"What are you doing here?" she didn't know whether or not to call for Cole. Would her mother be in the house yet?

Chase scuffed his foot against the decking, his curls falling over his face, and seeming nothing like the cocky movie star she had previously encountered. Of course, she couldn't forget that he'd saved her from that building. She'd never have gotten down the stairs without him.

"Eli's letting me stay in the pool house," he jammed his thumb over his shoulder towards the classic weatherboard studio at the other end of the pool. "I can't go home, not with the media hounding for my blood." he took a step towards her and she couldn't help tensing ever so slightly. He noticed and raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry, Eli said I should stay out of sight until he talks to you, but I wanted to see you and say thank you."

"For what?" she was the one who should be thanking him.

He let out a huff of laughter and waved a hand at her shoulder. "You took a stake for me. I can never repay a debt like that. I'll be forever in your servitude."

"My servitude?" she couldn't help but laugh, which seemed to make Chase relax. His lips split in a too-handsome grin. "You vampires don't do things by halves, do you?"

"When it comes to life-saving measures, there are no halves. We are bound, you and I."

She raised her hands. "Hey now," she warned, though she still smiled. "Don't go using your powers on me."

He grinned again, crossing his finger over his heart in a promise. The sliding door opened behind them.

"What are you doing on your feet, Baby?" Zita demanded and Soph automatically lowered herself into the deckchair. In her confrontation with Chase, she'd completely forgotten that her shoulder had barely any pain since Cole had applied the pixie wine.

"Nice to see you again, Love," Zita added to Chase, who hadn't moved. He inclined his head.

"You too, Zita."

Soph's head twisted so fast between them she almost gave herself whiplash. "You two know each other?"

"Oh, we've got a history, eh, Chase?" Zita plonked herself into another deckchair and pulled her cigarette case from her bag. "Eli told me he was hiding out here. Didn't want me to get the shock of my life or something."

"History?" had her mother slept with Chase? Gross. "Never mind," she added hastily when, exasperated, Zita looked as if she might explain.

"Where is Eli, anyway?" Zita put a cigarette between her teeth and lit it.

"Here I am." Eli appeared at the other end of the patio. He no longer looked tense, but he was dripping in sweat, so much that the front of his shirt was plastered to his chest, revealing the definition of his torso. Zita appraised him over the top of her sunglasses.

"Mmmm," was all she said on the matter. Then, before Soph could lean over and smack her, she added, "you don't mind if I smoke, do you?"

"Go for it," Eli waved a hand at her. "Cole, get Zita an ashtray, please."

Cole, waiting by the door, nodded and withdrew inside. The four of them on the deck lapsed into silence; Chase looking oddly demure, Soph feigning fatigue and Eli trying to hide whatever torment the fae blood was putting him through. Only Zita seemed content. She reclined back in the deckchair, kicking her shoes off and taking a long drag of her cigarette. "Nice," she decided with a nod. "I could get used to this."

***

Soph finished toweling her hair dry and left the ensuite to find Eli prowling around the bedroom like a caged tiger. He'd held it together for most of the day, but by the end of dinner he was practically crawling out of his skin. Soph had the good sense to excuse herself for bed, though the pixie wine was still keeping her bolstered. Eli excused himself with her.

She watched him quietly, noting the slightly inhuman speed of his stride, the tight set of his shoulders and the way he clenched and unclenched his fists at his side. He'd discarded his shirt and his torso gleamed with sweat, as it had all day. He whirled at the end of the room, and his eyes landed on her, roving from her bare feet to her head, taking in the white shirt and black underwear she wore. His gaze was hard, and she was sure she saw the Predator behind it. No, the Possessive? The flash had been so quick.

"Where are your pants?" he spat, then covered his face with his hands and groaned. "Sorry. That was a disgusting thing to say."

Soph didn't think so. In fact, she knew exactly what he wanted now. And with the pixie wine making her feel more human than she had in weeks, she knew what she wanted too. She sauntered towards him, her hand trailing over the bed. He bared his teeth at her, a feral grin, and she could see the glint of his fangs. Her heart raced - could he hear it? - but heat flooded through her. She'd be kidding herself if she didn't admit that she liked this side of Eli.

She reached him, and, without giving him time to react, she pressed her hand to his chest, feeling it heave beneath her fingers. She pushed him back until he reached the edge of the bed and sank onto it. Without speaking, she undid the top of his pants.

"Soph," he groaned, covering her hands with his.

"Shh," she pulled his pants down then straddled him, pushing her underwear aside as she did. Eli's fingers clutched her hips hard enough to bruise, and he pressed her into his lap.

"Ah, fuck," Soph gasped, grinding against him. Her fingers threaded into his hair and she grasped two fistfuls of it as his hands slid over her sides, pushing up her shirt. His lips closed over one of her nipples, teeth grazing her skin, sending hot jolts down to her navel. She felt fangs prick her flesh, and she groaned, hands tightening in his hair. They came together within moments, Soph biting down on Eli's shoulder to keep from crying out.

Then they fell still, poised on the edge of the bed, only their breathing filling the quiet of the room. Eli's hands crawled up the back of her shirt and his head rested briefly on her chest.

"I love you, Soph," he whispered, and she smiled against his hair.

"I love you too."

She eased away from him, then went back to the bathroom to clean up. In front of the mirror, she lifted her shirt to examine her breast. There were two perfect indents just above her areola, red, but they hadn't broken the skin. She smiled.

When she returned to the bedroom, he was gone. Wrapping her arms across her middle, she walked around the bed to pick up a hastily scribbled note beneath the lamp.

I have to run it off. Sorry x

Soph swallowed back a lump of panic. It tightened in her chest instead. Eli had left the house, left her here alone. Her gaze was drawn to the immense windows that, in daylight, showed a beautiful vista view. Now, in the dark, her reflection stared back at her. Inky hair damp and lank around her face. Body thin from hospitalisation. Skin glowing eerily in the lamplight. She dragged her eyes away; she looked like a predator witch.

Were the black witches watching now? Were Sierra and Adriana waiting for a lapse in her protection to try to call in the debt again? Was her grandmother waiting too?

Soph turned the lamp off and retreated to the bathroom again. Closing the door, she went to the furthest corner of the room and sank down on the cold tiles between the toilet and the shower. Drawing her knees to her chest, she set her eyes on the door and waited.

***

"Soph?"

She woke with a jerk, body shivering on the cold tiles and shoulder screaming in agony. The pixie wine had finally worn off. The light flicked on, illuminating Eli in the doorway. "What are you doing?"

Soph's jaw worked as she tried to find the words to explain. Now that he was back, she felt silly for having hid away in the bathroom, but she couldn't stop the tears of relief that spilled down her cheeks. Eli moved into the room, crouching down before her. The tenseness in his muscles had eased, and though he still had that feverish gleam to his skin, his whole demeanor seemed more relaxed.

"I don't want them to come back for me," she whispered.

Eli's expression softened. "Oh, Soph. You're safe here. There are barriers around the whole property. They're stronger than witch magic, and while either Cole or I are here, they cannot be penetrated easily." Soph nodded, feeling even stupider, but Eli cupped her face in his hand, forcing her to meet his eye. "I'm sorry. I had no idea you felt like this."

Soph nodded again and wondered if maybe she should tell him about her Nona's debt, but Eli sat back, then rolled onto the floor with a groan, his back on the tiles. With his foot, he kicked at the shower mixer. Cold water rained down on him, soaking through his pants and bouncing off his chest in tiny, shimmering droplets. He sighed, closing his eyes.

"Why does it make you sweat?" Eli reached back and Soph put her hand in his, twinning their fingers together.

"It's like poison," he said, eyes still closed. "It takes a bit for my body to filter it, harness the magic and metabolise the rest."

His eyes suddenly snapped open, and instead of grey, they were cloudy and white. Soph reeled back, jerking her hand from his. Eli blinked and the cloudiness faded back to grey. He had a wry look on his face.

"Was that the Psychic?" she whispered. He tilted his head back to look at her.

"Sometimes Cole likes me to gather intel on various fae courts. Seems like he's brought me some prince blood this time."

Soph stared at the white subway tiles in the shower. Fae courts and princes? Now she'd heard fucking everything. She scooted alongside Eli, curling up against his side, pillowing her head on his bicep. The water that hit her legs was frigid and she shivered. Eli kicked at the mixer again, injecting some warmth into the stream.

"Can I ask questions?" Soph asked. She felt his arm shrug beneath her head.

"Don't see why not. I told you I wouldn't keep secrets."

"Have you ever been to a fae court?"

"Into a court? No. I've passed through the fae realm, but I avoid getting embroiled in their politics. Look too close, and you risk entrapment forever."

"But Cole wants you to watch their politics?"

Eli let out a huff of laughter. "Yes. He enjoys it like sport, I think."

Soph was quiet for a moment. She liked laying here with him under the warm water, but her shoulder was nauseatingly painful. She couldn't remember when she'd last taken pain relief. At least twelve hours ago.

"Who is Cole?" she asked finally.

Eli turned his head, giving her a long, searching look. "Sorry Soph," he said heavily. "Cole's identity is not my secret to tell."