The stranger gave her an exasperated look, similar to the one Cody wore. “I was trying to protect you.”

“Well, you should have introduced yourself and said, ‘Hey, I’m here to protect you,’ instead of scaring the daylights out me.”

Marcas rushed in the front door, with Lachlan right behind him, hopping as he shoved one foot into his boot. “What’s going on?”

“Someone just broke in here,” Cody said.

“I thought I heard something tearing through the woods,” Lachlan said. His sense of hearing was unmatched.

“Shay, lock the doors. We’ll search the woods,” Cody said. “Let’s go, before the tracks get cold.”

***

The night was dark, the moon hidden behind clouds. Cody tuned in his vision and saw something dart between the trees. He sprinted toward it, but nothing was there. He stood still and listened, sniffing the air. There was a strange smell, almost sweet, and everything was quiet.

Too quiet, he realized, a second before something slammed him into a tree. Cody caught a glimpse of pale hair and lunged, tackling the man low. The guy felt like he was made of metal. Cody heard a grunt and tree limbs breaking as they fell. The moon emerged. There was a whooshing sound, and the man disappeared. Cody spun around, but his opponent was gone. Alarm prickled up his spine. A stalker, and now this? Had the clan been wrong about Shay? He wouldn’t let anything harm her, not after he’d just gotten her back. He turned around and bumped into Shay.

“What are you doing out here?”

“I’m not staying inside. Let’s go after him, before he gets away,” she said.

“I didn’t see which way he went,” Cody said.

“He ran that way.” She pointed north.

“You saw him?” How was that possible, when he hadn’t? “You need to get inside.”

“No. I want to help.”

Cody took her arm and escorted her back to the house. They met Faelan coming around back.

“Nothing in the barn or behind it,” Faelan said.

“I saw him, but he got away. Shay said he went north.”

“Shay?” Faelan said, looking surprised.

***

“If the stalker was here, then who’s in jail?” Shay asked. Cody had a tight grip on her arm as he pulled her into the house.

“That would have been me. Faelan Connor, ma’am.”

Faelan was tall and muscular, with long, dark hair pulled back in a ribbon, exceptionally good-looking. Shay was used to being surrounded by tall, exceptionally good-looking men, but most of them weren’t in kilts, even when she lived in Scotland.

Cody turned to Faelan. “You were in jail?”

“Afraid so. Bad timing, and she definitely has a stalker. I’m not sure which variety, if you understand what I mean.”

“Did you get a look at him?” Cody asked.

“No. Police arrested me before I could go after him.”

“You didn’t smell him?” Cody asked.

Shay glanced from Faelan to Cody. Smell him?

“No,” Faelan said. “But there was definitely something in the shop with her. It ran out the back when I came in, and I glimpsed a shadow watching her earlier, but not enough to make out if it was a man or…” he trailed off, giving Cody a furtive look.

“It wasn’t a woman,” Shay said. “It was a man. He had big feet.” She glanced at Cody’s square-toed boots.

Cody turned to Faelan. “You tailed her wearing that?”

“Didn’t have time to change,” Faelan said.

“Keep an eye on Shay. I’m going to track him.”

“I’m not staying with him,” she said, looking at Faelan’s dagger.

Cody shook his head. “Then come with me.” He led her into her bedroom.

“What are we doing here? We need to help them.” Where had this bravery come from? Was it because Cody was with her?

“You can’t leave the room,” he said.

“We’re just going to wait here while they search? No. I’m going to help.” She turned to leave the room, but Cody stopped her.

“Damn it.” He touched his necklace. “Look out the window.”

Shay turned and opened the curtain. “What?” There was a whirring noise. Cody grabbed her wrist and slapped it to the headboard. Shay heard a click. He’d cuffed her hand to the bed. “What are you doing? Let me go!” She struggled, rattling the bed.

“Sorry, but I need you to stay put.”

“You bastard!” She tried to hit him, but Cody pulled her close, trapping her free arm.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, pressing his cheek to hers, “but I have to protect you.” He kissed her and left.

Shay yanked at the handcuffs as he locked the door and closed it behind him, but she hurt her arm, and she was afraid she would damage the bed. She could dismantle the headboard, but she wasn’t going to ruin an antique just to get free. She sat down, fuming, cursing, calling Cody every name she could conjure. She examined the handcuffs. She’d never seen any like them. They were etched with symbols and made of a strange metal she couldn’t identify, not quite silver or gold. They must be antique. After the adrenaline rush left and there was still no sign of Cody or the stalker, she grew tired. Her arm was burning again. She lay down, thinking of ways to kill Cody, and fell asleep.

***

Cody listened at the door. It was quiet inside. He had a moment of panic until he saw the door was still locked, and then another when he remembered how good she used to be at climbing out her window. He’d been gone for an hour. If she had escaped, he would probably never see her again. His fingers fumbled as he picked the lock. He eased the door open. She lay on the bed, asleep, one arm dangling from the headboard. His gut tightened. He walked over to her, torn between dread and relief that she hadn’t left. She was going to be furious. He was angry at himself for not putting the clues together—her panic after the lake and the scream in the bathroom—and angry at her for not telling him. Didn’t she know by now that he would move heaven and earth to protect her?

He looked at the shackles holding her to the bed and realized he had come close to doing that. He hadn’t thought twice about it. He’d let concern for her make him forget the rules. Again. He rubbed the brand on his wrist, imagining the Council’s outrage if they found out. Michael wouldn’t be happy about it, either. Well, the Council and Michael didn’t have the troublesome task of protecting Shay.

Cody debated whether to leave her shackled while he explained why he locked her up. Either way, there would be hell to pay. What really worried him was what she would do when she found out he hadn’t told her the whole truth. And he would have to tell her soon.

A voice came from the doorway. “Hey, we’re heading back to the house—hell’s bells, you didn’t.” Lach gaped at the shackles on Shay’s wrist. “Are you out of your bloody mind?”

“I had to do something fast. She was trying to get outside and track down her stalker. It was either use the shackles or sit on her.” He knew they wouldn’t hurt her, he’d used them once on a minion.

“You’d better hope the Council doesn’t find out. I don’t care if you have suspended an ancient demon, they’d rip you apart for this.”

“I couldn’t let her go running around with a stalker on the loose. There isn’t a chance in hell that he’s human. He was too strong and too fast. I have to protect her.”

“You’d better think about protecting yourself. When she wakes up, she’s going to be loaded for bear. I just saw her finger twitch. I’m out of here.” Lach gave him a nasty grin. “Have fun.”

Cody sighed. Might as well get it over with. He removed the shackles, returned them, and bent over her. “Shay, wake up.”

Her eyes flew open. She planted both hands against his chest and shoved, knocking him on his back, then sprang on top of him. “How dare you handcuff me to a bed?” she yelled, punctuating each word with a shake that rattled his brain. He didn’t fight back. She had to get it out of her system, and he didn’t blame her. He’d be more than pissed if someone shackled him.

She landed a fist into his stomach, and the breath rushed out of him. Okay, enough was enough. He captured her hands and rolled, trapping her under him.

“Get off me, you oaf.”

“I’ll get off when you stop beating the snot out of me.”

She let out a war cry and lunged for his throat, teeth bared. Intrigued, he hesitated a second too long, and she sank her teeth into his neck. A jolt of desire shot straight to his groin. He’d never been one for the rough stuff, but damn! He pulled back before she could do more than leave a bruise. He trapped her legs with his and held her hands above her head, letting his full weight press her into the soft mattress. She still struggled but could move only enough to get him excited.

“I’m sorry, Shay. I had to do it. It was too dangerous to let you go traipsing through the woods. I had to keep you safe.”

“What if he was hiding in one of the other bedrooms and sneaked in here while I was handcuffed to the bed? You left me so I couldn’t even protect myself.”

“Lach heard him out in the woods, but that’s why I locked the door, just in case. If this guy had broken it down to get to you, you would’ve screamed, and I would’ve come running. I was never far from the house. I heard every name you called me.”

Her eyes still flashed fire, but her breath was steadier, and she kept glancing at his mouth. He thought that was a good thing. He wondered if she’d calmed enough not to hit him, because he should move. She had to notice the effect all the wiggling around was having on him. He felt her hips push against his, and he groaned. He relaxed his grip and lowered his head, letting his lips touch her chin. He kissed his way to her mouth, and she head-butted him in the nose.

While the stars exploded in his head, she shoved him aside and bolted out the door. He jumped up and went after her as she pounded down the stairs. He caught up with her outside. She was swinging her purse like a whip, headed for the car.