Chapter 27

“I don’t think we’re getting anywhere.” Leena sighed as she sat back on the couch. “We’ve been at it for almost an hour, and we haven’t come up with anything that all of us can agree on.”

Owen grinned over at her from where he sat on the floor. “I’m working on getting happy.” He raised his wine glass to her. “Whose is this we’re drinking tonight?”

Kasey grinned. “That would be mine.”

He took another sip. “Well done, not as fruity as the last stuff.”

Patrick grinned and looked at his glass of water. “I’d love to try it, but I’ve a nurse and doctor present that don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Leena laughed. “The three of us pregnant people have only had a small sip when we toasted Yule, Patrick.

Rhonda held up her cup. “I’m drinking coffee if that helps, Pat.”

“It doesn’t.” He sighed then looked around. “Okay, so what have we got so far?”

Gwen shrugged. “Binding has been voted against.”

“As was cursing.” Tara laughed.

Rachel leaned back against the chair. “A dream spell has been cast aside.”

Jean grinned. “It would have worked if we had something personal.”

Kevin looked into his glass. “Well if we knew where they were to get something personal, then the spell wouldn’t really be required.”

She stuck her tongue out at him. “I told you I was tired and not all here.”

Kasey climbed off Chris’s lap and reached to refill his glass of mead. “So, a spell of protection is too vague?” She looked around at the others. “Even if it’s to protect us?”

Tara smirked. “I thought that was Dexter’s job, to protect.”

He gave her a look that said he wasn’t amused.

Gwen laughed and patted Tara’s hand. “He can’t be with all of us all the time.” She grinned at Dexter. “Don’t suppose you have a twin around somewhere?”

Dexter watched Tara pull her hand away from Gwen and sit back slowly. Her face had blanched. He glanced at Gwen. “No sorry, there’s only one me.” He looked back at Tara. “Everything okay, Tara?”

She lifted her eyes to look at him. “Maybe too much food or mead.”

He wasn’t sure he believed her but shrugged. “There’s still some tea in the kitchen, I’ll get you some.” He studied her as he got up and turned toward the kitchen. Was it her sudden silence that was giving him this knot in his stomach?

Cora watched the frowning man go to the kitchen then moved over on the couch to sit beside her. “My stomach is feeling off too, from overindulgence.” Dade turned to look at her quickly. “It’s fine.” She smiled at him. Although it wasn’t, she had a feeling she couldn’t quite explain. Then again, she’d gotten married earlier and then ate entirely too much, so it could just she was feeling overwhelmed.

Patrick sat silently and observed. He may not be in proper form just yet, but he was still able to observe the sudden mood change from several of them.

Gwen stood up and stretched. “Maybe we should just take a break from brainstorming and open the gifts.” She smiled at Patrick. “Move around a bit.” She turned when someone knocked on the door. “Oh, maybe it’s the charming captain.”

Patrick frowned. He watched her turn to go open the door. Cora suddenly sat up straight and looked at Dade with an alarmed look on her face.

Dexter came bolting from the kitchen. “Don’t open…”

Gwen swung the door open, and in a blur, someone grabbed her and spun her into the room to face everyone. She couldn’t see who it was but could feel ice cold metal against her throat. She heard the door slam and looked over to her husband.

Justin jumped up then froze when he saw the blade of the knife against his wife’s throat. He looked at her and his eyes pleaded with her to just stand there and not try anything.

Rachel jumped up and took two steps toward him.

Walt had returned.

“Stay right there, you fucking freak.” Walt hissed at Rachel.

Steven stood up slowly behind his wife and glared at the man holding Gwen. The floor under his feet began to shake slightly as he clenched his hands beside him.

“Steven.” Rachel whispered without taking her eyes off of Gwen.

His hand rested lightly on her hip as he took a few calming breathes.

Chris rose slowly from the chair and looked at Kasey. He recognized the look in her eyes and he didn’t want to watch her try to save Gwen.

Patrick sighed. “Good evenin’, Walt.” Walt’s eyes flicked over to look at him. Patrick shook his head at him. “I feel I should tell you, your kind of standing in a room of rather dangerous people and are making a huge mistake.” Walt just snarled at him without speaking.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Dexter placing his hand on Cora’s shoulder. Of course, they’d both be feeling very uncomfortable with Walt so close.

Kevin glanced around and slowly straightened from the edge of the couch. Jean and Leena were in the path of the maniac holding Gwen and he was trying to figure out how to place himself in that path instead. He looked over to see Owen had the same idea as he moved in slow steps in the direction of the two women.

“Everyone stop moving.” Walt looked around at the number of people in the room.

Dexter sat on the back of the couch blocking Cora and Tara where they sat. “If you were smart, friend you’d drop that and give up before you get hurt.”

Steven scowled at the longhaired man. “You might want to take his advice.” His words were more a growling than speaking.

Rhonda sat forward slowly on the chair and stared at the man. Help me project, Pat. She didn’t chance turning to look at him.

I’ll do my best, but it’s going to be hard to get into his head right now with his adrenaline pumping. He focused on Walt while keeping the link with Rhonda open. He could feel her struggling against the barrier inside the other man. Don’t force it, lass, it will only hurt you.

Dammit. She let out a long quiet breath and stopped trying.

Walt looked quickly around. Spotting Kasey, he glared at her. “You stay exactly where you are.” Looking quickly at Leena, he snarled. “You too.” Nodding to Jean, he glared at her. “You. Is there a basement here?”

Jean hesitated for a second and then nodded.

He pulled a gun from his waistband and pointed it at her. “Go open the door. This is between Paddy and me, the rest of you can go wait there.”

Kevin took a step closer to Jean without looking away from the gun. “Putting us down there would be a mistake.” He paused when he felt the floor begin to shake again, harder than it had the last time. He took the few seconds distraction and stepped closer to where Jean had moved. He saw the panic in the eyes of the man and the gun jerked in his hand.

He reacted at the same second the gun fired and pushed with all of his ability to block Jean.

Jean watched the bullet hit some invisible net, drop, and hit the floor with a quiet clank. She turned to look at Kevin, who was watching her intently with a look of pure terror in his eyes.

“What the hell?” Walt looked around the room quickly. “Shit.” He dropped the knife as it burned into his palm. Wrapping an arm around Gwen’s neck, he ignored the pain in his palm. He waved the gun from one person to the other through the room.

Kasey moved only her eyes to see if Rachel was clear and ready.

Dexter was inching his way from the back of the couch toward Gwen. There was no way he was going to let her get hurt.

Patrick stood slowly. Ignoring the pain in his shoulder he took a step to stand in clear view of Walt. “Take your shot and finish what ya’ started, Walt.”

Walt grinned and shoved the woman to the floor so both hands were free. He aimed the gun at him.

Patrick took another step and his foot came up against a barrier of some kind. He moved his hand to touch it and found a wall he couldn’t see. He looked quickly to Chris and following the motion of Chris’s eyes he told him the wall was coming from Kasey and Rachel.

Dade moved to stand beside Patrick. He put his hands in his pockets and studied the man pointing the gun for a second. “The way I see it, buddy, you have three choices here.” He paused to see if the man was listening to him. “You can give up.” He assumed, by the look on the other man’s face, he would not choose that one. “You can continue, and take a risk that you can’t even begin to understand.” Walt looked quickly around at the others then back to him. “Or you can turn tail and run, and if you’re lucky no one in this room will set your ass on fire, or worse.”

Chris stood silently watching the reaction of the intruder. He knew Walt was close to losing it completely. In truth, he didn’t blame him, if he didn’t know what everyone in the room was, he’d be a little overwhelmed too. He knew Kasey would forgive whatever he used at this point, but tried to stay within her forgivable list. He looked at the gun and nothing else. Focus. The gun in Walt’s hand began to shake. Chris clenched his jaw and tried harder as a horrified look filled the criminal’s eyes.

Leena rubbed a hand over her belly and hissed out a breath. She glared over at the man that was threatening to take away the serenity from the group of people she loved. “I’ve had more than enough of you.” Her loud voice even startled her.

A blast of wind knocked up against his hand, and the gun was slapped from his grip. He stood there unable to move as the gun floated across the room to Paddy, without ever hitting the floor.

Steven took a step and snapped his arm up toward Walt. The floor began to shake, causing the boards to groan from the movement. Rachel stepped to him and placed a gentle hand on his face.

“I’ve got it, Doc.” She smiled at him and turned toward the trembling man. With a quick flick of her hand she slammed him back against the door.

Rhonda stomped across the room and stood right in front of him. She looked up at him while taking slow deep breaths.

When Walt grabbed his head, and dropped to his knees Chris walked quickly over to them and placed a calming hand on Rhonda’s shoulder. He sighed and leaned closer to her. “That, would be on the list of things not allowable.”

Dexter was across the room in three strides, bending down to pull the scum up by the front of his jacket. “I should beat you to an unrecognizable pulp.”

Justin pulled Gwen up into his arms and hugged her tightly. He’d never been so afraid in his life. He looked over at Dexter. “I’ll help.”

Walt tried to put his feet flat on the floor. He looked up at the huge man holding him in the air, then around the room. “You all are god damned freaks.” He stuttered.

“Oh, I doubt one god had much to do with us.” Jean moved over towards Gwen as she looked at the man held by Dexter.

Chris moved over closer to where Dexter stood and looked at the man as he dangled in the air. He could feel the nerve jumping in his jaw and tried to find his professional calm. “I’ll ask this once, nicely. Where is Jack Williams?”

Walt looked at the dark-haired lawyer and spit on his shoes. He looked back at his face and grinned. “Go fu…”

Dexter brought his fist down into the side of his head, then he watched him crumple and fall to the floor in a heap.

Chris sighed and put his hands into his pockets and looked down at the man on the floor. “Looking for a location in his mind would only work if he were conscious, Dex.”

Tara jumped up and quickly moved to the unconscious man on the floor. She checked his pulse and then glared up at Dexter.

Dexter shrugged. “I didn’t want him to get away again.” Crossing his arms over his chest he looked back down at her.

Patrick smiled at the stunned expression on Chris’s face. “Someone better call the Captain.”

Owen grinned and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “He’s already been informed.”

Patrick nodded. “Good then. I think the Captain needs to get Betty out now.”

Cora moved quickly from the couch into Dade’s arms.

Rhonda moved over and looked up at Patrick. She didn’t want to ask if it was finally over, she knew there was still Jack to deal with, if he ever surfaced again. She moved into his arms and leaned her head against his chest.

Steven hugged Rachel and watched Kasey climb up her husband in that Kasey way.

Kevin glanced at Cora and Dade and grinned. “Guess this isn’t the wedding night you had planned.”