The doorbell rang. A few minutes later, Isaac knocked on the wall outside my room. In my surprise at seeing him, I eyed Kaylee. I should’ve known that as long as she wore her hemp bracelet, she didn’t need a phone to call him.
Kaylee, ignoring my frown, leaned forward and whispered so that only I could hear. “Talk to him.” She got up, snagged her backpack from the floor, and patted Isaac’s shoulder as she walked by him. “Thanks for coming.”
Isaac knit his brow as he watched her stroll toward the stairs. Surveying the room next, his gaze passed over the dresser to me on the bed and finally stopped on the candy scattered across the carpeting. With a wave of his hand, Reed’s gift went up in blue flames. A gasp escaped my lips, and I hated myself for it. I knew Isaac had heard it, but he didn’t comment. The flowers vanished next.
“The bouquet was from Brea,” I said lamely.
“Who’s a faerie. Stop accepting gifts from them.” There was no anger in his tone; it was more exasperation. He combed his fingers through his hair. “How about we go for a drive?”
We ended up at Annisquam Lighthouse. There were a few other cars in the lot when we parked.
“If we’re quick, we can head up before anyone sees us.” Isaac gave a slight jerk of his head to indicate the balcony where we normally hung out.
“That’s okay. I might actually jump today.”
Isaac took my hand and led the way to the large boulders that held the water at bay. We climbed up on a long flat rock and took a seat. The wind teased my hair, pulling it away from my face. Isaac dragged a key along his thigh, tracing invisible lines on his jeans.
“Want to talk about it?” he asked.
He’d given me plenty of opportunities to open up on my own during the drive. He had asked how I was doing, if I’d seen Brea or Reed, and even commented on how well our bracelets worked. I had opened my mouth several times, planning to let my troubles tumble out, but instead I’d only managed one-word answers:
“I wanted it,” I mumbled. “And all I can think is it’s gone.”
The entire ride, I’d dwelled on the candy.
Isaac pulled me closer, wrapping his strong arms and powers around me. For the first time that day, the aching inside subsided. I leaned my cheek against his chest; the rough fabric of his wool coat scratched my skin, but I didn’t care.
“This is nice. Can we stay here forever?” I asked.
He kissed the top of my head and then rested his chin on the same spot. “You should have told me it was this bad.”
“I thought I had it under control.”
We sat like that for a while, caught up in our own thoughts.
Finally, Isaac said, “Josh and I told our parents about Reed and how he tricked you into eating the candy.”
“We haven’t been able to find anything that counters the effects of faerie food, but my dad believes it’s like any other drug. You just need to get it out of your system.”
I wasn’t so sure of that. It had been several days since I’d had anything Reed offered me, and I felt worse than ever.
Isaac gave me a reassuring squeeze. “You might go through withdrawals, but your need for it will dissolve.”
“Faerie rehab?” I laughed, but I didn’t find anything funny about it. “Do they have special facilities for that?”
“No. But you have me, Kaylee, and Josh. We’ll help you through it. And my parents have given me the okay to let you stay over. Between my intention ward and all the iron in my room, Reed won’t be able to go down there.”
“My dad’s not going to let me spend the night at your house.”
He shifted so that he could see my face. “Are you underestimating my powers?”
“I guess I am.” I closed my eyes and listened to the water slap the boulders. Occasionally, a fine mist would dust our clothes and hair. “I’m sorry I’m so much trouble.”
“You’re worth it.”
“Ha!” I huffed into his jacket.
“Madison, look at me.”
I did.
“I’m not going to run away from a little unexpected trouble,” he said, though “a little” didn’t really describe how much trouble a relationship with me had caused him. “Have I told you lately how much I like you?”
I shook my head.
“A lot. Borderline-crazy lot. So much that I actually told my parents the truth, hoping they’d be able to help. You’ll see. A night or two away from Reed and his faerie mojo, and you’ll be back to your old self.”
It was worth a try, and being near Isaac did ease the cravings. If I could just stay wrapped in his powers’ protective cocoon for the rest of my life, I’d be fine.
He pulled me to my feet. “Come on. Let’s talk to Kaylee about your alibi, and then you’ll tell your dad you’re going to sleep at her house. We’ll get you through the night and decide what to do in the morning.”
The setting sun cast the world in a hue of pinks and purples. As we walked around the exterior of the lighthouse, it hit me that Isaac and I would be alone the entire night. My stomach did a nervous flip then a flop before twisting into a bundle of elated anxiety.
“You sure you aren’t just trying to get in my pants?” I joked, but I was already trying to figure out what one wears to a detox session in her boyfriend’s dungeon-like bedroom.
“Can you blame me? You’re smokin’ hot.” He shot me one of his crooked smiles as he waggled his brows.
“That smoke you smell is me frying your brains every time we kiss longer than twenty-three seconds.”
He shrugged. “No relationship is perfect, and I think we’re up to twenty-nine seconds now.”
There were two cars in the parking lot when we got back there: Isaac’s dark green Jeep and a familiar black Subaru. As we drew closer, we saw Caden leaning against the back bumper of the Jeep.
Isaac wrapped an arm protectively around my waist. “Get lost,” he snarled once we were close enough to be heard without screaming.
Caden held his hands out in a friendly gesture. “What, no hello?”
“I know what you are.”
Caden took a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and held it out to us. When we shook our heads, he tapped one out and brought it to his mouth. He inhaled and the tip glowed red, no lighter needed. He then blew the smoke out of the corner of his mouth and said, “I figured she’d tell you. That doesn’t mean we can’t be civil.”
“I don’t associate with demons,” Isaac replied.
“Not a problem. I’m here to talk to Madison.” Caden stepped toward me, but Isaac put himself between us. “I’m not your enemy,
“Isaac, it’s okay.” I placed my hand on his shoulder and stepped next to him. “If he was going to hurt us, he’d have done it already.” To Caden, I asked, “Are you following me?”
“You’re under contract. No following needed, which leads me to why I’m here.”
Isaac’s arms went rigid at his sides, and the scent of vanilla and spearmint burst from his pores. I laced my fingers though his and squeezed, hoping he wouldn’t do anything stupid like attack the demon who had the power to put Chase right back on Death’s doorstep.
“You don’t look well,” Caden observed.
“I’m fine,” I lied.
He flicked his cigarette into the grass and stepped closer, eyes locked on Isaac’s. “Move one muscle to
