The cool air on Kaerons face was a godsend against the summer heat. It had been three days of driving two stubborn females, who seemed to be in cahoots on making this trip as boring as possible for him.
"Only two beers while driving Kaeron." "Drive the speed limit Kaeron." "No don't turn the song off Kaeron, it's my favorite Kaeron."
They were already driving him nuts. The only time he had to himself was during the night, but he had spent most of the nights in the hotels they stayed in on guard duty, so he was one more comment about the phoenix ash he was sniffing, or how he was smoking a cigarette in the car again, from losing his cool.
Speaking of cigarettes. He searched the different packs on the wall, as the convenience store worker, a wizard boy, probably around the same age as Lamb, focused his attention on his phone. He was having an intense conversation with somebody, Kaeron thought; the kids fingers were tapping away at an amazing speed, and his face was scrunched up in annoyed frustration.
Kaeron also smelled... fear. It was slight, hardly a whisper, but it was there, even if it were only a specter in the stale air, tabbacco smelling, run-down excuse of a business.
"Hey boy, are there no onyx vipers?" Kaeron's favorite pack of cigarettes had seemed to be the one type that they did not have in stock.
The boy lifted up his head from the phone slowly but didn't completely meet Kaerons gaze. Did the boy know who he was?
"What was tha. That, sir?"
"I don't like repeating myself!" Kaeron growled, slamming his fist into the counter hard enough for it to shake.
The boy jumped backward. "I. I'm so. So. Sorry sir, I ju. Ju. Just didn't hear. You."
Kaeron loosed an annoyed breath. "Onyx Vipers, do you sell them?"
"No, but. but we do have bla. Bla. Black Scales, my pops says they're ba. Basically the. The. The same."
"Oh yeah? Well your pops, sounds as dumb as you if that's what he thinks; I'll have three packs of Castasteele's."
The boys scent changed, that fear was replaced by anger, and Kaeron wondered if the boy would be dumb enough to act on it, when the door opened with a "Ding!"
Kaeron didn't even bother turning to look at the two girls as he said. "Hi love birds."
"Yep." Lex said back, annoyed.
He continued as if not noticing. "Get whatever you want and throw it in with my cigarettes, hey boy, I need gas on..." he looked to where his car was parked, his view momentarily blocked by a black Van.
"Pump three." Lamb yawned.
"You heard her right, or do you need repeating?" Kaeron spat.
The boy nodded in acknowledgment, and Kaeron, too tired to tell the boy to use his words when responding to him, pulled out his Florid card and handed it over to Lex. He headed for the door but stopped when he noticed the boy had returned to texting, and hadn't even pulled out his Castasteele's.
"Are you fucking dumb boy, or are you purposely trying to piss me off!"
The boys face shot up from his phone and concern was written all over it, but he didn't speak.
Kaeron was about to bend the boys fingers back until the pain made him drop the damned device, when a familiar, unnerving feeling pricked him. They were being watched.
A quick glance out the glass doors, and he saw it. A group of wizards and witches standing by the pumps, wands, and staves all aimed at him.
"GET DOWN!"
******
Lillian was jolted awake by a hand, sending her heart into a sprint. She had been dreaming the same dream she had ever since she was a child. The thick rain clouds that had been covering the sky in her dream had been replaced by the gray of the car ceiling, and the woman with the beautiful smile, and butterfly tattoo on the side of her neck, was replaced by Lex's hand shaking her lightly.
She jerked upwards, swinging her head around wildly. "Is something wrong? Did he find us? Where's the closest exit!"
"Calm down spaz. I'm just stopping for smokes, so if you need to piss or whatever, now would be the time." Kaeron said, stopping the car in front of the third gas pump.
The adrenaline coursing through her body was once again replaced by tiredness, but she needed to pee.
"Hey, can we talk real quick?" Lex asked.
Lillian half ignored her, thinking she was talking to Kaeron, she opened the door but a hand on her arm stopped her from exiting.
"Oh, you meant can we talk." Lillian said, pointing to herself and then Lex; shutting the door. "Sure what's up."
"Okay well, when you two are done fingering each other, I'll be inside." Kaeron said, already outside and shutting his door.
They simultaneously flipped him the middle finger, but he just turned his back to them and walked inside the rustic convenience store.
"What the heck Lex!?" Lillian shouted as Lex crawled over the center console; into the back with Lillian, smacking her in the face with her butt, and almost kicking her as well. "Theirs a door if you didn't notice."
"Girl, there are men who'd pay to have had my ass in their face." Lex grinned.
"Who's paying for that boney thing? I'm sorry to tell you, but you've got an ass only a mother could love." Lillian grumbled.
"Ouch, somebody's in a mood."
"Yeah that happens when I get smacked with a frying pan."
"It's not even that boney," Lex mumbled. "Look, enough about my reasonably, boney ass, are you still mad about what happened with Elizabeth?"
Lillian bristled at the name, the scab on her lip where the psycho bitch had split it; sent a fresh wave of pain, and her joints began aching, as if it were happening all over again.
"Nope, I'm fine." She lied.
Lillian liked Lex. She was funny and weird just like herself. She had also been the one who'd convinced Kaeron to help her get back home, possibly saving her life. She had thought Lex was better than her brother, even as messed up as Lillian suspected she was, but she proved that she was no better than he was when she just sat back and watched that ape lady attack her. She didn't even reprimand the ape afterwards, or even ask if Lillian was okay, she just went on like nothing had happened.
"You clearly aren't fine; are you mad that I didn't jump in?" Lex asked searching her face.
"I don't want to talk about it." Lillian said, avoiding Lex's eyes.
"Lillian, she's my best friend, we've been through a lot and..."
"And we only just met, no I get it, we aren't friends, not really, we're just the damsel in distress, and the one who came and saved her.. or whatever, my point is, I understand, we're acquaintances, nothing more, nothing less.
Lex didn't try to hide the hurt on her face... Hurt! Like she had been the one betrayed. The fucking audacity!
"Anyways I don't want to talk about this." Lillian said swallowing down what she really wanted to say; exiting the car, and slamming it shut behind her.
She strode towards the convenience store putting a hand in front of her face as if it could shield her from the hot wind blowing against it. She heard Lex's door shut behind her, and her footsteps gaining on her quickly. Lillian immediately shrugged off the hand Lex put on her shoulder as she caught up.
"Look," Lex hissed voice a little shaky, "I'm sorry I didn't stop Elizabeth, but you gotta realize that stuff like that is normal for me, and we stopped it before you actually got hurt, doesn't that count for something."
Lillian didn't answer as they made it to the entrance.
Lex grabbed her arm and twisted Lillian around so they faced each other, looking into her eyes, searching for something that wasn't there. "And you're completely right, we don't know enough about each other, but I do consider you as a friend, so can we please start over and be cool again?"
Lillian closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, mastering herself. The smell of gas coated the air, making her a bit nauseous, but she ignored the feeling as she opened her eyes again.
"Apology not accepted."
She pulled away and entered the store, Lex following behind. The cool air inside was a welcoming contrast to the heat outside. It smelled awful though, like the customers used the place as their own personal ashtray.
Kaeron said something to her, but Lex answered whatever it was.
"By the way, we might as well refuel while we're here," She yawned, "We're parked in front of pump three."
"You heard her right, or do you need repeating?" Kaeron spat.
What was his problem now? She thought, rolling her eyes, looking his way.
His face had hardened, but so quick that she could have imagined it, she could have sworn she saw a flicker of fear in his eyes as he looked outside.
"GET DOWN!"
It happened in a blur. The waves of energy that smashed the windows and collided hard into Kaeron, sending him flying out of sight. Lex tackling Lillian to the ground as glass and more waves of magic exploded through the room, Lex's scream of pain. Oh god, was she hurt! Did Kaeron survive that blast!?
Blood roared in her ears, and she felt a wet stickiness on her head, but the explosions had finally stopped. She was disoriented, and she was sure the adrenaline racing through her blood, was the only reason she wasn't in agonizing pain.
Dust coated the air, broken glass and debris were everywhere, and there was something heavy laying on top of her chest.
She tried lifting her head up, but the pain that had been nice enough as to not cripple her seconds ago, reared its ugly head, clawing a whimper from her, but she didn't stop until she was sitting upright.
Lex's unconscious face now rested in Lillian's lap. There was a gash on her left cheek, and the backless top she wore exposed the glass shards that protruded from her back.
She had protected her...
Voices started up in the carnage, but she couldn't focus enough to catch everything being said.
"No one could've.." Somebody said.
"Where.. the girl is she.." Another said.
They were after her! She had to go, now!
She slowly and gently lifted Lex's limp head and lowered it to the ground, wiping away a few shards of glass before softly letting go.
Standing was an effort, and her body rebelled against the idea of moving, but she forced herself into an awkward crouch crawl, and pushed herself through the vanishing dust cloud.
"Fuck!" She shouted before she could bite her lip. A large piece of glass had bit into her palm.
"Found you." Someone said, the dust making it seem as if the words had come from every direction.
The dust cloud was suddenly lifted by a powerful gust of wind that almost knocked her over.
A man stood in front of her, a ravenous smile playing on his lips. "Hello meal ticket."
She forced back the sting of tears, and the vomit forming in her throat. She'd rather die here than go back to that man.
"Theres another girl here." Somebody exclaimed.
Her eyes darted to the male standing over Lex's unconscious body.
"Touch her and I'll kill you all!" Lillian spat in a voice that was her own but not.
The man in front of her cocked his head to the side. "Feisty," he smiled and shrugged, "Play nice, and we'll happily let her go."
There was no way in hell she was going with them, but she owed Lex for saving her. "Are you serious?"
"Rex, get away from the girl," he shouted and then spoke to her, "in good faith."
"Okay, I'll go, but I'm going to need help to your vehicles." She said feigning a breath of relief.
There were at least fifteen of them, including the shop owner; the traitorous bastard. She'd make her stand as soon as they were far enough away from Lex that she wouldn't be caught in the aftermath.
The man walked over and Lillian tensed, but allowed him to help her up, and with surprising gentleness, help walk her in the direction of the others.
Lillian steadied her breathing, preparing to fight.
"Run Lillian, run somewhere he will never find you, run until you can't run anymore. Don't tell me where you're going, don't tell anybody. I will come find you when I can."
A small golden light began forming in her chest, unnoticed by her would be captors, and a familiar warmth spread through her. Electricity began to dance on her skin, but she made sure her captor didn't notice. Her best weapon was the element of surprise; she had to strike at the right time, or things could get messy.
They were close enough to the rest of the grinning group of captors, that she was about to go on the offensive when she heard him, nothing but cold, calm, calculative death in his voice.
"None of you, are leaving here alive."