My breath caught at the play of emotions across his face: despair, anger, joy and something deeper that wrenched my heart and was gone before I could name it. His body was rigid as he filled the small doorway, looking like he couldn’t decide whether to yell at me or hug me. It shook me a little to discover how happy I was to see him. Ever since I woke up in Faerie, I had felt sort of adrift between the two worlds. Seeing him was like finding an anchor to hold me in this one.

“Where were you?” he asked harshly and in those three words I heard pent up frustration, relief and a strong dose of anger.

“Don’t look at me like that.” I wrapped my arms around me, thinking that at least some things hadn’t changed. “It’s not like I stabbed myself and jumped off the damn cliff!”

His eyes widened at my outburst and to my mortification, my own filled up with tears. Before I could move, he was in front of me, and I sniffed as he knelt and lifted my chin so I was forced to look at him. The tenderness and regret in his eyes were my undoing. I began to cry in earnest and I was unable to protest when he pulled me against his chest and held me while my body shook and my tears soaked his shirt. I wanted to tell him he could let me go, that I was okay, but I found myself reluctant to leave the warm comfort of his arms even after the tears subsided.

“Pozhaluysta, prosti menya. I promised to keep you safe and I didn’t,” he said thickly against my hair. “I’m sorry.”

“No.” I made myself pull away from him. “If you hadn’t shown up when you did, Eli would have…”

He flinched. “Don’t think about that.” He stared at me like he still could not believe I was there. “We’ve been searching that area ever since you disappeared. Where were you?”

“Seelie.”

“Come again.”

“Turns out I have friends there.” I gave a watery smile at his puzzled expression. “It’s kind of complicated.”

Nikolas ran a hand through his dark hair. “Why does that not surprise me?” He pulled out the chair behind him and sat in front of me, almost close enough for our knees to touch. Warmth spread through my belly and I tried to shake it off. My emotions were pretty high right now and the last thing I needed was to add to them.

Crossing his arms, he watched me expectantly. “Well, let’s have it. I’m dying to know how a Mori demon ends up in a world where no demon would dare to tread.”

“Well, it all started the day I met a sylph… actually no, it started before that with my great, great, great, great grandmother.”

He quirked an eyebrow impatiently and I scowled at him. “Look, I told you it was complicated.”

His sigh was barely audible. “I’m sorry. Please continue.”

The apology was so surprising, so out of character for Nikolas that I forgot what I was talking about and it took me a moment to remember. I told him everything I’d told Nate about Aine and what I had learned about my undine ancestor. To give him credit, his face betrayed no reaction as I revealed my unique heritage. I ended by repeating Aine’s warning to be careful because there were some who would not be happy about my existence.

“You didn’t tell me that part,” admonished Nate who had come in halfway through my story. “Does this mean you’re in more danger?”

“No,” Nikolas told him decisively. “Because we will keep her safe this time.”

Nate visibly relaxed. “So she’s safe here?”

Nikolas faced Nate. “I have not lied to you since we met and I won’t start now. Until we track down Eli’s master, Sara is not safe anywhere except with the Mohiri.” Nate started to speak and Nicolas said, “I know you don’t know much about us but Sara has family among the Mohiri and they would never harm her. And you would be welcome there as well.”

“Really?” I asked. If Nate could come with me, going to live with the Mohiri might not be so bad.

Nate shook his head. “Thank you, that is very generous, but I can’t just pick up and leave. I have a new book coming out and a book tour to plan. And truthfully, I don’t think I would be comfortable living among people who all look like twenty year olds.”

My heart sank. “But you could be in danger if the vampires come back.”

“Everyone – including the vampires – thinks you are dead,” Nate pointed out. “If they were coming back, they would have done it by now.”

“He’s right,” Nikolas said. “As long as we get you out of here before anyone discovers the truth, Nate should be safe.”

I looked at Nate. “But I just got back. I don’t want to leave you.”

Nate gave me a reassuring smile. “I don’t want you to go but I would feel better knowing you are safe. And it’s not like we can’t talk on the phone whenever you want. I’ll even come for Christmas if the Mohiri celebrate it.”

“We do, and Thanksgiving too,” Nikolas informed us. He shook his head at my look of surprise. “We are not as different as you think we are.”

I stared at my clenched hands but they held no answers for me. After everything we’d been through, I didn’t want to leave Nate, but if I stayed here I risked putting his life in danger again. He had already been kidnapped and almost killed by someone trying to get to me. My decision had to be about his safety as much as it was about mine and the weight of it rested heavily on my shoulders.