Enchantment 19
Xandria thought she saw him at the counter, but convinced herself she was just paranoid. When the girls got up to dance she spotted him again. This time she was certain. It was Hanadrin's right hand man sitting at the bar watching her. He smiled at her wickedly and she decided it would be safer for everyone if she just stepped outside to deal with him. She made her excuses to Sarah and headed for the door. She stepped out the door and into the alleyway behind the bar. Ironically the same alley that Reid and the other boy Aaron had fought in a few months prior.
It only took him a few minutes to come out. He walked further into the light. His glamour made him look like a darker version of Heath Ledger. "Well, well, what have we here?" he said "what do you want Mordran?" she responded. "Oh at the moment to know why my lieges run away fiancé is in the arms of a mortal boy?" said Mordran.
"Because I've moved on, I'm not marrying him" said Xandria. "Oh I think you will, especially when I tell him all about your little lover" he said. "You stay away from him," she said angrily. He laughed at her threats; "if you so want another mans charms I'll keep you busy even after you wed my lord" he leered. She smacked him hard he stepped back and glared at her. "You will regret that" he said.
"Stay away from him and stay away from me" she demanded. "Then come with me now and I'll leave them be" he demanded. He grabbed her wrist and was attempting to drag her with him. "Let go of me!" she demanded and tried to pull her arm back. She tried to knee him to get him to let go and he backhanded her.
Then he grabbed her wrist and tried to drag her again. "Let her go!" said Tyler coming out of the door. The man laughed at him. "This is your lover?" said Mordran. He dropped her and strode forward towards Tyler. "This is between the lady and me, go back inside little boy" said Mordran. "No and keep your hands off my girlfriend" said Tyler in response.
"Cheeky little punk aren't you?" said Mordran. He was trying to intimidate Tyler with his size difference. 'I think you want to leave now" said Tyler. Tyler sounded angry, she could tell by the look on his face he was.
Mordran turned to her and said "say goodbye to your little boyfriend" he then turned back towards Tyler and pulled balefire. Without preamble he threw it at the boy and Xandria prayed her wards would hold. The spell struck Tyler wrapped around him for a second then reversed back on Mordran.
Mordran didn't even have time to register shock when his own balefire engulfed him. The force of the thrown magic had knocked Tyler to his knees but other than impact he felt nothing of the spell. Then he watched in horror as the spell reversed and engulfed his assailant in flames. The man didn't even have time to scream before he was ash.
Reid, pogue, and Caleb, chooses that moment to come out. "What happened?" said Reid taking in Xandria's disheveled state. Tyler pulled himself up off the ground and went to her side. "Did you do that?" said Caleb pointing at the pile of ash. Xandria was crying and Tyler put his arms around her. "Easy it's ok I'm here its all right" he said into her hair. "Tyler!" yelled Caleb. "What Caleb!" he yelled back.
"What happened man?" said Pogue. "I'm not entirely sure," said Tyler he helped Xandria to her feet and supported her walking her towards the steps. Reid noticed the split lip first and asked "did he do that?" she nodded. Reid swore profusely. "Just tell us what happened," said Caleb. He said it calmly because he could see she was upset.
"He, he attacked Tyler and the ward held" she whispered. "Ward?" said Caleb. She looked embarrassed for a second. "Those necklaces are wards," she said sheepishly. "Is that what they are supposed to do?" said Tyler "no, they only throw back what he sent out" said Xandria. "He was trying to kill me then?" Tyler said. He swallowed nervously. "Yes, im sorry" she said softly. Tyler was mad about the asshole not her. "You have nothing to be sorry about" interrupted Reid. He fingered the piece of metal on his neck.
"Yes I do, I got you involved in this and I almost got you killed for it," she said softly. Tyler sat down next to her and pulled her close. "Hey stop that you warned us and tried to protect us, this isn't your fault," said Tyler. She looked at her feet her lip hurt and she was scared out of her mind. She could have lost him tonight and that scared her more than she ever would have thought possible.
"Hey stop we know what were involved in, that's our choice remember" said Pogue he pulled a handkerchief from one of his jacket pockets and handed it to her. She dabbed at the blood on her lip. It hurt and she winced. "Are you ok?" asked Caleb. She nodded absently. Caleb kneeled down in front of her.
"Hey were not mad at you we're worried ok" he said. Reid sat down next to her "but you have to trust us ok?" said Reid. She looked at her lap, she felt thoroughly rotten right now. Pogue reached over from the side of the steps and put his hand on her shoulder. "We are on your side remember, your not alone in this, show us a little faith alright," said Pogue.
Xandria hear the girls coming and waved her hand dissipating the ash pile with a little wind. When the wind settled Sarah and the girls came outside. "Oh my god what happened are you all right?" said Sarah. The boys moved to make room for Sarah and the girls. She sat down next to Xandria and looked her over. "Well what happened?" she demanded of Caleb. "We were attacked," said Tyler. "The ex?" asked Kate. "No ex's best friend" said Xandria. "What happened?" said Bunny. Xandria glanced at the boys "he got his ass kicked and ran" answered Xandria.
Caleb smiled at her answer. "Maybe we should call it a night before the ex shows too" said Sarah "good idea I'll get our jackets" said Kate. "I'll help," said Bunny. She followed Kate back inside. "Does she know?" asked Caleb "who? Bunny or Kate?" asked Xandria. "Bunny?" said Caleb. "Just that he's an ex, I told her he was a witch she believed me enough to help with the wards," said Xandria. "Sarah did you know about the wards?" asked Caleb. Sarah shrugged "yes I helped place them" said Sarah. Caleb nodded his understanding.
"So it was you guys at my house earlier?" questioned Caleb "yes" said Xandria answering for Sarah. "And it was my idea" she said softly. Caleb stepped closer he looked angry. "The next time you want to gain entry to my house do so with my permission and without knocking my family out," said Caleb. She looked sad for a moment "I'm sorry" she said Caleb seemed to calm down a little.
"I just wanted to protect you and them as well, I never would hurt them you know that" Xandria said softly. Caleb seemed to believe her and calmed down some. "Just ask next time," said Caleb "okay" she said softly. Kate chose that moment to come back with the jackets. She handed out the ones she had carried and Bunny handed the others out. They put them on and left. The girls left in Sarah's car, except for Kate she wanted to ride with Pogue.
Xandria sighed as she sat back in the passenger seat. "Boy was he mad," said Sarah after they had pulled away already. "He's right though we should have asked him" said Xandria." Still we got it done," said Bunny from the back seat. 'I don't think he would have said yes do you?" said Xandria. "Naw, me either" said Sarah. "Then we did the right thing even if it did make him mad" said Bunny. "Yeah, I think we did" said Xandria "me too" said Sarah. They rode the rest of the way in silence
Xandria was too lost in her thoughts to talk. She was trying to analyze the feeling she had felt earlier. Was she in love? Was this what love felt like? Did Tyler feel the same way? They had been lucky tonight and Xandria was worried about how long that luck would hold out.
They reached the dorms and piled out. They were all exhausted it seemed so they said their good nights and headed for their rooms. Sarah saw the light on in her room and let herself in to the room. She hadn't felt safe in her room since the Chase incident. After they placed those wards she suddenly felt a whole lot safer. Xandria obviously knew what she was doing. Sarah was however worried about her. She was good for Tyler they could all see that.
Bunny was in an unusually good mood despite leaving early. Xandria was exhausted and her nerves were starting to wear thin. Bunny's mood however was very uplifting and she could sure use the lift. Xandria kicked off her heels and stretched out across her bed. "So how was it?" she asked bunny. Bunny was pulling her dress off over her head. It did nothing to hide the blush rising to Bunny's cheeks.