Sirenz Back in Fashion Read Online Free PDF

I interrupted.
    â€œGet her to wear the fleece, Margaret, and your job is done. Sharisse returns home.”
    â€œSorry, Hades,” I retorted sharply, “but you don’t truly expect me to believe this, do you? I have barely any time constraints on this assignment, no worries about turning into a bird, and all I have to do is get Paulina whoever-she-is to wear … this?” I waved a hand at the statue and a ripple of vibrations danced over my open palm. I jerked my arm back.
    â€œYou can feel the power, can’t you?” Hades said softly, menacingly. “But yes, Margaret, that’s correct. And it won’t take you long to find Paulina. I think you’ll find she’s the type you won’t mind sending to me.”
    â€œI have reservations about sending anyone to you,” I snapped. “And no matter what you say, I still don’t trust you.”
    He gave me a mock pout and stirred a finger in his glass. “You’re getting to be as maddening as Sharisse,” he said. “She doesn’t trust me either, and I never harmed a hair on her beautiful blond head. But that may change … ”
    I’d forgotten about Shar for a few moments; now my fears for her came rushing back.
    â€œWhat are you going to do to—”
    â€œYou have enough to worry about,” Hades replied crisply, looking at a chunky gold watch on his wrist. “Don’t you have a lunch date soon? I wouldn’t want to delay you.” He winked at me and vanished, leaving me alone at the table. The statue was gone, but a thick, black dry-cleaning bag was draped over the back of my chair.
    When I could stop myself from staring at it, I remembered Jeremy. With a shaking hand, I unbuttoned the breast pocket of my jacket and pulled out my watch. Shar and I were supposed to meet him and Ian … now . But Shar wasn’t here. How was I going to explain that? Sudden illness? Family emergency? Eventually they’d want to reschedule, but there was no way I’d be able to produce Shar in the foreseeable future.
    Wearily, I rested my elbows on the table and buried my face in my hands.
    â€œHey, gorgeous.” I heard Jeremy’s voice behind me.
    I’d settled on “family emergency” as an excuse for no Shar—that would account for at least several days. I took a deep breath; tried to put on a face that registered concern, disappointment, and apology; and turned around.
    Jeremy smiled down at me. He was alone.

Shar
    A River Runs
Through It
    I swiped my tears away. Crying like a spoiled toddler wouldn’t change my situation. I kept hearing voices, babbling and moaning, but I couldn’t see anything. Then the heavy darkness slowly dissipated, as though an unfelt breeze blew it away. All around me was a rocky gray landscape, and not more than five feet from where I stood, a river flowed, dark and rippling. I sniffed: no scent of urine or garbage. Okay, that ruled out sewer and subway.
    My instincts told me I was supposed to cross it, but I couldn’t—it was too broad, and I had not one inclination to put so much as a piggy toe into the black depths. Icky things could be living in there, like in the lake where my family vacationed when I was a little kid. It looked like such fun, swinging on the rope over the water and letting go. Only I found out that lake bottoms are mucky and suck your feet down to the ankles. It was chlorinated pools only for me after that.
    â€œNow what?” I sniffled.
    I took a few steps, stumbling on the gravel-strewn ground. The outfit was too much. Leave it to Hades to put me in a swimsuit and heels to go cave exploring, I fumed. And red stilettos with a pink bikini? The bathing suit, at least, was in keeping with the whole water theme. All that was missing was the stupid First Mate’s hat. What I wouldn’t give for sweats and sneaks right now.
    Be careful what you wish for … my inner voice warned. Did I