59 Flora Is In Danger!

Her next stop was to purchase a fridge and wood chipper from a home improvement store that would be delivered to a place in front of the castle later. The humans would be confused but it wasn't like she had another choice.

She couldn't move the things by herself! If they got left out front Ash would be able to lift them no problem. She scheduled the delivery for after 3 PM so he could help her.

Ruby planned to hit Walmart last so she could pick up board games, a TV, lamps, and some movies before heading to the grocery section. First she had to drop by the witch coven to get more electricity magic.

Her usual glamour would not suffice because people here knew her aunt and uncle but she was hesitant about making up a new one. The witches probably knew everyone in their service area on sight.

She could use the vampire one she had on every time she came here with Ash before but it would be more than a little suspicious since it was mid-afternoon. Whatever. Let them look at her like she was strange.

Ruby walked into the store and had to wait about fifteen minutes to use the code phrase because there were humans milling about. She wasn't able to get the shop to herself until they all checked out and left.

"The duck howls at the sky," she said confidently.

The blinds closed, Philomena's glamour came off, and she seemed a little surprised at seeing a "vampire" during the day but didn't say anything about it. She was in full customer service mode.

"What can I do for you?"

"I need more of those magic electric outlets…probably a dozen of them. I'll pay a rush fee to get them made now if there aren't enough in stock," Ruby told her.

The witch tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm I think we only have seven of those on hand. They don't take long to make but everybody is in the middle of projects right now. The rush fee is $200 per magic item, do you really want to pay that?"

Ugh, highway robbers as usual. Good thing she didn't ever have to worry about not being able to afford rush fees. Any other fae might not be able to cough up that much cash in a pinch.

"Not a problem."

Philomena was all smiles. "We do love ourselves a VIP customer! Wait right here, I'll go get someone to take care of it for you."

She headed back and left Ruby alone in the store drumming her fingers on the counter in agitation. She had spent far too much time reading labels in witch-run health nut stores lately and did not want to do that again no matter how long she had to wait.

"You're Ruby Gardner, right?"

How had the witch guessed that when she looked like a vampire?! She had no proof; it would be fine as long as she played it off. "I have no idea what you're talking abou—"

"Cut the crap, alright? This is serious! Flora is in danger!"

All the blood drained out of her face. Blair looked deadly serious; she knew everything that went on in her territory so something terrible must have actually happened to her baby cousin while she was gone.

"What is it? What happened?" Ruby asked desperately, reaching up to grasp the arms that held onto her.

"Come with me," she said grimly.

Blair led her back into her workshop and pulled out a memory stick, inserting it into the laptop that had been left open on top of a stack of spellbooks. A few clicks later, a video appeared on the screen consisting of a tear-stained face Ruby knew well. Flora.

She was looking at something off-screen and a cold disembodied voice said, "Look at the camera and say hi to Ruby."

Flora eagerly jumped up and got right in the camera's lens so she was little more than a green and brown blur. Her little voice shook with emotion and she began to sob partway through what she had to say.

"Is Ruby in there? I want to see her! Show me Ruby! You said I could see her if I was good! Ruby, where are you? Mommy and Daddy went away too so you have to come back, okay? I don't want to be all alone."

The cold voice spoke up again as the baby fairy continued to wail and clutch her bear and blanket ever tighter.

"If you want to see your little cousin alive again you will come to the bed-and-breakfast on Rochelle Road alone. Speak of this to no one or she will die. We will be waiting."

The video ended and Ruby couldn't do anything but stare at the screen in dread. Flora truly was in danger. There was only one person she could think of who would kidnap an innocent child to threaten her. Whoever her uncle tried to sell her to.

She rounded on the witch accusingly. "Where did you get this?"

Blair held her hands up defensively. "The thumb drive was left on the counter by some guy in a hood who said it was for your eyes only. Mena tried stopping him but he walked right out without another word.

"I was skeptical about this and thought it was some kind of hoax until I watched the video. I went out to your aunt and uncle's house myself to see what happened and…I'm so sorry but they're gone. There was blood on the floor near two piles of soil."