Page 47 of Pointy Ears and Purple Glitter
Something inside Malik snapped.
With a roar that was more rhino than human, he charged the nearest thug, the one vandalizing his tools. The man swung his bat, but Malik caught it mid-swing, wrenching it from his grip with such force that the man stumbled backward. Malik snapped the bat over his knee like a twig and tossed the pieces aside.
“Tynan!” he shouted. “Get Ian!”
From the corner of his eye, he saw Tynan moving, his hands raised. A flash of purple light erupted, and suddenly the man holding Ian was stumbling backward, clutching his face as if temporarily blinded.
Ian slid down the wall, gasping for breath, his right arm hanging at an awkward angle.
“You’ll pay for that,” Garrison snarled, raising his gun toward Malik.
Before he could fire, Sparky dive-bombed him, talons aimed directly at his eyes. Garrison cursed, swinging wildly at the raven while trying to maintain his grip on the weapon.
The momentary distraction gave Malik the opening he needed. He closed the distance in two massive strides and slammed his fist into Garrison’s jaw with a crack that echoed through the workshop. The gun clattered to the floor as Garrison stumbled backward.
The remaining thugs hesitated just long enough for Tynan to reach Ian and pull him toward the office.
“Pathetic,” Garrison spat blood onto the concrete floor. “You think this changes anything? We know what you are. We’ve been watching you for weeks.”
“Then you should know better than to threaten what’s mine,” Malik growled, his voice deepening as his control frayed.
Sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder. Someone must have called the police after hearing the crash.
“This isn’t over,” Garrison said, wiping blood from his split lip. He glanced at his men. “We’re leaving. For now.”
“If you ever come near my family again,” Malik promised, stepping closer, “what you think you know about me will be the least of your worries.”
The thugs retreated, dragging one of their semiconscious comrades with them. Garrison backed away slowly, maintaining eye contact with Malik.
“The freaks will be driven out,” he called as he reached the mangled door. “One way or another.”
“Get the fuck out!” Malik roared. “Now!”
As they disappeared down the street, Malik rushed to the office where Tynan was examining Ian’s arm. The young man was pale, his breathing shallow, but his eyes were clear.
“I think it’s dislocated,” Tynan said, his voice tight with concern. “And possibly fractured.”
“Hospital,” Malik decided immediately. “We’ll take the back exit. The cops can wait.”
Sparky flew in through the broken door, landing on Tynan’s shoulder. “They’re gone for now, but they left lookouts on both corners.”
“How bad is it?” Ian asked through gritted teeth, nodding toward the workshop.
Malik surveyed the damage - tools scattered everywhere, workbenches overturned, the front door destroyed. His territory violated. His family threatened. Anger churned in his gut, but he forced it down. Ian needed him calm.
“It’s nothing that can’t be fixed,” he said, though the words tasted hollow. “Let’s get you taken care of first.”
Tynan met his eyes over Ian’s head, his concern evident. Malik knew he was worried about the magic usage and the words yelled by an unrepentant Garrison, but Ian had to be their first concern.
“Stay with him,” Malik told Tynan. “I’ll bring the truck around the back.”
As he slipped out the rear door, carefully checking for watchers, Malik fumed. Garrison knew what he was - or at least suspected strongly enough to call him out. Their enemy had shown his face as well as his willingness to escalate to violence.
This wasn’t just about territory anymore. It was about survival.
/~/~/~/~/
The hospital waiting room smelled of antiseptic and stale coffee. Malik paced the length of the small space, his rhino still desperate to be free, despite the setting. Tynan sat quietly in one of the molded plastic chairs, Sparky hidden in a pet carrier Tynan had magicked up in their apartment. The raven had complained bitterly about the indignity but understood the necessity of appearing as normal as possible in public. Neither Malik nor Tynan had felt it was a good idea to leave him behind.
