Death Match (A Magic Bullet Novel Book 2) (14 page)

"
A
re
you sure we should be prowling around here?" Farah asked.

I'd convinced her to take a tour of the bowels of the stadium, to sniff around and see if we noticed any suspicious activity. Any X-caliber changing hands or illicit practice sessions. Although the dark, empty corridors were eerie, they were nothing I hadn't seen before.

"If there's shady drug dealing happening, I want to find out who, when and where." Just because Simon only gave the drug to Kieran didn't mean the Dragon limited his distribution to one team. Maybe he was attempting to manipulate the outcome of several matches.

"When you're done playing Lois Lane, can we stop at the bar for a drink? I saw that mage in the lobby with the spiky, silver hair." She shivered. "I'd like to get a piece of that action before he ends up in pieces."

"I'm sure he'd appreciate a nice send-off."

I was just about to round a corner when Farah gripped the hem of my shirt and yanked me backward.

"Isn't that our psychopathic friend from The Night Owl?" she asked in a hushed tone.

I peered around the corner to see a familiar albino Chinese mage swagger into a room.

"Maybe she's meeting her team here." I hoped she wouldn't be our first match. I needed to build up to a battle that involved a flame-blowing narcissist.

"Come on then. Let's check out your competition," Farah whispered.

We crept along the corridor, trying to appear casual in case anyone else decided to brave this part of the building.

"We don't know anyone with X-ray vision, do we?" Farah asked.

"No, we'll need to be nosy the old-fashioned way."

Farah tapped her chin. "Is there anything useful I could summon?"

"I think a blow torch might draw too much attention." I nudged her with my elbow. "Just shift to mist."

"They're not clueless humans in there. They'll know."

"When did you get so cautious?" I asked. The Farah I grew up with was always right by my side, ready to take on the world...or the bar.

"I don't feel as invincible as I used to," she admitted.

"Is that what aging does to you?" I teased.

"No, that's what
you
do to me."

"Me?" I blinked. "What are you talking about?"

She gestured to my copper cuffs. "Your jewelry. Every time I look at you, I remember how quickly my life could be over."

"Way to look on the bright side."

"Alyse, you're stronger and smarter than I ever was. If this is what happens to a djinni like you, what hope is there for me?"

I clenched my jaw. I didn't want to have an existential debate right now.

"Shift to mist and check out the situation," I said. "Just linger by the door and slip right back through when you're done."

Farah grimaced before closing her eyes and concentrating on dissolving her human form. She didn't shift often and, when she did, it tended to be her favored fox form. For a djinni like Farah, shifting to mist took intense concentration, whereas I'd been able to shift as quickly and easily as I drew breath.

Even with her inexperience, she was gone less than a minute.

I waited until she'd completely reformed to pester her. "What did you see?"

Farah stifled a giggle.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"Twinsies." She covered her mouth.

"Can you veil us both?" I asked. There was enough of a gap that we could squeeze through the doorway without drawing attention to ourselves.

Farah nodded. She threw a hand high and flicked her fingers in a dramatic gesture. I never conjured veils like that, but now wasn't the time to argue with her technique.

I peeked into the room and immediately understood the source of her laughter. Dragon Mage wore a black tank top, Army green camouflage pants, and combat boots.

I glanced down at my own attire. "My pants are solid green. There's no print."

Farah bit back another fit of giggles. "See? You girls have something in common after all."

It was a good thing our voices were as veiled as our bodies or Farah would've had those Ghuls jumping on us in five seconds.

Holy Plasma Plane. Ghuls
.

Farah's giddiness quickly dissipated when she, too, noticed the other inhabitants in the room. We both sprang back and bolted around the corner.

"Why is she hanging out with Ghuls?" Farah asked, the disgust evident on her face.

"There's no requirement she be on a team of mages," I said. "Look at Captain Courageous and me."

"But I expected her to be," Farah said. "Didn't you?"

I kinda did.

"Maybe the mages didn't want her," I said. "The Enclave has strict rules about using magic the way she used it in The Night Owl."

"Then why isn't she standing trial somewhere?" Farah asked. "Shouldn't she be facing a death penalty instead of sauntering around town dressed like you?"

Farah had a point, not about the clothes, but the freedom. Then again, I didn't think she was local. A mage with her skills and attitude would have a hard time flying under the radar in this city. I'd need to ask Oscar about it now that I had his ear.

We heard a loud, primal scream that seemed to come from the room we'd just left. Farah and I exchanged glances.

What if she wasn't there to train with Ghuls? What if she wandered in there, expecting to find mages?

"We need to see if she's okay," I said.

Farah recoiled. "Are you insane? We know firsthand Dragon Mage can handle herself. If there's trouble, she doesn't need a lazy Hinn and a powerless Marid to come to her rescue."

"She screamed," I said.

"We don't know it was her," Farah said, unconvincingly.

"Farah, you've still got your djinn powers. At least cover me."

Before she could object, I stomped around the corner and kicked open the door.

Dragon Mage had one Ghul in a chokehold while another six Ghuls stood around them in a semi-circle.

"Is everything okay in here?" I asked. "I heard a scream."

Dragon Mage released her hold on the Ghul and pushed him away. "Nothing I could not handle." She gave me a curious look. "I recognize you."

I swallowed hard. Was she affiliated with one of my former targets? Had I somehow forgotten her? I quickly brushed aside the thought. There was no way anyone could forget this woman.

"I'm competing in the games," I said. Maybe that would be enough.

"From the bar," she said and spread apart her blood red lips. "Where I demonstrated my prowess."

She meant The Night Owl.

"Yes, we were very impressed by your performance," I said, with a sidelong glance at Farah. Her gaze was pinned on the Ghuls. They remained still, observing the conversation. Since when did Ghuls exercise restraint?

"I hope to give an even better one here," she said, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Can we walk you somewhere?" I asked.
Like an insane asylum?

"I appreciate your concern," she said. "It is most unexpected."

"We women need to stick together," Farah said. "It's a cruel world out there."

"One of the things I love most about it," Dragon Mage said.

"Alrighty then," Farah said. "As you were."

Farah backed out of the room first and I followed. It would have been foolish to turn our backs to them.

We didn't speak until we reached the far end of the corridor.

"Told you she didn't need our help," Farah said.

I wasn't thinking about Dragon Mage. My mind was stuck on the Ghuls. "Were they the oddest Ghuls you've ever seen?"

"They're all pretty odd, Alyse."

"No, I mean their behavior. They were so still and quiet. Why didn't they attack us?"

"They attacked
her
. Good thing she put them in their place before we busted in there."

"She's going to be tough competition." Which was the whole reason I offered to help Pinky train for the games. Dragon Mage scared me and that was no easy feat.

We took the stairs back to the main level.

"When will you find out which team you're fighting?" Farah asked.

"In the morning," I said. "They'll post the day's matches."

"Text me when you know," she said. "Mix and I will be here." She hesitated, her expression clouding over. "Do you want me to bring Flynn?"

"He'll be here whether you bring him or not," I said. Flynn was as predictable as sunrise. He wouldn't be able to stay away from a spectacle like this, certainly not when he had money riding on the outcome.

"Good luck, Alyse."

I'd never needed luck before. It was an unwelcome realization.

"Thanks," I said and went to find my team.

O
ur first match was
, appropriately, against a team comprised of mages and djinn. Two mages, a Jann, and an Ifrit.

"At least we're evenly matched," I said to Reed, who stood to my right.

"Alyse, you do remember you're practically human, don't you?" he replied.

"This is the part where you tell me to get my head in the game," I said.

To be completely honest, for a moment I'd forgotten my powers were null and void. A dangerous mistake to make in the field. At least I had my lightsabers.

"Do you know either of these mages?" I asked Pinky and Cyrus.

"Out-of-towners," Cyrus said, flexing his biceps.

So we didn't know what they could do. At least the djinn would be easier to assess. I'd had enough encounters with their castes to gauge their abilities.

Reed, you take the Jann
, I told him.

Why me
?

He's the closest you'll get to pummeling Flynn
.

But I already pummeled Flynn
.

I snapped my fingers. He had. The day they met in the warehouse. Flynn and I were training and Reed thought he was rescuing me from an attack by an enormous bear.

Great, so you have experience. You take the Jann. He'll favor a large mammal
. They always did.

"Cyrus, you and Pinky take the mages," I said quietly so only they could hear me. "I'll take the Ifrit."

I couldn't imagine the four of them working in sync. I was baffled as to how they ended up on the same team. Then again, they were probably wondering the same thing about us. That was the downside of our first match. No intel.

The Horn of Karkadann sounded and we walked to the center of the field, near second base.

"Alyse Winters," the Jann said, heading straight for me. My plan was already shot to shit and we'd only just begun.

I looked him over. He was tall and reedy, like a teenaged basketball player. I half expected his face to bear acne scars.

"Do I know you?"

"Not really. I saw you fight in Miami several years back. You were with one of ours. I think he was your boyfriend."

Holy gods. Flynn.

"Then you know how good I am," I said. "Maybe you should just forfeit now."

He chuckled. “I’d rather take you down, but thanks.”

I extended the yantoks in my hands. "Luke and Leia might have something to say about that."

"Who are Luke and Leia?" he asked.

"You're looking at them," I said, waving the yantoks.

"Yes, I figured you meant the batons, I'm not an idiot, but where on earth did you get the names for them?"

My eyes widened slightly. "For that statement alone, you deserve to die."

The Jann summoned his own secret weapons. Two black chains appeared in his hands and he began to twirl them from hip to hip like a lasso.

"Don't you think black is a little too badass for you?" I asked. "Maybe you should have gone for the baby blue ones."

"Black works best," he said.

"For what?"

"Painting over the copper."

His magical chains were forged from copper. So not a badass but an asshole.

Clearly he wasn't up to date on my current condition. The copper wouldn't hurt me, but those chains sure as hell would.

I raised my yantoks in a defensive position. The Jann had the advantage now and he knew it. His caste was vulnerable to cold iron, so he had no problem whipping his copper chains into action. They crossed the gap between us in a nanosecond and smacked the yantoks out of my hands. I watched in stunned silence as they spun across the field in two different directions.

Was I seriously going to die during the first match? And at the hands of Puberty Jann? I heaved a deep sigh. There was no justice in the world, but I already knew that.

Catch
! Reed's voice echoed in my head.

Catch?

As the Jann reeled back for another strike, Reed tossed me his sword.

Let me repeat—Reed tossed me his sword.

A Protector never hands over his sword. The majestic sword isn't just another weapon to them. It's part of their essence. We may as well have boned each other right on the field because tossing me his sword was one of the most intimate gestures he could make.

I brandished the sword and, when the chains reared up like a double-headed snake poised to bite, I sliced straight through the copper links.

The Jann's mouth dropped open as the pieces fell to the ground. It seemed he'd never seen a Protector's sword at work before. They weren't your typical metal blades. The chains may have been forged from copper, but the Naphil's sword was forged from the tears of angels. Or something like that.

Pinky took advantage of his momentary surprise and enveloped him in a pink bubble. Not a protective bubble, but the kind that bounced and floated. By the time he was airborne, he was in tears, begging to be released before the bubble popped and he fell to the ground. He was skilled enough to wield copper chains but not so skilled that he could burst his own bubble and get himself down to earth. I almost felt sorry for him.

"Why doesn't he shift to mist?" Cyrus asked, shielding his eyes for a good view.

"He'll still be in the bubble," Pinky said. "It's airtight."

"Can't he change form to something bigger?" Cyrus asked.

Pinky shrugged. "The bubble will expand. I designed it to be flexible."

Holy Plasma Plane. She designed another strategic spell. Pinky was really coming into her own.

"Can't we just do that to the other three?" Cyrus asked, gesturing to Puberty Jann's teammates, who were currently in a huddle across the field.

"There's no honor in a win like that," Reed predictably replied.

I handed Reed his sword and retrieved my yantoks. "Thanks for the help."

"My father gave me this sword. He carved the hilt himself."

I touched the ornate handle. "An angel, huh?"

He smiled wryly. "Depends on who you ask."

So Reed's father had a bit of the devil in him. It was a relief to know he wasn't one hundred percent Boy Scout. Nobody could be that good. It was unnatural.

"Look out," Cyrus called.

It seemed the huddle had dispersed. The Ifrit had shifted to his preferred form and was heading straight for us.

"Is that a large lizard?" Reed asked.

I looked at him askance. "Do they teach you nothing in angel school? That's a Komodo dragon." Supersized, of course, courtesy of djinn magic.

"Does it breathe fire?"

I knew what he was thinking. If it breathed fire, he could control it.

"No, it has a venomous bite."

The Ifrit inched closer to us.

"Then shouldn't we be getting out of its way?" Reed asked.

I folded my arms. "In a minute. I want to see what he does."

Pinky studied the Ifrit's new form. "Do we need to run in a zigzag pattern?"

"It's not a crocodile," I said. Then again, it might be fun to try and confuse it. If nothing else, it would entertain the crowd. This was a show, after all.

I decided to do something I didn't get the chance to do at the gala. I danced.

Even the other two mages stopped preparing their next spells to observe my bizarre fighting moves.

"What are you doing?" Reed asked.

I slid my feet backward across the AstroTurf. "Ever hear of the moonwalk?"

The Komodo dragon stopped partway across the field and cocked its head.

"That's not dancing," Reed objected and demonstrated a few steps that would've made Fred Astaire proud.

"Um, guys," Pinky said, pointing to our opponents. "Still fighting."

"I'll handle the Ifrit. You three take the mages."

"You can't take him on alone," Reed objected.

I winked, already knowing what I intended to do. "Watch me."

Pinky twitched both hands and my yantoks flew back to me. "Don't lose them again."

I gripped Luke and Leia and took off in a sprint toward the Komodo dragon. The giant lizard saw me coming and decided to charge me. Just as we were about to collide, I went airborne, tucking into a somersault and landing on its back. I wrapped my arm around its elongated neck and pressed both yantoks into its rough skin.

"Stun!"

Its body jolted, but the magic wasn't enough to subdue it. Its bony plates must have absorbed much of the energy.

The lizard continued to run and I slid further down its back. I was trying to hold the yantoks and the lizard's body at the same time. My grip loosened and I fell hard on my back.

The lizard didn't waste any time. It skidded to a halt and turned around. I couldn't raise my yantoks in time. The sharp teeth sank into my flesh and I cried out, dropping the weapons. I clawed the ground and pulled myself out of range before he could bite again. I felt my blood pressure weakening as blood spurted from my calf. I'd go into shock soon. The venom would make sure of that. Komodo dragons didn't necessarily kill their prey during the first attack. The prey wanders away, wounded and weak, until the Komodo dragon tracks it to its final resting place and enjoys a tasty meal.

I didn't want to be the Ifrit's Big Mac.

As I pulled myself across the AstroTurf by my elbows, dirt began to stir in the infield. Near home plate, Cyrus and Pinky were holding hands and chanting. I couldn't see Reed or the other two mages from my prostrate position.

The dirt spiraled into the air, spinning in a counterclockwise direction until a small tornado formed. The Komodo dragon was wholly focused on finishing me off, oblivious to the unnatural disaster looming behind it. The tornado spun into the outfield and sucked my pursuer inside the cone, its arms and legs flailing wildly.

My heart rate slowed dramatically and my head dropped to the ground. I tried desperately to stay awake, to see whether my friends were okay.

My eyes had turned to slits by the time the Ifrit reformed and dropped to his knees in front of my teammates. He lowered his head in submission and the roar of the crowd drowned out every other sound.

"We won," Pinky yelled gleefully and I promptly passed out.