Chapter 13

"Booth 3, wait until the nurse exits then you can go in" The ER Head nurse says barely glancing at me. she is paying more attention to her clipboard and Tank. I don't blame her about Tank. The only reason I was able to come into the back treatment area so soon is because Ranger and his guys know the staff.

I recognize the outside of the hospital. This is the one Ranger took me took me too when he swept me away from my apartment to go get "medical attention." I woke up on one of the step down wards as they call it. Not the ICU, it is a step down from that, but it is higher up in intensity from a regular hospital ward. That way they could watch my blood levels and vitals for any issues.

Tank has left with the EMTs that have Andrew Complo. I guess all hospitals have treatment and holding areas for criminals and prisoners. He is making sure Complo is secure though he wasn't in any condition to resist anyone. Since I have the bond paperwork and am the only team member still standing, I guess it makes the most sense for me to contact Trenton PD and let them know he is in custody at the hospital. Then they can send someone to do paperwork and take possession of him here and set up guard or whatever they do with the county jail.

I glance around the ER. It's a large room with a nursing station with desks and computers in the middle. Around the borders of the room are 15 little treatment areas with beds and carts that are sectioned off with curtains. Then at the back are 2 large trauma bays behind glass doors. They have bigger treatment beds and much more equipment in these rooms. None of the guys are in there, thank goodness. I can see they are taking 10 of the 15 stalls. Some of the curtains are open and I can see their blank stares. A few are unconscious. The doctors are making their rounds, one by one, checking everyone. The group is 3 stalls away from Ranger. I don't know if they are coming or going away from him. Though I am sure there is more than one treatment team here, so they may not even be his doctors.

What is taking so long? I inch over and peek through the curtain like a naughty child. I see the back of the nurse partially blocking my view of Ranger. He is wiping and dapping something on his chest, then placing square bandages on some spots on his arms and chest. Then he moves to his left arm and starts position tubing and needles. I pull the curtain aside, walk in and sit on the right side of the bed. He doesn't say anything. His eyes shift up to me for a second then he goes back to working on his IV. I figure he is almost done and it isn't worth kicking me out. Ranger is stripped down to his boxers. They even removed his socks. My eyes scan him. He even has red marks on his legs but not as many bites marks as on his chest and arms.

I grab his hand and gently squeeze his ring finger and pinky. One, Two. So he knows it's me. Then hold his hand firmly as the nurse jabs the needle in for the IV. I know he is tough and faces scarier things each day. But it's a small something I can do. Besides, some tough guys hate needles.

Once the nurse is done and the IV is running, he pulls the sheet up to his chest and leaves the stall.

I drag a chair over to the bedside and take Rangers hand again, but I don't sit down. I pull the sheet down to his waist and take a closer look. His chest and neck are riddled with red marks. Some are swollen red rings, other are half crescents. Some are just red marks without a distinct shape. I know many are bites and others are cuts from the pixies' razor sharp limbs. The areas that are covered by bandages are where the pixies sliced him deeply. I am relieved to he only has 4 bandages. But I'm troubled by the marks that liter his skin. Deep dread sits heavy in my stomach at his quiet, still form.

I watch him breath. It is steady. I see the pulse on the monitor 60, 62, 59, 58, 60. Sigh. Stop it. I shake my head and ignore the numbers on the screen.

I take his hand and sit in the silence between us, that stretches a mile. There is only a curtain separating us from the rest of the world. Anyone can hear if you talk loud enough. But can he hear me?

"Ranger, it's me. We got Complo. You should see him. He looks bad. We might have to tell Trenton PD he fell down the stairs just so they don't complain. Though, we all know it's his fault. He threw himself down the stairs. Now you all believe me." I say with an anxious laugh "Skips really do thrown themselves in bad places. The rest of the guys are all safe and here with you. We're at the hospital you took me too. Tank says they know about all kinds of unmentionable creatures. I guess we can't go to Trenton ER and say you were bit by pixies when they ask us why you are …like this.." I take breath and wait until my voice is calm and happy again.

"Those pixy are crazy, right? I've never seen anything like that. Of course, I haven't." I roll my eyes at myself. "Tank said he hasn't either. No one has. He didn't think they existed, at least not in modern days." I sat there for a moment feeling a bit, well, lied to. "Aren't pixies supposed to glow and make pretty tinkling bell sounds and wear flowers on their heads?!" I say intensely "Oh I guess that's a fairy… But pixies wear little curly pointy toes and they laugh joyfully. Emm, Maybe that's an elf." sigh "What's real what's fantasy?" I mutter. "Heroes they seem more like fantasies, but you're real. You're the most real thing I know right now."

I turn my head and lean forward and rest my head on the bed next to his. In this half sitting, half laying position, I am near his ear and only he can hear my voice when it is soft and low.

We stay lay like that in the silence for a bit as I rub my thumb over the back of his hand. I take a few deep breaths. Stroking his hand this way is calming. It feels like he is listening, but at the same time if he was awake and looking at me, I couldn't really say these things to him.

"What do you say to the hero that always saves you? Get better? I hope you don't have to come next time?" I laugh at myself. Uuhh sigh "Then it doesn't sound like I appreciate what you do. Thank you. That is probably the best thing to say. Because I would have died 100 times by now. Ok I'm exaggerating…I hope I'm exaggerating" I mutter "But you're amazing." I look back at him so still, but strong. "You take my breath away. You found me at Stiva's stuffed in the cupboard and…and no one should've ever found me. You suddenly appeared behind Homer and actually picked him up by the throat while he was trying to shoot me dead. Worst of all you walked in calm as a summer morning to get me when Scrog had me and got yourself shot bad!" My eyes tear up and my voice shakes on the last sentence. I take a moment to calm down and hic-up my sobs back "Never do that again." I whisper fiercely and squeeze his hand harder. "This is almost as bad. You're giving me heart attacks. I'm not complaining about the quality of your work. You're the only Hero I've ever known. I..I just need you to be okay. So Rest up. get well... Please."

I hear some shuffling and voices approaching the curtain so I quickly wipe my eyes, straighten my clothes, and stand up

"Carlos Mañoso."

"Yes this is him"

"Ahh we have Miss Plum here, of course" an older man in his 60s smiles at me. Another man is with him in his 50's, maybe, and a younger female.

"Uhm hi?" How does he know me?

"Ahh you don't remember me I am Dr Swatt and this is Dr Murch" His companion nods at me and smiles " We consulted with the ER staff when Mr. Mañoso brought you in a month ago wasn't it?" he looks at the young woman

"8 weeks ago, I believe sir"

"Of course, yes. So doing better it seems? Well except for this nasty business."

"Yes, pixies. I never knew such creature lived here…."

"Uhhum" he continues to flip through some papers.

"Or so many, why didn't anyone notice?" I add absent mindedly to myself.

"What?!" Dr Swatt looks up a little startled

"Exactly!" I say agreeing to his exclaimed surprise.

"You were there!?" "You saw them!? Dr Swatt and Dr Murch say at the same time

"Yes" I say and notice Dr Swatt peering at me closely

"Ahh, yes I see" he is looking at my neck. "But why only one bite?" he turns to Dr Murch with his question and they look at each other intrigued and well, excited for some reason.

"Everyone else.."

"Bites everywhere and scratches…" whispers back Dr Swat rapidly

"She has excoriations too.."

"Yes but not many considering…"

"Fascinating!"

"The reason being?"

"Yes! it has to be."

"No other plausible explanations. This supports my hypothesis I set forth in my thesis The Hierarchical Order and Political Structure of the Unmentionable World: Vampires, Fae, Goblins and all like dark creatures."

The two doctors spoke rapidly to each other, right on top of each other's sentences. Just like they were completing one other's thoughts. A thesis paper about dark creatures? Maybe I should read it; but since it talk about rank and politics maybe I'd pass. Well, unless I needed something to help me get to sleep now Ranger is temporarily here.

"Um so will Ranger be ok?"

"Who?"

"Carlos, can you give him medicine to fix this?"

" Ahh we are currently looking for an antidote to the pixy poison" Says Dr Swatt "Until then we will give supportive treatment."

"A poison? Could he get worse or even maybe…?" I couldn't bring myself to say die. But I could feel the panic rising and my face turning pale.

"More like a toxin. A neuro toxin of some kind as it affects the brain and nervous system. But actually, I can't categorize it as a neurotoxin in good conscious such as nerve gas or a black widow spider bite. These cause convulsions and vomiting and often lead to death. This toxin does not affect the nervous system like a known nerve poison. None of the neurotoxin antidotes we possess will work…" He sits in thought for a moment

"A mind toxin?" says the young woman next to him that I assume was a nurse or his assistant.

"That makes it sound like they lost their minds."

"Doctor." She points at the blank mindless stares of the men around the bay. The curtains are not completely closed around us because there are too many people to fit in the small stall. We can easily see out into the larger ER room.

"They haven't gone crazy and lost their minds. And they aren't truly catatonic. They just look catatonic. Here, watch."

He takes a few steps and pulls the curtain dividing us from the next stall. Zero is there staring blankly ahead. Dr. Swatt throws a nerf ball straight at his face. Quick as lightning, Zero snatches it out of the air.

"See. He is preventing injury to himself. True, this nerf ball won't hurt him, but his mind registers it as an object hurtling towards him." He turns to me "They maintained their ability to fight and move, yes?"

"Yes. The dark mistress, she controlled them, like a puppet master of sorts." I grimace in distaste.

"We are currently looking into old archives for any herbal formula used to cure trance like states and then we will see if we can extrapolate a medicine" Says Dr Murch.

"There are no known cases of pixie terrorizings for the past 100 years" Adds Dr Swatt

"200 years I'd say" chimes in Dr Murch

"Oh yes, quite right."

"So what are we to do?" I look at Ranger feeling empty. I miss him already.

"Supportive treatment. Plenty of IV fluids to flush it out. It should wear off eventually" Says Dr Swatt

"Oh yes, eh. I don't see why not. Just like a drug, flush it out." Dr Murch echoes cheerfully then adds thoughtfully "Even if it was fat soluble should it…?

"Yes good man. It wouldn't store in the adipose tissue and then release slowly over time. You're not thinking?

"That is a plausible theory. Would this cause a constant trance state that is maintained for the master or would the patient come out of the pixie trance and then go back in as more chemical was released?"

"Preposterous. What would be the mechanism? Too unstable. A constant state would better serve to control the subject. IF that were the case."

The Doctors were going back and forth while checking Ranger's eyes, heart, wounds , reflexes, and scribbling notes. My mind was going in circles and confused hearing them talk. Hello? It was like they were in their own little world. Ok, their own little office talking out a research problem. I don't think they were the normal ER staff.

"Is that the case!? What's the case?" I am feeling stressed over talk about long term trances or suggestions that Ranger and the guys might come out but then keep falling back into the pixy trances.

"No, I don't think it is my dear. Ignore Dr Murch's conjecture." Dr. Swatt says taking my hand and patting the back of it

"Gentleman! Is Carlos and the men going to be ok?" I can feel my patience wearing thin. Doesn't anyone have a simple answer?

"Ahh. My dear. Time will tell. But I have a good feeling it will wear off. Most drugs that won't kill you, usually do." Then Dr Swatt gives me a warm gentlemanly smile and Dr Murch nods a few times behind him. The woman that I can now say is his assistant, shrugs and looks apologetic, and they all leave.

"Drugs? I thought it was a toxin, a poison.

Well I don't feel comforted by their bedside manner or explanations at all. I just need a hug after that one. But, I have no doubt he is the best guy in the country for figuring out an antidote.

I sit down, take Rangers hand and lay my head back down on the bed next to his ear.

"I'm not worried. You always figure out a way. I don't know how, but you always do"

"You're strong in here." I place my other hand on his heart. "The pixies bite takes over the mind, but the heart is a complicated thing. When she commanded you, deep inside you said, No. I think you must have the heart of a lion. I can't say I understand the heart. People do cruel things to the one they say they love. They reject the kind heart and cling to the selfish lover because, love is blind. But I never worry when I'm with you. Everything is always better. Even when I mess up and you laugh, I suddenly realize things aren't so serious. And I have courage to try again. But now everything is so serious and all wrong. I know it because I feel it here." I clutch my fist to my chest and take a deep breath "A weight so heavy. No matter what happens, you must wake up. If not, I think, I might miss you forever." I whisper.

I sat there quietly listening to his breathing, and the beeping of the machines, and the bustling of feet amidst the murmur of voices.

"Stephanie?"

"Here Tank" the curtain parts and Tank comes into the stall. I look up at him expectantly

"Complo is in a secure room and awake but he looks a bad"

"Bad?"

"Yes. he will be here for a while before he goes anywhere. I let Trenton PD know." I smile softly at him. That was nice "They will bring the paperwork for us to release custody to them. He won't tell me anything about that pixie Queen mistress you were telling me about"

"You don't already know about her?"

"Not really. There are old accounts about something stealing away people's souls and the darkness making sleep walkers but I don't know much more. Other stories talk about being carried away by pixies, never to be seen again. Sometime a lifeless shell was found"

"Lifeless shell meaning all the energy drained out of them? or just in a trance like the way these guys are?" my stomach clenches in fear.

"No. Not the sleep walker state, lifeless meaning dead, I guess. The information is sparce and mixed with myth. It's likely that red energy you reported attacking the men. Complo looks bad. Ranger is out cold. He's never out this long, unless shot." Scrog came to mind and I grimace

"How about drugged or drunk?" I say hopefully. I mean the doctors did say drugs need time to flush out of a body. They seem to think this toxin is like a drug. An overdose is a poisoning, right? I couldn't ignore the dread building up in me. Maybe the red energy drained Ranger's lifeforce. What if he woke up but he was still blank?

"I've never seen Ranger that drunk. I've yet to meet a person bold enough to drug him that hard core."

"So someone has drug him?" Tank raises his eyebrows at my question and he nods

"Hazards of the job." hmmm so got to hear this story. Though if its some crazy vixen, maybe I should pass

"Let me go take a look at Andrew Complo. If Trenton PD has arrived, I can give them paperwork." Tank nods. It seems like he wants me to talk to Andrew. If Andrew won't talk to Tank, I guess he wont to me either. But hey, I am willing to try.

I kiss the back of Ranger's hand and tell him I'll be back and then leave. Tank is already at the next booth as he slowly makes he way around the ER checking on the men.

I pass Zero's stall. He is blinking and groaning.

I smile, there is a change. "Zero!" He continues to groan and squint his eyes closed tight. I look closer at him and he stops. I pull away and he groans and closes his eyes tight.

The nurse comes bustling up.

"What's going on."

"The light hurts his headache. A lot" I tell her

"Sir are you in pain? Tell me" Zero keeps groaning so I block the light again.

"Ma'am you will need to step away" so I do and she keeps asking Zero questions but he just groans and squints. She pulls out a pen light.

"Oh, Don't do that" She ignores me and shines it at him. Zeros' hand flies up and grabs her forearm in a death grip.

"AHH!" she stands there stunned. I run to the other side and place my hands over his eyes. He stops groaning and lets go. My hands feel cool on his face. It seems to give him some relief.

"The light hurts my head and I was not bitten as many times. Please can you dim the lights?" she shakes her head no. I look up and realize the whole room is lit with large overhead florescent lights.

"But I can still help" In a few minutes she has a towel over his eyes and an ice pack.

"Thanks" I smile and she smiles back. She lets me know she will get the someone to write some pain medications and put them in his IV.

"He should feel better soon" I thank her and leave the ER feeling lighter at the change in the men. Zero was the first, but Will and half of Bravo team, also start to groan and come around with massive pixie hangovers.

I see the guard outside Andrew Complo's room and show him my bond paperwork. I tell him I want to ask Complo about the poison he used on our men, but I don't mention the pixies. He agrees and lets me in.

Andrew is laying in bed. His skin is sallow and the whites of his eyes have a slight yellow tinge. He definitely looks ill. When I enter the room, his head moves slightly to look at me, but he doesn't even try to sit up. All the power that radiated off of him before, is gone. He looks weak, like a deflated balloon.

"You've come" his scratchy dry voice sounds painful

"In case you have something you want to tell me" I stay away from his bed and keep my eyes glued to him. He smiles slightly. Gone is his vicious grin. It seems he has nothing to gloat about or maybe he is too tired.

"Hmmm" he grunts

"If not, I can go," though I really do want to know. If I try to force him or play a game to get information, I doubt I'll get anywhere. I was never good at that kind of interrogation. Unlike Ranger, who is master at applying pressure. Me, I only get information because people want to tell me things. "I'll come back later when you're feeling better"

He chuckles low and weak. "There's no better…There's no later" he says through coughs

I cock my head to the side and look at him thoughtfully. He didn't get poisoned by the pixies. What is going on with him? It causes my worry about the red electricity to deepen.

"I can get you a drink. Is there anything you want to eat to be more comfortable?" It won't hurt. I have this sinking feeling in my stomach. It's like bringing water to a dying man. I couldn't deny him, no matter how rotten he is. Andrew looks surprised.

"A cigarette would be nice" His eyes stare at me in a slight dare. He looks almost amused. I'm about to tell him that it depends on how much information he gives me, but I stop.

"I hope you put out as good as I give" I say and leave the room. After searching and searching. I find nothing. Do you know how impossible it is to find cigarettes at a hospital? I eventually end up leaving and going to the convenience store on the corner. I get a can of dip and a pack of cigarettes. I plan to offer the smokeless tobacco first, maybe that will appease him. Well, I can hope.

Back in his room Andrew looks at me like I'm crazy when I offer the dip.

"It's an entire can of nicotine, It will last a whole day." I try to sound enthusiastic but even I feel like I'm am trying to convince a kid a clown is cooler than Batman at his birthday party.

He looks at me in disgust. I actually agree. But I think the same thing about cigarettes too. Obviously, he has his preferences. And obviously I want to avoid smoking in a hospital.

I sigh, open the window, turn on a fan and hand him a cigarette. His eyes light up and he grins. It's the first smile I've seen since his creepy grins at the pixy lair. I break rules all the time. But smoking in a hospital when an armed guard is outside. I am so busted. I try to stay calm and look like I don't care as he relishes his treat. Why am I doing this!? I don't even like the guy. If he wasn't already beaten down, I'd pummel him myself.

Actually, I wouldn't because he saved us. He saved Ranger by attacking his dark queen and leaving that sword. It seemed to be the only thing that did any real damage to that dark creature. I am doing this because Ranger is still alive and we escaped her grasp because of him. But didn't he cause the problem in the first place by luring you in? That voice we all have, questions in my mind.

Once done he looks better, more comfortable and calm, though still deathly ill.

"So why did you help us escape your employer?"

"Help you? No. I don't help the likes of you. You were supposed to help me."

"But it didn't work out?"

"No" I look at him with raised eyebrows and gestor with my hands to go on. He looks at the bag in my hand.

"Ah its worth way more than that, we are comrades now" I mean we both fought and stabbed the dark queen and I smuggled in cigarettes for him. He laughs low and looks at me with a strange knowing look. I figure he understood my meaning.

"True. We are the same now, you and I. You just have a little more time before the Dark Lord comes for you. I die tomorrow. Why not tell." Well he understood 'comrades' differently than me, I see

I remember the dark mistress saying 'one day' to him. So that is what she meant. I realize now his expression since I entered the room was of a man that has nothing left to lose. His is saying we are caught in similar situations and he doesn't believe I'll be around long to use his information. But I could tell Ranger and the Hunters, they'd believe me. So really, I think this is a dying man making a last connection to someone he feels is like him in some small way. The only person who might understand and remember him tomorrow, when he is gone, because his doom came upon him too suddenly.

I nod. I think the cigarette helped to. He seems amused to be smoking in a hospital. Obviously, he loves to break rules and create chaos where ever he goes. Even if it's small.

"I knew you were after me. I was hoping to steal my Queen's power. I heard that if I stabbed her with an ancient cursed sword, her power would transfer to me."

"Seriously!?"

"The sword was a fake" he says flatly

"It killed her so maybe not"

"She isn't dead. She just moved on with style and drama. It did wound her so maybe it was just not powerful enough" He seems pleased with the idea he wasn't completely scammed with a fake sword. "She retrieved her power from me and took energy from the others so she was out of danger. She will recover easily if she sends the night pixies out to collect for her…"

"What? She exploded and"

"a ruse, to trick the ignorant" He spat out.

"Well I wasn't the one who thought an online sword would kill her." What an idiot believing a bunch of rumors to grab power. Andrew glares at me and for the first time, his eyes don't look drained and his body as weak and lifeless. It's not like we're friends. I don't have to worry about hurting his feelings.

"I had the perfect plan. I lured the Hunters to her. They are willful and to my great surprise I found among them the blood slave.."

"Hey! You're the stupid slave" his face darkens and reddens but he is too weak to do anything.

"I found the blood pet of the Dark Lord" he pauses and I nod and settle down. That's as good as it gets I realize. "Such a feisty pet"

"Enough. Dark servant" He nods. We have come to an agreement. I'll call him servant if he doesn't call me a slave. His boasting continues

"My plan was brilliant. She was strained to her limits containing that many victims. Because they were Hunters and strong, it took all her concentration. Though if she absorbed their essence, she would leap forward in power. Naturally this was a rare prize I offered. As her servant, my job is to do her bidding and protect her when she is vulnerable. She had the night pixies too, so she had no reason to fear my gift was a trap."

"But she was angry at your gift"

"She complains my plans are too bold and reckless. She is overly cautious and does not snatch great conquests. She could rule the city. But why stop there? She could control more, the country, a continent. Why doesn't she? After she killed the Slayers, she efficiently eliminated all who opposed her. She then silently ruled in the shadows. She gets what she wants, but doesn't expand her empire quickly. The last time I was arrested, she didn't come for me. Said I was too reckless and not a good servant. She left me to the whims of mortal justice!" His voice is angry and his expression is incensed.

"I'm a brilliant strategist. I deceived the ancient Dark Mistress. She prides herself in her plans and schemes. Like a spider, she can weave her web into any society and catch anything she desires. She was distracted by you because she fears openly attacking the blood sl..pet of the Dark Lord. I thought she would allow me to kill you, so I could pull my weapon. But she refused. The Hunter Mañoso was more willful than I imagined." His eyes glimmer slightly at the memory "It allowed me to pull my weapon in her presence without rousing her suspicion. I took that moment to strike. It would've worked if the sword was powerful enough. There're no true ancient swords left in the modern world." He sighs out the last sentence, a man who has accepted his fate.

"Hmm" I nod once. I believe a human could never steal a dark creature's power. He was deceived by a wild story. His Queen was right, he is foolish and reckless.; blinded by his quest for power and empire. So if Andrew Complo and John Brown are her inadequate servants. Oh boy! what about her competent ones? They must be moving smoothly through the city doing whatever she wants. I hate to think of their power.

"What does she want?"

"To run her empire and get whatever she wants."

"Which is?"

"Whatever queens like" He says it like it's obvious. It's not like she is a human woman. What would a being like her want? Comfort? Control? What kind of morals does she even acknowledge? I mean, I am sure she doesn't recognize human laws, obviously. But she seems to be careful and efficient. Since the Slayers had their street war and died out, Trenton's crime and underworld was less volatile and more stable. That gang was bad news. Wait, am I saying her hive of servants is better!? But she mind controls people and feeds off their life force how can she be better? Ugh. Thinking about this was making my head ache more. I decide to let it go for now.

"Is the pixies bite poisonous?"

"Pretty much"

"Like, kill you?"

"I don't know. I've never seen my Queen overdose anyone with pixy venom. She rather absorb their essence. Such a waste to let them just die and their essence fade away." I shudder

"How does pixie poison control a person?"

"Magic"

"Come on. The doctors can tell there is substance affecting the brain and nervous system"

"Yes. But they don't know the how or why do they." He says confidently. I stand there silently

"That's is only the beginning of the hundreds of questions they will never answer. Because she and the pixies are laced with magic " He looks at me with steady mocking eyes.

"So it will wear off?" I look at him, dread building in my chest

"The pixie venom wears off. If too much essence isn't stolen, the person will recover."

"If too much essence is taken?"

"They will never wake up. They just die. Such a waste. My queen does not like that." He shakes his head. "IF they manage to wake up and live on, they are crippled and usually die early." His words chill me to the bone.

Before I can ask the question I want to know the most he says, "I wouldn't tell you, even if I knew. You, little pet, will have to wait and see how your Hunter comes out."

"He'll be fine!" I say fiercely.

"Your blood must taste sweet and spicy. Too bad the Dark Lord claimed you first. My Queen would've loved your essence." A taunting look on his face.

"The dark mistress didn't want your essence." No one wants to eat you!? Great Stephanie, that's so lame. Calm down and focus. My headache was increasing.

He shrugs "Naturally, I am too valuable. I was offered a servants pact." His face is full of pride.

"Do the pixies listen to servants?"

"No. the night pixies only listen to my Queen. IF she orders them to go with me, they will only complete her command. But never mine, unless I had her power.."

"Got it. You call them night pixies but they were out during the day"

"You were lucky it was daylight. Or maybe not." He sighs "Their true beauty and power is magnificent at night"

"huh"

His face dazes over. He loves the pixies as much as the Dark Queen. Though he loved her power the most.

"They were white and slow when you met them, because it was daylight. But after sunset they are dark as night. The swarm is a swift typhoon of fury. Their eyes can glow and light your way. In olden times they struck terror when they descended on sleeping villages, a sea of orange eyes against the black sky. Though I and my queen, prefer them as dark shadows that swoop in and strike unseen. An average person is controlled in 3 bites or less at night. Yesterday, she needed a swarm, to control the willful Hunters. If it was night, maybe 10 bites or less would suppress each Hunter. That is why I lured them to her in daylight. Her power to suppress the Hunters was strained to its limit."

I am shocked. All those bites were needed because it was daylight. If it was night I may have been affected with one or two bites.

" I only needed a handful of pixies in my bag at night to do my Queen's bidding. I would silently release them and watch the beauties go to work. Like lightening dancing in the night sky, in a flash, they were done. We never failed. We always got what we wanted." He comes out of his trance like daze shaking off the memories.

I am speechless. "The Queen didn't use the pixies to their full potential. When I and my great vision are gone, she will realize her monumental loss."

"Yes, I am sure she will feel your absence" I would. It would be a momentous relief.

He is tired now. He looks at my bag expectantly. I give him one more cigarette. It's his last request. He'll be dead today before sunset. I don't feel sorry for him. He chose his path. I didn't expect him to tell me so much. Once he started boasting to the 'little blood pet,' I was home free.

I leave quickly saying thanks to the guard and avoiding eye contact out of guilt. I throw the rest of the pack of cigarettes away in the trash.

"Cupcake" Heading back to the ER I think about what Andrew Complo told me. First thing I need to do, is tell Tank. Second, will Ranger be ok when he wakes up? "Cupcake?!" I won't even say, if he wakes up. He is going to wake up. She didn't have that much of a grasp on him, Right? She was getting energy from the other guys too. So like in the movie Guardian of the Galaxy, when they shared the load of the infinity stone, No one was drained too much. Everyone will recover, right?

"STEPHANIE" I spin around startled from my whirling thoughts.

"Huh" I see Joe down the hall. What is he doing here? This isn't Trenton Hospital. We're outside the city limits

"I called you 3 times. Didn't you hear me"

"You did? I only heard my name the last time."

"Cupcake" Oh that may be the problem. I really do better if he calls me by my name. I told him I didn't like his pet name when he first started using it. I eventually gave in and didn't mind so much, but now we aren't even dating..Seriously. It's a round dumpy pastry. It isn't even guaranteed to be chocolate or sinfully good chocolate or better yet mocha chocolate.

"Cupcake?" Joe is looking at me with concern. I guess my mind wandered. I didn't get much sleep last night. oh wait that's, no sleep.

"Please don't call me that. Now we aren't dating it doesn't seem…uh friendly"

"Mean!?" Joe looks hurt and angry

"No. More than friends. Since we aren't a couple.…..and I can't do friends with benefits anymore." I whisper the last part.

Joes eyes get wide. "We were never that."

"The last few years it felt like that to me. Look Joe. You need someone different from me. I still care about you too, but we have to be honest here."

" It's Mañoso." He spits his name out "That was always the problem wasn't it?" He has on his blank cop face. But it is a mask of calm hiding his emotions. I can see his eyes are assessing like he is interrogating a witness and his jaw is tight and hard. His stance says he is angry. Any minute he could go Italian on me.

"We don't match. I am not the person you want me to be. But I am already the person Ranger likes."

"What is that suppose to mean!?" Joe is gesturing wildly and his voice is raised "Obviously I love you so that is a lie! I came here to find you when I heard something bad happened with Ranger's skip. I had to know you were ok"

"Thank you. I would look for you too, because you're my friend. But we never lasted more than a few months. How could we build a life?"

"It's because of your crazy job and Mañoso. if you quit and moved in with.."

"No. I can't stay behind and cook casseroles. I can't stop doing my job that you hate and giving you heartburn. Ranger doesn't want a wife or casseroles and he does the same crazy things I love to do. So we match"

"Cupcake, No"

"Joe call me Steph. or Stephanie. Please.

"No. It is my special friendly name for you" a slightly sarcastic emphasis on friendly. So now it is a pet name among friends not lovers? It has nothing to do with me being soft and sweet and good to eat? I feel my face and ears burning at the memory of his words. Ohh he makes me so mad.

"Ok Muffin" discomfort flashes across his face.

"What?"

"It's my friend name for you to mark the transition in our relationship to friends with no sexual benefits. It wouldn't be fair to not reciprocate. I think muffins are more masculine. But if you do something extra sweet, I might call you blueberry." I smirk at him. "I consider you a bran muffin, strong and hearty." And I give him an extra big grin.

"Stephanie!?" His voice has a slight threatening tone to it like you better behave young lady. It makes me laugh. Yea, go ahead and make me.

"Joe." I reply innocently. I will always match what he says. Maybe with time he won't care and the names will be a joke. Or maybe he'll stop with the cupcake thing.

Joe's phone rings and I turn and continue to the ER.

Once there I quickly run to each booth to see how the men are. Half are gone and the remaining half are now awake and moving around. They look miserable as they wince in pain and grimace at every beep and simple movement. Some groan from their hangover from hell. The nurses are busy changing out IV bags and trying to make them comfortable. I run to the head nurse.

"The other guys?"

"Moved to the hospital ward. The staff will take good care of them, don't worry" I nod and quickly go to stall 3

"Ranger still lays unmoving. His sheet is pulled up to his waist. I walk up and stroke his chest and look at him closely. He is quiet. I grab his hand and hold it. All I can do is wait. I squeeze his hand. One, Two. I am here.

"Come back, please." I whisper to him.

Tank comes in and sits on one of the chairs.

"They are going to move him upstairs with the second group that is waking up right now"

" 'kay" I say not taking my eyes off of him. I tell Tank about the night pixies power and the dark queen being distracted by Ranger and his team and me. That Andrew lured us there during the day thinking he could strike her down and steal her powers and her pixy swarms.

"Damn." He whispers and then is silent for a while. "That would never work."

"You think." I say and give him a crooked grin.

"He's human, she's a dark creature. He can't take her power any more than she can steal his humanity to become human."

"I wouldn't call him humane"

"That's not what I meant."

"I know, his human birth, his DNA." He nods.

"I contacted the Hunter Association to request information. They suspected a 'dark entity' moved in 5 years ago when the slayers all died. Illegal crime was stable and gang warfare was down so they just watched. There was nothing that indicated anything extraordinary or threatening was living in the area, so they just tagged the area as suspicious"

"So you are saying she isn't bad?"

"She does what she wants and gets what she wants. She doesn't follow human laws or morals. She blends in like a spider web and waits for what she wants. Insects get caught in a web, but it doesn't destroy the garden ecosystem."

"These are people not insects"

"I know. Don't take the analogy too far. A garden can have a spider, but the insects and ecosystem still thrives. Now we know she isn't dead. Killing a team of 10 hunters would be too ostentatious. If she had killed everyone, I would hunt her down until one of us was dead. So would the Hunters. She couldn't touch you openly. She just cut her losses and left when Complo betrayed her. The power she would gain from killing Ranger and our men wasn't worth it. They'd make horrible slaves. Ranger is uncontrollable. He'd kill her before agreeing to a servant's contract. None of the other men would enter into a contract either." Wow! I think this is the most Tanks has said to me without it being about cats. But I'm grateful he explained it. Things make more sense now. It gives me hope Ranger will be ok.

"Why didn't she just let us go at the beginning?"

"She was tempted. Her kind is not known for mercy. But if pushed into a corner, they will not fight a losing battle."

"So are we going to go after her?"

"No. She isn't our mission. The Hunter Association will decide. First they need to figure out a way to fight those damn pixies."

"Not an easy thing." Tank nods. It's clear the Hunters have never fought someone like her. She is either very rare, or her kind are so good at blending in, they don't cause enough of a ripple to be noticed.

I feel Ranger's fingers twitch. My eyes shoot to his face. His lids flutter.

"Carlos" I say softly and brush the hair away from his forehead. His eyelids continue to flutter. I can tell he is trying to open them but they keep squinting shut. I position by head so it casts a shadow on his face blocking the light. He opens his eyes and squints at me. I see recognition in his eyes and I feel tears of relief at the corners of my eyes. I also see pain and tightness in his eyes. I place my cool hands at either side of his head and press his temples and slowly massage them.

"The headache is normal." I whisper. I still have a slight headache. If I ever went to sleep last night, it would probably go away. But I'd never complain. I've seen the men and their headaches are monstrous compared to the tiny one I have. It must be a side effect from the pixie poison and how it controls the mind.

Ranger closes his eyes and I see the tightness around his eyes and between his eyebrows relax slightly under my cool hands.

"I'll get an icepack" I whisper. I know noise, light, and motion make the pain worse. I turn and motion to Tank and have him stand so he is blocking the light off Ranger's face and race out of the stall. Just as I clear the curtain, I smack into Joe.

"Cupcake"

"Muffin?" Joe looks pissed. I hear snickering. I look over and see Big Dog and his partner standing nearby.

"Hi guys what's up?" I wave to them as I continue to look for the nurse.

"We're here to get a signature and collect bond paperwork from Tank or you. Unless Ranger is available?"

"No, he isn't" I quickly respond as I grab a nurse and ask for an ice pack and a towel. She says in a minute. I look for someone else to get it for me immediately.

"We need to talk Cupcake"

"Muffin, this is not a good time or place. We should meet up with the guys sometime" I am ok talking with him but I want it clear, it isn't a date. He can come hang out with friends and I'll listen to his concerns, as a friend. Big Dog and his partner laugh.

"You guys want to come too?" I ask looking at them. I haven't seen my police buddies in a while.

"Sure if Muffin is going.." they say and burst out laughing. I shrug my shoulders and look at Joe and raise my eyebrows in a question. Does he want to come? I am serious. I will make time, but only as a friend.

"It will be nice to get together and catch up. I haven't seen you guys in forever. But can we wait a bit until things calm down?" I say as I start looking again for someone, anyone, to get me an icepack and a towel or cloth of some kind.

"Sure. It'll be fun. We need that paperwork" they keep grinning at me and Joe

The nurse returns and hands me an icepack and a towel. I scurry inside the ER stall and press my way around Tank.

"Just relax" I say keeping my voice low and smooth. I place the ice pack at the back of Ranger's neck right at the base of the skull. Then I fold the hand towel into a strip and place it over his eyes to block out the light. I wish I had a second ice pack for his forehead or the top of his head but I only had one. I turn to Tank and whisper. "Can you get another icepack?" He nods but instead of leaving, he starts going through the little plastic drawers of the carts in the stall.

I gently massage the top of Ranger's head and pull lightly on his hair. I don't know why pulling the hair works, but it helps headaches. I know. I've been pulling my own hair.

"Mmm" I smile. Ranger spoke! Sort of. More hope builds in me. I feel his hand moving. I keep pulling his hair and massaging his head with my right hand as I lower my left. He takes my hand.

One. Two. He squeezes it. Stay close. My eyes fill with tears but I blink them away. I was afraid he would awaken an empty shell.

Once, Twice. I squeeze back. I am here. I see his lips turn up barely at the corners. I can tell he is in pain. Damn that headache. I wonder if the rest of his body hurts too. It probably does. I glance back to look for a nurse or PA to order him some medicine.

"Cupcake." Joe sounds impatient. Oh yea the paperwork. I thought Big Dog was the one in charge of that.

"Right Muffin, the paperwork" Tank sputters trying to stop himself from laughing then gives up. His laughter is deep and rumbling. I smile. I would like to see Tank laugh more often. "Be right back" I whisper to Ranger and turn to look for my messenger back.

I can't seem to find it. Big Dog is cackling outside the booth and Joe is telling everyone to be quiet.

"Stephanie!?"

"Joe." I get down on my hands and knees. There it is, under the bed, next to Ranger's boots and a plastic bag. I pull it out and see the plastic bag has Ranger's pants, belt and the T-shirt they cut off of him. I hand the paperwork to Joe. He looks at it with confusion. I take it from him and hand it to Big Dog.

After we sign and exchange papers. He puts everything in a folder and says "It's great to see you Stephanie, you're entertaining as always"

"Thanks" and I didn't have to blow up anything this time

"Let's go. You too Muffin, I think they need some space" Big Dog smirks and slaps Joe on the back as he turns to leave.

"Don't avoid this Stephanie. You and me, later. We'll talk." He gives me a serious look. Ugh.

"Sure, Joe if you want to torture yourself. We never get anywhere with talk. Let's keep it light" He rolls his eyes and leaves. He's mad. When he isn't, he can be a nice guy.

I rush back to Ranger's side. Tank has another ice pack he hands to me. I place it on Rangers forehead and whisper to Tank to go find someone to get some pain medicine. He nods and leaves.

I kiss Ranger's cheek lightly. His eyes are closed and he doesn't move. The curtains pull open and a woman enters.

"oh. Miss Plum yes?" I nod to her feeling a bit startled someone came so soon.

"I'm Doctor Swift . The men still remaining here are under my team. We are in the process of admitting them to the floor right now. I would like to do a lumbar puncture and start some IV steroids. I feel it will help improve his condition."

"So Dr Swatt and Murch aren't over him anymore."

"Ahh you spoke with them" she smiles awkwardly and watches my face closely.

"Yes. They found an antidote?"

"No. But I believe this will treat the symptoms. All of them have a debilitating headache. Has Mr. Mañoso said anything?"

"Yes."

"Oh? what has he said?" Surprise and excitement rings in her voice.

"Not in words, He squeezes my hand and lets me know that …" My voice fades out. That it feels better when I massage his head.

"Yes squeezing the hand is good and all the men respond to pain and our efforts to make them comfortable. I am not sure if they do not speak because they can't or if they avoid it because the headache is too severe."

"Can't speak? What do you mean?"

"It could be they are still in a partial trance or they just need time to recover that ability. Like I said before, it could be that it is too painful to speak. I feel I can treat this pain. Several of the men showed signs of too much pressure on the brain. When I removed some spinal fluid, they calmed down and improved when their cerebral spinal pressures returned to normal. If we do this and add in a steroid for swelling, I think this will treat their symptoms and help them recover."

"So it isn't an antidote to the poison." I was so hoping "Could the poison kill them?"

"No. if they had a fatal dose, I think we would see them getting worse by now."

"What about his Doctors Swatt and Murch?"

"Their job is to assess the pixie toxin and find possible antidotes and consult on treatment options. My job is to treat their symptoms and get them feeling better. I can't ask Mr Mañoso for permission to do a lumbar puncture procedure so I was looking for a Pierre.."

"Tank. Call me Tank Ma'am"

"Ahh yes. It's nice to meet you in person. I appreciate you signing the papers authorizing the treatment of the men that didn't have next of kin available." Tank nods. "So is it ok to also treat Mr. Mañoso? I don't have a next of kin listed for him unless.. Ms. Plum here is his significant other?"

"Uh well"

"Please treat." Tank says. She nods and the male nurse from before come in with her and turns Ranger onto his side. He flinches with the movement. The towel slips from his eyes. He squints his eyes tighter shut and his brows furrow. I go to the other side of the bed so I can see his face and so he could see me too. His back is to the doctor as she and the nurse set up and start wiping his lower back.

"Can you explain this more?" I am feeling nervous as I see them get out the supplies and preparing Ranger for this procedure as she called it.

"Sure. We will take a long needle poke it here at the bottom of the lower back between the vertebra, uh the spine bones, until we get to the fluid at the spinal column. We will then measure the pressure of the fluid here at the spinal cord and let some fluid out." She continues to work as she talks

"What? That sounds freaky and like a really big ass needle!" She laughs at my words

"It is long. But this is a quick way to measure the fluid on the brain and peek at it too. I can measure the pressure on the brain and drain off some fluid if there is too much to give relief. I can also check the spinal fluid for infection. Don't worry, the spinal cord is safe, because I know the perfect spot to insert the needle. We just need to position Carlos correctly and have him remain very still."

Hmm she seems to know her stuff and she gives me answers. She is personable too calling Ranger, Carlos, and not a pateint. Strangely I don't know if I like others outside his family other than me calling him Carlos. Though clearly, she read his name from his chart. I nod and squat down so my face is at the same level as Rangers as he lays on his side on the bed. The needles look huge. I look away and clasp his forearm and hand tightly as I stroke his arm with my free hand.

"Here we go she says." I hear a slight gasp from Ranger but nothing after that. He doesn't flinch or fight back. His head nods forward near my shoulder. I lean forward and with my free hand pull his face to the crook of my neck and stroke his hair. I think of all the times he did this for me in the wee hours of the night when I awoke panicked and sweating. I've lost track of how many times. If not for him I'd be a wreck and never have a normal night of sleep again. I know whatever strength I have each day is because he is there for me without judgment. He doesn't care when I'm a weak mess. He just whispers 'Babe' and hugs me tighter.

"His pressures are good. So that is reassuring. This is still helpful for us to do. Releasing a few drops of spinal fluid seemed to help the men with normal pressures like Carlos. The fluid is clear so there is no sign of infection or contamination." She smiles.

As she and the nurse pull the needle out of Rangers back, Ranger inhales deeply at my neck like when he smells me at night when it is just us. He exhales. "Babe" he whispers. Doctor Swift and her nurse freeze.

"He spoke?"

"Yes" I am laughing I am so thrilled.

"Well, I thought all the men would return to baseline and I was hoping the lumbar puncture would help. But this is so immediate that..." She pauses, she is pleased and surprised "Mr. Mañoso is definitely ahead of the crowd"

"Always" I smile at her as I run my fingers through his hair. After waiting a set amount of time, they turn him slowly on his back again and I can see the lines furrowing between his eyebrows. The movement is wreaking havoc on his headache. I quickly put the ice packs back on his head and block out the overhead light. The throbbing will calm some if he lays still for a while.

"Nurse Valentine will start the medications I've ordered. A pain reliever, steroid and something to help him relax. Sleep is part of the treatment here." I nod again to keep the talking and noise down. I remember a headache can feel better after a good sleep.

After an hour we are settled in Ranger's room upstairs. All the men are on one floor. I am surprised at first but they say it is easier to have the staff that understands their condition in one place. That way they can monitor the men's symptoms and care for them. I guess the whole hospital may not be aware of unmentionables.

Ranger is blinking at me with glassy, unfocused eyes. He is drowsy. I can see the tight furrow between his eyebrows. I place my finger there and gently massage the lines away. "Soon, it will improve" I say softly and stroke his hair and lift his hand, kissing the back of it. I continue to stroke his hair and pull it slightly for his headache. I see his breathing calm out and his hand relaxes limply in mine. I smile and sigh. He is asleep and has momentarily escaped the horrible after effects of the poison. I will sit and wait until the last second of visiting hours is past and they kick me out.

"So glad you're back" I whisper "I wanted you to promise me that this will never happen again. But I know that is a cruel thing to ask. Because in our work things happen to you…and to me."

He lays there silent. Somehow, I feel like he is listening, even though he's asleep. Yep, they gave him some good drugs, thank goodness. I keep my voice soft and smooth and low.

"Just promise me you will always do everything to return …Because I need you. It can only be you." I whisper so softly. The tiniest of shivers runs through him and he is still, no one breaths and time stops for a second. I sigh

My heart is yours and only yours. I wish you were mine too. I am now lost. What am I going to do? Thinking of his shiver, I pull the blanket up to cover his bare chest. He has an ice packs on his head and I remember some of the men have chills and fevers from the poison. I gently kiss his lips.

Tomorrow I will see if there are any side effects from his battle with the dark mistress. But he didn't wake up blank and empty. He is still Carlos. I didn't lose him and that is the most important thing to me.