by J. Kenner
Hale had to give the mortal credit. She hadn’t burst into tears or run screaming from the room, swearing to never look Zoe in the face again. Not yet, anyway.
“Mordichai.” He said the name like a curse. Damn their cousin for siding with his father. If the little worm had any backbone, there’d be no problem.
“What the heck did he want?” Zoe asked.
The stone, of course, but Hale couldn’t tell her that. From what Zephron claimed, all hell would break loose if he did. Instead he shook his head in feigned ignorance.
“Even more,” she added, “what did he want with Deena?”
“Probably trying to get to you. The tests and all.”
“He seemed so sweet as a dog,” the mortal said.
“He’d just as soon bite your head off,” Hale said, just to shake her up.
“Hey,” she said, staring him right in the eye. “I didn’t say he was sweet, I said he looked sweet.”
“Fair enough,” Hale said, his estimation of Zoe’s mortal friend increasing.
“Sweet or not, what was he looking for?” Zoe asked. Her eyes widened. “Of course! He wanted the belt.” She looked at Deena. “He smelled it on you.”
“You’re probably right,” Hale said, thinking fast. The fact was, Mordichai sniffing around Zoe meant one of two things: either Mordi had given up looking for the stone and was simply going to tail Zoe, figuring one of them would end up with it before the eclipse, or Mordi knew something the rest of them didn’t.
Both options meant bad news for Zoe, and the best thing Hale could do was get back to Olympus, report in, and see if Zephron or Donis had learned anything useful. He glanced around aimlessly, trying to think up an excuse for leaving, and his gaze landed on Deena’s overstuffed tote bag. “If he wants the belt, I should get rid of it,” he said, pointing at the bag and urging the belt up and into his waiting hand.
“Cool trick,” Deena said.
Zoe’s brow furrowed. “Get rid of it how?”
“I’m taking this back to Zephron. I should have done it earlier.” He shoved the belt into his backpack and headed for the door. He took a quick look around for Elmer, but the little guy wasn’t to be found. The ferret had been hiding since he’d snapped at him earlier, and he was probably still sulking. Well, he’d just have to camp at Zoe’s then, because Hale didn’t have time to scour the place looking for him.
“Hale?” Deena said.
He turned to the mortal, his hand resting on the doorknob. She smiled. “It was nice to meet you.”
Hale stared at her, trying to decide what to say. He didn’t have mortal friends, didn’t want mortal friends. Didn’t want or need any warm, fuzzy feelings for these creatures he’d sworn to protect.
But this one had stuck by his sister, so maybe he could make an exception. The world probably wouldn’t come crashing down if he added one mortal to his list of friends. He sighed. “Yeah,” he finally said. “It was nice to meet you, too.”
Lane was waiting in the doorway to her apartment when Taylor got there. “Well, well, well,” she said with a grin.
“What?”
She stepped into the apartment, tossing him a knowing glance over her shoulder. “The clothes, hotshot. Those were what you were wearing yesterday. Guess the job went well, huh?”
He rolled his eyes skyward. “Lane—”
“Not that I’m prying or anything. I’m just glad to see you back in the saddle. So tell me, brother mine, is she normal?”
Shaking his head, he could only grin.
“All right, Taylor. Good going. Maybe I’ll get a sister-in-law yet.” She bent down to scoop up Davy, who waved at Taylor and then buried his face in Lane’s shoulder.
“What’s the matter, buddy?” And thanks, kid, for helping me change the subject.
The boy shook his head, but no smiling face appeared.
“He missed his nap,” Lane explained, an apology in her voice. “It’ll make it easier on Janet, though. He’ll probably sleep the whole time we’re gone.”
“Did you talk to any of the store owners yesterday? Or is that on today’s agenda?”
“Talk?” A wide grin split her face. “I did a lot more than talk. Big brother, I found our flying mystery woman.”
“What?”
She nodded, clearly pleased with herself. “Yup. Managed to track down her home address and everything.”
“How the hell did you manage that?” He stifled a sigh, suddenly feeling rather useless. First Zoe fighting like a banshee, then his sister doing all the gumshoeing, and doing it well.
“Easy.” She took a deep breath. “Boomer figured she had to be one of the two girls who hang out on top of the tower, so I talked to the guard, and he told me their names—they have to sign in to get to the roof—and then I went to the school, but it was closed for the break, but the principal was there this morning, and I told her who I was looking for, and she pulled the file, and while it was on her desk, I read the address upside down.” She’d rattled the whole thing off without taking a breath, and now she sucked in air. “That’s it.”
He blinked. He’d barely followed her speech, and he had no idea who Boomer was, but it had sure sounded good.
“So can we go talk to her? I’ve been waiting for you all morning, but you were otherwise indisposed.” Her gentle smile told him that she’d forgive his tardiness since his love life was looking up.
“Let’s go.” He moved back out of the apartment and waited while she passed Davy off to her across-the-hall neighbor.
“It’s almost too bad you had a hot date last night,” she teased as they headed toward Francis Capra.
“Yeah? Why’s that?” Lord knew Taylor couldn’t think of a reason in the world why his night with Zoe could even remotely be classified as “too bad.”
She shrugged as he held the door open for her. “It’s just that this woman—the one who flew off the building—is right up your alley. Normal, I mean.”
“Flying off buildings is normal?”
“Well, not that part. But everything else about her sure is.”
He circled the car and opened his door, amused by her smug expression. “Okay, give.”
One eyebrow raised as the corner of her mouth curled up. “She’s an elementary school librarian. Wasn’t that just the kind of woman you said you were looking for?” Lane chuckled. “Her last name’s even Smith. How much more average can you get?”
“You jumped off a building?” Taylor ran his hands through his hair as he paced Zoe’s living room, confusion and fear clinging to him like dust.
She cringed and shrugged, wanting to explain. But she couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth. Not yet. “I—”
“She didn’t jump,” Lane said. “She flew. I told you.” She grinned. “I still can’t believe Zoe is your girlfriend. This is just too—”
“Lane.” He held up a hand as Zoe warmed to the sound of the word girlfriend. “I’m trying to figure out what’s going on.” He turned back to Zoe. “Tell me. Sweetheart, what’s going on?”
“It was no big deal, Taylor,” Zoe said, her eyes darting to Deena, silently pleading for help.
“No big deal? Thirty stories is a very big deal.” He looked from Deena to Zoe.
“What difference does it make to you?” Deena asked.
“What difference? The woman I love jumps off a building—”
Love? Zoe twisted back around to look at him.
“—and you think I’m just going to—” He snapped his mouth shut and closed his eyes, apparently realizing what he’d just said.
Lane clapped her hands and generally looked like she’d just won the lottery.
The room seemed to vanish as Zoe lost herself in his words. Oh, Hera. He loved her.
Then she remembered—the belt.
He didn’t love her at all. Not really. No matter how much she might care about him, he just was feeling the after-effects of what the belt had told him to feel.
She blinked back t
ears and looked to Deena, who managed to look both sympathetic and encouraging at the same time. Elmer padded over and pawed frantically at her foot. She swooped down and picked him up, hugging him tightly against her.
Taylor’s eyes opened and the corner of his mouth twitched. His shoulder rolled in the slightest of shrugs. “It’s true,” he said, and she could see in his eyes that he really believed it. He ran his fingers through his hair. “I had planned on saying it under more romantic circumstances, but it’s true.”
“Oh, Taylor, I. . .” She trailed off. What could she say? She needed to tell him the truth. No matter how much she wished it were true, he really didn’t love her.
Elmer twisted in her arms, and she scowled down at him. “What?”
He squeaked and fidgeted, but she had no idea what he wanted.
“Maybe he wants down,” Deena said.
Taylor’s eyes were still on her, ignoring the ferret’s antics.
“Tell me the truth, babe. What’s going on?”
Zoe shrugged and put Elmer on the back of the couch.
“There was no movie, was there?” Taylor asked, taking her hand.
“Not exactly. I, um, I—”
“Work part-time in R and D,” Deena rushed to put in.
“Right,” Zoe said, grateful Deena could still think. Zoe’s brain was more or less fried.
“R and D,” Taylor repeated.
“You know, research and development,” Deena said.
“They did tell me it was some big experimental project,” Lane admitted.
“That’s the craziest thing I ever heard,” he said.
“Let’s back up,” Zoe said. Too much was going on. She needed to focus, to get her head clear so she could decide what to do, what to say. She looked to Lane. “How did you know it was me who saved your child?” Then she looked at Taylor. “And how do you know Lane?”
“She’s my foster sister,” Taylor explained.
“But why was she—” She turned to Lane. “Why were you looking for me in the first place?”
“The necklace I gave you,” said Lane. “That’s the heirloom Taylor was hired to find.”
Elmer lost his footing and tumbled off the back of the couch, landing upside down on the overstuffed cushions. Someone had hired Taylor to find the stone? That could mean only one thing: Mordichai.
“I asked around at the tower,” Lane continued, “and they said you and Deena hang out there.”
“I thought you said that necklace was junk,” Deena said.
Lane shrugged. “Apparently jewelry appraisal isn’t my thing.” She looked at Zoe. “Do you still have it? Will you sell it back to the guy?”
Zoe looked at Deena.
“I kind of broke it,” Deena admitted. “At the Hollywood Bowl.”
“It’s gone?” Taylor asked, deflating.
“Everything but the stone.” Deena rummaged in the pocket of her skirt, then held out her hand, the green stone sitting like a lump on her palm. Elmer started to move toward it, then stopped, realizing that leaping for the stone just wouldn’t work the way he wanted it to. Oh, why had he indulged in that snit earlier when Hale was around?
“You’re welcome to have it back,” Zoe said.
Deena tossed the rock to Lane, who caught it with one hand. Elmer danced back and forth from his front feet to his back. If the stone was here and Mordi was looking for it, that meant that Mordi would likely show up here, too. Or worse . . . Hieronymous. He gulped.
“Oh, no,” Lane said, looking at the gem. “I can’t take this back. I gave it to you.”
“Of course you can,” Zoe argued.
“But—”
“I’m serious. I wasn’t expecting to be paid for helping you, and you didn’t know what you had. Keep it, and I hope you get a lot for it.”
Taylor looked at Zoe. “You’re sure?”
“Of course.”
No, no, no, Elmer squeaked, but he was ignored as usual.
“Thanks,” Lane said.
“But I should keep it,” Taylor added. “Until this guy buys it off you.”
Zoe shook her head. “She’s perfectly safe, Taylor. Those muggers weren’t after you. They wanted me.”
“You?”
Elmer leaped up and started hopping around. He had to get their attention. No, no, no! Don’t send it out into the world with a mortal. Mordi won’t have any trouble taking it off her!
He hopped and hopped, and then hopped some more. But did anyone notice the ferret? No, sirree.
Yeesh. You’d think he was a hamster or something.
“Why would they be after you?” Taylor asked.
“The flying cloak,” Zoe said. She frowned, dropping her gaze so she wasn’t looking at his face. “And that belt I was wearing last night. They’re both top-secret projects.”
Poor kid. Poor, gullible kid. She actually believed Hale’s belt story. Not that Elmer himself was any great mortalphile, but so far this Taylor guy seemed okay. And he sure seemed to really love Zoe.
Aw, hell. He’d been watching too many old movies on late-night cable. Love conquering adversity and all that. He was turning into a sap.
“Top secret?” Taylor repeated.
“It’s all very hush-hush,” Deena added.
“I guess it would be, if you can fly off a thirty-story building,” Taylor said.
“That’s how I knew Mord . . . uh, that fake cop was bad. I couldn’t tell you then, but I did tell you to get out of there. Remember?”
Taylor nodded slowly. “Yeah. You did.” His forehead creased. “Industrial espionage? We were being chased for your clothes?”
Zoe nodded. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you. Nondisclosure agreement. I promise I didn’t expect anything to happen that night. I wouldn’t do anything to endanger you.”
“Well,” said Taylor, “I’ve heard of the fashion police, but this. . .”
“There’s more.” Zoe licked her lips. “We need to talk,” she said, looking like she’d rather have major surgery without anesthetic. “Alone.”
Taylor nodded. “All right.” He dug in his pocket and then pitched Lane his keys. “Your choice. The car or the stone.” Elmer didn’t think Lane could have looked more surprised if Ed McMahon had handed her a thirty-million-dollar check. “Me?” Lane asked. “You’re letting me drive Francis Capra?”
“Only if you leave the rock with me. Zoe can give me a ride.” He looked at her, his eyes soft. “Right?”
“Of course she can,” Deena said. “She’d be thrilled to give you a ride.”
“Deena. . .” Zoe said, and Elmer could hear the note of warning in her voice.
A wide smile spread across Lane’s face. “Hey, I’m no fool. I know when not to argue. It was great to meet the real you, but now I need to go take my brother’s car for a joyride.”
With a grin, she tossed Taylor the stone, and he caught it with one hand.
Elmer fidgeted beneath him, his eyes on the stone. And when Taylor dropped it into a silver candy dish on Zoe’s coffee table, that was when he made his move. In a frenzy of flying ferret, he leaped and curled up on top of the candy dish, the stone tucked safely beneath him.
He might have screwed up and not told Hale where the stone was, but darn it, this time he wasn’t letting the thing out of his sight.
“I think that’s my cue to leave.” Deena stood up and hooked her tote bag over her arm as Lane pulled the door open.
“You guys don’t have to go so soon, do you?” Zoe asked. If they left, then Zoe was all out of excuses. She’d be all alone with Taylor. Her heart twisted. The man she’d fallen in love with.
The man who thought he was in love with her.
The man who wouldn’t want her if he knew she could bench-press his car.
It was all fake—everything. She needed to tell him he didn’t love her, needed to tell him they couldn’t be together.
And she would.
Later.
Right now maybe they could just hang out
. Play cards, charades, Pictionary. Something to keep them occupied so she didn’t have to confess.
She flashed a perky smile toward Deena and Lane. “How about some coffee? We could watch a movie.”
Deena rolled her eyes.
“Thanks,” said Lane, “but I want to take Francis Capra out on PCH One before the sun sets.”
“You guys are sure? I’ve got Monopoly.”
Taylor flashed her a quizzical look.
“No, Zoe,” Deena said firmly. “Thanks.”
“Fine.” She was stuck with Mr. Midnight. “At least let me walk you down.”
“Zo, for cryin’ out loud. You don’t need—”
“In case my neighbor’s dogs are still loose,” Zoe said, trying to aim a meaningful look Deena’s way.
“Oh,” Deena said. “Right. Okay.”
“I’ll come, too,” Taylor said.
“No!”
He frowned. “But if these dogs are vicious . . .”
Zoe looked to Deena for help.
“It’s a code, Taylor. Girl talk.”
Lane laughed as Taylor’s cheeks went a little pink. “Oh. Well. Then I’ll just walk Lane to the car. I need to get some stuff out of the trunk, anyway.”
Zoe nodded, and they all left the apartment and trailed down the stairs, turning in opposite directions when they reached the sidewalk.
“I don’t think I can tell him,” Zoe said, the second Taylor and Lane were out of earshot. “What am I supposed to say?”
“Don’t say anything,” Deena said. “I don’t believe Hale’s nonsense for a minute, anyway.”
“I don’t know . . .”
“Taylor loves you, Zo,” Deena said as she opened the door to her car. “No matter what the fashion mags say, no piece of clothing was what made him feel that way.”
“Maybe—”
“Holy cripes,” Deena yelped, jumping back away from the poodle that had suddenly appeared and was sniffing her ankles. “Hey!”
Zoe swatted at it. “Get away!”
The dog looked from Zoe to Deena, a perky pink bow a counterpoint to its bored expression.
Zoe leaned in for a closer look. “Mordi?”