Page 34 of Broken

It didn’t help.

“You’re not in charge,” Ireland told him. She was starting to feel like she was going to barf. “And you didn’t build the wards.”

Well, they both knew who had. “Thanatos!” he bellowed.

Thanatos, gliding toward what was clearly his special Hummer, turned around. Gunn sighed and climbed out of the Jeep he’d climbed into, walking over to them.

“Cole’s girlfriend is a vampire,” Boomer explained helpfully. “She can’t get off the plane unless she’s invited. I thought that was just houses, but I guess it includes wolf territories too.”

“She’s not a vampire,” Cole said. “For fuck’s sake.”

“Indeed,” Thanatos murmured. “And yet…”

Yeah, Ireland thought. And yet.

Thanatos said, “Do you desire to enter my lands?”

Damn Dark Fae. He wasn’t really going to make her do it, was he? Beg for entrance? Humiliate herself? Promise him whatever he wanted, for his protection? All that was his right, under Fae law.

His hood was tilted up toward her, but she still couldn’t see his face—although the pinpoints of his eyes were red.

She hated not being able to read his expression, to get some glimmer of whether he could be trusted or not.

But then, of course he couldn’t be trusted. He was Dark Fae.

Ireland opened her mouth. But before she could get the words out, it was Cole who spoke. Slowly, like the words were unfamiliar to him—or he was translating inside his head.

“By the treaty of Innesfree, by the magic from the—the dawn of time, as the Guardian and spokesperson for the Bright One, I request guest-rights. We—we pledge to honor the peace of your… realm, and harm none during our stay, even as we are safe from harm within these bounds.”

Everyone was staring at him, including Ireland. How the hell had he learned the words to the Fae ancient appeal for guest-rights in enemy territory?

As if sensing her question, Cole held up his wrist. The bracelet was glowing faintly. Somehow it had pulled the words from a memory she didn’t even have. Or else it was knowledge given to her Protectors.

Whatever it was, he didn’t look happy about it.

She looked back at Thanatos. By Fae law, Thanatos now either had to agree not to harm her in any way while she was here, or kick her out. And she knew damn well he wasn’t going to kick her out. He wanted whatever information he could get out of her.

He gazed up at her for a way-too-long moment, and then said in his gravelly voice, “I grant you guest rights, Bright Fae. Come forth.”

Ireland felt the pressure ease. Not just the wards, but the emotional pressure. Officially, he couldn’t hurt her now—although there were sneaky ways around the letter of the law, and the Dark Fae probably knew them all.

But she couldn’t stay on the plane forever. Especially if Cole walked away with her book. She was not letting that thing out of her sight. Or him, either.

Gripping the railing, she made her way down the narrow steps, still feeling a bit wobbly, which pissed her off. She couldn’t show any weakness, especially with all of them watching her.

She made it to the bottom of the steps without making an idiot out of herself. Both feet securely on the ground, she faced Thanatos.

Then pain shot through her body, and she screamed.

Cole felt it coming just before it happened. Ireland’s body shimmered and morphed, flesh twisting and bones breaking. Her tattered clothing ripped and dropped to the ground.

And she was a wolf. An angry, unhappy wolf.

“Holy hell,” Boomer said. “She’s a Fae vampire shifter! Did everyone know this but me?”

“No one knew it,” Gunn said grimly. “This just gets better and better.”

Ireland stood stiff-legged, and looked around at the surrounding crowd, growling.