Moon Spun (19 page)

Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Ryker.

“Hi, here’s your stuff.” When I tried to thrust the clothes into her hands, she latched onto my arm and yanked me inside, hissing, “What’s Ryker doing here?”

“Oh, he’s just along for the ride.” I tried to sound carefree and unconcerned. “Why?”

She continued to tug at my arm and succeeded in dragging me further into the diner. Ryker was right on my heels.

“Because,” she whispered, “I don’t need the clothes. It was a trick. You’re here for another reason. Ryker might, uh, complicate things.”

“You don’t need the clothes?” I repeated. “Then, why am I here? And, why are all those girls outside?”

Faye mumbled something under her breath. Did she say Junior? Surprised, I looked around. “Is Junior here?”

Just then, Beck loomed up behind Faye. “Hi, Allie. I was afraid you were still mad at me, so I asked your mom to help me out. Can we go for a ride?”

Before I could answer, he spotted Ryker. Beck’s eyes flashed dangerously and he seemed to grow bigger. “Is he with you?”

I glanced over my shoulder at Ryker. One of his eyebrows shot upward. “Ava . . . Allie, you said he was friendly. I clearly remember the words, ‘boy’ and ‘friend.’”

I fought back a groan. This was getting way too complicated. Right on cue, Faye said, “Where’s your car, Allie?”

I made a vague gesture toward the parking lot. “Out there.”

Her gaze, bright with suspicion, darted to Ryker and then back to me. She released my arm and dashed out the door.

“Oh, no,” I moaned. “I am so busted.”

Beck stared down at me. “Why? Where’s your car?”

Ryker said, “She needed a ride. I gave her one.”

344

“On his motorcycle,” I added.

Beck grinned and shook his head. “Oh man, your mom’s gonna be steamed.”

Faye burst through the door, grabbed my arm again and marched me over to an empty booth.

“Sit!” she ordered.

I plopped down on the bench seat. She pushed me over and slid in next to me, trapping me against the wall. Apparently afraid they’d miss the good stuff, Beck and Ryker wandered over. Ryker sat opposite us, his eyes bright with curiosity. Still grinning, Beck folded his arms and leaned against the wall.

Faye shook a finger in my face. “How many times have I told you? No motorcycles.” She leaned across the table and gave Ryker the same finger shake. “And you, young man. I’ve seen you flying down Peacock Flats Road like a Hell’s Angel.”

“Oh, madam,” Ryker said. “I’m not an angel from hell. Actually, I’m . . . ”

I burst in quickly. “He’s not in a biker group at all. He rides solo. Isn’t that right, Ryker?”

Ryker’s brows drew together. “Solo?”

“Yeah, solo, you know, by yourself.” I leaned across the table and waggled my eyebrows, willing him to understand his response would have a significant effect on my future freedom. “In other words, you don’t ride with one of those nasty biker gangs who ride around terrorizing innocent people.”

His frown vanished and he smiled at Faye. “Oh, yes, I am solo. Very, very solo. And, I always make sure your daughter wears a helmet. Also, I drive very slowly. I would not harm Ava . . .uh, Allie for all the world.”

Faye wasn’t convinced but her shoulders relaxed a little. I did some more fast-talking. Finally, she lifted her hands and cupped my face in her palms, touching her forehead to mine. “No more motorcycles. Promise me.”

“I promise.” In spite of the boys’ curious gazes, Faye and I went through our usual ritual. We crisscrossed our arms, linked opposite pinky fingers, waggled our hands three times, uncrossed our arms and bumped fists. Neither one of us had ever broken a promise sealed in this fashion. Before she let me out of the booth, Faye told Ryker, “As for you, mister, you put my daughter on that bike one more time and you’ll be walking funny for a week. Got it?”

I knew he didn’t understand the threat, but, to his credit, Ryker nodded. “Yes, madam. I’ve got it.”

Faye stepped aside so I could slide out of the booth. Before she sashayed away, she said, “Beck will take you home, Allie.” It wasn’t a question. It was an order.

Beck gave Ryker a little smirk and put a hand on my shoulder. I shrugged it off and said, “Thanks for the ride, Ryker. I’ll see you later.” No sense in Beck getting too cocky. Ryker, looking slightly bummed, grunted, “Later,” and sauntered toward the door. As he opened it, the chorus of high-pitched squeals from the parking lot grew in intensity. I heard a girl scream,

“He’s here! Junior’s here!”

You’ve got to be kidding! My two semi-boyfriends plus my wannabe faery mate, all face-to-face at Bea’s Honey Pot Diner? Talk about your epic screw-up. Barely breathing, I hurried to the door. Sure enough, Junior Martinez stepped out of shiny new black Mercedes and began making his way through the crowd. Ryker and I stood, gaping, in the doorway. I felt Beck’s presence at my back. Everyone in the diner crowded over to the windows to see what the fuss what about. Junior stopped to sign his name on several exposed body parts. Then he flashed his famous grin and pushed his way through the screaming girls.

sign his name on several exposed body parts. Then he flashed his famous grin and pushed his way through the screaming girls.

Oh my God, he is coming into the diner. I was hyperventilating in panic and confusion. Part of me 345

wanted to dash out the back door. The other part had no intention of leaving. Therefore, my feet stayed glued to the floor as Junior stepped around Ryker and said,

“Hey, Emerson. I was hoping I’d find you here.”

Behind me, I felt Beck bristle up. I peered around Junior to see Ryker staring at us curiously. The air was crackling with tension. Yikes, do something, Allie.

“Chill,” I whispered to Beck and gave Ryker a little wave. “Thanks again, Ryker.” I hoped he’d get the hint. He didn’t.

My clueless faery prince stepped back inside the diner and peered over Junior’s shoulder. “About the wooing,” he began.

With a little shriek of hysterical laughter, I burst out, “The booing? Oh, the girls weren’t booing. Actually, they’re Junior’s fans. You see, he’s on TV. He’s . . . ”

“He said wooing, not booing.”

Thank you so much, Beck!

Beck and Junior ignored me and did the studly stare-down thing over the top of my head. Ryker circled slowly around the three of us, studying us carefully, as if searching for clues to our bizarre behavior.

Frantically, I searched my mind for options. Couldn’t do much about the Beck/Junior thing. Ryker? Yes, I could get Ryker out of the diner. That would lower the testosterone level a bit, providing faeries have testosterone.

I slipped out from between Beck and Junior and took Ryker’s arm, murmuring, “I’ll walk you out to the parking lot.”

Beck and Junior’s heads swiveled toward Ryker. Together, they said, “Who is he?”

Naturally, Ryker chose that moment to puff out his chest and announce, “I am Ryker Matheson of Boundless.”

I guess faeries do have testosterone.

“Where the hell is Boundless?” Junior asked.

“Never heard of it,” Beck said.

Before Ryker could answer, I said, “You haven’t heard of Boundless? Really? It’s east of here over by Pomeroy. They grow wheat there. Lots of wheat. That’s why they call it Boundless. You know, the land goes on and on, like forever.”

Junior threw back his head and laughed. “You’re shittin’ me, Emerson. There’s no such place on the map.”

Beck said, “I agree.”

Okay, at least Beck and Junior were in agreement on one thing: They both thought I was a liar. Problem was, I’d backed myself into a corner. Beads of sweat popped out on my forehead. I glanced over at Faye, who stood behind the counter pretending to wipe it down. Harold, alarmed by the hubbub, stood next to her. I caught Faye’s eye and mouthed the word, Help. Faye hurried over, followed by a lumbering Harold, who looked ridiculous in the chef’s hat he insisted on wearing, since he was bald as an egg without a hair in sight that could possibly fall in the food.

Faye linked her arm in mine. Harold clapped one beefy hand on Beck’s shoulder, the other on Junior’s. “How ya doin’, fellas? You folks want a little privacy? You can use my office.”

I almost asked him to stow the breakables first. I told Ryker. “I’ll see you back at home. Okay?”

He leaned close and whispered into my ear. “Are these the bad people trying to take the moonstone? If so, I will kill them for you.”

“No, there will be no killing. Let me handle it. Please. Just leave and I’ll see you later.”

346

Faye released me and glommed onto Ryker’s arm. “Come on, biker boy, let’s go. I’ll be right back, Allie.” She narrowed her eyes at Beck and Junior. “You two, talk amongst yourselves.”

After one last suspicious glance at Beck and Junior, Ryker let Faye lead him out of the diner. Okay, now what?

Thankfully, Junior took the high road. “I’m outta here. Talk to you later.”

He pulled me in for a big hug and planted a noisy smooch on my cheek. He stepped out the door and into the throng of admiring fans. Practically giddy with relief, I resumed breathing Beck stepped up next to me and took my hand. “Ready to go?”

His gaze was intense. I swallowed hard and straightened my shoulders. “Thanks, but I think I’ll wait around and ride home with Faye.”

The disappointment in his eyes clutched at my heart. I had to look away to strengthen my resolve. Too bad for Beck, his timing was off. After what I’d just witnessed at the diner—three alpha males each trying to outdo the other—I was pretty much disgusted with the whole species. Like Ryker, I’d fly solo for a while.

347

Chapter Twenty Four

Tuesday night, a tiny sliver of moon appeared and my excuses were gone. Before we left for Boundless, I needed one last thing from Ryker. My request did not make him happy, probably because I hadn’t thought of it earlier. Or, maybe I was just stalling for time. He sat on the top of the cistern, scowling at me. “What do you mean ‘a guarantee?’ Did I not bring you back safely the first time?”

I refused to let him bully me. “This time will be more dangerous. Think about it, Ryker. It would be totally irresponsible of me to stop the world and never come back.

Before I go, I want something in writing, signed by either Luminata or Melia.”

Ryker threw up his hands in disgust. “We are presently out of favor with Luminata. Will Melia do?”

“Yes, if she has the ability to kick-start the world after I stop it.”

Ryker sighed, “Very well. I will return shortly. Stay where you are, if you please.”

I expected to see him climb down into the cistern, but instead, with a blast of hot air and a dizzying blur of color, Ryker vanished, leaving a pile of clothing behind. I heard the flapping of wings and watched Ryker, in hawk form, fly off into the night.

I settled into a lawn chair, thinking his mission might take him a while. Actually, I hoped it would take him a while. I wasn’t scared, exactly, just anxious about what to expect. Seriously, how could Melia’s screwy plan have a ghost of a chance against Phaedra and her band of dark faeries?

In what seemed like less than a minute (remember faery time?) Ryker was back. Embarrassed, I looked at the sky while he got dressed. He bowed and presented me with a rolled-up parchment.

“Your grandmother said you are not to worry. As you say in your world— Boundland instead of Boundless, ‘ the bases are covered.’”

Squinting through the growing darkness, I read,

To my granddaughter, Princess Avalon. By all the breath in my body, by all the blood coursing through my body, I will vouchsafe your return to Boundland. Should the unforeseen happen—and it will not—you have my solemn promise. That which you have done, to wit, stopping the world, I will undo.

Your loving Grandmother, Melia, Queen of the forest faeries.

I could barely make out the insignia at the bottom. I held it up to the moonlight and was able to see the ornate letter M crowned with deer antlers and draped with lacy ferns.

“Will that do?” Ryker asked.

I tucked the parchment into the pouch I’d strapped around my waist, placing it next to two small bottles of water, three granola bars and a Swiss Army knife, the only item of value left behind by Brain Dead Roy, Faye’s former boyfriend.

“Let’s go,” I said.

348

Before I could lose my courage, I followed Ryker into the cistern. Down, down we went until we passed through the oaken door. This time, Ryker let me pound in the iron nail. I gazed around, expecting to see the glass tunnel, but instead, I saw a field of sunlit, waving grain. I grinned at Ryker. “Oh, yeah, Boundless. They grow lots of wheat there.”

We had a little chuckle before he took my hand and said, “Fast or slow?”

“Excuse me?”

“Do you want to go the long way or the short way?”

“Short.”

He gripped my shoulders and turned me to face him. “Word of warning: touching is involved.”

“What kind of touching?”

He lowered his face and brushed his lips, feather soft, across mine. “That kind.”

Flustered, I felt my cheeks warm up. “Well,” I stammered, “I guess that will be okay—just this once—as long as we’re clear on the wooing thing.”

“Crystal clear. No wooing.” His eyes flashed with brilliant blue light. “You forget, Ava, I am only half Love Talker. My mother is pure forest faery. My fealty is to your grandmother. Never forget that.”

An instant later, Ryker pulled me close to his body. His warm hands cupped my face. Before he touched his lips to mine, he whispered, “Please trust me. I would not cause you harm. Not for the entire world. Now, keep your eyes tightly shut. Do not open them until I tell you to.”

I have this thing about people giving me orders. I want to say, “Why should I?” or “No way!”

Consequently, I had to fight my instinct to rebel. I squeezed my eyes shut, wondering if Ryker would notice if I peeked.

I felt the brush of his lips touching mine, like the wings of a butterfly. Fleeting. Tentative. Nothing invasive. So far, not so bad. But then, still cupping my face, he tilted my head at a slightly different angle and his lips became warm and insistent. My lips parted, and all rational thought disappeared as his tongue swept through my mouth.