The Brotherhood of the Snake (Return of the Ancients Book 2)

by Carmen Caine

  I shuddered, recalling the Tulpa.

  Rafael's fingers covered mine, giving them a reassuring squeeze.

  I’d never thought the Tulpa might try to find and devour me once again. I wasn’t even sure I could let myself think of that possibility just quite yet. Instead, I nodded numbly and asked in a slightly garbled whisper, “Where did it go?”

  “The Tulpa is still here,” Jareth answered unexpectedly, focusing his eyes into the distance. His voice was oddly low and gruff. “I can smell it.”

  Rafael raised an elegant brow his way. “Smell it?” he asked.

  Remembering the Tulpa’s orange tentacles reaching out to consume me, I knew that I never wanted to see that thing again. But I didn’t want to live in constant fear of it, or the Queens, either. I knew I’d be much better off just getting the whole thing over with as quickly as possible.

  As much as I didn’t want to, I forced myself to take a deep breath and say, “Then we really don’t have a choice. If it’s still here, let’s find it and get rid of it as fast as we can. What do I need to do?”

  Rafael towered over me, regarding me through hooded eyes for several long moments before finally asking in a slightly bemused tone, “What did you eat to make you so brave, little human?”

  I shrugged lamely, feeling a bit flustered. His expression made my skin tingle. It wasn’t a bad feeling, but one I wasn’t used to.

  Jareth moved to stand in front of me and offered one of his protection runes. “You’re going to need this, Sydney. Take it.”

  My head snapped back. Did he seriously think I was going to accept his protection? After he’d screamed and pointed his trion directly at me, basically forcing me to run through the Glass Wall?

  With a mutinous look, I stubbornly pointed to my missing chunk of hair.

  He followed my train of thought easily. “Then don’t trust me!” he exploded, tossing it to Rafael instead. “I’ll protect Rafael. It’ll be up to him to protect you!”

  To my astonishment, Rafael accepted Jareth’s stone.

  I stared at him incredulously. “You’re really going to trust him?” I asked. “After what he just did?”

  Rafael’s face was slightly amused as he held up Jareth’s stone between two long, elegant fingers. “I’ll only trust him in this matter of the Glass Wall. He’s just as interested in finding this Tulpa as I am, if not more so, though his motivations are clearly different than mine. For me, it’s enough.” He hesitated a moment before adding, “For now.”

  My mouth dropped open. I was about to challenge him further when a spark of light appeared on his fingertip. It flared brightly, growing to about the size of a pearl before moving to float over Jareth’s stone. It hovered there a moment and then dove straight in.

  Immediately, Rafael’s golden symbol appeared, covering Jareth’s. The golden symbol that I’d come to recognize as fairy protection was etched deeply into the stone.

  I knit my brows a little. Someday, I was going to have to ask about these sparks of light. Someday.

  At the moment, I was overwhelmed.

  Rafael touched my hand, sliding the stone into my fingers.

  Surprisingly, my cheeks reddened of their own accord.

  I was at once disturbed and excited. He’d touched me before. I’d never reacted like that.

  Quickly, I turned away and held the stone up, pretending to inspect it.

  Rafael’s golden rune was stamped over Jareth’s black one, but I could still clearly see them both. Their symbols reminded me of their personalities. Rafael’s was refined, elegant, and sophisticated while Jareth’s was alluring, dark, and mysterious.

  “Your Blue Thread is growing stronger, Jareth,” Rafael suddenly said from behind me, his tone was even and measured.

  “As is yours, Rafael,” came Jareth’s sardonic reply. “In fact, you’re walking such a dangerous line with Fate that I can no longer allow you to be alone. From this moment on, I’ll be keeping a much closer eye on you.”

  I looked up, puzzled.

  Rafael was plainly bewildered as well and obviously less than thrilled. “Meaning?”

  “I’ll be moving in with you, Rafael,” Jareth announced, indicating the empty living room with an arrogant toss of his head. “I had to throw your furniture away to make room for mine.”

  Chapter Two - Shadows in the Night

  Jareth pulled what looked like a small white pearl from his pocket and tossed it in the air. As it landed on the floor, it melted into a marble-sized pile of purple goo.

  I’d scarcely raised a brow before the purple goo thinned and began spreading rapidly in all directions, covering the floor with a purple sheen.

  Before I could move, it slid under my feet, mutating along the way into a black and white checkered rug before racing toward the walls, leaving a trail of furniture and modern sculptures in its wake.

  Several black leather couches popped into view, followed by a stone coffee table and three electric guitars on stands.

  Rafael made a sound of disgust and shook his head, evidently disapproving of the décor.

  “How?” I mouthed in wonder as a ten-foot-tall statue of an elephant rose from the goo to fill an entire corner of the living room.

  “Programmable atoms,” Jareth replied with a careless shrug. Stalking over to one of the guitars, he plucked it from the stand and subjected it to a detailed inspection.

  Before I could ask any more questions, a small cloud of mist appeared in the center of the room with a distinct poof, and Ajax streaked out of it, launching himself at Rafael and wagging his entire hindquarters in a dance of delight.

  “Ajax!” Laughing, Rafael dropped to one knee, greeting the black and rust Doberman with a hug.

  The dog exuberantly pranced around Rafael for a time before finally peering arrogantly down his long, black muzzle in my direction. He gave me his version of a fake dog smile—all teeth and no sincerity.

  “Nice to see you, too, Ajax,” I muttered, wondering what I’d ever done to deserve such treatment, but seeing him reminded me of what was at stake. Shaking off the distractions of the programmable goo, I confronted Jareth, “Are you really staying here?”

  His expression turned scornful at once. “Do you think you can find the Tulpa all by yourself, Sydney?” he asked snidely in return.

  I could hardly believe that Jareth had once been my favorite singer. Now, I couldn’t stand the sound of his conceited voice. But still, I supposed the more people willing to hunt for the Tulpa, the better, even if one of them was Jareth.

  “We must find it quickly then, before the lizard people reclaim it,” Rafael was saying, gesturing broadly to the redecorated living room. “And then you can leave.”

  “Just me?” Jareth cocked a brow. “You’ll have no reason to stay here, either, Rafael. Our mission will be complete.”

  My heart skipped at that.

  I didn’t want Rafael to go, but I couldn’t let myself think about it right now. I had to focus on the matters at hand.

  And that was the Tulpa.

  How did one catch those things anyway?

  I shuddered, recalling its attempt to convert me into the pure emotion of fear. Would I be able to defend myself if I actually found it?

  That thought made me think of a horrific new one. Swallowing, I whispered hoarsely, “What do I do if it suddenly shows up again … and you’re not around?”

  A light touch on my shoulder startled me.

  Rafael had moved closer to me.

  “I won’t leave you alone,” he promised in a soft murmur. “I’ll be there.”

  His gray eyes were beautiful, his lashes dark, and the eye makeup made him even more mysteriously attractive, even if it was half smeared over his face at the moment.

  My stomach rolled a little, and I found that unsettling. Stepping away, I forced my attention back on the Tulpa.

  “But what am I going to do?” I asked. “You can’t be with me 24/7.”

  Rafael paused at that and hesitated,
visibly puzzled. “24/7?”

  In spite of it all, I couldn’t help a small smile. For fairies, they were actually pretty good at understanding slang, but they still tripped up occasionally. “Twenty-four hours, seven days a week,” I explained, my voice shaking only a little.

  Understanding dawned in his eyes, and he nodded crisply. “Ah, yes.”

  Barely hesitating, he gently placed a long finger on Ajax’s head.

  Ajax tensed.

  I knew what Rafael was going to say, even before he said it.

  Apparently, Ajax did too, because he began to whimper.

  “Until we find a better solution, Ajax will remain by your side at all times,” Rafael announced. “He’ll be able to sense if the Tulpa is nearby or if the Mesmers appear. He can notify us immediately.”

  The Doberman flattened his ears, and his whimpering turned into an actual whine, one that reeked of torture and pain.

  Jareth laughed.

  Rafael’s eyes narrowed in faint disapproval, but he bowed at me, insisting, “Ajax is greatly honored to be of assistance.”

  “That’s not what I heard him say!” Jareth chortled.

  I expelled a breath.

  I really didn’t want Ajax near me either, but I was desperate, and I certainly didn’t want to face the Tulpa alone again.

  “Thank you, Ajax,” I said reluctantly even as a part of me wondered how I could get him to like me. “I hope you don’t mind too much.”

  “Oh, he minds,” Jareth delighted in telling me and then began translating merrily. “He said he’d much rather chew off his—”

  “Ajax is young, still a pup.” Rafael cut him short. “His childish reaction to such an unexpected request must be understood and forgiven.”

  Looking at the massively muscled Doberman standing next to me with his superior and aloof attitude, I didn’t see how anyone could think he was still a puppy, but I smiled and nodded all the same.

  Ajax lifted his lip a fraction of an inch, and we eyed each other guardedly.

  “If you need us, Sydney, simply wish us to come.” Rafael’s hand lightly touched the golden Fae bracelet still circling my wrist.

  As his fingers brushed against my skin, I jerked back instinctively.

  To my horror, I felt my cheeks flaming a bright red.

  What was wrong with me? Why was I so hypersensitive?

  “The bracelet will sense your thoughts and call us.” Rafael was still talking. “We’ll come immediately.”

  I took a deep breath, desperately thinking of the Tulpa to calm my churning emotions. It worked. I felt scared again. I wasn’t sure that was better.

  Meanwhile, Ajax had apparently decided that I wasn’t worth his time. Stretching himself out on the floor, he settled in as if preparing to take a nap and gave a long, loud yawn.

  I looked down his throat at his rows of teeth, wondering if he was truly yawning or giving me some subtle hint, but then a new, Tulpa-related thought popped in my head.

  “What if we’re both asleep when it comes back?” I asked with a sense of growing alarm. “What if we can’t call you in time?”

  Jareth rolled his eyes and laughed a distinctly unpleasant, mocking sound. “Do you think we’re relying on you to find this thing, Sydney?”

  I was exhausted, and my temper flared. “Why are you such an unhappy jerk, Jareth?” I retorted defensively.

  His head snapped back.

  Continuing to vent, I fished in my pocket for the protection rune Rafael had given me and thrust it into Jareth’s face. “And just for the record, I still don’t trust you! Rafael's the one I trust. He’s the strong, cool, and handsome one!”

  A surprised silence greeted my statement.

  It took me a moment to realize what I’d just blurted.

  And though I hadn’t thought it possible, I blushed an even deeper scarlet than before.

  I couldn’t look at Rafael.

  It was time I got out of there. Straightening my shoulders, I cleared my throat and made up my mind. “Well, I’m ready. Let’s get this over with.”

  I hadn’t wanted to leave the safety of their presence before. Now, I wanted to get away as fast as I could.

  Holding my head high, I marched to the door. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Rafael folding his arms and settling back as if to watch me.

  I stifled a snort.

  Clearly, he was accustomed to girls behaving foolishly around him. No one that handsome could be used to anything else.

  Arriving at the front door, I yanked it open, but as I stood on the threshold, I remembered the Mesmers.

  But before I could even form the words, Jareth’s sardonic voice whispered over my shoulder. “Leave the Mesmers to me, Sydney. They won’t be interested in you, anyway, so you’ve nothing to fear.”

  I whirled.

  There was no way that could be a coincidence. “You can read my mind, can’t you!” It wasn’t a question. It was an accusation. He’d told me before that mind-reading was impossible, but I could no longer believe that.

  With an exaggerated eye roll, Jareth stooped to place his nose an inch away from mine. “What’s it going to take to be rid of you, Sydney? Go! Shoo! Be gone! Get out of here!” He began waving his hands dismissively at me.

  I stepped back, briefly considering pulling the door shut in his face, but as Rafael stepped into view, I decided to leave.

  I was too chicken to look at the expression on his face.

  Diving off the porch, I was halfway across the street before Ajax caught up with me, and as I plodded through Al and Betty’s front yard, I noticed he went out of his way to direct more than a couple of sneers my way, maneuvering to make sure that I’d see every one of them.

  “I get it, Ajax,” I growled, pushing the front door open.

  It wasn’t until I stood inside the brightly painted blue house that I wondered if Al and Betty would object to his presence. But it turned out that I didn’t even have time to stress out about it.

  “Oh, are you babysitting Ajax, honey?” Betty called from the kitchen the moment I arrived.

  “Yeah, just for a bit.” I cleared my throat, scrabbling for words. “Rafael had to … help his parents. It won’t be for long. He hoped you wouldn’t mind.”

  “Not at all!” Betty’s voice smiled. “That dog is so beautiful! I wouldn’t mind keeping him forever, only Tigger would get jealous.”

  Ajax apparently understood English very well, because he straightened proudly and bestowed a haughty, regal nod of clear agreement in the direction of the kitchen.

  I rolled my eyes.

  “Tigger's quite the looker, too,” Al’s voice differed from behind Betty’s Ebay boxes.

  I was tempted to roll my eyes again, but this time in humor.

  Betty came out of the kitchen, tucking her mousy-brown hair behind her ears and holding a kitchen towel in her hand. Her brown eyes widened a little as she took in my appearance, reminding me all at once that I was still dressed in the green Fae tunic with Rafael’s dramatic, sequined makeup painted all over my face.

  “Sydney let Rafael take her to a masquerade ball, Mom.” Grace wandered aimlessly into the room wearing pink sweats. Her pitch-black hair was pulled back into her trademark tight ponytail and her brown eyes sparkled with interest as she held out a pair of fuzzy UFO-shaped slippers with flashlights embedded in the toes. “Check out these ‘USS Enterprising Slippers’, Sydney! Mom said we could each have a pair!” With a grin, she tossed them at me.

  I caught the slippers, hugging them to my chest, and found myself suddenly smiling.

  I was so happy to be back, hearing their voices once again. And for the first time in my life, I felt I was home.

  It felt odd. But I knew I could get used to it.

  “Al’s running to the store real quick,” Betty said, wiping her hands on the towel. “Would you mind going with him, Sydney? I want to try some of those new Paunchy Poodle Pills on Tigger. The vet told me they really help dogs lose weight, and I saw an ad
that they’re at the pet store now.”

  I followed her gaze to Tigger snoozing in the hall.

  The red-brindled bloodhound only gained more weight with every diet Betty put him on. I wasn’t sure her endeavors were really helping.

  But I said, “Sure, I’ll get ready real quick.” Glancing down at Ajax, I added, “And I’ll take Ajax with me. He’d probably like to check out the pet store.” I wasn’t about to go anywhere without him right now.

  Heading to my room, I stepped over Tigger, watching as Ajax paused in front of the sleeping dog, his lips splitting into a wide, evil grin.

  “Be nice, Ajax!” I warned with a glare. “Tigger’s a great guard dog, too.”

  We both knew that was a lie.

  Ajax shot me a look of what could only be astonishment that I’d ever say such a thing, but I was suddenly exhausted and just wanted to escape into my room.

  Trudging down the hall, I opened my bedroom door and waited for him to prance through before closing and leaning against it thankfully.

  For the first time since breaking the Glass Wall, I was finally alone.

  Taking a deep breath, I let my eyes rove over the simple fuzzy tiger-print blanket covering my bed, the sunflower-shaped rug, and the yellow curtains framing the window facing the greenbelt of trees behind the house.

  I was so happy to be back on Earth, back with my foster parents, Al and Betty, and their daughter, Grace.

  And back with my mouse, Jerry, in his cage on the oak dresser.

  The mirror hanging over the dresser caught my attention, and I blinked, startled at my own reflection. My black hair was a tangled mess, but in spite of what we’d gone through in Avalon, the dark eye shadow highlighting my green eyes and the mysterious patterns Rafael had painted on my face still looked fresh and untouched. The green Fae tunic shimmered around me, making me appear much taller than I actually was, and lent me a sense of style and grace that I normally didn’t possess.

  I moved to lean against the dresser, absently combing my fingers through my hair, and I finally let my thoughts drift where they wanted to go.

  Towards Rafael.