All eyes were focused back on me. “Kill her,” the possum snarled.
Wan squeaked his battle cry and darted forward, but that whole man-sized-rat thing was working against him. I tried desperately to crawl away, my robe catching under my knees. The rats laughed, my cowardly dogs howled from the van, and I was sure I was dead.
One rat grabbed my shoulder and flipped me over, his teeth and knife gleaming. He was bringing the knife up to plunge into my stomach. I watched in horror as the gleaming blade arched over me.
There was a crackling flash, a stench of sulfur, and one dead rat falling down on top of me. The lightning caught him right in the chest.
I scrabbled back, trying to get out from under the smoldering, twitching corpse without throwing up. As my legs slipped clear, more bolts shivered over my head, seeming to almost hang in the air before striking the rats. I pressed myself flat to the grass and risked a glimpse.
It was the doctor from the ER.
He looked taller somehow, his white lab coat glowing and his stethoscope swinging wildly around his neck. The street lights reflected off his high forehead, and his long grey ponytail swung behind him.
He looked damn fine, to my way of thinking.
The fact that he was standing with both feet firmly braced as he flung lightning at the rats with ease also worked for me.
The rats were diving for cover, throwing themselves to the ground to hide behind the motorcycles they’d left scattered around.
The possum went for my van.
I felt the pressure of tiny paws on my shoulder and a whisper in my ear. “Stay down, Kate. I will protect you.”
“The dogs,” I screamed, trying to climb to my feet. My slippers slipped on the grass.
The doctor heard me. With a flip of his wrist, he sent a bright blue ball our way, floating, zeroing in on us like a missile. It zipped past my shoulder, and for a brief moment light flared around me. When it faded, I was pinned under the weight of a man-sized mouse, standing on my back.
Needless to say, the rats were focused on the doctor. Their tails lashing, hissing, regrouping to attack him. I’d be okay. “Wan, please,” with what little breath I had, I begged. “Save my babies.”
Wan hesitated, then to my utter relief charged the van, sword in hand, his battle cry more impressive now. The possum had climbed in the driver’s seat, but his head turned to look at the angry man-sized mouse charging his way.
I took a few deep breaths, certain that there’d be more help coming. But the expressway was empty, and there were no flashing cop cars. No, just a lovely bright colored macaw flying at the rats, slashing with its beak and claws. And the lightning bolts, being slung from the doctor’s fingers at the rats.
Lightning. I felt oddly calm about the whole thing. Of course lightning. What else…
The possum was charging toward me.
Uh-oh. It occurred to me that just laying there was not a good idea. I needed to be running, or at least trotting, away from this madness.
Wan was chasing the possum, as were Itty and Bitty, barking madly. I struggled to my feet, just as the possum threw something at me. A globe of light again, sparkly white and lovely.
I threw up my hands to ward it off, even as Wan chopped at the possum.
The globe of light splattered over me, soft and warm, like a blanket. Just like a blanket, in fact, it was expanding, clinging, covering me quickly, my chest, mouth, and nose.
I couldn’t breathe.
The stuff wrapped tight, and started to constrict, forcing what air I had out of my chest. I struggled, pushed at it, but while I could move it, I couldn’t break it. I had a brief moment to be thankful that there was no one around. I probably looked like a bag lady fighting a garbage bag.
Arms surrounded me. The Doctor. I could see those gray eyes, feel his arms around me. Was that a macaw on his shoulder?
There was no air left. Interestingly enough, I actually felt my eyes roll back into my head as I lost consciousness.
I woke up and smelled the coffee.
Floating just on the edge of sleep, I took a deep breath, trying to get the caffeine in my system through my lungs. Deep and rich and dark, I could almost taste it on the back of my tongue. Clearly I was dead, and heaven smelled like frenchroast.
Warm. I was warm as well, laying wrapped in a blanket on what felt like a sofa. There was weight on my feet, which could only be Itty and Bitty. Poor things, they were probably exhausted from their…
From something. I couldn’t remember exactly. I was wrapped in a soft blanket, on a couch. Did I fall asleep watching a game?
As much as I wanted coffee, I also wanted to float off again, just drift off for a while. But now sounds started to invade my private, perfect world. Voices, soft and persistent, with the clink of a spoon against a cup and the sound of coffee being poured.
“You shouldn’t have approached her at all. You’ve put her in danger.”
“Such was not my intent.” Wan was speaking, but he sounded louder than normal. Sleep would have to wait, it seemed.
“But after so long,” Wan continued. “I’d been alone for so long… she is a friend. A good person.”
“And a mundane. With no knowledge, no skills. She’s not going to be-”
Hell, that was the Doctor. It came back then. The attack, the rats… the doctor throwing lightning bolts. I opened my eyes, blinking at the sun pouring into a strange living room. My dogs were asleep on my feet.
Crap. I was naked under the blanket.
“How long have you been with her?”
“A little more than a month.” Wan answered. He sounded apologetic. “Can you make her forget this? Forget me?”
What? I started to struggle with the blanket at that point, clutching it close while trying to sit up. Itty and Bitty snorted and shifted, but they didn’t even raise their heads.
“Kate?” Wan’s voice came from behind the sofa.
I freed my arms and tried to push myself up, which jarred my wounded hand. I muffled my curse as I managed to sit up. “No one’s mucking about in my head.” I growled, trying to clear my throat and talk at the same time.
Wan came around the end of the sofa, still man-sized, a pleased look on his face. “You are well?”
“I am naked.” I snarled, lifting a hand to smooth my hair back. I pulled it back to find my hand smeared with dirt, and white sticky stuff. “Oh, ick.”
“No one is going to muck around in your head. After this long, I couldn’t make you forget, even if I wanted to.” The Doctor came around the other corner of the sofa, a white mug in each hand. Steam rose from the cups, taunting me.
“Coffee.” I wiped my hand on the blanket, and reached out like a babe for a bottle.
The Doctor wisely surrendered one of the mugs. He sat on the coffee table, opposite me.
I ignored him, taking my first sip, eyes closed with pleasure. It tasted as good as it smelled. I sighed, and sank deeper into the cushions.
The Doctor… hell if I could remember his name… studied me with those sharp steel-gray eyes. “Your clothes were ruined, filthy and soaking wet.
Wan still hovered, his sword slung over his shoulder. It felt funny to have to look up at him. When I did, his tail flicked up and he clutched it with both paws. “Are you well, Kate?”
“I am not,” I scowled at both of them. “What happened?”
“What do you remember?” The Doctor leaned forward as he asked the question, and laid two fingers on the inside of my wrist. His skin tingled against mine.
I pulled my hand back, and rubbed my eyes. “Not being able to breathe.”
“You collapsed, Kate. ” Wan drew a deep breath, his ears twitching. “You fell, lifeless-”
