Ever Marked (Mystics of Mercy Ridge #1)

6. Arson

Chapter 6

Arson

“ A ny clue where a motel is in this place?” she asks as we roll to a stop at a red light.

Finally, a way I can start pulling my weight. Show her I’m worth keeping around.

“One second.”

As she yelps, “What the hell are you doing!?” I get out of the car, leaving the door open as I approach the one behind us and knock on the driver’s window.

“Where’s the nearest motel?”

Pale and trembling for whatever reason, the guy nervously stammers, “Ellis handles all the housing stuff in town.”

“Where can I find him?”

“Three blocks down, hang a left. Big orange and white sign, you can’t miss it,” he rushes out, hastily rolling up his window.

I tap the roof, calling out a, “Thanks,” over my shoulder.

Returning to my seat, I fasten my seatbelt just as the light turns green, but Ever doesn’t hit the gas, staring at me with wide eyes. “You have zero worries of getting shot by some crazy rando, don’t you?”

“Why would I worry? It’d be super obvious if they’re pulling a gun out while driving unless it’s in their cup holder. I’d disarm them long before they could fire off a shot.”

“Right, of course, how silly of me,” she drawls, and I grin, thrilled that even though we got off on the wrong foot, she understands I’m perfectly capable of holding my own.

I relay the directions, the rest of the ride to the real estate office spent in comfortable silence. When we pull up, she kicks me out while she changes out of her bloody clothes in the backseat, and I glare at anyone that comes within fifty feet of the vehicle. Thankfully, the people in this town aren’t completely stupid, and anyone that meets my eye crosses to walk on the opposite side of the street, picking up the pace.

“Alright, good to go.” She pulls her hair out from beneath her black t-shirt as she climbs out. The teal strands pop more dramatically against the dark color, and her faded black jeans cling to every curve. She looks perfect. Like a fallen angel that got sick of waiting for me to find her, so took matters into her own hands.

And now I’m never letting her go.

The lobby is comfortable, with a table set out filled with snacks, small bottles of water, and a coffee maker. Ever makes a beeline for a cup, but I take it from her hands and down a sip first, ignoring her indignant cry as I roll the flavor around on my tongue. “No poison, you’re good.” I hand it back, but she stares at me like I’m insane instead of immediately drinking.

“You know what? I’m too tired to even care,” she finally states before drinking half of it in one go. Guilt hits me hard; she stayed up all night to watch over me. I’ll have to return the favor tonight.

“Welcome! So sorry about the delay, I was finishing up with a client.” The man that waltzes in from the back is clearly fae. Perfect elven features give him an ethereal beauty not common in men, though the shaved sides of his chestnut hair reveal rounded, human ears. Lucky bastard hit the genetic lottery most fae dream of, being able to blend into the human world without issue. A bit thinner than a swimmer’s build of lean muscle, and bright green eyes that sparkle with mischief, and I instantly hate him.

But Ever doesn’t respond to the beautiful man, downing her second cup of coffee with a happy little hum that makes the corner of my lips twitch.

“We were told you could point us in the direction of a motel?”

The man gasps in horror. “I’m not sure what slander people are spreading about Mercy Ridge, but we take care of our people here. No need to stack them on top of each other in soulless little boxes.” Clucking his tongue, he starts down the hallway to the back and gestures for us to follow. “Come along, I’ll figure out where you’re meant to be.” He steps outside of one door and holds it open for Ever. “After you, milady.”

When she realizes he’s trying to separate us, she pulls out her phone. “I guess this is where we part ways then. Thanks for a wild night and not getting me arrested. Want to exchange numbers in case anything comes up with the hospital or police?”

I happily put mine in and send myself a text from her phone so I can save it. “You don’t need to wait for trouble to call me. Text whenever you’d like; I plan to.”

With a shy smile, she takes her phone back. “Sounds good. I’ll see you around then, I guess?”

“You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried, angel.”

A faint blush stains her cheeks, and she offers an awkward wave. “Good luck with your brother.” The fae closes the door behind her and leads me to another tiny office two doors down, but it feels like miles.

“Help yourself to refreshments while you wait,” Ellis says, gesturing to the tray on a small table between two chairs opposite a desk. “I’ll get your friend settled first, then be in to help you find your new home.”

Then he leaves me with only my thoughts for company while he goes to spend time alone with my girl. To pick out her new home together without me because this weird ass town doesn’t understand the concept of a motel. But I can’t have her sleeping in her car, and I don’t know enough about this place to secure shelter for us on my own. Until I get a lay of the land, I’m stuck playing nice and following their stupid rules.

For now.

But what if something happens to Ever because I’m not there to protect her? Is this the cost of having people in your life you actually give a shit about? Always imagining terrible things happening to them whenever you’re apart?

I hate it, loathe this helpless feeling. If you care about someone, you shouldn’t abandon them. You should be by their side; always. If I’m not there, how’s Ever supposed to know that she can rely on me? That I’d make a good mate?

Irritated, I scratch at the wound on my face, the skin tight and itchy. The cooling balm offers instantaneous relief, and it takes my foggy brain a second to realize that my arms are still crossed, that it was a tendril of my shadows that brushed my cheek.

“So the barrier only blocks abilities surrounding the city, not inside of it. That’s fucking brilliant.”

Definitely don’t want to get on their security guy’s bad side if he can pull something like this off.

Cloaking myself in shadows, I reappear in the corner of the office Ever’s in, standing guard behind the desk so I can keep an eye on the fae, but also see her beautiful face.

Ellis carries on their conversation, oblivious. “- you need? Open space to run, close to the lake, or do you prefer the forest, perhaps?”

Ever scrubs a hand down her exhausted face. “We should probably go based off of what I can afford. Hopefully you have something in that range that’s not a crack house or a step above condemned?”

The guy bursts into laughter and my fingers twitch, debating the merits of strangling him. “Forgive me, I should have led with this, but after thousands of these meetings, sometimes they blur together and I forget part of the welcome speech. Things work differently here. First three months you don’t pay a dime so you have a chance to get back on your feet and your life in order. After that, the mortgage is a flat five hundred per month no matter how many people end up on the property or size of it, but you’re in charge of utilities and maintenance. House is yours to do with as you please for as long as you live here, but if you ever choose to move on, the city buys it back from you at a fair cost depending on how badly you trashed it or improvements made, and how long you lived here.”

Ever blinks. Then blinks again. “Why can’t I just sell it to someone else?”

He taps his temple and winks. “Because I have a special talent for knowing what people need, and Mercy Ridge is all about taking care of the people that live here, not catering to those with the deepest pockets.”

I watch my girl’s brain short circuit while internally sighing in relief. I have a good amount of savings, but never factored a mate into the equation when I left home. I planned on crashing in a motel or a cheap apartment while I searched for my brother, and working whatever jobs I needed to get by until I figured out what the hell retired assassins are qualified for. But mates are expensive. Houses even more expensive. The way this city does things gives me a chance to give Ever the life she deserves without selling someone's organs on the black market.

Not a bad plan to fund the honeymoon though…

“Alright then,” my future mate says, looking far more awake now. “Let’s put that talent of yours to the test.”

“Not that one. It’s too open, not defensible at all,” I say, stepping out of the shadows while Ever takes a bathroom break.

Ellis chuckles. “I was wondering when you were going to show yourself. Does she know she’s got herself a stalker?”

“Fuck off.” I tap the computer screen and shake my head. “Nope, delete this one too.”

He scowls. “What? She’d love it. The basement would be perfect for a gaming setup, and there’s a hot tub out back.”

“Too many windows on the first floor.”

“This isn’t your house, shadow demon, it’s hers.”

I bat his hand away, scrolling through the options he's pulled together to show her when she gets back. “Doesn’t matter, too many of these bastards haven’t seen an unmated woman in years. Sanctuary or not, I guarantee you some of the shifters would camp out trying to get a glimpse of her through the windows in this place. Let alone if she’s in a damn hot tub outside alone in a bikini.”

Ellis grimaces, but nods. “Fair point.”

Scrolling a little further, I stop when one catches my eye. “This one.” I'll need to pick up some things to rig the perimeter with traps. The entry points will need reinforced as well, but besides that… It's perfect.

The fae’s vivid green eyes glow even brighter for a moment before he nods to himself. “Yep, that’s the one.” Taking his laptop back, he rolls his eyes. “Let me guess. You'll take the one next door without even looking at it first?”

I step back into the shadows with a smirk. “Nah, save it for someone that'll actually be sleeping there.”