Part 12 (1/2)

He returns from brus.h.i.+ng his teeth to find my message on his computer screen.

Any progress? I materialize beside his desk as he's reading it.

Rei shakes his head. He rolls into bed and covers his eyes with his hands. ”I need some sleep, too, Anna,” he whispers. ”I can't even see straight.”

By the blue glare of the computer screen, I watch Rei slowly relax for the first time today. From the first phone call with Taylor this morning to Seth's surprise appearance, I realize Rei has not had one peaceful moment all day. No wonder he's exhausted. I focus on the vast sources of energy far beyond us and absorb what I can, until his hands slip away from his face and land softly on the pillow beside his head.

I reach out and touch my fingertip to his, gently, to see if the vibration of my touch wakes him. When he doesn't move at all, I trace my finger down the length of his, releasing a trickle of energy into him. I try to ignore how soft his skin feels to me since every little sensation is magnified when I'm out here, because I'm doing this for Rei, not for my own selfish pleasure. I trace all his fingers, one by one, replacing his tired colors with indigo, then I inch my way up his arm until I reach his shoulder, skim my fingers over his collarbone, his Adam's apple, up to the fine stubble on his chin. It's not his head I'm concerned about today. I take my time, releasing a steady stream of energy until I reach the center of his chest.

Yumi can recite volumes of information about Reiki and how it works with a person's chakras, but I can't keep all that straight. All I know right now is this is where Rei needs me most. I swirl my hand around until I've created a tiny vortex of energy around Rei, and as he gradually absorbs it, I'm relieved to see the indigo unfurl around him.

I can't manage to lift the comforter over him because it's too heavy, but I feel better knowing my best friend sleeps with a clear aura. I know I had promised not to go into Rei's weight room, but I want to make sure Seth is sleeping, too.

In the darkness of the weight room, I locate Seth by his erratic vibration and the wet dog smell that clings to him. He's snoring, not so loud that Yumi or Robert could hear him from the floor below, but loud enough that I know he's asleep. He appears to be half on, half off the futon, which makes sense since he's so tall.

There's nothing else for me to do here tonight, and I don't have enough juice to go check on Taylor. I need a mini vacation ... somewhere sunny.

Some people read the Bible; some read the Koran. I read The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. It's a lot less violent, plus there's a talking fennec, which is an adorable desert fox with ginormous ears that lives in the Sahara where it happens to be very sunny. In the story, it's the fennec who shares his wise secret with the Little Prince in exchange for being tamed.

I've been to the Sahara before. I've played with a family of fennecs and I know their vibrations well enough to find them now. Fennecs mate for life-another reason to love them.

Rei tries hard to tame Seth and me. I know he feels responsible for us. I know we disappoint him. I know we make his life a living h.e.l.l sometimes, but I know Rei and I will always be friends. I just don't know if Seth and I are ready to be tamed.

I cruise back into Rei's room early the next morning, pumped up on Sahara suns.h.i.+ne and baby fennec bliss, only to find Rei pacing in front of the open door of his weight room.

Even before he blurts it out, I know.

”Seth is gone!”

CHAPTER 17.

Rei blames himself for Seth's escape, but since he needs to sleep and I don't, my guilt-o-meter can't stand the expression on Rei's face.

Don't worry! I'll find him!

I find Seth riding Rei's mountain bike on a back road in New York. I can only guess he's on his way to talk to his brother. Part of me wants to materialize in the middle of the road just to scare the c.r.a.p out of him because it would serve him right for sneaking out and stealing Rei's bike. I will say this much for him: he's fast. He must have left when it was still dark in order to have made it this far. I go back to break the bad news to Rei.

He stole your bike. He's already in New York.

Rei just closes his eyes and sighs. ”Then he's going to talk to Matt.”

Rei is so organized. He flips through the contacts on his cell phone and calls Seth's brother. It's barely past six o'clock on Sat.u.r.day morning, so it's no surprise Rei gets Matt's voice mail. ”Matt, it's Rei Ellis. Call me as soon as you get this. It's important!”

He hangs up and turns to me with that authoritative look of his. ”Let's go get him.”

And do what? When Matt calls you back, tell Matt what's going on and let HIM try to talk some sense into him. Maybe he'll have more luck than you.

”But I have to do something!” he argues.

Just wait for Matt to call you back. Then you can decide together what to do.

I don't see Rei's mad face very often, and I'm glad for that. I hold my own during the staring contest that follows until I notice his colors cool down and I know he finally agrees. ”Fine.” His stomach rumbles as he stuffs his cell phone in his pocket. ”So do you ever get hungry over there?”

Now he's going to worry about my diet? I can't eat over here.

”Yeah, I figured. That must suck.”

It does suck. Everything sucks. I miss cheesecake.

Rei nods sympathetically. ”Do you miss oatmeal, too?” Now he's teasing me. He knows I hate anything that looks predigested.

Are you trying to tell me you're hungry?

”Sorry. I wasn't sure what the deal was with food in that dimension. I didn't want to eat in front of you if it would bother you.”

You need to eat. Don't worry about me.

”Don't worry about you? Oh, okay. I won't breathe, either.” He reaches for the back of my neck, then stops and lets his hand drop to his side. He sighs. ”I guess I'll go take a shower.”

I notice he takes his cell phone into the bathroom with him.

Fifteen minutes later, he's sitting at the kitchen table, barefoot, wearing jeans and a faded gray T-s.h.i.+rt. The newspaper is spread out in front of him, and he's stirring cinnamon into a bowl of oatmeal.

”Yum,” he holds up a big gloppy spoonful and sticks it into his mouth. ”Mmmm.”

I open my mouth and pretend to stick my finger down my throat.

The usual high school crowd doesn't come into the store on Sat.u.r.day, so Robert and Yumi take the opportunity to sleep in until seven. Miraculously, Saya is still asleep, too. Rei turns each page, commenting on this and that, until he comes to the obituaries, and he pushes the paper toward me so we can both see it.

Taylor Ann Gleason ~ Beloved Daughter We both take a minute to read to ourselves all the wonderful things it says about Taylor.

”There are two viewings. Tonight from six to eight is for anyone local, and tomorrow night is for their Long Island people. The funeral is Monday morning. Should we be going to any of this?”

Without the computer, I'm essentially mute. I nod.

”Since we're not going after Seth, we should focus on what to do about Taylor. That sage stuff obviously didn't work. Any more ideas?”

I shake my head. I want to tell him I plan to spend the morning on his computer looking for more ideas, but I can't do that without a voice.

”Well, think about it. I have to work today. Will you keep an eye on Seth for me?”