Warrior Fae Trapped (Warrior Fae #1)(35)

“I know what you and the others think, but Samantha isn’t one of these creatures,” Charity murmured, defiance in her voice. “She made it out. She did. She would’ve seen through it—she’s smarter than people give her credit for.”

Devon stayed silent, letting her keep that fantasy for a while longer.

He peered into the gloom without crossing the threshold. The vampire stench thickened. He could only pick out one signature, though, and it lacked the subtle aroma of lingering decay, something common with the older ones.

A young vamp had blown through. It had probably come here to escape the mayhem at the party. It hadn’t known to seek refuge in the Realm, so it had gone home. But it was starving. It would have had to leave to find food.

Unless…

Had the vamp come for solace, or dinner?

He turned slowly to glance down at Charity’s fearful yet determined features. She knew the truth—he could see it in those velvet-brown eyes—she just didn’t want to believe it. Samantha probably pissed on her constantly, but Charity thought of her as a friend. She was preparing herself to see a friend die.

Devon’s stomach twisted in sympathy.

“I don’t think anything’s in here,” he said softly.

Charity met his eyes, a plea not far from the surface.

“I’ll still go in with you, just in case,” he continued after a pause.

“A vampire has been in here, hasn’t it?” Charity asked. Her chin raised a fraction, but the action didn’t hide the worry in her eyes.

He nodded slowly, staying connected with her gaze. Trying to keep her rooted.

“And a different one wouldn’t have come here unless it was looking for me,” she said.

“Correct. But only an older one would be looking for you. An older one hasn’t come through here.”

Her face fell. She lowered her chin.

He turned back to the door and glanced at the threshold. He was about to find out if he was wrong.

He stepped through the door.

All that awaited him was silence and the stale air of a closed-up house. He reached back for Charity and felt her palm connect with his. It was extremely unlikely that a demon would creep up behind them and rip Charity away, but weirder things had happened. He wanted to make sure she stayed with him.

Pop.

A thrill ran through his body. He looked to the right, waiting. Four smaller pops followed before silence regained its dominance.

“The house makes sounds all the time,” Charity whispered, pushing her side up against his backside. She must’ve been watching their six. She might’ve been a novice to magic, but thank God she wasn’t a novice to danger. “It’s old. Solid, but it shifts, I guess. Settles.”

Devon took another step into the stuffy space. Charity stepped with him, their movements perfectly in sync.

“Done some burglary?” he asked despite himself, his lips lifting in a grin. Only those up to mischief could move like this. He should know.

“Where I grew up, there was nothing to steal except drugs, and that would get someone dead real quick.” She paused as they stepped again. “The bedrooms are at the back.”

They walked with unneeded stealth through an entryway that opened up into a modest living room with brand-new furniture. A side hallway led back to a kitchen.

“This place seems small for someone like Samantha,” Devon said quietly, not wanting to disturb the static of the house. “You still watching our six?”

“Yeah. We’re clear. Her parents were trying to teach her humility.”

Devon snorted as they reached the kitchen and kept edging down the hallway. Two rooms branched off, one large, a master suite, and a smallish bedroom. As expected, Charity walked past him into the smaller room. Once inside, she snatched a duffel bag from the back of her closet and dropped it in front of a particle-board dresser.

Devon stepped into Samantha’s room. A whirlwind of clothes and jewelry littered the various surfaces, representing thousands of dollars’ worth of fashion. A whiff of vamp lingered in the stagnant air. In contrast, the moment he stepped into Charity’s sparse, orderly room, he received a punch of vamp smell.

It had definitely come back for Charity. When it couldn’t find its easy prey, it had left for other attractions.

Not good.

“Why not leave her in the dorm?” Devon asked, picking up their conversation.

“Apparently some things cannot be tolerated.”

Devon thought he heard a little snark in that statement. Was she judging Samantha?

He leaned forward to get a glimpse of Charity’s face. Passive as always.

Why the hell was she giving him such a hard time when she’d let Samantha off so easily? He nearly asked, but a part of him feared the answer. For some reason, he didn’t want this woman to stand in judgment of him.

Any more than she already had, that was.

But he couldn’t let it go. “Why’d you move with her? Why didn’t you stay in the dorms?”

Charity looked up at him with a furrowed brow. “Are you kidding? Why did I leave the dorms…for a house?” She laughed softly and opened her top dresser drawer. “Samantha’s okay. When she isn’t trying to live up to other people’s expectations for snobbery, she’s mostly down-to-earth. I pay the same rent for a lot more space. I’d be a freaking dummy not to tag along.”