Wizard in a Witchy World (24 page)

The street I found myself on was deserted and I rushed in the direction of the parking garage still several blocks away. I knew I'd done the right thing escaping with Clarita, but I couldn't help feeling I'd abandoned the good witches of Leotown. And while they outnumbered the Order of the Left Hand by at least four to one, most ordinary witches lacked offensive capabilities, preferring instead to focus on life affirming skills.

Hopefully, the spells the Katty sisters had woven across the gardens would be enough. I suspected those spells were the reason Phibbly had resorted to the Taser. I comforted myself, knowing that if the witches were down to physical attacks, Amak would certainly be quite a force to deal with.

"Felix…" I heard a faint voice in the distance and spun, trying to locate the source. I was in the open and holding Clarita. There was no place to hide as I was on a city block with storefronts on both sides, but of course, none of the shops were open. I was about to give up the search when I caught the flicker of a shape moving across the sky. Maggie. The great raven swooped down from her high position and landed on my shoulder just as Gabriella stumbled around the corner and into view.

"Gabriella!" I yelled. She was running toward me, her red cape flapping behind her. It was the scene from my vision and I was horrified as I watched it unfold. A wolf sprang from the shadows and bowled Gabriella over. Her beautiful gown was now a hindrance as she tumbled inelegantly from the impact.

"
Adoloret
." I fired twenty grape-sized fireballs at the wolf and rushed toward her, pulling Clarita along with me. Maggie squawked as I unweighted her, but she stuck to my shoulder all the same. I'd never had her act like this before. "Maggie, get out of here, this is bad."

The wolf pulled back at my onslaught, but before I could reach Gabriella, three more wolves trotted around the corner. I recognized Shaggy and Fred. As I made a move to close on Gabriella, Shaggy stepped forward and growled possessively. He started shaking and his limbs took on the consistency of gelatin. He wanted to talk and was transforming back into a human.

Each time Gabriella attempted to gain her feet, one of the remaining wolves rushed her, so she sat on the ground in front of them. Clarita's little hand dug into my own, her fear of Shaggy transmitting through our connection.

"I'd have to say, you've done me quite a favor, Slade. I couldn't have gathered all the right people into the right place so easily. And now I'll be able to get out of this shithole you call a town." Shaggy stood naked in front of me.

"Back down, Shaggy. Nobody needs to get hurt," I said.

"Not even close. You need to get hurt. I owe you that at least. As for your witchy little friend here, I'll kill her nice and slow. She looks sooo delicious." He licked his lips. "Now, if you'd like to save the little one from harm, you can hand her over. Boss wants her alive and you dead, but was unspecific about what alive should look like. I'll leave that decision to you. I'm good either way."

There was no way I'd hand Clarita over to Shaggy while I was alive, so I prepared to defend against the wolves. I had a number of different ideas zip through my head, but none of them would work. They would all fail for the same reason. I couldn't move quickly enough to save everyone and that assumed I could muster enough power.

"I'll die first," I said.

"That's the idea."

The sound of a shotgun blast and the yelp of a wolf alerted us all to the entry of a new player. It was followed quickly by the sound of a second and a third. Shaggy spun to face the attack as Lozano, Daphne and a man I assumed was the light brown werewolf walked into view.

"You live a charmed life, Slade," Lozano said. "I got a call from Dukats on my way out of town and we decided to check in on things. Now why don't you leave while these guys are out?"

"You're dead, cop," Shaggy said.

"Nothing personal. Sue and I owed you this much. I'm calling it even," Lozano said. "I also owed the wizard and now my debts are paid."

Shaggy didn't immediately move, but seemed to consider Joe's words. "You'll leave town?"

"On my way right now," Lozano said. "The wizard and the girls are given safe passage to the truck. What happens tomorrow isn't my concern. We're headed south."

While they were talking, I'd made my way to Gabriella and helped her up.

"Done." Shaggy spat on the ground.

"Are you hurt?" I asked Gabriella as I helped her into the truck. "Were you bitten?"

"No. I don't think so. You should have left me," she said.

"Nah. I knew Joe was coming," I lied.

Maggie had kept a close watch on us until this point. Once I was in the truck, she fluttered off. It was unusual behavior for her, although for a raven, I wasn't sure what ‘usual behavior’ might be. I knew that flying around in the cold night was hard on her. If she showed up at the house, I'd need to make sure she had plenty of food to recharge.

"You did not," Gabriella said as she clipped Clarita into the center seatbelt.

"True enough. But, there was no way I was leaving you there. Not in your fancy dress and everything. What kind of hero runs out on a distressed damsel?"

"Is everything a joke to you?"

"I'm dead serious, Gabriella." I swiped my credit card in the parking garage's automated attendant and pulled onto the street. Even as relieved as she was to be alive, she was still pissed. It made no sense, but then for as much time as I'd spent around witches, women largely remained a mystery to me.

The streets were empty and we caught no hint of pursuit by Shaggy and his gang. I couldn't have been more relieved when we finally pulled into the drive at Happy Hollow.

"This isn't over," Gabriella said.

"Did you know Phibbly attempted to kill me tonight?"

"No way. I know he joined Felicia's Left Hand, but are you sure?" She was in complete disbelief. I recounted the events to her.

"They're making a play for Tenebris Manerium," I said. "There's something here they want. I believe they want to get me out of the way so they can use Clarita."

I picked Clarita’s sleeping form up from the truck.

"Aren't you taking us back to the apartment?"

"Not tonight, please, Gabriella. They may want me dead, but they're coming for Clarita too," I said.

"And you can keep us safe?" she asked as I opened the breezeway door and led her into the kitchen.

"Much easier than if we're separated. I've enchanted every opening in this house with a protective spell."

I made my way into the family room and placed Clarita on the couch I'd cleaned, pulling a blanket over her.

"We can't hide forever," Gabriella said.

"Agreed. We definitely need a better plan." I led her back to the kitchen.

A tapping on the window alerted me to Maggie's arrival. I let her in and arranged several strips of meat and a pile of soybeans and rice on the counter for her.

"What is it with you and that bird?" Gabriella asked.

"She's my family," I said. "You mind if I get something off my chest? It's been killing me."

Gabriella pursed her lips. "What? Is this where you profess your unending love for me? I trusted you Felix and you let me down. I can't be with a man with such little respect for someone else."

"You're talking about Amak, right?"

I squared off with her, offering my wrists. She ignored my gesture, but stepped in and unleashed her fury. "Of course, I am! You're, oh so happy to hang me with
my
treatment of Amak, but what you're doing is worse!" she said.

"But, that's just the thing. We're not doing that," I said.

"It's rape to take advantage of her! Wait… what?"

"Well, we did do that. But, only once, well, twice technically. But, that's before I knew anything was up. I called it off when I realized she was being compelled."

"Then why is she still hanging around?"

"Because she's my friend. We talk and do stuff together, but it's all friend stuff."

"She's just your friend? I find that hard to believe."

"Yes. I told her I couldn't have a physical relationship with her without the emotional relationship. I'm not that kind of guy. Ask her for yourself," I said.

"I will." Her chest deflated just as her anger did.

"Gabriella. It's always been you. I've always wanted to be with you. If you're only available as a friend, I'll take it, but I would like more. If tonight has taught me anything, it's that life is short," I said.

"That's not fair," Gabriella said, her voice having lost its edge. She rested her balled-up fists on my chest and I pulled her into me.

"I don't want to be fair. I can't lose this time," I said.

She looked up into my eyes and I felt her earlier resistance drain away as our lips met. I marveled at how soft she felt and how she just seemed to melt into me. I could have kissed her forever, but unfortunately that's not the nature of my life. Abruptly, Maggie lifted off from the table, her long wings smacking me on the back of the head as she flew from the kitchen into the cloak room.

I laughed as Gabriella and I broke apart. My heart was a hundred times lighter, having resolved things with her. Now I felt I could take on the world.

"Where are you headed, Maggie? There are only coats in there," I said. I refused to let go of Gabriella's hand as I looked in the direction the wacky bird had flown. "She's never done that before. I guess she's not a big fan of kissing."

"No. She's not." A woman, wearing only my leather coat, walked out of the cloak room. She was rail thin, to the point of being gaunt and had long black hair. Her face was so familiar; I knew immediately who she was.

"Mom?" I crossed the room and pushed her hair out of her face. The woman looked so much like my early memories of her.

"Yeah, sure that’s it. Dumbass," she said sarcastically. "Do I look like I'm fifty?"

"Sevena?" I asked. I was proud that I'd actually recalled her name.

"You're painfully dull sometimes," she said and opened the refrigerator, pulling beer and leftover Chinese food out. "I'm starving. You have no idea how much energy birds really use." She didn't even bother microwaving and got straight to eating.

Gabriella grabbed my hand again, sliding up behind me and wrapping her arm around my waist. I smiled. I might get obliterated tomorrow, but tonight I'd figured things out with Gabriella and everything was right with the world.

"You've been following me my whole life and tonight you decide to show yourself?" I asked, watching in horror as the ninety pound, five foot three woman threw back food like a football player.

"I need more. Can you get delivery? How about a pizza?"

"Way too late for that." I took a frozen burrito from the freezer and tossed it in the microwave. I looked at her, patiently waiting for a response.

"So… that basement. You opened the door?" she asked.

"Both of them," I answered.

"And the shades?"

"How do you know about the shades?"

"I made a claim, Felix."

"If you didn't defeat the shades, how did you get out?"

"There's a tunnel up to the greenhouse. I don't think Mom knew I knew about it," she said.

"That's horrible. Why would our mother make a trap that could kill us?"

"They killed Geoff," Maggie said. There was no way I could think of her as Sevena after all these years. "Those were his bones in the circle. I imagine you saw them. It's not like she didn't warn him. Mom told all of us not to come back. She said it would be too dangerous, but you know how things go. She put a spell on you that was supposed to block your memories so you wouldn’t return."

"Why did she leave?"

"Yeah, sorry. Can't say. I've already told you too much. And, the only reason I'm in human form now is because you've really stepped in the shit this time. Mom doesn't want to see you dead."

"You're in contact with her?"

"Not for fifteen years, when she told me to watch over you. But, I think she's still out there. She'd be proud, you know. I don't think she thought any of us had it in us to take back Tenebris."

"Let me get this straight. You showed yourself because you want to help me out of a jam? What about everything else that's happened in the last weeks? I nearly died a million times."

"Don't be dramatic, Felix. I was prepared to swoop in and save you. Hah, see what I did there. Honestly, I had to change to stop you from getting too kissy-faced. It's one thing to play with trolls, it's another to be diddling witches," she said.

"Hey!" Gabriella objected. "There's been no diddling."

"Shit, Maggie. You've been here five minutes and you're already talking crap about my girlfriend?"

"I've always liked the name Maggie. And, she's your
girlfriend
?" Maggie asked. "Wizards and witches don't mix, little man."

I laughed at her characterization. I was nearly a foot taller than her. "Seems to me they do. Have you met Geoff's daughter?" I asked.

"The little girl is Geoff's?"

"Not only that, but her mother was a witch," I said.

"Seriously?" Maggie looked to Gabriella for confirmation. Of course, Gabriella was sitting back in her chair dreaming up ways to punch Maggie in the face. "Oh, get over it. It's not personal, our energy sometimes backfires on witches. They go boom. I'm sure you're a perfectly good diddle."

"At least I see where Felix gets it. You're an ass," Gabriella fired back.

Maggie smiled and looked at me. "You know? I think I'm going to like her."

"Don't be talking trash about witches. I've grown up in a witchy world and I wouldn't have made it without them," I said.

"At least that explains what the fuss is all about. If that little girl can open the house, they'll kill you and use her," Maggie said.

"Use her for what!?" I couldn't get a straight answer out of her about what was so damn important about the property at Happy Hollow.

“Remember that first night you were here when you were out pounding on the werewolves? How did you think you got enough power to flambé the big one?" She pulled out the burrito I'd microwaved for her.

"I don't know. I reached for it and it was there."

"What was?"

"A well of power," I said.

"How much of a well?"

"Don't know. I just pulled from it," I said.

"That well has more power in it than all the witches in Leotown will gather their entire lives. This property sits on top of every major ley-line in the region and our ancestors found a way to tap into it. If the wrong people ever got hold of it and had a wizard to channel it, it would be lights out for whoever they wanted to take on. And now you've opened it back up for business."

"Oh shit," I said.

"Right."

"So, exactly how did you figure out this little girl is Geoff's?" Maggie asked.

"You should see her aura," I said.

"His name is on the birth certificate," Gabriella said, annoyed.

Maggie raised her eyebrows. "There's more. You were too positive."

"We joined," I said.

"What!? That's horrible!" Maggie recoiled.

"You pervert! No! Like in a witches' circle. We shared energy," I said.

"Impossible."

"Maybe for you."

"What was it like?" Maggie tried to talk around the burrito that was too hot to swallow.

"Incredible. I've never felt anything like it. We were just together spiritually. It changed me, Maggie. I can't lose her."

Maggie looked dumbfounded from me to Gabriella. "It's true. That’s how we all feel when we form a circle. It's better with some than others, but the first time can be very intense. Clarita feels the same way about Felix."

"Is it healthy?" Maggie asked.

"It is with Felix. We don't ordinarily allow someone so young to join. They don't know how to deal with the emotions. Clarita's been through a lot though and neither of them would have survived if she hadn't initiated it. There is nothing bad about it either way," Gabriella explained patiently.

"So what was it you were doing in the car - reading each other's blood. Were you trying to join? I was hoping you weren't going to have sex," Maggie said.

"You've a filthy mind," Gabriella said. "There was nothing sexual about what we were doing. Surely you understand that there is no hiding from each other when holding each other's wrists."

"Oh that. Right. And check-mark on the filthy mind, you can't believe the things you see as a bird. People are at each other all the damn time," Maggie said.

"My point is that I trust Felix, especially where Clarita is concerned."

"Good, because we're going to need help. This is going to get ugly."

"Clarita is going to be long gone by that time," Gabriella said.

"Only if you're a fairy, because they're already here." Maggie said. Her words were followed almost immediately by a loud 'thawump' which shook the house, sprinkling dust down from the ceiling.

"What the hell?" I jumped from the kitchen table, ran to the mudroom and looked out the small, forward facing window. "It's fricking Felicia, Straightrod and their damn Left Hand."

"What are they doing?" Gabriella asked, crowding in next to me to look out the window.