The Golden Lily (29 page)

I brushed such sentiments aside and quickly got him out of there, only to discover the mechanic hadn’t finished. At least in his shop, we were able to get Adrian some water and air conditioning. As we waited I texted Brayden. Running an hour late with family stuff. Sorry. Will be there as soon as I can.

My phone chimed back about thirty seconds later: That only leaves an hour for the textile museum.

“That’s not nearly enough time,” said Adrian deadpan. I hadn’t realized he’d been reading over my shoulder. I moved the phone away and suggested to Brayden we just meet for an early dinner. He concurred.

“I’m a mess,” I muttered, checking myself out in a mirror. The heat had definitely taken its tol, and I looked sweaty and worn.

“Don’t worry about it,” Adrian told me. “If he didn’t notice how awesome you were in the red dress, he probably won’t notice anything now.” He hesitated. “Not that there’s even anything to notice. You’re as cute as usual.” I was about to snap at him for teasing me, but when I looked over, his face was deadly earnest.

Whatever retort I might have managed died on my lips, and I quickly got up to check our status, in order to hide how flustered I felt.

The mechanic finaly finished—no problems found—and Adrian and I headed downtown. I kept watching him anxiously, afraid he’d pass out.

“Stop worrying, Sage. I’m fine,” he said. “Although … I’d be better with some ice cream or gelato. Even you have to admit that’d be good right now.” It would, actualy, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

“What is it with you and frozen desserts? Why do you always want them?”

“Because we live in a desert.”

I couldn’t argue with that reasoning. We reached his place, and I swapped cars. Before he went inside, I inundated him with advice about getting water and resting.

Then, I spoke the words that had been burning inside of me.

“Thank you for the poolside outing,” I said. “Your near-sunstroke aside, that was pretty amazing.” sunstroke aside, that was pretty amazing.” He gave me a cocky smile. “Maybe you’ll get used to vampire magic after al.”

“No,” I said automaticaly. “I’ll never get used to that.” His smile immediately disappeared. “Of course not,” he murmured. “See you around.” I finaly made it to dinner. I’d chosen an Italian restaurant, filed with the scents of garlic and cheese. Brayden sat at a corner table, sipping water and earning glares from the waitress, who was probably impatient for him to order. I sat down opposite him, dropping my satchel beside me.

“I am so sorry,” I told him. “I had to do this thing with my, uh, brother.”

If Brayden was mad, he didn’t show it. That was his way. He did, however, give me a scrutinizing look. “Was it something athletic? You look like you ran a marathon.” It wasn’t an insult, not by any means, but it did take me aback

—mostly because I was thinking of Adrian’s comment. Brayden had had almost nothing to say about my Haloween costume, but he noticed this?

“We were out in Santa Sofia, getting his car looked at.”

“Nice area. Keep going up the highway, and you can get to Joshua Tree National Park. Ever been there?”

“No. Just read about it.”

“Iconic place. The geology’s fascinating.” The waitress came by, and I gratefuly ordered an iced latte.

Brayden was more than happy to tell me about some of the park’s geology, and we soon fell into our comfortable rhythm of park’s geology, and we soon fell into our comfortable rhythm of intelectual discussion. I didn’t know the park’s specific makeup, but I knew more than enough about geology in general to keep up. In fact, I was able to talk on autopilot while my mind wandered back to Adrian. I recaled again what he’d said about the red dress. I also couldn’t shake the comment about me being happy, and how that was worth his suffering.

“What do you think?”

“Hmm?” I realized I’d lost the thread of our conversation after al.

“I asked which type of desert you find more striking,” Brayden explained. “The Mojave region gets all the hype, but I actualy prefer the Colorado Desert.”

“Ah.” I slipped back into the flow. “Um, Mojave. I like the rock formations better.” This triggered a debate of the regions while we ate, and Brayden seemed happier and happier. He realy did like having someone who could keep up with him, I realized. None of my books had said anything about the way to a man’s heart being through academic debates. I didn’t mind it, though. I liked the conversation, but it didn’t exactly send thrils through me. I had to remind myself it was still early in our relationship—if I could even call it that. Surely the head over heels part would come soon.

We talked for a long time after the meal was over. The waitress brought us an unsolicited dessert menu when we finished, and I surprised myself by saying, “Wow

… I can’t believe how much I want gelato right now. That never happens.” believe how much I want gelato right now. That never happens.” Maybe the sweat and heat had leached my nutrients … or maybe I still had Adrian on the brain.

“I’ve never heard you order dessert,” said Brayden, sliding his menu away. “It’s not too much sugar?” It was another of those weird statements of his that could be interpreted a number of different ways. Was he judging me? Did he think I shouldn’t have any sugar? I didn’t know, but it was enough for me to close the menu and set it on top of his.

With no other scheduled forms of entertainment for the night, we decided to just go for a walk after dinner. The temperature was down to moderate levels, and it was still light enough out that I wasn’t as concerned about the Warriors of Light jumping out from corners. That didn’t mean I ignored Wolfe’s teachings, however. I still kept an eye on my surroundings, watching for anything suspicious.

We reached a small park that only took up one city block and found a bench in the corner. We sat down on it, watching children play on the opposite side of the lawn while we continued a discussion on bird watching in the Mojave. Brayden put his arm around me as we talked, and eventualy, we exhausted the topic and simply sat in comfortable silence.

“Sydney …”

I turned my gaze from the children, surprised at Brayden’s uncertain tone, which was very different from the one he’d just been using to defend the superiority of the mountain bluebird over the western bluebird. There was softness in his eyes now as over the western bluebird. There was softness in his eyes now as he looked at me. The evening light made his hazel eyes take on a little more gold than usual but completely hid the green. Too bad.

Before I could say anything, he leaned forward and kissed me. It was more intense than the last one, though still a long ways from the epic, al-consuming kisses I’d seen in movies. He did rest his hand on my shoulder this time, gently bringing me a little closer. The kiss also lasted longer than previous ones, and I again tried to let myself go and lose myself in the feel of someone else’s lips.

He was the one who ended it, a bit more abruptly than I would’ve expected. “I—I’m sorry,” he said, looking away. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why not?” I asked. It wasn’t so much that I’d been yearning for the kiss as it was that this seemed exactly like the kind of place you’d want to kiss: a romantic park at sunset.

“We’re in public. It’s kind of vulgar, I suppose.” Vulgar? I wasn’t even sure if we were realy all that much in public, seeing as no one was next to us and we were in the shade of some trees. Brayden sighed with dismay. “I guess I just lost control. It won’t happen again.”

“It’s okay,” I said.

It hadn’t seemed like that much of a loss of control, but what did I know? And I wondered if maybe a small loss of control wasn’t such a bad thing. Wasn’t that kind of the basis of passion? I didn’t know that either. The only thing I knew for sure was that this kiss had been a lot like the last one. Nice, but it didn’t blow me away.

My heart sank. There was something didn’t blow me away. My heart sank. There was something wrong with me. Everyone was always going on about how socialy inept I was. Did it extend to romance as wel? Was I so cold that I’d spend my life never feeling anything?

I think Brayden misread my dismay and assumed I was upset with him. He stood up and held out his hand. “Hey, let’s go walk to that tea shop one block over.

They’ve got this local painter’s art on display that I think you’ll like. Besides, no calories in tea, right? Better than dessert.”

“Right,” I said. Thinking of the gelato didn’t cheer me up any.

The Italian place had had pomegranate, which kind of sounded like the best thing ever. As I stood up, my cell phone rang and startled both of us. “Helo?”

“Sage? It’s me.”

I had no reason to be mad at Adrian, not after what he’d done for me, but somehow I felt irritated by the interruption. I was trying to make the most of this night with Brayden, and Adrian unsettled everything.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Are you still downtown? You need to come over right now.”

“You know I’m out with Brayden,” I said. This was pushy, even for Adrian. “I can’t just drop everything and entertain you.”

“It’s not about me.” It was then that I noticed how hard and serious his voice was. Something tightened in my chest. “It’s about Sonya. She’s missing.” Chapter 19

“SHE WAS LEAVING TOWN,” I reminded him.

“Not until tomorrow.”

He was right, I realized. When we’d spoken to Sonya last night, she’d said two days. “Are you sure she’s realy disappeared?” I asked. “Maybe she’s just … out.”

“Belikov’s here, and he’s freaked out. He says she never came home last night.”

I nearly dropped the phone. Last night? Sonya had been gone that long? That was nearly twenty-four hours ago. “How did no one notice until now?” I demanded.

“I don’t know,” said Adrian. “Can you just come over?

Please, Sydney?”

I was powerless when he used my first name. It always took everything to an extra level of seriousness—not that this situation needed any particular help. Sonya.

Gone for twenty-four hours.

For all we knew, she wasn’t even alive if those sword-wielding freaks had caught her.

Brayden’s face was a mix of incredulity and disappointment when I told him I had to leave. “But you just … I mean …” It was a rare moment of speechlessness for him.

was a rare moment of speechlessness for him.

“I’m sorry,” I said earnestly. “Especialy after being late and ruining the museum. But it’s a family emergency.”

“Your family has an awful lot of emergencies.” You have no idea, I thought. Instead of saying that, I simply apologized again. “I realy am sorry. I …” I nearly said I’d make it up to him, but that was what I’d said when I left the Haloween dance early. Tonight was supposed to have been the makeup date. “I’m just sorry.” ADRIAN’S PLACE WAS CLOSE ENOUGH that I could’ve reasonably walked, but Brayden insisted on driving me, since dusk was faling. I had no problem accepting.

“Whoa,” said Brayden, when we puled up to the building.

“Nice Mustang.”

“Yeah. It’s a 1967 C-code,” I said automaticaly. “Great engine. My brother’s. He’s moved it again! I hope he wasn’t out driving anywhere he wasn’t supposed to—

whoa. What’s that?” Brayden looked at where I was staring. “A Jaguar?”

“Obviously.” The sleek, black car was parked just in front of Adrian’s Mustang. “Where’d it come from?” Brayden had no answer, of course. After more apologies and a promise to get in touch, I left him. There was no pretense of a kiss, not when he was so disappointed in the evening’s outcome and I was too anxious about Sonya. In fact, I forgot all about Brayden as I walked up to the building. I had bigger concerns.

“It’s Clarence’s,” said Adrian, as soon as he answered the door.

door.

“Huh?” I asked.

“The Jag. I figured you’d want to know. He let Belikov drive it over since Sonya left with the rental.” He stepped aside as I entered and shook his head in dismay.

“Can you believe it was locked away in his garage the whole time I lived with him? He said he forgot he owned it! And there I was, stuck with the bus.” I would’ve laughed under almost any other circumstances. But when I saw Dimitri’s face, all humor left me. He was pacing the living room like a trapped animal, radiating frustration and concern.

“I’m an idiot,” he muttered. It was unclear if he was talking to himself or us. “I didn’t realize she was gone last night, and then I spent half the day thinking she was out gardening!”

“Did you try caling her cel?” I knew it was a foolish question, but I had to begin logicaly.

“Yes,” Dimitri said. “No answer. Then I double-checked to make sure her flight hadn’t changed, and then I talked to Mikhail to see if he knew anything. He didn’t.

All I succeeded at doing there was making him worry.”

“He should,” I murmured, sitting on the edge of the couch.

Nothing good could come of this. We knew the Warriors were obsessed with Sonya, and now she’d disappeared after going out alone.

“I only just found out she came to see you two,” added Dimitri. He stopped pacing and glanced between us. “Did she say anything at all about where she was going?”

“No,” I said. “Things didn’t exactly … end well between us.”

“No,” I said. “Things didn’t exactly … end well between us.”

“No,” I said. “Things didn’t exactly … end well between us.” Dimitri nodded. “Adrian implied the same thing.” I looked up at Adrian and could tell he didn’t want to get into it any more than I did. “We had an argument,” he admitted. “She was trying to push Sydney into some experiments, and Sydney refused. I jumped in when Sonya kept pushing, and finaly she just took off. Never said anything about where she was going.” Dimitri’s face grew darker. “So, anything could’ve happened.

She could’ve been taken right outside on the street. Or she could have gone somewhere and been abducted there.” Or she could be dead. Dimitri was speaking in terms of her still being alive, but I wasn’t so sure. The hunters who had jumped us in the aley had seemed pretty intent on kiling her then and there. If she hadn’t come home last night, the odds seemed good they’d found her then. Twenty-four hours was an awfuly long time to keep a “creature of darkness” alive. Studying Dimitri’s face again, I knew he was well aware of all of this. He was simply operating on the hope that we had a chance to do something, that we weren’t powerless.