Emerald City Dreamer (22 page)

She listened for a few more songs until the band left the stage to begin a time-honored tradition - the fans cheered to summon an encore. And according to custom,
Fates of Surrender
had saved the crowd-favorite for last.

Jett took the opportunity to slip to a side door just to the right of the stage, where a beefy man sat on a tall stool. His shirt said: SECURITY.

"
Hey," she said.

"
Got a pass?"

"
In a way..."

"
No one's allowed without a... Step right on through, ma'am." He motioned at the doorway.

There, no fuss this time. Unlike Pogswoth, the bouncer's will had bent like grass under the hoof of a stag. And with the respect she deserved.

She walked down the short hallway and found the area where Jina would make her second exit. The band completed the final song, and soon Jina left the stage with a backdrop of uproar. She was still lifting the guitar strap over her head when Jett touched her sleeve.

"
Jett! I'm so glad you could make it." Jina wrapped her free arm around Jett's shoulder.

"
Your music tonight, it took me to places I've only dreamed of."

Jina's hand lingered on Jett's arm, sending shivers up her skin. "Your eyes take me to places I've only dreamed of." She smiled, suddenly shy, and took a step back. "I'm sorry, that was forward. How did you get back here?"

Jina's existing attraction would make this easy. Jett never felt comfortable seducing those dreamers who were not already drawn to her. Such games were best left to the unseelie, like Pogswoth.

"
A wink and a smile work like a charm." Jett winked and smiled.

"
Why don't you come on back to the dressing room and have a few beers with us?" She motioned to her drummer and bassist.

Jina led her through the narrow hall to the dressing room. All the walls were painted the same shade of black, just as they were out in the main area.

"
It's small, but it's more than we get at most venues," Jina said. "Come on in. The bouncers are going to let a few fans in here pretty soon." Unshyly, Jina removed her sweaty stage-wear and slipped into some jeans and a baby-doll tee. Jett let her eyes linger over her body and her pulse quickened.

Jina noticed and smiled warmly. She opened a cold bottle of Pyramid and handed it to Jett. "I hope you like hef."

Jett took a swig and let it calm her beating heart.

Jina pointed to the two men in the room. "Meet Wendell, my drummer, and bass player, Dennis. Guys, I was telling you about Jett, from artwalk a couple days ago."

Dennis had long curly hair and a tiny soul patch beard just under his chin. He wore eyeliner and a tweed jacket over an old t-shirt. Wendell wore thick-framed glasses and his spiky bleached hair drooped from sweat. He dried his face with a rag.

"
Heya newgirl," Dennis said. "Better watch out for Jina's charms."

Jina frowned at him, but Jett just chuckled. "Maybe she should beware of mine."

"
I dunno you too well," he said, "but if Jina had a charming contest with just about anyone, she'd win."

"
Is that your way of saying you wish she'd turn her charms on you?" Jett asked.

Dennis blushed, shrugged, and zipped up his guitar in a cloth bag. They seemed like good people, talented. Not dreamers, not quite, but a nice compliment to Jina's genius.

Jina sat on a ratty couch and patted the seat next to her. "You better come sit by me before they let the fans in."

Jett sat down and was surprised to feel Jina take her hand. Dennis was right; Jina seemed to be rushing things along. If only more humans were this forward.

"
I saw what you did out there," Jina said, leaning close. "That creep disappeared right after you talked to him. Did you run him of the bar?"

"
In a way, yes."

"
He followed me here. Was he harassing you?"

So he really had found Jina first. It seemed Pogswoth had invested a lot into his quarry. He'd just have to deal with the fact that another hunter had won the prize. "He was drunk. He said something unseemly about you, so I put him in his place."

"
I don't know what you could have said to him to chase him out, but thanks."

"
I threatened to call the police and he took it very seriously," she lied.

"
Hmm," Jina mused. "Maybe he has an arrest warrant or restraining order. Either way, thanks for saving me. At least for tonight. He'll be back though."

"
No he won't."

Jina shook her head and laughed darkly. "I doubt anything you said would keep that guy away for long."

"
If he so much as looks at you again, my sweet, I swear, he will wish the police had him."

"
What could you do to him?" Jina asked.

"
I'm stronger than I look."

"
I'm glad you're so willing to protect me, but you can't be around all the time."

"
I would like to be," Jett said. And someday, she would be.

Jina closed her eyes halfway and snuggled in against Jett's side. Her body felt warm, alive on Jett's skin.

The door swung inward. Four or five people squeezed into the room. One girl walked up and gave Wendell a kiss. "Been behaving yourself, sweetie?"

"
Of course, hon."

The other fans leaned against various objects in the room. A young man in a flannel and a dirty Mariner's cap sat down next to Jina, squeezing her more tightly against Jett.

"
Hey baby, what's your name?" He put his arm around Jina. He smelled like beer. A lot.

Before Jina could protest, Jett flung his arm away and replaced it with her own. "She's with me, bud. Here's a beer, consolation prize." She passed him her own half-finished drink.

"
Ugh, a microbrew. Got any Millers?"

"
What, are you from Kent?" Jina said, shoving him away again. "You hang with the band, you drink what we drink."

"
Oh right, you're in the band. I didn't recognize you with your clothes on." He chuckled to himself and chugged back his Pyramid.

Jett flicked him in the ear. "Get off the couch," she said sternly, infusing it with a meager trickle of glamour.

He pretended it hadn't hurt, gave her a frown, but nevertheless, stood and attempted to converse with Dennis about pickup trucks.

Jina took the opportunity to put her hand on Jett's leg and whispered, "Thanks for saving me. My hero, twice in one night."

Jett smiled and pulled Jina's hair back enough to whisper, "The tides will bring me inevitably to your side, time and time again."

Jina sighed and put her hand Jett's cheek, leaning in for a kiss.

Before she made contact, Miller Lite called out, "Hoo hoo! Two chicks at the same time."

Jina whispered, "You wanna get out of here?"

Wasn't that her line? At the moment, Jett wanted nothing but to be alone with this girl.

"
Anywhere you lead."

Jina took her by the hand and led her through the door. When they passed the bouncer, Jina motioned behind. "Hey, Jack. I know it's an anatomical impossibility, but there's a dick in there who's being an asshole. Talking to Dennis. Bounce him, willya?"

"
Sure thing, Jina."

Jina led her conspiratorially down the hall and then up onto the empty stage. They cuddled behind the amps.

"
We have the place to ourselves," Jina promised. "No one will think to look for us up here."

They kissed, and Jett felt young again, like a princess sneaking off through the halls of a Tir Nan Og palace to be with a lowborn scullery spright.

FINALLY, IT WORKED. The redcap glared and helplessly pounded on the walls of the jar. It had taken all day, but now the imperceptible glow now gave off an imperceptible hum, and glamour slowly seeped out into the room. Sandy examined the contraption and jotted down notes about Jina's spell.

"
What was it you said earlier about unconscious effects?" Sandy asked.

"
Glamour is fickle and follows the focus of my unconscious as much as my intent. Whatever I dream about at night is likely to leak out into my spells. Something in my heart wanted to let the dream out, not lock it inside, and that fought against our attempts at sealing the faerie's magic. It took me a while to figure that out."

"
What is it you dream about?" Sandy asked.

"
A girl."

She heard a
zip
, and looked up to see Jina pick up her guitar case and head up the stairs.

"
Hey, where are you going?" she demanded.

"
I have a date," Jina said.

"
But we don't have a scry spell yet. Didn't you just go out last night?"

"
My concert was two nights ago, and last night, I was looking for Scarf, since no one else will do it. I'm exhausted," Jina said. "You have a Heimlich valve of magicalness. Glamour comes out, faerie and his magic stays in. I'm going to relax." She sounded defensive for some reason.

"
Yes, but now I have to find that creature, Ezra." Desperation clawed at her. She would not feel safe until he was here, locked up in a cage, under her power.

"
Find Scarf instead.
Please
," Jina pleaded. "I want to stop worrying about him. He followed me to Neumo's on Saturday and-"

"
He
what
? Why don't you tell me these things?"

"
I tried to, twice. You were too busy." Jina headed up the stairs. Sandy snatched up her glass and followed.

"
I'm really excited about my date tonight, and you didn't know about that either. Because we can't talk to each other without it being official Ordo business. Or a fight."

Ouch. If only Jina would stop trying to leave in the middle of projects, then Sandy could stop arguing with her.

"
You've changed," Sandy said. Her tone revealed far more weariness than she'd intended.

Jina paused in front of her bedroom door. "So have you... but not in a good way." She glanced at the empty glass in Sandy's hand. Sandy resisted the urge to throw it at her.

"
It's never like this when you're sober, and it isn't even helping you get the things
you
want. You need clarity, perspective.
We
need you to have clarity and perspective."

Sandy didn't have time for clarity.

Jina continued into her room. Sandy trailed behind.

"
They say insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results," Jina said.

"
Yes, but what if I've tried different things and still get the same results?" Sandy asked, revealing a tiny glimmer of vulnerability backed by hope... hope that maybe Jina really did have the answer.

"
Then you're just not trying the right things. There are people who have been down this path before. I won't help you work and drink yourself to death, but I'd be happy to spend time doing things that will actually help you."

"
Then help me with that scry spell."

Jina raised an eyebrow, and turned away, obviously still getting ready to go out. "Trying the same thing? Expecting different results?" she said.

Sandy had to make Jina listen to reason. She had to make her stay. "Here's your different results!" The glass flew from her hand and hit the wall.

Jina flinched. Now she was paying attention.

"
This room is mine!" Sandy shouted. "All this is mine! I've worked for it, all of it! And you, you do nothing except diddle around on your stupid guitar all day, go out to your stupid parties all night, whoring it up and snorting coke and who knows what else. You haven't done a single thing for me since we left Michigan!"

"
Sandy! Chill the fuck out!" Jina's voice cracked a little, which only enraged Sandy more. She had nothing left to throw. "What the hell is wrong with you? For chrissakes, chill!"

This was Jina's fault. She'd caused all this anger, this loss of control. And now she had the nerve to...

Sandy took a couple of deep breaths. "Fine. Fine!"