every day that humans left their own realm and went into a Shifterowned, Faerie-created world cum Shifter bolthole. Just trying to put it into words was an enormous headache.
As soon as the girl was up and in the shower, Jace stepped outside to get some fresh air. His head cleared a bit and he cursed his own stupidity.
You locked yourself in a small space with a single female whose Ascendancy is blooming, probably because of being around you. On top of all that, she’s not unattractive. Add the fact that she needs your help and that she seems innocent… IDIOT.
Jace was muttering angrily at himself when Tessa came out on the porch to join him, still drying her damp curls with a towel. She joined him, sitting on the broad cement stoop as she worked at her hair. The girl’s scent, sweet yet crisp, invaded Jace’s senses. How did she do that? Damn her.
“How did you know what to do last night?” Tessa asked.
Jace frowned. He’d assumed she didn’t remember his embrace any more than her nightmares. He wasn’t sure how to answer her question, so he shrugged.
“I’ve had a panic attacks before, since I was a teenager. Not just anybody knows what to do in that scenario,” she pointed out, sounding curious.
Jace let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Apparently the girl didn’t realize how close they’d come to something a hell of a lot worse than a panic attack.
“My sister has had panic attacks since she was young,” he replied coolly.
“Ah. Well, thanks for helping me last night.”
Jace nodded, unsure how to start digging for Tessa’s background information.
“You were cool under pressure. You should be a paramedic,” she commented.
“How do you know I’m not?” he said suspiciously.
“I guess I don’t. But I don’t think you’re in the medical field,” Tessa said, pursing her lips as she surveyed him. As if just by looking at him she could know everything about him.
“I’m thinking… a consultant. But not a lawyer, and not a money guy… are you in law enforcement?”
Jace raised a brow, impressed.
“Security,” he filled in.
“I have trouble seeing you walking around the mall with a flashlight and scaring off teenagers,” she said, eyeing him.
“I run all high and low tech security at the Den. I’m more like your company’s IT guy, but with a lot more responsibility,” he said, allowing a little bit of pride to wash through his voice. He was damned good at his job, and he helped protect his pack. At least he could be useful in that way.
“Ah, the Den. Still sounds a little sketchy to me. Are you sure it isn’t a big hole in the ground?”
“It’s definitely not below the earth. It’s our name for the whole compound. It’s kind of like a commune, Shifters only. It’s a safe place for us.”
A flare of interest lit Tessa’s features.
“You all live there?”
Jace shrugged, not keen on giving away information on his territory to a stranger. Even an attractive blonde whose Ascendant scent was somehow stifling him even now, though they were in the open air. It was like sitting in an apple orchard.
“That must be tough, all of you crammed in together,” Tessa commented absently.
Jace grimaced, imagining sharing one big room with the whole pack.
“It’s not like we sleep in tents or anything. The Den is a huge spread of land. We all have separate quarters.”
“I guess you manly Shifters need your privacy.”
Jace was silent, attempting to hide the lecherous thoughts that sprang to mind. Jace’s wolf had lots of ideas for ways to use his private time. He was acting like some horny teenager, for god’s sake.
What is it about this female that is so distracting? Jace wondered.
“Why is McDonough following you?” Jace asked, the question out of his mouth before it had even fully formed in his mind.
Nice, he thought, very subtle interrogation .
Tessa’s brow wrinkled for a moment, showing a hint of confusion before she answered. “I assume it’s because of the
As soon as the girl was up and in the shower, Jace stepped outside to get some fresh air. His head cleared a bit and he cursed his own stupidity.
You locked yourself in a small space with a single female whose Ascendancy is blooming, probably because of being around you. On top of all that, she’s not unattractive. Add the fact that she needs your help and that she seems innocent… IDIOT.
Jace was muttering angrily at himself when Tessa came out on the porch to join him, still drying her damp curls with a towel. She joined him, sitting on the broad cement stoop as she worked at her hair. The girl’s scent, sweet yet crisp, invaded Jace’s senses. How did she do that? Damn her.
“How did you know what to do last night?” Tessa asked.
Jace frowned. He’d assumed she didn’t remember his embrace any more than her nightmares. He wasn’t sure how to answer her question, so he shrugged.
“I’ve had a panic attacks before, since I was a teenager. Not just anybody knows what to do in that scenario,” she pointed out, sounding curious.
Jace let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Apparently the girl didn’t realize how close they’d come to something a hell of a lot worse than a panic attack.
“My sister has had panic attacks since she was young,” he replied coolly.
“Ah. Well, thanks for helping me last night.”
Jace nodded, unsure how to start digging for Tessa’s background information.
“You were cool under pressure. You should be a paramedic,” she commented.
“How do you know I’m not?” he said suspiciously.
“I guess I don’t. But I don’t think you’re in the medical field,” Tessa said, pursing her lips as she surveyed him. As if just by looking at him she could know everything about him.
“I’m thinking… a consultant. But not a lawyer, and not a money guy… are you in law enforcement?”
Jace raised a brow, impressed.
“Security,” he filled in.
“I have trouble seeing you walking around the mall with a flashlight and scaring off teenagers,” she said, eyeing him.
“I run all high and low tech security at the Den. I’m more like your company’s IT guy, but with a lot more responsibility,” he said, allowing a little bit of pride to wash through his voice. He was damned good at his job, and he helped protect his pack. At least he could be useful in that way.
“Ah, the Den. Still sounds a little sketchy to me. Are you sure it isn’t a big hole in the ground?”
“It’s definitely not below the earth. It’s our name for the whole compound. It’s kind of like a commune, Shifters only. It’s a safe place for us.”
A flare of interest lit Tessa’s features.
“You all live there?”
Jace shrugged, not keen on giving away information on his territory to a stranger. Even an attractive blonde whose Ascendant scent was somehow stifling him even now, though they were in the open air. It was like sitting in an apple orchard.
“That must be tough, all of you crammed in together,” Tessa commented absently.
Jace grimaced, imagining sharing one big room with the whole pack.
“It’s not like we sleep in tents or anything. The Den is a huge spread of land. We all have separate quarters.”
“I guess you manly Shifters need your privacy.”
Jace was silent, attempting to hide the lecherous thoughts that sprang to mind. Jace’s wolf had lots of ideas for ways to use his private time. He was acting like some horny teenager, for god’s sake.
What is it about this female that is so distracting? Jace wondered.
“Why is McDonough following you?” Jace asked, the question out of his mouth before it had even fully formed in his mind.
Nice, he thought, very subtle interrogation .
Tessa’s brow wrinkled for a moment, showing a hint of confusion before she answered. “I assume it’s because of the
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