Affection and love. Diego would die for these people. He’d have preferred to die for Jobe instead of the other way around.

“Cass,” he said. “I’ve fixed on you. I don’t know if that’s the same as your mate bond, but I’m willing to believe it is.”

“I don’t know what it is.”

Cassidy had stopped crying, but she sounded confused.

“I’m willing to wait until you figure it out,” Diego said. “Hell, I’ll try to help you figure it out. And if we have to enjoy screwing each other every day until then, fine with me. I’ve got the strength.”

There it was, Cassidy’s smile, the spirit returning to her eyes. “You’re full of yourself, human.”

“You think I don’t have the stamina for a Shifter?”

She pretended to consider. “You’re not bad so far.”

“Not bad so far. Evil woman.” Diego moved his hips, enjoying the hot feel of her. “My life has been crazy since I met you, chiquita. I think I needed waking up.”

“You know your pants are down around your ankles, right?”

Diego grinned. “Yours flew off in the bushes somewhere.”

“Pants around your ankles looks funnier. Especially since you’re wearing socks.”

Diego let his gaze rove Cassidy in only a sweat jacket, her strong, slim legs bare. “You look better.” He let go of her long enough to pull up his jeans and fasten them. “Want to come home with me?”

She smiled, making his heart warm, then her smile faded. “Only if Reid is contained.”

Real-life problems came rushing back. “There’s still a lot of things I don’t get about him. Like what is so special about that rock cave? It’s not very big, it’s in the middle of nowhere, but he keeps going back to it.”

Cassidy broke from him to fetch her pants. Diego’s thoughts stumbled to a halt. Her hips moved in the most delectable way as she bent to slide the sweatpants over the sweetest ass he’d ever seen in his life.

“I can tell you’re a good detective,” Cassidy said, tugging the ties together. “You don’t close the case once you’ve beaten the suspect into submission.”

He forced his brain to start working again. “We shouldn’t let him go, Cass. Like I said, what’s to say he won’t get over his remorse and try to kill another Shifter?”

“I know, but…” Cassidy stopped, still holding on to the ties of her sweatpants. “I’ve wanted to kill him for a long time. But all of a sudden, it seems like the wrong solution.”

Diego’s thoughts switched to the dingy living room with Enrique, his state-of-the-art electronics surrounding a sofa that held thirty years of soil. Diego had wanted to kill Enrique so many times when Enrique had been a dangerous and deadly gang leader. Last night, Diego had held the power and strength, and Enrique had seemed pathetic, a waste of time.

Maybe Cassidy felt the same way about Reid. However, Diego still didn’t trust him. All this talk about hoch alfar and dokk alfar and gates to Faerie seemed like so much fanciful bullshit. Diego liked to deal in the concrete.

And he would, he thought as he slid his arms around Cassidy’s waist. Just as soon as he got done kissing Cassidy.

Reid was still in the living room when they got back. The man sat on the floor with his back to the wall, his runner’s legs drawn up under him. He looked at the carpet, as though not very interested in anything around him.

“He asked for my protection,” Eric said.

Cassidy looked amazed. “Did you grant it?”

“Haven’t decided yet.”

“What does that mean?” Diego asked.

Ever since Cassidy had sliced open her hand to pledge that she believed in Diego—and if she was wrong, Eric could kill her—Diego realized that Shifters took their oaths and promises seriously. Just saying, Sure, I’ll return your library book for you, might have dire consequences.

Eric lounged back on the couch, his feet up, as though the morning hadn’t been all that interesting. “If he were Shifter, and I granted my protection, that would mean I gave him the same status as someone in my pride. Meaning I protect him with all my strength. Meaning I expect him to show me the same loyalty I expect from those in my pride.”

“But because he’s not Shifter…”

“I haven’t decided. Plus there’s the whole fact that I still want to kill him.”

“If anyone kills him, it will be me,” Diego said. “Where’s Xav?”

“Next door. He’s talking to Shane.”

Reid lifted his head. “Escobar, I’ve never liked you, but you’re a good cop, and you’re trustworthy. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m asking a Shifter for protection. That’s my way of pledging I won’t try to hurt them anymore.”

Cassidy folded her arms. She’d shown compassion, but her compassion didn’t make her weak. “You told us you needed Shifter blood for a spell.”

“I’m willing to try to find another way, look for another grimoire and more spells. There has to be some way I can trick the hoch alfar and cross back into my world, without me having to be a monster to do it.”

Diego sank down on his heels to look Reid in the face. “You can vanish whenever you want. Why can’t you vanish back to your world?”

“Do you think I haven’t tried that? I can teleport, but only in this world. The funny thing is, when I was home, I couldn’t do it. Many dokk alfar can, but I never manifested the talent.”

Eric gazed down at them from the couch. “Interesting. Maybe that has something to do with why you can’t get back.”

“You know about these things?”

“Not really.” Eric yawned and stretched, like a lion preparing for his post-hunt nap. “But I know someone who knows someone who might know something. I’ll talk to them this afternoon.”

“You’ll give me your protection?” Reid’s voice was full of hope.

“For now.”

Cassidy relaxed. “Thank you, Eric.”

Eric lifted his head, still the lion who could come alert at any second. “It also means that if he breaks any part of his word, I get to rip his head off. Don’t worry, Diego, I’ll do it discreetly.”

Eric sank back down and put his arm over his eyes, finished with the business at hand.