Page 1056 of One More Kiss

Chapter12

I wentfor my weapons and jacket then left by the front door. Fortunately, Jett and Shark were nowhere to be seen. I should have enough of a head start to be able to find Fin before Clara worked where I’d gone. Which she would, when Jett got back to HQ without me.

I took the side streets, retracing my route from the previous night. It was a well-worn path and I was soon back at the alleyway beside the bar. Early morning sun filtered through the clouds, making everything look clean and sparkly. So different to how it appeared at night.

I approached the chain link fence, pausing at the spot where I’d last seen Fin crumpled on the ground. He was gone, of course, and I had no idea where to go next. I’d half expected to find him where I’d left him last night. Alive and well, of course. But maybe licking his wounds.

Failing that, I thought he’d be watching HQ for the next time I left.

Either way, I’d thought he’d have found me by now. I guess his world didn’t revolve around me.

I walked slowly to the fence and decided to wait there, at least until I thought of something better. He’d come for me eventually. He had to.

I moved to the side, putting my back to the wall and sliding to the ground.

I didn’t have long to wait.

The air rippled in front of me, and there was Fin.

“Waiting for someone?” He grinned, slightly feral. “Or are you trying to trap me so your boyfriend can finish the job?”

I pushed to my feet. “No trap. I’ve decided to go with you to Faerie Land. But we need to get some things straight first.”

“You seek to bargain?”

The way he said it made me think he might be the one setting a trap. I shook my head.

“No bargains. You wanted to take me to Faerie Land, and I’m happy to go. But first I want to know why. Why are you here, Fin? And why did you fire on us?”

“Oh, that.” He waved a hand dismissively. “I don’t use guns. I was on a recon mission, but I took advantage of the distraction made by the humans to use my weapon. I’d hoped to retrieve you quickly and return home.”

“The tranquilizer darts. We found one at the cafe.” I frowned. If it hadn’t been Fin shooting at us, then who was it? And who was their target? Maybe that was what Jett’s mysterious phone call had been about.

“Yes. A wasted shot.” Fin pulled out his pea shooter instrument from a holster on his belt.

“Woah, wait a minute. No need for that. I’ve agreed to go with you.”

Fin took the dart out of the weapon and stashed it in the holster. Then he held the pea shooter out to me. “La cerbatana. A weapon of our people. Better than your human guns.”

I took it from him and turned it over in my hands. It was exquisitely crafted from wood, with intricate carvings marking the sides. One end had a mouthpiece, which looked like it was designed to help get maximum airflow into the pipe. The other end had an opening to hold the dart. “It’s beautiful.”

I handed it back to him. Maybe it was stupid, but it felt like an act of trust on both our parts.

“Why did you come for me? You said you came to the me home. What did you mean by that?”

“Your sister, Alyssia, tasked me to collect you.”

“Alyssia? You know Alyssia?” That was the last thing I’d expected.

“But of course.” His eyes glowed blue. “She wishes to meet you, her melliza. Her twin.”

I frowned. “She’s been gone for fifteen, nearly sixteen years. Why now? Did she suddenly remember she had a sister?”

“You’ll have to ask her yourself. This is the first she’s spoken of you. I came as soon as I knew.”

“And the darts? Why did you want me to ‘sleep for you’?” I used finger quotes and repeated his own words back to him.

“To make my job easier. You wouldn’t go with a stranger to a foreign world, not willingly.” He smiled, that grimace that I’m sure he meant to be friendly. “But now you come?”

---