A Storm in the Making

Chapter 38--Under Attack! For Real!

     Without warning a loathsome finger of awareness slithered across the edge of my mind. Something unspeakable, cold and reptilian suddenly put unbearable pressure against my mind, trying to force entrance.  I crumpled under the strength of the jarring assault. 

Several things happened all at once. I stiffened, surprise turning my joy to dread as I recoiled from that pressure as I would from a striking cobra.   

 My eyes automatically sought out William Helm, without even thinking about it, as I cried out and grabbed the sides of my head. Also, I fought back against the relentless pressure on my mind as the Hermits had taught me, instead just mentally pushing the loathsome intrusion away as I had the light globes earlier. Despite my best efforts, however, the strain of holding back the attack, I felt my consciousness fading.

Then my eyes met Nigel’s. He saw the changing expressions on my face, and correctly interpreted them as I was in danger, though he knew not from where it came. So fast I could barely follow his movements, Nigel dropped one hand to his hip--clutching for something that should be there and wasn’t—a gun, perhaps, while his other arm wrapped around my shoulders protectively. In the same motion, he slid off the bench and swung around beside me into a defensive crouch.  My eyes followed his movements, shocked. His unthinking reaction startled me as much as the attack itself; it was so unexpected.

Where had that happy-go-lucky fellow traveler gone?

There were a million questions in my eyes when Nigel glanced back up at me.  He realized his mistake a second too late to deny his knee-jerk reaction when he saw the understanding in my eyes.  His face reddened even as a silent plea formed in those hazel depths.  What the heck was that all about, I wondered, though some instinct told me to guard his secret.  Why?  Was he using manipulation on me?  No.  It didn’t feel like it, at least. 

     Then Jung was there in my mind with me.  Try to act natural, Missy.  I stay with you now.  No one get through.  Then they were all there.  Varak, Vorst and Natos joined Jung, all of them ready to defend my mind against any further intruders.      

Yet my eyes never left Nigel’s.  I lifted an eyebrow at him as if to say he had some explaining to do.  He finally broke the eye contact himself, as he sprung with cat-like reflexes back up onto the bench as if he had never moved.

 The hostility of the entity that had tried to invade me still lingered, leaving an echo of sensation like the slimy trail of a snail where it had touched me.   I let my eyes slowly gaze around the table; wary, cautious, looking for my enemy.     

I could feel the Hermits hovering quietly—on guard--in my mind waiting for the next attack—and then someone…no something, was there with them….in my mind.  Luther?  I thought. How in the world? 

     I looked down at Luther.  He was looking up at me with his enigmatic green cat eyes.  He blinked at me then lay his head down in my lap.  Rhythmically he pawed at my knee and purred, but it wasn’t the relaxed purring I was used to hearing.  I would swear Luther was frightened, too.

     I looked up and found Nigel studying me.  He had the audacity to wink at me.  Whatever that reaction was I witnessed from him, my gut told me it wasn’t anything to harm me.  But the feel of so many other minds crowding into my head was disorienting.  It made me sea sick.

       “Say, you look a little pale, Luv.  Are you all right?” Nigel asked casually.

      “No,” I managed to say.   It was hard trying to talk with even a semblance of naturalness.

     “We’re going over to the mainland,” Chloe interrupted, leaning around Andrew’s arm so she could see me. Her grin was so innocent and ordinary that it too, was disorienting. 

     I smiled back, I think.  I tried to pull my cheeks up in an imitation of a smile, at any rate.  It was hard to talk while my mind was so full. 

“Oh?” I finally managed to mumble.

     “We actually came by to kidnap you,” Nigel teased.

     My eyes snapped back to Nigel in alarm. 

     “You OK?”  Nigel’s smile faltered when he saw the apprehension in my expression even as his eyes narrowed, questioning.

      I studied his enigmatic expression, looking for any tell-tale sign of deception, but all I could see was a sincere honesty in their depths.

     “You did? Come to kidnap me?”  I must have sounded stupid.

     “Yeah, we’re going walkabout over to Ferry Town.”  I felt like Nigel and I had two conversations going on.  One with our lips and another with our eyes.

     “Huh?”  Did I look as dumb as I felt, I wondered.

     “Vince you were right, Mate.  She’s definitely been at the books too long.”  Nigel spoke jokingly to Uncle, but his eyes never left mine for a second.

     “Won’t you come with us?”  I heard Chloe ask as she looked down the table appealingly at me with her Bambi eyes.

     I turned back to Chloe and shook my head, disappointed that I couldn’t be as light-hearted as she was.

      “Market day is always so much fun,” she pleaded.  “You’re going to miss everything."

     There was nothing I would have loved more than an afternoon with Chloe and her bubbly personality.

       But at the very moment I was thinking that, another finger of pure evil slithered across the edge of my mind again, paralyzing me.

     William Helm appeared at my side from out of nowhere.  “Come,” he ordered, grabbing my arm.

     Get away from here, Storm!  Shouted a familiar voice in my mind……a voice that I hadn’t heard in a month.

     Julius? I wondered woodenly.

Run.  Now!  He shouted urgently

  “Excuse me.  Sorry.” I murmured, standing up.  If I stayed another second I was going to throw up all over the place anyway.

     William Helm swung me up into his arms.   

      I slapped my hand over my mouth and then we were running up the staircase.  I was terrified I would either faint or vomit or both in front of everyone.  My mind felt like a piece of Swiss cheese.  Or, a revolving door.  No.  An open door.  Isn’t that why it was called The First Born, after all— meaning womb opener.

     Luther ran up the stairs ahead of us, disappearing around the newel post and out of sight.  I didn’t have time to worry about him right now, though.

     An icy aftereffect lingered like a stinging tentacle of a jelly fish, but the entity was gone before I made the top of the stairs.  I felt a sort of pop in my mind as of each of the Hermits winked out until only Julius remained.  Julius?  I tried to speak as we ran towards my bedroom, but whatever I murmured, William Helm ignored it as he barreled headlong down the hall.

      The door opened before William Helm’s hands ever touched it.   “Guard her with your life, half breed," he ordered, setting me on my feet just inside the door.  Julius was there, then, and I fell into his arms.  “Oh Julius,” I cried, breathing in the familiar scent of him.  With one swift movement he locked the door behind us and took me into his arms.  “You’re safe.  I’m here.  I’ve got you, Storm.”

Those were the sweetest words I’d heard in a month.  Then Julius’ lips crushed down on mine, and I didn’t think about anything else.