She surprised him by moving over to the sofa and sitting beside him.

“It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not.” She turned her whole body toward him and looked him at him straight on. The depths of her brown eyes radiated sincerity. “I’ve been thinking, and I’m pretty sure that you and I can’t beat this Marrow guy if we’re busy fighting each other. So…sorry.”

“I already told you it was okay.”

Nicole reached out and wrapped her hand over his. Shay fought off the instinctive urge to pull away. “Not just for snapping at you now. For all of it. For binding you to the shop. For screwing with your plans. For all of it.”

“All of it?”

“Well, not for saving your life.” She shot him a half smile. “I’m not sorry for that. But for all the rest, yeah.”

Shay blinked. He didn’t know what to say. He’d never had anyone apologize to him before. Not out of an emotion other than fear, that was. But there was something about Nicole’s apology—how genuine it was, how true—that warmed a hidden spot in the center of his chest.

Shay had never felt the sensation before, and he wasn’t certain how to react to it.

So, he didn’t.

He reacted to her words instead.

“You’re right,” he said. “We stand a better chance defeating Marrow if we’re able to present a united front.”

Her gazed narrowed. “You know him, don’t you?”

“I do.”

“Who is he?” she asked.

“He’s Oberon’s top advisor,” Shay said. “His right-hand man.”

“He didn’t sound like he likes you much.”

“The feeling is mutual, I assure you.”

“Sounds like there’s quite a story there.” She raised her brows, silently pressing for more.

“One I should save for another day,” he said. “Right now you need to get some sleep.”

“I’m too worried to sleep.”

It wasn’t a lie. He could feel her thoughts and emotions buzzing inside. They were the only things keeping her upright.

“You don’t have to be afraid,” he said. “I’ll look after the shop.”

“I’m not afraid.” Now that was a lie. “Just worried. Besides, I’m about to get my second wind. Just talk to me for a little while and I’ll wake right up. Tell me why Marrow hates you.”

Shay let out a slow breath. He could argue with her…or he could find another way to bend her will.

He carefully lifted a couple of fingers, starting a pulse of magic that drifted over to her side of the couch. The gesture was subtle, far too small to draw her attention.

A second later, as the heavy mantle of sleep started to drape over her shoulders, her eyelids drooped down…but they didn’t close completely. Instead, she shook her head and brought herself back from the brink.

Damn. The girl was a fighter.

That was fine. She might be able to shake off a direct blow, but a sustained pressure, one caress of peace and sleep after another? There was no way she’d be able to withstand that for long.

“Hate’s too strong of a word,” Shay said, sweeping a single finger out in front of him this time. A gentler wave of suggestion floated her way. “Marrow doesn’t give into that kind of fiery emotion. He’s far too calculating for that.”

“So why did he come after you specifically?” she asked before she was overtaken by a yawn.

Good. The corner of his mouth lifted.

“Because I’m the one standing in his way to direct control over the king.”

Another curl of his fingers and her head lolled gently to the side. She caught it halfway to her shoulder and yanked it back up. Her lips pursed together in sleepy confusion.

“You control Oberon?”

“Not yet,” he said.

Shay could practically see the wheels inside Nicole’s mind turning. The idea took longer to process in her sleepy head than it normally would have, but once she finally understood, her eyes opened wide.

“Oberon made a deal with you,” she said. “You hold his soul.”

“Like I said, not yet.”

“Because he hasn’t made three wishes.”

“Only two,” Shay said. “But he made them two thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine years ago.”

“Oh, shit.” Nicole covered another yawn. An unforced one. “His three thousand years are nearly up. That’s why he exiled you.”

“I’m guessing he hoped that sending me here would be enough to sever the tie between us,” he said. “Obviously, it wasn’t, or Marrow wouldn’t have come for me.”

“Why didn’t anyone know that?” She could barely keep her eyes open, though Shay had to admit, it was entertaining to watch her try.

“There was no way to know.” He sent her one last wave of sleepy suggestion before rising from the couch. “I was the first Jinn to be exiled.”

“Oh,” she said, nodding her head slowly. Her eyelids slid further down with every bob of her head.

He reached over and slid his arms under her knees and around her back. It hardly took any effort at all to lift her from the sofa. She didn’t fight him, but she did look up at him with tired eyes.

“You did this, didn’t you?”

“Did what?”

“Made me fall asleep.” She gave another huge yawn and tucked her head against his shoulder. “Don’t lie. I know you did.”

Shay smiled. Apparently, he hadn’t been as subtle as he’d thought.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” she said. “I need to stay up. I need to be awake if Marrow comes.” She nuzzled against him, her body going soft in his arms as he walked her to his bedroom.

“All you need to do is rest,” he said.

Another rush of warmth spread through him as she sighed contently against his chest. What was this strange feeling?

It wasn’t just physical. Though he had to admit, he liked the feel of her in his arms. She was as soft and warm as he’d always imagined. The truth was he wouldn’t have minded holding her this way all night. It had been a long time since he’d held someone in his arms. Longer still since he’d cradled someone who he’d truly wanted there.

But that kind of thinking was dangerous.

Still, he took his time laying her down on top of his mattress. He watched her draw in a deep breath against his pillow and pull another one over to curl her limbs around.

He briefly considered taking off her clothes so she wouldn’t wrinkle them, but quickly discounted the idea. Somehow he had the feeling waking up in her underclothes would only anger her.

Though he still couldn’t figure out why he cared. After all, being a jinni meant most creatures either hated or feared him. Sure, there were always a few that enjoyed the thrill of being so close to his dangerous nature.

But Nicole wasn’t like them.

He didn’t want her scorn, though he knew in the end it would be inevitable.

He leaned down and pulled off her shoes before tucking the covers over her. Tomorrow she could hate him, but there was no reason for her to be uncomfortable tonight.

Shay lingered at the door a moment before switching off the light and closing the door behind him. He didn’t think that Marrow would be able to regroup fast enough to come back tonight. Still, he didn’t want to risk straying too far from Nicole’s side.

He went to the couch and stretched out.

The few feet of distance between them didn’t lessen the pull he felt toward her. The power of her soul still hummed inside him, tingling in every cell. When he closed his eyes, he felt the vibrant rhythm of her heart.

Its cadence was so strong and steady that eventually his own pulse fell in line, matching it beat for beat, until the tempo of her heart carried him off to sleep.

She was so warm.

Warm, comfortable, and deliciously cozy.

Her arms were wrapped around something downy. She pulled it in closer and nuzzled her face against its softness. She drew in a deep breath and a light spicy scent filled her senses.

Oh, yes. This was nice.

She could happily stay in this bed, under this tangle of blankets, forever. This must be what heaven felt like, gently sleeping, wrapped in the feel and scent of Shay Madrid.

Shay Madrid.

Nicole’s eyes popped open. This wasn’t her bed. It was his.

Nicole shot up like a bolt to a sitting position. The pillow came with her. His pillow. The one she’d been cradling for God knew how long next to her body because it smelled like him.

She didn’t let it go right away. Instead, she clutched it to her chest as she scanned the room.

First things first, the building was still standing. Either Marrow hadn’t come back yet, or he hadn’t been successful in breaking through Shay’s warding. Either way was fine.

The second thing she noticed was that it was no longer night. Not even close. The sunlight pouring through the gaps in the curtains was full and bright. Mid-afternoon light.

Crap, she’d overslept…by a lot. That wasn’t like her.

Of course it wasn’t. A faint memory came floating back to her. He’d waved his fingers. She hadn’t been able to fight the yawns…and then he’d carried her to his bed.

That bastard. He’d used his powers to make her fall asleep. To get her out of his way, no doubt.

So, he wasn’t happy with their situation. That didn’t mean he could pull a Sleeping Beauty on her every time he wanted to shut her up.

Except the thing was, he could. He could do that and a hell of a lot worse, too.

But that didn’t mean she had to put up with it. If she had to face the consequences of her actions then so did he.

Nicole threw back the layers of exotic blankets that covered her, happy to find she still had her clothes on. She steeled her courage as she jumped out of bed and stormed out of the bedroom, ready to face him…but he wasn’t there.

He wasn’t anywhere in the apartment. It only took a moment for her anger to morph into fear.

This was why she didn’t want to fall asleep last night. This was why she’d sat vigil by the window. So she’d know what the hell was going on. Now she’d slept the day away and had no idea what was happening. She didn’t know where Shay was, or if Marrow had come back, or if either of them were still alive.

Sure, his apartment looked fine. There weren’t any signs of a fight or a struggle, but that didn’t mean anything. Who knew what the aftermath of a fight between a fae and jinni looked like? These were magical creatures. They could probably blip each other out of existence if they tried hard enough.

Especially if one of them found a way to harness the power inside the book.

The book. She had to make sure the book and the shop were okay.

Nicole didn’t bother putting on her shoes before heading for the door. She rushed down the bare wood stairs, taking them two at a time. By the time she reached the end, she’d picked up too much speed. Her socks slipped on wood, and her feet flew out in front of her. Nicole closed her eyes and threw her arms out, bracing herself for a hard fall.

But it didn’t come.

Instead, at the last second, a strong arm wrapped around her chest suspending her in mid-air. She sucked in a breath and her senses were filled with the scent that had clung to the pillow.

“Shay,” she said. He was alive…and doing fine by the feel of it. His reflexes certainly were in fine shape. He’d snatched her right out of the air before her ass could hit the ground.

“What’s wrong?” His voice was tight. Almost as tight as his hold on her.

“Nothing,” she said. “I just slipped.”

“But why were you panicking?”

“I woke up and you weren’t there,” she admitted before she could think better of it.

He loosened his hold on her and let her slip down the front of his body until her feet hit the floor. She turned around and looked up at him. He still hadn’t pulled his arm away from the curve of her waist, and Nicole found she wasn’t in any hurry to break the contact either.

“And that worried you?” He sounded confused.

“Mortals are always worried,” a deep male voice said from inside her bookstore. “Sometimes they even worry about being too worried. Didn’t anyone warn you?”

Nicole jumped at the unfamiliar voice, instinctively pressing herself against Shay. She would have sworn she spotted a small smile flicker across his face at her reaction.

“Who the hell is that?” she demanded. Given Shay’s amused reaction she figured he wasn’t fae.

“James Hook, at your service,” the voice answered.

Nicole peered around Shay’s shoulders and saw a tall blond man leaning against the counter. He gave her a wide smile and tipped his hand toward her in greeting.

James Hook? She rolled the name over in her mind as she looked back up at Shay. The name was familiar. Really familiar.

Wait a minute.

Her eyes went wide. “That’s not—”

“Captain Hook?” the man finished for her. “The same.”

“But he has both hands,” she whispered.

“I know,” Shay said. “Makes you wonder what else you got wrong, doesn’t it?”

He shot her a look that brimmed with humor and suddenly she remembered all the annoyance she’d felt just a few minutes ago. It all came rushing back to her. She moved back a step and crossed her arms.

“I remember what you did to me last night,” she said.

“Well, that certainly sounds interesting,” Hook said.

Shay’s lips pressed together. The amusement drained from his face. “Keep to your task, and stay out of our business, thief, or were you hungry for a demonstration of my new powers?”

“Thief?” she said, her eyes going wide. “He’s a thief?”

Shay crossed his arms and leaned against the door jamb. “You didn’t think he actually ran around fencing with children all day, did you?”

No, she guessed she didn’t. But that wasn’t really the point.

“You brought a thief into my store?” She’d had enough. She pushed past him, slipping in between his body and the door frame.

“I did,” Shay said plainly. Obviously, he didn’t see anything wrong with his answer. Either that or he was deliberately trying to annoy her in the hopes that she’d get frustrated and leave him alone.

Well, it wasn’t going to work.

“Why would you invite a thief here?”

“Because we need his skills.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Nicole’s cheeks grew hot. She turned around to gesture at the man standing at her counter. “Why in the world would we need a—”

Oh, God.

The book. The thief had the book open in front of him. Freakin’ Captain Hook had his thieving hands all over her family’s book.

“Get the hell away from that,” she yelled, rushing toward the counter.

Hook didn’t listen, though. His hands still lingered along the edges of the pages. Even when Nicole came around the counter, he still didn’t pull away. His hands brushed against hers as she snatched the book up, the sharp edge of one of his rings scraping the outside of her finger.

Nicole ignored the slight pain, and she turned her fiercest glare on Shay.

“What the hell were you thinking?” she demanded.

“I was hoping to find something. And for all his faults—”

“Not that I have many,” Hook cut in.

Shay ignored him. “—the thief is very good at finding things."

“Some might even say the best,” Hook added with a smile.

Nicole pulled the book tight against her chest. “And what were you looking for?”

“A way to access the magic,” Hook said.

Nicole’s blood boiled. Her jaw tightened. She shot Shay her most withering glower. This time he had the decency to wilt a little.

“It’s not what you think,” he said.

“Really?” she spat. “What else could it be?”

“Hook isn’t lying when he says he’s the best thief there is.” Shay stepped out of the doorway and calmly walked to her side. “He’s broken into countless impossible things.”

“And now you want him to break into my book?”

Shay shook his head. “I want him to see if it’s possible. I can guarantee you right now Marrow is searching for a way to access that magic. If there is one that doesn’t involve you and your family, we need to know about it.”

“So we can be prepared?” she asked.

“Exactly.” Shay reached out and wrapped his hands around the cover.

“And that’s all you want with it?”

“That’s all.”

Nicole narrowed her gaze. “You promise?”

“I swear.”

Nicole gazed up into his eyes. Dark and fathomless. It wasn’t as if she’d been the greatest judge of character before, but there was something inside her, some tiny, undiscovered sense deep within her brain, that was convinced he was telling the truth.

Slowly, she loosened her grip on the book, and Shay slipped it out of her hands. He placed it back down on the counter before nodding at Hook.

“I guess I’m a little wound up,” Nicole shook her head apologetically. “When you said thief I overreacted, and—”

“Well, it’s not a blood bond,” Hook broke in.

“What?” Nicole pivoted away from Shay.

“Oh, I stole a little of your blood when you grabbed the book from me,” the thief said. “I needed it to see if the book was bound to your family through a bloodline bond, but it’s not.”

“What does that leave?” Shay asked.

“I don’t know.” Hook shrugged. “Whatever strange magic that Asphodel used to bind the grimoire to the Starlings, it isn’t like any I’ve ever encountered.”

“You stole my blood?” Maybe she hadn’t heard him right.

“Of course,” Hook said. “You didn’t appear to be in the mood to give it up willingly.”

No, she hadn’t been…but that wasn’t the point.

“You can’t just steal someone’s blood.”

“Sure, you can.” Hook waggled the sharp ring on his finger as proof. “It’s the easiest thing in the world.”

Red hot fury lit up Nicole’s veins. “Get out of my store.”

“But I’m not done yet,” Hook said. “I still haven’t figured out what kind of magic—”

“I don’t care,” Nicole cut him off. “Shay made a mistake letting you come here in the first place.”

“Nicole,” Shay said, his tone annoyingly smooth. “Calm down.”

She swiveled on her heel to face him. His expression was apologetic. Nicole didn’t give one single damn.

The jinni might have the most gorgeous eyes she’d ever seen. He might sizzle with a magnetic heat that she’d never dreamed of. He might even have enough power to throw the whole world into chaos, but he didn’t get to tell her what to do. Especially not in the middle of her own shop.

“And while we’re talking about mistakes, Shay Madrid,” she said. “You made a huge one last night using your magic to knock me unconscious.”

He pressed his full lips together for a full second before responding. “I helped you fall asleep. You needed the rest.”

“Strange, I don’t remember asking for your help,” she said. “I remember telling you that I wanted to stay up and keep watch.”

“That wasn’t the right choice.” A tiny glowing ember drifted up in his eye. He didn’t like to be challenged. Too bad. She didn’t like having her independence steamrolled.

“Maybe. Maybe not. The point is, it was my choice. Not yours.”

“Nicole—”

“Don’t try to sweet-talk me, Shay. It won’t work.” Nicole moved in closer, butting her chest right up against his. She wasn’t about to back down. Not this time. “But I’m happy to talk about your choices. Especially your bad ones.”

“Like?”

“Like leaving me to wake up alone this morning without any clue of where you were or what had happened to you. Hell, I didn’t even know if Marrow had managed to kill you in the night.”

“I told you,” Hook said. “They always worry.”

“Shut it.” Nicole snapped her head toward the storybook villain and glared. Hook had the decency to throw his hands up in a guilty pose, but the wide grin on his face showed no sign of real regret.

When she turned back to Shay, he was gazing down at her with a quizzical expression. “You were worried about me?”

Nicole rolled her eyes. “Of course I was.”

“Not about the store or the book?”

“Well, yeah. I cared about those too, but they’re not living things.” Nicole eased her hard stance as she watched his confusion grow. “You can’t seriously think they were the only things I cared about?”

“I know how important both the book and the store are to you.” The earnestness in voice had a way of cooling the worst of her temper.

“Sure, but I am a human being, Shay. We can worry about more than one thing at a time.”

“That’s an understatement,” Hook said.

Nicole groaned. “Seriously, don’t make me waste one of my wishes on shutting you up permanently.”

A smile flickered across Shay’s face. “Hook, I think it’s time for you to go.”

“But I still haven’t figured out what kind of magic is binding her to the book.”

“We’ll finish up another day,” Shay said.

“But—”

“Let me make this easy for you, Captain Smartass, you have three seconds to walk out the front door, or I’ll make Shay snap his fingers and send you to Alcatraz.”

Hook grinned. “Sweetheart, there’s not a prison in the three worlds that can hold me.”

“Without your clothes,” Shay added.

Hook cleared his throat. “In that case, I’ll take the door. But only because it’s such a cold day.”

“Good choice.” Shay nodded solemnly, but his huge grin gave his real feelings away.

Nicole found herself smiling just as wide. Apparently, there was nothing like a shared annoyance to bring two people closer together.

“I’ll be at my apartment if you need me.” The brass bell above the door chimed as Hook opened it.

“We won’t,” Nicole called out as he stepped outside. She turned to Shay. “Thank you for that.”

“Don’t thank me,” he said. “You were right. It would have been wiser to consult with you before summoning Hook.”

Nicole’s eyes went wide. “Is that an apology?”

“Take it as you will.”

She laughed. “Then I am definitely taking it as an apology. And what’s more, I accept it.”

Shay’s expression turned serious as he studied her face. “Why would you worry about me?”

“What do you mean, why?” Nicole jumped up and sat on the edge of the counter top. Her stocking feet dangled over the side. “I care about you, Shay.”