A growl emanated from the darkness and a hand tightened around my throat. “You did not do as I wished, so you are going to die with the knowledge that your brother will soon follow.”
Bailey.
This monster had my brother. “Where is he? If you’re so all-powerful, why won’t you let me see him?”
The voice laughed, but it wasn’t a pleasant sound. “His current state might disturb you, Slayer. I will save you that one horror before you die.” The hand tightened more and breathing became difficult.
My fighting instincts kicked in, but it was useless since my arms and legs were paralyzed. There was also the problem of me not being able to see my opponent.
My dream, I take control.
I couldn’t fight physically, so I’d do it mentally.
I tried to force myself to wake up but it didn’t work.
“You are powerless, Guardian. Stop fighting. Unless you want to die slowly.”
Death? People don’t die from dreams.
The hand around my neck squeezed tight.
Okay, maybe they do.
I coughed and my chest ached from lack of air. I tried to talk but it was impossible. I refused to let this monster get the best of me.
A strange noise, shouting.
What is that?
Something wet hit my face. I coughed and the screaming grew louder. The thing pushed against my face, and then shook my shoulders. Contact. I reached out for whatever it was and this time it worked.
I woke to find Max standing over me screaming, “Ms. Caruthers, I insist you wake up now. Or I’m going to slap you.”
I laughed, only slightly hysterically. “Max, you precious man. I think you just saved my life.” I gave his arm a squeeze, grateful for the reality of it. Even though my body still shivered from the cold, I shoved the cashmere blanket off me. “I’m not sure, but I think the killer just tried to murder me in my dreams. He would have succeeded if it hadn’t been for you.”
“You were making strange noises and it sounded like you were choking.” Max handed me a towel to wipe away the water he’d splashed on me. “I’m sorry about your clothes. I tried to wake you by talking, but you didn’t budge. I thought you were about to choke to death.”
“I was. Whatever it was had its hands around my neck. I’ve had a lot of nightmares but none as scary as that one. Yikes. I need to drink some more coffee. I’ll be damned if I’m going to fall asleep again.”
I picked up the phone and called Kyle and Jake. We had to catch whoever or whatever this thing was and we had to do it fast. Otherwise I would never be able to sleep again.
Hours later we landed, and I was grateful to see
no paparazzi at the airport. Max had the car on the road in a matter of minutes, and I leaned my head back against the headrest.
“Max, let’s stop by Taco Bell on the way home. I’m in serious need of a grilled steak-stuffed burrito.”
Half grunting, half laughing, he turned his head back. “Yes, ma’am.”
Five minutes later we pulled into the drive-through. “Would you like me to take care of it?”
“Nah, go ahead and pull up. I’ll order. What would you like?”
“I’ll take a half-pound cheesy bean burrito and a Gordita Baja. Oh, and a large Slice, if you don’t mind.”
I couldn’t help but smile. Max was a man after my own heart. After placing the order at the kiosk, he pulled the car up so I could get the food.
“That’s seventeen sixty-two.” The girl with the headset and six earrings on her right ear smiled. Her bleached-blonde hair was in a ponytail and she wore bright pink lipstick. “Oh. My. God. You’re totally Gillian Caruthers.” She jumped up and down. “I just saw you in
OK
with that hot dude—oh, sorry. Um.” The caption below the picture must have dawned on her: “Gillian Caruthers’s dumpee #25. When will she find Mr. Right?”
I handed her the money. “It’s okay. Guys suck, right?”
“Hell, yeah.” She clapped her hand over her mouth. “Sorry, we’re not supposed to cuss at work. Can I ask you, like, a huge favor?”
“Depends. What is it?” I took the plastic bags and the drinks from her and handed Max his portion of the bounty.
“Could I get a picture with you? I know, it’s superlate, and you probably want to get home. But I think you’re the coolest. I mean, you’re a lawyer and you run a company. Then you always land these hot guys, and the clothes—don’t even get me started. You’re, like, a huge inspiration. I’m only a senior in high school, but I’m going to study law when I get to college. I want to be just like you.”
I bet her parents weren’t happy about that. Most of the world thought I was a spoiled, rich bitch whose daddy paid to get me through law school. Laughing, I looked behind us and saw there was no one in line. “Do you have a camera?”
“No, but I have my phone.” She pulled it out of her pocket.
“Max, can you pull up a little so I can get out? What did you say your name is?”
“Caitlan Langton, and you are just the best.”
I was a bit crumpled and I had no doubt this picture would be all over the Internet in a matter of seconds, but I couldn’t disappoint her.
“How about we let my friend here take the picture?” I took the phone from her and handed it to Max. He fiddled with the buttons for a moment. “Smile,” he said.
Caitlan leaned through the window and I did my best to put my arm around her shoulder. She beamed, and so did I.
“My friends aren’t going to believe this.” She was still smiling as Max gave her her phone back. “I knew you were nice. I’ve seen some of the things they’ve been saying. I promise I’ll get the word out that you’re totally cool.”
My own teen PR agent. “I appreciate it.” I reached out a hand. “Caitlan, you are one rockin’ chick.” I reached into my purse and handed her a card. “This has my private e-mail. It’s just for you. I want you to e-mail me and let me know how school is going.”
She held the card to her heart. “I promise to never show anyone. It means so much that you shared it with me. Oh, my gosh, I might cry.”
I laughed again. “Don’t you dare. I’m kind of tired and if you start I will, and then I’ll be really embarrassed. We’ve got to run, but you keep in touch, okay?”
“I will. Thank you!” she yelled just before Max slammed the door closed.
“That was a nice thing you did,” he said as he pulled back on the highway. “That’s something she’s going to remember the rest of her life.”
“What she doesn’t know is it’s something I won’t forget anytime soon. She was a sweet kid.” I’d make sure she didn’t have to worry about paying for law school.
I took out my burrito and took a bite. Closing my eyes, I savored the spicy beef.
Now this is worth saving the universe.
CHAPTER 27
Back at home I discovered Kyle and Jake had run out
of leads. I’d learned more on my short sojourn to Paris and in my wickedly bad nightmare than everyone else combined.
Jittery with nerves, I almost took Jake’s head off when he told me that they had hit a dead end. Hands shaking, I grabbed the edge of the kitchen counter, which held my fortieth cup of coffee in two days, and willed myself to get Zen.
I took a deep breath. “Well, now you know that Emilio wasn’t happy about Markie buying the painting. That’s a start. And he’s not usually a tough guy to find—have you tried calling him?” The edge in my voice was condescending and I knew it. “Sorry. I’m just—”
“Overcaffeinated,” Kyle said as he walked in. “Max told me you were guzzling java like there was no tomorrow, and obviously he wasn’t lying.”
“Have to stay awake; can’t let that thing get ahold of me again.” I caught myself biting the inside of my lip.
“About that.” Jake picked up the coffee cup he’d been rinsing out when I pounced on him. “I talked with your mom. She says whoever was in your dream was most likely a mage of some sort. They can walk in different realities as easily as we do in this one.”
I remembered what Aunt Juliet had said about accidentally slipping into Kildenren’s dream, and they had made babies. So it was perfectly logical that this person could kill me in mine. “That’s not making me feel any better.”
“I wish I had better news, and for the record we did call Emilio. We also have men checking all of his usual haunts.”
I held up a shaky hand. “Thanks. I’m—not going to say I’m sorry again.” I laughed. “Jeez. If I take your head off, guys, just roll with it. You know I don’t mean anything. It’s the coffee talking.”
They both chuckled and made for the door.
“Oh, your mother wanted me to tell you that a council meeting has been called and they are on high alert.” Jake ran from the room after he said it. Kyle must have understood the impact the words would have on me, because he booked it, too.
Chickens.
High alert meant that the council members needed us to protect them while they met. Ack.
“Can’t you tell them we’re busy?” I complained to my mother.
“Gillian,” she admonished. I’d found her searching for something in her personal library. “You know it doesn’t work that way. You were born to protect the universe from harm.” She turned to look at me. “You look like the walking dead.” She glanced down at her watch. “Take two hours to rest. It will take us that long to prepare everything for the journey.”
“Mom, I can’t sleep. Whatever it is that has Bailey tried to kill me in my sleep. Besides that, he is still missing, and now with this we have even less time to look for him.”
“I’m quite aware that my son is gone. What you must realize is that you are no good to any of us if you aren’t at full power, Gillian. I can do a spell that will protect you while you rest, and we’ll make sure that someone is there to watch you.”
“Mom, I’m not going to sleep. I almost died. You’re powerful and I realize it probably wouldn’t matter much to you if I died, but I’m not willing to take the chance with my life.”
Her hand smacked against my cheek so hard it jarred my brain. “Don’t you ever say anything so stupid again, young lady. You and your sisters are my world. Do you understand that? You were born to protect the universe, and you have important jobs, but you will always be my daughters.”
I rubbed my cheek. “Damn, Mom. You must be working out again. That hurt.”
She rolled her eyes. “I lost my temper. Events—well, you know it’s all a bit much. When I tell you I can protect you from the darkness, you need to believe me.” She handed me some pills. “These are herbs that will help you sleep for a short time. When you wake you’ll feel refreshed.”
I’d been dismissed but I wasn’t ready to go. I needed her to listen to me. “Mom. These murders—the ones here and in Paris—they have something to do with me and I’m afraid Bailey’s going to die because I couldn’t kill the demon king. If my brother dies, I will never be able to forgive myself.”
“Enough!” my mother yelled. I jerked back, afraid she might hit me again.
“You are not the reason your brother has been taken. The darkness is rising, Gillian. Evil is the reason your brother is gone. It has absolutely nothing to do with you; someone only wants you to think that.”
The power roiled off her in waves, and she took a deep breath. “The shifts, your brother, the sudden upheaval and breaking of treaties. Those things are related, but none of them have anything to do with you. As a Guardian you must put duty in front of everything else. If you had killed the demon king, that entire world would be after you, as well as its allies. There would be little we could do to keep them from destroying you and the rest of us.
“Evil, Gillian. Evil has everything to do with this. You made the right choice by not killing Arath. Though I could wring your neck for reuniting him and Juliet.”
The sudden shift in topic threw me off guard. I knew she wasn’t in the mood, but I had to ask. “Why were they kept apart? You knew, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I knew. It was best for all involved if Juliet believed her children gone. They would have been in constant danger here. We were facing much the same thing as we are now, and back then Maunra, though more barbaric than Earth, was simply safer. Arath also needed to learn the old ways of magic from beings that aren’t welcome on Earth. The demon king has a great destiny, one that could only be fulfilled if he was raised on Maunra. His father understood the sacrifice, and I believe Arath does, too.”
“I don’t understand.”
My mother sighed. “Gillian, when we get back I will do my best to explain. Right now I must concentrate on working protection spells to keep us alive at the summit. Please go and rest. In a few hours all of you girls must be at maximum power. We are going into a very dangerous situation.” She moved away from me and picked up a book. “And I’m sorry I slapped you. I took an oath to harm none, and I’m not pleased with myself for hitting my own daughter. That wasn’t one of my finest moments.”
Before I left the room I walked over and kissed her cheek. She wasn’t perfect, but she was my mother and I loved her. I’d never seen her lose her temper, but this situation had bested all of us.
Back in my room I made some notes about what
we might need for the council meeting. There was no way I’d fall asleep again, at least not until we’d rounded up all the bad guys. I wouldn’t risk taking the herbs my mother had given me.
My brain cells were out of whack and I couldn’t concentrate. I wondered if Arath had survived the battle. I couldn’t imagine him ever losing anything, but the uncertainty over what had happened to him gnawed at my insides.
Please, God, let him be alive. I’d like one more chance to tell him that I’m sorry.
Damn, I’d said that a lot the last couple of hours.
I wished Arath could be at the council meeting. The way things were going we needed someone with that kind of power.
There was a knock on the door. “Time to gear up. We leave in twenty.” Mira pointed at her watch.
I yawned and stretched. “Do you have any of those herbs you used to give me during exams?” I told her about the dream and what had happened.
“I’ll have something ready for you in the weapons room. You won’t need to sleep for a week, and you won’t get nervous like you do when you’re overcaffeinated.” When she noticed my hands shaking, she frowned. “How much coffee have you had?”