It was nearly noon when Autumn woke up the next day. God, she hadn't stayed out that late since ... never. Pushing heavy chestnut hair out of her face, she flopped her arms on the covers and stared at the end of the bed. The memory of Corbin's arms around her as they danced was still fresh in her mind, as well as his desire to have her stay the night. Not yet, she had said. But maybe soon.

A yawn stretched her jaws and Autumn glanced at the clock. She had a lot to do today to prepare for their departure tomorrow. Throwing back the covers, Autumn set aching feet on the floor and wandered downstairs.

Jordyn was on the couch watching TV with a bowl of cereal in her hands. The teenager twisted around as her mother appeared. Her eyebrows lifted.

"What?" Autumn asked, walking over to the kitchen. She needed a strong cup of tea—and an expensive foot massage. God, her feet hadn't hurt this much since she was pregnant.

"Well, I kinda didn't expect to see you this morning."

"Excuse me?" Autumn set the teapot down by the sink and folded her arms. "Did you seriously think I was not going to come home last night?"

Jordyn casually shrugged. "Well, yeah." Her daughter folded her arms over the back of the couch and rested her chin there. "How come you didn't?"

Autumn sighed. "Because we barely know each other." Their relationship was different than most mothers and daughters, owing to the fact that she was a single mom; so Jordyn, by extension, got away with asking a lot of questions that others might deem inappropriate.

"You've spent nearly every day with him in the two weeks we've been here," Jordyn pointed out.

That was about as long as Autumn had known Jared before things got serious. "Hence, going slow," she countered.

Jordyn gnawed at her lower lip. "Are you going to see him after we go home?"

That was a heavy question. "I'd like to," Autumn replied. "Why?"

Her daughter shrugged. "I like having him around. I dunno, when it's the three of us having dinner and watching a movie, it feels almost ..."

... like we're a family, Autumn mentally finished. "God, kid," she breathed, walking over to the couch and sitting down. She put an arm around Jordyn's shoulders. "I'm sorry that things didn't work out between your father and I—"

"And that he wanted nothing to do with me?" Jordyn interrupted, brown eyes shining with unshed tears. "Yeah. I know, Mom. I don't blame you at all."

Autumn sighed and rested her head atop her daughter's. "I know you like being around Corbin, and he's helped you a lot with your art—"

"But he might not stick around. I got it, Mom. I just hope he does."

Autumn took a deep breath and released it slowly. God help me, she prayed. I just want to do the best for my kid. "I know," she told her daughter softly. "I know."

------------

Just as quickly as they had arrived, Corbin's guests departed in a convoy of sleek black cars. Autumn watched them leave as she loaded some bags into the back of the Subaru. Maybe it was her imagination, but the cloud of tension she'd felt hanging over the property lifted the moment the last car drove away. Autumn took no small pleasure in knowing that the pretentious Russian woman was out of her life.

As twilight descended, Autumn left Jordyn to her streaming and went to meet Corbin at his painting spot. She trudged up the hill slowly, grabbing onto the trunks of small trees to pull herself up. By the time she reached the top, she was only mildly winded but her dance-worn feet began to protest.

Corbin was waiting for her by the large boulder pile.

"I see everyone's gone," she told him. "You must be thrilled to have an empty house again."

"You have no idea," he replied, looking quite relieved. "How are your feet?"

"Still sore." She'd never danced so much that night, even though they were all slow.

He chuckled. "Well, come up here." Placing one foot on a rock, Corbin scaled the pile and held out his hand.

Shaking her head in amusement, Autumn reached for his hand and he effortlessly pulled her to the top. "What's this?" she asked, looking down.

"Did you think that I'd have you sitting on hard rocks?" he replied with a grin.

Spread out on the boulders were several thick blankets and half a dozen pillows. It looked comfortable—and inviting. Autumn looked up at him, eyebrows raised inquiringly.

"No funny business, I promise," he told her, taking a seat.

No funny business, Autumn repeated, lowering herself next to him. It was actually quite comfortable and she shifted, bumping her hip against Corbin's. He grinned and she shook her head at him but was unable to keep the smile from her own face.

"May I?" he asked, lifting an arm.

Autumn had to chuckle. "Yes, you may," she told him, leaning against his side. Corbin's left arm gently draped around her shoulders, thumb gently stroking Autumn's skin.

Beautiful electricity played along her arm, spreading its webs across her whole body. I don't know why he makes me feel like this, Autumn thought, but I don't want it to stop. With a soft sigh, she turned towards Corbin, resting her head on his shoulder.

"What time are you leaving tomorrow?" he asked, trailing his fingers up and down her back.

"Early. I have to get home and start working on new orders."

"You never stop working, do you?"

Autumn opened her eyes a little and tilted her head up. "No." Did she want to work herself ragged, leaving little time to spend with her daughter or do anything personal? No, but it had to be done. Indeed, the most time Autumn had to herself was during these past two weeks.

"Well, maybe this will help a little." Corbin shifted, reaching into his pocket.

"What's that?" Autumn asked, pushing herself up off his chest.

"Here. For your bakery." He handed her a folded-up check.

Autumn's eyes went wide; she reached for the check with trembling hands and opened it. The number written on the front made her gasp. "No," she exclaimed, shoving the check back at him.

Corbin rocked backward, the shock plain on his face. "What? What is it?"

"I won't take it," she told him shakily. "I didn't earn it."

"You didn't need to earn it," Corbin argued, perplexed. "I'm giving it to you."

This was going wrong—all wrong. Autumn pushed away from him, getting unsteadily to her feet. Her chest felt tight and it was becoming difficult to breathe. "You don't get it, do you?" she retorted, wobbling. "I've had to fight for everything in my life. No one gave me a damned thing—least of all my parents."

Corbin sat up, confusion writ large in his eyes. "Autumn, you're not making any sense. Why should you fight for this money? I'm giving it to you to help you."

Her fists clenched and she stared down at him. "Because! My parents abandoned me, Corbin. Kicked their seventeen-year-old daughter out because she got pregnant and didn't fit their new brand of religion. And that?" She pointed a trembling finger at the check in his right hand. "I didn't accept handouts then and I'm not doing it now."

"Autumn!" Corbin got to his feet, towering over her. "I want to take care of you and your daughter! I want you to be free to pursue your dreams. How is that wrong?"

"I won't be a kept woman!" she shouted in his face, hands curling into claws. Tears sprang to her eyes and she jumped off the boulders, wincing as her bruised feet made contact with the ground.

It all made sense now. Everything he had said and done was an act, a ploy to get her to become his mistress. Well, she might be poor, but at least she had her dignity.

"Autumn!"

Tears streamed down her face in earnest now. Breaking into a run, Autumn left the rise and raced down the hill as fast as her aching legs could take her. Lies, all lies.

She ran as darkness closed around the forest; little lights embedded in the ground sprang to life, illuminating the path back to the cottage.

She ran until she couldn't run anymore and had to stop, dropping to her butt in the still-warm ground beneath the branches of an oak tree. Oh, God. She curled her arms around her knees and sat there, rocking back and forth as the dirt absorbed her tears.

Taking a deep breath, Autumn turned her head to look up the path. She half-expected to see Corbin following her, but there was no sign of him. Pushing her hair back from her face, Autumn used the hem of her shirt to wipe her nose.

She told herself after her grandparents died that she'd make it. She'd make it and shove her success in her parents' faces. Wouldn't that be a thing to see? Their smug, religious faces rigid in shock as they realized that Autumn had triumphed despite their efforts to make her fail.

Who did Corbin think he was, anyway? He was just another reckless millionaire who managed to con an unsuspecting woman into thinking he loved her.

Sniffling, Autumn turned her head to wipe her tears on her sleeve. Just moments before, Corbin's hand had rested there, silently tracing promises into her skin.

Lies.

They had to be.

Dashing the back of her hand across her face, Autumn stared at the path. If he loved her, wouldn't he come after her? Isn't what they did in rom-coms?

I want to take care of you and your daughter! I want you to be free to pursue your dreams.

Autumn pressed her hands to her face as Corbin's words echoed in her ears. She had taken care of herself and Jordyn. She was working on her dreams.

But God, it was so exhausting. Her heart ached as she watched the path, looking for any sign that Corbin was coming.

Lies—but were they, really?

Biting her finger, Autumn leaned up against the oak tree. She wanted him to come. She wanted him here.

She didn't want to do this alone anymore.

God, she sobbed, what have I done?

Pushing off the tree, Autumn took one step back up the path. He'd still be there, right? She had to apologize.

A low, hacking snarl drew Autumn's attention to the trees on the opposite side of the path. Squinting into the darkness, Autumn cocked her head slightly. What was that? A wolf? A coyote? Mountain lion?

Her heart gave a dangerous thump as a shadow broke away from the trees and stepped into the glow cast by the lights on the path. It was man-shaped and wore long, ragged clothes that might have been black or brown at one point but were so dirty they appeared dipped in mud and ash. But it was his face that turned Autumn's blood to ice: pale and long, with stringy brown hair clinging to his skull. The twisted features focused on Autumn, revealing sunken, blood-red eyes and a snarled mouth that displayed a fearsome set of fangs.

"Huuuungrrry ..." the creature growled, lifting a long-fingered hand towards her.

Autumn screamed and the creature moved towards her with inhuman speed, pressing her up against the oak tree, one clawed hand at her throat.

"Ssoooo pretty and young," the creature whispered, its hot, fetid breath washing over her face. The tip of its tongue licked at her throat. "I haven't eaten in ssoooo long."

Autumn flailed, but to no effect. The creature pressed on her throat until spots swam before her eyes. I'm going to die, she realized in shock. He's going to eat me!

A tall blur hit the creature from Autumn's left, tearing it away from her. She screamed as Corbin rolled along the leaf-strewn path with it, striking it dead between the eyes with his fist.

"Get back to the cottage!" Corbin shouted.

The beast reared up, jaws popping, its whole face warping to unearthly proportions as it reached for Corbin and bit down on his shoulder. Autumn screamed again as Corbin howled in pain, grabbing the creature and throwing it back onto the ground.

"Call Neville! Tell him—!" His words were cut off as the creature raked its long claws down Corbin's back. The fabric parted easily, red blood blossoming on pale skin.

Clutching her hands to her heart, Autumn ran. Fear galvanized her tired legs, pushing her towards safety.

Night settled around the cottage, with only the living room and Jordyn's lights on. Reaching the front door, Autumn grabbed her cell phone from her back pocket and pulled up Mr Feldman's contact information with a cold, trembling finger. He answered on the first ring.

"Corbin!" she gasped, sobbing and breathless.

"What?" the butler asked, alarmed.

Autumn twisted around, eyes fixed on the path. "This creature—attacked me—he's in the woods—Corbin. Corbin is—fighting it. Please—please come!"

"Shit!" Mr Feldman exclaimed. "Autumn, are you at the cottage?"

"Y-yes."

"Get inside and lock the door. The wards will prevent Fallen from getting in."

Wards? Fallen?

"Autumn?" the butler called out. "Autumn? Are you there? Go inside and lock the door."

"I—I'm here." Clutching a hand to her chest, Autumn pressed the phone between her ear and shoulder as she opened the door. "What is it? What's out there?" She shut the door hard, just to make sure it closed. Then she twisted the lock and drew the curtains across the window.

"One of the Fallen. Now, stay put until we tell you it's safe." And the line went dead.

Autumn stared at the phone and its blank screen. With trembling hands, she shoved the phone into her pocket and went around the cottage, drawing all curtains except the one that faced the garden. She started to go up the stairs, to warn Jordyn, but a pulsing blue glow outside the windows gave her pause. As she stared at it, a sense of peace and safety flowed over her.

Putting faith in this strange sensation, Autumn decided not to freak her daughter out. So, she sat in the darkness and waited.