A Job From Hell (Ancient Legends #1)

slipped
away before anyone noticed my jumpiness. One mistake, and all could be lost.
Devon’s warning echoed inside my mind. He’ll
be dead. I shook my head, shaking off the thought at the same time. No,
Aidan wouldn’t die. Not if I played by the Shadows’ rules.
    The first time the phone vibrated on the washing
machine, I held my breath. Could they have done it already? The phone vibrated
a second time and I pressed the response button. Lifting it slowly to my ear, I
whispered, “Aidan?” It wasn’t a question; it was hope coming from somewhere
within my heart—the part that no other but he could ever fill.
    “Yes, I’m okay. They broke me out. I’m
coming home,” Aidan said.
    I wanted to ask him what happened, when he’d
be back. Hundreds of thoughts raced through my mind, relief washing over me like
a warm rain shower in the summer, pleasant yet leaving me yearning for more.
But in those few moments, my throat felt dry, unable to form a word. And then
the line went dead.
    They had fulfilled their part of the
bargain, and now it was time to fulfill mine. I’d spent the entire day
pondering over my options. Run out of the house as fast as I could, praying the
vampires wouldn’t catch me, or pretend to have business outside and hope they’d
be too busy to question my word?
    Buttoning up my coat, I snuck up the basement
stairs. The door to the library clicked shut as though they tried to prevent me
from spying. I exhaled with relief and quickened my pace before anyone changed
their mind and decided to pay me attention after all. I reached the telephone
in the hall when the door to the library opened again and Kieran peered out. “Need
something, Amber?”
    Of course someone had to spot me. Trust my
crappy luck. My heart skipped a beat. If he didn’t go back inside soon, the
Shadows might kill Aidan after all. I regarded Kieran. I’d do anything to get
rid of him, even knocking a vase over his head. “No, you just keep polishing
your fangs or whatever you guys do in there.”
    “Vampire jokes. Cute. I didn’t see those
coming.” He hesitated in the doorway.
    Oh,
come on. I didn’t have time for his nonsense. “Listen,
I know I’m great company, but I need to get a sandwich and then call my
parents. Shouldn’t you be working on a plan to rescue Aidan anyway?”
    He nodded. “You know where I am if you need
me.”
    I waited until he closed the door, and then
bolted through the front entrance because it was the fastest way to the gate.
As soon as I stepped out a gust of wind blew my hair in my face, whipping it against
my skin. The air smelled damp. The night was pitch black, the moon hiding
behind a veil of heavy clouds. My mind was on full alert, my ears strained to
hear any sound that might break the deep silence. The house remained as quiet
as the night.
    For one moment, I considered flipping my
phone open to see where I stepped, but I didn’t dare in case someone saw the
light. Throwing a last glance over my shoulder, I dashed for the gate. Several
times I stumbled when the heels of my boots dug into the gravel. The moment I
squeezed through the gate I knew the Shadows were waiting though they didn’t
show themselves until I walked several feet down the road.
    A girl, tall with long dark hair, stepped
in the way and clutched my arm as though to guide me toward the headlights in
the distance. I didn’t miss that fleeting look to the side that told me the
girl was afraid of what might happen if her mission failed. Whatever the
Shadows wanted with someone who could see ghosts, it probably went beyond a
mortal’s interest in the afterlife.
    As soon as we reached the black SUV,
someone held the door open, then shone a flashlight in my face. I squinted
against the glaring brightness mumbling, “Yes, you’re kidnapping the right
person.”
    I jumped onto the backseat. The girl sat
next to me, smiling as if relieved that I was cooperating. Did I have a choice?
I grimaced and turned away, my heart racing in my chest as the car sped off.
The driver—all curly hair and thick eyebrows overshadowing black
eyes—peered at me through the rear-view mirror. Should I keep quiet and
obliging for my own sake? Nah, that wasn’t my style. Besides, if they wanted to
kill me they’d have done so already.
    “Hi there. You probably don’t know me yet.
I’m Amber, in the flesh. Proud winner of the coveted prize and a big bag of
worthless jewels. I see I’ve won a free trip to Shadow World.” I