Chapter 12. Festering wounds

Several of the bikers had come to the club to see the girls audition for Bear's cousin Paulo. While Lilith warmed up, Sarah took a seat beside Bear and whispered softly in his ear. "How's Yuri?"

Bear snickered, "Pissed." He smiled over at Sarah. "You nailed him good baby, took out his left nut clean!"

"Is he going to press charges?" Once more thinking like a lawyer's daughter, she had wondered if she should be getting a legal defense started.

Snake sitting behind them with Bryn scoffed loudly. "And admit he was shot by a girl, not bloody likely." He winked at Sarah, "I'm sure he's just glad you didn't get both nuts. Did you know where you were shooting or did you just shoot and let the chips fall where they may?"

"I always get what I aim for," Sarah said in a poignant tone.

Paulo took his seat, nodded for the music to start and motioned the rest to be still. Lilith sauntered out dressed in a borrowed leather outfit from the collection of costumes confiscated by Linda. Under the leathers was a tiger striped bikini peeping out and being tempting. Being fit and flexible served the girl well as she gyrated across the floor. She was clad in only the bikini bottoms by the time she finished her song. Paulo turned to his cousin questioningly; "Ari, are you sure you don't mind her doing this in front of a crowd?"

Bear shook his head, "I've nothing to say about it one way or the other, Paulo. Lilith is not my property….she belongs to herself."

A doubtful expression covered Paulo's face; "Ok, next girl."

Bryn rose to her feet and moved to where the other girl had been. The lighting was changed to a red spotlight and Bryn produced two huge fans with red feathers in various shades. She preformed her number, never having taken off a stitch and yet leaving the viewer with the impression she was stark naked.

Paulo applauded loudly, as he moved forward; "That was very imaginative," he complemented. "I've seen fan dancing before, but this was different…"

Bryn took a few deep breaths to center herself and whispered a thank you.

Paulo turned from the stage and looked at Sarah. "Are you ready?"

Walking past him Sarah muttered; "Ready or not, here comes mama." She took a provocative stance once she'd reached the stage and nodded to the man in the sound booth with the record she'd chosen. The hard hitting beat sounded and she spun around strutting and undulating in a manner that was more than suggestive. She sizzled, and Paulo gasped as she disrobed down to her bikini bottom as Lilith had.

It took Paulo a moment to speak but his words when they came out were firm and commanding. "I run a clean club," he informed them. "No drugs, no guns…I can start you three out at three bills apiece on the nights you dance. Tips, if you get em, are yours. If you are willing to do more than… stage dancing, that's a bit more cash in your pocket. I don't pay under the table," he warned. "I don't mess with the IRS or the local cops."

Lilith smiled. "When do we start?"

Paulo nodded, "Tonight… I need your information,… you three are all eighteen aren't you?"

"Yes," Lilith spoke for the group as Sarah caught her breath after her performance. "That's not a problem."

The manager of the night club looked at them, "And what Stage names do you want to use?" They gave him a blank stare, and he snickered. "All exotic dancers in this area go by a stage name, and keep their private lives just that…private."

"Tiger Lil'," Lilith said and called to the man in the sound booth, "Buddy; you got a copy of Hold that Tiger?"

Paulo wrote it down, and turned to Bryn. "And you, Red?"

"Firebird," Snake said for her.

Paulo wrote that down as well before turning to Sarah and waiting. Sarah looked at him and held her hand up to show she was thinking about it. She started to snicker and turned to them all, "Call me Goblin' Gert."

Bryn cautioned her against it, but Lilith crowed it was a grand idea as they headed toward the dressing rooms.

Paulo turned to Bear, "Ari, I'm doing this as a favor to you… after this we are even, right?"

"Keep telling yourself that Paulo," Bear murmured. "You might even come to believe it."

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Della wondered if the stone tiles that the king kept pacing were likely to wear out. She understood anger, and enjoyed watching how he controlled his never allowing it to control him. He had waited for a few days after they had returned to the Goblin palace to call for the Lady Rosalind to come for an interview. Della leaned a bit toward Daisy who was also watching the King pace. "Ten says he throttles her," Della whispered.

"Ten says he lets her go with a warning." Daisy retorted.

Jareth ignored the pair of them, contemplating what to say to Rosalind when she showed. He was getting angrier as she was already more than half an hour late. Moments later she was escorted into the room Devon who'd been waiting for her at the entrance of the castle had escorted her to the Great Hall, and now stood back.

Rosalind smiled comely at her King. "My King," she dipped into a deep and graceful curtsey. "You wished to see me?"

"Do you like living her, Lady Rosalind?" the tone of the King's voice betrayed his mindset. It was cold and edged with bitterness.

Rosalind, to her credit and her long experiences with the Royals faced Jareth boldly. "If I didn't I would not be here." She saw that Devon was edging away. "What is this about Jareth? I don't have time for foolishness."

"Nether do I," he growled darkly. "What were you thinking woman? Why in the world would you start boasting to members of the High Court?"

Eyes wide with surprise Rosalind shook her head, "I've never boasted a word to any member of the High Courts… I'm not a fool…"

"No just a careless woman," Jareth spat out the insult as his eyes flamed.

Rosalind let him get out his venom, she didn't flinch nor did she protest. She stood quietly while the King railed at her. When he paused in his steady stream of insults she asked quietly. "Whom am I supposed to have spoken to?"

Jareth, the wind taken out of his sail, looked at her in disbelieve. "Were you not listening?"

"I heard every word," she assured him calmly. "Every word except whom I'm to have spoken to."

Devon was tapping a finger on his lips, "I fear she's right," he muttered. "You've not told her who."

Taking his seat in the throne, Jareth took a deep breath. "The daughter of the Duke Winderspire, one Tanya by name."

Making a sour face the read haired beauty grumbled. "Why would I bother? She's nothing to me, and boasting anything to her would not gain me a farthing." She placed her hands to her shapely hips. "Just what has she said I told her?"

"It's more a matter of what she did." Jareth growled settling into the throne.

Turning to Devon, Rosalind's face told him she expected more information. Devon clasped his hands behind his back, took a stance that was well balanced and began to inform the woman of the intrigue that had plagued the King at Avalon. Rosalind looked at Jareth with equal scorn for the young woman in question. "I never said a word to that impish baby… she must have over heard me speaking to someone else… and I never said a word about sneaking into your bed chamber…why would I? I'd have to admit that I never got to first base with you or this scamp here." She pointed to Devon. "Jareth, I've known you since before you became a King, and I have always thought of you as a friend. I would not do this." Putting two and two together Rosalind gasped. "Don't tell me that infant wants to be Queen, please don't tell me she's going to be."

"No," Devon murmured. "Jareth … wears a precaution that forestalled the little bitch in heat." He whispered in Rosalind's ear.

She looked at Jareth, giving him a wicked smile. "Do tell; I'd rather get a peep at that myself."

"Wench," Jareth's black mood abated. "Rosalind, if I've accused you wrongly forgive me."

She walked closer to the throne, holding out a hand. "Of course I forgive you, my King."

He held the hand. "Yes, the child wants to be Queen…no, I don't want her." He looked up and found her eyes to be filled with compassion, and he found that hard to take. "I have no desire at this time to complicate things by taking a Queen… and certainly not one who'd be spending more time at Avalon than here." He gripped the hand in his a bit tighter. "I'm afraid I have to ask you, do you intend on making this your home, and taking citizenship?"

The pretty red haired Fae shrugged, "Why not, I've been here for a few centuries… my house is lovely, and I've made a good many friends… Yes, I intend to stay." She turned to Devon, "Whom do I see about citizenship?"

"That would be me," he had a scroll already for her to sign, "My Lady." When the woman picked up an inked quill, Devon cautioned. "Don't you want to read it first?"

"No," she commented as she signed her name with a flourish. "I trust my King and his Lord Baron implicitly. She handed the scroll back to Devon before looking at Jareth again. "You have my loyalty and my friendship."

"I treasure both," Jareth said quietly. "And I would treasure your silence."

Daisy held her hand out, Della placed the coins in reluctantly.

Jareth lounged back in the throne, "I think it's time we had a party."

"Party?" Rosalind brightened up and became cheery. "Oh I do so love a good party, will there be dancing?"

"Of course," boasted the King.

Devon was looking at the court calendar, "I say, there's nothing here planed for Samhain…" He and Jareth exchanged glances. "A masked ball!" they both said in unison. "We could invite the High King and Queen… show off the court a bit."

Rosalind took a seat on the steps of the dais. "Oh do let me help with something." Both men looked fondly at her. She thought to herself, if she could not be a Queen or a Baroness, she could at least be a close friend... and perhaps that was better.

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During the long hot weeks of summer the nights at the Hungry Hound were even hotter. Lilith danced with complete abandon, sometimes going down to nothing at all and disappearing in to a dark room afterward. Sarah didn't ask or think about what it was Lilith did. She and Bryn were more discreet about their dancing. Never once did Sarah see Bryn go off with anyone, not even Snake who seemed so sweet on Bryn.

Only once was there a bit of trouble, and Sarah took care of it at once. A biker from out of town tried to grab her when she came off stage. He backed her against a wall and clearly thought she was fair game. She removed his own switchblade from his belt and held it to his groin and asked if he was aquatinted with Yuri. Realizing who this was he'd backed into a corner; he backed off with his hands raised and no weapon on him. Sarah handed him the blade and told him to spread the word to keep hands off her.

By the end of August the girls had accumulated more than enough money for the first down payment on the asylum. They had pooled the cash in a fund that was dubbed the Banshee Fund. All the checks and tip money went into it as well as cash from the bikers. Snake had made the contacts, telling the owners of the property that it would make a great recording studio for the Heavy metal group they were forming. The realtor, wanting to get it off inactive rolls, bought the lie hook line and sinker.

The estate was large enough to accommodate one and all. One building was designated to the bikers, and it also housed a garage that would accommodate the little car that Sarah's father had given her shortly after graduation. One building was set aside as it sat directly in the center of the ley line. It had been the main building housing an almost dungeon in the lower level. This was designated Sarah's building. She began to draw the things she was going to need to complete her work. She designated the upper floors to being left empty, and the lower floor as her staging area. Needing a place to escape to, the girls designated what had been the directors' house as a home base. Each of them had bedrooms in the house, but Lilith wanting to score points with Sarah said that the master suite should be Sarah's. Bryn had no objections as she didn't want that room anyway. It was in this room that Sarah hung her painting of the Dragon and the Crane.

From Monday morning, though Friday afternoon, they lived their lives as if they were ordinary girls. Come Friday afternoon they would pile into the car drive to the Hungry Hound where they were now storing the costumes they designed and would perform. From the Hound they would drive to the asylum. It had not taken as long as they had thought it would for the place to become livable. The house the girls were using was in good repair and had no broken windows. There were no nosey neighbors snooping or trying to give unwanted opinions. The bikers had contacts all over the area who owed them favors. Work and equipment was handled on a barter system. By the time the end of September rolled around the place was beginning to run like a well oiled machine.

Sarah came down to the kitchen in a half tied bath robe to find Snake drinking coffee and talking seriously to Bryn. She smiled a half awake grin taking a seat and nodding when asked if she cared for a cup. Snake looked at Sarah and cleared his throat, "They're tearing down the old Court house over in Dutch Hill, and a buddy of mine asked if I wanted to work on the salvaging crew…."

Sarah looked at him; "Sounds like hot, hard, dirty work… does it pay well?"

Bryn urged him to continue. "Well see, we'll be part of a dismantling crew… taking out the iron bars of the jail cells…."

Head snapping to attention and now suddenly quiet fully awake, Sarah gasped as the coffee went down her throat. "Iron bars?"

"You want em? I can get em for you…" Snake said keeping his voice quiet.

Her hand reached out, almost touching his sleeve before she pulled it back just as swiftly as it had extended. "Yes," she groaned darkly. "Yes!"

Snaked nodded, "You got any idea of where you're going to need this… cell?" He sipped his coffee again.

"I've an idea in my head, I don't know if it will work." Sarah confessed to the man. "I wish I knew about structures and such."

Snake looked around and leaned closer, "I do… don't tell anyone but I've got family in the building trades… I learned to read a blue print before I learned to read words." He teased. "I bet I can even get a hold of one of the old prints on file for this place. My uncle is the recorder down at the county seat." He snickered good naturedly. "I can tell them I need the specs for changes we wish to make for the recording studio."

"When are they tearing down the building?" Sarah asked more than interested.

"This week, I'd have to be on hand Monday through Thursday. My buddy figures it'll take a day and a half to dismantle the jail. How big do you want the cell you're thinking of for here?"

Sarah stood up to pace, "I don't know… has to fit a full grown man… maybe a cot… "

"Cells range in size from 7 feet wide to 10 feet 8 inches or 14 feet…" Snake informed her, when she shot him a worried look he laughed. "No Sarah, I have not been behind bars… My grandfather and my great uncle helped build the prison over in Claggstack. You know I bet I can get not only the bars but the furnishings for the cell as well. It will make everything fit together."

"I want a free standing cell; I don't want it touching any walls in the chamber." Sarah said thinking aloud.

"Putting cells against walls give them stability," Snake argued.

"Too ease to escape. I want the iron bars surrounding my….prey." Sarah grumbled.

"I have my uncle look up the prints for this place, and make a copy for me. I get them when the crew breaks for lunch and then you and I can go over them next week end… I'll have all my suggestions and notes. How's that sound?"

Sarah nodded, "Okay." She sighed.

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Jareth heard the ideas that both Devon and Rosalind had been suggesting. He looked at the lists and frowned. "Rosalind, have you forgotten what Kingdom it is you live in?" He tossed the list over the side of the desk and gave her a frown. "I don't see one Goblin name on your guest list, and this party is in their home!"

Devon picked up the papers. "Jareth, this list is not the full list. It's only the Fae list, I have the Goblin list, and we would not forget them."

The Goblin King shook his head, "I need air," he muttered moving past them toward the terrace followed by his Goblin and Harpy guards.

Rosalind kept still until the man was well out of ear shot, she then turned to Devon. "What was that all about?"

"I wish I knew," Devon admitted to his long time friend. "He's strung tighter than a lute these days."

The pretty Fae woman pouted, "I get the feeling he's not at all in favor of this party, and it was his idea."

Devon shook his head. "No, it's something else. Something he can't even name." He placed the papers on the desktop. "Things are going so well here; he can't help but be pleased. Look at how quickly he's turned things around… and the Goblins are responding… NO… he'd be pleased and proud to show all that off… It's something else Rosalind…"

"Should we continue with the planning?" She asked unsure of what to do.

The Lord Baron squared his shoulders, "I say yes," he motioned her to continue with the seating arguments she'd been working on. "Remember Jareth wants the Goblins in attendance spread out with the Faes. Not pushed off into some corner... Oh and be sure the high table is on a stander of some kind, raised above the rest." He returned to the work he was doing. "We've got four weeks to get the Grand Ballroom ready."

"I don't see why he does not just hold this Fête in that crystal ballroom he's so proud of," Rosalind groused yet again. "It would be so much more impressive than in the Grand Ballroom..." Her eyes got a distant far off look to them. "Why I cannot recall the last time he held a ball there."

Devon recognized the signs, and knew that Rosalind had been one of the Fae witnesses to the disasters that had ended in that crystal ballroom. Quickly he changed the subject, "Rosalind, do you have the list for the wine selection?"

Jareth leaned on the balustrade rail, looking down into the garden that had begun to show signs of the season. Della stood on one side, Daisy on the other; both were watching him carefully and waiting. He looked at Della whose eyes were nearly level with his own. "What?" He asked sharply.

The Harpy, not one to hold her tongue grinned. "On the Rag Fae boy?" she snickered. Daisy shook her head, eyes trying to warn her partner.

For a moment, the briefest of seconds, it looked as if the King would strike her down. The moment passed and the King let go a long exasperated groan. "Damn," he muttered. He looked at his faithful guards, and shrugged. "I wish I knew…"

"Perhaps you perceive something… like a forewarning;" Suggested the little Goblin warrior. "Perhaps the King is sensing danger."

"If I am, which I doubt, it's not to me or the Kingdom… I don't think." He muttered, feeling an itchy feeling where he could not scratch. "It's like having little bits of electricity dancing on me."

Della shuddered; "Yuck."

"Sire," Daisy got an idea and was not ecstatic about broaching a subject the King rarely discussed. "Have you checked on the detail that is watching…" swallowing hard she said very quickly; "The boy?"

Della mouthed behind the King's back, 'What boy,' As Jareth turned around to look downward at the diminutive Goblin. His face was grimly set, and his eyes held little flames in their depths. "No," he growled. "I have not."

"Perhaps you should." Daisy stood her ground.

Jareth closed his eyes, "I suppose it could do no harm," he commented as if making an observation on the state of his garden, or the weather. He looked over his shoulder at the office he'd exited and the pair still hard at work on the festival he was hosting. "But not here, and not in there… this is private."

"The Goblin Throne room," Della suggested coyly.

Again observing the pair working Jareth nodded, motioning the pair of guards to follow him toward a door that opened to one of the corridors of the palace. From there they moved swiftly toward the circular throne room that was now reserved for Goblin business alone. He focused and called forth the Goblin who'd reported to him on the first incident with the little boy Jareth publicly forgot, but secretly worried over. "Come to me, Tonti." He called out on the four winds.

The little Goblin bowed to his King as he materialized in the chamber. Goblins had very simple use of magic; it got them from here to there and kept them safe in the passing through. But unlike Royal Fae and higher level Fae they seemed a bit clumsy in the use of magic. Unsteady for a moment, Tonti teetered and looked like he would collapse. "You called for me, Sire?"

Jareth had noticed that the rough edges of the Goblins and what most took for poor language skills seemed to be dissipating like fog in the Goblin community. "Tonti, is everything…alright with the boy?" Jareth sat holding the sides of the great throne.

"For a long time it has been… however, Sire. In the last few months we've felt a shift." Tonti reported thoughtfully.

"What has changed?" Jareth asked. "I too have sensed a… shift as you call it."

"We don't know… but we are on edge, and prepared." He placed a hand on a tiny dagger at his side. "We vow no harm will come to your boy."

"My boy," Jareth questioned softly.

"Your boy," Tonti nodded swiftly. "He smells of Goblin."

Jareth's face softened at the memory of holding the lively child who had reached out for his face. He could still recall the faint odor of the baby power and soapy freshness that was part of that memory. That and the red and white striped footed sleeper; "My boy," he sighed softly before issuing an order to the leader of the guards protecting the human child. "Be aware, something is coming… keep a close watch on the child, should anything… and I mean anything, threaten him… act swiftly to protect him. You have my permission to use force if need be. Remember you are Goblins, you don't have to play…fair. Just keep the boy… safe."

Tonti bowed and disappeared as if he'd never been in the circular chamber. Della tapped the King on his shoulder and asked. "What boy?" While Daisy groaned in frustration.

"Harpy memory was not touched," Daisy said to the King. "They were not actively involved in the… incident."

Jareth rose from the throne, "I have to see the court scribe, Daisy bring Della up to speed…" He vanished from the room in a swirl of glitter, something he'd not done in a while.

Della waved an arm to scatter the glittering specks on the air. "What boy?" she demanded again.

Daisy took a seat on the steps of the throne, "Sit down, this is a long and complicated tale… it begins with a girl who wished away her baby brother."

"Many have done that," Della growled with annoyance and with irritation. "What makes this one different?"

"Because of what no one knew…" Daisy sighed as she remembered. "There was this girl, Sarah… and she…."

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Jareth materialized in the library and called out sharply. "Lutin I need to see you!" He placed balled fists to his hips. "Now!"

The Scribe entered from an antechamber where he was working on one of the rolls of scrolls. "Yes?"

"Lutin, during the visit of that… girl… did anything unusual happen that would cause the child we returned to… smell of Goblin?" The King's voice was terse and waspish.

Lutin blinked, "He was here the full thirteen hours," he was recalling then moved swiftly to the room containing the scroll on the event in question. "Let me see," he sighed as he moved a long finger down the written record. "He came with the Goblins and was escorted to the throne room where he was given bread and milk…"

Jareth shrugged, "I'm not in a custom to deny any child nourishment."

Lutin looked up, "I know that, but Sire, we've never returned a child to the mortal realm…" He moved toward another room to retrieve another scroll. "Not one we've fed at least. There was a case in the days of Bogal, the merciful… he returned a child who had been wished away… but that was only moments later…" He compared notes. "This child, the one who smells of Goblin… he eat the food of the realm… and he breathed our air… and… he was kept company with Goblin…"

"I gave him a bottle of milk as well… he was very hungry." Jareth recalled softly smiling at the memory of the loud burp that had erupted afterward. "What of it?"

Lutin looked at the King as if he had lobsters crawling out of his ears. "Sire, the Persephone cannon," he gently reminded the Fae.

Jareth felt his knees buckle, as the full force of the truth struck him. "He smells of Goblin, because he is now in truth part Goblin."

Lutin nodded. "He's your subject, even if he's not in the Kingdom."

Taking a seat Jareth covered his face with his hands and groaned. "Lutin, what of the girl…"

Lutin read further down on the record, "I would say the same holds true of her as well."

Jareth placed both his hands on the table with the scrolls. "Not a word of this leaves this chamber… not even to my Lord Baron…" he warned. "Tell me, can they… exist in that world? Can they live out their lives there?"

"Of course, Goblins live in both realms," Lutin stated without reservation. "However, should one or both of them return here for any reason… they will become full citizens, and be required to… live here."

The table went flying across the room, as the King roared. "I will never have that bitch in this kingdom again!"

Lutin went silent, feeling it best not to aggravate the King beyond what he was.

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Sarah looked at the cage as it was assembled, her face twisted with an evil grin. "It's looking real good Snake."

Snake didn't look at her, not wishing to be distracted from the efforts of keeping the cage from falling apart as he bolted it together. "It'll be stable at least," he commented.

Bear held two sections together as the other bolted them. "Wait until you see the top he's come up with."

Lilith bit her lower lip; her expression was one of excitement. Bryn looked worried. "This is going to be rough on what ever you stick in there."

"That's the idea," Sarah stated without guile.

Bear stood back once the last two sections were bolted to the floor as well as to each other. "Now the top;" He winked over at Sarah, as he and the other man raised a separate section of bars over the sections that formed the cage, locking it on with iron clamps that were set up on both pieces.

Sarah giggled. "Nothing could escape that, and the door, it's got a iron lock?"

"Yep," Snake nodded as he brushed his hands on the sides of his jeans. "Only the bed is not made of iron."

"Good," Sarah said aloud. 'I want to hurt him, not kill him outright.' Thoughts of Jareth suffering brought her a feeling of warm contentment.

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Three days before the festival Devon encountered Della and Daisy in one corridor arguing bitingly over some issue related to the guests. He listened for a few moments.

"I'm telling you," Della snapped waspishly. "No female is that stupid!"

"I'm telling you, she's determined." Daisy's voice rose sharply.

Della's talons tore at a little velvet purse hanging off her harness. "Fifty Kopecks says she stays away."

"Fifty says she comes and tries to romance the King!" Daisy pulled a matching bag off her belt.

"I want a piece of the action!" Devon's voice behind them alerted them to his presence.

Della regarded him with a cold glare. "Oh do you now?"

"Yes," he handed Daisy fifty Kopeck coins and turned to Della, "However I wish to sweeten the pot." The Harpy snickered at his brazen flirting. "And just what do you have in mind, my Lord Baron?"

"I agree with Daisy… you two are referring to a certain young Fae Lady, if I'm not mistaken. Daisy is right, she's determined; if she shows up and romances the King… you have to let me teach you to…dance." He moved about as if already he'd won, with a grin a mile wide.

Startled but amused at the same time, Daisy turned to see how the Harpy would react.

Della flexed her talon, glared and growled. "Done, but if perchance I win, you have to run naked though the halls cawing like a crow."

"Done," Devon extended his hand to her, when she placed her clawed talon in his hand he pulled her swiftly forward until they were eye to eye. "I hope you like dancing, birdie."

Not to be outdone, she retorted. "I hope you don't easily catch cold, Baron."

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Karen was finishing the stitches on Toby's little costume for his first real Trick or Treating. She had enjoyed making the little knight's costume, and it was going to look precious on her little boy. The day was warm, and so few would be this way soon, so she sat on the porch watching Toby as he rode his little tricycle back and forth on the sidewalk in front of the Victorian. The phone ran and Karen placed the costume down on the chair, "Toby, stay right here where I can see you." She called as she opened the screen door to enter the foyer where the phone was. She picked up the phone, turned to look out the door to see a man in a dark suit trying to yank the boy off his bike. She screamed and dropped the phone.

They had seen it coming, the dark car that had pulled forward as the mother turned to the door. They had seen the man leap out and reach for the boy, they had heard the scream. And they had leapt to action. Each of them keeping stealthy so none of the mundane who were now running to aid the mother and child would see them. They attached the man, forming an invisible shield to surround the boy. People were screaming, the boy was yelping like a frightened pup. The man being attacked by invisible blows growled in frustration. Seeing his plot foiled, he made a mad dash for the car ordering the driver to speed off. Karen reached Toby and pulled him into a motherly embrace. The unseen protectors formed a shield to include the mother. Neighbors were shouting and coming from down the block. But it was already over.

Karen franticly called the police to report the attempted kidnapping. Franticly she then called Robert, who had gone into the office for a few hours this peaceful Saturday morning. She was still in tears when the phone unexpected rang.

"Karen, is everything okay? I just got the strangest feeling…." Sarah's voice greeted her stepmother.

"No," Wailed Karen still holding the boy tightly. "Someone just tired to kidnap Toby."

"Describe him," the girl demanded.

Karen was not sure why Sarah assumed it was a man, but she didn't really care. She began to relate the details she recalled, including the car. "Sarah, I've never been so … scared…" she whimpered.

Staying calm and feeling like she wanted to disembowel something, Sarah spoke to the woman on the other end in a commanding tone. "Lock the doors, and don't let anyone but the police and daddy in. I'll call later." Sarah hung up the phone and overcome with rage went out to the open green of the compound and screamed like a banshee, dropping to her kneens.

Snake heard the shriek, as did Bear and Lilith and even Bryn. The other bikers who were in the garage working on machinery dropped their tools and followed Snake swiftly to where Sarah stood with blood coming from where her nails had pierced her palms. Bear and Lilith arrived moments later, with a circle forming about Sarah. Bryn knelt down, not touching Sarah but being supportive.

"What's happened?" She asked quietly.

Sarah looked up, the green in her eyes now dark and angry. "Daniels just tried to abduct my kid brother."

Lilith gasped as Bryn stayed calm. "Are you sure it was him?"

"Karen just described him to me…" growled the infuriated witch. "Yes, I'm sure." She stood up, blood still oozing from her balled hands. "He's gone too far, now we end it." She opened her hands and the blood pooled in her wounds.

Lilith smiled, "Sarah, what do you want us to do?"

"I want him, here…. I want to give that bastard a taste of his own medicine." The girl growled in an unsteady voice.

"We're not ready," Bryn cautioned.

"He's not magical Bryn…" Sarah argued. "I don't need a year to prepare for what I'm going to do to him… and not just for Toby… Toby is just the last straw…" She was seething. "I want to get even with that fiend for what he did to you, and Lilith and Marge and all the other girls… for what he tired to do to me… and God knows what he wanted to do to poor little Toby." She began to rock back and forth, feeling like she'd explode. "I want his blood."

Bear looked down at Lilith who was aroused and excited by Sarah's show of anger and intent. He knew better than to interfere, and to a greater extent found himself agreeing with the girl. "Tell us what you want," he moved forward. "He touches you, he deals with us."

Sarah looked at the bikers surrounding her. "Bring him to me… I don't care how you get him here, but bring him here... alive." She turned to Snake. "I hope that birdcage you put together is strong."

"It is," he assured her. "You want the treatment table, and chair?"

"I found some restraints in the store room," another biker offered. "You might put them to good use."

Sarah looked over; it had been Yuri making the suggestion. She raised a brow, and nodded. Turning to Bear she asked darkly. "Any way you can get a hold of some of the same kinds of drugs that bastard used on us?"

"Give me the list," he said slipping into his leather jacket. "I'll go shopping."

Within fifteen minutes after the alarm sounded, bikers moved out of the compound on separate missions while Yuri helped Snake get the chamber ready for its first visitor. Sarah turned to her companions. "We need to prepare… can't be receiving our guest dressed like this."

Bryn warned her. "Sarah he's going to recognize us."

"Not if we are masked." She replied stalking back to the upper floor of the house they were using. "We've got all kinds of shit in the costumes my mother sent. Surely there are at least three masks."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Jareth felt the tingle, and moved with his guards to the circular chamber. "Tonti?" He arrived as the little Goblin did. "What has happened?"

"Someone tired to take our boy, we stopped him!"

Jareth roared, letting his anger fill the chamber. "Find whoever did this!"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The car that held Doctor Daniels was surrounded by bikes and forced off the road. The driver was knocked out with a small club. The man in the back seat was tied up and dragged away after a hood was placed over his head. He was placed into the back of a van, and driven away. He had no idea of which way they had gone, there were many twists and turns taken.

When he was pulled from the van he was forced to walk, still in the hood. Once inside a building he was taken to a room and forced to sit down, his hand were unbound only to be bound again by the restraints of the chair he was seated in. The hood was violently removed, and he was squinting at three young females in black leather, with leather masks covering eyes and noses, revealing only their red painted lips. The one in the center smiled and he felt ice go through him.

"Welcome to Hell," the one in the center said invitingly. She wore the mask of a demon.

"The hour of retribution has arrived," the one on the right stated firmly, wearing a wolfs image over her face.

"Any last words," asked the one on the left, this young woman wore the mask of a tiger.

Daniels struggled against the restraints, bulking, barking at them to free him or pay for their misdeeds.

The one in the center who was not in the least impressed moved forward. "We are your judges."

"Your crimes are many," said the wolf.

"Your victims are countless scores of innocents," the tiger growled darkly.

"You have abused your position." The demon cracked a whip she'd taken off her belt, the end of which kissed the lobe of the man's ear.

"You have betrayed your vocation," the wolf said as the demon cracked the whip again this time striking the other ear.

"You have broken your vows to heal," the tiger said as a third crack of the whip glanced the man's cheek leaving a red welt.

Daniels turned to look at the man standing behind him, gasping as he saw the man wore an executioner's hood. "You have no right to kill me," he screamed.

Another man also hooded rolled a cart to where the women stood. The demon picked up a syringe, squirted it lightly in the air to remove any air from the needle. "We have no intentions of letting you off with just death, Doctor Dylan Daniels." The tiger and the wolf also picked up syringes. "We intend to show you what you've done." The first needle went in and was empted into the screaming man. Then the second, and finally the third, over and over and over again.

Soon the man was babbling, Sarah removed her mask, "I warned you to leave me and mine alone."

Bryn took the man's face into her hands after tossing the wolf mask aside. "You raped me you sick bastard! You were supposed to help me, not attack me!"

"You are nothing more than a fucking monster!" Lilith jabbed one more needle into the man; "May you rot in hell."

Snake and Bear removed their masks, Sarah looked at Bear worriedly. "You're sure the side affects of all this will push him over the edge?"

"Yep," the Greek man nodded.

"Get him out of my sight," Sarah ordered crossly.

"You want me to drop this trash in the woods and let him wander?" Bear asked.

"Just make sure it's far from here, and no where near Toby." Lilith answered for Sarah.

Bryn looked at Snake. "What about his driver?"

"All he'll know is some wild group of bikers ran him off the road." Bear assured them. "We've no reason to hurt him… he's just a lackey." He pulled the now restrained man from the chair. "I'll put out the garbage."

Sarah looked at the tip of her whip, "I've bloodied myself."

"We share in this," Lilith cooed lovingly.

Bryn looked at Sarah. "How do you feel?"

"Vindicated," Sarah said tossing the whip down. "And ready to take on a Goblin King."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The King was pacing awaiting word; Della looked to Daisy who shook her head. Neither spoke, they understood their presence was enough. No others were in the circular chamber with Jareth; he had bared even Devon from being here. When Tonti appeared the King saw he seemed taken aback. "Did you find the culprit?"

Tonti nodded, "We did… sort of…" The King looked at the Goblin, motioning him to speak on. "Someone got to him first… some mortal… or other… but…he won't be harming or going after anyone's child anytime soon." Tonti had seen what was left of the evil man; a babbling fool; who spoke of demons and wolfs and tigers, and of vengeance.

Jareth, King of the Goblins drew a long held breath. "So much the better…let his blood be on mortal hands and not ours… Go, protect the boy… see to it he is at peace."

After the Goblin vanished, Della mused. "Better for whom?" She flexed her talon. "I should have liked to exercise my claws."

Daisy drew her trusty blade, "I should have liked to give the Bird here a tasty treat…."

Jareth smirked at both; "Now really, what with the arrival of the High King? I'd have a hell of a time explaining the screaming and all that blood." He yawned, "I'm off to my bed…" He vanished in a mist. Upon entering the bed chamber he was surprised to find the little dream orb filled with a strange red glow. "What the hell is that?" He asked as he took a seat on the bed. "I don't recall even turning you on." He waved his hand and the orb went dark and silent. "I have too much on my mind," he told himself aloud. "I don't have time for maidens' dreams." Again he yawned as he fell back into the bed. "I've the High King's arrival to prepare…." He closed his eyes and drifted off into sleep.

Slowly the orb began to grow light again, and continue the dark dance of mists in it's center.