Abe Sapien and the Witch

Chapter 44

Chapter forty- four

"He knows exactly where to find me..." she whispered. Abe took the box from her and reached inside, pulling out the dried bouquet of black roses from within.

He looked from the flowers to her, then back before a brief flash of information spliced through his mind. He could see the angry face of Laufey, in grim surroundings that to Abe looked like some sort of a sewer or pipeline. He let the flowers drop back into the box, setting it on the desk to reach for her.

She was shaking now and said nothing as she reached her arms around Abes waist, taking comfort as he enveloped her within a firm, yet gentle hug.

"It's alright," he said, stepping back to look into her eyes as he raised her face by a gentle touch to her chin, "We won't let him do anything to you- he won't get close."

She shook her head, placing her hand on his, "You don't know how devious he can be..."

*****

A day passed, then a weekend and a week and there was no sign of Laufey. No dramatic entrance, nothing happened.

"He's playing with us," she said to Abe, and he nodded, pulling her closer as they lay in bed together, neither able to sleep.

*****

It was during an afternoon walk out by the lake that it happened. Abe was deep in the water, swimming laps to vent his energy while she stood and looked over the BP grounds, swaddled in thick winter clothing to guard against the cold.

Abe was built for these kinds of environments and didn't mind the cold water at all. He was hoping to find a beautiful stone near the bottom that might take her mind off of the stress of the week and add to her necklace. He didn't notice her silhouette on the water's surface disappearing as he swam.

When he did look up, an instant bite of terror gripped at his throat and he sped up through the water, bursting out of the ice-coated liquid with speed. He crouched at the lakeside, unable to believe the scene before him.

She stood in an uncomfortable looking stance, her shapely stomach pulling her balance more forward than was normal. Across from her stood Laufey, his hands bunched into the pockets of his long black overcoat. His scarf fanned in the winter winds, the only movement Abe could decipher.

He raised an eyebrow at Abe as he stood up, stepping to her defence without hesitation. "Hello, Fishy." He said, his voice sharp like a sliver of glass.

"Don't you speak to him," she said, her voice a low growl as her eyes changed to a dark, purplish colour. Her scowl did not put Laufey off in the least, instead he snickered into his scarf.

"Really, woman, you are too much! You don't for a moment think you could take me on in your...condition, do you?"

"Do you really want to test me on that?" she asked, her hair raising around her head as she was encircled with flickers of bright, electrical current.

Laufey sighed and took half of a step backwards as his hands left his pockets to form a defensive position by his chest. "I don't want to attack you, not for my heir's sake..." he said, his head arching to the side to gather her response.

"How dare you come here. How dare you enter my home, threaten my family, and even entertain the idea that we are going anywhere with you?"

"Oh, c'mon. You're not being much fun, dearest. You know the best place for our child is with its mother and father together, as a unit."

"She is with her father," Abe said, ignoring the electrical zings to his fingertips as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "You are not needed here. You need to leave," he said, putting himself in between the two magic users, "...so I ask that you go now, before my patience runs out."