Love (The Allure Chronicles Book 4) (12 page)

“How do we know that’s true?” I took one more glance at the bar. Order had returned. The workings of the hotel weren’t our problem exactly, but Allie’s dad owned it, and with The Society headquarters in the basement we didn’t want problems. “We’re supposed to take you at your word? The last time I saw you, you were serving food at a diner.”

“I’ve seen you in far worse places than that. And there is no reason to look down on that sort of work.”

“I’m not looking down on waitressing. Not at all. I’m commenting on you showing up out of nowhere, refusing to tell us who you are, and then insisting you come with us.”

“I will come with you no matter what.” She blinked a few times, and I could have sworn I saw something glitter. “Just because you don’t see me doesn’t mean I’m not there.”

“Great. Now she can turn invisible. Fantastic. Keep the stories coming, sister.” Jared stretched his arms over his head. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m ready to go.”

Marta beamed. “Your anger is flattering on you. Most people don’t look good mad, but you do.”

“Tell that to my wife.” Jared smirked. “But this isn’t angry. This isn’t even close to angry for me.”

“I am aware. I am also aware that you are angry quite frequently. It is only reasonable to assume that your wife knows that already.” Marta sounded completely different than she had in Coleville. As our conversation wore on her voice became lighter and sweeter.

“Do you know where Daisy is, or just where she isn’t?” I pulled us back to the important topic of conversation. I already knew Marta wasn’t the small-town girl she’d pretended to be. She was something else entirely.

“I know where she isn’t. I may be able to discover where she is. I know who took her there.” Her voice lightened even more. This time I could have sworn I heard bells ringing.

“Huh?” Between the change of voice and her vague words I wanted to make sure I was following. “Who took her away?”

“He was saving her. I appointed him with her safety, and he’s done fine so far.” She put her arms behind her back.

“What?” I felt my anger boiling. “I’m in charge of her safety. Not someone random.” Who did she think she was appointing anyone to go anywhere near Daisy?

“Glendale wouldn’t want to be called random.” She lifted her chin. “In fact he would be offended by such a characterization.”

“Glendale?” I knew that name. Why did I know it? Then it hit me. “The cat? You sent the talking cat to protect Daisy? Are you out of your mind?” I already knew that answer. Absolutely, but then again had I met anyone on my journey to save Daisy who wasn’t out of their mind?

“He’s protected her before. He is quite fond of her, which is why he was most willing to help her again this time.” Marta rolled her neck around. “Is there anything else I need to answer before we leave? You made it sound as if you were in quite a rush.”

“Where is she? Where did the cat take her?” My muscles quivered.

“Wait. I got lost at the phrase ‘talking cat’. Is anyone going to fill me in?” Jared looked longingly at the doors. He was itching to go.

“I have no idea who she’s talking about either.” Levi pulled out his phone once again. He must have been holding out hope Allie would suddenly call him.

“Where were you headed?” Marta asked. “You never told me where, but we should go there at haste. Maybe Glendale left a message for me there.”

“A message?”

“Yes.” Marta nodded. “Although I can’t promise he did. He wouldn’t want to leave a trail. The whole purpose was to rescue her.”

“Rescue her from who?” Levi pocketed his phone. “The Elders?”

“The Elders aren’t her biggest concern.” Marta glanced around the lobby again. “I already told you who you need to fear.”

“The Allures?”

“Especially Violet.” Marta said in nearly a whisper.

“Of all the Allures she seemed the least awful.” Roland was by far the worst. I’d seen the way he looked at Daisy.

“Because she’s female. That’s why you think so. You did not view her as competition. You let your fear and jealousy blind you to the real danger.” Marta wagged a finger in front of my face.

“Roland is dangerous too.” No one was going to convince me otherwise.

“Not more dangerous than Violet.” Marta’s expression darkened. “It is a mistake to forget that.”

“Who cares?” Jared let out a long breath. “Daisy is in danger. And most likely Allie is too, and Hailey. Let’s do something about it. We know we’re going to be facing enemies. Let’s find the girls. No matter who they are with, we can protect them.”

“As I said, I do not know where Allie is, and Hailey is not in this world right now either.” Marta closed her eyes and then reopened them. “Yup, she’s not.”

“You can tell where Hailey is because she’s his sister?” Jared asked.

Marta nodded. “Yes. They share blood and a true bond.”

“Let’s find Allie’s car.” Levi headed straight for the front doors.

“Am I going to need to fly you?” I asked over my shoulder to Marta as I followed Levi.

“No. I can get there myself.” Marta gave a smug smile.

“You have wings?” Jared studied the part of her back that was visible underneath her white tank top.

“Yes, but none you can see.” Marta grinned bigger.

“Oh. Great. More of the invisible talk.” Jared’s voice dripped with skepticism.

“Seeing isn’t always believing, Jared.” Marta nearly skipped out the door.

“You know my name?” Jared called after.

“Yes.” Marta stopped right outside the door. “Why is that surprising?”

“Just that I never told you it.” Jared stepped out of the way so a couple could enter.

“I didn’t need anyone to tell me. It is my business to know everyone in Owen’s life.”

“Why?” I didn’t get why she was fixated on me. I wasn’t the one who was royalty. “Why is my life your business?”

“It is in your interest that we table this conversation. It is far more important that we find Daisy.” Marta disappeared around the corner after Levi.

“You always manage to find the weird ones.” Jared patted my shoulder.

“I think she found me.”

“If she helps us find Daisy, more power to her. If not, well then you have an obsessed fan with a screw loose.” He turned his finger around in the universal sign for crazy.

“I’ll second that.” I reached the shadows, pulled off my shirt, and released my wings. At least we were headed toward Daisy.

K
nowing
you are about to be transported doesn’t make the process any better. It might actually make it worse. It means you know what’s happening to you when your feet leave the ground and the place you once were disappears as if it never existed.

After whirling around floating weightlessly through a blurry haze of colors, we landed with a thud on a hard floor. I ran my hand over what I soon discovered was concrete.

“I liked the grassy forest clearing better.” I picked myself up off of the floor. Thankfully I didn’t have any injuries beyond some bumps and bruises.

“I had to think fast.” Glendale licked his front paw. “Don’t think I enjoyed this landing either.”

“Where are we exactly?” Hailey stood up beside me. She positioned her body so she was between me and the others.

I glanced around the darkened room. The concrete floor matched the countertop of a bar that spanned two walls of the room. A few empty bottles and glasses lay behind the counter as if the last people inside had left in a hurry. A few stools were strewn on the floor around the room as were more liquor bottles and more cobwebs than a haunted house. “Do I want to know why you selected an old bar for a meeting place?”

“This isn’t just an old bar.” Sol laughed. “I remember this place, Glen. I lost a fortune here in my youth. A fortune I plan to win back.”

Hailey and I exchanged looks. She spoke first. “Am I missing something?”

“Glendale chose an interesting location. It wasn’t random I’m sure.” Sol smiled slyly.

“Just as him losing the fortune wasn’t random. He was never very good at cards.” Glendale purred loudly.

“The glassy clearing as you called it was a completely new plane. Lovely, yes. I do great work in creating those.” He raised his head up. “But I needed to take you to one this time that could be linked to your own world. That takes a lot more work to create, so I went with an older one I built many years ago.”

“How old are you?” I hadn’t thought to ask Glendale that. I’d been distracted by the whole talking cat thing.

“Older than I look.” Glendale stretched. “I’ve been blessed with looks that never fade.”

“I think you may actually be more conceited than Jared. I had no idea that was possible.” Hailey clenched and unclenched her hand. “Yes, you have nice fur. Can we move on? Where is Allie? And where is Andrew? We are wasting time.”

“If you would only let me finish.” Glendale walked around the perimeter of the room.

“Ok. Finish.” Hailey crossed her arms.

“Patience is a virtue my young friend.” He stared her down. I was instantly glad his withering look wasn’t turned toward me.

“Now I’m a young friend? Not a lady anymore?” Hailey walked over to the bar and looked down behind it.

“You are still a lady, but as we were discussing my ripe old age I thought emphasizing your youth was appropriate.”

“Great. Please finish.” Hailey effortlessly hopped up on the bar.

Glendale laid down again. “This bar connects to your world. Harold should be able to bring his current master here easily.”

“And Allie?” Hailey swung her legs.

“She’ll be here soon.” Glendale walked over to Hailey.

“Good.” Hailey crossed her arms.

“Unfortunately I let this place go. Normally I’d offer you a beer.” He nodded toward the bar where Hailey was sitting.

“This place actually served beer?” Hailey glanced behind the bar. “Those taps worked?”

Glendale jumped what seemed to be an impossible height and landed on the bar beside Hailey. “Oh yes. This was a popular joint for a short while.”

“What happened to it?” In the scheme of things, the fate of the bar wasn’t all that important, but it was the first thing Glendale showed any actual interest in, and that alone intrigued me.

“Maybe Sol should tell you.” Glendale splayed out on the bar.

“Don’t give us the whole ‘it will be better to hear from an attractive man’ thing.” Hailey rolled her eyes. “That implication is insulting, and it’s not going to work.”

“I can tell them.” Harold offered. “At least the reason I think it was closed.”

“Oh?” Glendale picked his head up. “Are there rumors out there?”

“There are plenty of rumors out there, but I don’t believe this is a rumor. Glendale was deemed an enemy of the Elders and all of his businesses were shuttered.” Harold gave Glendale a long look. “Am I right?”

“All of your businesses?” Hailey leaned her chin on her elbow. “You had others.”

“Oh yes, Glen was quite the entrepreneur back in the day.” Sol put his hands behind his neck.

“Entrepreneur? Done calling me a shark now?” Glendale stretched.

“So your ill will toward the Elders has existed for a long time?” I asked as carefully as I could. Maybe the questions about the bar might lead to some actual helpful information. I definitely needed some of that.

“For a very long time.” Glendale set his head down again. “They tend to dislike anyone with an above normal lifespan.”

“Because they view them as a challenge to their authority.” It wasn’t a question. For as powerful as the Elders were, they were mighty insecure.

“And because they know the longer you live the less easily you’ll fall for their tricks.” Harold righted a stool and sat down. “By the way, Andrew is on his way here as we speak.”

“How is he getting here?” I asked. I was really wondering if there would be another Glendale equivalent showing up. Although I found it hard to believe there was anyone else quite like him.

“Much the same way you did.” Glendale turned his head in my general direction.

“Should we try to break his fall?” I asked more because it sounded like the right thing to do than because I worried. My emotions still weren’t what they should have been. I should have cared more. Instead I was focused on myself. I missed the way I used to be. Maybe I got walked all over, but I had a real and true heart. I needed to find that heart. It was the only way I would ever truly feel whole again.

“We have no idea where he’ll land, so I do not see how that would be possible.” Glendale hopped down from the bar.

“Your jumping ability is impressive.” I had to give him that much.

He turned toward me. “Thank you. Your continued survival is impressive.”

Any response I could have made to him was quashed by the loud thud as Andrew catapulted into the room. I looked at where he’d fallen from first, but there was nothing there. The ceiling appeared completely intact.

I hurried over and offered him a hand.

“Daisy!” He beamed. “My Grantor found you.”

“She is not the only one I found.” Harold grinned.

He gazed around until he found Hailey. His eyes lit up. “Hailey! There you are!”

Hailey jumped down from the bar. “What did you think you were doing?”

“What do you mean?” Andrew took a step back. His smile faded.

“Capturing a Grantor? Are you crazy? You could have been killed.”

“I’m glad you are worried about my well-being.” His smile slowly returned.

“I’m not worried about you.” Hailey shook her head. “I’m worried about Allie’s family. Her mom is really happy with your dad.”

“Oh well, it’s still worry related to me.” His glow only grew.

“There are so many questions to ask you, but we don’t have time. I need to figure out where Allie is, so tell us. No games. How can you help us?” Hailey leaned in toward Andrew.

“Allie is missing?” Andrew glanced around.

“She is on her way as we speak.” Glendale walked over. “Hailey is exaggerating the urgency of that particular problem. Now the other issues at hand are urgent.”

“That cat talked.” Andrew bent down to pet the cat. “How awesome.” He rubbed Glendale behind his ear for the whole of two seconds before Glendale swatted at him. Andrew pulled his hand back. “I take it you aren’t someone’s pet?”

I laughed. Leave it to Andrew to be wowed rather than weirded out by a talking feline.

Glendale’s eyes narrowed into tiny slits. “Do not use the P word around me.”

“My apologies, sir.” Andrew straightened up.

“Did you just call the cat sir?” Hailey’s face scrunched up.

“Yes. I believe I did.” Andrew looked down at his hands. “I did do that, didn’t I?”

“How can you help us?” This wasn’t the time for arguing, so I moved to stop that before it could get any worse. “Is there a reason you went through such effort to seek us out now?”

“Of course. I was worried about you.” He turned to Hailey. “Both of you.”

“Why exactly?” Hailey leaned her chin on her fist.

Andrew said nothing for a moment. Then he opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. Closed it.

“Just say it already!” Hailey snapped.

Andrew looked down. “Because there’s a huge price on both of your heads.”

“A price?” I needed to make sure I’d heard him right. Was he serious?”

“Yes. I saw it all over the boards.” Andrew didn’t need to explain what boards he was talking about. Although spending my days on internet boards looking for evidence of Owen seemed like a lifetime ago.

“People were offering a reward for us?” Hailey gestured to herself and me.

“I know it seems crazy but it’s true. They have your name spelled wrong though Hailey. I kept seeing it with an ie.” He spelled the letters with his hands. “I obviously didn’t correct them.”

“Yes, so there’s a price on my head, and I care that they spelled my name wrong.”

“I’m just letting you know, in case you see it and don’t think I know how to spell your name.” Andrew’s face reddened.

“Glad you know.” Hailey looked away, and I could have sworn I saw a little smile. Andrew amused her even if there wasn’t a chance she’d ever admit it.

I held in a laugh.

“So where’s Allie?” Hailey turned to Glendale. “I’m beginning to seriously doubt your understanding of the word soon. That means quickly. Ok. Not in an hour. Not in a day. It means nearly now.”

“Time moves differently on different—”

“Nope.” Hailey interrupted. “Not a chance. I don’t care how differently time moves, you’ve implied Allie would be here soon. I expect her here now. Otherwise we’re going to have a problem.”

“We won’t have a problem.” Glendale swished his tail.

We all looked up expecting Allie (and maybe Taylor) to suddenly appear from above.

A sound from behind us had me turning as Allie and Taylor walked through a door behind the bar. “Why are you all staring at the ceiling?” Taylor asked.

“Allie!” Hailey hopped up on the bar and jumped off the other side and hugged her. “I’m so glad you’re finally here.”

“Finally? We followed right behind you. How long have you been waiting for us?”

Glendale made his cat laugh again. “And you didn’t want to hear my temporal realities on different plane explanation.”

Hailey glared at him.

“I’m just saying.” He lay back down on the floor.

“That cat is talking.” Allie pointed to where Glendale was now curled up in a ball on the concrete floor. “Should I be alarmed?”

“No. He’s helping us.” I waved at her in greeting. “Glad you could join us.”

“What about me?” Taylor jutted out her hip. “Aren’t you glad I’m here?”

“Of course. But no plotting my demise.” My words were dry and humorless. I had enough to worry about without having to constantly look over my shoulder for her.

“Why would she be plotting that?” Harold looked between us.

“Because she wants her essence back. The one you helped give me.” There was no beating around the bush. The more open we could all be the better.

“You were in on it?” Taylor crawled under the bar and headed for Harold.

“I was, but not by choice.” He backed away.

Taylor looked around the room for some kind of confirmation.

“He’s a Grantor,” I explained mostly because I didn’t want to get slowed down again when she injured him. If she could that is. She was human again. Still, it wasn’t worth a fight. “Save your energy for when you find the person who captured him and had him do it.”

“Where do we find them? Where is your master, Grantor?” Taylor stretched herself to her tallest height.

“I am his current master, and I assure you I had nothing to do with the loss of your essence. And I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to give it to Daisy. She’s my friend. I didn’t even know what an Allure was until recently. And I didn’t meet Daisy until after she was given it,” Andrew rambled on.

“Who is this kid?” Taylor pointed to Andrew and talked about him as if he wasn’t there.

“My step-brother.” Allie ducked under the bar. “And I have no idea what he’s doing here.”

“Hey, sis.” Andrew grinned.

“Don’t sis me. What role do you have in all this?” Allie put a hand on her hip.

“Did you think I didn’t know Levi was more than human?” He raised an eyebrow.

“I figured you wouldn’t care.” She sighed. “Evidently you did.”

“Of course I care. We’re family now.” He tilted his head to the side. “I’d have thought that would have mattered to you.”

“Either way, what are you doing here right now?” Allie didn’t buy into his play for pity. I was seeing a new side to Andrew.

“He says he can help us.” Hailey leaned back against the bar. “Isn’t that something? He hired a Grantor.” She gestured to Harold who nodded.

“What’s a Grantor?” Allie took a step back.

Harold bowed slightly. “Think of me as a relative of the genie. Andrew captured me, which means he’s my master. He used me to track you down.”

Hailey nodded. “He claims there’s a hit out on Daisy and me.”

“Not a hit. I guess I shouldn’t have said price on your head. They want you alive,” Andrew amended.

“Who wants them alive?” Allie asked. “The people who want Daisy now want Hailey too?” Then she seemed to notice Sol. “Who’s the guy in the shades?”

“Sol.” He walked over and held out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

She warily took his hand. “I assume you’re here for a reason too?”

“We all want the same thing.” Glendale rubbed against her legs.

“To help Daisy?” Allie looked down at Glendale with a careful expression.

“To destroy the Elders, or at least give them a taste of their own medicine.” He did his cat laugh again, but this time it sounded kind of scarier. It had a hollow note to it. “They have far too much power. If we don’t stop them soon it will be too late. They’ll destroy us all.”