Page 56 of Sprite Wedding
The sprites buzzed off, zipping down to hide beneath the willowy branches of the lacy Japanese maple.
The sprites huddled closer together. Shit, did they think she was a threat?
Go back in, I urged. Our connection as mates was still blocked, likely by whatever sprite curse Marty had placed on me.
She continued to walk into the garden, not hearing my warning.
There are sprites out here. They might hurt you!
If they saw her, would they lock her in stone like they’d done to me?
Turn around, I pleaded.Get to safety.
I pushed and pushed at the stone surrounding me. Ever since I had heard Zoe tell her ex that she loved me and trusted me, I’d felt the particles loosening as if she’d found a way to permeate the stone.
Since then, I’d been working to loosen the binds on me, but it was a trying task. Bit by bit, this hard cage felt more pliant, yet I remained stuck.
As she approached, panic skittered up my spine like fire ants had crawled into the stone.
Zoe, go inside!I screamed in futile silence, pushing at the stone.The sprites are in Salem!
ZOE
Something was in the garden. As I walked out back, the sound of skittering through the underbrush caught my attention. Small beings darted beneath the lacy leaves of the Japanese maple.
I put down the speaker and pulled out a weapon from my tool belt beneath my shirt. It was always well-stocked with a variety of weapons. This one was a stunner I’d created with silver particles that would work on many supernatural beings.
Aiming down, I approached. Tiny beings with wings scampered through ornamental grasses.
These had to be the sprites that Lucas had told us about. But they were supposed to be in Bermuda.
“Don’t move,” I warned.
They ignored me, continuing to wrestle through the dark foliage.
“Freeze or I will stun you.”
In the next few heartbeats, the rustling slowed and then stopped. Aha, at least these beings could listen to reason.
A mass of them hurled from the shadows. They flew at me from all directions. I fired my stunner. One fell to the grass with a thump.
“You killed her! You killed her!” Several small voices shouted at me.
No, just stunned. I didn’t have a chance to reply in the onslaught of tiny, winged bodies clawing at me.
Oh, potent potions, I was in trouble.
“Stop,” I said, “or I’ll stun you all like I did her.”
“Don’t do that,” a female voice said.
One flew at me and attempted to hurl something from a tiny, open fist. I blasted him mid-reach.
He fell downward in slow motion, falling to the ground with a thump.
Another spite flew up. “What did you do to him?” she accused.
“Stunned him. Temporarily.” I aimed the gun at her but didn’t shoot. “What did you do tohim?” I motioned my head toward Lucas.
