Hi all! Back again with the next chapter of HFHM!
New to the story? You want to start at Chapter One. This story has plenty of sex and plot, so you'll still get plenty of the good stuff.
Returning reader? Welcome back, lovelies! I think one of the best things about writing this story has been seeing familiar names and faces in the comments. I'm so happy that you've stuck with me this long and am grateful to keep bringing you this tale. I also appreciate some of the helpful feedback and critiques you have given me, especially as I work on my craft. I am always trying to get better, so it's great to have so many of you point out when you feel like I'm slipping because it gives me that outside perspective that I feel any creator needs. I might not make everybody happy, but I'm still going to do my best to bring you a well-written story.
Been awhile? Basic Recap: Mike has been captured by centaurs and Yuki has used her magic to turn the residents of the house to stone.
Seven of Swords
Beth said very little to the minotaur as they climbed the trail to the top of the cliffs. She could tell he wanted to comfort her, but there weren't words or deeds to make the situation right. Her plan was to speak with Naia and Sofia right away, to see if either of them could offer her any help. There were only a few days to make her decision, and she wouldn't be able to live with any of her options.
She remembered when she was little, her parents started arguing nightly about their dog Chunky. These heated discussions often ended in tears, and Beth had been sent to her room more than once with the assurance that everyone was okay, but they were very upset. When she was older, they explained that Chunky had become very sick and the vet had recommended that he be euthanized. The argument her parents kept having was not if they should do it, but when. Every extra day meant the world to Chunky, but he was getting progressively worse. How could they choose when the pain of a single day overrode the possibility of table scraps, or running around in the backyard and smelling squirrel poop?
Chunky's fate was inevitable, but the choice itself was what had caused so much pain. No matter what she chose, she would still end up in the demon's grasp, but one decision was far and above the best option for her new family.
Unless she could find another solution. There had to be a way out, some new trick she could pull. She had beaten him once, and only by sheer, dumb bad luck had he decided to latch a piece of darkness onto her soul, intending to grant her damnation in exchange for eternal youth, beauty, or whatever he had planned.
She had time. Mike was going on a quick trip into his wardrobe, and she knew he'd be back soon. With all the heads of the house pushed together, she felt hopeful that a plan could be made without her. After all, she had no idea how to know that he was watching.
She pushed open the door to the greenhouse and nearly slipped on the snow and ice that had formed at the entrance. Walking carefully forward, she waited until Asterion had followed her out before closing the door and staring dumbstruck at the backyard.
"What the hell?" She stuck a hand out and caught a fat flake in the palm of her hand. It was snowing hard enough that the grass had vanished beneath a blanket of white, and icicles had already formed along the roof.
"Hmm." Asterion gazed upward. "It still smells of early fall."
"Are you sure? Now I'm worried that we were somehow stuck in there for months or years or something." The last thing she needed was to find out the greenhouse had malfunctioned and Oliver had sold out Mike and the others. Then again, that would take away the fun in making her choose to join him.
"I do not like the cold." He hefted his axe. "It makes my weapon slippery."
"Well, you shouldn't be needing it anytime soon." A drift of snow fell free of the roof. "Maybe." Had the Society started something new? There should still be plenty of time on the sundial. Beth wrapped her arms around her torso and looked up into the sky. The clouds had become a low lying fog, but she could see where they bunched up against the edge of the home's magical shell. Whatever was happening had been caused from within.
A loud boom came from the front of the house.
"Shit." Beth broke into a jog, careful to watch her step. The ground was more ice than snow, and she felt herself slipping every few steps. Asterion's long strides allowed him to keep up easily, his hooves clomping in the snow.
Another boom echoed over the house, the wind picking up dramatically. Another sound like a shriek made her duck down, and the minotaur caught up, hovering over her like a shield. The flurries assaulted them from every direction now and visibility dropped to a couple of feet. They moved close to the house, using the slats as a guide.
"Naia?" Beth called out for the nymph, hoping she would answer. They ended up huddling by the house as the storm escalated. Asterion leaned against the wall, leaning his axe against the house. They stayed there for several minutes, and the chill of the storm infiltrated her clothing, causing her teeth to chatter.
The loud noises ceased, and the storm died down. The low clouds above quickly turned to more flurries and fell to the earth, and they could see once more. Beth slid out from beneath the minotaur and hurried toward the back yard. She was cold and wanted to get inside as quick as possible.
Stepping around the corner of the house, she found herself staring at the fountain. It was frozen now with icicles hanging off of its outer rim. A gray figure stood at the edge, unmoving and covered in snow.
"Naia?" Beth stepped toward the back door of the home to get a better look at the figure, then clasped a hand tightly across her mouth to hold in a scream.
The statue standing by the fountain's edge had a look of surprise on her face, her hair flared back as if a breeze had been running through it. One hand was outstretched, fingers spread as if trying to stop a ball.
It was Naia. Stunned, Beth gazed at her for several seconds, uncertain of what to say or do. Asterion now held the axe tightly in both hands, his intense gaze sweeping across the backyard. Beth's heart slammed against the inside of her chest, and she touched Naia's hand.
"What could have done this?" she asked.
Asterion shook his head. "I do not know."
Another loud bang kept from the front of the house. Beth grabbed Asterion by the wrist and pulled him toward the house. Once inside, the sounds were muffled, but loud enough that she could tell they came from out front. Grateful for the warmth of the home, she was nearly at the front window for a look outside when the front door opened.
Tink and Reggie went flying across the front room and crashed near the bottom of the stairs.
"Run!" Sofia yelled, then the door slammed behind her. Tink stood up and adjusted her goggles over her eyes.
"Tink, what's happening?" Beth asked.
"Bad lady!" Tink picked up Reggie by the scruff of his neck and pushed him up the stairs. "Tink saw, turn other rats to stone." Outside the door, the sound of clashing steel echoed through the window.
Beth tried to look through the window, but Tink slammed her club into the floor, drawing her attention back.
"No look, or turn to stone." She pulled Beth away from the glass and then went back, eyes closed, to pull Jenny out of her dollhouse. "We run, find husband, he fix everything."
"How is Mike going to fix this?" She could hear voices through the door.
"Husband fix. Husband always fix." The look Tink gave her left no room for argument. Tink believed in Mike. There was room for nothing else in her heart. "Run for rat halls."
"No." Reggie stood on the stairs, his tail whipping back and forth. "We must lead her away from my people. We cannot risk them being turned to stone."
"We should return to the Labyrinth," Asterion said, wary eyes on the front door. "It is the safest place for us."
Reggie nodded, and Beth agreed. Asterion's knowledge of the Labyrinth would keep them safe. They ran up the stairs together, stopping briefly for Reggie to tell a pair of rats to lock up the tunnels. At the top of the stairs, they ran into Carmina. The fairy followed, and they were in Beth's room when they heard the front door of the house open.
"Move!" Asterion pushed them all to the closet, then grabbed the bed and shoved it up against the door. They ran together, Carmina lighting the way ahead. They were near the end of the tunnel when they heard a loud crash behind them.
Asterion's thick arm circled Beth's waist and he jumped down the steep incline of the switchback trail. Tink and Reggie followed, the air filled with the sound of rocks tumbling around them. With every landing, Beth felt the air pressed out of her lungs, her heart jumping into her throat. Her skirt billowed up on one jump, exposing her bare ass to the others.
She thought she heard Tink giggle, but it was hard to tell.
Once at the bottom, the minotaur set her down and they all moved toward the thick door of the Labyrinth. Beth cast a wary eye at the reflecting pool, hoping that Oliver didn't have a way to jump out and ambush them somehow. She noticed that Asterion kept himself between her and the pool, and she was grateful for it.
"Bad lady!" Tink suddenly cried, and Beth looked over her shoulder. Frost was forming at the top of the hill around a figure in white who emerged from the cave. Beth spun around, suddenly frightened that she might get turned to stone. The large doors of the Labyrinth were in reach, and Asterion stood on the pressure plate, causing the doors to open.
In the air around them, giant swords appeared out of nowhere, swirling around them like leaves in a storm. They slammed into the ground, attempting to pin them in place, but Asterion smashed them out of the way with his axe, the group following close behind him.
Just inside the door, several rats were surprised to see everybody come running in, but joined along when they realized that Reggie was there too. The doors slammed shut behind them, and Asterion led them down one of the long corridors, guiding them past a tripwire and into a hidden tunnel. He slowed down just enough to make sure that everyone could keep up, and soon they were traveling a narrow underground tunnel that Beth knew from experience took them to Ratu's lair.
Behind them, the Labyrinth was silent.
Asterion had them wait in a hidden cave, disappearing back the way they had come. Beth finally felt like she could breathe again, and Tink sat on the floor, her face twisted into a sour expression.
"What happened up there?" Beth asked.
"Not too sure. Fox Lady and Stone Butt get into big fight. Tink go and watch. Stone Butt frozen in big ice, then fox come at Tink. Tink brave, but One Eye throw Tink and Rat King into house. Tink see other rats turn to stone through window." She let out a deep breath. "Husband in big trouble this time."
Beth wondered what special nickname Tink had for her. "Where is Mike? Is he back yet?"
"Tink don't know, but Tink can find."
"How? Didn't he leave through a magic door or something?"
"Maybe, but no matter. Tink find husband anywhere. When first meet, Tink give special bite. Can always feel husband, no matter where. Good rats help Tink, chew hole in wall, bring husband back, then smash Fox Lady into rug." She smacked her club on the ground for emphasis. "Tink make brilliant plan."
