Amber by Dan-Dwayne Spencer (e book reader .TXT) 📕

of there. I can’t stand the thought of what old Demon-Sheriff might do.”

“They keep talking about the power of the talisman. If this thing can do what they say it can, you’ve gotta get to it first.” Rose’s eyes pleaded with Jimmy. “Getting the talisman is more important than getting me out of here.”

“Rose, I can’t leave you here. I can’t.” Jimmy put his head against the bars and blubbered the words through tears.

I didn’t think Jimmy could cry. If anyone had asked me, I’d have told them the big guy was born without tear ducts. Seeing him so broken up was disturbing.

“Jimmy,” Rose said, “They haven’t said or done anything to make me think I’m in danger. Walter is my guard, and he’s been taking good care of me. He promised me he wouldn’t let this get out of hand.”

“Out of hand?” Roger exclaimed. “Rose, they have you locked in a cage made for dogs. What else are they going to do?”

She smiled softly. “They want the talisman and if they get it… it’s over for all of us.” She put her hand on Jimmy’s hand. “Even though I’m not the one they were sent to kidnap, they think I’m a huge bargaining chip in their favor. Jimmy, I’m safe. Go get the Talisman.”

Across the room, the Vet’s door creaked open and both the sheriff and a ten-foot-tall stranger walked in the far door. The entire room erupted in howls and barks.

We dodged into an empty cell and hid behind one of the cinderblock walls dividing the cages.

Rose blew Jimmy a kiss before she returned to the back of her cage.

“Shut up, you mongrels,” the sheriff ordered. The dogs growled and barked all the louder. Following the tall stranger, one of the Sheriff’s deputies also entered. Turning his attention to his deputy, he yelled over the colossal noise, “Take her to the jail and book her.” The sheriff cringed and covered his ears. “I want a 24/7 guard outside her cell. Got that?”

“Yes, sir. I got it,” replied the deputy.

“Those damned hippies are up to something, and I can’t trust Calypso to deliver all the intel we need. If they come for this one, they won’t survive. Issue a shoot to kill order for any intruders at the County Jail.” He paused and grimaced. “I’ll do it myself. Those flesh bags working for me are soft and won’t understand. They will need some convincing, but I can handle it.”

The tall stranger said, “Let no harm befall this one. The master has plans for her. After we trade her for the talisman. He will come for her. With the talisman in our possession, they will not be able to resist our charms.”

A familiar scent wafted through the building. It smelled like lilac and musk—and something else, too—cherry blossoms and almonds. Of all the omens I’d seen, this odor made me feel the most dread.

Jimmy whispered, “We’ve got to move now before they take her to the jail.” He stepped toward the open corridor. I grabbed his arm and stumbled as he pulled me.

“Stop,” I muttered quietly.

“What’s wrong now? I’m gonna bash in some demon head and save Rose.” Jimmy whispered back.

“They, I mean the demons are not alone. There are fallen angels here. You might bash in the sheriff’s head but not before you’re cursed.”

Roger’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “How do you know?” He stopped, stared over at me, and said, “Don’t answer that. But, man, what do you mean fallen angels? Like more than one?”

I nodded. “Yes. Well, maybe. We can’t take the chance of even attempting a rescue—not here." I mouthed the words as much as said them.

“Arland, you were gung-ho to lead us into this hornet’s nest and now you're chickening out on me.” Jimmy’s voice grew louder at the same time I heard the door at the far end of the room snap shut.

We stepped out from the caged alcove. Rose wasn’t in her cell. They had taken her with them.

“All this wasn’t my idea,” I said. “It came to me.”

Roger sighed in relief. “That explains how perfect it went off… at least so far. I was beginning to think you were some kind of freaking genius.”

I nodded, and explained, “I got the rescue plan in a dream. I don’t know why it came to me if we can’t rescue her.”

“Maybe,” Roger said, “there was some other reason for your dream. Maybe it wasn’t a good dream, but a bad one sent by a demon…and Rose was the bait to get us here.”

“I don’t know, but there’s one thing for sure. We better get our butts outta here,” I said.

Jimmy fumed and opened his mouth to object when the door opposite us opened and snapped shut again. It was one of the sheriff’s deputies. Suddenly, he dropped his keyring. The keys made a jingle and then a clatter as they landed on the floor.

“Now,” I whispered. “We gotta go now.” We hurried back between the sliding doors and into the kennel. I pulled Jimmy behind me. It was clear he wanted to stay and save Rose, but his efforts would have been one more cause for regret.

Jimmy wouldn’t look at me. He turned to Roger and said, “Okay, Numbnuts, what do we do now?”

“Don’t ask me. I didn’t have the dream about this; Arland did.”

“We wait,” I said. “We can’t leave yet. We have to wait for—”

Suddenly from inside the covered cage came a wild fluttering of wings.

“That’s it. Move now,” I said.

“You don’t know what the hell you’re doing,” Jimmy complained. “Wait…move…wait…sit…beg.” He rolled his eyes. “You’re treating us like dogs.”

I grabbed Jimmy’s shirt and pulled him into the filing room. We scanned across the rows of filing cabinets. All was quiet. Putting a finger to my