Part 27 (1/2)
”You're just as vulnerable as I am.”
”No, I'm not. I have friends in high places.” And just like that he admitted to having demons as bedfellows.
He disgusted me. I tried to keep my lip from curling in disdain, but it was hard.
”Your mouth is twitching,” said Ben, smiling. ”What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?”
”More like a demon,” I said, challenging him with a look.
He dropped his smile. ”When I get back, we'll talk.”
”I'm looking forward to it,” I said, totally not meaning it except maybe I was looking forward to beating him about the head and shoulders. I was ninety-five percent sure he was working behind everyone's back on his own agenda, even while on this trip, and so I was going to do whatever I could to make sure that whatever he accomplished was what the council wanted him to. I didn't necessarily like all those crusty fae, but I trusted that they were doing what was best for all of us, even if they were being stupid about that list. I had to go and do this. The council was going to set a traitor loose in the Otherworlds.
”I have to go on my hike, Ben, so you need to leave.”
He smiled. ”Gladly. I'll see you here when I get back.”
”Maybe, maybe not.”
I followed him out into my sitting room, shocked out of my drawers to find Samantha standing there like she had every right to. She was just tucking a thin stick into her belt when we emerged.
”What are you doing in here?” I asked accusingly. She couldn't possibly be up to any good.
”Just taking care of some loose ends,” she said smugly. ”Ready to go, Ben?”
”Yep.” He walked over and took her by the arm. ”See you later, Jayne.”
They both left the room, saying nothing more. I was temporarily rooted to the spot, angry as h.e.l.l that she'd just come in here without an invitation and acted so smug. Her cryptic answer had done nothing to make me feel better about the invasion of my privacy.
I walked over and smacked Aidan on the foot to wake him up. ”Come on, Sleeping Beauty, we have a.s.ses to go kick.”
He didn't respond.
I frowned at him, moving closer and knocking his leg a little harder with my knee. ”Come on, Aidan, we have to go. We'll find Tim out in the hallways somewhere.”
His eyes remained shut, and he didn't flinch, even when I bent over and shook his shoulders.
I stood up. ”What the frig?” I said out into the room, looking around, wondering what the h.e.l.l was going on. And then I had a flashback to Samantha tucking that d.a.m.n wand back into her pants. ”Oh h.e.l.l no!” I yelled, dropping down on my knees beside Aidan and shaking him hard by the shoulders, enough to get his head lolling all over the place. ”Aidan! Wake the h.e.l.l up, you idiot!”
He was dead asleep - still breathing but not getting up for anything. That stupid wench had thrown some sort of spell on him while Ben kept me busy in the other room.
”Son of a b.i.t.c.h!” I screamed. I stood and strode over to the table in the garden area, looking for Abby. She wasn't there, but I did find her about five steps farther out in the garden, lying right in the middle of the path, sound asleep just like Aidan. She was lucky I hadn't stepped on her and squished her like a d.a.m.n bug.
”Are you friggin kidding me?! Abby, get up!”
A couple seconds later I heard a voice behind me and it made me jump.
”Geez, lighten up on the caffeine, roomie. I have the intel you needed.” Tim was back and happily oblivious to the disaster that was our situation now. ”They're going to the Overworld first. They're hoping they can get some angels to help when they go to the Underworld after. They've got Shayla going and Garrett waiting to join them in the Underworld.”
”Tim, I have some really, really bad news,” I said.
”What?”
”Samantha spelled Aidan and Abby.”
”Spelled them? How?” He turned to look over at Aidan. ”He's just taking a nap. Werewolves are big nappers.”
I moved to the side so he could see his wife lying dead-like out on the path. ”Is Abby just sleeping too, then? Is she a big napper?” I asked sarcastically.
”Gah!” Tim shrieked, flying so fast over to his wife he was a blur, landing on the ground next to her and picking up her torso, hugging her close to him. ”Oh, Abby, what has that awful witch done to you?!”
”She's still breathing, Tim. I seriously think they're just sleeping.” Aidan's snore from across the room confirmed my diagnosis.
Tim kissed Abby all over her face and then looked for a reaction. ”It's not a spell broken by a handsome prince, I can tell you that.”
”I'm sure the witch healers will be able to fix them both up, but I'm not going to be able to hang around and help out. I'll get Becky over here to do it. I have to go track down Samantha's sorry a.s.s and give her a taste of her own medicine.”
”How are you going to do that? You can't cast spells.”
”Yeah, but I can punch her in the face. I figure that qualifies as an eye for an eye.”
Tim twisted around, his angry face nearly glowing with rage. ”I agree. Punch her twice, once for you and once for my darling Abby.” He gently laid his wife back down on the ground. ”Jayne, will you please put her in our bed? I'd do it, but I need to save my strength.”
I didn't question him, I just did as he asked. She was so light when I picked her up, I felt like I was carrying the empty husk of a long-dead gra.s.shopper in my hand. It was sad, and I had to fight back the tears that threatened. She looked seriously dead.
I looked over at Aidan sleeping away on the coach and was at a loss. ”What the h.e.l.l am I supposed to do, Tim? Aidan was going to be my wingman.”
”You can't go alone,” he said.
My door opened and Spike stepped through. ”I'm all packed. Are we ready to go?”
I smiled humorlessly. ”I'm not going to have to go alone.” I looked over at Tim. ”You got this, roomie?”
”Yeah, I got this. Go kick some serious a.s.s, J.B.”
”You got it.”
I walked out, pulling my backpack out from under the couch and taking Spike by the hand. ”Come on, loverboy. Let's go hunting.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT.
WE WALKED DOWN THE HALLWAY, doing our best to keep it quiet, speaking in hushed tones. Our whispers bounced off the rock walls making up the pa.s.sageway.
”So where exactly are we going?” Spike asked.
”First to the meadow where I met Garrett and Shayla, then to the Overworld.”