The others looked over her shoulder. Jareth was the first to speak. “We totally missed that. What software are you running?”
“I haven’t used one yet.”
“Impressive.” He whistled. “Do you mind if I look at this?”
Sugar stood. “Be my guest.” Glad to step back from the limelight, she leaned against the cubicle wall.
She caught Walter’s gaze. He was looking at her like he thought she was brilliant.
She blushed and looked away.
Jareth whistled again. “This is it. The hackers were definitely hunting for the security codes on the incubator.”
Incubator? Was that another software?
Feeling like he couldn’t breathe, Walter stepped from the room. In the hallway, he twisted his wife’s ring on his little finger, catching the glint of quartz set in silver.
Sugar Monroe charmed him, even without remembering who she was.
She could bake.
She could beat him at chess.
She could look at lines of code and identify a breach. In a world of nerdish computer experts, she was a refreshing surprise.
But he had to step back because, as far as he could tell, Sugar was human. A fragile mortal human woman.
And, instead of heeding his better judgment — and his prior experience — instead of keeping his distance, the urge to take her in his arms and keep her safe was overpowering.
But he couldn’t do that again.
He’d already married a human. In 12th Century Scotland. Aigneas ingen Gille-Míchél. Agnes, meaning holy, daughter of Gille-Míchél.
She’d been beautiful. Dark-haired, flashing eyes, a girl two years younger than his own age of twenty when they’d handfasted.
His pack had advised him against the union, telling him werewolves needed to marry their own kind, but he’d ignore those warnings.
He could handle it, he’d assured everyone. And he had. During their twenties, while she gave birth to two children who had not survived the horrible diseases of medieval childhood.
And then he’d learned the wisdom of the pack.
Aigneas had grown older while he never looked over thirty. But she hadn’t gotten too much older. She’d died in her late thirties, as did many of the humans in 12th century Scotland. Not of disease, though that had been prevalent back then. No, she’d died of neglect and war. He’d gone to war and their village had been attacked while he was gone.
He’d purchased the ring for her because she’d fallen in love with it. She’d worn it one week when he’d gone off to a battle. She was dead when he returned. And he’d never gotten over it.
Her friend had survived and brought him the ring, and he’d kept it all these centuries, even had it resized so he could wear it, as a reminder that humans were not for marrying. Not for loving. It was too painful for the human and too painful for the werewolf.
He felt that he’d failed her by not being there when she’d died. It had taken centuries to nearly forgive himself.
But he didn’t dare forget.
He glanced back at the room where Sugar still sat.
He had to stay away from her.
Been there, done that, never doing it again, as people these days were fond of saying.
She’d Just Remembered Something!
WHY HAD SUGAR EVER CHOSEN computers as her profession? That hit on the head must have really changed her interests, because she was bored, bored, bored. Of course it didn’t help that she couldn’t remember any of it.
Instantly, Walter was by her side. “Are you all right?”
She looked up into his concerned eyes and smiled. “My brain is full right now. I need a break.”
He nodded. “I can take you back home.”
“I’m not ready to go home. I just need to walk around a little.”
“Okay,” he said, watching her warily. “I’ll walk with you.”
She liked Walter, but she was starting to feel smothered by his concern. “I’m okay. I’d like to walk around by myself for a few minutes. Please.”
He smiled, though it looked a little forced. Was he all work and no play? Wanting to get to the bottom of the hacker problem? Or concerned about her? Or possibly both? He said, “All right. If you need me, I’ll give you my phone number.”
She said, “I don’t have a phone.”
“Ahh, that’s right.” He picked his own up and dialed, then said, “Heidi, Ms. Monroe will need a cell phone.” He turned to her and said, “We’ll have one for you within an hour.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ll be in my office,” he spoke to everyone in the room, but his eyes were on her. “If you need anything at all, just knock. I understand you may get tired easily today and need to go home. In fact, I’m amazed you’ve done as well as you have. Usually, concussion victims suffer for days, at least, sometimes weeks and months.”
“I guess I’m a fast healer,” she said.
“I guess.”
She walked to the lobby. The offices weren’t open yet, but a young woman was setting up what looked like the receptionist’s desk. She glanced up at Sugar and nodded. Sugar nodded back. “I’m just stretching my legs.”
The other woman nodded again, but didn’t say anything, and her attention was already back on her task.
“Are the front doors unlocked?”
Without looking up, the woman said, “They’re unlocked, but warded. You can go out and come back in, but normal people can’t get in. Tourists and such. They don’t even see the building.”
Normal people. She used to be one of those normal people. Now she was caught up in what felt like another person’s life. Her head was beginning to ache a little again, and she felt more stir-crazy than she’d ever felt in her life.
That almost made her laugh. How on earth would she know that when she couldn’t remember anything?
She moved closer to the front door. Through the large pane of glass, she could see across the road to a large, peaceful-looking park that called to her.
So she pushed through the door. Glancing back, she saw that the other woman still hadn’t looked up.
Relieved that she had a few moments to herself, she drew in a deep breath and wandered off.
Walking had revived her spirits. This town was amazing!
She’d wandered around the entire square, passing City Hall to find monster-themed streets and cute shops.
Blue Moon Sports Bar, Cake and Scream, the Monster Mash dance hall.
She’d wandered into Frankenstein’s 2nd-Hand Shop and then into the Witch’s Closet and the Fashion BOO-tique.
And she’d looked down at herself in the sweet sundress that belonged to another woman and realized she needed some new clothes.
Hacker clothes. She was a hardcore ethical hacker, right? That meant she was the hero of the story, riding in and cleaning up the cybertown, right?
Her clothes needed to reflect that.
She pulled out her wallet and counted out nine hundred-dollar bills. Wow. Saving the digital day paid well, apparently. More than enough to buy herself an outfit or two.
She chose bold colors — blacks, whites, and reds. She wondered if this was her normal wear, because she was drawn to the pastel colors, too, maybe even more. But she was determined to at least look like a competent ethical hacker even if she couldn’t remember how to be one.
And then she’d found the aprons. A vivid red apron covered with white polka dots and festooned with script spelling out Serendipity Happens. That struck her funny bone, so she added it to the stack.
She ended up spending over three hundred dollars altogether, but at least she had a workable wardrobe.
The cashier said goodbye with a big smile, and Sugar headed back outside, swinging her Witch’s Closet bag merrily.
She crossed Mane Street and passed a couple of eateries/bars — Fangs and A Bite To Eat Café, which proclaimed that the food was “as good as mummy makes.”
Rounding the corner of Unicorn Trail and Monste
r Stroll, she passed the Black Lagoon Saloon, then made her way down to Beans & Boos Coffee and Count Baklava’s. She slipped inside and chose a dessert from a decadent selection. Eat dessert first, right?
Then she crossed Wolfman Walk to find the Woo-Woo Revue — advertising an old classic monster movie — and Dorian Gray Photography — where you could take a picture of yourself starring in an old classic monster movie.
She rounded the corner at Wild Things Gift Shop, heading toward the local newspaper named Carpe Noctem News, and a restaurant called Elvis Sightings.
She paused, a memory trying to push its way into the open. A sign announced that it was a restaurant specializing in Elvis Presley’s favorite foods and would be opening soon.
She put her hand to the glass and peeked inside. People were bustling around the interior, which was still under construction.
She pulled back again and shook her head. Why did this place jog a memory?
Maybe she was an Elvis fan?
She stood there for five minutes before a woman’s bag bumped into her. She spun to find a little girl falling — and she reflexively reached out a hand and caught her, keeping her from hitting the ground.
The little girl looked up with wide eyes. “You saved my life!”
“Maybe not your life, but I did keep you from bumping your head. That can be bad.” And Sugar should know.
“I’m Sasha. What’s your name?”
“Sugar,” she replied. “We’d better find your mother.”
She looked up to see a woman with a man and two other little girls in matching outfits trailing behind. They were apparently coming back to find their daughter.
Sugar stood. “She fell and I caught her.”
“Oh, thank you,” the mother said. “She’s always running off and does a lot of falling, too. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.”
“No inconvenience.” Sugar smiled. “Bye, Sasha. It was good to meet you.”
“Bye, Sugar,” the girl said in a sweet little voice. She took her mother’s hand, walking down the street.
Cute kid.
From here, Sugar could cross Mane Street again, go past a big parking lot, and then she’d be back at the SOC office, but she wasn’t ready to go back.
Instead, she crossed Dracula Drive and plunged into Town Square.
The sun beat down warm, but not as brutally hot as she would expect for June. But that might be because she was from Miami. Even Walter had commented on it.
She wished she could remember something! This total forgetfulness was incredibly frustrating.
Sighing, she continued on.
The square had food carts set up. Diggity Dogs sold gourmet hot dogs called Vampire Bites, Werewolf Brats, and Dragon Breath. She quickly passed Lady Fingers that looked too authentic to be appealing to anyone other than little boys who like gross stuff.
She felt drawn to a little place called Craved Ice.
A petite woman danced gracefully behind the counter, to her own music apparently, as Sugar didn’t hear any music. Her ears were almost pointed, sort of like Spock’s, and her shimmery silvery hair fell below her waist.
As Sugar approached, the woman stopped dancing and smiled at her. “Hi. I’m Jingle Belle.”
“I’m Sugar Monroe.”
“Hello, Sugar. Would you allow me to choose the perfect flavor for you today?”
Surprised, Sugar said, “Sure.”
Jingle turned and studied the containers of flavors on the back wall of her booth. The colors were brilliant and vivid, in varying hues of reds, purples, greens, and oranges.
Finally, Jingle smiled. “I have the perfect one for you. I’ll mix Feelin’ Lucky with Serendipitous Strawberry. That feels right for you. And maybe a touch of ginseng. That helps memory.”
Sugar stared at Jingle. “How do you know I need help with my memory?”
The other woman smiled gently. “My impressions are usually pretty accurate.”
“Well, that one definitely is. Better add a lot of ginseng.”
As Jingle created the snow cone, Sugar looked up at the flavor board. Feelin’ Lucky was four-leaf clover, kiwi, and limeade. The four-leaf clover made her smile.
A flash of white sped across the grass in front of her and she stared. “Is that a fox?”
“You can see her?”
Sugar nodded.
“Interesting.”
Jingle added more flavoring and a burst of light shot out from the cone.
Wow.
Jingle handed Sugar the bright green concoction. “Enjoy.”
Sugar tasted it, and flavors swirled on her tongue, lifting her spirits, and making her mind just a little bit clearer. Kiwi, lime, strawberry, and delicious.
“This is my lucky day, I guess,” Sugar said. “This is fantastic.”
“If you ever need to talk to someone about what’s going on, call me.” She held out a business card. “Here’s my number.”
Sugar dropped it into her pocket. “Thanks, Jingle.”
“I’ll see you again. I just feel it.”
That made Sugar happy.
She headed back toward the office, eating the snow cone. Colors looked brighter. Smells were sweeter.
And she saw the white fox again — and this time remembered a white and brown cat with a bright red collar. In her memory.
She stopped still in her tracks.
Her cat’s name was Angel!
She’d just remembered something!
Your Magic Is Coincidence
SUGAR WALKED BACK INTO THE office building.
The young woman was nowhere in sight, the reception area empty. Sugar glanced at the clock. It was two-thirty.
Feeling much better than when she’d left, she wandered back to the IT room.
It was empty, too. Weird.
There was a phone on her desk with a note that this was her new phone. She picked it up, turned it on, and saw that several numbers had been preprogrammed into it. One of them was Walter’s. She dialed it.
He answered on the first ring. “Where are you?”
He sounded kind of frantic, and she felt a little guilty for not having said anything. “I’m in the office. Where are you?”
“Oh, thank goodness.” He sounded so relieved that now she did feel guilty.
“Next time I go walking outside, I’ll tell you.”
He huffed out a breath. “Thank you. I’d appreciate that courtesy.”
Now the guilt was headed over into irritation. She bet he would.
“Stay there. We’ll be right back.”
“Where are you?”
“The entire staff just realized you weren’t in the building and we headed out into the square to search for you.”
“I must have just missed you. I just walked back from Craved Ice.” She walked back into the lobby and looked out of the windows, looking for the staff. She spotted Walter, and her heart gave a silly little lurch.
“Jingle made you a special cone?”
“Yes, and I remembered my cat. Angel.”
“Really?” He sounded intrigued. “That’s wonderful.”
He stepped inside the building. When he saw her, he looked so relieved that she once again felt guilty.
She really should have given him a heads-up that she was leaving the building. She couldn’t remember who she was, but she could make sure who she was now was someone thoughtful.
Walter could barely breathe for relief.
She stood there, looking so beautiful she took his breath away, and she was safe.
He’d been so worried. He got premonitions sometimes, but they were kind of spotty, so they weren’t always helpful. He’d seen someone tracking her, hunting her, wanting to hurt her — and he’d gone crazy mad.
He’d sent a mental message out over the pack link to Heidi Simmons, his assistant, who’d let the others know to come back in. The other pack members who he’d called in would also know that the search was over.
He crossed to her and took her ha
nd. A swell of protectiveness rose within him — one that even his wolf agreed with. They had to keep her safe. “Please let me know if you leave the building again.”
“I will,” she promised solemnly, and he believed her.
The door opened again, and Heidi came in. “I’m so glad you’re safe.”
“Sorry I caused such an uproar,” Sugar said.
Heidi laughed. “Hey, it got us out of the office. That’s a good thing.”
Walter let go of Sugar’s hand and she looked up into his eyes.
“Are you ready to go home now?”
She shook her head. “I feel better after my walk. I’d like to try to help you again.”
Sugar didn’t work like any computer person Walter had ever seen, hacker or not.
She didn’t seem to use the exotic software that warranted the high cost per hour, but still she found things. She’d opened two files, and pointed out a problem in each of them.
He tried not to hover, but found himself drawn back to the IT room time and time again.
His wolf prodded him to go check on his ... mate? No, surely not. She’s human, he told his wolf. So she’s not for us. Still the wolf prodded.
As Walter walked into the IT room for the fourth time, he saw the screens go blank.
Jareth swore in French while Ginnie groaned.
“What happened?” Sugar asked, sounding a little panicked. “My screen is blank.”
The panic in her tone made him want to comfort her, but she wouldn’t appreciate a hug from an almost total stranger.
Ginnie looked up and said, “I think you just crashed the system.”
“Why do you think Sugar caused it?” Walter asked, trying to keep the protective tone from his voice.
“Because Jareth and I were away from our keyboards looking at a printout. She was the only one tapping away when it went down.” Ginnie looked at Sugar. “It’s okay. We’ve all done it. Hopefully we’ll be back on line soon.”
Sugar’s lip trembled and his wolf nearly growled. “I just don’t feel like this is my cup of tea. I’m sorry I’ve messed up the system.”
The Hacker Pushes Her Luck Page 4
