“What, and
His eyebrows climbed, too. “Why?”
“It might have escaped you, but what affects the Djinn pretty much seems to roll downhill to humanity. So I’d like to know now, instead of later, when I’m fighting for my life. Also, I love you, and I’ll kick his fine Djinn ass if he hurts you.”
He glanced around the room, looking innocent. Entirely false. I had reason to know. “You really want to talk about it here?”
“No,” I said. “I want to talk about it someplace a lot quieter than this, with a hot tub, but if we leave, things are going to slide downhill without us, and you know it.”
He nodded slowly. “This had to happen, Jo. The Old Ones weren’t going to endure having someone like me as their conduit. I’m not like Jonathan. I can’t…step away from the world and take the long view.”
“Too close to humans,” I said, remembering what Venna had said. “Too close to me.
“No,” he said. “And change isn’t destruction. It’s just change. Maybe we’re adapting into two species-the Old Ones as pure Djinn, the rest of us into something that can-and should-remain closer to you. To help.” He glanced over toward Ashan, who was watching us with eerie concentration. So was Venna, frowning slightly. “When they’re finished today they’ll go, and they won’t interact with humans unless they have to, for the good of the Djinn or the good of the Mother. But my people will. We’ll stay with the Ma’at. We’ll stay with the Wardens. We’ll stay part of everything.” He lifted my hand to his lips. “Everything.”
My heart rate picked up a few dozen beats per minute. The debate was slowing down, Lewis was making notes on a big wipe-board with names and procedures, and already there was a sense of purpose in the room. A sense, strangely, of excitement.
It was day one, and we were going to change.
And change wasn’t a bad thing.
“Well,” I said, “when this is over, you’re mine, David. I expect to have your full, undivided attention for at least twenty-four hours. Maybe longer.”
He kissed my hand. There went the heart rate, edging up again.
“You have it,” he said, “for the rest of your life. When this is over, we can go for a drive. I understand the seats recline in the Mustang.”
I closed my eyes and soaked that in, and then I stood up.
I addressed the entire room. “Let’s go save the world.”
Because from this day forward, that was officially our job.
SOUND TRACK
Once again, music saves my sanity. Enjoy this track list on your iPod…I sure did!
“Ain’t No Sunshine”-Bill Withers
“Ballroom Blitz”-Sweet
“The Bitter End”-Placebo
“Black Horse and the Cherry Tree”-K. T. Tunstall
“Blockbuster”-Sweet
“Bother”-Stone Sour
“Boulevard of Broken Dreams”-Green Day
“Bridge to Better Days”-Joe Bonamassa
“Calling Card”-Rory Gallagher
“Coming Undone”-Korn
“Crazy”-Gnarls Barkley
“Cry”-James Blunt
“Dani California”-Red Hot Chili Peppers
“The Denial Twist”-The White Stripes
“Face Down”-Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
“Give Me Your Love”-Reef
“God Is a Bullet”-Concrete Blonde
“Going to My Hometown”-Rory Gallagher
“Gone Daddy Gone”-Gnarls Barkley
“I’m Still Awake”-Hybrid
“Inertia Creeps”-Massive Attack
“The Jean Genie”-David Bowie
“Jenny Was a Friend of Mine”-The Killers
“Judith”-A Perfect Circle
“Just Another Day”-Oingo Boingo
“Killing in the Name”-Rage Against the Machine
“Ladyfingers”-Luscious Jackson
“Last Resort”-Papa Roach
“Look After You”-The Fray
“Maybe Tomorrow”-Stereophonics
“Original Fire”-Audioslave
“Private Idaho”-The B-52s
“Pump It Up”-Elvis Costello
“Punish Me with Kisses”-Bird York
“Rock Lobster”-The B-52s
“Steady as She Goes”-The Raconteurs
“Stuck in the Middle with You”-Stealers Wheel
“Take a Number”-Stone Sour
“Tear You Apart”-She Wants Revenge
“Temperature”-Sean Paul
“Through Glass”-Stone Sour
“…To Be Loved”-Papa Roach
“Tubthumping”-Chumbawamba
“Venus”-Bananarama
“Voodoo Light”-Jim Suhler and Monkey Beat
“We Used To be Friends”-The Dandy Warhols
“When I’m Gone”-3 Doors Down
“Wichita Lineman”-Glenn Campbell
“Worry About You”-Ivy
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Joe Bonamassa’s new album,
Want to make track list suggestions? Send them to [email protected]!
Read on for a sneak peek at the next book in Rachel Caine’s exciting
Weather Warden series!
Available from Roc in August 2008
“Honey!” I yelled. “Get the phone, would you?” Because it was ringing off the hook, and I was a little busy
