CHAPTER 27: CHAPTER 27: CRASHOUT

It didn’t take long for them to reach his apartment. Jace had given her the helmet on the ride, but with the shape of her head it didn’t fit properly.

In the end, he just pulled off his jacket and draped it over her head and shoulders.

Her clothes were long-sleeved, which helped hide most of her glowing skin, but her hands still caught the light when they moved. If anyone was paying attention, it would raise questions.

Fortunately, in this neighborhood, no one cared enough to ask.

People minded their own business, and the streets were full of the kind who looked away rather than look closer.

They stepped into the building and started up the stairs. Before they could make it far, Jace stopped short. The landlord was standing there.

The man wasn’t bad, at least compared to most landlords. He had his moments, but as long as you paid on time and didn’t cause trouble, he treated you like you’d cured cancer.

"Jace, good to see you. Your girlfriend came here asking to get in, so I let her inside."

Jace frowned. "Girlfriend?"

The landlord glanced past him, eyes landing on the figure behind Jace. His mouth opened slightly before he motioned Jace over.

"Hey, can I talk to you in private?"

Zin had already sent the message to the alien girl, and she stayed put while Jace followed the landlord a few steps away.

"Look, Jace, my bad if I just messed up your situation," the landlord started, lowering his voice. "But man, that girl in there? She looks like she’s the crazy type. I’m not telling you what to do, but if you make her mad and she decides to trash your room, or worse, my building, you’re paying for the damage."

Jace studied him for a moment. The man was dead serious. Money was clearly his priority, no matter the situation. Jace gave him a short nod.

He stepped back toward the stairs. It seemed Eva was already here.

The thought of her being the "crazy ex or girlfriend" type made him chuckle under his breath. In a way, she did fit the role, and he’d already had a taste of it. A boot to the face was enough proof.

He guided the alien girl toward the steps. They paused halfway up, and his amusement faded.

Now he couldn’t ignore the slight unease creeping in. Eva could be unpredictable, maybe not dangerous, but definitely easy to set off.

He wasn’t sure why he felt nervous. Maybe it was because she was unpredictable. Or maybe it was because, despite everything, he was relieved she was safe.

Jace opened the door expecting Eva to be waiting in the living room. But she wasn’t there.

He glanced around, scanning the small space.

"Tell her to wait here," he muttered to Zin. The alien girl didn’t react to his words, but Zin’s voice confirmed she’d gotten the message.

Jace stepped down the narrow hall toward his room. He knocked once, not too loud, and then reached for the handle. Before he could turn it, the door opened from the inside.

Eva stood there. The moment their eyes met, Jace saw it her face looked different. Not angry. Not even guarded. It was almost... hollow.

Like she’d been carrying something too heavy for too long. There was a desperation in her eyes that made her look smaller somehow.

"You said you had a way to bring my powers back," she said, her voice low and tight.

The words caught him off guard. "No, I didn’t."

Her gaze sharpened. "You said if we had sex again, I could possibly get them back."

Jace frowned. "Yeah, but that’s not a guarantee. It was just an idea, to see if doing the same thing would reverse it. You should think twice before jumping into that."

But she wasn’t listening. She stepped closer, closing the gap, her hands brushing against his chest.

Her movements weren’t playful or teasing this time. They were urgent.

Her breathing had quickened, and there was a tension in her shoulders that made it clear this wasn’t about attraction, it was about desperation.

"Eva—" he started, but she pressed herself against him, her fingers curling into his shirt. Her head tilted up like she was ready to force the moment forward.

Jace stopped her, his hands on her shoulders, holding her back.

He looked at her like she’d just done something completely out of character. Something was wrong. Her behavior wasn’t matching the Eva he knew.

Before he could ask what was going on, her attention shifted past him. Her flushed cheeks froze, the red draining from her face in an instant.

The spark in her eyes turned sharp with something else, shock, maybe even fear.

Jace turned slightly, following her line of sight. Behind him, framed in the hallway light, was the alien girl.

Her smooth, faintly glowing skin caught every bit of shadow, her strange eyes fixed on Eva with unreadable focus.

The room felt tighter. Neither of them said anything.

Jace could see Eva’s fingers curl into fists. Her stance shifted slightly, like she was ready to move forward without thinking.

He reacted fast, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her back a step. At the same time, he reached behind him and guided the alien girl behind his own body, putting himself between them.

"Let me explain," he said quickly.

Eva’s eyes didn’t leave the girl. Jace could read the calculation in them, sharp, fast, and wary.

She had been there earlier. She’d seen the monster tear through everything in its way. She’d seen what it looked like when something not human wanted to kill.

And now here was another thing that didn’t look human, standing in Jace’s apartment like it belonged here.

Her breathing was uneven. "Jace... what the hell is that?"

"She’s not a threat," he said firmly. He made sure to keep his voice steady, even if her tone was climbing. "I know how it looks, but this isn’t the same as what we dealt with earlier. I found her before things went bad, and she’s not here to hurt anyone."

Eva’s gaze flicked from the alien’s glowing skin back to Jace’s face. He could tell she was noticing the way he was standing, feet planted, body angled to shield the girl, his focus locked on her reaction instead of the possible danger. That alone told her more than his words did.

"You’re serious," she said, though it didn’t sound like a question.

"I wouldn’t be standing here if I wasn’t."

The alien girl stayed quiet, glancing between the two of them but not making a move. Her posture was still, almost cautious, as if she understood she was being judged.