by Manning
“And he told me of you.” Dr. Riley smiled. “If I'd known he wasn't exaggerating about your beauty, I'd have made it my business to meet you sooner.”
Blushing prettily, Erin turned to draw Annabelle into the conversation.
“This is my sister, Annabelle.”
He started to turn toward her, then froze for an instant before completing the motion. “Annabelle?” he said, even as his sky blue eyes twinkled.
Annabelle started working up a fine head of steam. Imagine a grown man thinking her name was funny.
Then she suddenly realized his eyes as he studied her were filled, not with humor, but confusion, then ... speculation? And, fear? No, that was ridiculous.
Their gazes locked and a bolt of recognition struck Annabelle right in her heart. I know him, she thought. Yet she knew she'd never met the man before. She tried to put off the familiarity to the fact that she'd heard his voice the day before on Lucas's answering machine. Even as she formed the thought, she dismissed it. She knew him from somewhere else. But where?
Dr. Riley seemed to be having the same reaction. In the deepening silence, his eyes mapped her face, seeking. He tipped his head and squinted. Then his eyes moved down and her body warmed under his examination.
Erin cleared her throat, reminding them they were not alone.
~*~
Gaelen recovered first. “A delight, Miss Tinker,” he said, breaking his gaze from hers reluctantly.
It couldn't be, he thought, shaking the eeriness of recognition from his head. It couldn't be the same girl.
But she did have the same warm brown eyes, the same long, chocolate brown hair hanging softly over her shoulders. However, everything else had changed. No longer was she long-legged in the gangly way of a filly. No, sir, there were curves and...
He snapped himself out of his stupor.
“I'm sorry, Miss Tinker. I don't mean to stare, but...” He struggled for words. “I have the overwhelming feeling we've met before. Were you a student at the university?”
“No,” she said, her voice weak, as though she, too, were affected by their meeting. “I went to St. Mary's in Raleigh.”
“An excellent school.”
“But I grew up in Chapel Hill. Our father was an assistant athletic director at the university.”
Realization dawned. Of course, that's where he must have seen her, at some university gathering. “Jumbo Tinker?” At her nod, he forced a sad smile. “Let me offer my condolences. He was a fine man and I was pleased to know him.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Thank Bridget. Being Jumbo Tinker's daughter explained a great many things, not only her familiarity, but also the feyness he'd sensed about her. In the few seconds of their silent communion, she'd scared the hell out of him.
In self-defense, Gaelen turned back to Erin, relieved the mystery of Annabelle Tinker had been explained.
“I had expected to run into Lucas. Has he been here?”
Erin's wide eyes darted to her sister. Her mouth worked as though she was trying out different answers. Gaelen followed her pleading glance at Annabelle. He watched the colors radiating from her. Her aura glowed cool blue, fading and recharging as a copper-red. He hid his smile. She was about to lie.
“He was here, but he had to leave,” Annabelle's hurried explanation cut Erin off.
She knows where he is, but she doesn't want to tell me. Why?
“Did I just miss him, then?” He turned back to Erin. “Too bad, for I haven't seen Lucas for awhile. The reports of your experience have me somewhat uneasy about him.” He weighed his words. “Erin, is Lucas all right?”
“Of course,” Erin said, her voice a little too loud. “Why wouldn't he be?”
“Well,” Gaelen said with a little chuckle, “the story is all over town that he disappeared. Poof.” All humor vanished from his voice. “Did he truly leave you out by the lake alone?”
“Yes, but ... well, he...”
“What Erin is trying to say, Dr. Riley,” Annabelle broke in, “is she and Lucas had a little tiff, and yes, in his anger, Lucas did leave her for a time, but it was a misunderstanding only. Right, Erin?”
She gave Erin such an exaggerated, wide-eyed you'd-better-go-along-with-me look Gaelen almost laughed out loud.
“Oh! Oh, yes.” Erin nodded furiously. “Right.”
“Then how did you end up in the psychiatric ward of University Hospital?” Gaelen asked, thinking he'd painted the two ladies into a corner.
Erin gulped and looked to Annabelle for help. Gaelen followed her gaze. Annabelle's eyes sparkled and she put on a smile. Silver had replaced copper-red, creativity replacing deceit.
Oh, this one is quick. He waited in delicious anticipation of what she'd come up with. He wasn't disappointed.
“Erin is rather spoiled, you see.” Annabelle raised a warning eyebrow to Erin who was about to protest this slander. “When Lucas wouldn't agree to marry her immediately, she pushed him out of the car and locked the doors and refused to let him back in. Lucas went to get help to open the car. Erin worked herself up to such a state that her screams and crying brought the police. When they couldn't get anything out of her, they brought her here.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Gaelen saw Erin's eyebrows shoot together in silent, impotent rage.
It was such a bravura performance Gaelen had trouble playing along. But Annabelle wasn't finished.
“She'll throw a tantrum over nothing, and this time poor Lucas was on the receiving end.”
Gaelen glanced at the furious Erin.
“She looks fairly calm now,” he offered.
“Does she?” Annabelle smiled at her sister. “Wait until they bring her dinner. I've seen her throw her supper at the wall rather than eat something she doesn't like.”
“Miss Tinker, I fear you do Erin an injustice. She certainly doesn't give the impression of a spoiled brat.”
“Thank you, Gaelen,” Erin said.
“Isn't what I've said true, Erin?” Annabelle asked, her eyes wide with feigned innocence. “Maybe the truth isn't so bad as I'd thought. What is it? Did you just have a nightmare in a drunken stupor?”
“No!”
“Drug-induced hallucinations?” Annabelle's warm husky voice carried just the right touch of horror.
“No!”
“Well, what?”
Erin's mouth opened, then snapped shut. Gaelen knew she was testing and discarding answers, and he could tell exactly when she decided Annabelle's story was the most innocent one they could come up with on the spur of the moment to even begin to explain the situation.
“I'm so embarrassed,” Erin said. “I acted like a fool, and now I'm stuck here like a nut case.”
“So, you don't know where he is?”
“Uh-umm.” Annabelle shook her head.
Erin just looked away.
Gaelen's mouth twitched with the urge to smile. If he'd had time—and if Annabelle Tinker hadn't been human...
“Well, then. I suppose I'll have to call his apartment and check on him. When he drops by, would you pass on that I'd like to see him? There's a minor family matter I need to discuss with him. Meantime—” He raised Erin's hand and lightly kissed the back. “I've enjoyed meeting you, Erin.” Turning to Annabelle, he waited for her to offer her hand for a courtesy shake and was unaccountably disappointed when she didn't. “I've also enjoyed meeting you, Miss Tinker. I hope we meet again.”
Annabelle gave him a noncommittal tip of the head and a wan smile.
Neither woman spoke as he left the room.
The door clicked shut behind him.
“Why didn't you tell him Lucas was waiting in your car?” Erin asked.
“I don't know. I just didn't think it would be a good idea.”
Erin smiled. “You do believe in Lucas, don't you?”
Believe?
Daddy had always said, “You've got to believe in something, Annabelle."
“Annabelle, what's wrong?” Er
in asked, her voice heavy with worry. “You're not going crazy, too, are you?”
“You're not crazy, Erin, and neither am I,” she replied, pushing the too tall and too gorgeous Gaelen Riley out of her mind. He'd be great fodder for some nice dreams, but a man who looked like him wouldn't glance twice at a homely duck like her. She gently pushed Erin down and tucked the covers around her. “Now, you get some sleep. Since it appears aliens didn't take Lucas, we'll try to get you sprung tomorrow.”
“All right, I'll try.” Erin snuggled down in the bed and pulled the blanket up to her chin. “Gaelen is very handsome, isn't he? He reminds me of your man in the tool shed, don't you think?”
As she acknowledged the truth of Erin's statement, Annabelle wished she'd never shared that particular fantasy with her sister.
~*~
Gaelen wandered down the long hallway, looking for a stairwell where he could squoosh and get back on Lucas's trail. He'd been in that room, all right. Gaelen had smelled the fairy dust.
A shot of apprehension nailed him. Where had it come from, though? Fairy dust was only produced by a squooshed fairy. Had Lucas been stupid enough to unsquoosh in the presence of two human women? One witness could be discounted; two would be more likely to be believed.
“Well, Gaelen. How nice to see you.”
Gaelen froze and sighed. Of all the...
“Hello, Linette.” He turned and lowered his gaze to meet the green eyes of Linette Duncan. “I hadn't thought to run into you here. I thought you'd moved on.”
“I had my residency to finish. My life can't be arranged just to avoid an old lover.”
Gaelen laughed at her attempt to wound him.
“What do you want, Linette? I have business to attend to.”
“Yes, I know. Find him yet?”
“Who?” Gaelen asked.
“Don't be coy, Gaelen. Your brother, the one who left poor Miss Tinker screaming and hysterical.”
Linette's eyes showed no sympathy for poor Miss Tinker. Not that Gaelen was surprised. After all, pixies were more selfish and self-centered than fairies were.
“What do you know about this? And what concern is it of yours anyway?”
“The fate of the pixie realm is tied to yours. If the fairies are discovered, how long do you think we'll survive? And I enjoy my life in this world. My leadership has ordered me to keep the girl here to capture Lucas.”
Gaelen looked over her head at the large lads behind her. Both wore the white of hospital orderlies, but he recognized what they were immediately.
“That why you have two fairy mercenaries patrolling the hallways?”
She smiled. “It takes a fairy to catch a fairy.” Her smile faded, replaced by a cold, steely stare. “Stay out of my way, Gaelen. I won't let you botch this.”
“Why would I try? I want to find Lucas as much as anybody does. He's—” He bit his tongue. He'd almost told Linette the truth about Lucas's wounds. The less information she had, the better. “As far as staying out of the way, Linette, I'll give you the same warning. The Council of One Hundred has given me time to try to find Lucas and bring him and the girl to New Jersey. We'll take care of this...situation.”
“The Pixie Confederacy isn't all that sure of your ability to handle the situation, Gaelen. And since I have my orders, yours are no concern of mine.”
“I'm warning you, Linette.”
“Save your warning for somebody who needs it. Boys, take him.”
Before Gaelen could react, the two burly fairy mercenaries in Linette's employ grabbed Gaelen and scooped him up, one arm and one leg each.
“To the roof,” Linette ordered.
“Linette, there's no need for this pointless violence. You're not being objective.”
She ignored him, leading the way to the stairwell and up the remaining flights of stairs to the roof of the hospital. Gaelen struggled, but the mercs were too strong for him to escape. They carried him across the helipad on top of the hospital, not stopping until they reached the edge of the roof.
With a chill, he realized what she planned.
“Now, Linette, you can't be serious. Come on, honey, you know our relationship was going nowhere. It was over. Can't you just be happy for—”
“You are the most arrogant man!” She peeked over the edge. “Do you think I'd drop you to your death just for breaking up with me? No, dear Gaelen. My only concern is the survival of all our people.” She smiled thinly. “Over you go.” She stepped back to give the mercs room to toss him over.
“Have a nice flight, laddie,” one said, his voice heavy with the accent of Cork.
Gaelen had always hated fairies from Cork. Now he had a reason.
“Traitors,” he muttered.
“That depends on your perspective, boyo,” the merc replied.
With a swing, the two brutes let Gaelen fly out into empty space. He hung, suspended, between earth and sky for just an instant. Then he felt gravity grab him.
Could he do it? He'd never heard of a fairy squooshing in midair.
Better make up your mind, Gaelen. The ground is getting closer all the time.
With a gasp, he drew a breath and...
Squa-oooosh.
~*~
Annabelle stared out the window, replaying the scene with Gaelen Riley in her mind. She couldn't shake the idea she'd met him before. He'd known Daddy, of course, but Annabelle knew if she'd been introduced to him somewhere, she'd have remembered. But his golden hair, his blue eyes, his large hands ... Where had she seen him before? Maybe next time she saw him she'd remember.
As though by her command, he flashed before her eyes.
Outside.
Falling toward the ground.
“No!” She pressed her face against the window, straining to see his downward plummet. The only thing she could make out was another firefly heading away from the building. “Oh, my God! Erin, wake up!”
“What?” Erin muttered sleepily.
“It's Dr. Riley! Lucas's brother. He fell off the roof.” Annabelle was already out the door and into the hallway. She ran to the elevator and had to punch at the button a couple of times because her hands were shaking.
“Come on, come on.”
The doors slid open and she jumped in, stabbing a finger at the button for the lobby floor. The elevator took forever. She squeezed through the doors as they cracked open and ran toward the guard's desk.
“Hurry, come on. A man just fell from the roof.” She gulped a breath and continued toward the front door. “Come on!” she yelled over her shoulder.
The paunchy guard left his coffee and followed her out.
Annabelle tried to orient herself, finally figuring out Erin's room was on the front of the huge edifice. She gazed up, counted eleven floors and could make out the face of a young woman that she knew was Erin at a window.
“Right here. He fell right over here.” Her stomach twisted in apprehension as she approached the site where she expected to find the mess that was left of the handsome Gaelen Riley.
“Who fell?” The guard had his flashlight out and was walking around the boxwoods and young dogwood trees at the foundation of the building. He flashed the light out away from the building and toward the street. “There's no one here, lady.”
“But I saw...” She had seen him, falling, arms and legs flailing, a look of supreme terror on his face. “He fell from the roof.”
The guard came up to her and sniffed. “No liquor.”
Annabelle bristled. “Of course not. I'm not drunk.” Annabelle tried to catch her temper and speak calmly. “Look, I was on the eleventh floor—”
“Oh,” the guard nodded, “the eleventh floor. I see.” He took her elbow and gently led her back to the front of the hospital. “Come with me, and I'll see you get back to the eleventh floor.”
“No! I'm not crazy.” Annabelle jerked her arm away from his grip and ran toward the street. “I'm telling you, there's a dead man out here somewhere.” She glanced around. “People do
n't take a bounce when they hit, do they?”
“I don't think so,” the guard said. “Come on, miss. Let's go in.”
Allowing the guard to lead her, Annabelle turned back toward the hospital and raised her eyes to look toward the roof. She followed the line from the roof past Erin's window.
Then she stopped, turning all the way around.
Was she crazy?
“I'm sorry,” she said to the guard. “I must have been dreaming. My sister is up there, and I was sitting with her. I guess I'm more tired than I thought.”
“Sure,” the guard replied, not unkindly. “You go back to your sister's room and try to get some rest. Maybe they'll bring in a cot for you if you ask.”
“Thank you, I will.” Annabelle followed the guard uneasily back into the hospital, but couldn't resist one last glance at the spot where Gaelen Riley should have splattered.
~*~
Gaelen took a perch in one of the ancient oaks lining the street while his heart slowed down. He'd never try that again, he swore. Breathing deeply, he watched Annabelle Tinker run out of the hospital and dash into the bushes.
Is she really worried about me? he wondered, a smile spreading across his face, unreasonably pleased by the prospect of Annabelle Tinker—with her warm brown eyes and long, dark hair, and those hand-filling curves—being concerned for his safety.
Whoa. Put Annabelle Tinker out of your mind, Gaelen. She's human and off-limits to the likes of you.
But Annabelle ... Could she be the same girl? It had been over fifteen years ago, and he hadn't seen her clearly, being somewhat preoccupied with his own situation. Still reeling from going from the arms of the incomparable Carly O'Malley—a totally exhilarating experience, if memory served—to freezing his wings off in an ammonia sea on Jupiter, he'd forced himself back to Earth, but needed a place to rest. He'd limped to a tool shed to rest before going home to face the old man.
The pre-adolescent girl who'd found him there—her warm brown eyes widening with shock at his nakedness, but sparkling at the sight of his wings—had brought him water and bandages and promised milk and cookies before a booming bass voice called her in for the night.