Then I unlocked the front door and sat on the floor next to my father’s head. And waited.

A minute and a half later, my front door flew open. Nash stood on the porch, panting, wearing only jeans, a short-sleeve tee, and sockless sneakers. He stepped inside and shoved the door closed, and I stood. “You ran the whole way?”

“Mom has the car.” He folded his arms around me, and I let him, even though his chilled limbs stole my warmth and made me shiver.

I was warm on the inside.

“What the hell happened?” he asked finally, pulling away to kneel beside my dad, two fingers pressed against the pulse in his neck.

“Avari. Dad’s been making Alec sleep tied to the recliner, so tonight Avari used my dad to cut Alec free, then he possessed Alec and…”

“And what?” Evidently satisfied by my dad’s pulse, Nash stood, his irises churning with green twists of fear and amber swirls of protective anger.

“Nothing.” I shrugged miserably. “Nothing happened. I hit him with my alarm clock, and now I might need a new alarm clock, but I think Alec’s okay.”

“I don’t give a shit about Alec.” More fierce colors flashed in his eyes. “What about you? Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Just a couple of bruises.” I held up my arms so he could see the faint handprints around my wrists, and Nash clenched his teeth so hard I was afraid he’d crack them. “I taped him up, so I think we’re pretty safe. I just… I didn’t want to be alone.”

Nash wrapped one arm around me, and his hands felt warm now, through the tee I slept in. “Where is he?”

I pointed toward my room, and Nash stomped off down the hall. A second later, he reappeared, dragging a still-bound and unconscious Alec behind him. He dropped Alec on the floor and stared at him, and I understood that he was fighting a violent impulse I could only vaguely understand. He wanted to kick Alec while he was down—I could see it in his eyes.

“Nash, none of this is his fault. He hates Avari as much as we do. Maybe more.”

“No. More isn’t possible. Not after that,” Nash insisted, gesturing toward my bruised arms. He helped me lay my father on the couch, then we curled up together in the recliner and watched them both, waiting for morning.

NASH STAYED UNTIL my father finally woke up around dawn and thanked him, then sent him home. Over coffee, I explained what had happened—my dad didn’t remember anything—then I tried to pretend I couldn’t see the slow swirl of fear in his eyes. If Avari had the power to possess him—a one-hundred-thirty-year-old bean sidhe—then his limits were few. And that was enough to scare anyone.

Alec woke up half an hour later, while my dad was in the shower.

“Kaylee?”

I rubbed sleep from my eyes, but stayed in my chair, across the room from wherehe still lay on the floor. “Are you…you?”

“Yeah. Shit. My arm’s asleep.” He tried to move, but could only shrug awkwardly with his hands bound, his forehead wrinkled in confusion. “What happened?”

I brushed hair back from my face, but stayed in my corner. “What color was my first bike?”

Guilt flooded his features when he saw my face and recognized the remnants of my recent trauma. “Kaylee, what happened?”

“Just answer the question. What color?”

“Red. No!” He shook his head when my eyes widened in panic. “White, with red ribbons. Sorry.”

My gaze narrowed on him. I wanted to trust him, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t fully trust anyone who was in a position to actually help me. I’d never felt more alone in my life.

“Give me a break, Kaylee, please. My head feels like it’s the size of a pumpkin and I’m tied up on the floor and I don’t know how I got here. I’m not exactly thinking straight.”

I exhaled slowly, fighting for calm. Avari had fooled me too many times. “What did you guess Emma named her first bra?”

A flicker of amusement lit his features for just an instant. “Helga,” he said, and I finally stood. “What the hell happened?”

I crossed the room carrying the steak knife, but hesitated to cut him free. I was sure it was Alec now, but when I looked at him, I saw Avari staring down at me through Alec’s eyes, pinning me. And every time I thought about that, fear gave way to a miniburst of panic, deep in my chest.

“Kay?”

“You…” I stopped and started over, squatting to cut the tape so I wouldn’t have to look at him. It wasn’t Alec’s fault. “He… He tied up my dad, then came into my room and…” I couldn’t finish, so I finally just showed him one bruised arm.

“Oh, damn, Kaylee, I’m so sorry.” Alec looked like someone had just punched him in the face. Then followed up with a kick to the groin. “You know I’d never…”

“I know.” I sank onto the floor and leaned against the couch with my knees pulled up to my chest. “I don’t know what to do. He’ll come back. I don’t think we can stop him.”

“Yes, we can.” Alec sat up and used the knife to free his feet. “We’ll find a way.” He peeled off the last piece of tape, then his hand rose to the back of his head and came away smeared with blood. Alec winced. “I guess your dad’s pissed?”

I forced an uneasy grin at that. “Yeah, but I did that. Also, I’d steer clear of Nash for a while. And you should probably stay away from Tod, for good measure.” Because one way or another, the reaper would hear about what happened.