13. Cindercorns are not supposed to like being wet. #2
“I have another case just like it locked in the van, and I also have sedatives and ambrosia in case they’re required. We will not discuss the phoenix feathers we brought just in case.”
“It’s like the CDC learned from its mistakes.
I’m impressed.” The last thing I needed was to set loose another phoenix and be responsible for more mass destruction.
For some reason, where I went, things became either irrevocably broken or lit on fire.
I plucked out one of the highest grade vials, giving it a shake to check on the pixie dust’s consistency, which matched my expectations.
“How close to the moon am I sending this gorgon?”
“All the way there. That’s fresh from one of our most potent contacts, made this week.”
I whistled, as even trace amounts of the dust would be enough to enslave somebody—or turn my husband into a sex fiend. “I’ll just keep the empty vial for my amusements tonight if this stuff is that fresh. That little should make him able to remember it. Maybe.”
“I’ll make sure you have the right neutralizer on hand so you can keep your husband somewhat contained.”
I smirked, observing my husband open the SUV door to be pounced upon by a wolf, a husky, and an ocelot.
Somehow, he kept the animals from escaping, although I worried they might lick his face off by the time they finished with him.
“It seems he’s being disciplined by our pets for leaving them alone in the rental for so long.
Deserved. All right. Time to get to work.
Make sure you have neutralizer on hand. I’ll need a low enough grade of neutralizer it won’t neutralize the pixie dust while reversing petrification for this. ”
“I’ve a batch about to expire with me, and having heard about your general inclination to use near-expiring batches, you can even take the bag with you when you leave in case you need it. You have a habit of finding trouble.”
“I really do.”
With Alan’s help, I dragged the fifty pound bag of neutralizer over to the statue, held the vial of pixie dust between my teeth, and mixed the neutralizer with some water to create a paste.
Normally, people worked head down to begin the process, but I smeared the neutralizer between my hands and started with her feet and legs, giving her a brisk rub to begin restoring her to flesh.
When I made it to her chest, I popped open the vial of pixie dust and shook it out on her face before dumping the rest of it over her head.
Unfortunately for me, very little of the dust remained in the vial, and I sighed over my misfortune.
“I’m not sure that’s the appropriate handling of pixie dust,” Alan observed, backing a safe distance away. “Also, I commend you for somehow managing to get it all out of the vial. I’ll provide a proper vial for your evening entertainment, as that little left won’t do anything to anybody.”
No kidding. I sealed the vial and tossed it on the ground before taking the neutralizer scoop and burying it.
“It’s perfectly appropriate. It’s all in her nose, so once she starts breathing, she’s not going to feel a damned thing.
Just don’t try to give her snakes a kiss until she’s gotten cleaned up. You’ll be fine.”
“I was not planning to give her snakes a kiss.”
“Just get permission before you kiss them. The little bastards like attention. We’ll have to check their venom sacs once she’s somewhat coherent.” I resumed spreading neutralizer up to her neck to beneath her chin, pleased when color began returning to her cheeks. “Showtime.”
As I didn’t want to be covered in gorgon bile, I got out of the way and waited.
Within a few minutes, she stood on her own, and her snakes reared back, hissing their discontent. The gorgon breathed, and within moments, her body relaxed and she sat on the ground, swaying back and forth. The swaying worried me, and I regarded the archangel with a frown.
“Don’t worry. Between the influx of divine magic and the high dosage of pixie dust, she is a little sleepy. That will fade in a few minutes. She should be coherent enough now for you to speak with her and remove her blindfold.”
Alan handed me a pair of sunglasses, and at a curt order, everyone turned so they wouldn’t get a dose of her gaze.
I took care with removing her blindfold. “You’ll be all right,” I promised, carefully untying the blindfold and putting the glasses on her. “What’s your name?”
“I’m Annie,” the gorgon replied in a sleepy voice. “I had a bad dream.”
I cringed. “Well, the bad dream is over. There are humans nearby, so you need to be careful with your snakes and your gaze, okay? If you feel sick, let me know.”
Gorgons couldn’t really control their bile production if they were truly startled, but like humans, I’d learned they could get sick, too.
Their vomit just took a hell of a lot more work to clean up.
“I feel okay. Better than I should. What a horrible dream.”
Damn it. I wanted to lie to her, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. “It probably wasn’t a dream, but you’ll be okay now. Were you part of a hive?”
“Oh, no. That’s when the nightmare began.”
Okay. If she wanted to insist it had been a nightmare, I’d work with that. I sat down in front of her, and I began the tedious work of removing the tiny blindfolds from her snakes, who joined Annie in her pixie dust haze. “How did the nightmare begin?”
“Humans stole me from my father’s hive. I was old enough my father no longer kept as close of an eye on me, and I stayed home one day when he took my younger sisters out.
I was old enough to stay at home alone. My father hadn’t found a new hive for me yet, but he showed me favor by leaving me alone. It was my first time.”
Poor Annie, although I couldn’t help but feel relief the tragedy wouldn’t worsen.
It hadn’t been her hive to die.
While it wasn’t much, I’d cling to the silver linings I could.
“Can you tell me your father’s name and where he lives?”
Annie frowned. “He’s Father. But I can tell you where our hive lives.” To my surprise, the address was in a mid-sized town we’d passed through on the way to the bed and breakfast, a quaint little place I hadn’t expected to be the home of a gorgon hive.
“Alan?”
“I’ll inquire,” he replied, heading off to his van.
“My father will not be happy. I’m too old.”
I grunted. “Don’t you worry about that, Annie. My husband will speak to your father about making arrangements. Were you old enough to help care for your younger sisters?”
“Oh, yes. Father taught us early.”
“Well, that’s perfect. I’m fostering some young whelps this summer, and you can help take care of them until you’re settled and some nice gorgon men have a chance to meet you.” I expected she’d get an offer fairly quickly, as the males would want to garner favor with Quinn regarding Beauty.
I sometimes hated gorgons as much as I loved them.
“But you’re human.”
“I’m immune, and my husband is the son of a rather human gorgon king.”
Her eyes widened. “You are a bride of the Quinn family?”
I stood and pointed at the SUV. “You are so much trouble, Samuel Leviticus Quinn!”
Apparently, the SUV had a window open, as my husband got out of the vehicle and strolled over, and our pets romped through the snow with him, all wearing their harnesses and leashes. “What did I do now?”
“Does every gorgon on Earth know about you and your wicked ways?”
“Well, I’d say not on Earth but definitely around here.” My husband chuckled, staying a safe distance away. “Introduce me to your new friend.”
“This is Annie. She was stolen from her father’s hive. Alan is trying to contact him.”
“I better go help. Stolen, you say?”
“She says she was.”
“That’ll make this easy. Check over her snakes. At least one or two of them need to bite.” Quinn pointed at one of the serpents, who sure enough, had bulging venom sacs.
“Oh, your poor snakes.” I cupped the serpent’s head in my hands and examined her. “I’m immune, Annie, and we don’t have a kit handy, so it’s okay to bite me. What type of snakes are these? I haven’t seen them before.”
“Kraits. They’re venomous.”
“I’m immune, so let’s get your poor babies dealt with. What sort of toxin?”
“Neurological, which induces paralysis. I’ve only had one test done, but my father was worried because I can kill humans quickly.”
“Well, don’t you worry at all. I’m a champ at this, and your babies can’t be comfortable.
” To encourage her, I tapped my finger to the snake’s snout, and after a few encouraging prods, I earned a bite.
“There you go.” I pet the snake with the other hand.
Once she let go, I gave another nudge, and the second bite came faster and harder.
It took four bites for the venom sac to empty enough for the snake to be comfortable.
I’d feel that later, although to my relief, her venom didn’t induce immediate itching.
Most of her snakes needed two or three bites to clear out their venom sacs, and I wondered how long she’d been held hostage without her snakes being able to bite that so many of them were in such discomfort.
I assigned all blame to Morrison, and I’d add in a few extra kicks or stomps if I ever got a hold of the bastard.
“That feels a lot better,” Annie admitted after I finished becoming the dumping ground for her snake’s venom. “You are really a bride of the Quinn family? But you do not look like the bride.”
“Ah. Audrey. Let’s just say she’s a cheating bitch and landed herself a divorce for her inability to stay loyal to a man who cannot tolerate disloyalty.”
“Vile,” Annie muttered.
It amused me the gorgon had such deep feelings over loyalty to be cranky over it while under the influence of the best pixie dust on Earth. “I agree, but it’s no concern. Audrey won’t be bothering anyone again.”
“No? But she…”
Hello, intel. “But she what?”
“She had plans. She wanted me to help with them, because I was an unwanted gorgon female. I refused. That’s when the nightmare ended. She ended it.” Annie touched her bare chest, which lacked any evidence she’d been stabbed with a sword. “Oh. I thought she did.”