“But…”
“No buts. Don’t even think but. I want grandchildren before I die. If they can turn into cute little animals, so what? I’ve always liked cats.”
Cassidy stared at Juanita for a stunned instant, then she threw her arms around the smaller woman. The two swayed together for a moment, then Juanita pushed her away and jumped up to go make another batch of meat.
Jace arrived home just as the second helpings were being served. Nell sang out a hello to him and shoved plates of adobada and tortillas at him.
Cassidy cornered her nephew as he was gulping down the meal with great enjoyment. “Spill it, Jace. How did you work it so the dokk alfar rushed to our rescue in Faerie?”
Jace looked more interested in the food than the adventure. “I didn’t. I talked a little to the Fionn Cillian guy, but he didn’t promise anything. Then he comes back right before Marlo and I left, looking proud of himself. He said he found out that the territory Reid is from belongs to a rival of his, so he was happy to alert the dokk alfar in the area. He’d use any weapon, he said, to conquer his rival, even dokk alfar. From the way Cillian talks, though, any clan he doesn’t rule is his rival.” Jace shrugged. “He’s an arrogant bastard, but then, aren’t they all?”
“Well, thank you.” Cassidy grabbed the scruff of Jace’s neck and planted a kiss on his cheek. “You made your auntie happy. And probably saved her life.”
Jace looked surprised, then concerned. “Yeah? What exactly happened?”
Cassidy spent the rest of the cookout filling Jace in on events. He looked sorry he missed them and muttered that it was the last time he ran boring errands for his father. Cassidy tried to mollify him by telling him he’d been key in getting Reid’s people in position in time to save Diego and Cassidy.
Before Cassidy packed her overnight bag and got ready to ride back to Diego’s mother’s house for the night, Reid arrived.
“I owe you a debt,” he said to Cassidy as she went out to the backyard to greet him. “I can never repay it. I will never make up for what I’ve done to you.”
Reid looked more confident now, less beaten down, but shame still rested in his eyes.
“You rescued Diego and me from the Fae,” Cassidy said. “And did that neat trick with the crowbar. What was that?”
Reid shrugged, as though he’d not done anything spectacular. “I’m an iron master.”
“And that means…?”
“I can manipulate iron, make it do anything I want. Only in Faerie. I can’t seem to do the same here. Maybe that’s why I can teleport in the human world—perhaps my skill is manifesting in a different direction.”
“You can make iron do anything you want?” Cassidy asked. “What a great skill to have against people who hate iron. I have the feeling that’s one reason the hoch alfar wanted you out in the first place.”
Reid nodded. “That and they wanted my territory. I was the biggest obstacle in their way, so they destroyed my family and exiled me. And made certain I’d never make it back.”
Even if Reid had figured out how to open the gate on the ley line, the Fae had tried to make sure he’d die in the attempt to return home. But Diego had sprung the trap instead.
“So, why are you still here?” Cassidy asked. “You made it back to Faerie. You used your iron trick and scared away the Fae. You were home free.”
Reid looked sad again. “I found that my family there is dead and gone, my friends too. The Fae killed them all. I spoke with the new leader for a time and I realized—there’s nothing left there for me. I’ve been gone too long.”
The door to Nell’s house slammed open, and Reid looked next door. His face changed, softening, the arrogance and anger fading.
Cassidy followed his gaze and saw Peigi emerging from the house, her head high, her long-legged stride taking her toward the cookout and party.
“I see,” Cassidy said. “Well, what do you know?”
Reid kept watching Peigi. “I can’t explain it. I don’t care. She needs me.”
“She does.” Cassidy put her hand on Reid’s shoulder. “And you need her.” For the first time, she put her arms around her enemy and drew him close. “Goddess go with you, Stuart Reid.” She stepped back and smiled at him. “Now, go get her.”
The most beautiful sight in the world was Cassidy’s ass bent over the engine of Diego’s car in his mother’s driveway, her shorts baring her long legs as she stretched to tighten something.
Xavier turned from watching what she was doing and looked up at Diego. “You look terrible,” he said. “Should you be out of bed?”
Diego resisted the urge to scratch his arm in its sling, and he was suddenly aware of every abrasion on his body. The deep claw marks he liked, though, because they represented Cassidy trying to free him.
Cassidy looked over her shoulder at Diego. Grease on a nose had never looked so sexy before.
“I heard your engine ticking when I drove your car back here last night,” she said. “I thought I’d give you a tune-up.”
“She’s amazing.” Xavier gazed at Cassidy with great respect. “She’s working on my truck next.”
“Shifters have learned to be good with cars,” Cassidy said, bending over the engine again. Diego could watch her all day.
Xavier looked from Diego to Cassidy and back again. He wiped off his good hand and tossed down the rag. “Just remembered, I need to go help Mamita with… that thing. You know… that thing… Right.” He turned away and faded into the house.
“He’s transparent,” Cassidy said. She gave whatever bolt she was turning one last twist and straightened. “Want to start it up?”
Diego slid into the driver’s seat, found his keys already in the ignition, and cranked on the engine. The T-Bird purred.
Cassidy gave him a thumbs-up, then slammed the hood closed and snatched up the rag Xavier had dropped. Diego listened to the engine a few more seconds, then shut it off and climbed painfully out of the car.
“You have grease on your nose,” Diego said.
“Oh.” Cassidy swiped at it.
“You’re making it worse. Let me.”
Diego took a handkerchief out of his pocket and put it, plus what was wrapped in it, into Cassidy’s hand. Cassidy started when she felt the weight on her palm and looked at him in surprise.
“Open it,” he said.