Touching Darkness

“What?”

“Be patient.”

“Patient?” Jessica’s eyes widened. Patience wasn’t the advice she’d been expecting from Constanza.

“Yes. Just let your anger mellow inside you, aging like a fine wine. Then when Jonathan does something that really pisses you off, let him have it with both barrels.”

Jessica blinked. “Um, I got lost. Are these wine barrels?”

“Pay attention, Jessica. These are barrels of anger.” Constanza sighed, thumping the steering wheel. “The problem with boys is, you can’t tell them every time something a

Jessica shook her head as they backed out of the parking space. “You’re probably right. I mean, about not bugging him. He’ll freak if I’m all clingy. I’ll just have to talk to him.”

“Wait until you have the upper hand, though. Patience is a virtue.”

“Uh, yeah, I guess.” Although at some point, Jessica knew from experience, patience was also being a wimp.

As they reached the edge of the parking lot, a car swerved in from the street and screeched to a halt right in front of them. Constanza slammed on the brakes, and the Mercedes stopped with inches to spare.

It was Jonathan and Dess, looking very much in a hurry. His car was dirty, as if they’d been driving off-road, and Jonathan wore a wild-eyed expression.

He glared at Constanza’s car, then squinted through the two windshields at Jessica.

“Jeez. Speaking of patience…” Constanza said.

Jessica swallowed. Something serious had happened. “Look, I better go. He looks upset. His thing he had to do… maybe it didn’t go so well.”

“Sure, Jess.”

Jessica opened her door. “I’m really sorry, Constanza. I’d love a ride home some other time.”

“No problem. See you tomorrow. I want to hear more about this.”

“Oh… sure.” If I can tell you anything at all. Jessica wondered what she was about to find out. From the way Jonathan and Dess looked, last night had been bad.

Constanza laughed. “I mean, even if Jonathan is being a pain in the ass, you have to admit, the guy knows how to make an entrance.”

13

11:45 p.m.

INTRUDER

Jessica lifted a corner of the shade to peer out, wondering if the movement could be seen from the bushes across the street. Her lights were off, of course, and she’d draped T-shirts across the pulsing eyes of her bedside clock and snoozing computer. The only light in her bedroom crept in beneath the door: the faint glow of the hall night-light.

She couldn’t see anything outside—nothing human, anyway. Just intertwined tree branches, fallen leaves, and a few pools of illumination gathered under porch lights.

Somewhere out there, Melissa was searching, sifting through the few waking minds for one thinking stalking thoughts. If she and Rex were actually in town tonight and not headed off to the edge of the badlands to tangle with monsters. Jonathan had told her the story as he’d driven her home from school—how they’d stumbled onto a house where darklings gave orders to human followers in midnight séances.

Jessica shuddered, trying to imagine the half-thing that made this communication possible, the kidnapped midnighter somehow melded with a darkling.

Jonathan had also passed on Rex’s assurances that Jessica would be safe for a while; something about a stolen domino, which hadn’t been completely convincing. What if the man with the camera already had his orders? What if he had a spare set of dominoes? Didn’t seem like much to bet your life on.

Jessica knew she wouldn’t be out of danger until the blue time came, when she and Jonathan could soar above Bixby to safety. She glanced at her watch: only twelve minutes to go.

A noise crept into the room.

It was the sound of creaking wood. And it was definitely coming from inside the house. Jessica dropped the window shade, turned, and froze.

Along the dim strip of light creeping beneath the door a shadow moved, accompanied by the faintest of complaints from the wooden floorboards.

Mom? Her mouth moved to form the word, but no sound came out. She tightened her lips. If it was her mother, she would knock or say something, wouldn’t she?

Jessica waited motionless for what felt like a solid minute, her heartbeat rising slowly into her throat. The shadow under the door didn’t move. In the darkness Jessica’s vision began to conjure stirrings in the corners of her room. The light under the door seemed to grow in intensity, and the moan of the wind outside kept getting louder.

Were they waiting for midnight? That wouldn’t make any sense if they were normal humans. Unless they pla

Jessica chewed her lip. She couldn’t just stand here.

Slowly she knelt by the bed, sliding out her weapons box. Ignoring the flashlight and lighter, she pulled out Anfractuously, the bicycle lock. Made of heavy steel, it was suitable for both midnight and daylight threats.

She took slow steps toward the door, stood to the side, back against the wall, and raised Anfractuously above her head.

A loud thump filled the room; the bicycle lock had struck the wall behind her.

Jessica froze.

A whisper pierced the door: “Jess?”

“Beth?” She yanked open the door, revealing her tousle-headed sister standing there in pajamas. “You little sneak! What are you doing outside my door?” she hissed.

Beth walked into the room, looking around interestedly. “Well, mostly I was wondering what you were doing here inside your room.”

“Shhh! You’ll wake up Mom and Dad,” Jessica whispered. Beth had spoken in a normal voice.

“So close the door.”

Jessica groaned and glanced at her clock, but the numbers were obscured by the T-shirt she’d draped over it. If her little sister was still here at midnight, things were going to get tricky.

Beth followed her gaze. “Interesting. Is that to hide the light?”

“Shhh!” Jessica hissed again. She relented and closed the door. The last thing she needed was her parents joining them. “What do you want?”

“I want to know what’s going on with you.”

“What do you mean, Beth?”

“Well, the blinds are drawn, the lights are off, you’re dressed, and you’ve got your bike lock in your hand. Going somewhere?”

Jess looked down at Anfractuously. “This was to bash your brains in with, actually.”

Beth smiled sweetly. “Who did you think I was?”

“No one,” Jessica said. Just some retarded serial killer in pajamas. Now why don’t you go back to bed?”

“You need to get your watch fixed,” Beth a

Jessica paused, although she knew that pausing was always a bad idea with Beth. It gave her little brain time to think it knew more than it really did. “Yeah, I guess it’s ru

“Yeah, but exactly an hour fast? Every morning?”

“I miss Chicago time,” Jessica said, a trickle of sweat begi

“Nice try. Chicago time and Bixby time are the same.”

Jessica sighed. “Okay, Beth, you win. Every night I fly to New York on my broom to attend wild parties, and in the morning I sometimes forget to set my watch back to Bixby time. Satisfied?”

Beth sat down on the bed, nodding slowly. “Not completely, but at least we’re getting somewhere.”