Page 55 of Changeling
“I know she’s not lying,” Sasha went on. “She’s just living out her life. Simple. Quiet. And she makes Ula’s family happy. The first thing we asked her, Nathan, was if she knew anything about your mark or the dark sidhe who owns the bounty, but she doesn't. We would have told you everything over the phone, we just...”
“Figured I’d react…like this,” Nathan surmised, and pulled both hands back out into the open—empty. He glanced at Walter, who looked surprised by the situation, but no longer distrustful of Ula. Then Nathan looked to Shiarra, who didn’t seem at all shocked to hear about his mark, which he had been expecting. Finally, he looked to Ula. “Sorry. I’m not really used to dark fae not trying to kill me. Though at this point I really shouldn’t be surprised,” he said with a gesture and crooked smile thrown at Sasha.
It took Ula a moment to realize that Nathan’s words meant he was giving her the okay. Her entire face lit up and she nodded vigorously. “Oh, of course, I wouldn’t try to…never! Turning in bounties?” She shuddered. “I’d never want to deal with the sidhe who own things like that. And I’d never want to hurt anyone. I watched over Sasha and your brother, didn’t I?”
Nathan couldn’t deny that. If he was being completely honest with himself, it would be pretty hypocritical of him to believe his brother could win out over his nature but not a normal dark fae. And Sasha was half dark fae, being an incubus. So Nathan supposed that if an incubus could be his savior, if a changeling could be saved, and if a normal human like Faust could basically sell his soul, then why couldn’t a dark fae choose to be good? The truth that Ula was just a sweet girl who wanted a normal life was oddly…comforting.
Sasha took down Ula’s cell phone number as well as the number for the motel, though they did still plan on staying another night, if only to recover. Ula even said she would try to see if she could find out anything about Nathan’s bounty from a few other ‘good’ dark fae she knew about around the country. The very idea astonished Nathan, but he wasn’t about to turn away any offered help.
And, after all, these days Nathan knew better than anyone how things—people—were rarely what they appeared to be.
“Soyou’redoingthewhole save us, ditch us thing again, huh?” Nathan smirked.
Shiarra had her purse over her shoulder and was standing near the door. She had decided against spending the night and had already packed up her car. “Well, you know how much Iadore torturing you boys with my presence, but I wouldn’t want to be in the way. And I don’t know how much saving I did this time."
Sasha hugged Shiarra first, good and strong, then Jim, who admittedly blushed a little since she also pecked his cheek, and finally Nathan went up and hugged her too, with a whispered, “Thanks.”
“Walk me to my car,” Shiarra said to Nathan when they pulled apart, leaving him with a strong sense of déjà vu. It wasn’t a request. Jim and Sasha gave Nathan puzzled looks as he grabbed his coat to follow her out, but Nathan merely shrugged.
It was an even colder Maine night than the day had been, lightly snowing to add to the already bountiful mounds everywhere but on the roads, and the roads were free only because the plows had been through.
Shiarra set her purse on the passenger’s seat and closed the side door again before turning to Nathan. Her eyes didn’t hold the usual smugness or confidence, but were entirely sympathetic. “So…marked for saving your brother.”
Nathan nodded.
“How much time do you have?”
“Months. If I’m lucky. More if Sasha and Jim can pull off a miracle.”
Shiarra sighed and planted a hand on her shapely hip, clad in a pair of form-fitting black pants she’d changed into for the trip. “I wondered if something was going on, but since we can’t sense marks like other fae…” She trailed and shook out her long dark hair.
“Sorry,” Nathan mumbled.
“Don’t be sorry, Nathan.Survive.” She stepped forward with sudden drive, getting right in Nathan’s space. For a moment, her bright blue eyes flashed red. “There are things Sasha can do, things your brother can do, that give them an advantage simplybecause of how they were born. You have none of those same abilities or natural strengths, and yet I have seen you accomplish so much and against insurmountable odds…as just a man. They need you.Don’tdisappoint me.”
Nathan felt the heaviness in his chest deepen, but he had to smile. “I—”
“Don’t…disappoint me.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
At last, Shiarra’s intense expression softened, and she leaned up to kiss Nathan very lightly on the lips. Then, just as swiftly as she had moved into their lives, she was out of it again, driving down the road.
Nathan was grateful for her parting words, and hoped that maybe even the cosmos would be helpless against the command she had left him with, but a terrible feeling began to overtake him as he watched her drive away that this was the last time he would ever see her.
Nathanwalkedbackintothe lobby to find Sasha chatting with Ula behind the front desk. He gave them both a passing wave, assuming Sasha just wanted to check up on her before they all called it a night. It was way past late now, and Nathan wanted nothing more than a shower, maybe a quick snack, and to hit the hay.
The room was dark when Nathan entered, but first glance showed no sign of Jim. The bathroom light was visible beneath the door.
“Hey! Hurry it up, Jim!” Nathan called, heading for the room’s phone. “I want to get in there too! Plus I was debating ordering a pizza. I know it’s late, but I don’t have the energy for much else.”Nathan heard the bathroom door open behind him. “I hope you don’t mind if I get extra…olives…” His voice fell away as he turned around, and the receiver he’d just picked up fell from his hand.
Amber eyes. Ambersliteyes and Jim walking slow and steady out of the bathroom toward him.
Chapter 23
“No…”Nathanbackedawayinstinctively and his thighs hit the edge of the end table.
He thought of when amber-eyed Jim had pushed him into the bathroom the night before. He hadn’t mentioned anything about it to adult Jim yet, but he was filled with the same overpowering panic. He quickly decided that if punching Jim had snapped him out of it before, then it seemed a pretty fair guess the same would work again.
