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Authors: Jennifer Rardin
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announced.
“Yeah, but who does it belong to?” I murmured as I passed Bergman.
“No clue,” he responded. He’d set up the video camera and was now taking a still shot of the building’s main entrance with one of his pocket clickers. I doubted we’d use that door during our return visit, but you never knew. His orders were to get pictures of every visible form of entry so we could figure out the best way to sneak in later that night. He went on. “Hey, don’t let Jack pee on the tripod, okay? Tell him it’s my territory.”
“If you peed on it he’d know without anyone having to say a word,” I told him.
His face puckered like a rotten pumpkin’s. “You know, your standards have really bottomed out since the mutt moved in! I want this clear from the start. If we become partners, you’re handling all the dog poo.”
“Works for me. But that’s a big ‘if.’ I’m still pretty happy at the Agency.” I grabbed Jack’s collar and steered him toward a tree in the corner of the playground. Which kinda disappointed him, because I’d told Astral to stick with Vayl. And Jack badly wanted to find her.
After marking the corner of the property and nosing around the fence in a halfhearted attempt to smell up somebody friendlier than the mystery creature who’d recently entered his life, Jack caught a scent.
Noting the rigidity of his ears and the tension in his haunches I reached down and slowly clicked his leash back onto his collar.
“What is it, boy?” I asked softly. He didn’t even turn to look at me, just lowered his nose and began to walk, setting one paw carefully beside the other.
“Jasmine?” Vayl sounded like he was standing right next to me, though I knew he must be crouched on the roof by now. Good to know Bergman’s gadgets performed above standard.
“Jack’s onto something,” I said. “Maybe it’s just a rabbit. You know dogs.” Okay, I assumed he did.
But maybe not. Had Vayl ever owned one? I realized we’d never had that conversation. And we should’ve. I also didn’t know his mother’s name. Or if he liked lobster. A thread of panic wrapped around my lungs, making me suck in my breath. I should know these things! Why didn’t I know these things?
Because you don’t belong with him. You never did. The only man you were meant for died eighteen months ago and you will never, ever find another like him. Now that I’d outed Brude in my own mind his accent had thickened considerably. Too bad I could still translate his brogue.
I tucked my chin into my chest. You’re in forbidden territory. Go there again and I’ll kill you.
You cannot kill me without killing yourself.
Yup.
You would commit such an atrocity?
Not happily. But you’re a menace. Better to get rid of you while you’re trapped inside me than let you pull off whatever heinous plan you’ve devised that includes me.
I waited. Listened. The only voice I heard was Vayl’s, smooth and sweet as hot fudge as he said,
“Jasmine, what is wrong?”
“Brude,” I said shortly. “Nothing I can’t handle.” For now. “If you’re finished up there we might’ve found something interesting down here.” I thought for a second. “Also, I need to know your mother’s name.”
Was it just my imagination or was Bergman’s doohickey sensitive enough to pick up the catch in Vayl’s voice as he asked, “Why?”
“You know all about mine. And yours was like, a thousand times better.” Because, even though she never knew you, she cared enough to demand that the family make Cirilai to protect you. “Plus, we could use her name as a code word or something. For when one of us is about to do something the other should just take on faith.”
“It was Viorica.”
“And if you were going to pick between lobster and crab, which would you choose?”
“What?”
“These are things we should know. What if we have to take a quiz someday? I can tell you right now that Bergman is allergic to eggs, and Cassandra’s
“Yeah, but who does it belong to?” I murmured as I passed Bergman.
“No clue,” he responded. He’d set up the video camera and was now taking a still shot of the building’s main entrance with one of his pocket clickers. I doubted we’d use that door during our return visit, but you never knew. His orders were to get pictures of every visible form of entry so we could figure out the best way to sneak in later that night. He went on. “Hey, don’t let Jack pee on the tripod, okay? Tell him it’s my territory.”
“If you peed on it he’d know without anyone having to say a word,” I told him.
His face puckered like a rotten pumpkin’s. “You know, your standards have really bottomed out since the mutt moved in! I want this clear from the start. If we become partners, you’re handling all the dog poo.”
“Works for me. But that’s a big ‘if.’ I’m still pretty happy at the Agency.” I grabbed Jack’s collar and steered him toward a tree in the corner of the playground. Which kinda disappointed him, because I’d told Astral to stick with Vayl. And Jack badly wanted to find her.
After marking the corner of the property and nosing around the fence in a halfhearted attempt to smell up somebody friendlier than the mystery creature who’d recently entered his life, Jack caught a scent.
Noting the rigidity of his ears and the tension in his haunches I reached down and slowly clicked his leash back onto his collar.
“What is it, boy?” I asked softly. He didn’t even turn to look at me, just lowered his nose and began to walk, setting one paw carefully beside the other.
“Jasmine?” Vayl sounded like he was standing right next to me, though I knew he must be crouched on the roof by now. Good to know Bergman’s gadgets performed above standard.
“Jack’s onto something,” I said. “Maybe it’s just a rabbit. You know dogs.” Okay, I assumed he did.
But maybe not. Had Vayl ever owned one? I realized we’d never had that conversation. And we should’ve. I also didn’t know his mother’s name. Or if he liked lobster. A thread of panic wrapped around my lungs, making me suck in my breath. I should know these things! Why didn’t I know these things?
Because you don’t belong with him. You never did. The only man you were meant for died eighteen months ago and you will never, ever find another like him. Now that I’d outed Brude in my own mind his accent had thickened considerably. Too bad I could still translate his brogue.
I tucked my chin into my chest. You’re in forbidden territory. Go there again and I’ll kill you.
You cannot kill me without killing yourself.
Yup.
You would commit such an atrocity?
Not happily. But you’re a menace. Better to get rid of you while you’re trapped inside me than let you pull off whatever heinous plan you’ve devised that includes me.
I waited. Listened. The only voice I heard was Vayl’s, smooth and sweet as hot fudge as he said,
“Jasmine, what is wrong?”
“Brude,” I said shortly. “Nothing I can’t handle.” For now. “If you’re finished up there we might’ve found something interesting down here.” I thought for a second. “Also, I need to know your mother’s name.”
Was it just my imagination or was Bergman’s doohickey sensitive enough to pick up the catch in Vayl’s voice as he asked, “Why?”
“You know all about mine. And yours was like, a thousand times better.” Because, even though she never knew you, she cared enough to demand that the family make Cirilai to protect you. “Plus, we could use her name as a code word or something. For when one of us is about to do something the other should just take on faith.”
“It was Viorica.”
“And if you were going to pick between lobster and crab, which would you choose?”
“What?”
“These are things we should know. What if we have to take a quiz someday? I can tell you right now that Bergman is allergic to eggs, and Cassandra’s
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