Ay carumba, it's been a while hasn't it? I'm sorry but I've been really busy since I last updated, I sould really be doing my college work but I thought I'd update for you guys! Hugs all round!
"I know this is going to sound pretty dumb mentioning it this far into the search, but isn't there a spell that can alter age that you need to read backwards to reverse it or something?" asked Spencer, he had gotten up during the night to help Sanguinex, purely because he couldn't sleep.
"You know what Blondie, you may just be onto something, if I can jot it down then Nix can look it up, the sun's starting to rise and Nix is going to kill you if you don't get any sleep."
"It's four o'clock in the morning."
"Exactly, morning. If sunlight hits me I start to fry, remember?"
"Well I suppose we should hit the sack then." Spencer yawned, stretching his arms.
"Yes, and will you tell Nix I'll be on the bite when darkness comes."
"Will do. Though can I ask what you feed on?"
"Sadly, humans, but I only drain about a pint from each person. So for them it's like giving blood to a walking blood bank. Six pints of blood will last three days, four if I don't do much."
"I see. How's the arm?"
"Almost healed."
"Good, heard from the others?"
"Centopath sent word that the others had gathered not far from here and await my orders."
A nod from Spencer as they left the book filled dining room.
"Spencer." Sanguinex called as the Russian was about to step into his room. "Take care of her, she's not as tough as she makes out." and he was gone before Spencer could question why.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Time, once again to hit the books maybe we'll have better luck with your suggestion Spencer." Nix announced when Spencer told her his idea. Sanguinex stupidly forgot that Nix couldn't read anything that wasn't indented into or raised from the page.
"Hopefully a lot quicker as well, we're all going to give you a hand, or try to at least." said Tyson, picking up a book and starting to flick through it.
"Well look for any kind of aging spell or potion and mark it with a post it note. And thank you." she added, running her hands over the bumps in the pages in front of her.
"So what happened the first time this happened to you?" asked Bryan, Nix stopped reading the Braille.
"Calcifer talked for the first time and I found my father, your uncle… dead. He had beaten me for blowing something up when I was nowhere near it, he blamed my powers in turn blaming me for having them, not like I could help it. He shipped you off to that dreadful abbey and beat me and I just wanted him gone, to abandon me, but I never wanted him dead." a crystalline tear ran down her cheek.
"It wasn't your fault." said Bryan. "It was never your fault, witchcraft had nothing to do with his death... I promise you."
"How can you be so sure Kuzzy?"
This even had Tyson sit up and listening. But it was Kai's voice that spoke up.
"Boris… sent his men to kill your father... a year after Bryan started at the abbey, he didn't want Vladimir to realise he had made a bad decision and come back to get Bryan, not when he was one of the best bladers his age. Though for some reason Boris never knew or found out about you."
"Vladimir would never mention what he was ashamed of, he would've probably sent Nix too if the abbey took on girls. I never mentioned her though as much as I wanted to because I didn't want that bastard doing to her what he did to us... but surely the police or someone it wasn't your fault? …I don't believe it!" Bryan cried incredulously when she shook her head.
"Bryan, she was seven years old, the police knew she didn't do it." said Calcifer.
"Maybe so..." Nix looked up and gave a lifeless smile. "but they also assumed that a little seven year old girl wouldn't be capable of such guilt and didn't think it was worth mentioning." Then Nix just collapsed into a heap of tears, all these years she had lived with the guilt of something she didn't do. Tears of sadness or relief she didn't know.
"Why didn't you tell her this sooner?" demanded Tala of Kai and Bryan, trying to comfort the weeping witch.
"Because we only found out for sure last night, Kai did the digging for me, hacked into Russian police files. Nix... would never wish death on anyone, except maybe Corbin and Boris, I had to make sure. I still think Corbin's behind this too." Bryan stated, grabbing a big book entitled 'A guide to Witchdom' and scanning through the contents.
"Never mind the theories, we've got a witch in distress over here!" cried Tala.
"I'll take care of her." Spencer picked her up and carried her out of the room, once Bryan had a theory there was no stopping him, like the time he thought there was a body in the garden, Kai's poor gardener nearly had a heart attack.
He sat on the sofa, cradling Nix in his lap and against his chest, her fists in his shirt as she sobbed and hiccupped. He could only rub circles on her back and whisper things like 'it's ok, things will be fine' in her ear until her sobs died and her breathing evened out. Her grip loosened on his shirt and he concluded she was asleep.
He felt so protective of her, more than a friend, but different from a sister…
'Emotions are so confusing... I'm feeling the overwhelming urge to protect her, be with her, cheer her up when she's down...' he looked at her sleeping face and brushed away a stray lock of her hair with a smile. 'Whatever it is, it feels… warm and fuzzy and quite pleasant.'
"How is she?" he looked up to see Hilary.
"Emotionally exhausted. Not that I blame her." he said softly as Nix moved to make herself more comfortable, wrapping her arms around his waist like a big teddy bear. He blushed and continued to run his fingers through her hair. Then noticed Hilary's content look. "What?"
"If it's not obvious to you now it never will be." said Kai.
"Oh… shut up Kai." Spencer grumbled. "any luck?"
"We found a couple but it's down to Nix to find out if they work on Bryan." said Hilary. Spencer nodded and shifted slightly, not to disturb the girl in his lap.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
A cloudy cobalt eye cracked open, feeling slightly disorientated as she lifted her head off it's firm, ocean scented pillow, grumbling something in Russian. She instantly felt a gaze on her.
"I hope Corbin can't understand Russian. Hey, how you feeling?"
'Spencer? What the? Oh yeah, I got upset and fell asleep on him, oh…sugar.'
"Ok, I think, and he can't understand a lick of it. H-how long have I been out?"
"Three hours."
"What? But the spell… Bryan, I-I…" she stopped stammering when she felt Spencer's finger on her lips.
"Relax, they've found a few from what I heard, but right now you are having a bubble bath while I cook us something to eat."
"Where are the others?"
"Out nursing paper cuts and tired eyes." Spencer mused, surprised she didn't wake up at Tala's constant cursing. "Bryan's been looking up things about casting spells with another's magic. He's convinced that Corbin's behind him being a kid."
"Wouldn't put it past him, he cursed me after all."
That revelation made Spencer's blood boil and his breath catch.
"Corbin cursed you? Why?"
"My theory is to break my spirit, like a hawk my eyes are my utmost treasure, taking that away Corbin believes I'll bend to his will to get my vision back."
"And you're willing to sacrifice your eyesight to be free?" Spencer couldn't believe this girl.
"Yes." she replied defiantly.
Feeling this would be a good time to change the conversation onto a different path he asked "What are you going to do about Zapdoborg?"
"Falborg's working on it or so I'm told. I might try training with her later."
"Hmm. Hold tight." he said, carrying her bridal style upstairs.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Nix climbed out of the tub, feeling around for a towel.
Spencer had run her bath, putting in a couple of different bubble bath mixes as well. Then leaving her to soak while he cooked something to eat.
Finding the fluffy item Nix dried off then wrapped the towel around her in search for her clothes in her room. A pair of black baggy trousers and a black cropped top under a purple organza over shirt.
"You look like you're going dancing." Calcifer's voice snickered.
"That's nice." she replied sarcastically, pulling some black slippers on her feet. "I can't believe the police never told me it wasn't my fault." she exclaimed.
"You were seven years old Nix, they automatically knew you weren't to blame."
"Yeah, and I was twelve years behind them in finding that out." she sighed. "Oh well, if it don't kill me it makes me stronger." she shrugged.
"Nix, drop the tough cookie act." Calcifer sighed. "You sleep with a teddy bear for crying out loud."
"Remind me how you got a human voice."
"You wanted someone to talk to, since your bastard-"
"Thank you Calcifer. Where's my cane?"
"In the dining room where you left it. But you can navigate your way to the kitchen can't you?"
"Some seeing eye bird you are." she replied when there was a knock at the door.
"Nixy? Lunch is ready."
"Coming." she called, feeling her way to the door and opening it, Spencer's ocean scent wafting over her again.
"I was beginning to think you fell asleep in the tub." his voice teased. "I like the outfit."
"Thank you, I haven't been keeping you waiting too long have I?"
"No, I just served up. Hope you like tomato and basil pasta."
0o0o0o0
"I taught you well." laughed Nix, finishing the dishes since Spencer cooked.
"I made dessert too if you're up for it." Spencer blushed, proud of the apple and cherry pie he had managed to make. Hoping Tyson didn't show up first.
"You didn't go to all this trouble for me did you?"
"Well, it wasn't any trouble… I thought you might be hungry after earlier, plus I wanted to see if I could make something on my own."
"Well it was very sweet of you." She felt her way to plant a kiss on his cheek.
Spencer felt he could outshine the sun at that moment.
"We're back! Three boxes of plasters we had to…" Tala ranted as he stomped in, stopping when he saw Spencer's tomato impression. "Spencer are you ok?"
"Fine, fine." he replied with a dreamy smile on his face.
"Spencer and Nixy, sittin' in a- AAH!" Ian made break for it when Spencer chased after him.
"Come here you little weasel!"
"Snake dammit! I'm a snake!"
"You'll resemble one when I'm done with you!"
"You wouldn't be chasing me if it wasn't true!"
"Why you little pipsqueak!"
"KAI! HELP ME!!"
Hilary and Kai were trying not to laugh, Tyson was outright killing himself with Ray and Max.
"I'm more confused than usual. I hate not being able to see." Nix pouted, being pulled into a reassuring hug by Tala.
"You up for a little spell trial and error?"
"It's really Bryan you should be asking."
"You've been through enough today Nixy, I can cope 'til tomorrow." Bryan's young voice said beside her, hugging her middle. "Can we play a game, all eleven of us?"
"Like?" asked Kai.
"I know, we all line up in a random order, and Nix goes round to see if she can identify us using touch, smell and taste."
"You just want me to kiss you, don't you Tally?"
Spencer thought she was lucky not to see Tala's smirk.
"Ok, I'm game for it." she said. "Better make it hard for me though or it won't be any fun."
And so the game began.
Nix was guided in front of the first person. She placed her hand on their head and smirked "Tyson."
"Dammit, I even took my hat off."
'You may consider brushing your hair in future.' thought Spencer.
"Hat hair my friend." she moved to the next person, cupping their face and feeling lightly, no distinguishing features, hold on, oddly large nose. "If I hear Bryan right in his rants, Ian."
"I hate my bloody nose!"
'Bad luck Ian.'
"Hm, toughie." she leant forward planted a kiss on the next person's lips when she couldn't define them by touch. "Mm, sugary, slightly sour… Max since he has this thing for sweets."
"Shouldn't have eaten those sherbet UFOs."
'No you shouldn't have.'
"Come on guys, you're making it too easy." she sighed, feeling the face of the next one, long bangs, quite well defined bone structure… slightly pointed ears. "I'm guessing Ray?"
"Guessed right." Ray grinned under her hands.
'Watch those fangs kitty, I may remove them while you sleep.' Since when did Spencer get violent thoughts in a game?
"Next one I can tell without going anywhere near him, Kuzzy."
"How the bloody-"
"Your shampoo." she smiled, moving to the next one. "Petite features, slim shoulders… it's not Tala though." she leant in and sniffed lightly. "Unless one of the boys uses girly deodorant, I'm saying Hilary."
"You're good."
"Next one… messy hair, well defined cheekbones, strong jaw line. Kai… yep, I feel the scarf."
"You're very good."
The next one was standing up, cold skin, pointed nose… eyebrow arched… tooth poking out… "Hey Sanguinex, come to join us?" she asked, beaming in his direction.
"I was actually…" he pecked her on the forehead, "coming to check how things were going before I went out."
"We've found a few that Nix'll try tomorrow." said Hilary.
"I found out that my father's death wasn't my fault, but Boris's and got a little upset."
"Understandable. I'm off out, Exsisto in vestri tutela." he said to her.
"Oh…um Vos magis sic take tutela."
Spencer glared at the vampire's retreating back, jealousy burning in the pit of his gut.
"Spencer, relax, they were basically saying take care." Bryan snuck to his side to whisper in his ear as the game started up again. Nix feeling Tala's face. And saying his name to confirm her suspicions.
"Aww, no kiss?" he mock-pouted.
"You are one pushy guy Tal." she leant forward and kissed the corner of his mouth.
'All in good humour, all in good humour, Tala tries anything and we'll need a new captain.' Spencer thought angrily. Oh yes, he was jealous.
"Kenny, the cute chubby cheeks and the glasses."
'I hope for his sake he still fancies that god-awful Ming Ming.'
"This is really disorientating without the cane, I feel like I'm gonna- AAH!" cried Nix, tripping over someone's foot and landing in Spencer's lap. The ocean scent and tingling warmth filled her mind.
"Thanks Spencer."
"Anytime." he smiled.
"How'd you guess?" asked Max.
"I always seem to end up on his lap." she laughed.
"Comfortable?" Spencer asked her
She moved a little and rested her head on his shoulder. "Very."
Spencer knew he wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. He spared Kai and Hilary a glance and wasn't surprised to see knowing smiles on their faces.
"Are mummy and papa getting married?" teased Bryan, bringing laughs from everyone's throats.
"No, but somebody's going to bed early." Nix waggled a finger and Bryan was levitated upstairs.
"Nix! I was kidding! Spencer!"
"Off to bed with ya." Spencer smirked.
"Well don't I get a goodnight hug?" Bryan cried from upstairs.
"What say you Spence?"
"Hug him or he'll sulk."
"Good answer." Nix waved her hand and Bryan came zooming back, a pout on his six year old face.
"Meanies." he huffed as Nix pulled him out of the air and into her lap.
"You better lay off the papa stuff, Spencer probably feels uncomfortable."
"It's actually been quite amusing, but you do it when you're back to normal and I won't hesitate about bashing your face in." Spencer warned him.
"Na, you're too nice for that." Nix teased, kissing her cousin on the head. "We're not squashing you are we?"
"No, even though Bryan seems to eat more than usual."
"I burn it off chasing after Ian." Bryan replied smugly.
"Was he ever this Gobby as a kid the first time round?"
"No, he was really timid."
"Uncle Vladimir had that effect on everybody." shrugged Bryan, resting against Spencer's other shoulder.
"Now that would make a cute picture." grinned Ray. Tyson taking Kenny's digital camera.
"I bet it does." mumbled Nix into Spencer's collarbone.
'We'll get your sight back, somehow.' he thought, stroking her hair.
Uh... please review?