Cupping his face, she pressed her cheek to his and took a deep breath. “You are not Monakribos.” That was the name of the first Malachai, who’d been cursed … she must know a lot about his kind to have the given name of his ancestor. Most had no clue about that.

Or, like Xev and Caleb, she was older than dirt.

“I’m…” Nick hesitated. Technically, he was the Ambrose Malachai, but he was superstitious about taking that name yet. Even though it was correct, it just seemed like a really bad idea to call down that kind of mojo right now. The longer he could keep from becoming the monster he was destined to be, the better. “Nick.”

Pulling back, she curled her lip. “That’s a stupid name for a Malachai. What fool named you?”

“Excuse me? My mother is a wonderful lady.”

Her brow shot up and Nick remembered too late that Malachais were supposed to hate their mothers. Not defend them.

“You still haven’t told me who you are.”

Cocking her head, she studied him with a scowl. “How can a Malachai so powerful not know me on sight?”

Maybe because he still hadn’t quite mastered all of his powers? But again, he wasn’t about to own up to that when dealing with someone who could mop the street with him.

“Are you Yrre?” It seemed the most reasonable guess that she’d be the rider who’d almost mowed him down in school. It made sense. They were both dressed in white, came out of nowhere, and left him totally baffled.

She shook her head and laughed. “Do I look like that cow-faced dog?”

Uh, no. She looked pretty hot, actually. Hot enough to get him into serious trouble if Kody caught her standing this tight to his personal space.

Nick stepped back.

She followed. With an adoring expression, she brushed her hand through his hair. “Do you not feel your connection to me?”

He only felt a traitorous part of his body that wanted to be connected to her. But he knew better than to listen to that part of himself. It had a mind of its own that could get him into all kinds of nightmares if he let it. “Not sure what you mean.”

“Yes, you do. You know exactly of what I speak. You feel the blood that tells you who I am.”

“Nope. I feel nothing.” Except the urge to get away from her before she got him into all kinds of trouble no amount of apologizing could get him out of—not even a shiny object from Jared’s. He’d meant what he said. He would never, ever break Kody’s trust or her heart.

Not intentionally.