Nora's POV
James doesn't waste time with questions when he hauls me out of Lake Michigan. His arms wrap around me the moment I surface, pulling me against his chest as water streams from my soaked clothes.
"You never know when to quit, do you?" His voice carries frustration mixed with relief as he carries me back to the deck.
"It's part of my charm." My teeth chatter uncontrollably. "Why does this damn lake feel like ice?"
He sets me down but keeps one arm around my waist. Mack appears immediately, pressing against my leg with concerned meows. James brushes wet strands of hair away from my face, his touch gentle despite the tension in his jaw.
"Tell me what you saw down there."
"The man with blue eyes."
"The same one who pulled you away from that demon in the forest?"
"No, that was the Blue-Eyed Man. This one's different. Less otherworldly, more human. But those eyes..." I shake my head, water droplets flying. "They're definitely not normal."
