Michael: The Mark (Airel Saga Book Four)

Chapter IV

I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH time to contemplate anything, because Ellie then burst into the room saying something about Michael.

I feared the worst and wondered why.

"Airel, I—wait, where's Kim?"

"She's in the shower," I said. "I know it's like 3 a.m., but she's weird. Anyway, why?"

She looked relieved for some reason. "I just like to know the whereabouts of my teammates, that's all."

"Some team," I muttered under my breath. Then I addressed her. "Ellie, what's going on?"

"I need help."

She looked so desperate that I was able to suppress my laughter. "With what?"

"I don't know what to do with him."

"Who?" I growled, suspecting the worst possible answer, the wrong one. Why can't she just leave my man alone?

"It's Michael. I need your help."

I shot up off the bed and got in her face. "How dare you. You know what, it's high time I told you off, little missy. How dare you. How dare you. You stay away from him, you hear? Do you hear me? You stay away from him or I'll—I can't believe you're doing this, in broad daylight too." Never mind that it's the middle of the night ... "Anyway, right under my nose, just flaunting your flirting. I'm sick of it, sick of you. I'm warning you ..." I stopped in mid-rant because she turned away with a smirk, raised her hands, and shook her head. What gall. I couldn't believe it.

All she said was, "Oh, the irony," and circled back around to face me. Her eyes were loaded with meaning I couldn't hope to understand.

I tried to speak, but couldn't.

"Airel, listen closely, because I'm only going to say this once. I have no interest in your Alexander demon boy. At least insofar as it does not directly concern you. And for the record, I'm disappointed."

"About what?"

"That you've not guessed it yet. The intelligence I'd gathered up to now led me to believe you were smarter. Quicker."

"Look, you don't have to insult me, too—"

"I'm not, girlie. I'm just trying to help. Will you let me?"

It was just intolerable. One drop of kindness could defuse a nuclear bomb, dagnabbit. I scowled at her but relented. "Fine. But this conversation is not over."

"As I said: irony. Now, shall we go rescue your silly bloke together?"

Ooo, I hate this. Because now Ellie and I have common ground and it involves the love of my life. Darn you, sissy la-la Aussie electric-blue pompom-head girl. "What's he done now?" I asked, the words chafing against me even as I spoke them.

"Um, yeah. You will have to see it to believe it. Unfortunately." She stalled for a moment. "I don't suppose this is the best time or place to confess this, but he and I were out and about together earlier. Just the two of us. It was a reconnaissance mission."

"Go on," I said through clenched teeth.

"He was concerned about signs of a tail, an enemy observation scheme. We ran them down together, stopped them. But it wasn't at all what we expected, and that's why I need you."

Before I could interject, Kim emerged from the bathroom nude, looking like the bride of Satan's spawn. "Kim," I said, "Would you wrap up in a towel or something?"

She simply yawned. "Oh, hi, girls," she said and walked to the bed and snuggled under the covers.

"Anyway...we've gotta run out for a minute," I said.