Selena Rose, Daughter of the Moon

Chapter 23

Luna looks at the address Apophis has just handed her. "She is here?"

Apophis runs a hand through his hair and says, "Yes, she is alone and drugged. I think he has traps laid but I couldn't tell. I would have laid traps. Considering the expense he went through to hide her I am sure he has laid traps."

Linnette turns from Hayden in surprise and says, "What do you mean the expense he went through?"

Apophis shrugs, "I mean he can't do that himself. He is inherited his wind ability from his father but nothing from his mother. He can't do the simplest of spells and never could. He has been buying charms and things from a voodoo priest in Louisiana. I had him thoroughly investigated when I found out they were dating. I got to his guy and I pay him to keep me informed about what he buys. Nothing more. That is how I knew what to use to find her. He has bought some nasty little surprises at different times and he may have another supplier as well. Be prepared for that when you go get Kya. Now, where did Selena go?"

Dwayne answers, "She went to the parking lot behind the Main Street buildings."

Apophis smacks his own forehead lightly, "Of course he would want her there. The address I gave you is about two miles from the downtown area of Main Street. You all get there. I am going to find Selena. Message me when Kya is safe. If Selena went alone she means to stall him for Kya. Hurry, go now."

Everyone files out of the house except Bath and Zethes who stay behind to care for Aspen and Nathan, Apophis stops to speak to the butler, "Get things ready in case we need to heal Selena or Kya. If I don't come back then you assist Selena in taking it all over." He turns and starts to walk away.

"Yes sir. We would miss you sir."

Apophis looks back surprised, "You would miss me?"

"Yes sir. If you will forgive me for speaking plainly, you are a better employer than most and since the wreck you have been even better. Especially for those of us that are magical in some way and have problems hiding it." He points at his own ears.

"Ahem, um. Yes. Thank you, I will endeavor to come back." He strides out the door forgetting to close it in his flustered state.

* * *

Luna, Dwayne, Linnette, Hayden, and Samara take two vehicles so there will be space for Kya. One the trip over Luna and Linnette drive while Dwayne and Hayden maintain a call so they can plot on the way. It is finally decided that Samara will take aim at anything moving, Linnette and Hayden will combine talents to unravel any spell traps, Dwayne will shield Luna as she goes in the house for Kya and the both of them as they come out. By the time they have decided on a plan they are arriving. Stopping in front of the house they park in the street. The whole house has a forbidding look to it, like no one has so much as glanced at it in years and it has grown angry. Luna whispers at the house to reveal its secrets. The windows glow, as does the door and the yard. The glow fades quickly, but it lets them know Apophis was right.

Linnette and Hayden get to work creating a spell to open a safe path for Luna to Kya and back. Samara is staring at the house, she takes a step closer and then another. Her toes touch the dead grass of the yard. Explosions happen throughout the front yard, they all duck as dirt and grass fly everywhere. When the dirt stops flying they straighten and look at the yard. There are animated corpses standing and starting to shuffle at them. "Samara you're up. Linnette, how are you two doing with that safe passage?" Dwayne looks to them as Samara starts firing at the corpses, fire at the heads and ice at the feet.

Hayden looks up from the paper, "Almost, we just need a few more minutes." More bodies are shuffling around from the back yard, Samara is whooping for joy as she shoots the creatures. Luna eyes her youngest with pride, "Goodness, you're as wild as your Aunt Hecate." Samara grins as she freezes a corpse's head then hits it with a ball of ice and screams in delight as it explodes.

"Ready! Here we go, this is going to move things to the side. Kind of like that story about the guy that parted the water? But it is limited. It will flow with you through the place while you find Kya and you will be able to walk into whatever he has around her and pluck her out. But your time is limited. You have 5 minutes, tops. You need to move fast. When the last of the colors fade you need to be out here, Got it?"

Luna nods. Dwayne pops a barrier around her, Linnette and Hayden work their magic, weaving a four color drape over the shield. Black, red, white, and yellow hang in the air around her as they finish up, "Go now!" Luna takes off, running between corpses to the door of the house. It doesn't open when she tries the handle so she steps back and kicks it in. Stepping in Luna quickly scans what she can see and moves with a superhuman speed through the house as she searches for Kya. At the top of the stairs she finds a pink door to her left, she turns the knob as the colors around her fade just a little. There she is! Kya is laying on the floor, a dirty blanket under her and newspaper covering her. Luna runs to her and grabbing her up she runs out of the house making it to the sidewalk just as the colors fade away altogether.

She looks down at Kya's sweet face and tears fall freely. Kya wakes up, "Grama, you're dripping on me." Luna laughs and turns to see how everyone else fared. Dwayne is dripping sweat but okay, Linnette and Hayden are clutching each other and crying in relief. Samara is kicking corpse parts back into the yard. Luna raises an eyebrow at her. "Some of them got close, there was a lot of them. Little bastard must have been robbing graves for a long time to pull this off."

"Luna, I need to send her a picture, face me please." Luna turns to Dwayne and he snaps a picture of her and Kya. He hits the send button, "Let's get out of here. We need to get her back to Apophis's house."