“Well, this is it,” Adele said, pulling out the key to her apartment.

She still wasn’t sure it was a good idea to bring Bron to her place. It wasn’t that she felt unsafe in her home—just the opposite. This was one of the few places in the whole city where she felt totally comfortable.

It was just that her apartment was so small, and Bron was so big. She worried that he’d fill the whole space—maybe not with his body, but definitely with his presence.

And once she closed the door, they’d be shut in there together…alone…for God knew how long.

Bron looked at her, his green gaze searing into hers. Adele tried to guess what he was thinking, but the hard set of his jaw gave nothing away. She tried to break the tension with a smile, but his gorgeous, stubbly face remained stony.

Neither of them had been in a talkative mood since leaving Emily’s. A lot had happened since this morning—a lot—and Adele had been more than happy to walk in silence while she tried to wrap her mind around it all.

Of course, that wasn’t working so well. Usually she was great at coming up with the worst-case scenarios, but this situation was so damn bizarre, her imagination stalled.

A wolf-man appearing at her door? The phoenix in her pocket lighting her on fire? A Redcap ripping out her heart?

The list just seemed too ridiculous to be real.

But it was.

“Adele.” Bron’s voice broke through her thoughts. “Are you all right?”

She blinked and looked down at her hand, stretched out and frozen halfway to the lock. How long had she been standing like that, lost in dark thoughts? She had no idea, but going by the look on Bron’s face it had been awhile.

“Yeah,” she said.

Bron must not have been convinced by her lie, because he shook his head and reached for her keys.

That was enough to shake Adele out of her stupor. She thrust her hand forward. She might be losing her mind, but she wasn’t gone yet. She could still get herself inside.

And then…

Well, she wasn’t sure. But right now all that mattered was getting out of the hallway and into her apartment. In there, she could breakdown in peace.

It took a couple of tries, but eventually Adele managed to successfully slide the key into the lock. She threw the door open and rushed inside. Bron followed.

Okay, maybe she couldn’t fall to pieces just yet. Not in front of Bron. She didn’t want him to freak out and leave. The man might make her all kinds of uncomfortable, but he was one hell of a bodyguard…not to mention a whole lot less frightening than that friend of his.

Okay, maybe friend wasn’t the best word for Fenrir. Anyone could see the two guys didn’t get along. Not surprising, seeing that they might not even be the same species.

Adele stayed by the door until Bron entered. Then she shoved it closed and started throwing the locks.

“Those won’t keep him out.” Bron hadn’t gone far. He had to be standing right behind her. She could feel his deep voice wrapping around her.

“Maybe not,” she said, her hand stilling on the fourth deadbolt. “But they’ll slow him down.”

“Doubtful. The Redcap could shatter that thin door with a single kick. Wouldn’t matter how many locks you had on it.”

That was the last thing she needed to hear. She’d been trying so hard to keep herself together long enough to get home. To the place where she’d always been safe. To the place where she could hide from reality. Now Bron was telling her she couldn’t even have that anymore.

Her frustration bubbled over.

“Then what the hell am I supposed to do?”

She spun around on her heel and nearly crashed into his chest…again. She managed to catch herself at the last second and tilt back toward the door instead. Her shoulders hit hard.

Bron’s eyes narrowed as she flattened her spine against the jamb. He inched closer. Close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off his body.

“Now you trust me to keep you safe.”

They were seductive words. There was no denying that.

A part of her—a big part—wanted to believe him. Wanted nothing more than to lean into his body and feel his strong, capable arms wrap around her. Feel the comfort of his wide chest and be calmed by the steady rhythm of his thundering heart.

Maybe he’d smooth a hand over her hair. Maybe he’d whisper in her ear that everything would be all right. Maybe she could convince herself to believe the lie for a little while.

That was a lot of maybes…and that was the real danger. Bron had a way of making the most impossible things seem real, especially when he spoke in that low, rumbly voice. So far, she’d believed everything he’d told her. Why wouldn’t she? He was the expert about the dangers of his world.

Just like she was an expert about the troubles of hers.

Bron’s load was heavy enough without having to take on her burdens. It wasn’t fair to weigh him down with both the threat of a Redcap attack and a nervous breakdown.

She could take care of herself. Just like she always had.

Adele forced her chin up and gave a shaky nod. “Okay.”

Bron cocked his chin to the side, as if he didn’t quite believe her. “Adele—”

“I trust you,” she broke in before he could go any further. His voice was still so low. It was impossible not to be pulled in by the sound of her name on his lips. Everything about Bron called to her, and it was getting harder and harder to resist his draw.

And not just figuratively.

She looked down and realized that she hadn’t just tried to stop his words with her own. She’d reached out with her hand as well. Her eyes widened at the sight of her palm flat against his chest.

“Sorry,” she whispered as she snatched her hand away.

Dear God, she needed to get away from him. Quick.

“Ade—”

“It’s been a really long day. I should go take a shower.”

A cold one. That would help. Not to mention a little time alone…with a locked door between her and Bron.

Keeping her back flat against the wall, Adele inched her way around him until she was free. She hurried through her small apartment, doing her best not to glance over her shoulder to see if he was still watching. She made it all the way to the bathroom door before turning around. Sure enough, Bron’s gaze was still on her.

“Make yourself comfortable,” she said. “I shouldn’t be long.”

Just long enough to break down and then pull myself back together again.

Bron didn’t say a word…and he didn’t look away. He just nodded.

Adele stared back for another long second before forcing herself to nod back.

“Okay, then,” she said, and rushed into the bathroom. She closed the door and flipped the lock.

That won’t keep him out.

His words came back to her. Adele had no doubt they were as true about Bron as they were about the Redcap. There wasn’t a bolt strong enough to lock him out.

Not out of her home. Not out of her life. And certainly not out of her head.

* * *

Countless questions buzzed inside Bron’s head as Adele disappeared behind the bathroom door. Simple questions. He should have had simple answers for every one of them.

But he was quickly learning nothing was simple when it came to Adele.

He’d never met anyone like her. Everything about her seemed like a contradiction. She was scared but strong. Timid but brave. Open and defensive. She mystified him.

Mystified and tempted him in ways that he hadn’t been tempted since he’d landed in this mundane world close to a year ago.

That was another piece of the puzzle that didn’t make sense. He couldn’t lie. Adele was an attractive woman with her porcelain complexion and bright auburn hair. But he’d known thousands of beautiful women. He’d refused some of the most stunningly gorgeous women in the Realm. He’d bedded women that were literally enchanting without feeling a hint of the pull he felt toward Adele.

Of course, none could hold the soul of a phoenix in their bare hands.

Bron let out a sharp breath before turning and looking over the studio apartment. The single room wasn’t overly large but she’d managed to make her home comfortable.

He stopped at the first bookcase and studied the shelves. Every picture and trinket told the story of Adele’s life.

The well-worn books showed what she valued. The postcards and souvenirs revealed what she cherished. There were lots of framed pictures—most of people that shared a strong family resemblance. The rest appeared to be a small but close circle of friends. None were group shots, and none seemed overly romantic.

He turned and looked over the rest of the room. Mounds of colorful pillows and cushions covered the sofa and window seat. Fuzzy blankets draped over the arms of the furniture. A lush, thick rug covered the cold hardwood floors. A narrow bed was fitted into what used to be a deep closet along the far wall, creating a makeshift bedroom.

Bron smiled at the sight. She knew how to make the best of what she had. That was a fine skill.

He walked over to the window and pushed back the gauzy curtain muting the last of the evening glow. He scanned the street, but didn’t spot anything suspicious.

No doubt, the Redcap was still out there, searching for them. There was no way he’d give up. Not when Adele held the source of such immense power.

But he hadn’t found them yet. That was a good sign. Merlin’s stone appeared to be working. With a little luck the magic would hold, and Adele and the phoenix cage would remain safe.

Of course, Bron had never been one to put his faith in luck.

A moment later the hinges on the bathroom door creaked and bare feet pattered against the floor.

“Everything okay?” Her soft voice drifted across the room.

Bron looked over his shoulder.

Adele stood on the far side of the room. The ragged running clothes were gone. She wore a pair of blue pajamas that covered her from ankle to wrist. A rosy glow lit her cheeks.

She certainly didn’t look cold anymore.

“No sign of the Redcap,” he said, letting the curtain fall from his hand. That pull was back in the center of his chest again. Just at the sight of her. He turned to face her fully, moving his shoulders back. Her blush deepened.

“Great.” She draped his wrinkled coat over the arm of the couch. “Thanks for loaning me your jacket. Though, I should probably take it to the dry cleaners before returning it.”

“That’s not necessary.” Since her hands were off the jacket and the furniture hadn’t burst into flames, he guessed the phoenix was no longer in the pocket. “Where’s the cage?”

Adele dipped a finger past her collar and pulled the chain out from around her neck. “I thought she might be safer if I kept her on me.”

Bron’s eyes zeroed in on the center of Adele’s chest and the glittering silver crystal rising and falling with every breath.

“And you’re not in pain?” he asked for what he knew must have been the hundredth time.

Adele shook her head. “If anything, she makes me feel a little better.”

“I don’t understand,” he said with a shake of his head.

A small smile teased the corners of her lips. “Well, that makes two of us then.”

For a moment their eyes met, head on and equal, but after a few seconds Adele’s cheeks flushed, and she broke away, her gaze dipping down to her toes. “Are you hungry? I didn’t get to go to the store today like I planned, so I can only offer you leftover pizza. I hope that’s okay.”

“It’s fine,” he said.

She tucked the necklace back into the safety of her shirt as she shuffled to the kitchen and pulled a brown box out of the fridge. “I like my leftovers cold, but I can heat a few slices if you like.”

“No need.” He didn’t care how it was served. Food was a necessity, not a luxury. There was no point in her going to any trouble.

“How about to drink?” she asked. “I have water or wine or—”

“Wine.”

She let out a little laugh. “Wine it is.” She grabbed an open bottle and made her way over to the small table in front of her couch. “I ran out of hands. I’ll have to go back for the glasses.”

Bron walked over, picked up the bottle, and pulled out the cork. “I don’t need a glass,” he said before taking a long swig.

The wine was good—dark and sweet—and it warmed his belly just the way he hoped.

He lowered the bottle and found Adele staring at him.

“I guess you don’t.” Laughter still laced her words, but standing this close Bron could see that her bright blue eyes were lined with streaks of red.

She’d been crying.

That’s why she’d run away from him so fast, he realized. She’d been about to cry, and she hadn’t wanted him to see.

The pull inside his chest increased.

“Tell me what’s wrong, Adele,” he said.

A second ticked by. The smile stayed glued to her face, but all the emotion behind it washed away.

“You mean beside a psychotic goblin wanting to kill me?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Nothing,” she said. “Other than that, I’m fine.”

But she wasn’t. She was hiding something underneath that well-practiced mask.

“Adele—”

She snatched the bottle out of his hand before he could say another word and gulped down a mouthful.

“Hey, you’re right,” she said. “Looks like we don’t need any glasses after all.” She plopped the bottle down on the tabletop and sat on the edge of the couch. “Now, let’s eat and talk about literally anything else.”

Bron eyed her for a long moment before relenting and sitting on the floor across the table from her. This wasn’t over. He had plenty of time. One way or another, he’d get at what she was hiding.

“So tell me about your friends,” she said, picking up a slice of pizza. “Of course, everybody knows who Merlin is, and I’m pretty sure I’ve heard of Fenrir, but who are the rest? The ones I didn’t meet.”

“One is a jinn—you’d call him a genie—and the other you would know as Captain Hook.”

Her eyes grew wide. “Captain Hook? Really? Did he really get his hand bitten off by a—”

“He has both his hands. Hook is just his family name.” He bristled at her whimsical tone. She made the thief some kind of mystical creature, instead of the overblown pickpocket he truly was. “And Shay doesn’t live in a bottle, either.”

Adele’s smile faltered, and Bron felt a stab of guilt for disappointing her. It didn’t last long, though. A moment later, she glanced at him from underneath her eyelashes.

“But does he really grant wishes?”

Bron’s jaw tightened. “Promise me you’ll never ask him.”

Her brows shot up at his harsh tone. “Why? Is it really that bad?”

“Worse than you could possibly imagine,” he replied.

“I don’t know. I can imagine a lot.”

“Not this,” he answered.

“All right,” she said, drawing out the words. “I guess that just leaves you then. Back at Emily’s everyone kept calling you a hunter…and not in a nice way.”

“And you want to know why.”

“I’m not sure want is the right word,” she said with a joking smile. “But I figure I should probably know something about the man I’m trusting with my life.”

She was right. She deserved to know. Still, he hesitated. He glanced at the wine, but reached for the food instead.

“It was my job,” he said. Of course, it was a hell of a lot more than that. “I was the personal huntsman of our queen.”

“Wow.” Adele’s eyes went wide. “Like in Snow White.”

“Not exactly.” He’d looked over the tales that had filtered in from the Realm since arriving on Earth. He couldn’t make sense of the parts of the stories they’d kept and the parts that they’d changed for their own comfort. “I would never let my prey slip away…no matter how fair she was.”

“Your prey?” A wary look crept into her eyes. She leaned back a touch. “Does that mean you were an assassin like the Redcap?”

“Not were,” he said. “Am.”

“So, you’re a killer?” she asked, her face turning pale.

“I’m a survivor,” he clarified.

She leaned forward just long enough to grab the bottle and take another long swig. When she lowered the wine, a little of the color had returned to her face. She didn’t put the bottle back on the table, but kept her hands wrapped tight around the neck, as if she thought she might need more soon.

“Is that how you ended up here?” she asked.

He shook his head. “All of us were exiled for crimes against the crown.”

Her brows pulled together. “So, you were political prisoners.”

“If that’s what you call it,” he said. “Merlin was found guilty of weaving treasonous prophecies, Fenrir for being an imminent danger, and Shay was exiled for holding too much power over the king.”

“That last one sounds...made up.”

“Oberon is the king,” he said. “He can make up any laws he likes.”

“That doesn’t make them fair.”

Bron shook his head. “No, it doesn’t. But fair doesn’t hold the same value in my world as it does in yours.”

“That’s a shame.”

Bron couldn’t help but smile. There was a simplicity to her words that cut straight to the core of the matter.

“What was your crime?” she asked.

“Officially, I was found guilty of disobeying orders and insubordination for not being able to kill Fenrir and end the threat to the crown.”

“Well, that explains a lot,” she said before taking another drink. “So, what was the unofficial reason?”

“My relationship with the queen.”

The bottle froze halfway to Adele’s mouth. Her eyes went comically wide. For a second she didn’t blink or breathe.

“Your relationship?” she repeated.

He nodded.

“You were sleeping with the queen?”

“I never slept with her.”

Adele shot him a look. “You know what I mean.”

“I do.” But he was fascinated with why she wouldn’t use the words to accurately describe the act.

“Well, that was a terrible idea.” A giggle bubbled out from between her tight lips. “I hope she was worth the punishment.”

“She wasn’t.”

“That’s a total shame,” she said. “Somehow I imagined a fairy queen would be beautiful.”

“She was,” he said. “The most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.”

The smile slowly faded from Adele’s face. “Really?”

“Titania is the most beautiful woman in the whole Realm, maybe in all three worlds. Men have waged wars to have the chance to sit on the throne next to her side. They’ve died for the chance to kneel before her.”

“Okay, I get it. She’s a hottie,” Adele said. “So, then why wasn’t she worth it?”

“Because she wanted something I couldn’t give her.”

“What was that?”

“Love.”

Adele blinked. “You didn’t love her?”

“Of course not. I’ve never loved anyone. Neither has Titania,” he said. “Love is as mythical in my world as magic is in yours. That’s why she made the emotion part of our curse.”

“Oh.” She gazed at him sadly for a moment before her brows pulled together. “But wait, if you didn’t love her then why would you risk banishment by sleeping with her?”

“I told you, we never—”

“And you know what I mean.” She leaned forward. There was nothing timid in her voice now. The wine’s influence, no doubt.

“Because seeing to her needs was my duty.”

“Your duty?”

“I was handpicked by the queen to be her personal hunter,” he explained. “It was a prestigious position. One that included following her every order and desire.”

“Wait.” Adele’s eyes narrowed. Her back straightened. “She ordered you to sleep with her?”

“In a manner of speaking,” he answered. “She told me her desires, and I saw to them.”

“So, she used you? Knowing that you’d get the boot if you were caught?”

“I suppose.” Bron had never thought of the situation that way. In all honesty, he hadn’t given it much thought at all. His job was to see to the needs of the queen. All her needs. And that’s what he had done. Everything that happened after was his lot in life. His fate.

But it was clear that wasn’t how Adele saw things. Her lips pressed together tight.

“Well, I don’t care how pretty this queen is. She sounds like a stone cold bitch to me.” Anger infused her words, but it took him a moment to realize she wasn’t angry at him. She was angry for him. No one had ever taken Bron’s side in this argument before. She took another swig of wine. “So, what happened to her?”

“What do you mean?”

“What happened to Titania when her husband found out you two were fooling around?” she asked. “Did he kick her out? Demand a divorce? Exile her to Boise, Idaho?”

“Of course not.” Bron shook his head. “Those laws don’t apply to the crown.”

Her glower turned even darker. “You’re telling me nothing happened to her?”

“Why would it?” he asked. “Marriage is rare in the Realm and never based on love, so fidelity isn’t prized.”

Her brows pulled together. “Then why did the king send the Redcap after you if he didn’t care that you slept with his wife?”

“I never said he didn’t care,” Bron said before taking another bite. “Marrying Titania is how Oberon became king. He sees her as his greatest prize, and I dared to tarnish a piece of his treasure. Pride demands he seek retribution.”

“God save us from men and their pride,” she said before taking one more long drink. A second later, she handed over the bottle. A slight smile pulled at Bron’s lips when he felt how light it had become.

“You need to eat,” he said, gesturing to the pizza.

She wobbled a little as she leaned forward to grab a slice. Her eyes closed as she took the first bite. Her shoulders softened and she let out a soft sigh as she fell back into the thick cushions of the couch. It seemed the wine hadn’t wasted any time lowering her defenses. Which meant this was a perfect time to ask some questions of his own.

“Tell me about yourself,” he said.

“There’s not much to tell,” she said, keeping her eyes closed. “I grew up in the Bay Area, I’ve lived in the city for six years, and I’m a self-employed tax accountant. There you go. That’s the whole story.”

Not hardly. “You live alone?” he asked.

“Always have.”

“And do you have a lover?”

“A lover?” A bubble of laughter escaped her lips. “No.”

“Not now?” he asked. “Or not ever?”

She cracked open an eye. “Well, I’m not a virgin if that’s what you’re asking. I go out on dates sometimes. I’ve had a couple of boyfriends, but nothing as decadent as a lover.”

“What a shame,” he said. “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.”

A deep pink blush blossomed on her cheeks, but this time she didn’t lower her head and hide. Instead, she looked him straight in the eye as she wet the full curve of her bottom lip.

“And this is something you have a lot of experience with?” she asked, her voice low.

“I do,” he said plainly. He couldn’t help the surge of satisfaction when her blush deepened at his words.

“Is that why the queen wanted you?” she asked. “Because of your experience?”

“No,” he said, leaning forward. “Because of my reputation for being the best at everything I do.”

“Everything?” she asked, her voice breathy.

A wicked smile twisted his lips. “Everything.”

For a brief moment, longing filled Adele’s eyes. She grazed her bottom lip as she let out a heavy breath. The look she gave him was one of pure desire. For a second, Bron thought he might get a closer glimpse of the fire that burned just beyond her carefully constructed walls.

But no.

A second later, she caught herself. Her gaze snapped down to her lap. Her bright hair fell forward, shielding the blush lighting up her face.

“Well, I think that’s enough show-and-tell for tonight. Don’t you?” She sprung from the couch, careful to keep her gaze away from his. “It has been a really long day, and I’m tired.”

He rose from the floor as she scurried the short way to a small closet and threw open the door. She lifted herself up on tiptoes, reaching for something on the top shelf.

“I’m not used to having overnight company,” she said, her fingers not quite making it to the neatly folded pile of blankets and pillows. “I’m sorry, but all I can offer you is the couch.”

Bron put her out of her misery. He moved in right behind her, close enough that his chest kissed her back, before grabbing the linens down.

She took her time turning around, letting her head fall back as she looked up at him. She lifted a hand and pushed her hair behind her ear, exposing the long column of her neck. He could see her heartbeat pulsing faster.

“I’ve bedded down in far worse conditions,” he said. He was used to sleeping on bare forest floors, hard granite slabs under the cover of trees in the pouring rain. Adele’s simple apartment was luxurious in comparison.

“I also don’t have any pajamas that would fit you,” she said.

“I don’t wear them,” he said.

“Okay.” A second later, understanding widened her eyes. “Oh. You mean you don’t wear…” Her words drifted off as she waved her open palm in front of his chest.

“Is that a problem?”

“No,” she said with an exaggerated shake of her head. “Of course not. Why would it be? You’re a grown man. You can sleep however you like.”

“Good,” he said before grabbing on to the bottom hem of his shirt and peeling it off over his head.

A smile pulled at his lips as Adele’s jaw dropped. Bron didn’t back away. Didn’t give her even an inch of extra space. He liked the look on her face as she stared at his body. Her mouth worked wordlessly. Passion lit her eyes. There was so much want in her. So much desire.

And he wanted to taste her. Wanted to watch her be overtaken by pleasure. Wanted to hear his name on her lips as he brought her to heights she’d never even known existed.

And he was so sure she wanted that too…until Adele shook her head.

“I-I should give you some privacy,” she said, turning and rushing toward her bed.

“You don’t have to,” he said to her back.

She didn’t slow down at his words. If anything, she went even faster.

“No, I really do.” She hopped up on her mattress and hit a switch on the wall. All the electric lights went out, but streetlight still poured in through the gossamer drapes over the front window, enough for him to clearly watch her slip under her sheets and quickly pull the blankets up over her head.

Bron cocked his head to the side. He’d been rejected before, but never by someone who was so clearly drawn to him. He could tell she was fighting the attraction, though he had no idea why. One more puzzle to add to the list that was Adele Grayson.

He watched her lying stiff and still in her bed for another minute before moving over to the couch. He tossed the blanket and pillow down before stretching out on top of the cushions.

He wasn’t about to strip off any more of his clothes, and not just because nakedness obviously made Adele uncomfortable. The truth was he didn’t fully trust Merlin’s relic to keep them hidden. The ancient conjurer might know his magic, but Bron knew Redcaps. They were highly trained, resourceful, and relentless.

Bron had to be ready for anything. Prepared. Focused. Well-rested.

Because if anyone could hunt them down through a magical haze, it would be the Redcap.