“Are you okay?”
Donkey Pizzle said, “She’s fine. In fact, she’s being treated very well. Cooperation is rewarded.”
“Then you’ll return her as soon as possible because of my cooperation.”
Donkey Pizzle laughed. “You sound like you’re the one giving the orders. You’re not. Remember that. Now get that package to the park. If it takes longer than an hour, your mother will pay for your negligence.”
“I’m on my way,” she said.
The click on the line indicated that he had hung up and she’d received all the instructions she was going to get.
“I have to go.” She disappeared for a few moments and came back wearing her sweats and sneakers. “Will you wait here for me? Please?”
Jayce didn’t want to lie to her. “I’ll stay out of sight.”
She frowned and looked like she was about to argue. Then she checked the clock on the kitchen wall and said, “I’ve gotta go.” She slung the murse over her head and jogged to the door. “Please stay right here,” she begged and then let herself out, locking the door behind her. Jayce heard her footsteps running down the stairs.
As soon as he was sure she was on the sidewalk, he left the apartment, knowing he couldn’t relock the dead bolt. He rushed up to the roof, stripping off the sweatshirt before he got there. He shoved open the door and shifted while he still had the pants on. The door caught the bottom of the pants as it closed but not the bird that flew out of them.
He had to stay well behind and above her. Now that she knew what his alternate form looked like, she’d recognize him. It took him a few seconds to roll in the dirt and cover his tail feathers. When he took to the sky, he saw Kristine disappear under the trees. Good. The leafy-green foliage in the park would provide cover for him.
He knew where she was going because he’d followed her before. She had to jog all the way to the opposite side of the park, so it was a good thing she was in shape. She’d make it in an hour, but Donkey Pizzle sure hadn’t left her much room to spare.
He scanned the other people strolling, jogging, and lounging on benches. Even the bum who looked like he was passed out under a pile of newspapers could have been spying on her, making sure she was alone.
Jayce was relieved when she made it to the rock and placed the murse where it belonged. He hoped her mother was where she belonged too—at home. There would be hell to pay in Hell’s Kitchen if Kristine got there and the place was empty.
* * *
Kristine looked all around as she placed the murse behind the rocky outcropping. Before she reemerged from behind the rocks, just to be thorough she glanced up and saw nothing…at first. And then off in the distance she caught sight of the exact bird that Jayce became when he shifted. He rested high in a tree but in plain sight.For Christ’s sake, maybe heisstalking me.
Kristine sent him a glare and then jogged out of the park, knowing he was going to follow her all the way back. She was both comforted and irritated. She had asked him to stay in the apartment. What if her mother returned and couldn’t get in?
When she reached her building, Jayce was nowhere to be seen. She realized he was probably on the roof changing back into his clothes. Or maybe she was mistaken and the bird she saw was just a bird. She’d know when she got inside. Unlocking the door quickly and running up the stairs at top speed, she reached her apartment at the same time Jayce did.
“I knew it! I knew you couldn’t do as I asked.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not sorry. I had to be sure you were safe.”
Kristine unlocked her door, walked in, and tried to slam the door in Jayce’s face. He stuck his foot in the way, and the door bounced open.
“Argh!” She was beyond frustrated. “Mom?” she called. Racing through the apartment, she checked every room. When she didn’t find her mother, she began checking closets and under beds. “What the hell? Where is she?”
When Kristine returned to the living room, Jayce stood just inside the door.
She jammed her hands on her hips. “Aren’t you supposed to be on vacation? Shouldn’t you go see Rockefeller Center or visit the Met or something?”
Jayce glanced at his feet and kicked the floor. “Kristine, I think you know that this isn’t just a vacation. I came here to see you, and that’s what I want to do. I want to see you safe. I can’t leave until I’m sure that you are.”
Kristine glared at him for a few moments, saw the sincerity in his eyes, and wandered over to the couch, where she collapsed. Throwing her arm across her eyes, she started to cry. Jayce was at her side in a flash and tried to gather her into his arms, but she pushed him away. “I can’t deal with you and this at the same time. Please just leave.”
Jayce hesitated. Kristine rolled toward the back of the couch and hid her face in the pillows. A few moments later she heard the door open and click shut. Jayce had left her.
She burst into tears and cried harder than she ever had in her life. She was letting out feelings of disappointment, abandonment, and loss, all at the same time. Even though crying usually made her feel like a weakling, this time it was cathartic—and necessary. She felt as if she’d break if she had to stay strong a moment longer.
When she had finally pulled herself together, she sat up, plucked a tissue from the box on the coffee table, and blew her nose.
Her phone rang.
