30. Gravod

I failed to keep the guilty expression off my face, if Jess's reaction was any indication. She cringed.

"Please tell me it has nothing to do with why Kevin is taking an indefinite leave of absence."

Now I smiled. She frowned. I cleared my throat and attempted to look regretful.

"Jake and I paid him a visit. I shifted into several forms that I've used in the past on previous missions."

Her eyebrows climbed high.

"Such as…?"

I looked down at my menu.

"Mm. Soft-shelled crab roll."

"Don't change the subject."

The waiter appeared, and I had a short reprieve. We gave him our orders. Then Jess leaned toward me, waiting for me to answer. I knew enough about her by now to recognize that glare. It should not be ignored.

"I used one form that looks like a thirteen-foot tall spider. And another that looks like a very large eyeball on slimy flippers."

She gasped. I winced.

"You said several forms," she reminded.

I was having a hard time meeting her eyes.

"Yes. There were a few more." I didn't think she needed to know about the Grabian. Its bloody fangs made even me shudder.

When I didn't say anything else, she rolled her eyes.

"Okay, I guess I don't need to know. You scared the shit out of him. Why?"

I met her gaze straight on. This was important. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Well…"

"He was harassing you, making your life difficult. Upsetting you. I had to do something."

She stared at me. I couldn't tell if she was pleased or horrified, or maybe both. Then she reached for her iced tea.

"I really shouldn't encourage you," she muttered, taking a sip. When she put down the glass, she sighed. "You didn't hurt him, right?"

"No. Just terrified him."

Jess snorted, and a grin lit her face. I let out a breath and smiled back, but then she shook her head and narrowed her eyes again.

"I should be mad."

"Why?"

She threw her hands up. "Because he was my problem to solve. And I was doing pretty well managing it, actually. But I'm having a hard time being angry. I wish I could have seen the look on his face."

"It was like this." I mimicked one of Kevin's more exaggerated screaming faces, but without the sound. Jess burst out laughing.

"Now I'm curious. I'd like to see your other alien forms." She said it with a smile, but it faded as her expression turned pensive.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

It definitely wasn't nothing. Our food came at that moment, and I dropped the topic while we ate.

Something was bothering her. I was glad it wasn't what I'd done, but I couldn't help but feel it was something I was responsible for. When I asked again, she denied anything was wrong. The rest of our lunch conversation was stilted and formal.

By the time I drove her back to the library, I was anxious. Her thoughts seemed very far away.

"We haven't had any word from Thylor. He's been silent so far today." I parked near the entrance.

At least finding Thylor was a problem I could understand. It was imperative. I wouldn't be able to relax until we caught him. In the meantime, my need to protect Jess was making it difficult to let her out of my sight.

She nodded, unbuckling her seatbelt, and I had to resist the urge to fasten it again. I wanted to lock the door and drive her somewhere safe, hidden away, where I could keep watch over her.

"Okay. I told you before, I'm not worried. He doesn't strike me as the type to hurt an innocent person."

I squeezed the steering wheel, wishing it was Thylor's neck. "He tied you up."

"Yeah, well." Her gaze took on that look again, as though she was wrestling with a big decision, but she didn't say anything more.

"I'll be here when you get off work."

She nodded and kissed me goodbye with a kind of sad fondness that felt like an alarm blaring in warning.

As I watched her go inside, I hardened my resolve. Whatever it was, I'd fix it. I'd woo her until she accepted our bond.

She was my mate. I had to believe she would see that.