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This was it. Wynona had no idea what had happened with the hex, but she had no way of stopping a gun. It felt as if everything blurred into slow motion as she watched his finger begin to squeeze the trigger.
“AH!”
Wynona flinched as his voice mixed with the sound of the shot, and just like before, she waited for the world to disappear, but once again, she was still standing.
Roderick swung his gun toward the ground. “Stupid mouse,” he ground out.
“NO!” Wynona screamed, realizing that Violet had saved the day. She rushed forward, only to scream again and drop to the floor when the door behind her smashed in and a snarling, giant wolf landed in the middle of the room. Wynona looked over her shoulder. “Rascal,” she breathed.
The wolf’s shoulder would have been in line with Wynona’s, making him much larger than a biological wolf. His fur was multiple shades of brown, ranging from light caramel to the deepest chocolate. But his golden eyes were unmistakable.
His hackles were raised and a deep growl shook the room, causing Wynona to cover her head, half afraid the ceiling would come down on them.
“Well, if it isn’t the little Rascal,” Roderick drawled. The curled lip and line of drool hanging from the wolf’s mouth apparently wasn’t nearly as intimidating to him as it was to Wynona.
Even though she knew Rascal wasn’t going to hurt her, his appearance was terrifying.
The wolf howled, his head raised to the ceiling.
The sound was eerie and Wynona whimpered slightly as she covered her ears. Never had she felt more helpless with her lack of magic. One of these days her inability to protect herself was going to get her killed. Her mind went to the Banshee Scream Rascal had given her and she lamented the fact that in her hurry, she had left it at the shop. If she survived this, she would never leave the house without it again.
“Impressive,” Roderick said sarcastically. He waved the gun around. “But not even you can withstand a couple of bullets.”
Rascal growled again and took a couple steps forward.
“Careful,” Roderick warned. He turned the gun to face Wynona. “Another step and she’s gone.”
Rascal backed up, whimpering slightly.
“Don’t listen,” Wynona whispered, knowing his wolf hearing would allow him to hear. “Just worry about stopping him.”
Another whimper and those golden eyes met hers for a split second before going back to watch Roderick.
“Cursed mouse.” Roderick once again turned his head toward the ground and Rascal took full advantage. He leapt forward, landing on Roderick, the gun going off before it flew through the air.
Wynona automatically covered her head once more, then looked up as she heard Roderick cursing rapidly. Magic flew through the room and she began to worry that Rascal could be hit by a spell.
Gathering all her courage, Wynona climbed up on her knees, looking for something in the room she could use to help Rascal, but there was nothing within view. A table full of paperwork was going to do very little against an angry wolf and an evil warlock.
A brush of fur against her arm caught Wynona’s attention and she jerked toward it. “Violet!” Wynona grasped the mouse and brought her close to her chest. “Oh my goodness, never scare me like that again.” The tiny body was shivering, but Violet snuggled in, relaxing in Wynona’s hold.
“Okay, we need to help,” Wynona whispered. She ducked as an errant spell shot over her head. “Go on up.” Wynona handed Violet up to her neck and the creature immediately nestled back in her hair.
Wynona rose up just enough to see man and wolf rolling around on the floor. Roderick was holding Rascal’s snout away from him. Sharp teeth flashed as Rascal strained against the warlock’s hold. Roderick had to be using some kind of strength spell in order to keep Rascal at bay.
Scurrying to the side of the desk, Wynona popped her head up just enough to see what was on top. “Please, please, please,” she chanted. Her eyes widened. “Bingo.” Keeping one eye on the men, she reached out and grabbed a heavy paperweight. The shape was square, which was going to make it awkward to throw, but all Wynona needed was a small distraction.
Another set of sparks hit the ceiling and Wynona ducked down, covering her head when dust and debris began to fall.
Roderick laughed in a dark tone. “You can’t win, Strongclaw. Might as well let me go.”
Wynona peeked around the corner of the desk to see Roderick and Rascal facing off. Roderick had never looked so disheveled, with tears in his suit and bruises forming around one of his eyes. A quick glance at Rascal told her nothing. She couldn’t see if he was injured with all that fur.
Closing her eyes, she whispered a quick prayer and spun, throwing the paperweight at the back of Roderick’s leg. Magic or no, Wynona knew a miracle had occurred when it landed on his knee, causing it to buckle.
Rascal had obviously been waiting for just such an opportunity, since he leapt almost as Roderick fell. Slamming to the ground, his forepaws on Roderick’s chest, pinning not only the warlock’s body, but his arms as well, without his hands, Roderick wouldn’t be able to cast any more spells. The wolf snarled directly in Roderick’s face.
“Oh, thank goodness,” Wynona said as she panted for breath. She pushed a hand through her hair, which had become a wild tangle with all of the fighting. Looking up, she met Rascal’s golden eyes.
He tilted his head at the desk and Wynona sat up to see what he was talking about. “Oh, the phone! Of course.” Despite the giant wolf holding him down, Wynona couldn’t help but keep one eye on their prisoner. She wasn’t about to underestimate him again.
“Para-one-one,” a bored voice said on the other end of the line. “What is your emergency?”
“Hello. My name is Wynona Le Doux. I’m with Deputy Chief Officer Strongclaw at the Creatures Park Business Plaza. We have a criminal in custody. Please send help.” Wynona listened and nodded, answering all the other questions that the woman asked before hanging up. “They’re on their way,” she said softly to Rascal.
A string of curses broke free from Roderick for the thousandth time and Wynona wondered what she’d ever seen in the man. His slick persona was an act. Underneath, he was crude and horrible, and she hoped after today she never laid eyes on him again.
Rascal snapped in Roderick’s face, barking loud enough to wake the dead, and Roderick clenched his teeth. His face was red and his nostrils flared, but he didn’t speak.
The next five minutes were the longest of Wynona’s life as she waited on pins and needles for the police to arrive. Rascal stayed at steady attention the whole time, but when his ears twitched toward the window, Wynona knew help was on the way.
Thundering footsteps came through the main foyer and soon the office was too full of people to move.
“Ms. Le Doux.” Officer Nightshade came up beside Wynona.
“Amaris,” Wynona stammered. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
The vampire officer put her arm around Wynona. “Let’s go out in the lobby and have a seat, hm? It’ll be a few minutes before the chief can get to you.”
Wynona nodded wearily. It seemed as if every bit of energy in her body had suddenly been drained. Stumbling slightly, she walked with the officer to a couch away from the chaos. Wynona slumped down and leaned her head back. Violet chirped a few soothing sounds and nuzzled into the crook of her neck, leading Wynona to automatically reach up and pet her creature’s fur. She had to admit that the silky texture was calming.
“Is that a purple mouse?” Officer Nightshade’s voice rose high at the end.
Wynona cracked open an eye. “Yep.”
“How did it get purple?”
Wynona shrugged and yawned. “I don’t know. I found her this way.”
“Huh.” Officer Nightshade put her hands on her hips.
“Wynona.” Rascal’s voice was tinged with the lightest touch of panic as he rushed toward them. He sat down on his hip, angled toward her on the couch. “Are you alright? Did I get there in time?”
Wynona gave him a tired smile. “I’m fine. You burst in just in time to save me.” Frowning, Wynona sat up. “How did you know where I was? Or that I needed your help?”
Rascal’s skin was fairly tan, but the red that tinged his ears was easily visible. “I, uh... “ He rubbed the back of his neck.
Laughing softly, Office Nightshade started to walk away. “Perhaps you would like to get her statement, Deputy Chief?” Her grin was nothing short of mischievous.
He tilted his chin at his officer. “I’ll take it from here. Thanks.” He turned back to Wynona and opened his mouth, but another voice took over.
“I think I’d like to be a part of that.” Chief Ligurio sauntered over, one eyebrow raised high in challenge at his Deputy Chief.
“Yes, sir,” Rascal said quickly. He glanced sideways and winked at Wynona.
She held back a grin and gave the chief her attention.
“Care to explain exactly what happened tonight?” the chief asked in a tone that said he wasn’t willing to take no for an answer.
Wynona didn’t mind. She wanted all this behind her. Her shop was set to open in just a few hours, and though she was going to be massively sleep-deprived, at least it would open free and clear of any suspicion. The next twenty minutes were spent going over the events of the evening, she and Rascal taking turns explaining things from their point of view.
“Your...mouse?” The chief’s eyebrows rose. “Attacked Mr. Caligari?”
Wynona shifted her hair so the vampire could see Violet.
He huffed, shook his head and wrote something down in his notebook. “Don’t know what kind of spells you kids are doing these days, but a purple mouse is ridiculous.”
“That ridiculous mouse saved my life,” Wynona said defensively. “And as far as I know, there was no magic involved. I found Violet this way and when I started feeding her, we just became...friends.”
Violet snorted and snuggled in deeper.
“May we go home?” she asked. “It’s been a really long night and I have an equally long day ahead. You’ve got your killer, and recovered the recipes. Perhaps I could be set free?” She hoped he understood that she was asking for freedom from more than going home. She wanted freedom from suspicion and his neverending disdain as well. The shrewd look he gave her said she was no longer a suspect, but she wouldn’t be invited to dinner at his house anytime soon.
Chief Ligurio stuffed his notebook in the front pocket of his shirt. “Excuse me for taking up your precious time,” he said with more than a hint of sarcasm. “But there are a few loose ends I’d like to tie up.” His red eyes narrowed. “Starting with why you were here at a closed office building to begin with.”
Wynona pinched her lips between her teeth. How was she going to get out of this one? When she’d snuck in to look through Delila’s desk, no one had been any wiser. But this time, Wynona had been caught at the scene of the crime...literally.
“Mr. Caligari and I are...were...friends,” Wynona said. “Does it really matter why I was here?”
Chief Ligurio folded his arms over his chest. “Then it shouldn’t be a big deal to tell me why.”
Wynona wrung her hands together, then paused to stare at them. Something funny had happened tonight. In fact, several funny things had been happening to her lately. Magical things she couldn’t quite explain. She knew she didn’t have any powers, so why did odd magic keep showing up? “You know...I think my granny might have been with me tonight.” The words were quiet and she hadn’t really meant to say them out loud, not having truly thought them through, but it was too late now.
“You think your dead grandmother was here?” The chief’s eyebrows shot up. “And she what? Helped you?”
It wasn’t like ghosts were unheard of in the paranormal world, but they rarely took an interest in anything but themselves. Some even going so far as to create an entirely new afterlife for themselves, as seen in the ghost media. But a spectre who hung around the living as some sort of guardian angel? That was rare. As in...it had never happened before.
Wynona stuck her chin in the air, projecting a confidence she didn’t feel. “Yes. I think that’s exactly what happened.”