by Eden Crowne
“But?”
“Like I told your brother, I got kind of messed up. I have to find the three parts of my soul and put them together before I turn to dust.”
“Oh.” He sounded as if soul-loss and impending dust-bunnyhood were no big deal. “Maybe if you don't turn to dust, I could show you a different side of the city.”
“I bet you could!”
“Or if you do turn to dust it would be even easier. I could put you in a bag and just carry you everywhere!” He laughed.
I did not. Dust was not a laughing matter for me.
Noticing my expression, he stopped laughing. “Oh, sorry. Me and my big mouth. Hiro says I should think before I speak.”
He gave me a sheepish and very irresistible grin.
“That's okay. Your brother said he is an air spirit. Is it okay to ask what you are?"
Taka stamped one foot and the ground shook like Jell-O beneath us. "Earth."
"Got it." I nodded, grabbing the rough grass under me in case gravity shifted.
“Actually we're half-brothers. Not that it makes any difference. Same mother. She's a water spirit. This is her well." He pointed at the water. "Though they call it the Kiyomasa Oda. 'Oda' means well. Which isn't fair since Kiyomasa had nothing to do with it really."
"You guys speak awfully good English."
He laughed. "Oh, we're not speaking English.”
“We're not?”
“You are. I'm not. Universal translation. Kami perk!"
He held up his hand for a high five and I returned it. Then, pulling me to my feet, led me down to the well.
"Do you have a cell phone?"
I nodded.
"Give it to me."
He switched it to camera mode and took a shot of the well. After a little fiddling, he handed it back. My opening screen was a beautifully centered shot of the dark water reflecting the blue ghost lights.
"Now every time you open your phone, good luck from the well will flow."
Forget the well, I was amazed at his dexterity with the phone and said so.
"Oh, please! I may be an immortal spirit, but I am still Japanese. Everybody knows how to use a cell phone here, even supernaturals!" Reaching into the wide sleeve of his kimono, he pulled out a sleek smartphone with a thick knot of charms and characters hanging from the strap, just like any other Japanese teenager. He plucked at one of the little plastic figures. “Do you know who this is?”
It looked like a red robot.
He explained in his rapid-fire style. “That is a Zaku mobile suit. From Gundam.” He dangled each of the other character charms in turn, describing what or who they were while I nodded, totally clueless except for the Hello Kitty and Mickey Mouse ones.
Finally tucking the cell phone back into his sleeve, he took my hands, picked up a bamboo scoop like the ones at the purification fountain near the shrine's entrance, and poured water over them. He then motioned for me to make a cup and poured more into my palms.
"Swallow, don't spit it out. The sign says 'don't drink,' I know. It's okay. I've purified it for you. Another kami perk!"
I laughed and nearly choked on the water. Taka was like the fun sidekick movie heroes got. So very different from oh-so-serious Julian. The water was ice cold and clean. I could almost feel it washing away some of the dark, dirty stains left by the Club.
"My mother knows her stuff. That's what you're smiling about, right? It tastes good going down and feels even better inside. I wish beer was like that. Not that it stays inside you very long. You just sort of rent beer, you know?” He sighed and shrugged. “Not that the water will do that. This power stays for a long time. Helps fight the darkness." He turned his head as though listening. “Oh, hey, I think they're finishing up, my brother and your silver-haired pal. Does he dye his hair that color? He looks like an anime character from a girl's comic or something. All he needs is eyeliner and he would, like, totally rock the look. Come on. We'd better go find them." He moved to take my hand.
I put both of them, still wet and drippy, behind my back. "Is it too far to walk?"
Laughing, he shook his head. "No. They can meet us halfway."
Trailed by the blue ghost lights, we walked through what he told me was the shrine's garden. He also explained about the other beings that appeared in the side courtyard. The foxes were yokai, he said. Supernatural creatures. "They're master shapeshifters. Human to animal or the reverse. They live as much in the human world as our supernatural realm. Very powerful. Also hella' unpredictable. My family has a long association with this clan, though. They trust us and we trust them. Mostly."
"What about the tails? Some had more than one."
"The tails mean a century in human years. The more tails, the more ancient they are. Not all the foxes choose to follow that tradition. It's a bit cumbersome since most of them live to be more than a thousand years old, if not much longer! Can you imagine? You'd have to, you know, put all your tails in a carry bag and sling them over your shoulder to get anywhere."
"And the crow birdy-things?" I flapped my arms and cawed, which made him laugh.
"Karasu tengu. Crow tengu. Tengu are mountain spirits, kami, like us. Not as powerful, though. There are lots of gradations of kami. Tengu take several forms, some almost human-like. They follow the ways of the mountain Shinto priests. That's why they wear that style of clothing, prayer beads and the black lacquer caps. Like a uniform."
"I don't think priests' clothes are called uniforms," I pointed out.
“Whatever.” Leaning close, he whispered conspiratorially, "Don't let the priest thing fool you. They are terribly mischievous and seriously heinous drinkers! You would not believe the things they get up to. In the past they used to swoop down, grab Buddhist priests and tie them up in the trees as pranks. Hilarious."
“Do Japanese people and, um, kami, always hang out like this?”
He stopped walking and looked at me, his head turned on one side like a puppy. An impossibly handsome puppy. “What do you mean?”
“You know. You and your brother are being so nice. Hanging out and talking. Are you guys usually this friendly with humans like me?”
He started to laugh. “That's so funny, Lexie.” He laughed harder and I just stared, not getting the joke.
I pulled him to a stop. “I don't understand, what's so funny?”
“Okay, okay. Well, for one thing. We're always friendly with beautiful girls.” He gave me a broad wink. “And you are very beautiful.”
I shook my head, trying to dismiss the compliment.
He wagged one finger at me. “Don't be modest. You're kind of adorable, you know. And what do you mean, human? You're not human.” He gave a snort as though dismissing my humanity as a silly sort of affectation.
I pulled my hand away. “How am I not human?”
“What? You think you're normal?” He reached out one hand to point back towards the world beyond the torii gate. “Like them?”
I nodded. “Of course. What else could I be? What else is there?”
He laughed even harder. “Sure, right. Human. You are really funny, Lexie. What a joker.”
Julian and Hiro were approaching. I could see their tall, slim figures moving towards us.
Taka jumped up and down waving both arms at his brother and making the ground shake.
Rocking back and forth as the earth rippled and I tried to keep my balance, I didn't feel funny. Not at all. “Taka, how am I different?”
Julian began to walk more quickly.
“Taka, please.” I pulled him around to look at me. “How am I different?”
The earth spirit gave me a puzzled frown, as though he wasn't sure if I were kidding anymore or not. He opened his mouth to speak just a moment too late. Julian practically ran to my side. It might have been my imagination or a trick of the ghost lights, I thought he looked almost frightened.
"Alexandra!" He grabbed both my hands. "Are you all right?"
For once I felt his concern – and timing –
was totally unnecessary. I pulled away. "Of course I'm all right. Why wouldn't I be?"
His eyes searched mine. "You really have no idea, do you? About any of this."
Hiro stepped between us, forcing Julian to move back. "Lexie and I are friends now. She is in no danger from the gods of this shrine. Indeed, I feel we have an obligation to protect rare young spirits such as hers from being extinguished. I should be very angry with anyone who tried to put out the pure flame that is Lexie Carpenter. Don't you agree, Lake?”
Hiro's last words had a bite to them. A Julian sort of sharp, double-edge, though I wasn't sure I understood why.
One of the crow guys soared down silently from above to hand something to Hiro with a deep bow.
“Here." He handed over a little bag embroidered in purple. "Take this o-mamori charm.”
Taka jumped up and tried to grab it. The earth heaved as he landed.“Hey anikee! That should be from me, I'm an earth spirit!" The younger kami made to grab it away. Hiro artfully shifted his body to block his brother's reach.
"Taka is partially right. The charm is endowed with earth energy to help keep you, shall we say, grounded to this world?"
I felt a little overwhelmed, he and Taka were so kind. It wasn't like I was important or anything, still they had gone out of their way to provide me with not one but two magical energy boosts. “Wow, thanks. That's really awesome. Just...um, why are you being so nice to me? I'm nobody. I asked Taka and he just laughed.”
Julian gave a sharp hiss of breath, as though I had done something wrong or dangerous.
Hiro, however, seemed calm and relaxed. He gave me a little bow. “You are in my home. I can at least show you a little hospitality after all you have been through since arriving in Japan.”
“Julian told me Japanese spirits didn't like other magic, er, magical things...”
Unexpectedly, Hiro reached out to brush my bangs to one side in a gentle gesture. “You are nothing like the others from that club of fear or their demon slaves. Supernaturals such as ourselves should reach out to one another. My brother has been trying to teach me that lesson. To be less reclusive.”
We supernaturals? I swallowed, dry mouthed. There it was again. Maybe my non-human state was because I lost my soul. That was why I wasn't strictly like the people around us anymore. Taka must have meant it like that. And Hiro as well. Lexi Carpenter was just a girl from Santa Monica who had stumbled into this paranormal world through her own vanity. A stupid, idiotic and very human teenage girl who's mother left her like so much garbage without a backward glance. There couldn't be more to me. Could there?
Taka crossed his arms in front of him and pouted. “You should've let me give her the charm.”
Hiro whacked him affectionately on the side of the head just like any big brother. “Come, Taka, we have to act on the information Lake has provided.” He gave the slightest bow in Julian's direction.
Julian returned it, a little reluctantly I thought. His back stiff.
Instead of bowing, I waved. We were friends now, Hiro said. He smiled his mysterious smile and Taka, jumping up and down – making the ground rock and roll – waved enthusiastically back.
"We will meet again, Lexie," said Hiro before turning away.
“I hope so.” And I meant it. He was gorgeous. Oh-my-gosh gorgeous and kind. And so was Taka, which reminded me. I pulled out my phone. "Oh, wait! Taka, wait. Give me your cell number!"
Running back, his sandals tossing up the loose gravel, the younger kami grabbed my phone and punched in a number. "Awesome," he flashed me a peace sign and gave a smirky sort of grin to his brother. "Lexie and I are going to be text pals."
Julian looked on, wide-eyed. I couldn't help feeling a little pleased that for once, I had done something to surprise the powerful Julian Lake.
Chapter 26
Eat, Drink, and Be Murdered
Hereford was as good as his word. You needed sunglasses to keep the glare of the gorgeous glitterati lining up to get in the door of The Harbor from burning a hole in your retinas. The flashing cameras of paparazzi – imported and domestic – lit up the night like missile strikes.
“How many members do you think will come?”
Julian and I stood in the long shadow of the warehouse opposite the brewery/restaurant. Tonight I was wearing a pale lavender Betsey Johnson dress with spaghetti straps, beaded all over and little slash pockets just below the hips. Actually the dress belonged to one of the Club members. Stephanie. She'd lent it to me for a party and I didn't get a chance to return it. Well, the dress was mine now. I suddenly realized the Prada shoes I was wearing the night of my ill-fated birthday party weren't mine either; they belonged to Vanessa. Some people would sell their soul for a pair of designer shoes. It was not meant to be taken literally! Tonight, my shoes were my own. Barely-there silver sandals with three-inch, metal stiletto heels I bought thinking of Savan. A few months ago I wouldn't have been able to even stand in them. Vanessa's coaching and deportment lessons had paid off. Now I walked confidently, if painfully, the short, beaded hem of my dress swishing and swaying with every step.
I'd thought about what Taka and Hiro said about me not being human and decided it really must be due to losing my soul. Much as I wanted to believe I was special, I couldn't see it. If I was so special, Mom wouldn't have left. Nor would I have spent most of my childhood on the outside looking in. My definition of special meant “popular” and that had not been me until very recently. Plus the whole attractive part? I knew I was a little cute. Not beautiful or anything. Just cute. I decided losing my soul must make me attractive in a slutty supernatural way. Like, “Damn, that girl will go all the way” slutty. Lack of soul in the paranormal world probably equated to micro minis, push-up bras and tight, deep V-neck shirts on high school girls. Otherwise, how to explain it?
“Anybody who is anybody is going to show up for this. Club members will come for sure.” He nodded confidently, his eyes on the cars pulling up for valet parking across the street. “All we really need is one. I am hoping it will be Savan. He is an attention whore, your boy. Vanessa is much more cautious and therefore more dangerous. I have crossed paths with her before, in London. She was Captain there, during the time...when I lost...” He hesitated. “Well, that means she is insured of a soul in the next cell. That may not necessarily be you. As I said, there are usually several games going on and it has been two years. We cannot be positive her reward as Captain in London has not already been filled by now. She might have been forced to participate in the lottery like the rest of them.”
“Julian, I still don't understand how they, the Club members, can be these awful, evil people. They were so nice. Everything I looked for in a friend.” And boyfriend, I added silently to myself.
“Precisely. They are like chameleons. Or con artists. Think of them more like that. Masters of fraud and deceit. They became exactly who you needed them to be.”
“How did they know?”
He kept scanning the crowd. “Your emails at first. They are adept at reading emotional and psychological nuance. You gave them everything they needed to charm you.”
“But I was trying to be more grown up, you know, more sophisticated. It wasn't me, I was faking it.”
“Yes it was, Alexandra. Look at you,” his gaze travelled up and down the length of me. “The truth shines through everything you say and do. They were kind, polite, respectful, intelligent, with a sense of humor and always ready to laugh at themselves because they knew very quickly those were the qualities you valued in yourself and others.”
I blushed at the compliment, uncomfortable under his appraising stare. Uncomfortable, too, remembering the way I treated my father over the past few months. “Respectful” was not the word for my dismissal of him from my life.
“Are you doing that as well? Being the person I want you to be?”
Julian gave me a look of incredulity. “Don't talk rubbish.”
After that, we split up. He remained by the entrance and I
volunteered to make my way through the large restaurant. Once I found a Club member, I was to get them to come outside, so he could pounce.
We'd been here before, Savan, Vanessa, Anders, and I. Dinner in late March on an unusually warm weekend night, lounging at a table by the water. We watched the boats cruise by on their way to and from Tokyo Bay. I knew what the place usually looked like and it was nothing like this. The gossip columnist took the simple lines of the restaurant's large interior space and transformed it into a sumptuous, theatrical tapestry of deep red velvet curtains and opulent floral displays overflowing with color. A buffet and another wet bar were set up out on the waterside deck surrounded by tables and chairs. The tempting arrangement of food sat dwarfed by a life-size ice sculpture of a snarling panther. Obviously an homage to the Albert Einstein's lead singer. His last name, Pantera, meant panther. Cruisers, party boats and little launches sailed past far closer than was safe, crowded with curiosity seekers and more paparazzi, cameras popping. Hereford held court in the VIP section, roping off one end of the spacious main dining room. Four large men in tuxedos stood guard. For some unknown reason, Tokyo nightlife was full of burly foreigners guarding the entrance to lounges and dance clubs. They certainly were more intimidating than their smaller Japanese counterparts.
At the VIP tables I recognized the lead singer and bassist from the Albert Einsteins, just as Julian promised. Stopping to stare, actually unable not to stop and stare. I couldn't believe I was standing just a few yards from Albert Pantera. Tall, handsome, dark hair waving over his shoulders. His You Tube videos did not do him justice. That mouth! Oh my. He would have been too pretty if not for the broken nose. A prize from a rugby game in high school, according to his bio, that skewed his features just enough to make him rugged instead of girly. Catching me staring, he winked and I went weak at the knees. If only Brianna and Isobel were here. Why hadn't I thought to bring my camera? All three of us had major crushes on him. I hadn't even emailed them in weeks. What a lousy friend I was. Wait, cell phone. Whipping it out of my tiny evening bag, I snapped a series of pictures. Standing next to the singer, Bobby's face was as joyful as all the plastic surgery would allow. Basking in the reflected glow of real fame. Somehow pitiful that. The guards let a gushing couture-clad group wearing much too much makeup – both the men and the women – through the ropes and I lost sight of the singer.
