The Getaway (6 page)

He’d better do whatever real goddamn fast. If she had to go any further than second base, she’d shove his pick set up his nose. One at a time. Slowly.

Footsteps approached the door to the room. She debated throwing herself at him, telling him that he was the sexiest thing on two legs, but Seth didn’t strike her as stupid. She’d have to play things a little less directly.

At the last second, she remembered something critical. She’d bashed his skull in—and she wasn’t supposed to know he’d survived. Time to change tactics. She moved to the steamer trunk and started climbing inside.

The door banged open just as she was swinging her leg over. She stared at him and let out a startled cry. “You,” she whispered. “I killed you.”

“I wouldn’t have hurt you, Jazz with the beautiful eyes.” The beginnings of a smile eased across his lips. “Your friend was in the way. Sadly, he’ll probably die in the forest. It’s so easy to get lost out here.”

“Lost,” she whispered. Not all of her confusion was faked. Dizziness swirled around her, and her thoughts tried to center themselves on Seth, on touching him, holding him. He was hypnotizing her again.
Come on, Donatti, do something.

“Yes, but you’re not lost any more.” Seth closed more of the distance between them, his eyes practically flashing. “You’ve found me. And now you’ll stay, won’t you?”

Stay with you.
It was an effort not to speak the words. Part of her wanted to cry out
yes!
and fall into his arms swooning, like some idiot woman in an herbal shampoo commercial. The rest of her still knew she’d be acting like an idiot woman in an herbal shampoo commercial.

Seth’s smile dropped away. “I sense...impossible. You can’t be.”

“Do these things actually work?” Donatti popped into view across the room behind Seth, holding the panpipes. They were splashed with blood—his own blood. One of the things he needed for the spell to destroy them. “Not much of a musician myself, but this seems pretty cool.”

The moment Seth turned to look at him, Jazz felt normal again. She held off on the sigh of relief, though. She still had no idea what Donatti was planning, and if Seth was like Ian, he could do just about anything.

“Lost in the woods, are you?” Seth glared at him. “Give me those.”

“Not until you tell us where your mirror is. I know you have one somewhere.”

“My...” Seth’s brow furrowed in what looked like genuine confusion. Then his expression shifted to mockery. “Ah, I see,” he said. “A human who believes he knows something about us. What do you think you’re going to do with my pipes, human? Make me grant wishes?”

Donatti grinned. “I’m not human,” he said. “At least, not completely.”

“So you’re a thief
and
a liar.”

“Oh, yeah?” He stopped smiling. “
Ani lo’ahmar nar—
”

“Hold on.” Jazz stepped out of the trunk and crossed the room to stand with Donatti, giving Seth a wide berth. “Before we get to the Q-and-A here, can’t you do something to make sure he doesn’t throw any magic at us?”

“I don’t have to. He’s just about tapped.” Donatti almost looked sorry for him. “He would’ve had to transform to heal himself, and then change back. That takes a lot out.”

“The Dehbei prince.” All the color faded from Seth’s face. “I’d heard...he was supposed to have been killed. Centuries ago, when he was banished here.”

Donatti grimaced. “Oh, nice. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to hear he’s dead. I wouldn’t tell him that, if I was you. He might kill you for it.”

“By the gods.” Seth looked away and slumped in the seat. “I don’t believe this,” he muttered. “All this time, and I...wait. You said there were other djinn. Who? Where are they?”

“Wait. First, it’s your turn,” Donatti said. “Who are you really?”

He looked at them with hollow eyes. “My name is Seti-el, of the Anapi clan,” he said. “At least, I was. I’m sure my clan’s disowned me by now.”

“Just a guess, but I’m thinking Anapi means fox,” Jazz said.

He nodded. “Tricksters and thieves, the lot of us. Some more than others,” he said with a healthy dose of bitterness. “That’s why I’m here, instead of in my own realm. I was tricked into an arranged marriage to someone I despised, someone who despises me and only wanted the bond so she could make me miserable forever. I couldn’t change things, so rather than marry
her
, I came here. I’m sure you noticed I have no windows or mirrors in this place. It’s so they can’t find me and force me to come back.”

A glimmer of sympathy passed through Jazz, and she swept it aside with the image of the wrecked cars and the corpse. “Where you settled down and started killing people,” she said.

“No! I’ve never killed anyone.” Seth let out a shuddering breath. “The dead man on the road wasn’t my doing. He crashed deliberately. Took his own life. I never came into contact with him.” He looked straight ahead, and his gaze unfocused. “No djinn would ever commit suicide. Such a terrible waste.”

“Yeah, right.” She frowned at him. “Even if that’s true, it means you caused the other wrecks. And you tried to rip Donatti’s throat out.”

He shook his head and looked at Donatti. “I knocked you down, yes. But I only nipped you, and you passed out from your other injuries. The blood was rabbit’s blood. I wouldn’t have let you die.”

“So I didn’t heal myself? Damn.” Donatti raised an eyebrow. “That’s seriously fucked up. Why would you do that?”

“To see how you’d react.” Seth stared at the floor. “I’d been here fifty years, alone, before humans started coming into the area. They were building that road. At first I only watched them, but when I realized whatever they were planning would bring them to my cabin, I...scared them off. Convinced them the place was haunted. And it was fun. The first entertainment I’d had in decades. Of course, after that it was years before anyone else came this way. A couple who’d gotten lost. So I decided to have some fun with them.”

“Let me get this straight,” Jazz said. “You crash people’s cars and chase them around the woods because you’re
bored?
”

He offered a miserable nod. “The first time, I didn’t play with them long. I healed their injuries before they woke from the crash, ‘miraculously’ unharmed. I let them see the fox, and turned myself invisible to play ghost. I created a few small illusions. Nothing too terrible. And when I’d finished, I brought them to the nearest town with altered memories and enough money to replace what I’d stolen. Your money is easy to reproduce.” A half-smile appeared and vanished. “But with each new arrival, I kept them a little longer, and played more elaborate tricks, until...well, you know what I’ve done with you.”

“Yeah. You tried to make me think Donatti was dead so I’d sleep with you.”

“I’ve been lonely,” he whispered. “I’m afraid that’s no excuse. But you are the most beautiful human I’ve ever seen, and I couldn’t resist trying.”

Donatti made a disgusted sound. “Good thing it didn’t work, or I wouldn’t be able to resist trying to kick your ass. Not that I would’ve succeeded. But I’d try.”

Jazz stopped herself from making a reflexive caveman comment. Usually she hated it when he went all defend-the-little-woman on her. Tonight, it didn’t annoy her so much. “If you’re so lonely, why didn’t you just move somewhere else?” she said. “You know, somewhere with a population bigger than one plus a bunch of rabbits and bears.”

“Djinn can’t...I mean, it didn’t seem possible that a djinn could live with humans, or form relationships with them. I thought I’d be an outcast. I’m already shunned by one realm, and I wouldn’t do well if this one hated me, too.” He blinked a few times. “But it obviously worked for Gahiji-an, or you wouldn’t exist, Donatti. And the two of you are together.”

“Yes, we are,” Donatti said with a little scowl. “Very together.”

A smile forced itself across Jazz’s mouth. Damn, he was cute when he was jealous. “You’ll do fine,” she said. “There’s plenty of people more freaky than you.”

Seth almost smiled. “I believe you. But then...I don’t know. It’s such fun here, and I’m hardly hurting anyone. There are so many of you humans. If I had access to more, the temptation would be great to—”

“Don’t even think about it,” Jazz said. “I may be human, but I will kick your ass. And it won’t be so easy getting up again next time.”

Donatti gave him a withering stare. If she didn’t know him, she’d be afraid of that look. “She will,” he said. “And when she’s done, I’m sure Ian’s gonna be next in line. He will hear about you, and he’s not going to like it. We’ll be watching.”

“Well, if you put it that way.” Seth blanched and looked away. “I’ll stop. Really.”

“So it’s settled, then,” she said. “You’re out of here.”

“Maybe.” Seth spent a few minutes staring at the floor. Finally, his features grew resolute and he stood slowly. “I think I will,” he said. “Yes. I’ll join the world. There are so many things I’d like to see. Disney World. The Sahara desert. Strip clubs.”

Jazz laughed, and even Donatti cracked a smirk. “I guarantee you’ll enjoy at least one of those things,” she said. “But you have to stop fucking with people. Trust me, that isn’t going to go over too great in civilization.”

“Holy shit,” Donatti said. “That’d be awesome! It’d drive so many people crazy trying to figure it out. The brilliant scientists, the conspiracy nuts, the FBI, the—”

Jazz sighed. “I really hope we’re not unleashing the eighth plague here,” she said, and turned to Donatti. “I don’t know about you, but I’m filthy, and starving, and exhausted.”

“Ditto. Seth, please tell me you have something to get around with.”

He nodded, headed for the back wall and stopped. “Before you go, could I please have my tether back?”

“I don’t know,” Donatti said. “I’m thinking maybe I should keep it for a while. Maybe mail it to you, or send it up with the park rangers. What’s gonna stop you from fucking with us all over again if I give it back?”

The corners of Seth’s mouth twitched. “You have my word,” he said. “You’re free to go, and I won’t harm you.”

Donatti frowned. “What do you think, babe?”

“I think he’d better show us how we’re leaving first,” she said. “Besides, we can always find it again if he screws up. Akila can track those things.”

“Understood.” Seth moved to the bumpers mounted on the wall and said, “I had to have some way to bring the people off the mountain.” Reaching for the middle one, he grabbed it and pulled, and part of the wall swung out to reveal a recessed area with a tall shape draped in black canvas. He tugged the canvas away. Beneath it was a free-standing mirror. “I assume you know what to do,” he said to Donatti.

“Good to know.” Seth accepted them with a grateful nod. “I’ll get your bags for you,” he said. “I’m sorry for putting you through this. And I...thank you. For proving me wrong, and setting me free.”

“Just don’t make us live to regret it,” Jazz said.

“You won’t.”

When he walked away, Donatti raised an eyebrow. “This guy’s a little nuts,” he said. “You really think he’ll lay off the sabotage racket?”

“Probably. And like you said, we’ll be watching him.” She shivered and glanced across the room, where Seth was inspecting the trunk, grabbing loose items and tossing them in one of their bags. “I would’ve killed him,” she whispered. “If I had the magic, he’d be dead. But you were right. He doesn’t deserve to die.”

“Hold on. Did you just say I was right?”

“Congratulations.” She shook her head, smirking. Maybe a little of his optimism was rubbing off on her. And maybe that wasn’t a bad thing. There was room for second chances—for Seth, for her and Donatti. Starting now. “So, this wasn’t the getaway I expected,” she said.