The Bewitched Box Set

by W. J. May

  “I made it. Toss them through.” Storey screamed back. “I didn’t expect it to be that big.”

  There was a shocked silence. Several of the men turned to stare at her, disbelief twisting their features. Eric, his temper barely held in check, said, “Next time, how about a little warning first, please.”

  “Sorry.” She hunkered down close to the floor. Not a good start.

  Louers rushed through the charcoal fog. “Don’t let them grab you. They’ll be able to take you through to their world.”

  Storey scurried further back from the action, shaking so bad her legs couldn’t hold her. Panic knotted her stomach down tight. She grabbed her stylus. She’d drawn the portal, but hadn’t expected it to be so big or right in the front of the door. Making the best of the situation, sketching as fast as she could, she placed a stickman in the room, labeled it Louer, then tossed him into the portal. A rasping scream sounded from the room. She ignored it, desperate to send another Louer into the portal. The intensity of the fighting increased and screams echoed down the empty basement.

  The smell seeped out to where she was. It caught her sideways, making her gag. She choked several times, her eyes watering.

  The sounds of fighting went on around her. She coughed a couple more times.

  “Storey, a little help please!”

  Crap, that was Eric. Still coughing, and with tears running down her cheeks, she returned to her drawing, urging the stylus to increase the speed. Another male screamed. Sounded like Horath. She sank deeper into her focus and sketched faster. The hell going on in there was beyond her experience. That Eric may not survive hadn’t been a serious consideration before.

  This hadn’t been real before.

  Just then Jendron tumbled out of the room to roll to a stop at her feet. He groaned and lay there gasping in pain. Scratches raked from shoulder to elbow on both arms as if he’d been grabbed and had pulled free. She thought he might be seriously injured, when suddenly he let out a roar, bolted to his feet and blasted back into the center of the fight.

  Gulping hard, Storey tore her gaze away from the fighting and tried to draw. Her nerves rattled making it hard to hold the stylus. Consumed with panic, she had to close her eyes to stay focused. Imagining Louers attacking Eric, she mentally picked them up and tossed them in, her hand mimicking her action on paper. It was as if she could see everyone clearly in the melee. Eric was there, so was Jendron at the back. Sketch, pick up, and toss. Repeat. Suddenly she realized that Eric was in the air and flying toward the portal.

  “No,” she screamed. She scribbled over the portal and Eric hit the closed wall – hard. She’d shut the portal. Shocked, everyone stilled and stared as they worked to catch their breath. Only two Loures remained. Eric bounced to his feet and shot them both. Stunned, they collapsed to the ground.

  “Oh, thank God.” Storey clambered to her feet and raced over to Eric, throwing herself into his arms. “You’re safe.”

  He wrapped her up tight in his embrace, his chest heaving from exertion. “Thanks to you.”

  Rearing back slightly, she noted, “Yeah. Apparently as I become more bonded to the stylus, my abilities or the scope of my capabilities is improving.”

  “No, really.” He grinned and leaned over to kiss her, hard. Just as she was enjoying the feel of his mouth on hers, he set her aside. Laughing at the look on her face, he grabbed her hand and walked a few steps to stare down at the unconscious enemies. “Now what do we do?”

  The others shook their heads and walked around the two prisoners. Sweat now mingled with the noxious odor of the captives. Raw sewage couldn’t have smelt worse. Storey looked from them to the attack party. At first glance, everyone appeared to be alive and accounted for, although Horath held his arm at a funny angle. The others appeared bloody, yet not seriously injured.

  Storey stared down at the creatures she’d yet to see up close. Her throat seized. Lord, they were ugly. Nothing she’d care to see late at night, that’s for sure. They had human features, but were disproportionate in size. And hairy. She could only see the face of one, but it resembled the pictures she’d seen in natural history class of early Neanderthals, with huge foreheads and thick jaws. Their palms were thick and ending in impossibly long skinny fingers. She took a step back. She couldn’t stand to be so close, their very skin reeked.

  “How do you attach codes to send your supplies where you need them?”

  “We attach tags generated by the codexes.”

  “Will that work in this case?” She grabbed her sketchbook and asked the stylus to give her the sequence of numbers that the codex computer could pick up. Instantly, a series of numbers came up on the paper. “Okay, here they are.”

  “Do we just write this on their skin?” she asked.

  Yes, but use me to write on them. Then the computer will have my signature.

  Storey bent down to the thick arm in front of her. “Then we’ll do that now. I’m at the first one. Let’s repeat the first number.” Once she touched the stylus to the Louer’s skin, the stylus scratched out a complex series of numbers on his skin. No blood or obvious tissue damage. Weird. It was almost like a temporary tattoo when she was done.

  She walked over to the other Louer and repeated the process. Then she stepped back and looked over at Eric. “This is your part now. Send them home.”

  Eric nodded and punched his codex several times bringing out the musical notes she’d come to understand. “Paxton gave me the destination code that he’d found in the archives used for Mansfield. Let’s hope that’s still effective.” Mist started to swirl about. “Get out, everyone. The mist will take whoever is touching it.”

  The room filled with darkness. When Storey didn’t move fast enough, she was grabbed and dragged out. The other men had filed out in front of them. They shut the door and waited.

  Eric and Storey stared at each other. “Is this going to work?”

  “It should. We send supplies to your world that way.”

  “Interesting.” Something to keep in mind.

  After a few minutes, Eric opened the door slightly, then threw it wide open. He grinned at her. “You did it. The room’s empty.”

  She stepped in to look for herself. Turning back, she beamed a wide grin to the others. “I did it? This was a team effort.” She kissed her stylus. “That leaves what, about thirty-one or so others? Let’s go.”

  First though, they sent Horath and his broken arm back to Paxton for treatment. Now one man short, they needed smaller groups of Louers to keep the odds in their favor.

  Using the stylus, they found a group of five Louers. This time they transported to within ten feet of their location, caught them by surprise and had them unconscious in minutes. The stun gun worked wonders now that the men were accustomed to using them.

  Storey stared down at them in shock. “I haven’t adjusted to arriving, and they’re already out cold. This is great.” With Eric’s help they completed the code writing on all five. Standing back, Storey watched as Eric shipped them back to their old world.

  “What’s the chance of the other Louers being taken just as easily?”

  Eric shook his head. “Not.”

  She grimaced. “Yeah, I didn’t think so. Let’s hope Paxton has closed those tears.” She consulted with the stylus. “No more new crossings,” she announced. “Still, we have another twenty-six to do.”

  The stylus came up with two in a group, and they were dispatched to follow their countrymen in a similar fashion.

  “Two is about right, given how tired we are.” Jendron said, adding, “Especially with there only being three of us now.”

  Eric nodded, fatigue pulling on his features. “Let’s tell Paxton. He might have organized more teams by now. We’re going to spend hours more doing this, otherwise. Not sure we’ll be able to last.”

  Paxton reported everyone busy in rescue missions and fighting. It would be at least another hour before he’d have a second team for them, but he could send a couple of sp
are men for now. Eric’s response was jubilant. “That’s going to double our numbers. That’s huge for us.”

  Coordinates were quickly sent and almost as quickly two more men, both big and broad, arrived. Storey grinned. Talk about a cool way to travel.

  Feeling stronger with better odds, Storey’s group repeated the process with another group of two and then one of three.

  Jendron said, “This system works better with small groups.” He wiped his brow, his voice deepening. “I don’t know how many more we’re going to be able to do. Now we need to find more this size.”

  “The stylus is looking.” She glanced over at Eric. “How about an update from Paxton again. More teams would be wonderful.”

  He nodded.

  “According to the stylus, the last of them are heading our way.” She groaned. “Oh no, apparently three more have joined that group. There are now twelve Louers approaching. And no answer from Paxton.”

  Silence.

  “Let’s stay together and get the job done.” Jendron had proven to be a great sergeant in this war. He took orders well and stepped up every time.

  “Agreed,” the group cried out, flushed with their success. Tired but willing. You had to respect the foot soldier.

  Just then her stylus moved. Triumphantly, she read off, “Paxton is sending another team to meet us at the last location.”

  Watching the relief wash over the men, Storey could see how important it was for this last encounter to go fast and simple. She didn’t want to consider failure and all that implied in this case. They’d been lucky so far. Horath’s arm, a few scrapes and lots of bruises, but it could have been so much worse.

  Just one more round.

  The other team joined right in, catching on to the workable system. The battle was short and intense, passing in a blur of men, screams, and action. Storey, huddled out of the way, hadn’t even needed her sketchbook. The men handled this one all on their own.

  When the last one slammed to the ground unconscious, she jumped to her feet cheering. Eric threw his arms around her and swung her off her feet. They stayed like that for a long moment, both laughing in joy. It was done.

  Well almost done. Using the same methodical system as before, they dispatched the last of them back to their homeland.

  When it was done, she realized there couldn’t have been a more anticlimactic ending. She smiled, a large, smug grin of triumph.

  She didn’t hear a thing before she was grabbed from behind.

  “Eric!”

  A vicious grip slammed her face against a hairy chest of an oversized Louer. The force of the blow knocked her breath out. She fought to fill her lungs with air, the arm around her ribs squeezing her tight. Christ he was big. She struggled futilely against the iron grip. Black spots crept through her vision. Just when she thought it was all over, the steel band loosened, her world flipped and she was thrown over his shoulder like a sack of dog food.

  “Eric. Help!” Pushing against her abductor’s back, she raised her head to see Eric racing behind them. The rest of the men were bringing up the rear.

  Shit. She’d lost her sketchbook. She still had the stylus, stuffed uselessly in her pocket for safe-keeping. Now it was pinned between her and this massive shoulder. Using her fists, she punched the heavily muscled back and kicked out wildly. Her kidnapper grunted once, but never slowed.

  Eric came fast. She could almost see his eyes. She couldn’t miss the blast of the stun gun. It slammed into her attacker’s ribs along his side, narrowly avoiding her. He stumbled. Storey bounced as the ground raced up to meet her. The Louer regained his balance, shifted her on his shoulder and struggled forward. She could respect his power and determination, but damn it, she was getting whiplash from all the bouncing.

  Eric got off another shot.

  The Louer slammed to a halt and swayed in place. Then he did a perfect face-plant on the ground. Storey was thrown on her back, her head slamming down hard and the heavy weight of the Louer crushing against her.

  “Storey?” Eric raced to her side, his fingers gently stroking the line of her cheek and chin. “Are you hurt?”

  She groaned. “I’m fine. Or I would be if you could get this asshole off of me, please.” She coughed, struggling for air under the deadweight. The men hauled the attacker off, letting fresh air pour into her lungs. Lying still, Storey shuddered in relief. They’d talked about death and dying earlier. But it hadn’t really sunk in that she might actually get hurt. She didn’t have any problem imagining it now. Reality sucked.

  While she recuperated, the men dispatched the last of the invaders home.

  Reaching out a hand, Eric helped her to her feet. He handed her the missing sketchbook. Touched, she realized one of the men had retrieved it for her.

  “Trust you to make things difficult, just when it’s all over.” He dropped a kiss on her temple. “I’m sorry he got the drop on us. We thought we had them all.”

  “So did I.” Glancing around at the men gathered, she said, “We need to get back to the lab and make sure those tears are closed and fast.” She sighed. “Then I need to open a portal from their world to the new copy I created somehow.” She had no idea how, but knew she could do it with the stylus’s help.

  “Paxton’s almost done with the tears. By the time we get there, he will be. Then you can do your stuff and it will all be over.”

  Over. What did that mean? Her heart hiccupped.

  It meant the Louers were gone.

  It meant Eric’s world was safe.

  It meant she wasn’t needed any longer.

  It meant – it was time to go home.

  * * *

  Chapter 18

  All the way back to Paxton’s lab and the resounding victorious welcome waiting for them, Storey had trouble dealing with the fact that it was all over. That this nightmare she’d been living for days had finally finished. So much excitement. So much panic. So many emotions had rushed through her constantly. And then everything stopped. The chaos was over. Resolved. The change so sudden...she found it hard to believe.

  It didn’t feel right after days of living on a roller coaster. Days of fearing for her life and Eric’s, the ranger from a different dimension. Now he was safe. She was safe. Everyone in his dimension was safe.

  The stylus, the odd pencil-computer thingy with souls bound inside that she’d found, had opened a portal between the Louers’ old and new worlds. Only time would tell if they’d make good use of it. Her stylus assured her the Louers were exploring their new world already.

  Paxton, Eric’s mentor and senior council member to the Torans, had monitors that tracked any activity through the areas where the dimensional tears had been repaired until they could all be reinforced. The process would take a bit longer, but like he’d said to her, they were on it.

  They were on it.

  As in she wasn’t needed any longer.

  They’d even managed a decent conversation over the future of her stylus. Now that she knew more, she understood his reluctance to let her keep it. Then he also understood her unwillingness to die in order to give it back. A truce had been made letting her keep it until they could figure out how to separate it from her safely. She kept the fake one tucked away. Just in case Paxton decided not to be as reasonable as he currently appeared.

  Instead of feeling euphoric, she felt odd, uncertain. Almost as if she expected, no wanted, more chaos. And that couldn’t be right. She wasn’t a masochist. Why the hell would she want more war?

  Because there’d been a certain attraction to being someone respected, looked up to. Someone who’d had answers. Someone who’d learned to do something others hadn’t. Her pride and self-confidence had definitely had a good time here.

  And it was coming to an end.

  God, she was becoming downright depressed.

  Off on one side, she watched the party going on around her. It was a standing-room-only crowd. Where had all the people come from? There were some seriously beautiful women here to
night which just added to her depression. She was still wearing her old jeans and sneakers.

  Even the usually formal and uptight Paxton had let loose. He’d danced and hugged his way through the crowd. With so many well-wishers, she’d hardly had a moment to herself, hence her attempt at a time-out.

  Eric found her a few minutes later. He slung an arm around her and held her close. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

  She relaxed against his shoulder, thankful he’d joined her. She needed this – him. “Nothing.” With a light laugh, she added, “I was just ready for a couple of minutes of peace.”

  “That makes sense.” He snagged a stool and sat on it without disturbing her position. “Are you ready to go home?”

  “In a way. Then again, I finally feel connected to everyone here. We’ve been through so much, it’s hard to leave.”

  “It’s not forever. I’ll be able to come over and visit, and you’ll be able to come back.”

  “Will you though?” If she were honest, the fear of never seeing him again was behind the sense of letdown she’d been feeling all night. With his world safe again, it was over. There was no reason for Eric and her to meet anymore, except wanting to be together. They had a relationship – she just couldn’t decide what it was. But she wanted to see where it could go. And how could she do that if they lived in opposite worlds?

  If long distance relationships were hard to keep, then cross–dimensional relationships would have to be impossible.

  And given his father’s disposition, she didn’t think she’d be welcome over here anytime soon. Everyone else had been friendly though. Several people had stopped to thank her. Some had stopped to ask her questions about her world and how long she was staying.

  She needed to go home. Who knew what she still might have to fix back home yet? She’d left things in a bit of mess. And undone. Like the note on the inscription of the stylus she’d hidden on her computer. Not that it mattered any more as she could just ask the stylus about the lettering. Later, when she got home and had time to delve into all the unanswered questions.