Page 59 of The Mating Frenzy
“I’m still struggling with the idea I can turn into awolf.”
“Believe it,” he said quietly. “Xavier is real. The entire Brehon is. And that thing that tried to hurt you back in Colorado is quitereal.”
Evil was real and everywhere. The thought depressed her. Life had been somewhat normal last week, her biggest worry centering on paying bills. Now she knew her concerns had been trivial compared the larger picture of the world Kieranpresented.
Work helped. “Where can we find this crystal? Give me someinfo.”
“It will be hidden in plain sight. It must be tucked away from view of Skins, otherwise, they’d have taken it years ago.” Kieran leaned forward. “Let’s start with Xavier and his personality. It will narrow oursearch.”
Her depression vanished. He’d given her a task, and Ella was goal-oriented.
Ella began to type. “Xavier is a wizard. The CrystalWizard.”
Leaning over her shoulder, Kieran added, “He is a terrible dresser. Loves lime green, electricblue.”
“Vibrant colors,” she typed. “What about his relationship with Ciara? Is there anything special that marked their timetogether?”
Kieran leapt up onto the table, making the laptop shake. Squatting down, he rubbed his face. “This will take a full century. Xavier has known Ciara from his past—and her past lives. They first met when he was an apprentice wizard inEurope.”
“When was their nextmeeting?”
“In the 1950’s in theMidwest.”
“More timely, but still toodistant.”
“Maybe they shared something back then that is a clue,” shesuggested.
Kieran rubbed a hand over his day beard. “Xavier told me they used to meet in an ice cream parlor. She liked comic books. They danced to Elvis music for their firstsong.”
Ella beamed at him. “It has to be Elvis. But what? Something Elvis that only a jaguar canretrieve.”
He stood on the table and paced. “Terrific. That narrows it down. There are dozens of items that could be connected to Elvis. What am I supposed to do? Look in every record store intown?”
“There are no more record stores,” she told him. “Not really. And get down. People eat on thistable.”
“I’m a cat. I like to jump on tables. And my feet areclean.”
But he jumped down, and went to the sliding glass doors to stare out at the beach. “It has to be here, some place on the beach. This beach holds great meaning for Xavier. Stop thinking like a Skin and start thinking like your truenature.”
“Fine,” she snapped. “Maybe it’s buried with a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Go findone.”
He drew himself up with dignity. “I do not eat peanut butter andbananas.”
“What do jaguars do that tigers, lions and other big cats are loathe to accomplish?” Ella craned her neck upwards. “Climbtrees.”
Kieran shot her an exasperated look. “Woman, do you not think that Skins would notice a jaguar climbing a palm tree and report me to the authorities? I do not relish being put in a Skin zoo. There must be another clue we are missing. Unless this Elvis liked to climb trees aswell.”
“Fine.” Ella slammed the laptop lid shut. “You figure itout.”
He glanced at the sky outside. “Go cool down. You are much too agitated and worried about your mother. I can smell it in the air. Go for a swim with Darcy. And then return and shower, so we can go shopping. We have a formal party toattend.”
A party? She shook her head. “I’m not in a partying mood. What kind ofparty?”
She didn’t like his mysterious smile. “You’ll see. And when it is over, you will believe in the power of yourwolf.”
