As the Moon Climbs

Part 18 of the serial Broommates. Start from the beginning or read the previous episode or click the “Broommates” link at the top of the page to see the full list.

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Kitty stood just inside the threshold of Parker’s room, encased in a silvery mist that whorled and flickered like flames. Her hair writhed as if each grouping of color had become a separate snake. Parker threw up one shield after another, and Kitty promptly tore each apart like it was made of wet paper instead of ley line-enhanced magic.

“What’s gotten into you?” he shouted, sweat beading on his forehead. Behind him, Lisa huddled on the bed, screaming and trying to press herself into the wall.

Whatever Kitty said in response was unintelligible, but at last, in desperation, Parker threw himself on top of Lisa’s trembling form to shield her from Kitty’s attack. An invisible force gripped him around the waist and wrenched him away, tossing him against the closet door.

The same force lifted Lisa from the bed and proceeded to choke the life out of her.

“Kitty, no!” Parker groaned, feebly exerting himself for one last shield spell. It was dispatched as easily as the rest. Dark spots swam in front of his eyes.

“Aqua cade!” A column of water fell on Kitty’s head, and like a wet match, she went out. Lisa fell to the ground, gasping for air. Anthony grabbed Kitty’s arms and Miranda ran to do the same to the fallen woman.

Kitty’s eyes returned to their normal color and she collapsed against Anthony. “Oh, goodness,” she murmured. “I’m so sorry.”

Anthony looked down at Parker. “Are you okay?”

“I got hit by a truck, but thankfully I got the ‘How’s My Driving?’ number.” Slowly, gingerly, Parker climbed to his feet. “Do I get an explanation and–hey, what are you doing with my handcuffs?”

Miranda glared at him. “Your new girlfriend is a cambion, lover boy.” She snapped the cuffs closed and struggled to pick up the unconscious and surprisingly heavy Lisa. “Can I get a hand, my dear, sweet James?”

To her surprise, Parker had no response. He simply limped over and helped, and together they half-dragged, half-carried the half-woman downstairs and laid her down on the couch.

“Should we lock her up in the circle?” Anthony asked, still supporting a limp Kitty.

Booker emerged from the study, book in hand. “It shouldn’t be necessary,” he said. “Cambion aren’t much more dangerous than regular people. They’re just more… persuasive.”

“Well, there’s no sense taking her outside,” Miranda said. “She’s already crossed the threshold and I don’t think I have all the materials for an uninvite spell.”

Parker chimed in. “We can put her in the sitting room. When she wakes up, we question her.” His eyes narrowed. “I’ll question her.”

“We’re not leaving you alone with that… that,” Miranda said. “Come on.”

Within ten minutes, Lisa regained consciousness to find that her hands and feet were locked to the legs and arms of a stiff-backed wooden chair. A single bright light was pointed at her face, throwing the rest of the dusty room into shadow. After failing to pull herself free, she began to scream again, shrill and hysterical.

Parker dropped a chair in front of her, facing backwards, and slid into it, resting his chin on the back and staring into Lisa’s startled eyes. “Hello, Lisa,” he said. “If that is your real name.”

Miranda snorted somewhere behind him. He ignored it.

“James, what’s going on?” Lisa asked. Her voice cracked with fear and the rawness of her throat.

“That is the question of the day, isn’t it?” Parker leaned closer. “Who sent you here, Lisa? What is your mission?”

“I’m not… I don’t…” Her eyes widened and her voice dropped to a whisper. “Do you work for the government? Are you a spy? A Russian?” She gasped, her eyes the size of saucers. “Are you… a socialist?”

Parker slammed the chair against the ground and stood up. “Don’t give me the innocent act, so-called Lisa. I know how your kind operates.”

“My kind?” Lisa wrinkled her nose. “What does that even–”

“You thought you could just waltz in and seduce me! Well, I’m on to your little game. Now tell me why you’re here!”

Lisa burst into tears, her breath coming in hiccuping sobs. “I thought… we were going to… watch a movie…”

“It’s no good pretending, Lisa,” Miranda said coldly. “We know you’re a cambion.”

“No… I’m not!” she protested. “I’m American!”

The silence that followed was broken only by the occasional sniffle from the handcuffed woman. Parker looked at Anthony, who shrugged, then at Miranda, who shook her head. His gaze fell at last on Kitty, who looked tired and confused.

“See anything you want to mention, or should we let you finish choking her?” he asked.

Kitty’s cheeks flushed pink. “She’s… she thinks she’s telling the truth.”

“What?” three voices asked in unison.

“Kitty,” Parker said testily. “Are you saying that you almost killed my girlfriend, who is now cuffed to a chair being interrogated like a criminal, and that she is in fact completely innocent?”

“Well, she’s still a cambion,” Kitty murmured.

“Gods Above,” Miranda groaned, while Anthony covered his eyes with a hand.

Lisa looked up at Parker hopefully. “Does this mean you’re not going to hurt me?”

Parker knelt down next to her and unlocked the cuffs on her ankles. “I’m so sorry, Lisa.”

“Someone has to explain to her about what she is,” Anthony said.

“And why that means she has to keep her mouth shut about us, too,” Miranda added.

Parker released her hands, and Lisa rubbed her wrists reflexively. “So I’m your girlfriend?” Lisa asked. Parker shrugged and grinned sheepishly.

Lisa slapped him, hard. “The absolute nerve!” she shrieked. “You tie me to a chair and you think for a second that I’m–UGH! I can’t believe you!” She stormed out of the room, Parker trailing behind her with a mouthful of apologies.

Booker flipped on the overhead light and turned off the lamp. Anthony sat Kitty down on the chaise and took the wooden chairs back to the dining room, politely ignoring the fight in the foyer and retreating again to the sitting room.

“I have to admit,” Miranda said. “I do feel a little sorry for Parker right now.”

Booker and Anthony exchanged a glance and shrug. “Typical Parker.”

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Part 19: Dead Again

Tags: Broommates, Flash fic, Flash fiction

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