by Nina Bangs
“Stop right there. What do you think you’re doing?”
She could hear his footsteps closing in on her. He was majorly ticked off. Sparkle could tell because when he was furious he lost some of the good-old-boy folksy speech patterns he used to fool people into underestimating his threat.
“Helping to save your ass on a whole bunch of fronts.” She stopped when she got to the kitchen, the one place with any chance of sidetracking his attack.
“I don’t need saving, especially by you.”
He sounded all growly and offended, but she thought she heard something else beneath his aggression. Could be just wishful thinking, though. Maybe he really was as angry as he sounded.
“Of course you need saving. The Big Boss will track you down eventually. Since you seem to be scooping up as many of our creator’s latest efforts as you can—probably for some nefarious plot—I assume he, she, or it might want to kick your butt in the very near future as well. Oh, and if you intend to actually start a school for new cosmic troublemakers, you’ll need someone who can make the whole mess work.” She turned to face him. “I’ve always been an amazing businesswoman as well as a sensual phenom and shining beacon to all of the style-challenged of the world.”
“I don’t need you.” His thunderous expression said he’d give up ice cream before accepting her help. “And who the hell told you where to find me anyway?”
“That would be me.”
This time Mistral made his appearance inside a giant leaping flame that threatened to engulf the kitchen. Then as suddenly as it appeared, the flame flickered and died leaving only Mistral standing there in all his hot glory. That should prove he wasn’t her brother. She’d gag describing a family member—if she had any—as hot.
Mistral glanced at Sparkle and smiled. “Yes, a little too theatrical, but I couldn’t resist.”
“Mistral.” Mede made the one word into a contemptuous dismissal. He glared at Sparkle. “Couldn’t handle things by yourself? Had to call in your brother to slither around in the bushes spying on me?”
He was doing some flaming of his own. Mede’s hair lifted as though caught in a stiff breeze and the strands at the end were fiery flickers. The four teens had followed them in. Sparkle could feel their intense interest. She probably wasn’t making a great first impression on the three Mede had brought with him.
“He’s not my brother.” She threw up her hands. “Oh, never mind. Look, you’re scaring your children.”
Fine, so Sparkle was exaggerating. Three of the teens looked all wide-eyed and maybe a little shocked. The fourth one? The tall boy with a long mane of black hair and a brooding expression that held all kinds of darkness looked riveted. She narrowed her eyes. The other three would be powerful as every cosmic troublemaker was, but this one… She allowed herself a smile she hoped didn’t look as hungry as it felt. This one would be the most dangerous, the most fun to shape into something spectacular. Sparkle was the ultimate molder of men. She might not choose to overwhelm his youthful psyche with all of her knowledge, but she could prime him for what he’d ultimately become.
Mede made a rude noise. He seemed about to say one thing, but then changed his mind as he really took a good look at her. “What’s that god-awful dress you’re wearing supposed to be?”
What he actually meant was, “There’s no skin showing.” She sniffed her opinion of anyone too ignorant to recognize the appropriateness of her outfit. “I’m dressed as a school marm from about the time this house was built. I thought it was a fun choice.” He was a man, and men rarely understood the excitement the fully clothed female could incite—the wondering, the yearning to peel off those layers of cloth. An unwrapped present under the tree wouldn’t be half as interesting.
Mede didn’t look amused.
“I was going to carry a paddle instead of a ruler, but I decided your newbies weren’t ready for its kinky symbolism.” She smiled. “I almost did the schoolgirl thing in one of those short little plaid skirts and a white blouse opened all the way down to…” She noted the avid fascination of the two teen boys and changed her mind about what she was going to say. “Anyway, I decided on the school marm outfit.”
He still didn’t look amused.
“Oh, for heaven sake, take the stick out of your butt. This outfit is funny.”
Then everything went white, and she found herself sprawled on the driveway. Mistral lay next to her.
Sparkle watched while Mistral climbed to his feet and dusted himself off. She huffed her disgust. “What a jerk. For someone who’s always making snarky comments to everyone else, he sure can’t take a joke.” Sparkle allowed Mistral to help her up. She smoothed her dress, readjusted her glasses, and checked her nails for chips. Then she took a deep breath and marched up the steps again. “He doesn’t get away with kicking me out of his house.”
Mistral stayed where he was. “Yeah, well it is his house. He just might think he has a right to do whatever he wants. Maybe you should give him a chance to cool down before you storm the castle again.”
Sparkle ignored him. “He doesn’t get rid of me that easily. We’ll have a meeting of the minds or else I’ll make his life hell.” She allowed herself a wicked smirk. “And he knows I can do it.”
She didn’t bother knocking. All cosmic troublemakers had enhanced strength. She exerted some of that strength now as she shoved the door. It exploded off its hinges. Sparkle strode over it and headed for the kitchen.
Mede was staring into the fridge, and the teens had taken seats around the table. He didn’t turn to look at her. “What’s all this green healthy crap in here? I don’t eat anything with chlorophyll in it. And I like a dusting of sugar on my food or something crispy and deep fried with a layer of salt.” He glanced back at one of the teen girls. “When you have a chance, get rid of anything in here that says diet or low fat.”
“Don’t you ever dare do that to me again.” Sparkle curled her fingers into claws and tried to control her temper.
“Or?” He pushed aside a carton of low fat milk to reach the mustard in back of it. “Sandwiches and chips will fill everyone up.” He did some more rooting. “Diet soda? You’re kidding, right?”
“You’re not the only one with power.” It might not destroy the way his could, but it would get his attention. “And Mistral isn’t someone even you want to mess with.”
Mede finally turned to face her. He held cold cuts, mayo, mustard and pickles along with a can of soda. He shoved the fridge door closed and then made a big deal of scanning the room before looking back at her. “Don’t see Mistral anywhere. Guess he’s the only one with the common sense to stay outside.”
“He’ll be there for me if I need him.” Maybe. You never knew with Mistral.
Mede put everything down on the table before heaving a huge dramatic sigh. “Didn’t I make myself clear the first time around? My house. My rules. You don’t have any place in my life anymore. I. Don’t. Want. You.” He sat. “Oh, and take your pink flamingo with you.”
Even though she understood his words came from his anger, they still hurt. “We can talk this out, Mede.”
“No.” He pointed toward the door. “Out.”
Frantically, Sparkle searched for a delaying tactic. Her gaze settled on the teens sitting silently around the table. “Do you really want your children to witness you struggling to get rid of me? Won’t it sort of tarnish your godlike gleam?”
“Struggling?” His expression mocked even the thought that she could make him break a sweat. Then he paused.
She was right about the kids watching all this. Ganymede turned to Ben. “Take them upstairs and show them their rooms, Ben.”
“I’m not Ben anymore. I’m Orion.” He grinned. “I’m a whole constellation. You’re just a moon. Sparkle told me this.”
Before Ganymede could even close his mouth, Ben, or Orion, or whoever the hell he was beckoned to the others. They all grabbed their sandwiches and then left, except for Jerry.
Ganymede
tried to control his rising temper. He used to be able to laugh most things off. But stress wasn’t his friend anymore. All he needed was one more thing.
Jerry met Ganymede’s furious stare with a sneer. “You’re not my boss. I’m staying. This is great stuff. And if you keep trying to give orders, I’ll just have to take all your air. That should shut you up.” He looked secure in his power.
There it was. The one more thing. Ganymede’s rage exploded. “Who do you think you’re talking to, you arrogant little shit? I’ll wrecking-ball you through that wall and out into the Atlantic. Let’s see how much air you can breathe a hundred feet under.”
Ganymede didn’t think. He released power in a fury-driven wave. It filled the room, pressing against the walls until they threatened to buckle. It felt so damn good he wanted it to go on forever. Jerry’s eyes widened. Ganymede could tell he was trying to gather his power. “It won’t work, kid. You can’t touch me unless I let it happen.”
He felt the boy’s terror from across the room. Good. Jerry could regret his smart mouth on his way out to sea. The thought gave him pleasure even as he knew he wouldn’t do it. That wouldn’t stop him from scaring some respect into Jerry, though.
Then she was between Ganymede and his prey. Before Ganymede could step around Sparkle to get to the kid, she hauled off and punched him in the nose.
“What is wrong with you?” She was all righteous fury as she poked him in the chest with one red nail. “He’s young. He’s mouthy. But he’ll learn. Give him a chance. Remember what you were like?”
Ganymede froze, his hand covering his bleeding nose. Remember what you were like? The memories came—flattened forests, toppled mountains, mass destruction, and a woman in his arms as he lay on a warm, tropical beach, naked. How could the memory of the silken slide of her long red hair across his bare skin remain after thousands of years?
He looked at her hair now. It was tamed in its neat bun, and Ganymede almost reached out to loosen it, to watch it spread across her pale shoulders as he…
He closed his eyes and forced the thoughts away. By the time he opened them again, his memories and his anger were gone. “I lost my temper.”
Sparkle nodded as she reached for a paper towel. She handed it to him. “You’ve gone back to the old ways, to the violence, these past few months. Cosmic troublemakers are born with the need to cause chaos. Anger just fuels it.” She watched him dab at his bloody nose. “You need me here to be a buffer between you and them, or else when they do something to make you mad—and they will—things could get ugly. There won’t be much of a graduation rate if you kill all the students.”
He didn’t want to agree with her, but he knew how close he’d come to losing it. She didn’t try to stop him as he walked around her to stand in front of the kid. “Know your limits, Jerry. Maybe in a few thousand years you might be good enough to challenge me, but right now? You’re not even close. Understand?” He nodded toward the door leading to the stairs. “Get settled in your room. Then we’ll talk.”
Jerry was pale, his eyes wide with shock. He didn’t answer, just turned and walked from the room. But Ganymede sensed how much the boy wanted to run.
He dropped the paper towel into the trash before turning back to Sparkle. He hated to say it, but… “Thanks for stopping me.”
She grinned. “Ben and Jerry? Really? You named your children after ice-cream brands? What are the girls’ names?”
“Blue Bunny and Jill. Don’t have a Jack yet.” He narrowed his eyes. Now might be a good time to point out that laughing at him didn’t help her case. “I named them after my favorite food. So what’s wrong with that?” Okay, so maybe he should’ve given Blue Bunny a more traditional name.
“Oh, Mede, you have no idea how much you need me.” Her smile softened.
“I don’t need you.” He tried to dredge up his anger, but it didn’t seem to want to come. Probably jet lag. Once he got some sleep, he’d be in fighting form again.
She studied him, her expression calculating. “How about if I stay to help, and you can treat me like one of your employees? Totally platonic. I’ll find teachers for you and organize your school while you figure out a way to fly under the Big Boss’s radar.”
Platonic? It wouldn’t work. He’d have to stay mad twenty-four/seven in order to stop thoughts of her in his bed. That kind of focused fury would exhaust him. Besides…
“Didn’t the Big Boss make you his second-in-command? What’s to keep you from passing info to him about me?” Ganymede regretted the question immediately. He didn’t need to see the hurt in her eyes. He dropped his gaze. “I don’t believe you’d ever do that.” When he looked up, he caught the shine of moisture in her eyes before she blinked it away.
Sparkle lifted her chin. “So? What do you think?”
Ganymede thought he’d never be immune to those wide amber eyes. How could he have her around without giving in to her special brand of sexy? He’d be stupid to deny he needed her help with the kids and this place, though.
He brightened. It could be a temporary position. As soon as all the parts were in place, he wouldn’t need her anymore. He could let her go and never have to see her again. And if that thought didn’t make him exactly happy, all he’d have to do is remember her parting words at the Castle of Dark Dreams: “We were nothing. We are nothing.” He’d been stupid enough to think they were everything.
He turned toward the door. “You can stay to help get the school started. Then you can leave. Now, I’m going upstairs to make sure the kids are settled in.”
“Try not to throw anyone out the window.”
Ganymede ignored her parting jab as he left the room.
He found Jerry sitting on the bottom step of the stairs. The boy looked up at him but said nothing. Ganymede motioned him to move over then sat beside him. “Lots of anger issues, kid?”
Jerry shrugged. “Guess so.”
Ganymede didn’t speak. He simply waited.
Finally, Jerry looked at him. “We’re pawns, aren’t we?”
Well, that was unexpected. Newbies usually didn’t think beyond their next stab at creating chaos on a grand scale. “What makes you think that?”
Jerry met his gaze. Rage lived in those eyes. “Because I remember what he did to me, to us. I remember everything.” He leaned closer. “How about you, Ganymede? Do you remember?” Then Jerry stood and ran up the stairs.
Score one for the newbie, because Ganymede was officially shocked. He’d thought he was the only one. Jerry presented a whole new set of problems. Ganymede would have to make sure the kid didn’t blab to the others. The big reveal had to come from him. He’d treat Jerry carefully because he had a feeling the boy would either be his strongest ally or the biggest pain in his butt.
He raked his fingers through his hair as he tried to decide what to do next. Probably follow Jerry upstairs and have a heart to heart with him. Make sure the boy understood how important it was that he say nothing about their “before.”
Then Mistral opened the door. He stood there grinning. Ganymede didn’t think that grin could lead to anything good.
“You have a visitor.” Mistral stood aside.
A wizard stepped into his house. Ganymede couldn’t miss the wizard part. Thin, with a long gray beard, the guy wore a flowing blue robe decorated with silver moons and stars. He had a matching tall, conical hat that added at least a foot to his less-than-impressive height. And he carried a staff. Wouldn’t want to miss a stereotype.
Ganymede exhaled wearily. He’d kill Sparkle if he wasn’t so exhausted. “Holgarth. Of course.”
The wizard raised one brow. “Sparkle called. I came.” He stared down his long, narrow nose at Ganymede. “I hope I’ve gotten here in time to avoid total disaster. If you can manage to keep your clumsy fingers from interfering with my authority, I’ll soon have this rather charming piece of antiquity running smoothly.” He started past Ganymede but then paused. “And please get rid of that flamingo on the lawn. It offends me
.”
Ganymede watched Holgarth head toward the kitchen and Sparkle. Then he turned to Mistral. “Trash the flamingo.”
At least he and Holgarth agreed on one thing.
5
Mistral stopped on his way out the front door. “You might want to check on what Sparkle is cooking up with the weird wizard.”
Ganymede nodded. When had his simple plan to lure his maker into the open become so complicated? You know the answer to that—when Sparkle walked in the door. “The weird wizard is Holgarth. He manages the Castle of Dark Dreams, the main attraction in Sparkle’s theme park back in Galveston. He’ll have his pointed nose into everything.”
Mistral shrugged. “This is your house. Toss him out.”
“Holgarth will have to wait.” Ganymede had the feeling he would have to deal with Mistral, too. “I have something else to take care of first.” Ganymede started up the stairs.
Jill almost bowled him over racing down them. “Blue Bunny went outside. She said it was time to start her army. I want to see.” At the bottom of the steps, she made a hard left heading for the back door.
Ganymede was right behind her. His memory kicked in—Blue Bunny at the head of an army of jungle animals marching on a small village. Oh, crap. He’d stopped her before she could attack. Why hadn’t he bound her powers then? Okay, so each time he bound someone’s power it depleted his a little. He’d need everything he had to even have a shot at defeating the Big Boss. Besides, both girls had seemed so calm, so yes-sir-whatever-you-say-sir, that he’d forgotten what they were, how powerful they could be. And how strong their need to cause chaos was. He didn’t even want to imagine what Blue Bunny was doing in the back yard.