by Viola Grace
"So you were going to cause yourself pain earlier?"
Did the little death count as pain? “Yes. That was my plan. I wanted to send out a few large waves of power to make the stalker make their next move immediately. I don't have much patience for this type of thing."
"Ah, do you have another plan?"
"Sort of. How many scary movies do you have on hand? I mean fear inducing ones, not just splatter fests."
"Hmm ... a few.” Her hair was writhing with excitement.
"Is that because I want to let off a pulse with you right next to me?” Abby gestured to the wild dance that Seesee's hair was doing.
"Yep."
She followed her host into the living room and took the preferred seat for watching the big screen television. She would be truly immersed in the films. She hoped that it was a solid plan. Abby hated horror movies.
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Chapter Twenty-Six
"I am never doing that again.” Abby's stomach was still roiling in panic, her nerves vibrated and her host shook under the sheer volume of energy that she had emitted. “I think I am going to be sick."
"Put your head between your knees and breathe.” Seesee was amused.
Abby fought the urge to punch her. “If I catch that little bugger, he is going to regret the day he came to life."
Throughout the movies, Harbinger had taken it into his head to touch her with a clammy, wet glove from behind her, under her or on her side. No body part had been safe from his creepy assault. His attacks had been carefully orchestrated. He waited until she was completely immersed in the tension of the films before he touched her, and his light and unpleasant touch had the desired effect. Power had swirled and eventually she had enough for a magical burst. And another and another.
By the end of the third movie, she had let out four waves of energy involuntarily and was exhausted. “Can I take a little nap here? I think I need to recharge a bit."
"Sure, no problem. My hair hasn't felt this lively in ages.” The hair in question was tucking a polar fleece blanket around Abby on the chair. It lightly stroked her forehead and left her to sleep.
She must have napped for about an hour, woken only by the shout in the room right in front of her.
"Let me go, you little twits!” Imagine if you will a woman with graceful locks that reached to her waist. Then imagine five garden gnomes fighting that hair in an effort to keep the gorgon from using the camera in her hands.
"It's okay guys, let her go.” Shaking off the fatigue that still rode her, she sat up. Rubbing her face to wake herself, he just had to ask, “What were you doing with the camera?"
"I didn't think you would mind and some of my relatives work for the Eternal Archive.” At Abby's confused look, she filled in the blank. “There is a reward for the first picture of a Nexus. In the old days it included painting."
"Why would you want to claim the reward?” A bit of hurt crept into her tone, she couldn't help it.
Seesee looked offended. “Of course I wouldn't want to collect the reward, but if I had this picture, no one else could ever submit the first picture of you. There are safeguards to protect against fakes in the Archive."
"So what you are saying is that if you take the first picture of me, then no one else will bother seeking one for this archive of yours?” When the gorgon nodded, Abby mulled it over for a minute. “All right, I want a picture with all of my gnomes. We started this together after all. Gather around guys."
She fought herself free of the blanket and knelt on the carpet, gesturing for her gnomes to surround her. When they remained at Seesee's feet, she did a head count. “Where is Bitsy?"
"Which one is Bitsy?” Looking around, she obviously didn't see anything amiss.
"He's the dwarf gnome. I was running out of wire to make his skeleton and so he ended up half the height of the others.” The other gnomes looked worried.
"I haven't seen him. Do they know where he has gotten to?"
"Harby? Mitsy? Ruffles? Skint? Splint? Have you seen him? Do you know where he is?” Her position on the floor made asking them easy, but at the same time, she was hoping that he was just playing the kind of joke that Harby had been during the movie. Her blood pounded in her veins and her body flexed as each gnome shook their heads to indicate a lack of knowledge of the whereabouts of their little brother.
Abby rose to her feet and concentrated. If she could just focus on her power, the power that the gnomes carried and find its match, she may be able to find her precious little one.
"What are you doing, Abby?” Seesee was behind her and sounded like she was a thousand worlds away.
"I am tracking Bitsy with the traces of my power still within him.” She looked from one end of the house to the other, looking through walls and seeking power.
"You can do that?"
"We will see.” There. A glimmer, a flicker. Faint but tantalizing. “I found him. Stay here."
"What? No!"
Her gnomes were keeping Seesee occupied, the scrambling behind her was comforting. She would be alone. Seesee's access to the backyard was done through a regular door of wood and glass, the small spells woven into the doorjamb were no deterrent to her exit.
The yard was well tended and Seesee did love her roses. It was under a blood rose bush that Abby found her tiny companion. “Oh, Bitsy. What happened to you?” His energy signature had been faint because there was a giant hole in it. Someone or something had plucked out one third of his life force. Bastards.
He was firmly curled around the base of the rose bush. His bright blue eyes met hers through the thorny brambles that guarded him. He was in pain. Incredible pain. “I know you are hurting, sweetie. I can help you, but you have to trust me. Come out, Bitsy, I promise you will be safe today.” She only hoped she wasn't lying.
Slowly, with motions that spoke of his agony, he crawled out toward her. She waited until his body was completely exposed before she gently lifted him to cradle him against her chest. Power flowed into the void within him, she poured all her energy into him until he breathed more easily. As she cradled him, she rocked back and forth, humming to him. She had moved through her entire repertoire of 80's pop songs and was revisiting Girls Just Wanna Have Fun when he fought her grip and sat up.
Teary, they looked at each other and he tugged on his vest. She didn't know how she had missed it, but there was a folded piece of paper safety pinned to his vest.
This was not going to be good. She had a funny feeling.
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Chapter Twenty-Seven
Bitsy was on patrol and he saw something he didn't like. With the rest of his family watching the Nexus, he was concentrating on the unusual goings on down the street. The human was knocking on the door of the magus. He welcomed her with an uncomfortable smile, but took the coffee cup that she brought him. She followed him into the house, but left the door open. This wasn't good.
Bitsy scurried closer to the still-open door. Inside the two were standing and talking when suddenly the magus began to sway. He couldn't hear them, but it didn't matter, the human caught him under the arm and walked him out of the door. He was on the ground on his back by the time she got him to the sidewalk.
He watched in astonishment as the smallish human dragged the magus by his heels toward the Nexus’ home. Up the stairs and through the house she went. She used the keys that she had had before the Nexus moved in and dragged the magus through the house.
Curious beyond belief, Bitsy followed. If he could help the magus in any way, he would. But with Xander being unconscious, there wasn't much that he could actually do. He could only lift twenty pounds.
Keeping to the shadows, he entered his home. It didn't greet him like it had taken to doing. Something was killing it, draining it of life and magic. If he wasn't careful, the same could happen to him. Caution now ran through him as he moved. The human was doing something that she shouldn't be able to. It couldn't be the magus, he was ou
t cold.
The sunlight in the backyard was off its peak. Noon had come and gone. Crushed grass showed the way to the tree where the magus was being fastened. The great oak didn't like being used as a method of confinement and sent its complaint out across the magical ether. Bitsy thought to himself that he may be able to fix that. Whatever was holding the magus up, could be undone, if only he could get himself close enough.
It was with that goal in mind that he inched around the yard, hiding in the shadows and under the new bushes that they had spent all that time planting to disguise their tunnel entrance.
He wasn't expecting to be caught with his hands on the cuffs tying the magus to the tree and he certainly wasn't expecting the other human to touch him in the chest, bringing pain the likes of which no gnome should have felt.
Agony seared him. The magic that gave him his life was bleeding away and there was nothing that he could do about it. The human pinned something to him.
"Give that you your mistress before you die, magical filth."
Sent on his way, it took all of his energy to crawl the length of the Nexus’ yard, through the mermaid's property and to make it to the gorgon's home. He slumped exhausted under the rose bushes and hoped for the best. The Nexus would find him, but he hoped it would be in time to save the life he was coming to love.
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Chapter Twenty-Eight
"Did you find him?” Seesee was still blocked from the door by the gnomes, but the concern in her voice wasn't faked. Mitsy was dangling in her tresses and didn't look too pleased about it.
"I did. Someone chewed a hole in him."
The gnomes instantly abandoned Seesee to cluster around Abby and Bitsy as they made their way to the kitchen table. “I patched him up with most of the magic that I had, but he is still bleeding energy."
"Who do you think did it?"
Bitsy was being treated to hugs and cuddles as he was coddled by his family. He met Abby's gaze with his own and nodded.
She unfolded the paper that she had clenched in her fist. The contents shocked her anew and the handwriting was terribly familiar. “You need to call everyone in the neighbourhood and bring them here. Now."
"Why?"
"Because I know who is doing this and it has to stop.” Bitsy was running low so she topped him up. The drain was still occurring and was showing no signs of stopping.
Someone needed their ass kicked.
* * * *
Seesee had called all the neighbours together after she had read the note. The sun had set and darkness enveloped the cul-de-sac that they called home. It guarded their movements and those of anyone who would harm the new Nexus.
Only two people were absent and those absences said enough.
She faced the inhabitants of Oak Point Way and spoke her peace. “Ladies and gentleman. I have called you here to announce that the stalker has taken a hostage."
An excited murmur broke through their shock.
"One of my gnomes was taken and drained of magic and a note was pinned to his vest. He was left to die and would have if we hadn't realized that he was missing."
A concerned note ran through the group. “What was on the note?"
"It's a message. For me.” She nodded at her audience. “There is something that I have to do and if I don't return in two hours, leave Oak Point Way. You will have no reason to be here any longer."
"Are you going to kill yourself?” Verne was shocked. That would be the only reason that they would leave. If she was dead. It was chilling to have it out that clearly.
"Oh god, no! But I may get my ass kicked, be burned out, or whathaveyou. If I do, this someone may die, and if I don't do this, people are guaranteed to die."
Laura frowned. “This is a little cryptic, Abby."
"I know, but I have to say goodnight to the gnomes and then be on my way."
"You do realize that we have to stop you.” That one was Verne.
"And I do realize that you all have had some of the iced tea that the gnomes brought you when you arrived. You should be limp for about an hour.” She stood and made her way to the front door. “I am sorry and I hope to see you all soon.” They were indeed all slumping over. She didn't know if the sedative would last for an hour, but she was glad that they would not be endangered.
And she was scared shitless of what was about to go down.
* * * *
Extensive research on the internet proved what Harby had suspected, the mistress was in control of wild magic. That was why someone was trying to kill her.
It was considered the most dangerous and unstable type of magic because it could adhere to anything. It could stick to a tree, branch, lampost or car, even a house. Nothing could stop it. It would do what it willed with no rules or regulations, and that is what it was doing now.
Fortunately for the gnomes, one of the inhabitants of Oak Point Way had an open internet network, with no passwords, which allowed them to jump the signal with no one the wiser. If they had been human, they may have had a twinge of guilt, but as it was, Harby spent long hours online researching BDSM. Wondering to himself why the mistress had crafted him in such a way. And then he remembered, she thought it was funny.
He had already enacted some of the urges that dwelled within him with Mitsy and Ruffles but when he tried it with Skint, he was out of luck. The naked gnome was far too slippery.
With the Nexus safely ensconced in the gorgon's home, they took up positions to guard their mistress. Bitsy was on point, outdoors, reconnoitring, which is why no one noticed that he had disappeared.
When the Nexus went out to retrieve him and brought him back to them, they felt his pain. The hole in his lifeforce that was draining him dry. It was a testament to the magic of the Nexus that without willing it, she had bound them together in body and soul.
Harby could feel Bitsy's betrayal and bitter disappointment in his own skills. His family could only let him work it out as the power drain continued.
For the first time since they had come alive, they followed the mistress's orders by not following her. She had commanded them to sedate the inhabitants of Oak Point Way, and they had. She demanded that they watch the slumbering neighbours, and they did.
They were only waiting for their chance to assist their mistress, but Bitsy's injury proved a point, they were no match for the evil that was stalking the mistress. Instead, they gave her the only weapon at their disposal.
* * * *
With her hand trembling, she moved to open the front door and was once again hampered by a pyramid of gnomes. Bitsy was not part of the pyramid, but instead moved to her and handed her a tiny scrap of paper. She knelt down to examine it.
It was a map of her backyard, the detail was exquisite, right down to the stick figure tied to the tree and a large red X next to the oak in one of the flowerbeds. She pointed to it. “What is mark in the flowers?"
With a solemn look at her, Bitsy simply said, “Boom."
For the first time since she had seen him under the roses, Abby smiled. There just might be some hope out there after all. “Stay here and help the others when they come out of it, all right?” At the tiny ring of nods, she smiled and went out to be the Nexus.
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Chapter Twenty-Nine
Abby fought the urge to whistle. It would have broken the tension that she was experiencing. Or it would have pissed off the squirrel in the tree above her, either one would have been good.
The street was silent. No one was out, they were all slumped over at Seesee's house. The frisson of guilt washed over her and she let it go. It wouldn't serve her in any way to beat her chest and it might get Xander killed.
Her house was dark, silent, creepy and she needed to mow the lawn. Perhaps if they survived this, she could convince Xander to do it for her, shirtless of course. That little lustful thought sent a curl of magic through her, but she needed more if Bitsy's injury was an example of the kind of damage that could be don
e. She stood for a moment as she moved into the once-familiar home that she loved. Something was different.
"Xander? Are you in here?” Abby crept into the dark stillness of her own home and waited. There was no reply, no sound at all. It was eerie. For the last few weeks, she had had the incessant noise of the gnomes running through her house. She missed their psychotic cheer.
The glow-in-the-dark figurines that she had unpacked upon moving in lit her way. She used the figures to orient herself in the complete darkness. Even her coffeemaker lights were out. Something had cut the power. It looked like her stalker was escalating.
The note that she had been given had been very specific.
I have your boyfriend, if you want him to live, you will come to the oak in your backyard and meet me without any of your creatures. After sundown. If I see one stubby hand, Alexander Desmith dies.
P.S. Make sure that none of your power leaks or you will find him missing one limb for each time you lose control. Come alone.
There was no signature, but the spidery script was crystal clear. Abby shivered to realize that Xander's kidnapper had dragged him through her hallways only hours before. She still didn't know how Xander had been taken, but his abductor obviously had overpowered him.
The energy in her home was gone. Completely drained. Could the abductor have done the same to Xander? Wait. The power wasn't drained, it was draining. She used her newly trained senses to follow the energy without expending any of her own. It was flowing in a column to the oak in her backyard. Well, hell. The gnomes had it right.
* * * *
"So you drugged my coffee?” He struggled against the cuffs binding him to the tree. They were not moving.
"It was so easy. You never suspected a thing.” His abductor swung one foot idly in the air from her perch on the bench.
"How did you dampen my powers? I have never felt anything like that.” He was trying to distract her, Abby would come, he was sure and this predator was lying in wait. It was driving him nuts. The rough bark of the oak was rubbing his spine raw. He had spent the last few minutes surreptitiously trying to work one of his hands out of the handcuff. It was no use. They were on far too tightly to enable that manoeuvre.