Gravel and rock salt hit the undercarriage of my car. The wall slid close, and I caught my breath, hands clenching as the lane narrowed to one. I thunked the brakes, jerking the wheel at the last moment to slip in behind him. The guy roared ahead and ran the yellow light at the end of the exit ramp. Face flaming, I waved to the irate semi driver behind me who had seen the whole thing from a sort-of-safe distance. Jenks was shedding a sickly yellow dust as he stood on the rearview mirror and held the stem as if it were his life. I slowed to a halt at the red light and glared at the Firebird, a block ahead of me, stopped at the next light. Ass.
"You okay, Rache?" Jenks asked, and I turned down the heater.
"Fine. Why?"
"'Cause you don't usually careen into other cars unless you're going more than sixty," he said, dropping to land on my arm and walk up it to sniff me. "You on some human medicine? Did that massage therapist slip you an aspirin or something?"
Not as upset as I thought I'd be, I glanced at him and then back to the street. "No." Marshal was right. I should get a massage more often. It was really relaxing.
Jenks made a face and sat down in the crook of my elbow, wings fanning to keep his balance. The massage had been wonderful, and I hadn't realized how tense I'd been until the stress was gone. God, I felt good.
"Green light, Rache."
I pushed the accelerator, noticing that the Firebird was still at the red light. A smile curved over my face. I checked my speed, the sign, and the street. I was legal.
"It's red," Jenks said as I barreled down the street to the next light.
"I see it." Glancing behind me, I shifted lanes so Mr. Ass was parked in the lane next to me. No one was in front of me, and I maintained my speed.
"It's red!" Jenks exclaimed as I didn't slow down.
My fingers gripped the wheel casually, and I watched the crossing light start to blink. "It'll be green when I get there."
"Rachel!" Jenks shouted, and as smooth as white icing, I blew past Mr. Firebird two seconds after the light changed, going a nice forty miles per hour. I made the next light while he raced his engine and tried to catch up. Making a sedate left on an early yellow, I turned to go downtown. Mr. Firebird had to stop, and I couldn't help my feeling of satisfaction. Dumb ass.
"Holy crap, Rachel," Jenks muttered. "What's gotten into you?"
"Nothing," I said as I turned up the radio. I felt really good. Everything was A-OK.
"Maybe Ivy could pick us up at the restaurant," Jenks muttered, and I took my eyes from the road, mystified.
"Why?"
Jenks looked at me like I was crazy. "Never mind."
I zipped around a bus, changing lanes halfway down the block. "Hey, how does my aura look?" I asked, slowing as I tapped the nearby university line. It flowed in with an uncomfortable pinch, but at least I wasn't dizzy from the ebb and flow of energy. There was a car ahead of me, and I checked both ways before I shifted lanes and took a yellow light. Plenty of time.
"Stop playing with the line and drive!" Jenks exclaimed. "Your aura's a lot more even than before, and thicker, but only because it's been compacted down to a bare inch off your skin."
"Huh. It's good, though?"
He nodded, his tiny features looking irate. "Good enough if no one takes any more. You just missed the turn for the parking garage."
"Did I?" I mused, seeing a black Firebird roaring up a block behind me. "Look, there's a space right out front," I said, eyeing an open spot on the other side of the street.
"Yeah, but by the time you circle around, it will be gone."
I looked behind me, then smiled. "If I circle around," I said, then cut a sharp U-bangy. The road was slick, and the car spun just as I thought it would, turning to face the opposite direction as it drifted into the spot with a soft jiggle when the wheels met the curb. Perfect.
"Good God, Rachel!" Jenks shouted. "What the hell is wrong with you? I can't believe you did that! Who do you think you are? Lucas Black?"
Grabbing my bag, I turned off the engine and adjusted my scarf. I didn't know where the confidence for that had come from, but it had felt damn good. "Coming?" I said sweetly.
He stared at me, then pried his fingers off the rearview mirror. "Sure."
Jenks's wings were cold as he snuggled in between my neck and scarf, and after a last look, I got out. Chill air smelling of wet pavement and exhaust hit the bottom of my lungs as I took a deep breath, scenting the coming night and calling it good. It was freezing out here, and feeling confident in my best coat and boots, I waved at Mr. Firebird before I headed for Carew Tower.
My boots squishing in the melting slush, I squinted at the light as I adjusted my sunglasses. The bright storefront of an independent charm shop caught my eye, and I wondered how early we were. "Jenks?" I questioned as my steps slowed. "What time is it?"
"Three thirty," he said, muffled from the yarn he was hiding in. "You're early."
