Karl stepped into the room, giving the scowling Smoke a wary berth and a weak smile.
“I just wanted to check in and make sure everything’s okay,” he said, offering a box of hospital gift shop candy to Amber, who kept her hands flat on the sheet and made no move to accept it. “You gave your head a nasty crack. The girl on the register said she could hear your head hitting the ground all the way across the store.”
He winced at his own comment then smiled and shrugged at Amber.
“Well, my brother does say my head’s hollow,” said Amber.
She reached out to scan his aura. There had to be some sign of his intent. No one could lie in his aura. A stab of pain tore through her and she collapsed back against her pillows, pressing the heel of her palms against her eyes.
Smoke was at her side in an instant, dividing his attention between watching Karl and examining Amber for new injuries.
“Amber,” he hissed over his shoulder, “did he hurt you? What did he do?
“Relax, Smoke,” muttered Amber, rubbing at her forehead and uncovering her face. “I did it to myself looking for an aura.”
“Aura?” Karl’s voice was hard.
That word had an interesting effect upon the store manager, Amber noted despite the pain. He went from professional sympathy to suspicious anger in a breath.
“What the hell is going on?” said Karl, taking a step back. “Listen, if you’re trying to set my store up for some kind of con or lawsuit, you’ve picked the wrong place. We haven’t anything to take.”
“What’s your problem?” demanded Smoke loudly, and Amber winced.
Her headache spawned a few baby headaches and they’d invited a few other little aches and pains over for a play date. Her body and spirit were one huge throb and she felt loose, so loose. She turned head slowly from side to side and it seemed that her soul was just a beat behind the movement.
“Nothing, except maybe you,” snapped Karl.
“Enough,” shouted Amber, or at least she spoke as loudly as her delicate jaw and throat would allow. “Listen, you,” she focused on Karl and blinked. Her eyesight was fogging and she could barely stop herself from yawning in his face. If he were a true son of evil he’d take offense at that. If he wasn’t, too damned bad. “Listen. I’m not setting you up for anything. I was heading into your store to ask about a book my aunt ordered online. That’s all.”
Karl looked startled at the sudden change in subject and relaxed a little. Anger faded as his professional mask settled into place.
“Online is where we do most of our sales now,” he said. “What happened? Didn’t the book arrive?”
“Yes, but you see, it’s not the sort of book my aunt usually reads. And a few days later she and my uncle disappeared. I’m sort of tracking them through their last few days to get an idea what was going on,” She studied him through narrowed eyes, “Is there any way you could do a check? See if there’s anything unusual about the sale? Or maybe ask around at the store. Your staff may remember seeing her. It’s unusual for my aunt to buy books online. She preferred browsing. She might have dropped in, seen the book, forgot to buy it, then ordered it online rather than come back.”
Karl regarded her without expression for several seconds. Long enough for Amber to get worried. Had she given away too much information? Yeah, sure, but there were times when she had to take a risk. The longer she looked at the man the more convinced she became that he wasn’t behind the attack on her. She didn’t have the strength to try and scan his aura a second time, but her physical eyes were telling her this was a seriously ill man. She doubted he could walk up a flight of steps without oxygen.
Of course, it could all be an act. A blind.
Right now she couldn’t do that walk, either.
“Okay,” said Karl. “I have no idea what you’re up to, but I warn you, any attempt to pull a con or start a lawsuit and we will be talking through lawyers. There’s a chance that you were innocently clumsy or distracted by concern for your family. I doubt that, because it isn’t the police coming to my door asking questions about your aunt. However, I’m going to ask my staff and get back to you. And I’ll check with the website. But I can tell you right now, I deal with that part of the business myself. If there had been anything to raise flags I’d have noticed it.”
“Thank you.”
Amber decided to ignore the comment about the police. Certainly it would be suspicious to even a mundane police officer that her cousins hadn’t reported the missing family members for eight whole weeks. Or that her first action after being told hadn’t been to call 911. She grimaced imagining how that conversation would go.
“Hi, my aunt and uncle – witches both – have disappeared and we suspect they’ve been eaten by a monster. And it just so happens there’s a giant spider’s web on this guy’s bookstore. Could you check it out?”
Yeah, that would fly.
Like a lead balloon.
Oh, wait, didn’t the Mythbusters bust that one?
Exhaustion was making her ditzy.
“Uh, just to help, do you have a photo of your aunt?” asked Karl.
“Actually, I don’t,” Amber glanced across to Smoke who picked up his cue.
“She’s five ten, looks young despite being in her fifties. Her hair is silver and reaches all the way down to her knees. This time of year she wears a denim duster with flowers painted all over it. Walks with a limp. She usually carries a walking stick with a carving of a bear on the handle. More a strutting stick than a walking stick. She just likes to carry it around. Stylish! Oh, and a black fedora.”
“Are you crazy, or is she?” demanded Karl.
“Perfectly sane, I assure you,” said Smoke.
Karl stared at Smoke for a moment before shaking his head.
“I can tell you right off that lady never came in my store. I’m there every day from opening to after hours; if she’d come in, I’d remember.”
“Thanks, but if you could …”
“Okay, I’ll ask, but if someone came in like that you could be sure my staff would have gossiped about it and I’d have heard.”
“Okay,” Amber and Smoke exchanged a glance. “Still …”
“I said, I’ll still ask,” said Karl, impatience coloring his voice. “So, tell me. What book did she order?”
“First Destroy All Giant Monsters. It’s a …”
“I remember that one going out,” he interrupted coldly. “It was months ago.”
“Almost three months,” agreed Amber.
Karl regarded them with suspicion. Amber guessed he was wondering why they’d left it so long to search for them. With hope he wouldn’t ask; there was no satisfactory answer she could give. Either Smoke or she would sound … odd. Odder.
“And how do I get in touch with you?”
Smoke tried to catch her attention. Amber acknowledged his concern with a slight nod.
“I’m staying in my aunt’s house right now. Same address, same phone number as I’m sure she entered on your site. Can you still pull it up?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, thank you.” As Karl turned to go she called after him, “And thanks for calling the ambulance.”
Karl paused at the door, glanced at her, then at the candy still in his hand. Without turning he dropped the box into the sink near the door.
“I didn’t call. One of the concerned bystanders did.”
Smoke waited until the door clicked shut and muffled footsteps told them Karl Benn had left before turning to scowl at Amber
“Why the hell did you tell him all that? What possessed you …?”
Amber considered her answer for several long minutes.
“Because he looks closer to death than I feel.”
Getting out of the hospital took hours. It didn’t help that now she’d regained consciousness Amber couldn’t go back to sleep. Her soul deep exhaustion frightened her. Whenever she felt herself slipping down into sleep she also felt as if she were slipping f
ree of her body. Smoke sat on the bed, holding her hand and talking to her to keep her awake. Keep her anchored.
When they got back to Five Corners Farm having survived Lightning’s erratic driving, the front door wouldn’t open.
Amber clung to the carved wooden stair rail while Smoke wrestled with the front door. Despite his efforts the stained-glass door stayed firmly shut. He grabbed the knob again, shaking it, twisting it with enough force to turn the house upside down, but it refused to yield. Behind him Amber swayed and leaned harder on the rail. Lightning caught her about the waist and pushed her into a rattan chair, forcing her head down.
“I’m fine,” said Amber, her hair falling over her face.
“Sure and I believe you, too,” said Smoke. “I also believe the sun rises in the north, snow falls up and you can be allowed to wander around bookstores unsupervised. Now stay sitting down until I fix this.”
“Okay,” she whispered, holding her aching head in her hands.
Smoke nodded then turned to Lightning.
“Go round the house. Check the back door. Something’s wrong here.”
“Righto.”
Lightning bounced off, running down the side of the house. Amber sank back against the cushions and closed her eyes. She was exhausted and so hungry she was nauseated, but the thought of eating anything churned her stomach painfully.
Manny and Rust appeared on the other side of the glass door.
“Hey, guys, what’s happening?”
“The house won’t let us in!” said Smoke.
“That’s ridiculous.” Rust seized the inside doorknob and started tugging. Smoke grabbed the outside knob and added his strength. Lightning appeared in the corridor behind his brothers.
“The back door opened for me, no problem,” he said.
“Okay,” said Smoke. “Amber is a little weak to walk around the house. And this door should open.” He stared at the door for a moment, holding his chin in his hand. “Let’s test something. Lightning, Rust, come on out here and help Amber back to the car. I want her away from the house.”
The brothers disappeared deeper into the house.
“This is stupid,” said Amber, but didn’t fight when her cousins appeared and helped her back down the veranda steps.
As soon as her feet reached the gravel path the door behind her snicked open; but when she turned to face the house the door slammed shut, despite Smoke and Manny’s efforts to hold it open.
“That settles it,” Smoke stated calmly. “The house wants Amber to stay out for some reason.”
“Well, damn the house,” whispered Amber. “I want in!”
“Take it easy,” Smoke replied, his voice firm yet soothing. “The wards don’t mean it personally. It’s just something has happened and you have to stay outside until you fix it.”
“Personally? It’s not as if I’m on fire. Why would the house want me to stay outside?”
“The only change is you coming in contact with the monster. It must have done something to you the house doesn’t like. I could bring out a sleeping bag and tent if you want. We could set it up near the lake.”
Smoke’s calm acceptance of the situation infuriated Amber and she considered various revenges. All of which required, first, that she have access to the house.
“Look at me, Smoke. Do you think I’m well enough to go camping?”
He actually took the time to look. If she’d been feeling stronger she would have punched him for taking so long to think about it.
“No,” he said eventually, and as far as Amber could tell, reluctantly.
“Then get me in. I do not want to camp out when I have a perfectly acceptable bed waiting for me,” she gasped for breath then stabbed her finger at the door. “Inside.”
“Before you go in we have to find out what the problem is.”
“I haven’t the strength to deal with it now.”
“Apparently the house doesn’t care about that.”
“Well, bugger the house.”
Lightning and Rust grinned and shook their fingers at her.
“There’s no reason to be swearing, cousin,” said Lightning.
“Not to mention physically impossible,” added Rust.
“And uncomfortable to try …” added Manny, thoughtfully.
“Enough,” Smoke waved an impatient hand over his shoulder at his brothers.
Amber was too tired to scream so she settled for being reasonable.
“I have no idea what’s wrong. I don’t know how to fix what I know nothing about and if I can’t get to the library I have no way of finding out.”
The door lock snicked again. Smoke put one finger onto the door handle and pushed the door smoothly open. It stayed open as Amber cautiously approached. As she crossed the threshold a series of loud slams came from deep within the house making everyone jump. Amber stumbled over her own feet; the quick action of her cousins spared her another embarrassing collapse to the floor. By the time she was steady only one of the hallway doors was standing open. Rust ran upstairs while Lightning explored the corridor.
Rushing back he said, “The library door is open. All the others are stuck shut.”
“What if I need to use the workroom,” asked Amber, “or need to get supplies from upstairs? Go to bed?”
The doors stayed firmly shut.
“I think you’re being allowed in to research your problem and only that,” said Smoke. “Bring her in, guys.”
By the time Amber reached the library Smoke was shaking out a duvet onto a daybed. Lightning returned carrying a tray. The familiar scent of chicken soup filled the air and Amber groaned, pressing her hand to her stomach.
“I can’t …”
“Eat up,” commanded Smoke, as Amber lowered herself onto the daybed. “The doctors said you were to get as much rest as possible.”
Fighting with them in her current state was useless. She forced herself to eat the first few mouthfuls. For a moment the soup threatened to come straight back up, then her stomach settled and she downed the soup, a roll, and herbal tea. She moved her head experimentally from side to side. The loose sensation was still there, but she could also sense a weight pressing on her from the outside. She stared up at the ceiling, frowning.
“What’s up?” demanded Smoke.
“I … I can feel something heavy pushing at me. Do you think the house is still trying to push me out?”
“Don’t think so,” Smoke glanced up and away. “You’re in. You’re family. Whatever the issue it has with you, you’ve been allowed in. Why?”
“Well, I can feel something. Actually, it’s kind of … comforting.”
“Comforting?”
“Yeah. Since the attack I’ve been feeling like I was going to fall out of my body if I turned too fast. Now I feel like I’m being held in.”
Smoke rubbed his chin as he stared upwards.
“Could be the wards. The house doesn’t like what happened to you and is trying to keep it contained. Has the side effect of keeping you together.” Smoke studied her for a moment. “Do you mind?”
“No. I feel better. Secure. Like a warm blanket.”
“Try and get some sleep. We’ll deal with this in the morning.”
She didn’t notice the tray being taken away or the cousins tucking the duvet around her shoulders. Within minutes she was asleep.
Amber woke a few times during the afternoon, blinking in the dimming sunlight. One or another of the cousins was seated across the room from her, keeping watch. Each time her eyes flickered over she was required to count fingers and name presidents – as required by the discharge orders. She was still too tired to argue with the house about permission to go to her bedroom, let alone going downstairs to her aunt’s workroom. Sighing she settled back to sleep.
* * * * *
The sky above her was a freakin’ weird vivid burning orange. Amber scuffed her feet over the rocks, raising little puffs of blue dust. Lifting her bare feet she stared at the blue stain on her
yellow skin. She was naked. Not usual for her. She rarely if ever had naked-in-public dreams. She didn’t have that sort of vulnerability issue.
“Nice color scheme,” muttered Amber, and listened to her voice drop into the silence. “Not what I’d choose for a living room, but maybe … Well, no, wouldn’t like it in any room.”
She licked her lips and tasted the dry air.
Dirt, dust. The scents were vaguely familiar. They tasted like … cooked metal? Ah, yes. Like the time she visited a blacksmith in Williamsburg. The sooty metal tang stayed in her mouth for a week.
The dry overheated air was already pulling moisture from her skin. She glanced down at her hands watching the skin loosen and pucker. Her mouth was dry and her tongue stuck to the inside of her lips.
Wolf cry rang out to her left and she turned. She could see a pack paused, posing on the ridge.
Amber laughed.
Oh, puuleeeease. How classic!
Seated with the muzzle raised to the sky; that was definitely posing. All that was needed now was a glowing full moon hovering overhead. She glanced up. No moon. No stars.
Amber’s totem animals tended toward birds: owls, sparrows, ravens, hawks, reflecting her light spirit and searching nature. Although she’d been contacted by a bear spirit once that was almost a year ago and she was still waiting for the confirming visits. New guides could declare themselves at any time and it wasn’t as if she didn’t need some advice.
Amber shrugged. Okay. She would be polite and welcoming even if the spirit was being theatrical. Who was she to judge the spirit of the wolf? Maybe the wolf was here to help her against the spider.
She wasn’t certain about the mythology. Was there a First People legend she could look up?
But if this was a first contact, then the current behavior of the wolves was unusual. Wolves. Yes. There were several coming over the hill now. They stalked toward her, each movement telegraphing suspicion, confusion … anger.
Now that was different from the guides she’d previously attracted. Amber’s off beat sense of humor usually called guides who demonstrated a similar attitude. Maybe she was going to be told to take things in her life a little more seriously. That wouldn’t be a surprise. Maybe she was due for a spirit guide type kick in the butt. She deserved it after this morning’s pitiful showing. Getting caught? Shameful.
First Destroy All Giant Monsters (The World Wide Witches Research Association) Page 6