The speeding Mustang had developed a disturbing shimmy about an hour ago. It had progressed from minor to bone rattling, and Ed was as worried about that as he was the fact that Nikolai didn't actually know how to drive, yet they were speeding over a hundred miles an hour on ice covered closed roads, with him at the wheel.
He had done terrible things to the car before he had even picked up Ed and Allan. He'd crashed it several more times since, even with magic keeping it running. There were several guard rails between Colorado and Nebraska that had saved them from certain death. He'd cackled madly every time, clearly enjoying the shit out of himself.
Somehow, he had magicked the motor, and despite having run out of gas before they had even left the mountains, the car flew along the treacherous roads.
"Are we there yet?" Allan clutched the seatbelt he wore.
"Hopefully," Nikolai answered. "I am not sure how much longer until the wheels fall off."
Their passenger cried, "Wait, what?"
"Are you joking?" Ed asked.
"No."
Ed echoed the young woman's curses.
"If it's any consolation, at least it will be quick?" Ed tried to smile.
Star raised her eyebrows. "Thanks?"
"It is fine. I think this is where we're going." Nikolai slammed on the brakes and skidded sideways through their exit off of I-80.
Star screamed. The only reason Ed didn't was because she beat him to it.
"How do you even know?" Ed finally asked. He had no idea how Nikolai was navigating.
"Um, I can sense Sofia and Doc. You can't?"
"But, I mean…"
"Navigation spell."
"Your spell from the fourteen-hundreds works on our interstates?" Ed momentarily forgot that their passenger was only vaguely aware that they were alive because of magic. Nikolai didn't seem to care one way or the other.
"Yes, of course."
Ed shook his head. "Of course," he muttered.
Star stared at him, screamed again when the Mustang did a full spin, and started muttering some sort of prayer. Ed knew how she felt.
The shudder lessened as Nikolai allowed the car to slow on the way through a small town. He made several random turns, cursed a few times, and finally stopped the car.
Ed finally risked looking out of the car and was relieved to see Doc's pickup sitting parked next to several others.
Allan shoved the door on the Mustang open and leapt out of the passenger seat. Ed and Star were not far behind. All three barely kept from falling to the snow-covered ground.
Nikolai got out a little more slowly and gave the car a sad look. "Too bad."
Ed looked at the poor Mustang and winced. One of the wheels tilted out, and the car settled with a clunk.
"Maybe someday, when you actually know how to drive, you can get another one," Ed managed to say.
"Eh, I will steal another car from Alex. It is fun." Nikolai laughed and headed for the house.
Ed and the others scrambled after him. The snow had lessened, but it was still colder than shit outside, and the wind whipped around them. And he wanted to see Sofia.
Nikolai knocked just as a startled looking Doc opened the door.
"Doc!" Nikolai hugged him enthusiastically.
Ed followed them into the house, saw Sofia, and practically tackled her.
"Ed!" she squealed happily.
Allan and Nikolai both hugged her tightly. Then her eyebrows rose when she saw Star.
"Star?"
"You know these guys? They're insane. I thought I was going to die." She hugged Sofia almost as tightly as Ed had.
"They wouldn't hurt you."
"That one is insane then." She pointed to Nikolai.
Sofia's eyebrows rose higher. "Um, well, probably. What did he do?"
"Drove," Ed grumbled.
"Oh, boy…" Sofia laughed.
"We survived," Nikolai tried to sound offended. He failed.
The reunion had attracted attention. Several other people crowded into the entryway. Ed's hackles rose, and he and Allan both focused on one of the men. He was a werewolf. The werewolf stared at them, but wasn't outwardly hostile.
"I'm certainly happy to see you, but what are you all doing here?"
Ed reclaimed Sofia's hand. He didn't even care that she was only supposed to be dating Doc. He hadn't seen her in forever. They would just have to deal.
He noticed Sofia's dad gave him a hard look, but he pretended he didn't notice.
"Ah, yes. I have answer. We must go. Come on." Nikolai gestured to the door.
Sofia's hand tightened on Ed's, and her breath quickened in excitement.
"You can't leave. The roads are closed. Where would you go?" Beth, Sofia's mom asked. "How did you get here?"
"Uh, we drove." Nikolai glanced at Doc.
Doc shrugged.
"Sofia, would you like to introduce everyone to your friends?" Dan, Sofia's dad, demanded tightly.
"Uh, sure." She did a quick round of introductions. It turned out that Star was her best friend. Star, who was staring very closely at Sofia's eyes. If no one else had noticed the weirdness in Sofia's eyes, her best friend had. The werewolf was George.
"So, where is it you want to go?" Sofia's dad growled.
Nikolai narrowed his eyes at her dad. Ed grabbed the mage's arm to prevent him from whatever he was going to say. He failed.
"Oh, is that the racist?"
Sofia groaned.
Ed saw Doc's lips twitch, but he managed not to smile.
Everyone else's eyebrows went up.
"How exactly are you friends with a fucking communist?" Dan snapped.
Nikolai frowned and glanced at Sofia. "Communist? What is that?"
Everyone who didn't already know Nikolai stared at him, some of them open mouthed.
Sofia burst out laughing.
"It's a form of government, Nikolai. Let's go." She grabbed a coat and stomped into boots.
"Wait. You're Russian?" George walked forward, nostrils flared like he was taking in Nikolai's scent.
"Yes, of course. My accent is obvious."
"How do you not know what a fucking commie is?" George growled.
Nikolai glanced at Sofia, then shrugged. "I suppose it is a Russian thing, since you seem convinced I am one.
