The Old House (Haunted Series Book 16) (10 page)

“That’s the big problem, Mike.  I may have jump-started the healing process, but they are human males and will heal at a human’s pace.  I think, aside from them using their brains, we can’t count on them in a fight.  You’re stuck with me, Murphy and Audrey.”

“Two amazons and a ghost.  Well, that certainly increases the odds,” he joked.  “Where is Murphy?”

“I imagine he’s scouting things out.  He wasn’t here when I woke up.”

“Probably Cid sent him out for some intel.  I’ll wait until he comes back before trying to get to our rooms to pick up some needed things.”

“Audrey and I can do that.  You stay here and protect the nerds,” Mia insisted.  “Make a list of what you need. I’ll wake Audrey and ask the others what they can’t live without.”

Mike nodded.

Mia left the table and walked over to wake Audrey.  “Audrey,” Mia said as she gently nudged her friend.

“Morning, Mia.  Do I smell coffee?”

“Yes, I’ll grab you a cup while you wake up.”

“Where’s the ladies…”

“Better let me go with you.  I haven’t checked it out yet.  Mia walked over and grabbed a flashlight from the equipment bag and met Audrey on the far side of the bar.  They walked down past the men’s room to the door displaying a stick figure representation of a female.  Mia opened the door and was pleased to find a fresh-smelling bathroom.  It had two stalls.  Mia insisted Audrey go first while she kept watch.  “The last place you want to be trapped in is a stall.”

Mia stared in the mirror while Audrey took care of business.  She caught a glimpse of the faint black lines moving on her back.  “Stop, please stop,” she said.

“I would, but I’ve never been good mid-stream,” Audrey said from the stall.

“I’m sorry, I was talking to the tats on my back.”

“Seems to me that Angelo’s don’t show all the time. Perhaps he can help you to hide them.”

“I know the answers to a lot of things can be found by spending some time with Angelo, but I’m not ready.  My marriage is still not as sound as it once was.  My son needs my attention.  And above all, I’m scared.”

Audrey flushed the toilet and exited the stall.  She washed her hands silently. She turned to Mia and said, “I know I don’t have the same concerns, Mia, but after my husband first started beating on me, I lost something I have yet to find again.  I used to be so brave.”

“I think you’re brave,” Mia said.

“But, Mia, that’s because I’m around you guys.  When I’m on my own, I’m still quite skittish.  When people rush at me, I cringe.  I expect the blows.  I went to counseling, but I’m still not the girl I was.  I’m thinking, I’ll never be the same again.”

Mia didn’t know what to say.  “I guess we have to learn to appreciate the women we are now.”

Audrey smiled. “Exactly.  The woman who saved us in that cavern, not thinking for one moment that she was putting herself in danger, is a wonderful, special person, I’m so glad to know.”

Mia smiled sadly.  “I’m not a very good friend to you, Audrey.  I’ve been all wrapped up in myself and my problems. I’m sorry.”

“I’ve never felt neglected,” Audrey said honestly.  “I know that if I did have a problem, you wouldn’t let anything stand in your way to help me.  I know this here,” Audrey said, patting her chest.  “You’re my hero, Mia.”

Mia burst into tears.  Audrey joined her, and the two clung together for a few moments and let the tears fall.

When they had comforted each other, the two broke apart and washed off the tears.  Audrey insisted on Mia taking off her shirt.

“I think it’s time we face what’s here,” Audrey said.

Mia did as she was asked.  She turned around so Audrey could see first.

“Oh my, it’s absolutely fierce,” she said.  “Turn around, and look in the mirror.”

Mia did and viewed the black lines that moved into the shapes of feathered wings that moved across her shoulders and down her back.  “There goes swimsuit season,” Mia joked.

“Try this: wish them to be hidden,” Audrey suggested.

Mia did so, but they remained.

Audrey frowned.  “There has to be...  What about if you tap your wrist?”

Mia did so, and the wings fluttered.  She quickly tapped it again to stop that.

“Damn, I’ll think on this for a while,” Audrey promised.  “But now, we have more immediate things to take care of.”

“You’re right,” Mia said, pulling on her shirt before she went into the stall to take care of herself.

“I’ve got it!” Audrey proclaimed.

Mia flushed, walked out, and looked at Audrey.  She was jumping up and down.

Audrey walked over and grabbed Mia’s wrist.  She placed Mia’s unfeathered wrist over the other and separated them.  She twisted Mia around. “Look!”

Mia did, and the tattoo was gone.

“How?”

“Orion and Angelo did this,” she said and demonstrated by putting her wrists together, “just before they sprouted wings.  So I figured, it may also bring the wings back in too.  One-button service, sort of.”

“You’re a genius.”

“No, just observant.”

“Gee, all this time I thought you were only checking out their packages,” Mia accused.

“Well sure, but you can only look so long,” she said, blushing.  “Now try it.  Give me wings, Mia,” Audrey said, pulling Mia’s shirt off.

Mia tapped her wrists together.  The tattoos emerged.  She stroked the feathers on her wrist and felt something moving out of her.

Audrey saw the wings emerge. She quickly grabbed and held the straps of Mia’s bra together so the wings would not be pinned.  She took a clip from her hair and secured the straps before standing back and smiling. “Oh my god, they are beautiful.”

Mia stared open-mouthed in the mirror.  She looked at the luminous off-white wings and recognized them.  They weren’t birdman wings.  She was staring at angel’s wings.  “What if I can’t put them back?” she asked.

“Rub your wrist, and then tap the two together like before,” Audrey instructed.

Mia did as she was told, and the wings disappeared.  “Well, that was most unexpected,” Mia said.

Audrey took the clip off Mia’s straps.  “I suggest you wear a racerback bra and top.”

Mia wiped the tears from her face.

“Did it hurt?” Audrey asked, concerned.

“It felt odd, but it wasn’t painful.  Magic is seldom painful,” Mia said.  “Audrey, can we keep this between the two of us for now?  Ted’s been through enough.”

Audrey nodded.  “Thank you for sharing this with me.”

Mia hugged her friend.  “Now let’s get out there.  Mike’s probably thinking we’re up to some lesbian things in here, we’ve been gone so long.”

Audrey laughed.  “If he only knew…”

Murphy was standing in the hall.  Mia stopped and let Audrey walk by her.  “Are you alright?” she asked.

“Are you?”

Mia nodded slowly, and then she grasped Murphy’s hands and said, “I’m starting to accept my fate, Murph.  I’m going to be alright. I still have a choice.”

“The storm is keeping the men in the security shack.  Time to get prepared.  They are armed.”

Mia nodded.  “Lead the way.”

Murphy looked at her. “Get your shield and sword.”

“I think I better leave them for Mike, just in case.  Audrey and I have you to protect us,” she reasoned.

“Okay.  Hurry,” he said.

Mia rushed over and handed the scabbard to Mike, showing him how to remove the shield and sword.

“Mia, I don’t know how to use this,” Mike protested.

“Did you never play with wooden swords as a kid?”

“Yes, but…”

“It’s the same thing, but this is the real deal,” she said seriously.

“Okay, I’ll do my best.  This shield may stop a bullet or two,” he said, looking at it.

“We’ll be back as soon as we can.  Where’s the list?”

He handed her the combined list and read off the items according to room number.  Mia stuffed it in her pocket and ran over and kissed her husband goodbye before she met Audrey and Murphy at the door.

Mike looked at the men he had been left to defend.  Ted had Curly moving around after he’d turned his phone into a localized Wi-Fi hub.  Cid was working on small wormlike machines.   They had a lens at the end of them.

Burt limped over to Mike with a rolled up paper.  “Want to take a look at this?”

“You shouldn’t be on that leg,” Mike scolded.

“Mia did a good job, and Jake designed a better cast.  Cid built it while you were sleeping.”

“Did any of you develop anything resembling a gun?” Mike asked the room.  When he didn’t receive a positive comment, he requested, “Tell me what we do have?”

Mia followed Murphy’s lead, and Audrey followed Mia.  No one spoke.  Their aim was to get in and out of the rooms as quickly as they could.  Mia grabbed the meds Mike needed, stuffing them in her pockets when Audrey wasn’t looking.  She didn’t pay attention to the labels. She didn’t want to invade his privacy.  She also grabbed some clothes out of Mike’s suitcase.  He didn’t ask for them, but he couldn’t go on wearing the blood-stained jeans.  She grabbed Ted’s go bag and stuffed a few of her clothes in.  She met Audrey in the hall.  Audrey had taken care of Burt’s and Cid’s requests.  She just had her stuff to get.

Mia and Murphy looked at each other while they waited.  He knew something was up with her.  She decided to try something.  She pushed a thought in his direction.

“Wings?” he said.

She nodded.

“How are you doing this?”

“It’s similar to mind reading, but I’m not listening, just talking.  I can’t read your mind.”

“Good.  Tell me about the wings,” he said.

Mia closed her eyes and sent the memory to Murphy.

“Audrey is a true friend, Mia.  I’m worried about the wings.”

Mia forgot herself and asked “Why?” aloud.

“You need someone to show you how to use them.  I can’t help you there.  I barely survived showing you how to row a boat.”  He pulled his hat down over his brow and smiled.

Audrey burst out of the room.  “Sorry, but I stopped to wash my pits.”

“Thank God, I thought someone let a skunk in the hotel,” Mia teased.

“Bad Mia,” Murphy pushed through the veil for Audrey’s benefit.

Mia sent some colorful euphemisms his way.

A thunderclap hit near the hotel, and the ground shook.

“I hope this place has a few lightning rods,” Mia said as she increased her speed.

Audrey kept close to Mia’s heels.  “I’m sure that’s the first thing one thinks up when you build on top of a hill.”

“You’d be surprised,” Mia said.

Murphy stopped.  Mia barely missed running through him.  She caught Audrey in her arms.  “Murphy’s stopped,” she hissed.

Murphy waved them back.  He joined them.  “Another hole has opened up in the floor.”

Mia repeated it to Audrey.

“Can we jump it?” Audrey asked.

He nodded.  He walked up to the hole and counted footsteps across it as he moved to the other side.  “Five feet.”

“It’s five feet across,” Mia told her.

“I can do that.  Let’s tie the bags together, and we’ll pull them after us,” Audrey suggested.

“Sounds like a plan,” Mia said, uncoiling the rope from around her waist.  “You go ahead.  Murph, back her up just in case.”

Mia watched as Audrey backed up and started to run.  She took off and made the gap with two feet to spare.  Mia made sure she had enough rope to give herself the same running room.  She ran and took off sailing over the gap and into Murphy’s arms.  Together, they pulled the bags to the end.  They pulled them off the edge and managed to bear the weight and pull them in.  Mia leaned over and shone her light into the open space.  “How are they setting these off?”

“I haven’t a clue,” Audrey answered. “I’m worried about how many there are and why they were built in the first place.”

“Thunder,” Murphy said.

“Murphy thinks this one opened when the ground shook.”

“The inside of this building is unstable.  How the hell did they expect to have families stay here?  I’m not going to recommend it. Plus, I’m going to put a bug in the ear of the local building inspector,” Audrey added.

They turned the corner and could see the bar.  Murphy cautioned them to stay back until he checked inside.  He came out and waved them in.  Mia shut the door and moved the bar top in front of it.

Mike came up and took her bag. Mia told him, “I have your items in my pocket.”

He nodded.

Audrey was telling the men about the floor opening up after the last big lightning hit, when Mia arrived.  Mia slid in beside Ted and put her hand on his forehead.  It was cool to the touch.  She took his pulse next.  “You may want to ease up on the coffee. Your heart is racing.”

“It’s just because you’re here, Mighty Mouse.”

“Charmer.  I’m still taking away your joy juice for a while.  I imagine you have to pee.”

“Nope, already went.”

“How?”

“Mike passed the bucket while you ladies were gone.”

“Gross.”

“Mia, could I have your help over here, please?” Mike asked.

Mia kissed Ted and got up and trotted into the hallway.  Mike was leaning against the wall sweating.  Mia dug in her pockets and produced the medication.  He opened all three bottles and counted out a few of each of the pills.  He swallowed them without water.

“I could get you a glass of water…” Mia said and made a move to get it.

“No, I’m used to it.  I’ll chase them down later.  Thank you.”

“No problem.  I’m going to go back in.”

“Burt found something interesting.  He’s located the graves, on paper that is.”

“I’m not sure how that helps us?” Mia asked.

“Humor him.  He’s feeling pretty emasculated right now,” Mike suggested.

Mia smiled.  “I can learn a lot from you, Mike.  Can you teach me to fly?”

“No.  Thanks for keeping quiet about these,” he said, pocketing the bottles.

“I didn’t read what they were.  I felt that it was what you wanted.  I figured, as long as you weren’t popping little blue pills, I was safe.”

“Cooper, you’re an asshole.”

“Yes I am,” Mia said and walked back into the main bar.  She felt Ted’s eyes on her.  She smiled at him, rolling her eyes to let him know that there wasn’t anything to worry about between her and Mike.

She walked over to where Burt had rolled out an old blueprint, anchoring it with highball glasses.  “Mike said you found something?” she said.

“I found where the graves are.  The ones that Cyryl threatened you with,” he explained.  “This is where we are,” he said, pointing.  “And this is where the graves are.”

“They seem far enough away from the cavern.”

“I thought, maybe Murphy could go down there to make sure they are peaceful.  We don’t need the undead adding to our problems.”

“Or we could recruit them,” Mia said thoughtfully.  “I’ll show Murphy after he’s had time to recharge.”  Mia sat down next to him.  “You better get some rest too.  The rain is going to keep the baddies away for a while yet.  I’m going to need you at full power.  The nerds aren’t going to be able to do much to help us out.  Can I count on you?”

Burt nodded.

“Good.  Can I get you something for pain?” she asked.

“No, Mike gave me something while you were gone.”

“I hear he passed the bucket too.”

Burt laughed.  “Leave it to a farm boy to think of everything.”

“That’s funny.  I keep forgetting he grew up on a farm.  He’s so posh.”

“I think he got that from reading books,” Burt said.

“Maybe,” Mia replied.  “How are the nerds holding up?  They’re both going to lie to me when I ask.”

“Cid’s in considerable pain.  He won’t take anything for it.  Says it will dull his mega brain.”

“I gave Ted something before I left, but I can’t tell if he’s in pain.  He’s behaving rather odd.”

“How can you tell?”

This caused Mia to laugh.

“Mia, all of us feel guilty.  We fear that our situation has forced your hand, or wings.”

“Burt, I appreciate your concern, but if I have the ability to help you, to start your healing, I’m going to take advantage of it.  If I need to deal with the crap that goes with it, I will.  It’s the way I roll.  No one forced my hand.  It was my choice.”

“Thank you, Mia.”

“You’re welcome,” she said.  The lightning flashed, immediately followed by a loud crash.  She moved quickly over to Ted and slid in beside him.

Ted put his arm around her.  “My brave little warrior who’s afraid of lightning.”

Mia inched closer and put her hand on his wounded leg.  She used the situation to pull the poison out of his leg.  She visualized the clean tissue knitting together and new cells forming where the corrupted cells had been removed.

“Mia,” Ted said gently.  “Are you awake?”

“Mmmm,” she said.  “Sorry, I must have fallen asleep.  What did I miss?”

“Nothing, you just went all silent for a moment.  And my leg got really warm…  Hey!  You did that on purpose.  Mia, you have to stop.  You’ll wear yourself out.”

“Tell me about those wormy things Cid and Jake came up with?” she requested.

“They call them Oculars.  They’re small, mobile robots that can slide under doors and crawl up the frames to give us a better view of what is going on.  Curly is great but hardly stealthy.  Watch.”  Ted typed a few commands into the program.  “Hold your hand this far off the table.”

Mia held it a half inch.  The three robots slinked over, each with their lens held high, until they got to Mia’s hand.  All lowered their lens so it was flat and slid it under her hand, popping it up on the other side.

“Whoa, that’s cool.  And they send a signal back?” she asked.

Ted turned the monitor, and Mia watched the exercise from the worm’s-eye-view, so to speak.

“That is so cool.  Congrats, guys,” she said.

“But it’s not a gun,” Cid mumbled.

“No, but they have uses.  Curly can provide a charge of electricity. He’s a weapon.  The Oculars give us good intel, so Murphy can concentrate on fighting,” Mia said.  “Mike wasn’t being critical, Cid.  He’s just a bit overwhelmed.”

The thunder crashed again nearby.  The room lit up, and Mia observed all the normally dark corners and was pleased to only see Murphy lurking around.  They had been rationing the light discs.  They would need electricity soon.  Mia needed to find out where the main was and get them some power.  If she could just get them a half-an-hour, they could store enough in the generators to get them through another night.

Mia got up, moved around to the other side of the table, and slid over next to Cid.  She could feel the heat even before she touched his forehead.  “Baby, you’re burning up,” she said, concerned.  She motioned for Mike to come over.

He was there in seconds.  “What’s up?”

“Cid’s in trouble.  Can you help get him to the table so I can examine him?”

“Sure, Mia.  You crawl under and get behind him, and we’ll slide him until we run out of bench.”

Mia did as instructed, and soon, the two of them were carrying the tech to the banquette table.  Mia took off Cid’s shirt and looked at his ribs.  She ran her hand around until she found a missing piece.  “Damn it, how did I miss this?”

“What?”

“There’s a piece of detached rib, and I fear that it has become lodged in his liver or spleen. I’m not sure which at this point.  All I know is, I have to get it out. But I can’t, not even under the control of a mage, do that kind of operation to remove the piece.”

“I can,” Murphy said behind her.  If I can start your heart, I can remove a splinter,” he reasoned.

“Oh my god, he’s right,” Mia said.  “But the bleeding, how do I control the bleeding?”

“I’ll do it with my other hand,” he said.

“Ted, how long would Murphy have to apply pressure to form a clot?”

“It depends on the size of the tear.  A few minutes.”

“I may be able to start the healing at this point,” Mia said.  “I can’t guarantee it, but I don’t think we have much of a choice.”

“Do it, Mia,” Cid said.

Mia nodded to Murphy.

“Mike, you need to hold Cid still.  Audrey, hold his legs.  There isn’t any anesthetic for what we’re about to do.”

Audrey understood.

Mia once again called for the mages.

Murphy studied Cid’s chest and pushed through it and found the piece.  He pulled it out and slid it back into place while he held back the flow of blood with his other hand.

“I got this, Murph. You can let go,” Mia said in an odd voice.  It sounded like she was talking from far away.  She held on to the two pieces with her mind, and they started to bind.  Next, she concentrated on the injury to his liver.  She called upon the old ones to help her.  Soon the blood stopped.  She placed a napkin on top of Cid’s chest and pulled the bad blood through his skin and onto the cloth.  When it could hold no more, she used another cloth until she was certain she had taken all of the spilled blood away.

She wiped Cid’s chest with a clean linen napkin, and there was no wound to see.  He was breathing normally.  Mia stepped back from the table before she fainted.  Murphy was there to catch her.  He brought her unconscious form and set her down next to Ted.  “She’s just tired,” he said to comfort Ted and himself.

Cid opened his eyes.  He looked up at Mike and down at Audrey.  “Did it work?”

“Yes.  How do you feel?” Mike asked.