Millions knew exactly what he was doing.
Jordan was shaking her head, basically saying it was okay. She was too damn trusting. She’d soon learn that the Rêve—pretty vacation beaches, gaming mazes, or even army war simulations—was full of liars. Rêve was made for liars.
“No no. It’s fine,” she said. “You just surprised me is all.”
“Surprised myself.” Millions did some bashful, aw-shucks crap, hand to the back of his neck. Might as well find an excuse to take off his shirt.
“Well, the place is surreal.” Jordan shrugged a little, bashful herself. “Interesting things are bound to happen.”
She liked him? It was the money, had to be.
Rook stepped back into the trees to watch.
The talent was there, but somebody had to clue her in fast that Rêve was the new hunting ground for predators who could do freaky shit for which there was no earthly explanation.
Rook was one of them, both by nature and by training.
“Hi,” said a female voice off to his right. The blonde from Envoi.
Rook set his teeth.
“Do you want to go for a walk?” She was looking for a fantasy hookup.
“No.” He was working.
He cast his gaze to the tacky sparkly steam far off to the right, where lava from the volcano met the water. He felt rather volcanic inside himself.
Gaze distracted, he sought through the miasma of energy for the concentration of intelligence that was Jordan. He touched her dream to get a taste of her distinctive essence, like a dog scenting before the hunt. A fingerprint. A hint of her soul.
If she had never entered the Rêve, he’d never have been able to find her.
And now he always would.
***
Jordan whipped around to glare at the guy in the trees. What was his name again?
He was staring at the volcano, of all things, but the dark stroke, definitively masculine, had come from him. Her nerve endings quivered still. He’d touched her somehow, though she could never prove it; the man was standing yards away from her.
Except—did distance really mean anything in a dream?
Vince had wheeled away momentarily to take in the amazingly clear sky. “I’ve never felt like this before. This is heaven.”
Jordan turned back to Vince. Who’d kissed her. Not that she minded, but she was still surprised. He hadn’t just been flirting before. Maybe he really liked her.
Wouldn’t take much to like him back, especially here.
The beach was perfect. Except for that one hot touch, she felt perfect. The air was warm and soft against her skin, the faintly salty ocean breeze gently stirring her hair. No part of her body hurt; she wasn’t tired at all for the first time in years. The stress of life had evaporated; her heart was light. If she breathed in deeply enough, then yes, she might just be able to fly. Why not?
“I understand now why the lines are so long to get in,” she said. And this was only one very commercial Rêve. A simple vacationy beach retreat, designed to appeal to the masses. What other places could she go?
Vince had his hands in his hair, gripping his head, as if to force belief. “We could climb the volcano. God! Want to climb a volcano? Explore?”
There was something for everyone here: a little adventure, the music for dancing, the ocean—someone was actually stripping down to their shiny butt to go for a swim. And a couple had just paired off and headed into the trees.
“I have to find Maze. Make sure she’s okay.”
“She’s a big girl. She can handle herself.”
Jordan didn’t want to tick him off, especially if he was interested in her, but… “It’s why I came, and I see things through.” As in, I’ll take care of your account just as well, should you bring your business to me. “Go on ahead and I’ll catch up.”
“No, I’ll go with you.”
She waved him off anyway. “It’s our girls’ night. Just give me a sec to check on her.”
Turning away, she looked for Maze’s tracks in the sand and followed them. She passed that guy in the trees again. He was hot, no denying the flush of her reaction, but he felt…wrong to her. Something…dark about him. And that strange touch, now gone…she knew it had to have been him.#p#分页标题#e#
Maisie’s footprints went several steps deep into the trees, where the white sand of the beach gave way to darker earth and low-winding growth, first thin, tangled-hair roots, then green brambles that laced and twisted together. The scent grew pungent with growing things. Strange birdcalls sounded from the high reaches of the trees, and she wouldn’t put it past the Envoi to make the animals tame, so that she might pet a panther.
Silly, but cool. She was happy. Inexplicably happy.