The Glass Wall (Return of the Ancients Book 1) by Carmen Caine, Madison Adler Page B

moment. I didn’t figure I’d be able to get very close. It was, after all, Jareth, but I guess everyone must have been tired from all the jumping and screaming, because just as he came back on stage I found myself squeezed right in between Ellison and Grace—right in the very front.
    “This is so fun!” Ellison screamed in my ear, and then flames shot out of the stage floor and Jareth began to sing again.
    Metallic silver makeup completely covered his face, and he wore a white, sequined space suit with a plunging neckline that revealed his muscled abs. Again, it was impossible to tell what he really looked like, but I no longer cared anyway. I was screaming the words and raising my hands with everyone else. A few people crowd surfed and made it all the way onto the stage before bouncers pulled them down and escorted them away. Jareth kept singing.
    I closed my eyes and waved my hands, and then, all of a sudden, fingers closed around my wrists, and I felt myself lifted onto the stage.
    Screaming out of fear this time, my eyes flew open, and I found myself standing next to Jareth as he sang. He clamped his arm firmly about my shoulders as he shouted out something about Seattle and pointed to me.
    The crowd went wild.
    Just a few feet in front of me, I could see Ellison and Grace grinning and giving me the thumbs up sign.
    A little stunned, I remained where I was, listening to Jareth sing into my ear. I could feel his rib cage vibrating as he belted out the song.
    As the seconds passed, I began to get excited. I was actually on stage with Jareth ! He had his arm around me!
    Then, the thought crossed my mind that now would be a great time to get a good look at him. I could settle my crazy suspicions once and for all.
    I’d just plucked up the courage to examine him closely, when Rafael emerged from the screaming crowd, leapt onto the stage, and strode right toward us. His eyeliner was at least a half-inch thick, and he wore some kind of a flashy metallic jacket with his blond hair standing out in all directions, just like Jareth’s wild mane.
    If I hadn’t known who he was, I probably would have thought he was part of the show.
    In fact, the crowd apparently thought so because everyone began to scream more with the exception of Grace and Ellison. Their mouths had dropped open.
    The bouncers looked at Rafael, a little confused, but they turned away as Jareth placed his free arm around Rafael’s shoulders and kept singing.
    The last words were scarcely out of his mouth before he was leaving the stage, herding both Rafael and me to the back.
    Too dazed to even panic, I stumbled several times, but Jareth was strong. He swept me forward, and in just a few seconds, I found myself standing in his private dressing room as Rafael strode through the door.
    “Let me go!” I shouted, struggling a little in his vice grip.
    Jareth wasn’t even looking at me. He had turned his full attention to Rafael with a cynical laugh.
    Rafael stood before him, arms folded. His jaw was rigid as his eyes filled with a cold fury.
    Obviously, Rafael and Jareth knew each other very well and not in a friendly way. If they were to fight, I wasn’t honestly sure which one would win. Both of them were the same height and matching build.
    There was an intense silence, and then Jareth let me go and moved to grab a towel. Wiping the makeup off his face, he said, “I wish I could say it was pleasant to see you again, Rafael.”
    “Likewise, Jareth,” Rafael replied. His tone was cold, but even and calm.
    There was a moment or two of silence as Jareth thoroughly mopped the towel over his face. He bunched it up like a basketball and shot it into the trashcan before turning to face me.
    I almost fainted. He really was the same man from Halloween. I was so stunned that I couldn’t think.
    “I see now why you’ve protected this one so much.” Jareth bowed slightly in my direction before shifting his gaze back to Rafael. “But since you know where our