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together ever since. She smiled softly, and her eyes got a faraway look in them.
This is incredible. You said he enters tournaments & where does he do that if their
world was destroyed?
Why, in another dimension, dear & the wizards that survived have attempted to keep
up the tradition. They have tried to contain some of the wickedness of the black sorcerers
by showing them through these tournaments that good will always win out in the end.
And does it? Win out in the end always?
What does your heart say?
Nikki smiled. Hmmm, it says that it must.
Well, then, there you are, and here we are troubled with vampires and werewolves
and shape shifters roaming the world undetected by humans. Charm sighed. It will be
up to us, you see, to help &
Nikki considered this and threw up her hands. Right & okay we have to handle the
situation. I get that. But let s get back to Baudali back to Baudali who lived through the
Wizard War. Why mention him if a whole group of them lived through it?
Ah, yes, but the others & never achieved the power Baudali amassed, and he lived
through it because Rysdale saved him. He was, however, not permitted to enter our
home not one foot. I am afraid, once more they Baudali and Rysdale were in
competition, and this time it was for me. Charm lowered her head. He tried to take me
by force but could not get the better of Ry & so you see & bad blood.
How awful & and after Rysdale saved his life!
Yes, and he has never given up. Sometimes we don t hear from him for centuries and
then he shows up out of nowhere & like two weeks ago when he made another attempt at
grabbing me by force, and Ry responded wildly because he became enraged and he
opened a portal to another dimension without the usual precautionary measures. He
caught Baudali unaware and pushed him through its opening, but this is what he did not
prepare for in sending Baudali into the other dimension something from that
dimension came out &
That thing?
Yes, that thing.
And we don t know what it is or how to kill it?
Precisely, although Ry has been working on that constantly. It seemed as though the
light pained it, and until today, it seemed unable to leave the darkest part of the forest. I
can only assume that it has acclimated to our daylight & and if it can do that & ?
Won t the wards keep it out?
Now that Rysdale has its scent, he can ward specifically against the creature, but we
just don t have enough information about the awful thing.
Perhaps Damon will be able to do something when he returns?
Damon has his hands full. You see, Dracula is on the move and with a specific
intent. Damon must keep the count from locating our dear Elizabeth and her son, John
MacFare.
Who is Elizabeth Dracula s lover?
Oh no, child, she is his mother.
~ Ten ~
RYSDALE ENTERED THE kitchen, and Nikki saw at once that he was deep in
thought. His features were drawn, and he played with his long white beard. He looked
towards her in an absent fashion and managed a smile.
Evidently Charm read his concern as well, because she immediately got up from the
table and went to him, cooing softly and then saying as she tugged on his hand,
Come & sit, Ry & have some tea.
I have work that needs doing, my dear, he said, patting and then releasing her hand.
He looked at Nikki for a long moment and sighed. I didn t think I would have to call on
you so soon, but I am afraid, slayer, that I don t have a choice. Apparently I can t get
around it and will need, as they say, back-up.
Nikki discovered in that moment that she had already learned to love the wizard, and
her response came from the heart. Anything, sir.
We will investigate together how best to approach the situation and hopefully
diminish any ill affects & but, I am afraid this will be a risky business.
Is this about sending the creature back to where it came from?
Indeed, this now has to be all about getting rid of the blasted thing. He is larger than
when he was when he first arrived. I had assumed I would have more time to discover a
way in which to send it back to its own dimension, but & He shook his head, and his
wizard s high-peaked hat slid sideways. It appears to have been devouring a great many
animals in our rich woods, and it has increased in size & greatly.
Charm surprised them both at that moment by stamping her foot. No & oh never say
you have already broken your promise to me, Ry! You absolutely promised you would
not go into the woods.
I did not, he said and touched her cheek.
She lowered her lashes, and Nikki watched the exchange in quiet fascination. It was
almost inspiring to see two such people after centuries together, still so very much in
love.
Well, then & how did you manage to catch a glimpse of it? Charm pursued.
That is why I must act immediately & it came right up to the edge of our gardens.
Oh, it was careful to remain within the shadows of the trees, but when it saw me, it went
into a rage, hissing and roaring like a thing possessed.
Oh & stuck in Nikki, & this is so not good. She had hoped to stay with Charm
long enough to find out about Dracula s mother. Charm had a host of information to
impart, and she wanted more than anything to hear it all.
This is dreadful, Charm said on a hushed note.
Dreadful, indeed, and we haven t a moment to waste, Rysdale answered as he
reached for Nikki s hand. Come then, child, I believe I may have a solution, but it will
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