Cursed by the Fountain of Youth

Chapter 24

Fae lay in the back seat of the car wriggling into her jeans as Nick kept his eyes glued to the road. They followed Thomas and Avira going north on I95 toward Jacksonville. Nick had a tight grip on his steering wheel and a permanent scowl on his face.

Fae finished changing into her street clothes and climbed over the seat. She'd have to return the evening gown to the school when they got back. She had no idea how to explain what happened to the art professor. But right now, they had bigger worries on their plate.

"Is this going to ruin your job with the FBI?" she asked as she belted herself in.

Nick sighed deeply as he glanced at her. "From the sounds of it, my job is already screwed."

Fae's heart sank. Not only did she feel terrible for Nick, but she'd been hoping to have her own career with the bureau. She wanted to ask him about her chances now, but she figured it was not a good time to bring it up.

They got off the exit to Jacksonville. Fae looked up to the skyscrapers towering overhead and said, "Do you think Division X works out of one of these buildings?"

Nick's brows were furrowed when he shrugged. "I've no idea."

Fae's heart lightened at the hope in his voice. She wondered if he was thinking what she was thinking: that perhaps Division X was more than just some one-room operation.

That hope extinguished when they took a turn down a back alley littered with trash.

"You gotta be kidding me," Nick mumbled.

"Maybe it's not as bad as it seems," Fae said. "I mean, Avira's car is a Lexus. She can't be making minimum wage."

"That may not be her car," Nick said.

"You think she might have stolen it?" Fae frowned.

"I seriously have no idea."

Fae sucked in a breath when she saw three men leaning against a building. Their eyes seemed to glow as they passed by. No, that had to be a reflection. It was dusk. The glow must be caused by the shining headlights.

Nick and Fae continued to follow Avira and Thomas as they turned into a parking lot surrounded by crumbling brick buildings. When Avira parked, Fae's heart sank. She really hoped they were just passing through this dilapidated place.

Nick pulled Fae back before she could open the car door and said, "Stay close to me. And if worse comes to worse, I'll call in the FBI." Nick huffed. "The real FBI."

As they followed Thomas and Avira across the lot, Fae tried not to look directly at Avira. She appeared mostly human—except for the glowing skin and swirling eyes. Fae wasn't surprised to realize she was the only one who could see the inhuman side of her, but she wished others could see it too. At least then she'd know she wasn't crazy.

Thomas turned back. "Neither of you have any heart problems, do you?"

Fae shook her head as Nick asked, "Why?"

"You're in for a shock," Thomas said.

They approached a steel door. It creaked as Thomas pushed it open. A cool gust of wind laced with a sweet woodsy scent and a hint of thyme hit Fae. At least the place doesn't stink.

She had a hard time seeing past Thomas, but from what she could see, it looked like some kind of garden atrium. Her suspicions were confirmed when she took her first moss-cushioned step inside.

Looking around, she gasped.

Towering trees and foliage so thick you couldn't see the sky surrounded her. It looked like a forest—with trees larger than any found in the Appalachian National Forest. Through the darkness and the foliage, Fae could see several quaint cottages lit by lanterns and fireflies. This looked like something out of a fairytale book.