THE BAZAAR (The Devany Miller Series) (17 page)

His voice was low, sexy sounding. I leaned closer, inhaling his scent. In a moment I was back home. I stood by the bed, blinking. My tired brain clicked on. "Does she do to you what she did to me?" I pulled down my shirt. There wasn't a mark but it burned.

"It's different for us. Our souls exist separately from us." He nudged me and I fell into the bed with a breathless giggle. "No more wandering, no matter how tempting or urgent."

I didn't move anything but my head, turning it to one side so I could breathe. "Zech won't want help from you."

"He won't be getting any, either. I'm not going into any more debt for a stupid git like him." 

I lay there for a moment, and then groaned as I pushed myself up from the bed to fumble for the phone. "Where exactly is he?"

Tytan sighed, gave me the address and left, I guess before I could ask him anything else. I called a cab company and used my credit card to pay for the ride. Before I passed out, I asked Arsinua to get Zech a message if she could, to tell him to come out of hiding for the cab.

I didn't say anything more. I was too busy snoring.

TWENTY-ONE

T
he alarm clock woke me. I stared at the ceiling as I mentally checked over my body. Despite the hits I'd taken, I felt pretty good. I didn't even have the ravenous hunger I woke with these days. The night before fuzzed in my mind. Zech had been in trouble. I remembered a strange figure burning me with a touch, but that was it. 

I pulled my shirt down, looking at the spot where the thing had touched me. A small red elongated circle marred my collarbone. I touched it and it flared hot. I shook my head and eased out of bed. I still wore my work clothes from yesterday and they looked as if they'd seen a war.

A vision of one of the deaths I'd witnessed hit me. The little golden haired girl. My stomach heaved. Deep breaths, I told myself. Let it go. Let it go. I needed to see my kids, to make sure they were all right. I stripped out of my damaged clothes and changed into my pajamas, a funny thing to do in the morning after I'd already woken up. I visited Bethy's room first; gazing at her sleeping form for a moment with a love so strong, it was painful. I woke her with a kiss then left her to her morning routine. Liam was awake, his hair wild, his sheets twisted and hanging off the bed.

"Rough night?"

He stared at me. "Yeah."

I couldn't read his expression but something wasn't right. "Feeling okay?"

"Are you?"

I sat on his bed. "What's wrong?"

He shrugged one shoulder and I stopped myself from sighing. Instead, I waited, staring up at his ceiling where he'd painted giant stars and swirling comets when he was eight. I loved it. Tom about had a cow. Smiling, I lay back on his bed and stared up at his colorful universe, thinking if only he knew about Midia. He'd go wild.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

"Shh. I'm flying past Mars." I waited. He said nothing. "Look! A face. Aliens are living on Mars. You see it?" He'd been fascinated when he'd seen the picture of the alleged face that had shown up on satellite images of the red planet. After that, his stories featured Mars or Martians and endless combinations thereof.

"Where did you go last night?"

I rolled to my side and propped my head with my hand. "Danni called. One of our clients was in trouble." I frowned, thinking. I'd left using the heart. I'd returned with Tytan. Why had Liam even missed me?

"Dad woke me up looking for you. He heard the phone too. But your car was still in the garage." His voice cracked as he said, "We looked all over the house for you. How'd you leave? By the window?"

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. How was I going to explain this? I was surprised Tom hadn't been waiting outside the bedroom door for an explanation. I would have been. Shit. 

"Through the garage. Danni picked me up." I crossed my fingers.

"Oh." He looked relieved. "We didn't think of that."

Thank you, Tom. He'd always had a bad habit of leaving the garage door open, despite me nagging him about it. The door from the garage to the house didn't have a dead bolt although it was connected to the security system. "I'm sorry you guys were worried. I didn't want to wake you and you know how my job can be."

"You haven't done the hotline in a long time."

"True. But Danni took a liking to this new client. I told her I'd help out whenever she needed me."

"I like Danni. Even though she doesn't talk much." He scrambled out of bed, then leaned his body into pushing me off the bed. I shrieked, grabbing at the bottom sheet. "Got to get dressed for school. Go away now."

"Rude. You're a rude little boy." I fell dramatically off the bed but he didn't fall for my fakery and he forced me from his room.

Tom was downstairs, but he wasn't inclined to believe my story as readily as Liam. "Danni drove you? Danni who doesn't talk to anyone and is scared of her own shadow? That Danni?"

I stole a piece of toast from his plate before I remembered I was still mad at him. "She's taken a liking to this client. It's as if a whole new person is emerging from Danni's old shell." I chewed the bread, savoring the cinnamon, sugar, and melted butter. "And as I told Liam, I'm sorry I freaked you guys out. I was trying to be quiet about things so I wouldn't wake any of you."

He nodded, and then before I could move away or blink he enveloped me in his arms. I froze, then hugged him back, careful to keep my hips a safe distance from his. His body was warm, his scent familiar in a way that made me ache. "I love you," he said. "I love you. I'm so sorry I hurt you."

I patted him, staying silent, my body relaxing into him despite everything. 

"Wow. You guys going to get back together?"

Bethany. I shook my head. "No."

"Yes," Tom said at the same time.

We looked at each other, and then Tom said "Maybe."

I thought, no.

Bethany shook her head and then stuck her head in the fridge. Fridays were find your own breakfast mornings. She made herself what she called a Scooby-Doo sandwich, which sometimes she ate and sometimes threw away with a stink face. Liam would have waffles and chocolate milk.

"You guys should have a trial separation," Bethany said, setting out the bread, mayo and other fixings.

Tom moved away from me. "Where did you hear about that?"

She smeared a glob of mayo onto her bread. "TV. And my friend Zoey's parents did that. They screamed at each other all the time. I'm glad you guys don't do that." She spread mayo on both sides of the bread and then stacked it on top of the meat and cheese she'd already piled.

"Even your mouth isn't big enough to eat that," I said and she practically unhinged her jaw to take a bite and spite me. I laughed, using the moment to move far from Tom. "I have to go get dressed for work. Have fun gnawing." I resisted rubbing her head; she'd been particular lately about her hair. I don't remember caring what my hair looked like when I was ten, but I guess I was weird. These days girls Bethy's age were getting spray tans and wearing makeup. So far, Bethany hadn't asked or tried anything of those things—as far as I knew—and so I wasn't going to mess with her hair. At least it was an innocent enough obsession.

Tom followed me. I said a bad word under my breath but let him come into the bedroom with me. "I wanted you to know Anabelle no longer works at the office.”

I didn't answer but made a mental note that I still hadn't made an appointment to be tested for STIs. I so didn't want to make that call, but I resolved to do it at work. 

Nothing here. No sickness
.

'Er, okay. How do you know?' I fiddled with the curtains, my mind split between Tom and Neutria.

I would feel it. Nothing here. Burned away in explosion. Burned away by heart. Don't know how. But I know there's nothing here
.

Yeah. Would she be insulted if I made the appointment anyway? Touchy spider.

"I understand that you need time, but we should give it a try."

It sounded like the end of a long story. "Try what?"

"Dev, you know, you've been distracted like this since this whole thing started."

"Yeah, well I have a lot on my mind. Try what?"

He frowned then smoothed out his face. Having the upper hand had its advantages, including automatically winning minor fights. He said, "Try the marriage counselor. She's available any night of the week. Said she'd make us an appointment for whichever day we wanted. My insurance at work will cover it."

Marriage counselor? Ugh. I didn't want to discuss this with a stranger, didn't want to peel back my emotions in front of a psychiatrist. "Maybe."

"Please. It would help. You and me. Even if we—if we don't work it out and stay together." Then he played his evil little trump card. "For the kids, if not for me, will you?"

I growled, frustrated. I tossed a pillow at him, which he caught, astonishment chasing his eyebrows up toward his receding hairline. "Fine. But I won't like it."

"I've never seen you like this before." He looked ... turned on.

"I've never been so damn fucking mad before. Betrayed. Hurt. Pissed off!" I remembered what Bethy said about her friend's parents screaming and lowered my voice. "I hate this. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. And I resent you for putting me in this situation."

He stiffened. "What, you don't hate me too?"

"Don't tempt me."

He dropped the pillow. "I'll call her and let her know Tuesdays will work. Is that okay with you?" His words were clipped and stiff. 

"You find the baby sitter."

He grunted and left, shutting the door with a small bang. I stuck my tongue out, an immature act that felt good, and then I stripped and dressed. Fridays were casual at work, so I slipped into a dark wash jean and one of the Caring Shelter fundraiser t-shirts. I slipped my feet into some jeweled flip-flops and rejoined the kids downstairs. 

After breakfast, after the kids had charged out the door with Tom, who had offered to spare them from the bus this morning by giving them a ride in his rental. I tried Danni on my cell but didn't get an answer. I rang work and asked Louise if Danni had come in yet.

"No. She called and said she'd be late." Her voice sounded as puzzled as I felt. Danni was never late for work. She wasn't a saint by any means, but when she was scheduled, she was there. I thanked her and hung up, then asked Arsinua. 'Can you get in touch with Zech? Did he make it back to the shelter this morning?'

I can try. Wait.

I drove through the morning rush hour traffic, the radio low so that I could hear Arsinua. A Hummer cut me off so I laid on the horn. Stupid asshole and his big vehicle. Serve him right if his tire blew.

He's fine. At the shelter—Watch out!

A loud pop and spray of rubber ahead. The Hummer swerved, missing the car to its left by inches. I slammed on my brakes, hoping the car behind me wasn't tailgating. My car stopped within feet of the Hummer and I sat back with a huff, thinking my heart should be trying to pound its way out of my chest right now. Instead, the whole incident registered low on the 'things that make my heart thud' meter.

Tytan materialized beside me. "What are you doing?"

"Avoiding being killed." I didn't want to, but I stared at Ty. He was dressed in white and he'd darkened his skin. The contrast was delectable. I almost drooled and then remembered I hated him. "What are you doing, besides annoying me?"

"You pulled Skriven magic again."

"I did not."

You caused that accident.
Arsinua's voice was accusatory.

"I did not." I looked over my shoulder, spotted an opening and zoomed into it and away from the stopped SUV. I should've stayed as a witness of the accident, but didn't want the hassle. "I didn't." I glanced at Tytan who was staring at me.

"I paid for it this time. But you need a formless one or you need to steal some souls to use as payment."

Soul stealing? That sounded oogy. Never. “Tell me how to quit and I'll quit. It's your fault anyway. It didn't start until last night." Visions of the dead tried to return to my mind. I shuddered, then Tytan's hand was on my arm and the images drained away. "Thank you," I said and meant it.

"My fault. Hmm. I don't know how to stop it. The heart should be using magic energy from Midia. Why it's pulling on Skriven magic I don't know."

I had to use three to make the heart. Human, Skriven, Midian. 

I passed on that information then frowned. "Human, Skriven, Midian what?"

Blood.

"Oh ho. And you were giving me a hard time? Blood? Uck." I looked at Tytan. "Skriven blood yours?"

"No. One of the originator's. Cost me a bundle but it was worth it."

I sighed. "Ravana's I presume?"

"It shouldn't matter. Nothing can pull Skriven magic but the Skriven." He sat back, his expression thoughtful.

I wanted to smack him but figured he'd hit me back and I didn't want to wreck my car. "Hello?"

"Maybe the heart, as part of you, has joined with your soul. Your essence. And as such, you are part Midian and Skriven." His voice became silkier as he spoke, as if he were about to propose something I wouldn't like. "I need to take you to Ravana."

"No way in hell. Or Slip. Not a chance." I poked him in the chest, I couldn't help it. "Don't even think about it." I remembered what Nex had said, that I had a signature now, a magical signature that Midians had. Now I was pulling Skriven magic and causing bad things to happen. "I need to go to magic school."

Tytan laughed. "If only there was such a thing."

"I'm going to end up dead or worse, I'll kill someone. I don't want that to happen. Shit."

He patted me on the head as if I were a child. "I doubt you're that powerful."

Yet. I remembered the rush of power when I opened up the heart full bore. What was it capable of? What would I be able to do when I could control it? I pulled into the parking lot and Tytan disappeared. "I hate it when you do that," I told the empty seat. 

Danni pulled in right after me. She jumped out of her car and I was struck by her appearance. Instead of a baggy, bulky shirt, she wore a fitted blouse. It still covered her from neck to wrists, but it accentuated her figure rather than hid it. She had her hair pulled back instead of hanging in her face.