Gnomes of Suburbia (20 page)

A metallic gong sound was emanating from the box on her dining table. Hmm. To open it or not to open it, that was the question. A frisson of anticipation crept up her spine and a burst of magic with it. What the hell.

The wrapper was plain and brown, no postmark and only her name and address on the top of the parcel. The gong rang again, this time she could feel the reverberations through the box. Closer inspection with her inner eye made her sigh with relief. It had Xander all over it.

Three layers of wrap were shredded in her haste to get to the tiny hand mirror that was making all the noise. It rang again. She picked it up and stared at it. “Hello?"

Xander's familiar features appeared in the tiny reflective surface. “Abby. How are you doing?"

"Fine, I suppose. Is Miranda all checked in?"

"She is. Listen, I am sorry that I didn't spend more time with you last night."

"It's fine.” It wasn't fine and they both knew it. She was pissed.

"Even I can figure that one out. I am making my presentation to the council later this afternoon, can I call you this evening?"

"You mean on this mirror?"

"Sure, they are fantastic. Portable and no roaming charges."

"But what if you don't want to be seen?"

"Ah, but what if you do?"

Oh, he had her there. The things that she could see while talking to him had her vaguely intrigued. His shirt was open, the column of his throat visible and his hair was falling over his left eye in a manner that made her want to push it back. Those golden strands were so tempting. She wanted to pound her forehead on the table. She was so easy when it came to this one particular man. She only wished she knew why. “Fine. What time?” The words were out of her mouth before she knew what was happening.

"Around nine-thirty or so? Is that all right?"

"You are pushing in on my bedtime, Xander."

"I just think I need to explain a few things about me and Miranda."

"Whatever, fine.” She let go of the mirror and the surface image of the traitorous hunk next door turned back into a reflective surface. “Jerk” Of course he only wanted to explain his relationship with Miranda. He didn't want to see how Abby was. Bastard.

She was sulking. There was no doubt about it. She even toyed with the thought of trying to get some of the gnomes to eat the Ex-Lax éclairs. That was just wrong. She shook herself and tried to concentrate on local news only to switch the television off when the words, “Mysterious Thefts at local Home and Garden Centers have been linked to thieves dressed as garden gnomes. View security footage after this message."

"Well hell."

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It was embarrassing to be hiding from her own remote control, but she had managed to tuck in far into the back of her refrigerator. She would not be tuning in for views of her babies committing grand theft any time soon.

Mitsy and Harby were currently tidying up from the barbeque that had been used to prepare her dinner. Ruffles was too flammable, Skint was just naked and Splint was tipsy. Her beloved Bitsy was too short to help. Mitsy and Harby both had gloves.

Without the television to entertain her, she was forced to either visit her neighbours or grab her sketchbook. She picked the pencil and paper.

The neighbours had been over enough today. She needed the quiet of her design phase. So design she did. The pencil flew over the page, sweeping in bold strokes and tracing in delicate lines. She couldn't identify what her first sketch had been so she peeled back a page and started again on a new clean white sheet.

This one was much better. She could work out a mouth, teeth, pointed ears. Claws, limbs and wings took up the majority of the design. She had her first flying creature.

Now, should she build it or not? It was quite a conundrum. She would have to sleep on it.

A gong sounded and she winced. Checking her watch let her know that it was indeed nine-thirty. Punctual, he was.

She let the gong sound four times before answering it. She was half hoping that he had given up when she lifted the hand mirror so she could see into it. Once again, it lit up immediately with Xander's face and he looked like he was ready for bed. This was going to be interesting. She settled onto her own bed and propped her torso up with pillows. He was already speaking.

"I wanted to apologize once again for taking off without talking to you first. It was unforgivable."

She couldn't stop herself from sniffing in disdain. “You wanted to make sure your ex was all right. I understand that. I don't have to like it, but I understand it.” She was proud of herself for being so calm. The art therapy had worked.

"That wasn't why ... damn!” He rubbed at his hair with one hand and the strands tousled in a light and delicate mess. “That wasn't it."

"What was it then? I am very curious.” She snuggled deeper into her pillows. The soft surface comforted her almost as well as a stuffed animal would.

"Abby, she tried to kill you."

"I know. I was there."

"Well, her talent didn't stop when she was knocked out. As soon as she came to again, she would be able to do it again.” His hand was back in his hair. “She tried to kill me twice on the way to the council. It was only the two guards that were sent to us that stopped her from killing me. Since I was not the driver, it wasn't as bad as it could have been."

"She tried to kill you? While you were in a car with her?"

"A minivan, but yeah. Listen, Miranda and I dated for about six months when I first moved to Oak Point. After that I saw her for the unbalanced being that she was."

"Then why didn't you report her to the council?"

"She had a rough life with her family. I didn't want to queer the deal if it was something that only came out with me in the vicinity."

"But she tried to kill you."

"She wanted to hurt you by killing me."

"It would have done that. I don't know what I feel for you, but your death would have hurt me quite a bit.” It was a pale expression of how she felt, but the amount of time that they had spent together didn't warrant the L-word yet. Or she didn't think it did. His smile dazzled her.

"It wasn't a resounding declaration, but I will take it."

She was holding the mirror in her right hand and she began to trace around the edge with her left. Tiny trickles of power leaked into the mirror and suddenly she was seeing a woman with her head thrown back and masculine hands on her breasts. It took a moment for her to realize that she was seeing a memory and that the memory was Xander's.

With a blush heating her face, she jerked her left hand from the mirror. The look in Xander's eyes and the flush on his own skin told her all she needed to know. The memory had been displayed on both mirrors.

"How did you do that?"

The angle of his mirror had changed slightly and she could see the tent of an erection within his trousers. Playing dumb was still an option. “Do what?"

"Put that image on the mirrors that put that blush on your cheeks. And your nose and your forehead. And that made your nipples tent under your t-shirt and bra.” He was aroused, but smug.

"Let me think for a minute.” So she did. She thought about what she had been imagining when the image appeared. She had been wondering if he was truly attracted to her or if it was just her talents as a Nexus that had him at her door. “I was wondering if you really liked me and why. And then I touched the mirror and a bit of power leaked into it."

He looked more pensive and less horny now. “Could you do that again?"

"What? Wonder about you?"

"Or whatever. Whatever you want to know, think about it and touch the mirror.” He was intense.

There was something in his mind and it wasn't naked pictures of her. Dang. What did Seesee's family look like? She stroked the mirror and again felt the almost passive movement of energy. Instantly she saw the picture of three mocha-skinned sisters with hair in a variety of designs and states of excitement, with three little girls who looked like the oldest sister. The little girls were close in age and laughing as the older sisters sat around a table and had tea. Hair was handing the dishes around in typical gorgon fashion and, as they sat there, two men walked into the room, one hugging Seesee's oldest sister and one putting his hands on the shoulders of the middle sister. Seesee was the only one who was alone. Suddenly it was too much for Abby, she jerked her hand from the mirror and soon saw the image of Xander again. “I got my answer. Did you see it?"

"I did. You wanted to know about Seesee's family.” He was shaking his head. The mirror bounced lightly as he did. “Amazing. This is a talent that has never been documented in a Nexus."

"Great. I am even more of a freak than I had imagined. Could you leave this out of the documentation?"

"Difference is a good thing."

"I could just be enhancing the existing enchantment that lets us use these silly things as a communication device."

"It is possible. When I get back there, would you be up for experimentation?"

"Sure. If I am not washing my hair that night."

"Ouch. What am I thinking about right now?"

Sighing she ran her finger across the glass only to jerk her hand off as if the glass was hot. The image he had fed her certainly was.

"Aw, you didn't see all of it."

"I saw enough. Didn't you?"

"Not nearly enough.” His erection was more than a tent now, it was a pavilion. “See you in a few days, but I will ring you again tomorrow."

"Nine-thirty?"

"Yes. Dress accordingly, I want to play with this new talent of yours.” A lascivious wink and he was gone.

The stunned reflection was her own once again. Wow. That had been interesting. And it was slightly more convenient than a web cam. No cables.

The mirror itself puzzled her, did it only work when it was in use by two parties or could she peek in on other thoughts and families? Wow. That was too perverse for words. She would not let this bizarre turn of her life turn her into a supernatural peeping tom. Unless she was spying on Xander, but then she would stop at the edge of the stalker limit. She hoped.

Self-control was something that she was still working on.

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Her charge had built up again by the time she woke up. Dreams of a naked Xander spurred on by the images of the night before no doubt had something to do with it.

She tried to ignore it, but the magic pounded and tingled in her brain. It also defied all her attempts to drain it, in the house, the backyard, even the oak tree would not take the power. Something had to be done.

Working from the sketch that she had made the afternoon before, she started to create her newest creature. Perhaps that would get the power out of her and into something else.

Her gnomes tried to help her by bringing her the materials that she had used to create them. The resin, plaster and wire were all well meant, but not for this creature. She shooed the gnomes outside so she could concentrate and went back to her lab ... uh, workroom.

This creature was dainty, a conglomeration of wire and silk, stuffing and thread. It had polymer fingernails and black velvet wings. Blue hair spilled down its back and a tiny toga dressed it up a bit.

She was directly sculpting the features in fabric as opposed to the casting method she had used for the gnomes. It needed to stay light, airy and delicate, but it had steel wiring for a skeleton. It would be strong.

The eyes were the final touch. She painted them with acrylics after she had finished the rest of the body. Eyes brought the soul of the creature to life and she couldn't run a needle through it while it was looking at her.

So eyes were always her last step.

In this case, there was one more. Holding the creature between her hands, she let the creative energy flow from her into the bundle of fabric and wire.

"I am good!” Was her first cry and then she was ducking and trying to catch her new creature. Stupid wings.

The gnomes turned their heads as one to look at the house where the Nexus was at work. Apparently she was happy about something.

They continued to cavort and construct in the backyard, the Nexus needed a new place to meditate and a gazebo with an inlaid floor was the perfect spot. Now they just needed to finish it. Occasionally a swinging board caught one of them by surprise and a fight broke out, but tempers cooled as quickly as they flared and they resumed their task.

An hour after the first outburst and some sharp banging noises were heard emanating from the workroom. The aura of the same creative magic that had brought them to life was pulsing in a wave throughout the house and into the yard.

As one, they turned to bask in the fantastic feel of the animation magic coming from the Nexus. It was warm, loving and oh-so-powerful. And right now their benefactor was cursing a blue streak and shouting.

"Get off the ceiling fan, you little twit."

Curious, the gnomes walked to the patio door to watch the goings on within.

The Nexus was trying to catch their new sibling and that sibling was flying. “Get off the drapes! Ow! Off my head!"

With blatant curiosity, they watched the rapid approach of the new addition. They winced in sympathy as it collided with the clean glass. The Nexus soon got a hold of it and, holding it tightly, she brought it out to meet them.

"Boys and girls, this is Buffy. She is the gargoyle prototype and my first flying creature. And possibly my last.” Abby was proud, irritated and exhausted all at the same time. The sudden takeoff and ensuing chase had taken her by surprise. A tiny chirp from the beastie in her arms made her look down. Buffy was as fascinated by the gnomes as they were by her.

Taking a deep and calming breath, she released the creature from her arms and watched it glide softly to land in front of its peers. Buffy fluffed her long silky hair and extended her clawed hand. One by one, the gnomes took it and engaged in a cordial introduction that smacked of Victorian origins.