The Egg (Return of the Ancients Book 4) (4 page)

He kept snoring.

A loud humph of a sigh came from behind me. It sounded supremely annoyed, and I knew it could only belong to that muscle-bound brute of a Doberman, Ajax. I straightened and glanced over at the dog standing behind me. He was gorgeous, really, all black and shiny with long, wicked ears.

“Hi, Ajax,” I greeted him in a neutral tone.

He stared back at me with a blank expression.

We weren’t enemies anymore. But we weren’t exactly best buds, either.

Heaving a sigh of my own, I inspected my work-clothing and suddenly wanted to change. But I’d only taken a step towards my room before I hesitated. That Tulpa had appeared again at the coffee shop, and it clearly still had an appetite for me. Would it show up in my room? I shot a sideways glance at Ajax, wondering if I could convince him to escort me.

I know he saw me and that he’d followed my thoughts. With a loud yawn of pure boredom, he abruptly sat down and stretched out his long legs, as if he were settling in for the night.

“Come on, Ajax,” I grumbled, drawing my brows into a deep scowl. Why did the dog have to make everything so complicated? “Can’t you just be nice for once? You’re such a brat!”

He actually grinned at that, his dog lips peeling back to reveal his shiny white teeth. I really don’t know why he took that as a compliment.

There was a thump on the floor, and I glanced down to see that Tigger had awakened. Heaving himself laboriously to his feet, he gave his tail a vigorous wag as he stared at the refrigerator door.

It gave me an idea. Could I bribe Ajax with a hot dog? It was worth a try. Removing a couple of hot dogs, I tossed one to Tigger—who inhaled it with one gulp—and then dangled the other in Ajax’s direction.

“Want one, too?” I coaxed in a friendly voice. “It’s niiiiicce and juuuuicy.”

He sent me an
“Are you utterly insane?”
-look and turned his nose away as if he were a lofty prince and I’d just offered him the most revolting peasant morsel he’d ever seen.

I rolled my eyes and tossed his unwanted hot dog to Tigger. He cooperated by immediately downing the evidence. I think he knew as well as I did that Betty would be mad—well as mad as Betty ever got—if she caught me sneaking in a few extra treats. She was still trying to get him to lose weight.

“Do you want something else?” I asked Ajax, turning back to peer into the refrigerator.

Picking up a slice of cheese, I held it out for his approval.

Slowly, he turned his head the other way, somehow managing to look even more insulted.

I tried a boiled egg.

Same response.

Frowning, I resorted to holding out for his inspection each and every food item in the fridge. He deemed to look at a few. Some lean turkey lunchmeat actually got a sniff before he adopted his utterly disgusted expression and turned away yet again.

“What kind of dog are you?” I asked, outraged, shoving the containers back onto the shelf. “Are you reading the fat content to see how it would affect your lean, trim figure?”

His dark, almond-shaped eyes narrowed, and he lifted a lip, showing me a tooth of displeasure.

“Oh, I’m not scared of you anymore,” I snapped, glaring at him.

He returned my annoyed look with one of his own. Scowling, I slammed the refrigerator door shut, causing a heaping box of used tennis balls on top to shift. One of the balls rolled off the fridge and bounced with a thud.

Ajax leapt to his feet and pounced. His actions were more like a kitten’s than a dog’s—a big, mean, nasty-tempered kitten.

I reached for the ball, but Ajax, of course, beat me to it.

Quickly, I retracted my hand. “Want me to throw that?” I asked, thinking I just might be able to throw it in the direction of my room and get him to escort me despite himself.

He almost looked tempted. He stood there, majestic, chewing the ball in the side of his mouth as if it were some kind of dog-sized jawbreaker. I clearly wasn’t going to get that one back. Reaching for the box, I took out another ball.

“Let’s go,” I said, tossing the ball down the hallway.

He stood there, clearly knowing what I was doing. But the temptation of the ball was just too much. After stomping in place a couple of times as if trying to control his feet, he gave up and bounded after it, but not before pausing a second to shoot me a dirty look.

I almost cackled. I would have, if it hadn’t been such a rotten day. Instead, I just let myself feel relieved and taking a couple more balls, headed after him. By the time we made it to my room, he’d managed to stuff three tennis balls in his mouth. It made him look a bit like a platypus, but that was something I could never tell him.

I’d been a bit afraid to go to my bedroom, but once in it, I didn’t feel as scared as I thought I would. Walking out of my shoes, I left them on the floor as I surveyed the familiar fuzzy blanket on the bed, the sunflower-shaped rug, and Jerry’s cage perched on top of the dresser. I guess my diversion with Ajax had lightened my mood a little, at least enough to allow me to function, anyway.

As Ajax spat the tennis balls out onto the bed to sit on them much like a dragon protecting his golden treasure, I hurriedly shrugged out of my “Bean There, Baked That” T-shirt and slipped on my favorite hoodie and a tattered pair of jeans. Moving to the dresser, I took out a small bag of gerbil feed from the top drawer.

My mouse, Jerry, was fast asleep, curled up into a tiny gray ball in the middle of a monstrous nest he’d constructed of shavings, toilet paper, and what looked like one of my socks. I wondered how he’d gotten ahold of it. Not wanting to wake him, I decided to feed him later. Actually, he didn’t even need to be fed as I could see his private stores scattered throughout the plastic tubes of his cage. He had enough food in there to easily last him the rest of winter.

I glanced in the large mirror hanging on the wall behind the dresser and pulled my black hair back into a ponytail, noting that my cheekbones were more pronounced than they’d been when I’d first arrived at Al and Betty’s home. The dark smudges under my green eyes seemed almost permanent now. I winced. My skin looked pale. It was no small wonder Samantha had sent me home. I guess I really did look sick.

And I was definitely sick at heart.

Sitting down on the bed next to Ajax, I heaved a sigh.

I guess he sensed what I felt. He dropped the last tennis ball from his mouth—the one he’d been chewing like a piece of gum—and held still, as my fingers lightly traced over his glossy fur.

My Blue Thread was the only one left now.

Rafael had failed. And Jareth. Well, I didn’t know if he’d failed his Blue Thread but what did it matter since he’d died over it? He’d lost all the same. I screwed my eyes tightly shut a moment, swallowing a wave of emotion. Clearly, they’d both had to face their own horrible demons. I wasn’t even sure what my inner demons even were.

It was hard for me to really think about. Long ago, I’d learned to not care much for anything, knowing at the rate my mother moved to escape boyfriends that whatever I grew accustomed to, it wouldn’t stay the same. Not feeling or getting too close to anything or anyone made it easier to leave and survive. I had avoided all attachments.

Except I was doing the opposite now.

And it had all begun with Jerry. I glanced at the tiny gray mouse still snoring in his cage. Jerry was the first thing that I’d ever truly loved, even in spite of the fact that I might lose him.

Somehow, Rafael had crept inside my heart, too.

Not to mention Grace, Al, and Betty.

My eyes misted.

And Jareth.

Somehow, I guess I’d been opening up these past few months. I’d grown to love each of them in their own way. Rafael had been right when he’d told me there were many shades of love. Love seemed a bit contagious as well. I hadn’t known I could care for so many people at the same time.

I glanced down at the temperamental Doberman holding still beneath my hand. I hadn’t even been conscious of the fact I was still petting him. It was surprising but even more so that he was
letting
me. I think we both realized the marvel at the same time because he growled. I knew it wasn’t a real growl. But I stood up anyway, pretending to be scared even though we both knew I was only indulging him.

“Let’s go,” I said, suddenly wanting to be anywhere else.

I guess Ajax wanted to go, too, because he jumped down from the bed at once, leaving his precious collection of tennis balls behind.
He
padded softly down the hall after me as we made our way back to the kitchen.

Rounding the boxes stacked into the hallway, we ran right into Betty.

“I just got my PayPal money, so I’m off to the grocery store. I’ll be back soon.” She smiled in greeting as she zipped her jacket. After rummaging in her purse for the car keys, she suddenly paused to send me a stern look. Well, for Betty I guess it was stern. For anyone else, it was just a warm, concerned smile. “Don’t let Al turn the house into a chicken coop while I’m gone,” she warned. “And I’ll pick you up some soup. You just go rest on the couch, honey.”

I smiled and nodded. Betty warmed me down to the toes. She made me feel like I was wrapped in a soft fuzzy blanket and that everything was just going to work out and be OK in the end. But I guess that is what good moms do.

After closing the door behind her, I headed for the kitchen to pour myself a glass of milk. While pouring it, I watched through the kitchen window as Betty backed Al’s truck out of the driveway. She’d scarcely pulled out of the cul-de-sac when suddenly the Fae appeared, popping into the kitchen in poofs of mist. And even though you’d think I’d be used to Fae surprises by now, I almost dropped my milk just the same.

I turned to find Rafael’s tall frame leaning against the countertop near the sink, his arms crossed and his handsome face pale. I’d half expected to see him in a new outfit and with his thick blond hair fashionably styled, but he was wearing the same clothes from the coffee shop and there was hardly any eyeliner ringing his eyes.

“What is it?” I asked. Clearly, there was a new crisis of some kind.

Rafael’s intense eyes searched mine. He looked like he wanted to tell me something. His lips parted, but then glancing over my shoulder at the Fae Protectors still popping into the kitchen, he seemed to change his mind.

“It’s Melody,” he said, clearing his throat. “She’s disappeared again. She obviously has allies.”

I could tell it wasn’t what he’d wanted to say, and it wasn’t particularly surprising news. Al’s army boots thudded across the vinyl tiles, and I looked up at the frown lines indented between his brows.

“What about the GPS tracker I slapped on her back?” he boomed at Rafael. “Where did it end up?”

“GPS?” Rafael repeated, blinking in surprise. Exchanging a quick glance with me, he turned to the Fae Protectors and ordered, “Recalibrate the locators. Doubtless, she wouldn’t think of such primitive signals either.”

Several of the Fae Protectors vanished in a poof, apparently to detect GPS signals, as the others took out their trions and murmured into them with soft words.

If Al was insulted by his GPS tracker being called
primitive
, he certainly didn’t show it. “I’ve got some equipment that might help you boys out,” he offered, nodding his head at the cupboard that held his spy gear.

My foster father looked tired, drained. I could tell that Jareth’s death weighed on him, too, but he sent me a heartening smile and patted me fondly on the head before pausing next to Tigger. “How’s my wily boy tonight?” he asked with a hint of pride in his voice.

The old bloodhound responded, his tail beating the floor like a drum. But as Al moved to the cupboard and it was apparent that no hot dog was forthcoming, he turned three times and settled back into his nap with a loud sigh of pleasure. Apparently, tail-wagging was exhausting business.

As we watched Al dig through his cupboard, Rafael reached over and, grabbing my wrists, pulled me close into the circle of his arms. It was comforting being there, and I laid my head on his shoulder. I could feel myself relaxing. I could feel him relaxing too as he rested his chin on the top of my head. His arms were strong and gentle, and he seemed just as content to hold me as I was to stay there.

With a whistle of triumph, Al waved the Protectors over to the kitchen table to give them a demonstration of his gadgetry, and using the opportunity, Rafael pulled me out of the kitchen. Weaving through the piles of cardboard boxes, he guided me into the empty family room to stand near the window.

“What is it?” I asked in a hushed tone.

He stood there a moment, reaching out to absently twine a lock of my hair around his finger. His enigmatic eyes thoughtfully considered me.

“What is it?” I asked again, beginning to fill with anxiety.

His lashes flickered and trailing an elegant finger down my jawline, he dropped his hand into his pocket and pulled out Jareth’s protection rune.

Puzzled, I stared at the black symbol etched deep into the white stone. The rune looked like it always had. White. Vibrant.

I caught my breath then.

It was still pulsating, and there were no signs of cracks.

I glanced up in surprise to meet Rafael’s clear gaze.

“Yes,” he confirmed, seeing the understanding dawn in my eyes. “Jareth’s still alive.”

Chapter Three – Finding Melody

Relief consumed me, even though I couldn’t believe it.

“Alive? How?” I gasped. “He quit breathing. I saw it myself.”

Rafael drew his brows together into a frown. “I don’t really know,” he admitted, grimacing. He gave his head a rueful shake and added, “But isn’t everything with Jareth … unique?”

I had to grant him that. Though I wasn’t quite sure I’d have chosen the word “unique”. I took a deep breath, overwhelmed by a rollercoaster of emotions and then managed to ask, “Where is he?”

His handsome face darkened with frustration and concern. “I’ve tried everything I can think of. He’s hidden somewhere. By someone who doesn’t want him to be found.”

I was willing to bet everything I had on just who that someone was. Melody. But I’d only said the first syllable of her name before Rafael laid a long finger against my lips. With his gray eyes flashing a brief warning, his expression took a decidedly guarded turn as his gaze focused in the direction of the door.