A Job From Hell (Ancient Legends #1)

wondered why someone would bow in front of a mortal fifteen-year-old,
but the thought evaporated just as quickly. Images of a dream flooded my
memory. That fateful night when I stole the gemstones, I dreamed Aidan wanted
to kill me. Could the gift have warned me? Like a premonition, or—even
better—a prophecy? No, a prophecy would imply a definite, imminent death.
I breathed in and out, my heart thumping. Talk about a crappy job. The pay wasn’t
even good enough to warrant the possibility of death.
    “Hey, you’re safe here,” Angel said,
rubbing my shoulder. “We’ll take care of you.”
    I shook my head. No, I wasn’t safe. He’d
come to get me because I had what he wanted. And somehow it was all connected
to his dead ex. Or why else would he still keep Rebecca’s clothes and need
someone with the ability to communicate with the dead, unless he planned to find
and raise his zombie bride?

Chapter 19

 
    I spent the day with Angel. Devon popped in
a few times to check on us, hesitating a tad too long in the doorway, as though
he wasn’t keen on leaving us alone, but had more pressing issues to tend to. It
was clear the Shadows were waiting for something, but no one would tell me
more.
    My new room was a surprise: in size very
similar to Angel’s, but furnished in the colors of late summer leaves, dark
green and brownish-red.
    Big, giant bed fit for a queen: check .
    Over-the-top-bathroom with a Jacuzzi: check .
    Magical skylight on the ceiling: check .
    Wood fireplace designed in ancient rocks
reflecting the love of timeless style: check .
    The pad was like something out of the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous . I spun
around slowly as I took in all the details, almost expecting Robin Leach to pop
up yelling, “Champagne wishes and caviar dreams.”
    I gave up on my escape plan because the
window couldn’t be opened. Besides, we were hundreds of feet above ground.
    After dinner, I retreated to my room with a
borrowed book, faking tiredness. As much as I enjoyed Angel’s company, I felt a
strong need for some solitude. Angel didn’t seem too happy, but she caved in. I
went to bed early with a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach.
    In the middle of the night, I opened my
eyes, drenched in sweat. All traces of sleep gone, I knew instantly something
was wrong. A strong wind shook the trees, whistling against the double-glazed
window. Somewhere outside, a door slammed. If I stayed in bed, I’d end up
tossing and turning for hours, so I pushed the sheets aside and stepped onto
the wooden floor.
    The fire in the fireplace had died down,
but the logs still gleamed orange in the dark, spreading their last heat. I
walked to the chair next to the window and slipped into my jeans and shirt, the
cold material turning my skin into goose bumps.
    The floor groaned under my weight as I
walked to the door. For a while, I just stood there with one ear pressed
against the wood to listen for sounds, my heart pounding in my chest. A voice
at the back of my mind told me I had to find out what was going on. Maybe it
was just the guards on routine patrol or friends leaving after a late night. Should
I venture out? Was satisfying my curiosity worth catching frostbites,
hypothermia, or a nasty cold? I shivered. The comfortable covers beckoned to me,
but something didn’t feel right so, naturally, I had to investigate. My heart
pounded harder. Just a tiny look, and then I’d return to the warmth of my bed.
    I turned the handle quietly and paced onto
the corridor. “Here goes nothing,” I whispered to myself, glancing left and
right.
    Several torches were lit, casting
flickering shadows on the walls. Low voices echoed from around the corner.
Someone said my name. Were people talking about me? I wasn’t into gossip, but
they might be mentioning Aidan, and that I couldn’t miss.
    Holding my breath, I crept slowly toward the
voices, when I realized there were more than two people whispering. One was
female and obviously excited; the male barely said more than two words. A palm
pressed against my mouth. Turning, I shrieked, but the sound remained trapped
in my throat.
    Blake’s voice whispered, “Found her.” My
heartbeat sped up. Aidan was here. Somehow they had sneaked in, and now they
were going to kill me. I punched and kicked, ready to scream should Blake’s
grip loosen, but he didn’t let go. He dragged me around the corner to where
Clare hung onto a guy’s arm.
    “That’s her?” the guy asked. “I