It looked like today was a day for risks, and she took her biggest one yet as she dialed a number on her phone. When the voice on the other line said hello, Anne didn’t waste time.
“I have an emergency, and I need your help. Can you please come to the location that I will text?”
***
The hour crept by, and the wounds that her blood had relieved returned, putting the Fae back in his world of agony so strongly that he eventually lay on his back, no longer caring about protecting himself from her. Perhaps it was a sign of trust, too, as he barely budged when she slabbed more blood on him, careful not to draw more than what she could handle. Every closing and reopening of that slashed spot had her gritting her teeth, but she championed through it and continued the process.
The fog settled down, hinting at sleepiness, and she could sense it from him, too. Her skin hummed at the energy that flowed in and out of him, grazing but not hurting. Then her skin prickled, and a tingle ran up her spine—her only warning as she whirled to face the hidden spot’s entrance and the figure getting in. The fog whipped into a frenzy, then dwindled. The Fae tried to sit up but couldn’t manage.
Angelo gawked at the scene before him, assessing everything with sharp eyes before his gaze landed on her.
“Are you hurt?” was the first question out of his mouth.
“I’m not. He is.”
He studied Mino again, then approached. She waited for any telltale signs: a flicker of recognition, the fog coming after him, the Fae reacting badly to the so-called presence of evil…anything that would clue her into her suspicion. But there was only the returning wariness as Mino’s eyes tailed Angelo’s gait until the clan leader was in front of them. The energy didn’t even spike.
Angelo knelt beside her, gaze not missing the closing slash close to her wrist. Then he scanned Mino’s wounds. “Explain this to me, please.”
Slowly, she started with the dancing fog and how this was its source, then relayed how she followed it and helped lessen the wounds. She observed his face the whole time she spoke, certain that no man could ever hold up a mask in front of his victim for so long.
“How did you get here so fast?” she asked once she was done.
“The animals were a dead giveaway. Literally.”
His mouth thinned. A second later, she jerked in a defensive position, then blinked when it became clear that he wasn’t attacking. Instead, Angelo had slashed his wrist and was trickling even more blood over the Fae’s wounds. A whimper of delirium glided from Mino’s lips before his dull gold eyes locked with Angelo’s.
“Thank you.”
The raw interaction made something click. Just like that, she knew within her very bones that Angelo wasn’t the culprit.
“You are welcome.” As if sensing her stunned stare, Angelo glanced at her. “My cousin is a half-Fae. I know enough about them and can feel if they are evil. Our clan helps anyone in need, and he is obviously in need.”
The emphasis on anyone opened up her memory of the warm welcome she had once received. She watched him rub the slit until there was only a red mark, showing how much faster his healing process was.
“His name is Mino,” she said, then braced herself once more. “He used to live in The Western Cub.”
Angelo stilled, the first telltale sign that he knew this place. But his features filled with bewilderment.
“The Western Cub?”
She nodded. “Is it your clan’s territory?”
“Yes. It wasn’t before. It belonged to a reptile shifter clan.” Angelo spun to face Mino, his body language urgent. “Did they do this to you? Are reptiles back in the area?”
“There is evil close to you. It will bring destruction.”
“A leader. Someone who leads,” she added. “He keeps saying the same thing, and I think we are in danger.”
Angelo’s brows furrowed. But the absorption of the information didn’t take long as he straightened and promptly stood. She felt his menace but understood it wasn’t directed at either of them. Mino didn’t think so, either, just as entranced with the commanding aura that reverberated from the clan leader.
“Then we need to find that evil and secure our lands.”
When his phone buzzed, she went on alert, too. “What is it?”
“Reinforcements. We need to get Mino out of here and let him heal in safer territory. He can answer our questions later. But first, I need to make sure this current area is safe with no traps or enemies closing in on him. Anne…”
“I got it,” she said. “I will keep him protected. Don’t wait up for your reinforcements. Go.”