“He has a funny way of showing it,” the pixy muttered.

“So do you.”

Jax’s head came up. “Yes but,” he started, then seemed to deflate. “I’m sorry, Ms. Morgan,” he said, his long hair shifting to hide his eyes.

I waited another moment, then realizing he wasn’t going to say anything more, I curved my fingers around him to try to keep him warm.

“You want me to lock them in my closet?” Ivy said when I caught up, her sword tip never wavering from Nick’s kidneys as she stepped over the wall. “It’s soundproof.”

I hadn’t known that, but I shook my head. I didn’t know what to do with them, but I was cold, and I wanted to get inside.

“We should just stake them.” Jenks darted back to us, and Jax shifted against my fingers. “Right here in the garden. Let the spring fairies make nests in their insides.”

That was just nasty, understandable but nasty. I replied, “Not that I want to spend time with Nick, but I’d rather know where he is, wouldn’t you?”

Ivy frowned, her concern clear in the porch light as we went up the wooden steps. “He makes one move I don’t like, I’m going to give him to Nina to bleed dry, even if it will set her back a week.”

It was the best I could hope for, and I hung back on the bottom step as Nick opened the back door and went in, Ivy tight behind him. “Shoes off,” I heard her bark, but it was more to put him off balance than to keep the floors clean.

Then again . . . I mused as I came in to find her scowling at Nick, the man leaning against the wall to wedge his shoes off without using his hands. I debated whether to change the zip strip for one encircling one wrist, not two—then decided not to. I was sure he was Ku’Sox’s ace in the hole. Otherwise, he’d be dead by now.

“Okay, we’re inside. Sit,” Ivy said tightly, and Nick dramatically fell into the soft leather sofa to send up a puff of vampire-incense-scented air.

“I came to help!” he protested when she poked her sword tip at him to move down, and I set Jax on the top of the couch so I could take my coat off. It smelled of ever-after, and in a splurge of motion, I tossed it out on the back porch to air out.

“Help?” Ivy leaned forward, stinking of angry vampire, her fangs showing as she gripped his shoulder and put her head right next to his. “You want to help yourself.”