“They probably all have tiny blue eyes,” Zach theorized.
She laughed. The pinpoints of light reflected in her eyes and off her skin. Zach reached out, his fingers stopping a foot from her face.
“Can’t touch,” Jessie whispered. She raised her hand until it was barely an inch from his own, matching her much smaller fingers to his long ones.
Zach’s shook.
“Be safe,” he whispered.
Jessie smiled, but her lips trembled. “I’m tougher than I look.”
The fireflies danced away, revealing a hulking shadow staring at them.
“If you two are done, we’ve gotta go,” growled Kade.
Jessie watched from the garden gate, but Cara came out with them to the truck. When she reached out to lay a hand along his cheek, Zach had to stop himself from pulling away. He was too raw, too tired, and his head ached. It had improved while in her house, as though even being near her healed him.
Maybe she could. Wouldn’t be the strangest thing he’d seen in the last twenty-four hours. He just wanted to get home. To pretend all this didn’t exist.
The instant her hand met his cheek, his headache vanished.
He sighed. “Thank you.”
“You have to be more careful, Zach,” Cara said. “Those nosebleeds aren’t normal. They are what happens when you overextend.” Her crystals chimed as her head moved sideways. “There are records of Empaths who died of massive strokes.”
“Not sure what more I can do,” Zach pointed out. “I’m trying to avoid these things, but they keep coming at me.”
“There are techniques to help you shield yourself. Now that you accept that Cryptids exist, maybe you’ll let me teach you?”
Zach sketched a tired smile. “I think you have enough on your plate for now.” His smile faded. “Will she be all right?”
It was a loaded question. And, he knew, unfair. Cara answered the part of it she could. “She’ll be safe here.”
In response to a plaintive meow from near their feet, Cara bent to pick up a gray cat.
“This is Buffy.”
Zach’s brows rose. “Buffy?”
“She’s quite the little hunter. Picked that name herself.”
Zach stared at Cara. “Does she hunt mice or vampires?” Then his eyes widened. Buffy. Spike. Willow. How had he not seen it before?
She smiled up at him. “I loved that show.”
Zach snorted a laugh. “I feel sorry for the mice. They don’t stand a chance with that crew on patrol.”
Cara smiled. “I like mice. But I generally don’t mess with the natural way of things. I have those I talk to. My cats respect them and leave them alone, but without the cycle of life, everything would be out of balance and nothing would thrive.”
Wow. Zach regarded her with astonishment. “You talk to mice?”
Cara snorted a laugh and handed him Buffy. “Take her home. You shouldn’t have mice living in your teapot.”
Zach took the cat. His fingers dug into her thick fur. She was purring, blue eyes slitted in enjoyment. “Do you really see through their eyes?” he asked.
“I can. At a distance, though, it is draining. But they can tell me when something is wrong.”
Zach swallowed. “She’s not coming into my bedroom.”
