DISCLAIMER: THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE HOLLOWS AND ALL CHARACTERS THEREIN ARE OWNED BY THE LOVELY KIM HARRISON.

~ The Dressing Room ~

CHAPTER 3

"Abiungo!" someone shouted, as a greenish-black mist of magic formed between Al and myself. A concussive force exploded between us, throwing us to opposite sides of the library.

"Owww!" I screamed, as the back of my head bounced off the bookcases lining the wall behind me. Al landed across the room from me and grunted when his head hit the wall behind him.

I closed my eyes, my ears ringing from the explosion, and leaned forward to rest my head on my knees as I tried to remember where I was and what had happened. I groaned as a strong hand grabbed my shoulder and yanked me to my feet. "Hey! Get off me! What the hell?"

"Rachel, take the coat off now!" the voice commanded, and I recognized it as belonging to Pierce.

I tried to turn to look at him but he spun me around, grabbed my shoulders, and with a violent downward tug, tore the coat off me with a force that nearly dislocated both my shoulders.

"Pierce, stop! You're hurting me! Get OFF!" I yelled, and shoved him off balance. Pierce's hip slammed into a nearby table, and one of the books slid off and fell to the floor. The book opened to a random page and a red liquid began oozing from the text.

Al glanced at the book, his face now twisted in anger, and he narrowed his eyes to glare at me and then Pierce. "Watch the books, you idiots!" he bellowed, his voice surprisingly loud in a room filled with acoustic-dampening carpeting and tapestries, as well as rows upon rows of ancient manuscripts.

I didn't even see him move. Al misted into existence next to the bleeding book and knelt down, muttering something in Latin before tracing a complicated glyph in the air above the text. He carefully slipped his gloved hands underneath the book. Closing his eyes, Al took a deep breath, and then slowly blew his breath along the inside of the spine before slamming the book shut. He turned his head to look at Pierce, and with a disapproving shake of his head he snorted in disgust and stood up, carefully placing the book back on the table.

Pierce still had Al's coat in his hands and he tossed it into the air like a chef tossing pizza dough. The coat landed on the floor a good five feet in front of us.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked in irritation.

"Please, mistress witch. Stand back. I implore you, do not go near it!" he insisted, as he put himself in front of me to prevent me from moving forward.

Pierce's hands glowed black and the air around him grew thick and heavy. He brought both hands together and a ball of green-tinged ever after formed between them. His right hand traced what looked like ley line gestures over the ball of pulsing, green energy. "Resolvo veneficus!Cingi aversabilis lamia attrecto," he intoned, using both hands to fling the curse at Al's coat.

The spell hit with another explosion, and black, heatless flames flared up, engulfing the green velvet. I was about to grab my leather jacket and try to snuff out the fire when suddenly the flames vanished and Al's coat looked as if nothing had happened.

The library was suddenly silent. Not even the sound of our breathing cut through the hush that had descended following whatever the hell had just happened.

Al stalked past Pierce and me and bent down gracefully to pick up his coat, holding it in one hand while using the other to brush away debris from the floor. After giving it a good solid shake, Al swung it around and shrugged into it, adjusting it around his broad shoulders. He began adjusting the lace of his shirt and fixing the lapel of the jacket so it fit just so.

Glancing up at me, his words were directed to Pierce. "Gordian Nathaniel Pierce, we shall not be requiring any more of your assistance this evening. I will be spending the rest of my time with Rachel alone," Al said in his elegant, English accent. His eyes never left me as his lips turned up into a devious smile, emphasizing the whole "alone" bit.

"I swan you're right lucky I came back when I did. That enrapture spell would have killed you both if I arrived a minute later than I did. If you had consummated…"

"That's IT! Leave us. Now." Al roared, cutting Pierce off mid-sentence.

Pierce cleared his throat and bowed his head slightly. "As you wish. But, ummm. If I might have the courtesy of a small favor before I depart. Mistress Newt has requested to borrow a pinch of blue vervain. She's run out and the local apothecary isn't due for a shipment until a fortnight from now."

Eyebrows raised, Al turned his head to look at Pierce. "I was wondering what you were doing here. You're supposed to be her problem for the next month. Not mine," Al grumbled, obviously anxious to send Pierce on his way.

Al sighed rather dramatically and finished adjusting the lace on the sleeves of his shirt. Putting his hands on his hips, he said to Pierce, "Well, I don't have my conservatory…" turning to me, he added, "…yet," as he winked and a wicked grin spread across his face, showing his blocky teeth.

I gave Al a sarcastic, closed-lip smile and said nothing. Yeah, I know exactly how you're gonna fund that conservatory. Thanks for the reminder, Al.

Al returned his gaze to Pierce and continued, "But I believe I do have some of that herb lying around."

Al popped out of the library, presumably to check his supplies in the workroom, and quickly misted back into existence holding what looked like a small incense box made of bone. There were intricate symbols carved into the lid and the sides of the box - glyphs I didn't recognize from any of my studies.

He extended the box to Pierce. "I trust she hasn't misplaced her mortar and pestle, mmm?" Al asked, rather sarcastically.

Pierce shook his head and Al added, "I expect you to bring the box back upon your return. She can't have that."

Pierce bowed his head again and replied, rather formally, "Yes, of course. Until I return, Algaliarept. Rachel," Pierce shifted his gaze to me and gave me a respectful bow of his head before he disappeared.

Al turned to me and before he could say anything I blurted, "Al, it wasn't my fault. Honest. I don't know what the hell just happened but you have to believe me." Al held a hand up to try to stop me but I continued, "I didn't touch anything. Well, other than your coat. And I didn't try any spells when you weren't here. It's not my fault!" I exclaimed. Hey, I wasn't above pleading. I really, really, really didn't want Al mad at me.

Al walked towards me and as I braced myself to be backhanded for doing God only knows what I had done this time, I instead felt Al brush the hair from my face, tucking it behind my ears. It looked like he was inspecting me for damage as he spoke softly, "Rachel, I'm not angry with you."

"Oh," I said as I looked up at him and smiled. "Okay… good." I felt my shoulders relax.

Al took my arm and led me to one of the wing chairs by the fireplace.

"Have a seat, relax, and I'll make us some coffee," he said, as he turned to face the fireplace and a pitcher of water materialized from wherever Al usually kept the water pitcher.

"Coffee?" I asked, incredulously.

"Mmmm," he nodded. "Everything seems better after a cup of coffee," he said rather meditatively, giving me a bit of Al Philosophy 101as he began filling the kettle he kept next to the fireplace.

"Yeah, okay. Coffee is good. But wait a sec. I have a surprise," I replied shyly, as I bounded up out of the chair.

"A surprise?" he inquired, turning to face me, eyebrows raised.

"Mmmhmm. Just give me oneeeeeee second," I said as I scooted past him and went over to the bag I had left by the reading table in the center of the room. "I saw some terrific Kona when I was at the store with Ivy the other day. And the store had this crazy vacuum-seal thing that's supposed to keep the grounds fresh for millennia," I said, turning to him and smiling.

He was staring at me almost in disbelief and I shrugged to make it not seem like such a big deal. "I thought we could try it to see if we can come up with a brew that has a little less burnt amber to it. I even found some single serve raspberry creamers made with real cream that don't need to be refrigerated."

Al almost looked at a loss for words as a genuine smile spread across his face. "Rachel, I do believe you have delighted me."

Blushing, I said "Well, don't get too excited yet. I just figured you've already made me dinner. The least I could do is try to make you a good pot of coffee."

I walked back over to him, set the grounds and the creamers on the slate coffee table, and took the pitcher and kettle from him. Gesturing to the other wing chair, I said, "Sit. Relax. I'll make the coffee."