The Inner Circle (Return of the Ancients Book 3) by Carmen Caine, Madison Adler Page A

kind of excitement that I could only want to share with him.
    Abruptly, he pulled away.
    “This can go no further,” he said quietly, his face hardening into a mask.
    Feeling rejected all at once, I reacted by jumping out of his car.
    But he was out in a flash and headed me off before I could take more than a few steps in the fresh snow.
    I scowled at him.
    “You shouldn’t be walking around right now, Sydney,” Rafael warned. “You’re in more danger than you realize.”
    “And whose fault is that?” My scowl deepened in response.
    “Do you really want me to answer that?” he asked arrogantly, raising a mocking brow.
    That infuriated me even more. “You’re trying to blame me for taking the tulpa in the first place?” I poked him in the chest. “Weren’t you guys the ones who were supposed to protect us? You know, prevent those things from even coming to Earth?”
    “And is it our fault that you humans insist on harming yourselves, thereby attracting the Brotherhood to begin with?” he asked without missing a beat.
    My mouth dropped open. “I’ve never seen this side of you before,” I said, wagging my finger at him. I couldn’t really say anything else because there was a sort of logic to what he was saying, even if I didn’t like to hear it. I settled for snapping at him. “I’m sure the Fae aren’t perfect either!” And with that, I turned on my heel and prepared to go.
    Rafael caught my shoulder to stop me. Annoyed, I shrugged him off. But he didn’t let me get far. In calm, deliberate movements, he grabbed my hand and spun me around. And pressing me close to his chest, he brought my face within an inch or two of his.
    “I’m sorry, Sydney,” he whispered in my ear. “It’s been a trying day. I seem to have no patience of late.”
    I held out, thinking about giving him the cold-shoulder treatment. But that only lasted about two seconds. I didn’t seem to have any resistance when it came to Rafael.
    “Why did you do all of that?” I asked in a hoarse voice. “Are you really one of them?”
    His grim eyes narrowed the tiniest bit. “Nothing good will come of you knowing me,” he said through clenched teeth.
    “I don’t believe that.” I frowned, shaking my head. “I don’t want to believe that you’re on the same side as the Mesmers. I can’t believe you’re one of them.”
    He went very still. “If I seem that evil to you …” he began in a thick voice and paused a moment before adding, “That is a bit upsetting.”
    “I knew it,” I said, holding onto the implication in relief. “I knew you weren’t really bad! Are you spying?”
    His eyes lingered on me longer than necessary, and the muscle of his jaw visibly tightened. “You should really be getting home,” he replied, switching subjects.
    I knew that meant I had gotten too close to the truth.
    “I’ll give you a ride home,” he continued as he grabbed my arm and escorted me back to the Bentley.
    Settled safely inside, I waited for him to join me, and he’d barely turned the key when there was a rap on my car window.
    Jumping, I looked up to see Jareth peering in.
    Rafael zipped my window down. “I’m not in the mood to deal with you right now, Jareth.” He checked himself with difficulty. “Be gone.”
    “Tempting,” Jareth said, crossing his arms and planting his feet wide apart. “But I don’t trust you anymore. I’ll not let you take Sydney without a fight.
    “Don’t tempt me,” Rafael said, his voice suddenly turning fierce. “You know I can get barbaric.”
    Jareth merely shifted his stance, looking more formidable by the moment.
    Rafael froze. Tilting his head to one side, he glanced up at Jareth. “I need your help,” he said suddenly.
    Jareth looked at him in surprise and assumed a surly expression. “You have nerve.”
    Rafael merely shrugged. “Perhaps. But now, I simply need your help.” Getting out of the car, he tossed the keys over the top to Jareth.
    Jareth caught them with a