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  A moment later, I was back to wanting to kick myself, this time for the little thrill that went through me when London took my hand again. I can be such a girl sometimes.

  Chapter Five

  For some people, music is just noise, pleasant sound to fill up the silence or drown out what they don't want to hear. To me, it's much more than that. Music can energize me, soothe me, motivate me. Make me laugh, make me cry, make me see things in a new way. It can make me think or quiet my mind.

  Right now, I needed to disengage my brain for a while. Even in sleep, Dylan hadn't been far from my thoughts. The details of my dream hadn't stayed with me, but the overall sense of danger and loss had. I couldn't stop wondering where she was, how she was, and what the hell was going on. There were no answers to my questions - not yet - and I needed a little quiet time in my head.

  Closing my eyes, I let the music wash over me. The songs didn't drown my worries, but they did manage to mute them. I floated on a sea of mellow rock for a while. Then the track changed again, and I recognized the song as one of DPS's. And something clicked in my brain.

  I paused my iPod and tugged the headphones down to hang around my neck. Beside me, London looked like he might be sleeping. He hadn't gotten much rest the night before, so if he was asleep, I didn't want to wake him. Then again, he was still holding my hand, his grip tighter than it should be if he were asleep. Either way, I needed to talk to him. He might be able to answer one of my questions. An important one.

  For a moment, I debated how to get his attention. I opted for just leaning into him. With the armrest between us, all I really did was press my arm against his, but it worked. He tugged out his earbuds and looked at me, waiting to see what I wanted.

  Keeping my voice low, I asked, "When you...did that whole thing with Dylan's dress. Did you...could you tell if she was hurt?"

  A slight frown creased his brow and turned down the corner of his mouth. "Can we try not to talk about this stuff in public?" he asked. "But...yeah. I meant it when I said she's okay."

  "Not hurt?"

  "Not hurt."

  Tears stung my eyes, and I ducked my head to hide. London let go of my hand then so he could tip my face back up.

  "Don't fall apart on me," he said, looking into my eyes.

  "Not making any promises," I replied.

  The moment stretched out, and it might have crossed the line into romance movie cheesiness if London's stomach hadn't chosen just then to rumble like a Harley rally. He looked a little embarrassed, but I just grinned.

  "Yeah, me, too," I said.

  He gave me a tired smile. "So...Key lime pie for breakfast?"

  I laughed. "Mmm, no. Conch fritters."

  It was London's turn to laugh. "For breakfast?"

  "It wouldn’t be the first time," I told him. "Dylan and I....oh shit." Memories flooded in, and I felt like the world's most heartless bitch. The tears that had threatened earlier came back, spilling down my cheeks.

  "She's okay," London said, brushing away my tears with the pad of his thumb. "She's okay, and we're going to find her."

  I shook my head. He didn’t understand, and I needed him to. Leaning in closer to him, I lowered my voice. "How much do you know about how Brian and Dylan met?"

  "Everything, I think," he said. I saw it when he figured it out, his mouth dropping open in surprise. "The cruise...you guys went to Key West."

  "Yeah. The three of us spent a day playing tourist together. His friend, Seth, had gotten hammered the night before and flaked out. We ran into Brian that morning when we were headed off the boat. He told us about Seth bailing on him, and we invited him to come with us. I think that's when it all started."

  "That's what Brian told me. That he fell in love with her then. There."

  The tears were back. London tried to wipe them away again, but I brushed him off, scrubbing at my face with the back of my hand.

  "I kind of keep forgetting that I'm not the only one who cares about her," I admitted. "It was just the two of us for a long time. I mean, there were guys, but they never stayed. And our other friends. But...I don't know. It was just...different."

  "I think I know exactly what you mean," he said, turning to glance up toward Brian's seat.

  "You guys are like brothers," I said. Then, "No. You are brothers, or you see yourselves that way. It isn't about genetics."

  London turned to look me in the eyes, like he was searching for something there. Whatever it was, he must have found it, because he nodded before snuggling back into his seat. "Yup, brothers. It's amazing to me how many people just don't get that."

  "That you can be closer to a friend than to your 'real' family?"

  "Yup."

  "I could rant for days about that," I said. "And about all the other ideas that society tries to impose on people. But I'll spare you."

  London grinned. "I think this is where I'm supposed to be grateful, but honestly I'd like to hear your rant. Sometime when we’re not ass deep in alligators."

  "Be careful what you wish for," I said.

  "Because I might get it? I'll take my chances." With that, he tucked his earbuds in again, leaned his head back, and closed his eyes.

  I slipped my own headphones on again and went back to trying not to think. But now I had pleasant thoughts - daydreams - to block out as well as my worries about Dylan.

  A short time later, the captain announced our approach to Key West International. The fasten seatbelt sign came on, and we were asked to turn off our electronic devices. I tried to focus on breathing, since I could no longer hide in the music. Landing doesn’t bother me as much as takeoff, but it’s bad enough. For some reason, I was surprised all over again when London took my hand. I guess I just expected the nice guy act to fall away and show me the same sort of selfish dirtbag I was used to dealing with. But I was beginning to suspect that the nice guy thing wasn’t an act at all.

  Chapter Six

  We touched down in Key West, smooth as glass, taxied a bit, and came to a stop. I wrestled my backpack into my lap, only to have London take it from me. The bag wasn’t heavy or anything. I could handle it. And even just a few years ago, I would have made sure any guy trying to carry my stuff knew that I was woman enough to deal with things on my own. Now, I knew that if London felt the need to play the gentleman, it wouldn’t cost me anything to let him. I held up traffic so he could get out into the aisle and then followed him up to the door.

  I’d never been to a small airport before, so the big portable metal staircase took me by surprise. Since we were safely on the ground, I could afford to find it charming and amusing. We all filed down the stairs to the tarmac and headed toward the terminal. Brian had gone ahead, and I half-jogged to catch up with him. He glanced at me as I drew up even with him, and I gave him a little smile. I slid my arm around his waist, and he drew me close against his side.

  “It’s hard. Being here again,” he said.

  “Yeah, it is.”

  He hugged me a little tighter before letting go so he could open the terminal door. We stepped inside, London right behind us, not knowing where to go.

  “This guy we’re meeting,” I said. “Any idea what he looks like?”

  London shook his head. “Shelley said he’d find me.”

  We decided the best place to look – or be seen – was in the waiting area, so we followed the signs there. No one milling around looked anything like a mage to me, but then neither did London. I dropped down onto one of the seats and took out my cell phone. I switched it on, hoping for a message from Dylan. Instead I found another voicemail from my brother.

  I checked the time. Alex would be at work and with any luck I could just leave a message. Mentally crossing my fingers, I dialed Alex’s phone and waited. Sure enough, it went to voicemail.

  “Alex, it’s me,” I said. “First of all, my name is not ‘Lizard.’ Second, I told you not to blow up my phone. And last but not least, I will call you back when I can actually talk. And I swear I’ll tell you
everything.”

  I shoved the phone back into my pocket and looked up to see both Brian and London watching me. Brian had one eyebrow quirked up, like I’d done something weird. London looked like he was trying not to laugh.

  “What?”

  “Lizard?” Brian asked.

  “Eavesdropping bastards,” I muttered. London did laugh then. I was beginning to really like that sound. Dammit. I sighed. “My brother calls me that when he’s pissed at me. He’s been doing it since he was, like...two.”

  “Lizard,” London repeated.

  “Call me that, and I’m not responsible for your medical bills.”

  London turned away, laughing, to look around the terminal. He froze, and I followed his line of sight, wondering what was wrong. All I found was a man leaning against an otherwise vacant patch of wall. He looked right at home in the Keys, with his blond-streaked grey ponytail, boater’s tan, and khaki cargo shorts, and nothing about him set off any warning bells. I couldn’t figure out London’s reaction, until the man let his gaze drift to London. There was something in the man’s eyes that said he not only knew he was being watched but had been waiting for London to notice him. He pushed away from the wall and came toward us, hands in his pockets.

  “You Shelley’s stray?” he asked as soon as he was in earshot.

  “Mr. Ashe?” London asked in reply.

  “No ‘Mister’,” the man said. “Just Ashe.”

  “London Dahlbeck.” He held his hand out. I half-expected Ashe to ignore the gesture, but he surprised me by giving London’s hand a firm shake.

  “Wasn’t expecting a tagalong.”

  London shifted my backpack a little on his shoulder as he turned toward Brian. “Brian Kelly,” he said. “Dylan’s boyfriend.”

  “Dylan’s your missing friend?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Ashe shook hands with Brian, too.

  London stepped around Brian to hold his hand out to me. He helped me to my feet, and then introduced me as Dylan’s best friend.

  While Ashe hadn’t seemed to mind Brian’s presence, I could tell he wasn’t happy to have me there. I wasn’t sure why, and I couldn’t be bothered to care as long as he helped us.

  Ashe glanced around at the three of us and shook his head. “Okay, Stretch,” he said. “Bring your entourage and come with me.” With that he turned and walked away, not seeming to care much if we actually followed.

  It didn’t take long to make our way from the waiting area to the nearby lot where Ashe had parked. He drove an aging El Camino; getting more than two people in the passenger compartment would be impossible. London tried to give me the passenger seat, but Ashe wasn’t having it.

  “Your girlfriend can ride in the back, Stretch. We got things to discuss.”

  London looked like he wanted to argue. I figured we didn’t need that.

  “It’s fine,” I told him. “I’m from Texas, remember? Grew up riding in the back of trucks. Go on.”

  I didn’t give him another chance to argue but climbed over the tailgate and settled into a corner. Brian sat next to me and put his arm around me. One of the first things I’d learned about Brian back when we’d met was that he’s a very hands-on kind of guy, though not in a sexual way. As a general rule, I don’t like strangers hugging me, but it had never been an issue with Brian. In fact, his hugs were pretty awesome. A lot of guys I know do that one-arm-macho-man-hug or else stand three-feet away and barely touch you. Brian hugs like he means it, probably because he does.

  I braced my feet against the wheel-well and pressed up against Brian so I wouldn’t bounce around the bed of the truck. Being this close to him for more than a few seconds, I realized that he’d been working out since the cruise. He hadn’t gone all Schwarzenegger or anything. You couldn’t even notice the muscle through the loose-fitting t-shirts he’d been wearing, but I was willing to bet he would look amazing without them.

  Yes, I think my best friend’s boyfriend is hot. I’m a good friend, but I’m not dead. Besides, Dylan likes that we can giggle like high school girls about how sexy her man is. I hoped we’d get the chance to do that again soon.

  Brian and I didn’t try to talk as we bumped around Key West in the back of the El Camino. We weren’t at highway speed, but there was still enough wind and noise to make talking not quite worth the effort. The ride didn’t take long, anyway. I’m pretty sure you can circle the entire island in half an hour, and we were taking a direct route from the airport to a small house on – of all things – Elizabeth Street.

  Ashe parked on the street in front of a cute little house wedged in between two larger, multi-story houses. Brian climbed out of the truck bed first and helped me down. The second my feet touched the ground, Ashe stepped up and pointed at the nearby cross-street.

  “Down that street to your right you’ll find restaurants,” he said to Brian. “Stretch said you’d want to know. Bring back more than you think he’ll eat. Magic takes a lot out of you. And grab me a Cuban and a Coke.”

  With that he turned and headed toward the house, motioning for London to follow him. Maybe I was seeing things, but to me it seemed like London wanted nothing more than to turn and run. Instead he rubbed a hand over his face and slung my backpack onto his shoulder.

  “You okay alone with him?” Brian asked, nodding toward Ashe’s retreating back.

  “Sure,” London said, though he didn’t sound sure at all. He looked up at the sky, and I wondered if he were asking for help. “He wants to show me how to find her. Says it’s my job, not his.”

  “He wants you to use your powers?” I asked.

  “Yup.”

  “London,” Brian said, his voice hardly more than a whisper, “you don’t have to do this.”

  London turned his face from the sky and looked at his friend. “Yeah, I do. He won’t help us any other way, and it’s our best shot at finding Dylan.” Brian started to say something else, but London cut him off. “It’s okay, Brian. Really.”

  Brian stopped trying to argue. He just grabbed London in a fierce hug and then dragged me off in search of breakfast.

  We had rounded the corner and were halfway down the next block when I got desperate and dug my heels in, literally. I braced myself and pulled, but Brian had a death grip on my hand. I don’t think he had even realized it until that moment, when I threw my full weight backward and jerked his arm hard enough it had to have hurt like a son of a bitch. He didn’t let go - I would have ended up busting my ass on the sidewalk if he had – but he relaxed his grip so he wasn’t hurting me. When I was steady, he did let go, dragging both of his hands through his hair and flopping back against a weathered picket fence.

  I didn’t know what to do to help, so I just stood there feeling and looking like an idiot.

  “He’s run from this for so damn long,” Brian said. “And here I drag him back into it.”

  For a moment, I just stood there, watching him and gathering my thoughts. It wasn’t that I didn’t care about London’s emotional crisis, but Dylan could, for all we knew, be in very real, physical danger. Emotional fallout we could deal with, but if Dylan got hurt, we might not be able to fix that.

  “Is there something I’m missing here, or is London really tweaked out about this magic stuff because of some stupid girl?”

  That surprised a laugh out of Brian. “Not only that. He told you about finding out about his powers, about being treated like a freak in high school.”

  “That had to be...what, ten years ago?”

  “More like fifteen. But he learned then to hide what and who he was, and it took him a long time to trust anyone with all of himself. He opened up to Adrian, Kent, and me, and we accepted him. So he opened up to Kelly, and that was a minor disaster. Then Julia came along and really screwed him over.”

  “So...he really is tweaking out about some stupid girl.”

  Brian smiled, but it didn’t touch his eyes. “Have you ever been in love, Elizabeth? Really in love? Thought you’d found some
one to spend the rest of your life with?”

  “I don’t believe in happily ever after.”

  “I’d forgotten that about you,” he replied. “But if I remember right, you gave up on that happily ever after because some asshole broke your heart.”

  I shrugged. “It happens to everybody. I just don’t feel the need to go through it again. Like, ever again.”

  “Yeah. But some of us don’t give up easily.”

  I shrugged again. “Are you going to give me romantic advice or tell me what’s going on with London?”

  “If you’ve never really been in love, I’m not sure I can explain it to you. What it’s like to find the one who you’re sure you want to wake up beside every morning for the rest of your life. Or what it’s like to find out that that she isn’t who you thought she was. What it’s like to watch all your dreams and plans crumble into dust.”

  I remembered that Brian had once been left at the altar, so to speak. I guess he knew better than anyone what London had dealt with in the aftermath of his relationship with Julia. But as I thought about my own failed relationships, I began to understand. I’d had a fair few boyfriends and even been engaged a couple of times. Had I ever really been in love? I didn’t know for sure. But I knew how much it had hurt every single time things went wrong.

  “I think I get it.”

  Something in my voice or face must have given away my thoughts and feelings, because Brian pulled me in for a hug.

  “Then I think you know that it’s not really just about a stupid girl,” he said. “And it’s gotten worse in the last year.”

  “Why now?” I asked, drawing away from Brian to lean beside him on the fence.

  “My guess is that when he hit 30, he kind of got slapped in the face with his own mortality. Seeing his high school friends and his brothers and sister getting married and realizing it’s not in the cards for him on top of that whole not-getting-any-younger thing.”