by Nina Bangs
After dessert, Ganymede watched Ky leave before he headed back to the suite. He needed some time to plan for tonight’s team meeting. They could get together after Mistral met with Amaya. Once he shut the door to the rest of the world, Ganymede called Zane and Holgarth and then wasted no time taking his cat form.
When Sparkle walked in a few hours later, Ganymede was in his happy place on the couch surrounded by the things he loved—a licked-clean ice cream bowl, an open bag of chips, a container of cheese dip, and his paw on the TV remote.
Sparkle gave him her laser glare. “I don’t believe you. We have two enemies almost on our doorstep, and you’re up here watching HGTV.” She huffed her outrage. “In your cat form. Or should I say your lazy-butt form.” The steam coming from her ears carried her all the way to the fridge where she grabbed a soda. She slammed the door shut before stalking over to where he crouched.
Ganymede eyed her warily. He put two paws protectively over the remote. The snacks would have to fend for themselves.
“Hey, I’m doing research. You’ll need something to keep you busy once this is over. I figure you could do your own reality show, sort of like Fixer Upper only with castles.” He spoke directly to her mind. When he opened his mouth in times of crisis, often the wrong thing came out.
Distracted for a moment, she paused. “Hmm. Maybe… No, too ordinary. It needs an edgy sound. Maybe the Sex Apprentice. My motto can be: I’ll make your sex great again.” The moment passed. She returned to her mad. “Forget what comes after this. If you don’t get off that couch, we won’t have an after. Zendig and Ky’s dad will make sure of that.”
“I do my best thinking in front of the TV.” Not true. He did his best non-thinking there. When the world closed in, he could empty his mind and allow the TV sounds to form a shell of white noise around him. Refreshed, he was then ready to go forth to slay a few dragons. Well, maybe not exactly dragons. At least it gave him the strength to face guarding the dungeon door while Mistral and Amaya visited.
“I wish you wouldn’t spend so much time as a cat. And please don’t tell me that cats can sneak around gathering info. Heard that and don’t believe it.”
Sparkle sat on the couch beside him and crossed her long, long legs. She stroked him absently. He would much rather she stroke him absently when he was in his human form.
He offered her a cat shrug. “I can be lazy—eat and sleep a lot—when I’m a cat. What’s not to like?” Again a lie. Laziness had nothing to do with it. His cat was an escape from himself. For millennia he’d had the reputation of being one of the most powerful beings on Earth. He had lived up to that reputation. Then the Big Boss had reined him in. Do this, don’t do that. But for a month he had once again asserted his badass cred, reminded everyone of what he could do. It had felt damn good.
Ganymede had planned to top things off by battling the Big Boss for supremacy. If he lost, at least he would go out in a blaze of glory. After all, without Sparkle the future had looked pretty boring. It hadn’t happened. He had wanted to battle Zendig alone except for the help of his newbies. In control. But he wasn’t in control of anything. He was frustrated, tired, and not sure of what he was anymore. The only constant in his life was Sparkle…and his cat.
Ganymede wouldn’t tell her, though. A cosmic troublemaker didn’t get tired or feel out of control. Those were weaknesses. He would rather she think of him as lazy rather than weak. Ganymede waited for Sparkle to shoot down his excuse. She stared at him for a little too long.
He yawned a cat yawn to indicate how unconcerned he was with her reaction.
“Whatever. So you’ve had plenty of time to come up with ways to drive Zendig crazy. Let’s hear what you have.” She kicked off her heels, grabbed a tissue from the box on the end table, and then carefully wiped the dust from them.
Okay, what did he have? Nothing. He scrambled for a way to bluff his way out of this. Then he glanced at the clock on the far wall. “I don’t have time to talk. It’s almost six. I have to meet Mistral at the dungeon. He gets an hour to visit with Amaya while I stand guard. Bourne’s being hard-assed about her.”
Sparkle slipped on her heels. “I’ll go with you. While we’re standing around trying not to listen to what they’re saying, you can fill me in on all the great ideas you have for Zendig’s spies.”
“Right. Great ideas.” He leaped from the couch then padded to the bathroom. Ganymede didn’t like changing in front of anyone if he could help it. Shifting wasn’t one of his strengths. It took time and effort.
He emerged from the bathroom twenty minutes later. “Let’s go.” Maybe Sparkle would get so involved with Mistral and Amaya that she’d forget about his nonexistent ideas.
He sprinted down the stone steps ahead of Sparkle, all the while thinking about how much he didn’t care about what to tell Zendig’s spies. Sure, Ganymede had been excited about it when it was his idea, but now that Bourne had hijacked it he didn’t give a damn.
“Hey, slow down.” Sparkle was breathing hard as she caught up with him outside of the dungeon.
Mistral was already waiting. He sneered. “Well, if it isn’t the jailor. Right on time. Want to frisk me to make sure I’m not sneaking in a bomb or two?”
Ganymede wasn’t in the mood for this crap. “Do you really think I want to be here? I have lots of more interesting things to do than listen to you and Amaya whine about your tough lives.” Come to think of it, he really did have something else to do. As though on cue, Sparkle spoke up.
“I can take care of this. You go do what you have to do.” She smiled. “I bet you could come up with some dynamite ideas to give the team in an hour.”
Her smile told Ganymede she knew he hadn’t spent his time thinking about the team. He glanced away. “Sure, if you don’t mind watching them.” He figured she wanted alone time with Mistral and Amaya. She could work on her plan to manipulate them into falling in lust so she could then tear them apart. Resurrecting the wicked Sparkle of old was important to her. If that’s what she wanted, he’d support her. Okay, so maybe they’d have a long talk when it came time to tear them apart.
Besides, he needed to hunt down the kids so he could discuss their parts in the coming battle. Parts that would hopefully keep them safe. Then he had to start planning a defense that might have to be fought on two fronts. Afterwards, he would visit Momo and Tuna. With Ky to translate, maybe they’d have something else to say about the king and his yellow army.
“No problem.” She winked. “I’ll keep everything under control. Now give me the key.”
Ganymede fished the key from his pocket then handed it to her. “Thanks. I owe you.”
Her smile was vintage Sparkle—wicked and sexy. “More than you’ll ever know. I’ll think of creative ways for you to pay me back.”
Ganymede knew his grin was hungry. “I look forward to it.” Then he ran up the stairs in search of Ky and his newbies.
Sparkle watched Mede go before turning to Mistral. “So let’s join Amaya.”
“Don’t expect me to do any spying for you.”
“I don’t need you to spy for me anymore.” True. Sparkle had only needed that excuse for the initial phase of her operation. She unlocked the door before he could reply then stepped aside so he could go in first. She locked the door behind her.
Amaya glowed. Sparkle figured it wouldn’t take more than the tiniest nudge to tip her over into love with Mistral.
“Thanks for visiting me.”
Sparkle could almost see the kitsune fluffing up her five tails with joy at a visit from the gorgeous but unpredictable shifter. Sheesh. Amaya was a can of kerosene. All Sparkle needed was the match. Not much of a challenge. Then Sparkle looked at Mistral.
Mistral smiled. Sparkle knew that smile. It was the hook. The lure was his body, his face, his long white hair. He drew women in with his total awesomeness then jerked the line and set the hook. Caught. Women were a hobby for Mistral. He’d enjoy sex with Amaya, but his mind would keep him from falling
in love with her. Yes, Mistral would be the challenge. She matched his smile. Challenges made life worth living.
“I don’t like how Bourne treated you. He has no right to hold you here against your will when you haven’t done anything wrong.”
Mistral sounded sincere. He’d always had a weakness for the underdog. Sparkle would use that now.
“I agree with you, Mistral.” Sparkle worked her honest-and-sincere expression.
“You do?”
She’d finally managed to shock him. “Of course. Bourne has gone too far.” Her mind raced. How could she manipulate them into staying together in a confined space for longer than the hour Bourne had granted them? Closeness encouraged lust in those predisposed to it in the first place. From what Sparkle could see, Amaya was way past predisposed and already into raging hunger. And Mistral was born predisposed.
“I’m glad you’re on our side, Sparkle.” Amaya’s smile was tentative.
Amaya looked disbelieving, too. Sparkle wondered if she really came across as such a cold witch. She hoped so. A cold witch fit her wicked troublemaker image perfectly. “I have an idea.”
Now Mistral looked wary. Smart man. He knew how dangerous her ideas could be. She rushed on before he could voice his suspicion. “Mistral, you’re going to break Amaya out of here.”
They both stared at her, stunned.
Mistral blinked. “And how exactly will I do that?”
It all came together in Sparkle’s mind. “Amaya, you’re going to ask me to go to the shop in the lobby to buy you…” What would the kitsune ask her to buy that she wouldn’t ask just anyone for? “Tampons.”
To his credit, Mistral didn’t react.
Amaya blushed. “Why would I do that?”
“Because it will get me out of the dungeon, leaving you and Mistral here alone.”
Mistral narrowed his gaze. “You’d lock the door behind you.”
Sparkle nodded. She was getting into the whole thing now. “Once I’m gone, Amaya, you’ll assume my form. Mistral, you’ll become a gale, blow the door off its hinges, and then ease down to a light breeze so you can follow Amaya out of the Castle.”
Mistral looked thoughtful. “Won’t someone notice that there are two Sparkles?”
“I’ll be careful when I go to the shop. No one I know will see me.” Sparkle held up her hand to stop another question. “No one will hear the dungeon door blowing open. The only one down here right now is Eric. He’s vampire. Dead to the world.”
Mistral still looked suspicious. “Why are you helping us?”
Okay, this could be tricky. Sparkle put on her outraged face. “Bourne took Mede’s idea and made it his own. Now he’s taken over, telling everyone what to do.” She tried on her best sneer. “No one tells Sparkle Stardust what to do.”
Mistral finally lost his wary expression. “Thanks, sis.”
Sparkle automatically began to deny their relationship but quickly bit back her snarky comment. She had to look at the big picture. All that really mattered was her plan.
Amaya moved to Mistral’s side. “It could work.” She was excited for a moment but then wilted. “What will I do once I get out of the castle? I don’t have any money or a place to go.”
Sparkle held her breath. Wait for it, wait for it…
“I’ll take care of you.” Mistral had mounted his white horse.
Yes! “Bourne will know you helped Amaya escape, Mistral, so you can’t stay at the Castle. Dacian and Cinn—she takes care of the plants in the greenhouse—are on vacation right now. They won’t be back for a few weeks. Their house is empty. I’m sure they won’t mind if you use it.” Especially if they never find out. “Luckily Cinn gave me an extra key in case of an emergency, and this is definitely an emergency. The house is in the East End Historical District. It’s a big old Victorian with gardens and a tree sculpture of a cholla cactus in the front yard. The sculpture is in memory of Teddy. He was…” Better not get into Cinn and her plants. She’d said enough. “Anyway, no one will think of looking for you there. I’ll visit each day to bring you the news.” And to work my magic on both of you. “I’ll give you directions.” Sparkle took the key to the house from her keychain and handed it to Mistral. Then she scrounged some paper and a pen from the drawer of the nightstand next to Amaya’s bed.
“I’m so grateful for your help.” Amaya oozed sincerity.
Okay, so she made Sparkle feel a little guilty. Very little. Quickly, Sparkle drew a map. Amaya tucked it into her jeans’ pocket. “Call me if you have a problem.”
“Why would we want to stay on the island? Wouldn’t it make more sense to get as far away from Galveston and Bourne as we can?” Mistral’s distrust was showing again.
Sparkle controlled her need to slap him upside his head. She would not allow him to interfere with her plans. “Zendig is still coming.”
He shrugged. “So?”
Now she was getting mad. “My real brother would care enough to fight for his troublemaker family if they were in danger. Think about it.” Before she could say something to alienate him any further, Sparkle left the dungeon. She locked the door behind her.
Sparkle took her time wending her way slowly among the guests while scanning the crowd for any familiar faces. Then she wasted more time buying the Tampons for Amaya. Finally, she couldn’t put her return off any longer. She crossed the hotel lobby and entered the great hall. Sparkle had just reached the top of the stairs leading down to the dungeon when Mede came charging up them.
He glared at Sparkle. “Amaya and your cursed brother are gone. I thought you were guarding them. What the hell happened?”
“My question exactly.”
Sparkle tensed at the voice behind her.
She turned.
Bourne.
She sighed.
“It’s complicated.”
21
Bourne held Momo and Tuna in his arms. The little gods stared up at the Big Boss. Ganymede had seen the same look of adoration on the faces of two yapping balls of fur a guest had carried out of the Castle a short while ago. But the yellow gods weren’t lap dogs. So what was this about? “What the hell? You’re toting around two animals with yellow feathers, wings, and sharks’ teeth? Like you think people won’t notice?” He watched two passing guests pause to gape before they met Ganymede’s stare. They quickly lowered their gazes and moved on.
Bourne ignored him. He speared Sparkle with his deadliest glare. “Complicated? It looks pretty uncomplicated to me.”
Thunder rumbled overhead. It shook the Castle walls. Uh-oh. From past experience, Ganymede knew thunder from a clear sky would probably be followed by lightning strikes aimed at whoever had ticked off Bourne. He had to de-escalate the situation. “Let’s go somewhere private and—”
Bourne talked over him, still focused on Sparkle. “You were supposed to be in the dungeon guarding Mistral and Amaya. You’re not there and neither are they. Explain.”
A suit of armor standing in the corner of the Hall suddenly flew apart. The clatter and clang startled screams from people nearby. Ganymede winced. “Look, this isn’t solving anything.”
Bourne turned on Ganymede. “This was supposed to be your job. Who gave you permission to pass it off to Sparkle?”
Permission? Permission? Forget de-escalation. Ganymede felt the explosion building. No one talked to him like that, not even the freaking Big Boss. He opened his mouth to say something that would be awesomely satisfying but would probably piss off Bourne big time. He didn’t give a shit.
Then Sparkle put her hand on his arm. Her touch calmed him. A little.
She leaned close. “Not the time, Mede. We need unity. Call him on this afterwards.”
Bourne waited. He looked unworried, but Ganymede didn’t miss the tension around his mouth, his narrowed eyes, and his shift to a crouched position. He knew he had crossed a line.
Ganymede forced himself to relax. He put his game face firmly in place. “We’ll discuss this permission thing
after the fireworks. But never try to intimidate me, Bourne. I’m not afraid of you or anyone.”
Yes, you are. A memory. Sparkle lying in the Castle’s greenhouse, dying. Him helpless to save her. Fear an acid taste in his mouth. The realization that some broken things could never be put together again, that the power of chaos didn’t heal. Terror had lived in him. Someone else had saved her. Not him. He shut the door on the memory.
Sparkle smiled and then shrugged. She wore her fake guilty expression. Ganymede had seen that one a few times. What was she up to?
“Amaya asked me to get something from the store. It was an emergency. I locked the door behind me.”
“Right. Locked the door with both of them on the same side of it.” The air around Bourne sizzled with his anger.
Sparkle shrugged then turned her attention to Momo and Tuna. “Looks as though you have two new admirers. How did you win their hearts?”
As a distraction, Ganymede thought it was pretty weak. Sparkle was better than that.
“Focus.” Bourne spoke through clenched teeth. “Why couldn’t you call someone to bring whatever it was down to you?”
“It was a girl thing.” She steered the conversation back to Momo and Tuna. “They’re cute, but I wouldn’t try to keep them. People are beginning to stare.” She waved at a man and woman heading out of the castle, then called out, “These are hybrids—a mixture of cat and canary DNA. What exciting new pets! Everyone will want one.”
Ganymede tried not to smile as the couple hurried away with looks of horror on their faces. He and Sparkle were in deep shit with the Big Boss. Looking even a little amused might push him into a butt-kicking display of temper. Ganymede would be happy to take him on, but Sparkle was right about needing unity right now.
Bourne paused long enough to step away and call some security men to him. Probably giving himself a cooling-down moment. He gestured toward the exits as he spoke to them. Sparkle frowned. She wouldn’t appreciate the Big Boss ordering her employees around.