I frowned. I hadn’t given much thought of what it would mean to Aegis and me. “Aegis and I haven’t really had a chance to talk it over. Nationwide tour, you say?”
She nodded. “After making the album, they’d be away for several months on tour. I can’t even begin to think of what it will be like around here without his help.”
I tried to think of the bright side. “Maybe the money they get from the signing will free you up to hire a nanny.”
“I suppose,” Sylvia said, sipping her wine. She folded one leg beneath her and leaned back against the sofa, closing her eyes for a moment. “I haven’t had a chance to relax all day. Thank you so much for getting the kids to go to bed. When they’re sick, they’re extra cranky.” She paused. “Do you worry about Aegis and groupies? He’s one hell of a sexy babe magnet, and you know the goth girls and vampires.”
I pressed my lips together. I hadn’t really thought about it, though I knew she was right. Goth girls would throw themselves at Aegis without a thought. In their eyes, he was the bad boy, the dark, dangerous type. And they weren’t wrong. He was dark and he was dangerous. I just hoped his love for women—Aegis had been renowned as a playboy over the centuries—stopped at my door.
“Sid’s under a lot of pressure right now,” Sylvia continued. “I know he loves me and he loves the kids, but somehow, I don’t think he expected his life to change so much when he got married. And over the years, he’s chafed as we’ve gotten more and more…” She glanced around, at a loss for words.
“Domestic?” I supplied.
“Yeah, that’s it. Domestic. I don’t know if he’s still happy and I’m afraid to ask. We never really fight. He doesn’t complain unless it’s band night and I need him to come home early. But there’s a distance between us that wasn’t there in the beginning.”
I had seen it over and over among humans. The husbands didn’t think about how children changed a relationship. The wives were overworked and underappreciated. And pretty soon, unless they addressed it, the whole foundation of the marriage broke down. It didn’t seem to be such a problem in some of the Otherkin relationships, but then again, the more we lived within human society, the more their issues became ours.
“Sid loves you. But maybe you two need a break. Get away where you can talk. Can your family take care of your children for a week or so?” I wasn’t exactly the one to give marriage advice, considering my marriage had ended in a shambles, but that didn’t stop me from trying.
She shrugged. “My mother and father disapproved of my marriage. They finally acquiesced once we settled in Bedlam, but they think Sid and I should pack up and move home to the Fae courts. They don’t like it that we’re not with…our kind.”
The way she said it spoke volumes. A number of the Pretcom were prejudiced against humans and Otherkin different from themselves. I had heard a lot of, “They’re nice, for a human…” or “I have a werewolf friend, I’m not a bigot.”
“Yeah, I know how that goes. My mother wasn’t thrilled when she found out I was dating a vampire, especially after marrying a human and having that fall apart. But I think she’s come around. At least, she met him and was polite and the roof didn’t blow off and nobody got hexed or fanged.” I shook my head. “Families. They can really be a pain in the ass.”
“Yes, they can,” Sylvia said. “And it’s worse with me. My mother’s high up in the Summer Court. Sid comes from the Winter Court and doesn’t have much status there. If we moved to Winter, he wouldn’t have any status, and the children and I would be ostracized. In the Summer Court, I’d be questioned constantly as to why I not only married below my status, but to someone from Winter. Our children would be ostracized on both sides.”
“And your family wouldn’t help?”
“My family cut me out of the fortune unless we move back to Summer. So we don’t have anything other than what we brought into the marriage with us. I was able to sell a number of my trinkets and rings and necklaces and we bought the house with that, but day to day? It’s the band that puts bread on the table.”
“So you need this deal.”
“Yeah, and Sid needs it to feel like he’s taking care of us.”
That explained even more. Sid wanted to provide for his wife and kids, and given she had bought the house, he probably was hungry to do his part.
“I’m sure he’s just stressed. I wouldn’t worry about his eye wandering. After all, you’re the one he chose, and you’re the love of his life.” I tried to reassure her, even though I was feeling a little bit insecure as well. She poured us more wine, and we settled back to wait for the men to finish up their business.
An hour later, Keth, Aegis, and Jorge trooped upstairs and joined us. We heard the front door close and then Sid joined us.
“You done negotiating?” I asked, trying to instill a bright note into my voice.
Sylvia bit her lip, looking hopeful.
“Congratulate us! We have a producer behind us, and we’re setting up a nationwide tour!” Aegis grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the chair, hugging me tight and swinging me around.
Sid sat beside Sylvia and took her hand. “The money they think we’re going to make from this tour and CD should keep us afloat for two or three years. It will mean I’m going to be away a lot, but…we always knew that day might come.”
Sylvia’s smile began to fade.
“That won’t be for a while, though, right?” I interjected. “You have to write the new album first, right?”
“Right.” Aegis popped the cork on a bottle of champagne as Sid brought over glasses. As he poured a round for everybody, he said, “We’ll be starting locally. In a few months, we’ll be booked at the Vulture Underground in Seattle, and the Whisky Jug in Portland. We’ll play a couple venues in California later on in the year. We have a June deadline to write the new album, then the big tour will start next year in October.”
The boys began to talk about what songs they wanted to write, and how much time they’d have to add to rehearsal. As the baby began to holler from the other room, Sid glanced at Sylvia.
“Honey, can you keep the baby quiet? The guys and I have to plan.” He frowned, shoving himself to his feet. “We should head back to the basement so we aren’t disturbed.” He picked up his drink and headed for the stairs.
Feeling a wave of irritation sweep up, I turned to Aegis. “If you’re staying here any later, just give me the keys to the house and your car. I’m going home. One of the guys can drop you off when you’re done.”
He gave me a funny look, but handed over his keys. I gave Sylvia a quick hug and whispered for her to get some sleep, and then headed out the door, feeling ten shades of irritated. As I passed through their yard on my way to our car, a low whoo whoo from overhead startled me and I looked up to see an owl sitting on a branch. I raised my hands, my anger subsiding, and watched it until it flew away, winging somewhere into the night, and for once I wished I could do the same.
Chapter 13
MORNING ARRIVED, AND with it a note from Aegis. What happened? Why did you leave so abruptly last night?
I had arrived home and gone to bed without waiting up for him. When he tiptoed into my room an hour or so later, I pretended to be asleep. I didn’t feel like talking to him, and I wanted to smack Sid for being so rude to Sylvia. If he didn’t watch himself, he’d be sans family and she’d be running home to the Summer Court with the kids in tow.
I showered and headed downstairs to check how things were going with our guests. Everybody was at breakfast for a change, and I chatted with them, making sure they were happy. Delia’s cousins turned out to be a nightmare of demands, but I addressed all their needs. Cera and her husband Mason—the newlyweds were leaving that afternoon, and they thanked both Kelson and me and told us they had found a house on the south side of the island.
By the time I finished entering the bookings for the coming week and making notes for Kelson, it was almost nine-thirty.
I leaned back in my chair, letting out a long sigh.
I couldn’t blow off Aegis tonight. We’d have to talk. I wasn’t even sure what to tell him. I was happy for the band, but I could see some potentially ugly situations arising from the issues surrounding Sid and Sylvia. And my own insecurities were up in alarm.
I was going through my bank balance when Franny startled me by poking her head right through the wall above my desk. I jumped, spilling my latte on me. It was hot, and I was not only covered in steamed milk, coffee, caramel syrup, and whipped cream, but I barely managed to avoid a bad burn.
“Ouch, damn it! Don’t do that! One of these days you’ll give somebody a heart attack. I could have been burned badly.” I gingerly set the cup down as Kelson came running.
“Are you all right?”
I gauged the level of the redness on my thigh, then nodded. “Yeah, but I have a really nasty hot spot, thanks to Franny here. Would you bring me a wet paper towel, a fresh latte—make it iced this time, and some ice for my leg.” I stared forlornly at the skirt of my new sundress. I was wearing a cute little rockabilly number with a cinched waist, a halter top, and a flaring skirt, in blue gingham, and a matching headband. The stain had spread across the skirt and I’d have to change. With a sigh, I turned to Franny, who was now hovering just above the floor to my left.
“I’m sorry, Maddy.” She stared at the floor.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, don’t mope.” A little less sharply, I said, “Please, try to curb the habit, all right? I don’t want my guests suing me for reckless endangerment.” I frowned at her until she gave me a little nod. “What’s going on?”
“I wanted to tell you about something I saw last night. I’m not sure what it was, and you were asleep, so I didn’t want to wake you. It didn’t seem dangerous. Aegis was in, but he seemed like he was in a bad mood and I was leery of talking to him.”
At least she wasn’t calling him “that vampire” anymore.
“What did you see?”
“I was in the library. I was reading and I remember hearing the clock chime four. I glanced up at the window and thought I saw a swirl of light outside. It was like…sparkling lights that were dancing around. I went over to check it out, but they disappeared as I approached the window.” She frowned. “Should I have woken you up? It would mean coming into your bedroom and you forbade me to do that.”
She wasn’t about to let me forget that little fact.
I cleared my throat. “What did the lights look like?”
“They were…oh…blue and white, some yellow and a couple green and pink. I don’t know. Like sparkles of dust in the air, only bright.”
I nodded. There could be a lot of things at the source—will-o’-the-wisps, or other Fae, perhaps. “Well, if you see it again, come wake me, unless Aegis and I are having sex. Then just call through the door. And don’t tell me you can’t tell because I’m loud and I know it. And Aegis isn’t all that quiet either.”
She blushed—it was still funny seeing a ghost blush—and vanished.
I looked at Kelson. “Have you noticed anything going on? Franny’s usually pretty observant, I’ll give her that.”
Kelson frowned. “Not really. I’ve been so busy with the guests that I haven’t paid much attention, though. By the way, the newlyweds gave me a substantial tip when they left after breakfast. I felt rather odd accepting it without telling you.”
I blinked. “How substantial?”
“Five hundred dollars. I have the feeling they’re quite well set.”
“Well, you work hard and you made them happy. Enjoy it.” I flashed her a wide smile. Some inn owners got snippy if the help received large tips without sharing. I wasn’t one of them. Kelson earned her paycheck and more, and I made certain she was well compensated for all of the work she did. If a guest thought she had earned a five-hundred-dollar tip, then chances were she had earned it.
She let out a satisfied sigh. “Thanks. My car needs new tires and I’ve been putting it off for a while because they aren’t cheap. Now I can take care of that.” She motioned for me to move the ice pack. “Let’s see.”
I shifted the ice away from my knee. The burn was red, all right, and a little puffy, and it would probably hurt like hell for a couple days, but the heat was down. “I’ll stop by McGee’s Apothecary. He’ll probably have a good salve for this.”
My phone chimed and I picked it up. I had a text from Delia.
problem downtown. looks like another one of sandy’s dreams. i’m not sure what to do about this one. you have to see for yourself. can you come? i’m by the blue jinn.
“Hell, I have to go,” I told Kelson. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. I’m waiting for two important phone calls. If Garret James or Gillymack calls for me on the home line, tell them to call my cell, would you?” I jumped up, wincing as the blister around my knee stretched.
“Will do. Did you eat?”
“No, I’ll grab something on the way—along with a fresh latte. Bye!” I grabbed my purse and keys and, still wearing the stained sundress, headed out the door.
DELIA WAS PARKED on the other side of the street from the restaurant. I eased into the spot behind her and cautiously got out of the car. I had been sitting for a good fifteen minutes and I was pretty sure that the blister had managed to fill with pus. The skin around it was tight and when I straightened my leg, it hurt again. Bad. Maybe I should drop by the doctor’s on the way home rather than McGee’s.
But for now, I limped over to where Delia was standing against her patrol car. She was staring across the street at the parking lot of the Blue Jinn. When she saw me, she perked up.
“I’m glad you’re here. I have no clue what to do in this case. The owner of the Blue Jinn called me, so it’s not some promotional stunt she’s up to.”
I followed her gaze. There, filling the parking lot, were about thirty maniacal-looking clowns, only instead of painted smiles, they had wide mouths with sharp, jagged teeth.
“Holy fuck,” I whispered. Clowns were freaky. I didn’t like clowns. Neither did Sandy. “Nightmare. She’s afraid of clowns.”
“Well, I don’t blame her, if they look like this. I was going to send my deputies in to round them up, but then thought—if they are from her dreams, they may not just be regular clowns. What if they’re some sort of freaky monsters? I can’t turn my boys loose into a parking lot full of monsters. Luckily, the restaurant wasn’t open yet—they open at eleven for lunch—and it’s just the owner and a few workers trapped inside. They can get out through an emergency exit in the back if it comes to that, but what the hell are we going to do?”
The clowns were putting on quite the show. Some were riding unicycles, one was making balloon animals, still others were juggling—what were they juggling? I held out my hand to Delia.
“You have binoculars?”
“Here.” She opened the trunk and handed me a pair.
I brought them up and immediately felt a wash of fear race over me. “Crap. You know what they’re juggling?” I handed her the scope. “Look.”
Delia held them up to her eyes and then slowly lowered them. “Those look like arms. Tell me they aren’t juggling arms?”
“Looks like it, bloody stumps and all.” I wasn’t about to take on a parking lot full of clowns who found fun in juggling actual body parts. “Let’s hope those arms appeared with them and aren’t the result of some wacked-out murder spree in the town.”
“I think we would have gotten word if that had happened,” Delia said slowly. After a few minutes she punched in a number on her phone. “George? Can you get me—hold on.”
A tremor shook the ground beneath our feet. I grabbed hold of her car to steady myself as it happened again. The noise reverberated through the air, but it wasn’t an earthquake. Or at least, I didn’t think it was. Another thump, and more shaking. And a third.
There was a patch of dense woods behind the Blue Jinn and suddenly, a couple of
the trees gave way as a very large dinosaur broke through them.
“Oh no,” Delia said. “We have more company.”
“I guess Sandy’s subconscious couldn’t handle the clowns.” I stared at the dinosaur as it waded into the midst of the clowns and started ripping at them, tossing them into the air. Lovely, just lovely. “Seems to me that she’s been watching a couple movies lately. Namely, IT and Jurassic Park, you think? That thing looks like a giant velociraptor from the movie, even though raptors weren’t that size.”
Delia clutched my arm. “I hate to break into your scientific commentary, but we can’t let that thing get loose. The clowns are scary enough, but if that dinosaur gets loose in the town, we’re going to be counting bodies fast.”
“I think we’re already doing that. At least in clowns.” I straightened my shoulders, reminding myself this wasn’t a TV show. We weren’t just watching what was going on in Sandy’s dreams. Those clowns and that raptor could seriously put a dent in what had been, before now, a lovely morning. “Get your men out here—have them bring the big guns. Anything that can take down that raptor. Elephant gun if you have it.”
She was back on the phone in seconds. Meanwhile, the raptor was raising havoc with the clowns, who were racing around the parking lot screaming. Oddly enough, none of them had crossed into the streets. I blinked, then squinted. There was a faint blue veil walling off the parking lot. It was almost invisible, but I could see it when I blurred my focus. Some sort of force field. Question was, who had erected it? I phoned the Blue Jinn and the owner answered.
Malita’s voice was just a little bit frantic. “What’s going on out there?” I sent my workers home through the emergency exit, but I decided to stay just in case my restaurant gets trashed.”
“The killer clowns are being chased by a dinosaur. Say, did anybody on your staff erect a force field to keep the clowns in the parking lot?”
“Yes. Tristan Jones—he’s from your coven. He set up a force field before he left because I was worried about the freaks getting loose and me being blamed.”
Siren's Song (Bewitching Bedlam Book 3) Page 18