Gnomes of Suburbia (17 page)

As Abby investigated, it seemed that a begonia was now firmly lodged in Miranda's butt. The jokes were too terrible.

Her magic had returned to her in a rush, but no amount of magic on her part would get Xander off that tree. The oak had shielded him from the blast, using its roots and branches to take the brunt of the debris.

"Hey, Xander. I just have to find the keys for those cuffs.” She frisked Miranda's unconscious body and it was in the third pocket that she found them. “I'll have you out of there in a minute. I got the keys."

While Abby worked at the cuffs in the limited lighting, she heard a tiny stampede and looked over to find the gnomes carrying Miranda up the hill, the begonia waving proudly from her ass. A flag on the battleground.

She opened the left cuff first, arm, then leg and the leg and then the wrist of the right side. Just so he wouldn't fall down as so often depicted in the movies and cartoons.

With a grimace and a wince, Xander tore the tape from his mouth. “Abby, if you ever do anything that stupid again, I am going to paddle you for a week."

Abby looked at him for a long time. “If I am ever in the position to do something like this, I'll let them kill you first, then take my turn. Is that okay?"

He glared at her. Bruised and insulted, he took the only course of action open to him. He kissed her.

Abby wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him into her with everything in her. “This was the reason that I risked my life, just this. My life has been turned on its head, everything I thought wasn't real, is and then there is you. You are the same man that I met the first day. The same man that made my heart pound and gave me the energy to bring the gnomes to life just by walking through my house.” Her lips duelled with his again, then pulled away. “For that I will risk anything."

He looked down at her as he kept her close enough for her to feel his appreciation of her speech. “For that I am humbled, and grateful, and still really, really pissed off."

"Oh, dear, is there anything that I can do to take out the sting of it?"

His hands wrapped around her waist and he rocked his hips against her. “I think you may just have to work it off."

"Is it a worthy cause?"

"I think so. What do you think it's worth?"

She shifted her hips from side to side against him. “A lot. Quite a bit. I have a large bit of interest in your large bit of interest.” A sudden thought occurred to her. “Do you need any extra energy? Did Miranda drain you?"

"Uh, no. She drugged me with coffee."

"But why did you let her in? Your own rules said that no one was to go visiting on the street."

"Uh, Miranda and I used to date. Years ago, just after the street was activated."

Nothing to kill a mood like knowing that it was his ex that had put him and them in danger. “Dare I ask as to why she had the handcuffs?” The flush that was visible on his cheeks was answer enough. “She bound you with stuff from your toy chest. That is twisted.” A new side of Xander that she wasn't pleased with. She would have to deal with it another day.

He was gently rubbing at the marks left by the cuffs. “She is a twisted lady. Speaking of which, where is she?"

Okay, it was back to business. “The gnomes took her back to Seesee's. We should probably join them."

"How do you know where the gnomes took her?"

"I can follow that pitter patter of tiny feet. That, and it is where I told them to take her when I was making my plans.” She took his arm to support him across the yard. “Don't worry, the others should be waking up shortly."

Xander stopped and looked at her. “What did you do?” His arm snaked around her waist and he gripped her tightly, his worry for his friends obvious. “Are they all okay? Did Miranda do anything?"

"Nope. I took a little help from my friends.” She got him moving again, and together they made their way through the darkness and to the only lit home on Oak Point Way. “The gnomes have a way with sedatives. Now let's go wake them up so that Verne can try to kill me again. He really is a one trick pony. Werewolf. Whatever."

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Seesee's living room was almost as Abby had left it. Almost. The addition of a bound and gagged Miranda was new as was the prone form of Verne on the eastern carpeting. His eyes were open and blinking and, as Abby and Xander entered the room, his gaze became furious.

The gnomes were even giving him a wide berth and that was not a good sign. They weren't afraid of anyone, but Verne had done something to scare them.

"I am sorry that I told them to dope you, but if they used what I think they did, this should burn it off.” Abby went from neighbour to neighbour and gave them a shot of the panic-magic that she had generated while Miranda was draining her. When they stirred within two minutes, she had another answer for her growing list of questions. Her power did indeed carry
flavours
with it. And panic magic was a short burn.

"What happened and why did you do that to us?” Seesee was the first one to be revived.

Abby had just finished Laura and was reaching for Verne. Two fingers touched his shoulder and she let the power run between them. “I needed to meet her alone or she said she would hurt Xander and you all.” She should have been paying more attention because seconds later, there was a rush of fur under her hand and she again had a snarling wolf at her throat. Xander was in no shape to help her so Seesee's hair whipped out to pull the were from her torso.

"Back off, Verne. I wasn't harmed. Neither were you, so stop being so dramatic."

He slumped in the air where the gorgon was holding him and began to shift back to human before he was back on the ground. “I am sorry, Abby, Miranda's scent tells the truth about her being the stalker, well, that and the marks on Xander's wrists.” He was fully back to human now, but still looked a little dizzy.

"Did you put all your energy into the change?” Another point for her list of questions. Now to see if he would give in and let her help.

"Yes. It does take a lot of magic to shift."

"Will you accept more power to take up the loss?"

He shook his head and his stocky body shivered. “Here? Now? The magic you just gave me was enough to power the first shift, but it seems to have worn off."

"Different magic for a different purpose. That was to wake you.” She moved toward him again and Seesee had her hair at the ready. “This is to charge you.” Abby looked over at Xander and let the warmth of his presence wash through her. It was enough. Verne took her hand and the power moved from her to him. It was a smooth transfer and not the first jolt that had hit Laura. He looked surprised, but smiled as the energy absorbed into his body and light came to his eyes.

"They were right to send us here. Even Miranda had her part to play. I sincerely hoped that they had not known of her plan before she was sent here, and if they did, they must be made to pay.” Verne the avenging werewolf was a mercurial change from the beast at her throat a minute ago.

Xander had taken up a seat on the couch and Abby joined him.

"Is she all right?"

His concern cooled her attraction, but then she realized that Miranda hadn't moved yet.

"Yup. She is awake already, although she is really sore."

"How can you tell?"

"I am reading her lack of magic. It is shifting and pulsing, but missing in a few spots. Plus she has started to twitch."

The room at large turned its attention to the figure on the floor and watched her as you would watch an alligator that had entered your house.

"Can you block her talents?” Laura was asking, Verne had taken her into his arms and they were eyeing Miranda with disgust.

"No. If you know anyone who has tranquilizers, that may be best. She can still suck all my power out of me as soon as she can calm down enough, but I don't have any more exploding flowerbeds nearby."

The gnomes were near Miranda's head and poking a hole in the tape they had used with a small knife. They fed a straw to her and she slowly and solemnly drank from the lemonade that they had brought her. She seemed grateful for the attention. The room grew quiet as her breathing slowed and she fell into the soothing darkness of sleep.

"Ordinarily, I wouldn't let them sedate someone, but I feel that Randy is a special case here. At least until someone can find something to do with her.” As she spoke, Xander flushed.

"Seesee? May I borrow your phone?” With a groan, he stood and moved into the kitchen at her nod. He was in pain.

Abby had no idea how long he had been shackled to the tree, but it had been more than five minutes and less than six hours. He was stiff, he was sore, but he was safe. Abby counted his blessings for him. The idle thought that with elves in his family, he may have a sensitivity to metal flitted through her mind. Well, he would mention it if he needed extra attention.

The group that was normally so boisterous was ominously silent.

Abby threw in a conversational hot button. “So I know that Miranda here was used to purchase and search out the location where I would want to live, but how did you all decide to come in and join this merry neighbourhood?"

Not one of them was going to answer.

She asked, “Seesee? Why did you end up on the Nexus Neighbourhood Watch?"

Seesee glanced around her for a moment as if looking for an escape. No such luck. “My people
wanted
to send a representative to the seers to see if we had someone suitable."

"Who are your people? Forgive me for my ignorance, but in the histories, there are never more than three gorgons at a time.” She had googled the history of gorgons as best she could. The history of mermaids as well.

"That is true. I have two sisters and Melly already has her three daughters. There will be no more this generation. That is what made me a candidate for the Mythology seat on the council to send as a companion for you."

"Wow, so singular creatures are part of your group? Can you name a few?"

Seesee did look pleased at her interest. “There is a Phoenix, a Dragon, a Minotaur—he is our current ambassador to the council—and a Gryphon just joined. There are also some half breeds making a bid for a separate seat, but until they get it, they are lumped in with us."

"That is excellent. Everyone needs to feel that they belong somewhere. It was part of Miranda's problem.” They all looked at her. “She felt like a second class magical citizen and she claims to have been treated in just such a manner her whole life. It sucks when that happens.” She blotted at her eyes, the thought of being alone in a room full of people who are supposed to love you touched a little close to home. “All right. Seesee was chosen by a seer. How about you, Laura?"

"I was ordered to be here, by my grandmother."

"Right. Is she still alive?"

"She is. And she was insistent that her family be represented here. It was a matter of honour. I did it out of family obligation and have not regretted a moment of it since the day we met. Aside from you sedating us while you wandered off to take on Miranda. That sucked. Don't ever do that again."

Abby grinned. “I think I can guarantee it. I hope I can anyway. If there is another one out there like her, I may just live my life in a bunker.” She turned to the wolf man who had twice laid a fang on her. “Verne. Let me guess. You were ordered here by your pack leader."

"You are incorrect. I entered a competition to earn my place in your guard."

Giggles broke out. “You are in my guard and you have attacked me twice? Did you read the job description at all?” His chagrined face was too precious. The giggles turned into peals of laughter.

"I am sorry I failed you. At your word, you can have my replacement here."

"Am I correct in assuming that the attacks were spurred by your over abundance of Nexus magic? Nod your head to say yes.” She was nodding her head in exaggeration and he finally got the hint.

"Yes. I went wolf and was slightly out of control."

"Well, because I was also out of control, no harm done. In fact, your instinct to guard the other victim of the power burst was appropriate and heroic.” There. They had officially dealt with his attacking her to defend Laura and they hadn't even needed The People's Court to do it.

Whew.

Xander came back into the room and nodded to let Seesee know that someone wanted to speak with her.

She picked up the phone with puzzlement and then jumped to her feet. “Hello Councilman. Yes, Councilman. Completely powerless, Councilman. She can drain anything else, sir. The Nexus is fine, sir. As are her creatures, sir. I look forward to it as well, sir.” She hung up the phone and dropped onto the couch, causing Abby to bounce slightly. A bemused Seesee sat and looked up at Xander. “The powerless transporters are being
sent
to your house. They will be here in a few minutes."

Xander looked a little shocked, as if two strangers were just going to materialize in his home. Abby was surprised by his concern, “Hey, they aren't just going to pop into your home, are they?"

"If the council is sending them, they certainly are.” Verne nodded wisely. “It is the fastest way. We are all magical and useless for long transport of one such as Miranda. Besides, I will need to be there to work them through customs."

Xander nodded. “And I will have to be there to air the events at the council. To make sure that Miranda is properly kept in custody without magic to drain. I am just concerned because I left a few of the cursed objects out. I don't want them setting them off."

He was going to leave. The danger was over and he was leaving her. She tried not to be hurt, tried to keep her feelings to herself and ended up just walking out of the room and collecting her backpack and sleeping bag.

It was time to go home.

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She was halfway to her sanctum when Xander caught up with her. The flare of magic in his home had him cursing and he looked at her with an urgency that she couldn't read. He grabbed her and gave her a kiss to curl her toes, then murmured, “I will be back,” and ran to his house before the unmagical ones started picking up cursed objects.