New World Order (War of the Fae: Book 4) (23 page)

“I know.
 
It’s like one of your computer game worlds come to life.
 
You’re like a walking avatar guy.”

“You’re right.”
 
Tony reached down absently and started picking blades of grass.
 
“So, those things you were thinking about ... to help me find Chase ... ”

I sighed.
 
“Tony, please don’t embarrass me.”

“I’m not.
 
Seriously.
 
I’m just ... I don’t know.
 
Worried about you.”

“How so?”
 
I couldn’t believe that he didn’t trust Chase, if that was what he was getting at.

“Well, you said that Chase told you he’s not from here.
 
That he’s here for a purpose.”

“Yeah.
 
So?”

“So, what happens when he’s done with that purpose?”

I shrugged.
 
“I don’t know.
 
He hangs out?
 
Protects my sorry ass.
 
Why?
 
Do you know?”

“Well, no, not really.
 
But I have suspicions.
 
Ones I’m not sure you’re going to like.”

I narrowed my eyes at him.
 
“What kind of suspicions?”

“The kind that mean he’s not going to stick around after all’s said and done.”

“Why would you think that?” I demanded, on the defense.
 
“He’s totally loyal.”

“No, no, I know that.
 
I’m not saying he’s not.
 
It’s just that ... never mind.
 
Forget I said anything.”

“No way, Tony Baloney, no fair saying half of some bullshit and then backing out.
 
You’re in too deep now.
 
Tell me or else.”

He smiled almost politely.
 
“Or else what?”

“Or else suffer my wrath.”

He held up his fingers and wiggled them around.
 
“Ooooo, the wrath of Jayne.
 
Scary.”

I pulled some of The Green from the ground beneath me, showing it in my eyes so Tony could see how serious I was.
 
Not that I’d blast him or anything, but I thought maybe the glowy-eye thing might be impressive at the very least.

“Okay, okay, spooky-eye girl, put it away.
 
I’ll finish.”

“Damn straight you will.
 
Stop pissing me off, Tony.
 
I’m under a lot of stress here.
 
Don’t you see the three pimples I have on my forehead now?”
 
I pointed to them so there’d be no mistake.
 
“You know I only get zits when I’m freakin’.”

“Yes, I did notice them.”
 
He pretended to shiver.

I smacked him, knowing he was just messing with me.
 
The poor kid had the worst case of acne ever until last year when his mom finally took him to the dermatologist, after I forced him to beg her.
 
At least now his problem was under control, poor kid.

Tony finally started talking again.
 
“Okay, so let’s assume Chase is like ... an angel, or whatever – down here from the Overworld to fix a problem we Earthlings are getting ready to experience ... ”

“I think the proper term is ‘Here-and-Now-lings’.”

“Whatever.
 
So he comes down, on orders from ... God or whoever’s in charge up there.
 
Then he fixes the problem.
 
That was his mission.
 
If his mission is complete, seems to me he’d be going back to the Overworld when it’s all done.
 
That’s what usually happens in the movies, anyway.”

“No, sometimes, like Jason Bourne, they start all over again.
 
With the girl they love.”

Tony raised his eyebrow at me but said nothing.

“What?
 
It’s totally romantic.”

“So you’re in love?
 
Is that what you’re saying?”

I frowned at him.
 
“No, stupid.
 
Okay, so I might be in serious
like
– not love.
 
I really don’t know Chase that well.”

“But he makes your heart go thunk, right?

I smiled.
 
“Yeah.
 
When I see him, my heart goes
thunk
.”

“So, you’re hoping he’ll start a new life here?
 
With you?”

“Stop making it sound so romanticized.
 
He’s already here, being fae.
 
Before that he was being human.
 
What’s so weird or big deal-ish about him just staying?”

Tony shrugged.
 
“I don’t know.
 
I’m just saying the things I’m thinking out loud.
 
Maybe it will all just be easy like that.”

“Right,” I scoffed, “like everything else in my life has been so easy.
 
Good point.
 
Sucky point, but good point.”

Tony took my hand and squeezed it before letting it go.
 
“Don’t worry about it.
 
I know it will all turn out fine in the end.
 
Everything happens for a good reason.”

“Even biology?
 
Dissection lab?
 
Last year?”

“Okay, so maybe not everything happens for a good reason.”

“Thank you for admitting that; because there is absolutely
no
good reason for part of your fetal pig to end up in my backpack.
 
It started to rot before I found it, you know ... making it smell like an orc took a shit in there.
 
I had to throw that bag out, Tony, and it was my favorite
 
one of all time.
  
You knew that, too, I know you did.”

Tony started laughing as he tried to defend himself.
 
“I told you – I didn’t do that!
 
It wasn’t me!”

“Right.
 
Whatever.”
 
I turned my head so he wouldn’t see me trying not to smile.
 
I had to keep up the righteous indignation for a few years longer.
 
It was one of the few pieces of ammo I had against him.
 
Of course he didn’t put that tiny pig liver in my backpack.
 
Either one of the immature numbnuts in our class had, or it had fallen in there of its own accord.
 
But messing with him about it was too much fun to admit that.

Tony was getting ready to tell me all the items on the list of evidence he had in favor of his innocence when Chase arrived on scene.
 
I jumped up and ran to give him a hug.
 
He greeted me warmly, squeezing me tight for a couple seconds, and then putting me down in front of him.
 
“So, what’s going on?
 
I got the message out of the Gray that you needed me and it was urgent.”

“Yeah.
 
This is no false alarm.
 
I need you to fly back with me to Florida.
 
Something’s going on with my mom, and we’re worried it’s a trap.”
 
I told him the rest of the story before he had a chance to get a word in edgewise.
 
I didn’t want to hear him say no and that he couldn’t go.

“Okay.
 
I’m in.
 
I can’t let you go without me.
 
This isn’t something I can trust Scrum or Gorm with.”

“That’s totally what I was thinking,” I said, breathlessly, completely psyched he was going with me.

“When does the plane leave?”

“About two and a half hours.”

“Okay.
 
I’ll meet you at the dirt road where the shuttle van picks up at the main road.
 
I don’t think I could find the airplane door anymore.”

“I guess that’s good,” I said.
 
“Since you’re all Dark Fae now.”

He smiled and grabbed my chin, holding it between his thumb and forefinger.
 
“Watch it sassy mouth.”

I smacked his hand away.
 
“Watch it yourself.”
 
I liked playing with him like this.
 
It was so un-Chase-like, but what the hell.
 
I was already noticing in one day how less pixelated he seemed compared to yesterday.
 
Pretty soon he’d probably be back to his old self, and I might miss this playful side of him a little.

“See you soon,” said Tony from behind us.

Chase nodded and then turned to run back in the direction he’d come from.
 

I turned and joined Tony, and we both went back into the compound together.
 

“I guess we should go get packed,” he said.

“What are you bringing?” I asked.

“My axe.
 
A change of clothes.
 
My toothbrush.
 
I don’t need a brush anymore, since I don’t have any hair left.”

I rolled my eyes, refusing to rise to the bait.

“How ‘bout you?”

“Blackie.
 
Clothes.
 
Succubus-Be-Gone spray.
 
Pixie.”

Tony laughed.
 
“See you at the door?”

I held up my hand for a high five.
 
“See you at the door.”

The smack of our palms connecting resounded down the hallway, and I opened my door, stepping inside to break the news to Tim that he was going on a little trip.

Tim wasn’t in our room.
 
I began packing, grabbing a tiny tunic and pair of pants from his miniature dresser to put in the side pocket of my bag.
 
I shoved in his and my toothbrushes and my toothpaste and other necessities, including my 3-step makeup program – eyeliner, smudge stick, and mascara.
 
One change of my own clothes went into the bag and then I zipped it up.
 
I already had Blackie strapped to my leg as usual.
 
This time I wasn’t taking any chances; my weapon was going to be with me at all times.
 
I wasn’t even going to bother with my regular human clothes.
 
I was going in, full-on fae.
 
Anyone who didn’t like it could kiss my big white ass.

I sat on the bed, looking at the clock, wondering where my roommate was.
 
I decided to give something new a try.
 
I reached into the stone floor at my feet, looking to link up with The Green.
 
I brought some of its energy into me and then sent it out into the compound around me, imagining a high-pitched vibration ringing all over the place.
 
Tim had told me that pixies were very sensitive to electronic signals and the like.
 
I was hoping he’d feel the vibrations I was sending out and know I was trying to contact him.
 
Maybe he could even track the signal to its source.
 
A part of me was jealous that all these fae around me could use telepathy of some sort.
 
Seemed like someone they called Mother should be able to do some of that cool stuff too.

I kept it up for about a minute before I heard footsteps running down the hallway, quicker than I thought possible for feet to run.
 
It sounded like a cartoon, the way the feet were slapping so fast on the stone floor.
 
My door flew open to reveal a breathless and sweaty Spike standing in the doorway.
 
“Are you doing that?!” he yelled, gasping for air.

“Doing what?”

“That signal?
 
That high-pitched, ear-shattering squeal that’s sending all of our werewolves into a complete breakdown!”

I dropped the signal immediately.
 
“Uh, maybe.”

Spike wiped his forehead with the back of his arm and leaned heavily on my door jam.
 
“Holy shit, Jayne.
 
You have no idea the chaos you just caused all over the compound.”

“I was just trying to call Tim.”

Just then His Pixieness made his appearance, buzzing in through the door.
 
“Jayne, that was
awesome!
 
You have to do it again!
 
You should have
seen
those wolves, chasing each other’s tails around the dining hall.
 
I’ve never seen anything like it!”
 
He was clapping and bouncing in midair.

“Oh shit, I did it again, didn’t I?”

“What?” asked Spike, now back to his normal self, no longer huffing and puffing like he’d just run a three-minute mile.
 
“Kicked some fae in their butts?
 
Yeah.
 
You did.”

“No.
 
I meant screwed something up.”

Spike smiled.
 
“Don’t worry; it’s all good.
 
I’m sure now that it’s stopped, everything will be fine.
 
No one knows it was you.”