Katrine
was nothing like I had imagined from the sound of her voice. She seemed to be around the same age as her
companion, she had streaked hair light and black, long and parted in the
middle. Her clothing was similar to
Byron’s except instead of a vest she wore a sweater which hugged her skinny
body.
But
the startling factor was their faces and a type of weird aura visible around
their bodies. The color of their facial skin
was almost a deathly sallow tinge and same with a type of light around
them. Sickly almost – not a pleasant
color at all.
The
Mycroft warlock looked amazing next to them.
He was wearing just a basic shirt and jeans, lithe as a cat, broad
shouldered standing with arms crossed facing his visitors. His energy field was visible. I could see those silver sparks flying not
from his eyes, but jumping from his body in arcs of light, one or two at a
time.
“No
I don’t fear you at all. Your energy is
not strong and I want you to leave my property and get out of town. I’m not asking you, I’m telling you. Right now.
Go. I’m giving you a chance to leave peacefully.”
In
one motion Byron reached into his pocket and lunged forward. Katrine stood with something in her
hand. At the same time Owen uncrossed
his arms and there was a sound like a huge sheet of metal being struck by a
thousand steel pellets. A flash of
florescent purple light exploded, lighting up the house and then a smoky haze
showering metal ashes obscured the deck from my view. The explosion vibrated with a high pitched
tone and Katrine’s scream. There was a
scent like pine tree needles mixed with burning wires. Vapors trailed in glossy curves.
Fain
began to bark. I tried to hold his
muzzle and then had to let go because he was freaking out but I gripped his
long leash and wound it around my hand.
Through the smoke I saw Katrine and Byron running down the steps of the
outside deck. They ran across the
property, swatting at their clothes, toward Mycrofts’ dock. They covered their faces with shirts pulled
up in an attempt to block the smoke.
I
finally saw a small speedboat as they raced, coughing, to the water’s edge,
letting go of their shirt masks.
Unfastening a rope from the dock they climbed in, revved up the loud
motor, turned on headlights and took off for parts unknown. When their boat was almost out of sight and everything
became quiet again I summoned up my courage.
I climbed down to stand in the light of Mycrofts’ yard.
