"As you heard, it sounds like it was the best for more than one reason."

I fight back the furious tears that try to fall. I can't believe I was so gullible, so stupid.

"I'm not sure what you mean. It's sounds like some psychotic girl has a fatal attraction to him, but he wants you."

It sounds like he'll always go running in to save her.

"I'd like to show him fragile," I grumble.

"Now that was a little funny. He just doesn't know any better. Mortal men think most girls are fragile," he chuckles out.

"Let's just get the hell out of here."

Chapter Ten.

"It's been a week, and this bloody fool won't stop calling me. I've got to get my number changed," Thad exasperates while flopping down to my bed.

Kane's number is still flashing across the vibrating phone he tosses to me, but I push it away. I can't talk to him.

"He'll stop calling. Eventually Amy will need him again, and he'll forget all about me."

Thad rests his head on my lap as I flip through the pages of a magazine, and I look down to arch my eyebrow at him.

"Comfortable?" I ask sardonically.

"I would be if you ate a little more. Damn, your hipbones really jut out."

I laugh lightly, and then I roll my eyes.

"I'm on my back. It happens. Why are you in my room instead of tracking down my mother?"

"Crack the whip some other time. I've got to lie low here. I'm not very well liked in L.A. I'm letting the others run down the leads down there, while I crash here in the condo with you."

I put my magazine down, now that I'm a little intrigued and curious.

"What did you do to become not so well liked?" I muse.

"Long story. I've been around a while."

"Well, I'm about to change clothes, so I need you to not be around for a while," I tease while lifting my hips to knock his head from my lap.

"Why change?" he asks while sitting up and stretching.

"Because I have to go buy some more clothes. I'm sick of wearing the same stuff over and over, and I can't go out in my pajamas."

I motion to the short pajama set I've worn so much that the hems are starting to show their tattered signs of early aging.

"I happen to be fond of that little purple shirt I've seen you in a time or two," he says menacingly while bouncing his eyebrows up and down.

I let out a laugh, and then I start shuffling through my bag.

"Well, that purple shirt is spent. I'm sick of it, and I'll quite possibly trash it after I wear it one last time today."

He smirks, and then he licks his lips before winking at me.

"I should probably stick around. You might need some help."

I let out a laugh, and then I start pushing him out the door. Though he's sexy, he's not Kane. I wish I could stop thinking about him.

Once Thad is out, I stare at my new phone, wondering if I should at least let Kane know I'm okay. If I call him, I could at least listen to his voice... even after we hang up. I hate the fact he keeps leaving me to help Amy, but I miss him so much.

"I'll probably regret this."

I pick up the phone and dial his number quickly before I can talk myself out of it. It rings a few times, and then I sigh when I realize it's about to go to voicemail.

"Hello?" he says unexpectedly, again puzzled by a new number.

I sit there quietly, not sure what to say.

"Hey?" I finally strain out. "I was just calling to see how you're doing."

"Alyssa, shit. Where the hell are you? I've been worried to damn death."

He really does sound worried, tormented even.

"Sorry. It's been a long, busy week. Um, Kane, I think this goes without saying, but you know we're not together anymore. If you want to be with Amy-"

"Damn it, Alyssa. Stop with the Amy shit. I don't even fucking like her as a friend. As a matter of fact, I quite possibly hate her at this particular moment. Please tell me where you are, and don't you dare say we're not together."

I sigh out heavily, and then I glance out the window of the huge condominium to stare down at the small humans below, oblivious to the world of deadly beauties around them.

"I just called to see how you are. I've been worried my mom's shit was going to affect you since you've been with me."

"Alyssa, please tell me what's going on. My detective friend can't even find out anything about her. It's like she's not real or something. Are you in trouble? Are you in witness protection or something?" he asks, worrying all the more.

Oh how I wish it was something as mundane and human as that.

"Sort of. Look, don't worry. As long as you're safe, I'll be okay. For the record, I'm not as fragile as you think I am. I'll be fine."

Don't ask me where I heard that.

"Alyssa, you are fragile. You're a twenty-year-old girl. Please let me come be with you. I can help."

I wish that was true.

"Sorry, but it needs to be this way, and we aren't together. It's for the best. Maybe Amy is psycho, but she's probably better for you than me."

"Fuck! I'm so sick of hearing about her. I want you. Do you hear me? You."

The butterflies ruffle in my stomach, and I lie back on the bed while pulling on my shirt.

"I want you, too, but things are just too complicated right now. I'd rather you just forget about me."

"Please don't make me beg," he hoarsely whispers, making my tears form.

I grip my hair and walk over to pull on my jeans, my heart sinking to the pits of my stomach as I stare woefully at the girl who has started to fall in love with a human she can never be with.

"Kane, I'm sorry. Listen, if-"

I scream when I see the scaly tail of ... something, dangling from the top of my shirt, and I start flailing around wildly to rid myself of the mystery varmint invading my cleavage. I leap onto the bed as a lizard thuds to the ground, and then I see it wink at me. The fucking lizard even laughs as it scurries out the door.

Thad!

"Alyssa!" Kane yells, as if he's been saying my name repeatedly, expecting an explanation for my panic.

"Sorry. I'm fine."

He breathes out a rattling breath, and I actually hear him collapse to a chair or something.

"What the hell just happened?"

"We've apparently got... pests," I grumble, scowling at the door which I know Thad is lurking behind.

Pests of the changer variety.

I need to remind Thad how much it hurts to be brought down by a witch.

"You damn near stopped my heart," he mumbles, his breaths still coming out in pained wisps.

"Sorry. I need to go. I've got to get some new clothes before we head off to some new, random destination."

"Alyssa, please tell me where to find you."

I hesitate to say no when all I want to do is just crumble, beg him to find me.

"I can't," I almost whisper.

Silence creeps through the phone as we both sit waiting for the other to cave. I can't give in though. I can't watch my world break him.

"I'd give anything to take that night back," he finally says, breaking the breathy suspense. "I'd tell Deke to fuck off and deal with shit on his own for once. I'd stay in bed, holding you to me as you curled around my body. There's not an inch of your body I wouldn't have explored by now, and there's no way I would ever leave you alone for anything again."

My tears finally start dripping, making me hate myself for falling for him. I knew better. As much as I want to be human, I'm not. Stringing him along was the worst mistake I could have made.

"But you already did. Kane, I'm not going to lie. I know you went back for Amy. There's apparently something going on, and I-"

"I swear it's not like that. Please let me come to you. I'll prove it."

"Let me finish." I sigh while gripping my head. "I don't know what the deal is between the two of you, but I don't want in the middle of it. I care about you too much too soon as it is. You probably did me a favor by disappearing into the night. I need to go. Please stop calling Thad's phone, and don't start calling mine."

He sits silently on the other end, and then I hear a harsh breath.

"L.A.?" he asks, making my heart slap my throat.

"What?" I release with a crackle, my mouth drying.

"You're in L.A.? I can be there in a few hours. Don't leave. We'll discuss this in person, and I'll show you how much I care about you."

"How do you know where I am?" I shiver as excitement and dread fills me at once.

"I just traced your phone. Money affords someone more than a nice house. I'll be there soon."

"Kane, don't. We're about to leave. Please stop this."

"Then call me when you get to where you're going, and I'll follow you then."

"No, I won't call, and I'm switching off my GPS. Just forget me."

"That's impossible. I'm coming to you whether you like it or not. Now, you can stay there, or I can come find you at your next place. You'll call me again, Alyssa. You want to be with me just like I want to be with you. Admit it. This chemistry between us isn't something people find everyday. I know better than anyone that it's not."

I swallow my heart back down, and then I shake my head.

"It's not something someone finds everyday, but it's also not good for you." Or your life. "I'm sorry, Kane. I won't be here when you come."

I hang up, quickly rushing into the room where Thad is packing.

"Yeah, I heard. Loverboy is persistent, I'll give him that."

I don't have time to be aggravated with the fact he was eavesdropping. Damn immortal hearing.

"We were going to leave tonight anyway, weren't we?"

"Yeah. No worries, pretty girl. Just grab your stuff, and we'll meet the others at the next rendezvous."

He offers me a wink, and then I narrow my eyes.

"I don't want to catch any more lizards down my shirt."

He starts laughing, and then he moves over to where I am, letting his thumb trail over my lips as he stares down at me.

"I would have gone for a snake, but I thought it'd be too much of a pun. Grab your stuff."

He kisses my forehead, and I roll my eyes while heading back to my room. I peek out to see him walking out the door, heading to the elevator, and I capitalize on the fact he's out of earshot. I wave my hand over the phone, using my magic once again.