Spell Break: Part 5

For your continuing enjoyment (I hope), here is episode five.

This episode is rated R for adult language and violence...☺

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5    

The small studio apartment offered no cover and Jason scrambled sideways to duck behind the couch. For several eerily silent seconds, all he could hear was the pounding of his own heart. He struggled to concentrate, pulling his shield around himself like protective armor. Whoever was here obviously wasn’t trying for friendly. Straining his ears, he listened for any sound of movement.

            He felt the couch move at his back, slowly pulling away from him as it slid heavily on the floor. A quick peek up let Jason know that it wasn’t being moved by physical means.  Strix swooped over and landed on Jason’s knee. The owl fed him information as he saw it; one man, big, glowing with power, an angry and malevolent expression on his snarling face.

            The couch suddenly jerked and flew across the small space. Jason spun around from his crouch to face his attacker.  Green swirls of magic energy reached toward him, directed by the menacing figure still in the doorway. Jason tried to move out of its reach even though he knew the effort was futile. Suddenly, the green tendrils snaked out to lash at his shield. Jason gritted his teeth, shoring up the magic that protected him. He felt the attacking magic try to break through and nearly succeed. Sweat popped out on his brow but Jason didn’t yield. His shield was holding, but only just.

            Strix gave a warrior’s cry of a screech and dive bombed the man, twisting at the last second to attack with needle sharp talons.  He clawed at the man’s face, digging at his cheek.  When the man tried to swat the small owl away, Strix managed to avoid the flailing arm with some rather impressive aerodynamics.  The man gave a wordless yell and a wave of green magic burst from the man’s hands.  Strix had no time to avoid the onslaught; the tiny owl was no match for that kind of power.  Strix’s body flew through the air to land with a sickening crunch against the far wall.  His limp body hit the bed and didn’t so much as attempt to ruffle a feather, but Jason still felt him in that place in his head where his familiar always was.  Jason didn’t have time to feel relief at knowing Strix was just unconscious before another tendril of green magic tried to break through his shield.

            Knowing he had to do something, Jason laid his palms flat on the floor, curling his fingers against the wood. He took a deep breath and conjured fire, then sent it along the floor towards the door. The flames raced along the track he directed.  They flared up, not igniting the floor but creating a wall of heat and flame. The magic pressing against his shield ceased and Jason let out a quick huff of relief. He didn’t dare drop the shield but he was offered a few seconds reprieve as his assailant dealt with the wall of fire.

            Jason scrambled toward the bathroom, the one defensible place in the whole apartment. Three steps from the door, his feet were jerked out from under him as a rope of magic curled around one ankle. He landed hard on his elbows and barely managed to keep from smashing his face. By inches he was dragged backward. His fingers scrabbled for purchase on the smooth wood, his body automatically kicking out and fighting against the invisible tether at his ankle. With a heave, he managed to flip his body and get his hands up.  He took a split second to assess his situation and saw his opportunity.  With a quick word, he levitated the sideboard a few inches from the floor and slammed it through the doorway, knocking his attacker back. A few seconds distraction was enough for Jason to slice through the magic attached to his ankle and get to his hands and knees before pushing to his feet.

            For a second, he pinwheeled, his socks affording no traction on the smooth floor, before he managed forward momentum. The blast of energy to his back propelled him headfirst into the bathroom and he landed on the tile floor hard on his knees, barely managing to get the door slammed shut behind him. He flipped the flimsy lock that would do absolutely nothing to keep him safe and dropped his shield long enough to redirect his magic into reinforcing the weak wood of the door. Lifting his hands and placing them flat, he did all he knew how to make it a stronger barrier. He saw the bruises darkening and spreading on his arms as he worked but didn’t give it more than a passing thought.

            The pounding of boots drawing closer made Jason jerk back and stumble across the room. His knees shook with exhaustion, the fatigue and bruising a direct result of the overuse of magic. He had to prop himself up against the sink and didn’t even have the energy to flinch when the banging on the door began.  The regular, even repetition made it clear that his attacker was trying to break through the door.

            Knowing he was out of options, Jason fumbled in his pocket for his cell and the little white card. Shaking fingers made it nearly impossible to unlock the screen and dial the number.

            “Hey kid,” Liam’s deep voice rumbled after the third ring. “I thought you weren’t—“

            “Calvary,” Jason managed to croak, interrupting the attempt at teasing.

            “Shit!” Liam swore tersely. “Hang tight. Where are you?”

            “Home. A man… Attacking… In the bathroom…”

            “Okay. 10 minutes. Hang on for 10 minutes.”

            “Hurry,” Jason pleaded, his voice and urgent whisper. He managed to flinch at a particularly vicious bang. “He keeps—“

            “Eight minutes and I’ll be there,” Liam interrupted, a bit terse. “And get your shield up. Can you do that?”

            “Yeah.” Jason’s voice was shaky and he didn’t have much reserve left but he wrapped his shield tightly around himself. If it weren’t for the glut of magic the Alder had provided before he left, Jason wouldn’t have been able to manage it at all. The banging continued, slow and steady, and despite the magic holding it together, the wood begin to crack. Jason thought he didn’t have any panic or adrenaline left, but he was wrong. The shield grew stronger with his panic and he backed away from the door until the back of his legs hit the side of the tub. He climbed over the lip as the door busted in, flying off like the front door had and slamming into the porcelain. Jason ducked his head, peeking out from under his arm to see the bloody gash received from Strix flowing freely down the man’s face. It made him look all the more menacing.

            Suddenly, indistinct shouting caused the man to whirl and race from the room. Jason curled further into himself and listened to the yelled curse words and the sounds of bodies in a physical fight. The noises went on for several minutes. And then, it just ceased. There was a very long moment where Jason held his breath, waiting.

            “Jason!” Liam’s now familiar voice called out. “Talk to me, kid.”

            Jason’s relief flooded his veins so rapidly he got lightheaded. He pressed his forehead to his knees and sucked air, trying to remember how to breathe normally. It was only when Liam shouted his name again, this time with a bit more urgency, that Jason was able to lift his head.

            “I’m okay.” His voice sounded as shaky as he felt and he climbed to his feet with great difficulty. The fatigue washing through him made him want to do nothing more than lay down where he stood and sleep for a week.

            “Okay. Good,” Liam called. “Now come out here where I can see you with my own eyes.” It was both a request and a demand. Jason moved as quickly as his body would allow.

            Leaning against the splintered bathroom doorjamb, Jason surveyed the damage to his apartment, not more than a broken table and a scorched floor, before he focused on Liam. The big man had his attacker hogtied, literally, at his feet. Jason wasn’t sure where he got the rough hemp rope, it was possible he had conjured it, but the guy was truly trussed up. And unconscious.

            A soft hoot gained Jason’s attention and he slipped and slid on unsteady legs to where he had last seen Strix’s limp body. A few seconds of fumbling and Strix managed to right himself.  The owl looked perfectly back to normal and Jason nearly laughed when Strix let him know just how pissed off he was.  Both at the man who had invaded their home and attacked them, and at Jason for leaving him unconscious on the bed.  Jason knew he would have some heavily groveling ahead of him to make up for that oversight.  Strix sent calm thoughts, glad Jason was all right, and the thought that a trip to the alder would not be unwelcome.  Jason managed a weary smile before sitting heavily on the floor.  Strix took the opportunity to hop down into Jason’s lap. 

            Exhausted physically, emotionally drained, hurting and sore, Jason leaned his head back on the wall.

            “Who is that guy?” Jason asked wearily, his voice barely above a whisper.

            Liam stared down at the unconscious man like he was something gross found on the bottom of the shoe. “I don’t know. I guess we'll find out when he wakes up.”

            “You think,” Jason asked hesitantly without lifting his head, “that he was working with that Damian guy?”

            Liam gave an easy shrug of his massive shoulders. “Doubt it. I think this is something else entirely.”

            Jason closed his eyes. Fuck.

***

            Kelly stared at the screen of his computer, trying to make sense of the spreadsheet in front of him and failing miserably.  Good thing it was his sister’s account and she would forgive him for his lack of attention.  Ever since Jason had walked out the door two hours ago, all he could do was worry. Nola was perched on the edge of the desk and he felt her worry, too.  She was also pretty upset with Kelly for not maning up and telling Jason the truth so he would stay.  Kelly tried to reassure his familiar but she turned her head and closed her eyes.  Kelly grunted.  Felines.

            His cell phone lit up and chirped out a happy tone.  He glanced at it, his face curling into a snarl when he saw Liam’s name pop up.  He silenced the phone with a quick push of a button.  He was so not in the mood for another lecture about what a dumb shit he was.  Kelly was well aware of his failing where Jason was concerned.  That didn’t mean that he didn’t think he was in the right, just that he knew he could have handled it better.  He should have never let Jason see that the attraction was mutual.

            Not sixty seconds later, the house phone began to ring.  Kelly leaned forward and checked the caller ID.  Liam again.  He was being a persistent bastard about this.  Kelly ignored that, too, knowing the answering machine would pick up in a few rings.  Let the man leave his rant on the machine.  That way Kelly could delete it without listening to it.  The ringing cut off a moment later and Kelly focused his attention once again to the screen, determined to put this whole mess behind him and move on.

            “PICK UP THE FUCKING PHONE, YOU FUCKING SON OF A BITCH!!” Liam’s voice echoed through the house at top volume.

            Kelly snatched up the handset and fumbled it for a second before he managed to hit the button to interrupt the machine and answer the call.  He’d only ever heard that particular tone, anger laced with a bit of panic, from Liam on a couple of occasions.  And not one of them had ever turned out well.

            “What the hell?” Kelly answered, his heart in his throat.

            “You need to get over to Red Rock Creek.  Now.”  Liam spoke calmly, but Kelly knew him well enough to know that there was something bad brewing.  But what the hell was in Red Rock Creek?

            Realization dawned with a sickening twist in his stomach.  He was already racing for the door, Nola hot on his heels.

            “Jason?” Kelly asked urgently, desperately.  His chest was tight and he couldn’t draw in a good breath even as he ran to his car.

            “Is all right,” Liam answered quickly, doing his best to sound reassuring.  Kelly blew out a breath, his tension easing.  Until Liam added, “Barely.”

            “I’m on my way,” Kelly said firmly.  He didn’t wait for a reply.  He didn’t even bother to turn off the handset as he chucked it into the back seat.  The call would cut out when he pulled away from the house anyway.

            Kelly made the forty minute drive in twenty five.  It was a miracle he didn’t get stopped.

            He raced up the four flights of stairs to Jason’s apartment without pause and as soon as he reached the apartment, he saw the door blown off the hinges.  It was a wonder the place wasn’t crawling with police.  That kind of noise was bound to draw attention from the neighbors.  He realized why no one had heard as soon as he got to the doorway.  Whoever had done this had placed a sound damping spell.  To anyone on the outside of it, the sounds would be muffled, like a neighbors TV turned up just a touch too loud.  Kelly didn’t pause and strode through the doorway.

            In his peripheral vision, he barely registered Liam standing guard over an unconscious form.  His eyes were solely fixed on Jason.  Slumped on the floor, his eyes closed and his body showing dark red-purple bruises, he looked utterly exhausted.  Kelly was before him in an instant, crouching down and reaching out a tentative hand to Jason’s cheek.  Blue eyes opened reluctantly and Kelly winced at the pain he saw there.

            “Wasn’t kidding when he said you were the Calvary,” Jason mumbled.

            Kelly frowned, concerned because the man wasn’t making sense.  “Did you hit your head, sweetheart?”

            Jason slowly raised a hand and weakly tried to push Kelly’s hand from his face.  “M’not your sweetheart.”

            Liam gave a heartily amused chuckle that seemed entirely out of place.  “He’s all right, Kel.  He’s just tired.  That’s an inside joke.”

            The wash of jealousy was completely unwarranted and out of place, so Kelly pretended he wasn’t feeling it.  Instead, he scooped Jason into his arms.  He’d get the story of what happened here later.  It was obvious from the fatigue and bruising that Jason had expended an excess of magic.  And the only way to get him feeling better was to get him to recharge.  Kelly knew the absolute best place to do that.

            Jason was too exhausted to struggle much, but he tried.  Kelly took a firmer grip and stood still long enough to reposition Jason in his arms and let Strix land on his shoulder.  Nola had followed him up from the car and she was smugly concerned that she had been right to worry.  Kelly ignored her emotions, asked her please be careful not to trip him while he was carrying precious cargo, and headed for the door.  Before he stepped out into the hall, he turned his head to call over his shoulder.

            “Liam, if you would see to the clean up?” 

            Liam snorted out a chuckle.  “Yeah.  Sure.  No problem.  Where are you taking him?”

            “Home.”

            “Yeah,” Liam said slowly, drawing out the word.  “I don’t think he’s going to like that.”

            Kelly looked down at the man in his arms.  Jason had fallen asleep, curled in his arms like a trusting child.  His mop of brown hair was obscuring his features, but Kelly didn’t need to look to know what he would see.  He had the man’s face memorized.  Whatever had happened here, it had happened because of Jason’s association with him and there was nothing Kelly wouldn’t do to see that put to rights.

            “Ask me if I give a fuck,” Kelly tossed over his shoulder as he left, ignoring Liam's amused chuckle.

            Jason slept the whole way back to Boulder and he didn’t even rouse when Kelly pulled to a jarring stop in his driveway.  Leaving Jason in the car for a moment, he fought with the latch on the gate until it swung free.  He carefully gathered the sleeping man in his arms and went straight for the tree.  The alder reached out with its magic, embracing them both in its peace.  Kelly breathed a sigh of relief, settled against the base of the trunk, and held Jason tightly.  He willed some of his own magic into the man in his arms and after several long moments, Jason’s breathing eased a bit and Kelly could see that the bruises were starting to lighten some.  With a gentle hand, he pushed the mop of curls back from Jason’s face and dropped a kiss on his forehead.  Jason didn’t even stir. 

            Now, all Kelly could do was wait.

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