Power of the Witch

Chapter 11

It was a full-force invasion. Even before the echoes of breaking glass had died, figures in black uniforms were swarming through the window. Dark ninjas, Rachel thought. An elite group made up of vampires and shapeshifters, the Night World experts at sneaking and killing. Rachel's mind, which had been roiling in clouds of stifled anger, was suddenly crystal clear. ''Ruby, take her!'' She shouted. It was all she needed to say. Ruby was a vampire and stronger than a human Olimpic weight lifter. She simply picked Rebecka up and ran with her toward the back door. Without being told, Megara followed close behind, orange energy already sizzling between her palms. Rachel knew she would provide good cover - Meg was a fighting witch. She made full use of the new powers that all the Night People were developing as the millennium got closer. As one of the ninjas lunged after them, she let loose with a blast of poppy-coloured energy that knocked him sideways.

''Now you!'' Rachel shouted to Gabriel, trying to hustle him into the hallway without turning from the ninjas. She hadn't changed and didn't want to if she could avoid it. Changing took time, left you vulnerable for the few seconds that you were between forms. Right now seconds counted. Gabriel got a few steps down the hall, then stopped. ''Grandma Harman!'' I knw it, Rachel thought. He's a liability. The old woman was still in the living room, standing with her feet braced apart, cane ready. Her apprentice, Klaus, was in front of her, working up some witch incantation and tossing energy. They were right in the flow of the ninjas. Which was as it ought to be. Rachel's mind had clicked through the possibilities right at the beginning and had come to the only reasonable conclusion. ''We have to leave her!'' Gabriel turned to her, his face lit by the multicoloured energy that was flying around them. ''What?'' ''She's too slow! We have to protect you and Rebecka. Get moving.'' His features were etched in shock. ''You're joking. Just wait here - I'll bring her.'' ''No, Gabriel -'' He was already running back. Rachel cursed. ''Go on!'' She yelled to Ruby and Meg, who were at the entrance to the kitchen, where the back door was. ''Take the limo if you can get to it. Don't wait for us!'' Then she turned and plunged into the living room. Gabriel was trying to shield Grandma Harman from the worst of the energy being exchanged. Rachel gritted her teeth. This group of ninjas was only the first wave. 

They were here to breach the wards and make an opening for whatever was going to follow. Which could be a dragon. The ninjas hadn't finished their job, though. Most of the wards were holding, and the one that had fallen was one small window. The dark figures could only squirm in one at a time. The house shook as whoever was outside slammed power at it, trying to break a bigger entrance. Faintly, Rachel heard an engine rev up outside. She hoped it was the limo. Gabriel was pulling at Grandma Harman. Klaus was grappling hand-to-hand with a ninja. Rachel battled a couple of the sneaks out of her way. She wasn't trying to kill them, just put them out of commission. She had almost reached Gabriel. And then she heared the rumbling. Only her panther ears could have picked it u. Just as the first time when she'd heard it, it was so deep that it seemed both soft and frighteningly loud. It shook her to the bones. In a flash, she knew what was coming. And there was no time to think about what to do. Gabriel seemed to have sensed it, too. Rachel saw him looking at the roof just above the door. Then he turned toward Grandma Harman, shouting. After that, everything happand at once. Gabriel knocked the old woman down and fell on top of her. At the same time, Rachel sprang and landed on top of both of them. She was changing even as she did it. Changing and spreading herself out, trying to make herself as wide and flat as possible. A panther rug to cover them. The brick wall exploded just as the window had, only louder. Shattered with Power, Rachel thought. The dragon had recoverd.... fast. And then it was raining bricks. One hit Rachel in the leg, and she lashed her tail in fury. Another struck her back, and she felt a deep pain. Then one got her in the head, and she saw white light. She could hear Gabriel shouting under her. It seemed to be her name. Then nothing. 

Something wet touched her face. Rachel hissed automatically, pawing at it in annoyance. ''Lemme 'lone.'' ''Boss, wake up. Come on, it's morning already.'' Rachel opend heavy eyes. She was dreaming. She had to be. Either that, or the afterlife was full of teenage girls. Meg was bending over her with a dripping washcloth, and Ruby was peering critically over her shoulder. Behind Ruby was Rebecka's anxious littler heart-shaped face, her hair falling like two shimmering curtains of silvery-starlight blond on either side. Rachel blinked. ''I was sure I was dead.'' ''Well, you got close.'' Meg said cheerfully. ''Me and Klaus and Grandma Harman have been working on you most of the night. You're going to be kind of stiff, but I guess your skull was too thick to crack.'' Rachel sat up and was rewarded with a stabbing pain in her temples. ''What happend? Where is Gabriel?'' ''Well, golly gee, Boss, I didn't know you cared--'' ''Stop fooling around, Meg! Where's the guy who's got to be alive if the shapeshifters are going to join Circle Daybreak?'' Meg sobered. Ruby said calmly. ''He's fine, Rachel. This is Rebecka's house. Everybody's OK. We got you guys out--.'' 

Rachel frowned, struck by a new worry. ''You did? Why? I told you to take the girl and go.'' Ruby raised an eyebrow wryly. ''Yes, well, but the girl didn't want to go. She made us stop and turn back for you.'' ''For Gabriel.'' Rachel said. She looked at Rebecka, who was wearing a pink nightgown with puffy sleeves and looked about seven. She tried to make her voice patient. ''It was good to think of him, but you should have followed the plan.'' ''Anyway, it worked out.'' Ruby said. ''Ápparently, the dragon blew the house down on top of you, but then he walked right over you trying to get to us.'' ''Yeah. I was kind of hoping he wouldn't realize Gabriel was there.'' Rachel said. ''Or wouldn't realize he was important.'' ''Well, when he found we'd already gotten away in the limo, he and his buddies took after us in cars.'' Meg said. ''But Ruby lost them. And the Rebecka... insisted, and so we circled back. And there you were. Gabriel and Klaus were digging you out. We helped them and brought you here.'' ''What about Grandma Harman?'' ''She came out of it without a scratch. She's tougher than she looks.'' Meg said. ''She talked to Rebecka's mum last night.'' Ruby added. ''She fixed everything up so we can stay here. You're supposed to be a distant cousin, and the rest of us are your friends. We're from Canada. We graduated last year, and we're touring the U.S. by bus. We ran into Rebecka last night, and that's why she was late. It's all covered, nice and neat.'' ''It's all ludicrous.'' Rachel said. She looked at Rebecka. ''And it's time to stop. Haven't you seen enough yet? That's twice you've been attacked by a monster. Do you really want to try your luck for a third time?''

It was a mistake. Rebecka's face had been sweet and anxious, but now Rachel could see the walls slam down. The violet eyes hazed over and sparked at the same time. ''Nobody attacked me until you guys came!'' Rebecka flared. ''In fact, nobody attacked me so far at all. I think it's you people they're after - or maybe Gabriel. I keep telling you that I'm not the one you're looking for.'' This was the time for diplomacy, but Rachel was too exasperated to think. ''You don't really believe that. Unless you practise being stupid--'' ''Stop calling me stupid!'' The last word was a pirecing shriek. At the same time, Rebecka threw something at Rachel. She batted it out of the air automatically before it could hit. ''I'm not stupid! And I'm not your Witch Child or whatever you call it! I'm just a normal kid, and I like my life. And if I can't live my life, then don't want to - to do anything.'' She whirled around and stalked out, her nightgown billowing.  Rachel stared at the missile she'd caught. It was a stuffed lamb with outrageously long eyelashes and a pink ribbon tied around its white neck. Ruby folded her arms. ''Well, you sure handled that one, Boss.'' ''Give me a break.'' Rachel tossed the lamb onto the window seat. ''And just how did she make you two turn around and come back for us, by the way?'' Meg pursed her lips. ''You heard it. Volume control. She kept screaming like - well, I don't know what screams like that. You'd be surprised how effective it is.'' ''You're agents of Circle Daybreak; you're supposed to be immune to torture.'' But Rachel dropped the subject.