Sweet Shadows (32 page)

“Okay,” I say, forcing positivity. “Now what?”

“Now,” Gretchen says, “we gather the rest of the supplies. If we’re going in, we’re going in prepared.”

She makes a list of what we need, assigns each of us a portion of it, and then we’re on our own. I’m getting half a dozen flashlights and extra batteries. Thane is filling another two backpacks with food and water. Everyone else is on special errands and we’re meeting in Greer’s basement in two hours.

As we part ways to gather our supplies, I pull Thane aside.

“There’s something you’re not telling me,” I say.

His face remains expressionless. “There usually is.”

When he starts to turn away, I grab his elbow.

“Thane—”

“Now isn’t the time. When this is all over, when we get back safely,” he says, “then we can talk.”

I want to push him for answers, but he’s right. There’s no time.

“I’m going to hold you to that promise,” I tell him.

He grins. “I know you will, Grace-face.”

I’m so stunned by his uncharacteristic smile that I stand silent as he turns and heads out on his errand. Then I shake myself back to reality. Time is ticking and I need to get moving too. Two hours until the scariest moment of my life. It may be selfish, but I’m glad Thane will be at my side. Who can a girl rely on if not her big brother?

M
other and Dad would never accept and understand the situation the way Grace’s parents did. They would think I’d lost my mind or that I was acting out to win their attention. The idea of telling them the truth about everything does not even cross my mind.

However, the danger to them is all too real. I can’t keep them in the dark, going on with their everyday lives when the peril grows with every passing minute. When another monster might show up at our front door at any time.

Which is why, while the others disperse across the city to gather supplies for our trip into the abyss, I return home, calling my parents along the way.

Dad agrees easily, promising to swing by the house on the way to his afternoon meeting in the Haight. Mother is a more difficult sell.

“I’m sure this can wait, Greer,” she says, sounding distracted. “We can discuss your
emergency
when I get home this evening.”

I don’t tell her that an emergency, by its very definition, cannot wait. I don’t tell her, either, that she likely won’t be home before I would normally be in bed asleep.

“Please, Mother.” I hate to beg, even more than she hates seeing or hearing desperation, but I tell myself that in a short while she won’t remember this conversation. “It truly cannot wait. Please come home.”

I hear her sigh. Voice muffled, as if she’s covering the mouthpiece of her phone, she tells her assistant, “Transfer the notes to my tablet. I’ll read them on my way home.”

“Thank you, Mo—”

The phone clicks dead in my ear. I stifle the brief surge of pain. No point wasting time and energy being hurt. She’s coming home—they both are—and I will make them safe. That’s all that matters.

Dad arrives first. He’s on the phone, waving me off for a moment. “Absolutely not,” he barks into the phone. “Those terms are unacceptable and they know it. Send them back to their garage to come up with something more reasonable.”

He snaps his phone back onto his belt holster.

“What is the big emergency, Greer?” he asks, sounding more intrigued than concerned.

“I’d rather wait for Mother to arrive,” I say. “So I can talk with you both at once.”

“Your mother is coming home as well?” His brows lift in surprise. “Sounds serious.”

Mother walks in, saving me from a temporary explanation.

“I’m here,” she says. “Now please tell me what on earth is so very urgent.”

As much as I would rather they sit, giving me the slight advantage of height over them, I don’t have time. My sisters and the boys will be here any minute. I need to get my parents out of harm’s way before that happens.

“You need to take a vacation,” I say.

Mother snorts.

“You know that’s not possible,” Dad says. “But if you want to use the company jet—”

I step closer to Mother, focus my eyes on hers, and will the power to work. “You
need
to take a vacation.”

She scowls, and then her face clears. In a hollow voice, she says, “I need to take a vacation.”

“What?” Dad sounds stunned. As well he should. The last time I remember my parents taking a vacation was … well, never. I think they even passed on a honeymoon in favor of business school graduation.

“I need a vacation,” Mother repeats.

Before Dad can figure out something weird is going on, I put myself in his line of sight, look him in the eye, and say, “Yes, you both need a vacation.”

Immediately his face goes just as blank as Mother’s. “We need a vacation.”

“Somewhere warm,” I say. “Without internet. Without cell phone service.”

“No cell phone,” Mother repeats.

For an instant, half a moment, I’m tempted to go one step further. To tell my mother I love her and hear her tell me back. But I know it won’t be real. Mother doesn’t express affection.

Instead, I continue my instructions. “You won’t even pack a bag. You will get your passports. Take a car to the airport and make the travel arrangements when you get there. Buy everything you need when you get to your destination.”

“Passports,” Dad says.

Mother nods. “Destination.

“You will be gone at least two weeks,” I add. “You will not check in with me because you know I’m fine.”

“You’re fine.”

I glance at my watch, an antique handed down from my great-grandmother. I have only a few minutes.

“Go,” I say. “Get back in one of the cars waiting outside and go. Now.”

They turn to leave.

At the last moment, I can’t stop myself. “Mother,” I call out. When she turns, I say, “I love you.”

“I love you,” she echoes back.

If I close my eyes, I can almost believe she said it for real. Almost.

I rush forward, wrap my arms around her waist, and allow myself a moment of connection. Then I release her and they disappear into the shiny black car. I’m still watching the spot where the car vanished around the corner when everyone shows up.

“Are we ready?” I ask.

We all have fully loaded backpacks, with everything Gretchen thinks we’ll need—or
might
need—in the abyss. Mine holds enough provisions for a week, at least, along with a fleece jacket and a pashmina that can function as a scarf, blanket, or pillow. Gretchen said it was freezing in there, and I have low tolerance for cold.

“Ready,” Grace says, heaving her own bag of provisions onto her back.

The boys and Gretchen carry the heaviest loads, with not only their own provisions but also weapons and antivenoms Gretchen has retrieved from the safe house, extra provisions for everyone, and some other items that Gretchen and Nick were very secretive about.

The member of our party I understand the least is Thane. Grace’s brother.

He doesn’t have to be here, standing there like a statue with the heaviest bag of all on his back. He could have stayed home with their parents—
should
have stayed, maybe—and left the dangerous job to those of us with supernatural abilities.

When Grace was trying to convince him to stay home, I had a brief vision. We were somewhere dark and black—the abyss—and Grace and I were facing down a hideous monster. The thing was about to slice through Grace with long, bladelike claws when Thane clobbered the thing from behind. He saved Grace’s life. That’s why I encouraged her to let him come.

Still, there is something … compelling about him. I can’t stop sneaking glances at him. And I am
not
the sort of girl to sneak furtive glances.

Whenever I look at him, I get the feeling he’s conflicted. I’m not sure if it’s my keen Medusa sense or just intuition. Either way, he’s an enigma. One that I can’t help wanting to unravel.

“Let’s do this,” Gretchen says. She pulls out one of her daggers and swipes it quickly over her palms, drawing out twin lines of silvery blood. Then, dagger back in her boot, she asks, “Everyone ready?”

“Yes,” I say.

Grace gives her a shaky smile. “Ready.”

The boys nod, ready to follow in right behind us.

Gretchen smacks her palms together and the portal appears, at almost the exact spot in my basement where she came flying out on the pegasus just yesterday.

Grace takes one of my hands in hers, grabbing Gretchen’s with the other.

We share a look, just between us three, and then Grace smiles. Gretchen nods. And I take a deep breath.

Hand in hand, we step forward into the abyss. Into danger and destiny.

Photograph by Amy K. Smith

T
ERA
L
YNN
C
HILDS
is the award-winning author of several books for teens, including the mermaid romances
FORGIVE MY FINS and FINS ARE FOREVER
, as well as another mythology-inspired series,
OH. MY. GODS.
and
GODDESS BOOT CAMP
. Although Tera always dreamed of discovering a secret twin (or triplet), she is sad to report she remains an only child. Find extras—such as excerpts and cool contests—for all of Tera’s books at www.teralynnchilds.com.

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www.AuthorTracker.com
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Sweet Venom

Forgive My Fins

Fins Are Forever

Just for Fins

Cover photography © 2012 by Gustavo Marx/MergeLeft Reps, Inc.

Cover design by Joel Tippie

Katherine Tegen Books is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Sweet Shadows

Copyright © 2012 by Tera Lynn Childs

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Childs, Tera Lynn.

Sweet shadows / Tera Lynn Childs.—1st ed.

p. cm.

Sequel to: Sweet venom.

Summary: Teen triplets Gretchen, Grace, and Greer, descendants of Medusa, continue to battle the monsters who walk the streets of San Francisco, unseen by humans, but realize they must enter the abyss if they are to protect their loved ones—and their world.

ISBN 978-0-06-200183-2 (trade bdg.)

EPub Edition © JULY 2012 ISBN: 9780062190277

[1. Fate and fatalism—Fiction. 2. Medusa (Greek mythology)—Fiction. 3. Mythology, Greek—Fiction. 4. Monsters—Fiction. 5. Sisters—Fiction. 6. Triplets—Fiction. 7. San Francisco (Calif.)—Fiction.] I. Title.

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