Chapter Five #2
She turned, and Tekumi was looking at her with a smile. “Great. What the hell is that?”
He chuckled. “Something that should be several generations away.”
He walked over to her and inclined his head. “My lady.”
“Don’t shift, or you will blow your vest.”
He grinned. “Thoughtful of you. Thank you for not requesting it.”
She returned to her normal form. “So, what is an elf like you doing in a place like this?”
He smiled. “I am heading to the new palace to see if my match has surfaced.”
Ax went cold. “Oh, of course. I wish you luck on your quest.”
He cocked his head. “You will come with me, of course.”
“The new palace doesn’t let me in. My energy signature isn’t acceptable.” She shrugged and handed all the documents back to Jax. “There you go. Wizard, did you want to continue, or should I get back to my normal job?”
Jax frowned. “What project are you working on?”
“Antonio said we could make a present for my half-sister’s brother-in-law. He saved her life, and she wants to repay him, so we are preparing a little something in front of the green screen. We’ve laid in most of the music and drums. We aren’t using live music for this. Electronic will do.”
Ax nodded. “We need to get to it so that I can get back to my normal duties.”
Tekumi nodded. “May we watch?”
“It is just me in a sound booth, and then again in front of the green screen.”
Wizard smiled. “You rarely take more than two runs. Let them watch.”
“And the video shot?” Ax bit her lip. “They will probably be bored by then. Jax has to head home for dinner. Penny, Liella, and the baby are home. Thor will be on his way in an hour.”
Jax blinked. “You have a strange grasp of my routine.”
Tekumi nodded. “I see that I am upsetting the lady, so we shall continue our tour. Ladies, good evening.”
Ax exhaled and inclined her head. The men left, and she looked to Wizard. “Is he one of yours?”
“No. Definitely not.”
“How do you know?”
Wizard shrugged. “I just know. He doesn’t feel right. I need someone who is more resistant to me.”
“So, like a Faraday cage?” Ax smiled.
Wizard blinked. “Yeah, that would do.”
They laughed and then got back to the business of making a present for Dex to send to Emery. It wouldn’t be done until the weekend, but all the pieces came together that day.
* * * *
Wizard worked into the night, and when Ax was done with her normal work, she stayed to run through some attack sequences, making things easier for the motion-capture team.
It was after nine when Dex called. Wizard answered. “Hey, Dex. How are you feeling?”
“Pretty good. I seem to recall you said you could heal me?”
“Oh, yeah. Now?”
“If you have time.”
“I am on my way.”
Ax smiled. “You heading out?”
“Yup.”
“I will walk you to your car.”
Wizard shut the computers off and smiled. “Thanks. I have a funny feeling.”
“Me, too, but I am willing to face it.”
Wizard nodded. “Yup. No sense hiding.”
“Then, let’s go.”
They walked to the security station, let the guard go through their bags, and then headed out into the crisp night air. That was when the funny feeling manifested.
Wizard looked over the parking lot and saw her ex. He saw her as well and walked toward her with long strides.
Ax said, “Do you have a restraining order?”
“I do. It’s with me.”
“Fabulous. Cops are on the way.”
“That was quick.”
“Digital communications are my thing. Do you want him gone?”
“Wait on it.”
“Cool. Where does he normally live?”
“Heycord City.”
“Cool. I have been there. Say he’s gone, and he’s gone back home.”
“Okay.”
The ladies stopped and waited.
Wizard watched him, and as he got closer, she waited for him to start talking, and she grew to full height. He froze.
“What do you want? You have your freedom. You have your women. You have your house.”
“You are mine.”
“I believe that you can see I am not. I will never be under you again, and if you dare to touch me, I will rip your skeleton from your flesh.”
He paused and said, “Gigs. Come home. We can be together. We can have a family.”
“I have been pregnant with your baby. You beat it out of me. I stand by my statement. We are divorced. Go to your home. I have a life here.”
He lunged for her, and Wizard said, “Gone.”
Ax lifted a finger, and Graham disappeared. She looked around. “Which car is his?”
“The one that isn’t yours or mine or the security guards.”
Ax looked at the cars and nodded. “Got it.” The sports car disappeared.
“How did you know that was it?”
“Heycord City plate surround, and it was still warm.”
“Oh. Clever. How close was he to his car?”
“It landed on his leg. Very unfortunate. Right leg, too. Will make driving difficult.” Ax smiled.
“Come with me to the new palace, and then we can go for late-night dessert.”
“You aren’t going to get through the gates with me.”
“That was before the Stronghold fell. I am pretty sure you can go through it now.”
“I am willing to try. Your car or mine?”
“We can use mine.”
Ax nodded, and her car disappeared. “Let’s go.”
Wizard smiled, and they got into her car, buckled up, and headed out. She glanced at Ax. “I can’t believe you did that.”
“I know. I should have put him completely under the front tires.”
Wizard looked at her, and they both laughed as they drove toward the building that had put out a summoning charm the moment it went up.
Ax was tense as they drove up to the parking area.
“So, could you force your way in if you had to?”
“Yeah, but it would hurt the queen. It would be easier if she accepted that my energy signature is valid as one of the earth-born djinn.”
“I will bring her out here if there is a problem.”
“It is embarrassing. It was like I smacked into a pane of glass.” She sighed. “They didn’t even see me. I could have been helpful.”
“We will talk to her.” She parked. “Come on.”
Wizard got out with Ax, and they walked to the front door.
Ax stopped with a jolt. “This is as far as I go.”
Wizard was a few steps forward. “I will go in and fix this.”
Wizard walked up the steps and knocked. The door swung open. A pearl-coloured elf with red and gold streaks in her hair stood there and beamed at Wizard. “You must be Dex’s sister.”
“I am, but my friend can’t make it through your barrier. She isn’t an elf. Someone called her a lesser djinn?”
The woman’s eyes went wide, and she passed Wizard and walked up to Ax. “Can I see you?”
Ax shifted, and the woman inhaled. “Oh, you are lovely. I know your signature now. Please come in.”
“I tried to help before the Stronghold. I couldn’t get in.”
The woman smiled. “I didn’t know your kind existed until my daughter mentioned it. I had no reference for your power signature.”
“What is my signature?”
“If an elf is a lightbulb, you are a lighthouse on fire.”
“Oh. I can see the confusion. So, I can come in?”
“Yes. You and your friend are welcome.”
They all headed inside. Wizard grinned. “See, that wasn’t so bad.”
The woman laughed. “I am Regis.”
“Oh, my name is Giggles, but Dex calls me Wizard.”
Ax said softly, “Acina, but everybody calls me Ax.”
Regis grinned. “The kitchen is full of dark elves, but it also has dessert. I will take Wizard to Dex, and Ax and I will chat in the kitchen.”
Wizard grinned. “And I will be back in the kitchen the moment that the wounds are healed.”
Regis nodded and took Ax into the kitchen before she walked Wizard into the house and to a room where Dex was sitting up in bed with her two guys sitting with her.
She laughed and said, “So, do you want to get mobile again?”
Regis said, “What are you going to do?”
“Generate leaves and then treat them with energy to get their healing into Dex.”
“May I watch?”
“Sure. I thought you were chatting with Ax.”
“Oh, one of the alphas was willing to play host.”
Wizard smiled. “Tight suit and broad shoulders?”
“Yup. Eyes you can fall into forever. Yup. That’s the one.” Regis grinned. “You should see him when he’s elfed out.”
Dex smiled. “I wanna see.”
Regis chuckled. “You finish healing so your guys can stop worrying when they look at you.”
Dex snorted, and Tosh and Etienne carefully exposed her surgical sites so Wizard could grow leaves from her fingertips and place them on the marks, one by one.
Regis watched, and when all the leaves were in place, Wizard put her hands over the leaves, and a crackle of lightning moved across Dex’s skin. Three minutes later, she flexed her fingers and dusted the ash from Dex. The marks were completely gone.
Dex sat up and grinned. “Thanks, sissy.”
Regis looked at the smooth skin. “You could have done that at any time?”
“Yeah, but her dad needed to be dealt with. So, it had to wait until eyes weren’t watching.” She paused. “Did you leave Ax with dessert?”
Regis nodded. “Of course.”
Wizard nodded to her sister and her mates, as well as Regis. “Gotta go. Sugar gets her high.”
Regis laughed behind her, but Wizard knew how serious a high Ax could be.
* * * *
Ax looked around. “I need a whole bunch of used cupcake wrappers.”
Tekumi smiled. “Why?”
“Because I want to freak Wizard out.”
“Can’t you conjure them?”
“Sure, but I have done a lot tonight, so I want to keep my reserve energy up.” She found the pantry and grabbed a stack of two dozen empty cupcake wrappers.
She carefully took one piece of the cake that Regis had offered, and then she took a seat at the kitchen table, scattering the cupcake wrappers around her.
Tekumi seemed to understand her actions. “You are sugar sensitive.”
“Yup.”
“Your friend knows it.”
“Yup.”
“You are making it look like you are intoxicated.”
She grinned. “I just wanna see how cautious she gets.”
“Ah, you get whimsical.”
Ax chuckled. “Yes, I do.”
“May I join you?”
“Sure.” She lifted a cherry cheesecake to her mouth and smiled before she took a bite. To someone else, it would be like drinking half a bottle of wine, but when her ears had sprouted, her link to sugar had become clear. Tekumi was sitting across from her and watching.
On her third bite, she said, “You like watching people eat?”