The Warehouse pt1

 

Somehow all these kids had started looking to us for direction. Some of them were older than us too. We didn’t have enough room for all of them, and more kept showing up. We needed a bigger space.

“I don’t know about this one, V,” James said softly.

“It’s got enough room to grow into,” I answered.

“Except it’s already been claimed.”

“Not for long,” I said, shooting him a wicked grin.

The kids in the warehouse across the street were brutes. They tormented anyone that wouldn’t share their spoils, and their brutality was also used for sport. They didn’t deserve that space. No matter what they claimed. I was going to take it from them.

“Are you really sure?” James asked, biting his lip.

“I’m really sure.”

I stood up, straightened my clothes, and ambled across the street. I was short for 15. No one took me seriously at first. I liked being underestimated. It suited me. The two boys at the door leered at me as I approached. James started whistling from a pace or so behind me, no doubt looking for escape routes. Even as a few more street kids came out of the building to greet me, I didn’t let the swagger drop.

“Nice building you’ve got here,” I said with a sweet smile. “I’m here to take it off your hands.”

“I think you’re lost,” the tallest one said. He was older. He looked every bit as cocky as I was trying to be. “Take your friend and go.”

I tipped my head to the side and grinned. My magic was more controlled now. I raised my hand in front of me and made a wholly unnecessary, embellished flick of my wrist. I felt all their shoes in the grip of my magic and swept their feet out from under them. All five of the street kids went down hard. I didn’t wait for them to recover. I ripped a piece of broken sidewalk up and flung it over to the ring leader. I let it hover just above his head.

“You were saying?” I asked casually.

“You bitch!” one of the other kids spat.

“You can vacate the building, or he is dead. Don’t think I won’t come after the rest of you.”

James sighed as he stepped up next to me. I knew he saw something he didn’t like but was trying to maintain his boredom. I felt his hand close around my arm, but I didn’t dare look at him. The leader was barking out orders. It sounded like he was going to hand the place over.

Then James threw me to the ground as a fireball soared right for my chest. Another witch took control of the piece of sidewalk and hurled it away from the ring leader. I flung up a shield just in time to stop a few ice lances.

I searched for the source of the magic. I couldn’t see anyone. The kids on the ground were advancing.

“Plan B?” James asked as he pulled me to my feet, shield taking another blow.

“Plan B,” I confirmed. “The tallest one and the one to his right are witches. Rest are human.”

I summoned a portal and pulled James through, just barely escaping the next magical attack. We stepped out directly behind them. James took aim and landed a dagger in the thigh of one of the humans. A blast of wind knocked the witches to the ground as I advanced on them. I pulled the air back from their faces.

“Yield,” I growled. “Or I end you.”

I heard another grunt of pain as one of James’s daggers hit home again. The leader glared at me, clawing at his neck as he tried to fling his magic at me. His eyes flicked to the sides. The only warning I had of another attack. Sloppy. They didn’t deserve this place.

I flung my other hand up to shield. I barely got it up in time. I grunted as I took the blow. My magic was fading. I wouldn’t be able to hold for long.

There was a clash of blades behind me. I didn’t dare look. Unlike the boy on the ground in front of me, I knew better than to tip my hand. I needed him to cave. I didn’t want to kill them.

Finally, he tapped his hand on the ground. I pulled my magic back enough for him to speak.

“Enough,” he said. “Stand down.” Someone behind me tried to protest. “I said enough!”

I took him by the hand and hauled him to his feet. I kept him close to me as James tossed me a dagger. I used my magic to secure it in my grip.

“Once they leave,” I said sweetly. “I will release you.”

“We need to gather our things,” he ground out.

“You can take whatever you can carry. They have five minutes.”

A muscle in his jaw tightened, but he gave one nod. His chin brushed against the flat side of the blade. James leaned against the side of the building, picking at his nails. I could see the tension in him. He was getting used to being out here with me, but I hated that I needed him to be. I didn’t like seeing him harden like this.

I shook the thoughts away. These kids in front of me needed all my attention to ensure they didn’t try anything. With barely any time to spare, the last of them left the building.

“Good. Don’t come back here,” I said as I shoved the leader away from me. “Next time… I will kill you.”

“We’ll see about that. You have a reputation around this city, too, you know.”

I let the blade fly out of my hand and stop just shy of his neck. He swallowed hard.

“Try me.”

He glared at me as he backed away. I kept my focus on him until they were out of sight. I was losing my grip on the magic, so I let the dagger clatter to the ground. James righted himself and strode over to retrieve it, tucking it back into his jacket.

“This won’t be the end of it,” he said.

“I know. I’m prepared for that. I need a few of the witches here quick. We need to prepare.”

I sent James out to get them. He was faster than I was and had gotten very good at staying out of sight while I indulged my love for dramatics. I got to work setting up wards. I had to be careful not to drain all the magic I had.

As I finished, I heard James whistle. The front door opened, and all our kids came streaming in. I let them take in all the space. We would need to figure out all the arrangements, but for now, I just wanted to make sure we were safe.

“Alice, Grace, and Kielee,” I said. “I need your help.”

The three witches ran over eagerly. All of them liked to help me. James and I had pulled most of them out of bad situations in an attempt to help them have some level of normalcy.

“Anything you need, Vanessa,” Grace said.

“I need fire traps,” I said. “All the windows and doors. Even the second floor. Can you do it?”

“Yes,” they all said in unison.

“Allen, Ray, Jeff, and Amber,” I said. “Can you set some plant traps for me? I don’t know how it works, but anything to snare someone that tries to cross them.”

“Done,” Ray said as the fairies approached me. “Where do you want them?”

“Work with them on where and how their fire traps will be triggered, and decide from there. Only the front door should be clear. We need to be able to get in and out.”

“Amy, can you scent the kids that were here before? I want to know if they get close to this building again.”

“Sure,” she said. “With all the wards, it will be hard.”

“Do the best you can,” I said with a soft smile. “The rest of you can help James set up the sleeping arrangement for the night. Tomorrow, we get to work.”