Page 87 of Primal Bonds

Corban released the cabby but stayed close, breathing down his neck.

The man took off his shoes and tossed them out the door as directed. His hands were trembling, and his breath was coming in fearful huffs.

Corban sneered. Humans were so easy to scare.

“There.” The cabby met Corban’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “My shoes, just like you asked.”

Corban shoved open his door without answering. The moment his feet touched the sidewalk, the cabby pulled shut his door, hit the gas and sped off.

Corban swore and jumped back, barely avoiding being sideswiped. The cab kept going down the street, the back door still open.

Corban pushed his feet into the man’s leather loafers. They were shiny brown and with that just-bought smell. He wiggled his toes. They fit good, too. He’d got the better of that bargain.

Adric was a legendary tracker. Corban didn’t think Adric could follow Corban’s scent through his shoes, but he wasn’t a hundred percent sure. Better to be safe.

His destination was a quarter mile away near Jones Falls, the large creek that ran through Druid Hill Park. He hobbled toward it as fast as he could, careful not to brush against trees or bushes.

He reached the boulder that covered the entrance and sank down on it, heart pounding with the effort it had taken to get here. But every minute he spent above ground was dangerous. He shoved the boulder aside, uncovering the entrance to a small, hidden den, lowered himself partway down the rickety metal ladder and with his last ounce of energy, set the boulder back in place before descending the last few feet to the floor.

The den was basically a dirt cellar with a water supply and a toilet. Corban had dug it out in secret, so that not even his father had known about it. No lighting, which meant it was pitch black. Corban paused, waiting for his eyes to go night-glow. When he could see again, he limped his way to the two musty wool blankets stacked in a corner. Sinking onto the blankets, he eased off his pants and examined the back of his thigh. The wound had scabbed up, but it needed to be cleaned. With grim determination, he rose back to his feet and went to the sink.

It had been a couple of years since he’d been here. The spigot gave a groan and a pop, and then rusty water gushed out. He let it run until it was clear, and then found a clean T-shirt from his backpack and used it to rinse the dried blood from his neck and thigh.

He was too drained to change to his wolf. He rolled himself up in a blanket and allowed himself a smile. Adric would never find him here.

Then he passed out on the dirt floor.

Chapter 26

After Suha left, Evie and Jace took a walk to Druid Hill Park along with Kyler and Beau.

“Should be safe enough,” Jace said. “The night fae won’t be out on a sunny summer day—their skin’s too sensitive to light. And Corban’s gone to ground.”

“And the day Savonett gets past the two of us,” growled Beau, “is the day I slit my own throat.”

So the four of them headed up to the surface. The way out led through the big shed. Evie had only caught a glimpse of it last night, but now she could see it was filled with motorcycles and a car with most of its insides removed. There was a huge workbench at one end, and a mix of human tools and those which looked like they were quartz-powered.

Kyler’s eyes bulged. “Wow,” he breathed with a reverence usually reserved only for his favorite games.

“Sam’s the mechanic,” said Jace, “but we all like to mess with engines.”

“Sick.” Kyler ran a hand over a cobalt-blue fuel tank. “If you need any help, just yell.”

“I will.” Jace opened the outside door and inhaled, testing the air. “Seems clear, but wait here a minute.” He moved forward. Evie was reminded again that he was part cat. There was something very feline in his walk—loose and easy, each step precise, graceful.

Beau ambled out behind him. He tipped his head back and inhaled deeply. “No sign of Savonett or a night fae,” he agreed.

Jace nodded and motioned to Evie and Kyler to join him. Kyler and Beau walked on ahead, leaving her and Jace to follow.

Evie couldn’t get it out of her head—she was part fae and she apparently had some kind of Gift. An amplifier, whatever that was supposed to be. But it felt right—she’d felt the heat in her hands and had somehow known she was helping to heal Jace.

When Suha had offered to get her training, she’d lit up inside—until she’d realized she couldn’t accept. Jace hadn’t said anything, but when she’d refused, he’d removed his hand from her back.

But he must know this was only temporary. He’d said himself they didn’t mix.

She sighed. What she really wanted was to talk this over with Fane, because if it was true that she was part fae, why hadn’t anyone told her?

Jace had said that speaking a fae’s name attracted their attention, but it hadn’t worked to call Fane in the past, except maybe that time right before her mom died. Still, as they walked down the driveway, she turned to Jace and deliberately said her dad’s name aloud.

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