Page 26 of Faerie Marked

His strange green eyes pinned me in place as if he could detect every move I made, every muscle in my body tense and primed to fight. “Of course you can, but it doesn’t mean I can’t offer to help you,” he said with another flash of teeth. “Especially considering I’m heading to the academy, too.”

“You are?” I blinked at him, trying to put two and two together and coming up short. I blamed it on the lack of sleep and too many days of worry.

“It’s my first semester,” Mike stated easily as he gestured for me to follow him. “Please don’t think less of me when I admit I’m a little nervous about it. I’ve never been to a school like this before. It’s going to be a new experience.”

He was heading to the Halflings Academy as well. Which meant he was my…my competition. With spaces limited, a girl had to look out for herself.

“I’m nervous too,” I told him.

“But are you as nervous as I am?”

“Probably more so.” I watched him move to the backseat, lug my suitcase and duffel bag out of the Toyota and drag everything to his own vehicle parked several feet behind. He had more than enough room for both of our stuff.

“Oh, doubtful,” he said with a laugh. I could tell he wanted to put me at ease and appreciated the kindness. I only hoped it wouldn’t turn around to bite me in the ass.

“You don’t seem to have a lot packed,” I commented.

Mike swung around to stare at his own luggage, mouth quirked. “Well, dudes don’t have quite as much as girls. Plus, I travel light. I find it’s easier for me to pick up and leave if I don’t have too many things weighing me down. You know?”

He turned back to me and my cheeks heated even as I let out a tight breath. “It makes sense.” I was in the same boat, yet I’d managed to bring almost double what Mike had.

He finished adding my luggage to his own and slid behind the wheel. I took the passenger seat, noting the spotless interior, the clean dashboard, and the tiny bag of herbs hanging from the rearview mirror. I drew in a breath and caught the scent of lavender and rosemary then clicked my seatbelt into place.

It must be a Fae thing. I had a lot to learn.

“Hey, I’m not going to bite. You don’t have to worry so much.” Mike flashed me a grin with white teeth gleaming in a way that almost suggested otherwise. Or maybe it was just my imagination but my insides prickled, and not in a bad way.

“I appreciate your stopping to help me,” I said as he pulled the car away from the side of the road.

“No problem. Once we get settled in, I can help you call someone to take care of your car, although I don’t think anyone is going to bother it. It’s old enough to dissuade any would-be thief.”

I waved the comment away. “Don’t even worry about it. I’m not. There are other things for me to focus on than your old car.”

Mike had been respectful enough of me and my boundaries to lead me to believe he was a nice person. Still, I had to be careful and watch every step.

“You know, I’m thinking…you don’t need to stay at a motel. The academy will let us in tonight if you want.”

I swallowed. “Tonight?” I thought I’d have enough time to settle myself, to figure things out before getting to the school in the morning.

This put me in a tenuous mental position.

“Yup, no need to stop,” he said with a quick glance in my direction. “Besides, then you won’t have to pay for a taxi to get you there in the morning. We can get there in less than an hour, if you’re ready.”

No. I didn’t feel onebitready. I forced a grin anyway.

“Okay, fine. Bring it on.”

10

I’d made a mistake. I’d gambled and ended up in a car with a serial killer.

My thoughts circled down a dark drain until my anxiety spiked. Binge-watching too many true crime documentaries made me leery of Mike to the point where I kept one hand on the door ready to jump for the first ten miles of our trip. Especially considering I’d just agreed to let him drive us the whole way instead of dropping me off.

An hour in the car with Mike… I glanced over at him.Please don’t kill me.

There were some handsome serial killers out there, though.

He drove the rest of the way to the campus with light conversation and banter between us. I didn’t realize how close I’d truly been to the school when my car decided to break down.

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