"There are many types of Fae. I do not know all of them."
Not exactly what I wanted to hear.
My life was weird, but it usually wasn't this weird.
By now, it was beginning to sink in that someone was after me for reasons unknown. Knowing who they were and what they wanted would go a long way to prolonging my life expectancy.
There was a chance that this was the end of it, that they’d realize I wasn't the easy prey they assumed and would back off.
Something made me doubt I was that lucky.
I turned onto the on ramp for I-70 and shot east.
"We're in luck. I might know something that can help us find out who we're dealing with," I said.
Connor’s gaze landed on the side of my face.
I ignored him as I hit the interchange and took I-71 North towards my apartment.
"Looks like you're going to get what you want after all," I told him after a minute.
He arched an eyebrow at me in question.
I shot him a sidelong grin. "Welcome to the team—for now."
I winced as the pain from smiling reminded me of my face’s encounter with hard brick.
"This is just temporary,” I added.
I was grateful he'd saved me, but I still didn't trust him.
My family, and more than one friend, had accused me of suffering from trust issues and paranoia since my return from the Army. But as recent events had shown, I had very good reasons for both emotions.
"I've proven myself to you?" he asked cautiously.
I lifted my shoulders. "Sure, why not?"
It would be good to have a powerful vampire on my side if there really was an unknown group out there gunning for me.
If it didn't work out or he proved too much trouble, I could always fire him.
Connor inclined his head in a bow that was more elegant than anything I could pull off. "I will not forget this kindness."
"Don't thank me yet. Consider this a trial period to see if we mesh. I'm still not convinced your help will offset the problems you bring with you."
And the biggest of those problems was named Thomas. I had a feeling our sire was going to be less than pleased I now had a corrupting influence on the first vampire he'd made.
I sighed. Really, why couldn't I ever learn my lesson?
THREE
I PULLED INTO the parking lot of the place I called home. A second-floor walkup in a plain brick building, my apartment was on the outskirts of the university district in the no-man's land before it transitioned to the next big neighborhood. Four bars were located within a ten-minute walk, an obvious draw to the college and grad students who made up the majority of my neighbors.
Once little more than a slum, it had seen some improvements over the last few months, courtesy of the new landlord. He'd made a point of repaving the parking lot and replacing the lights in the street lamps.
The stairs he'd decided to replace were finally done. No longer a death trap, they were more than sturdy enough to hold multiple people at once.
It was enough to make a person grateful. Something that would be easier if my landlord wasn't also Thomas, the sire I'd prefer to avoid at all costs.
Still, I couldn't argue with the changes. All of which had come without an increase in rent.
I put the car in park and hit the button to turn it off. It gave one last throaty purr before powering down.
No matter how many times I drove this beauty, I still couldn't get over the fact she was mine. No strings attached. After years of doing most of my travel by bike, it was amazing to have a car again. Like a dream come true that I hadn't even let myself dream about.
I faced Connor, not yet getting out of the car. "First rule. Driver gets to choose the music."
He settled back and regarded me with eyes that saw way too much. "I will remember that."
I grunted. Good.
If this was going to work, there needed to be rules. Boundaries.
"I guess I'll see you later then," I said.
Connor nodded. "I will be here."
I paused in the act of opening my door, settling back to study him. The way he said that made it seem like he was going to hang around like a giant gargoyle on my roof while waiting for unknown Fae to attack.
"You're not going home, are you?" I asked, giving into the inevitable.
"I thought I would watch over you for a time."
I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, staring out the window. I'd been afraid of that.
"Look, I need to do some research. I don't plan to go out again tonight."
Connor perked up at that, looking interested. "I could help with that—if you were serious about us being partners."
I held up a finger. "I never said partners. You can work for me. I will be the boss."
We needed to get that straight right now. This was my business. My livelihood. Maybe one day when I trusted him, we could have more of a partner relationship, but that wasn't today.
Connor inclined his head. "Of course. You're the boss."
I narrowed my eyes at him, unable to help the unsettling feeling that he was humoring me.
"You might find the tool I use for research a tad suspicious." Liam certainly had. Then again, Connor's experience in a Fae court could lend him even more insight into the book that I'd gotten saddled with—the one that liked to have conversations via the written word and set my bedspread on fire when I threatened it.
"All the more reason for me to stay by your side," he said.
I considered him, the silence in the car deepening. He was patient, not trying to push his agenda or manipulate me into the course of events he thought best. In that, he was smarter than Thomas—and Liam.
"Fine, but we do things my way." I pointed at him again, tacking on as an afterthought, "And you can't hurt, maim, or kill anyone I consider an ally."
The stipulation seemed like overkill, but I'd been burned before. There was a reason the witches considered me persona non grata and tried to kill me whenever they saw me. Liam had done a good job of fucking up that relationship. Granted, I'd helped a little, but he’d done most of the heavy lifting.
"Agreed."
I frowned at him again and climbed out of the car.
Already feeling slightly off balance from Connor's presence, I almost didn't notice when a second car door slammed as we headed for my stairs.
Beside me, Connor went rigid, power sliding off him, ice cold and deadly.
"Aileen?" Jenna paused in her approach, picking up on Connor's hostility. She stopped a few feet from me, fiddling uncertainly with her keys.
"Jenna, what are you doing here?" I asked, looking around.
With the attack not that long ago, I couldn't help but be on my guard, especially with my little sister now in the mix.
There was more than one reason I was somewhat estranged from my family. They may have sensed something was different about me, but I also hadn't fought very hard to mend the breach. If something ever happened to them because of me, I don't know what I would do. The supernatural world had a habit of spilling over onto others—just ask Caroline.
"I wanted to talk to my big sister," Jenna said, a note of pleading in her voice.
Connor shifted beside me, drawing her attention. His gaze held a hint of unfriendliness, but otherwise he regarded her from behind a mask of indifference.