“If we have to take apart this ward, we will kill anyone keeping us from the women,” the man said. He wore black leather from head to toe, and just looked like a stereotypical bad guy. I hated him on principal. And the fact that he kept saying the women, like we’d lost our autonomy along the way, really got my goat.
Fin eased his hand down my spine. “Calm down. I can feel how much you want to put your knife in that guy. You’ll get your chance, but not until it’s time.”
At least he didn’t try to step in and take my anger from me. The man appreciated my blood thirst. I loved that about him.
A flicker went through the ward and Fin and I glanced at Helix. “He’s using more power than I have to rip it apart. He must be one of Esteban’s higher ups. They’re the only ones who he shares power with.”
We spread out in the room, trying to cover all the angles to ensure no one reached the door where Melinda hid.
When the ward fell, the goon took one step forward, surveying us. “We have no need to fight. Give us the women and we’ll go in peace.”
Before I could think about it, I’d gathered my magic, and Fin’s magic. I launched it at the bad guy who wanted ‘the women’. He unsheathed his blade and shoved it into his chin. With wide shocked eyes, he sank to his knees, and then over to his side, his hand falling away from the weapon as life left him.
I startled. Fin and Helix both glanced at me.
“Sorry, he just really pissed me off.”
It felt strange to use this weird mix of both mine and Fin’s magic. I wondered what mine felt like to him.
Another man stepped into the doorway. This one wore jeans and a t-shirt. He was shorter and looked far more unassuming than his friend, but I never went by what people looked like when it came to a fight.
“We’ve come for the women...” he began.
“I wouldn’t start there,” Helix said, kicking his friend. “This guy made that mistake, and it seemed to make the lady angry.”
In a surprise twist, the goon locked eyes with me. “Come with me and we won’t kill your lovers.”
I frowned at Helix and Fin.
“Someone’s intel is out of date and so fucking wrong it’s disgusting. No offense,” I said to Helix.
“None taken. You don’t exactly appeal to me either.”
I nodded. “I get that about you. You seem to want your women more...submissive.”
He grunted, but I wasn’t sure if it was agreement or not.
“Excuse me,” the goon said. “I’ll make the offer only once more. Come with me now, and bring the other woman, and we’ll leave these two in peace.”
I stepped forward, in front of Fin. “Why don’t I believe you when you say that? The moment we leave with you, you’ll have your friends kill mine, thus keeping your word, while erasing the threat that will be hot on your heels the second we are out the door. I may be a woman, but I’m not a fucking idiot.”
I launched toward him. The little bastard was faster than me, and his magic even quicker. His magic hit me hard, sending me flying back into a weapon shelf badly enough to leave me in a heap of sharp weapons.
Helix and Fin took the man out while I surveyed the damage. My hands were sliced, and despite my magical shield, I had a huge gash at my waist that would need stitches or healed.
“Pretty sure killing me probably wasn’t on the to do list,” I said, as Fin grabbed me around the wrists to pull me out of the pile of metal.
He ran his hands across mine, healing the damage. I sighed as he started on my waist.
Several more goons rushed into the room.
I picked up one of the knives I’d landed on and used it to take out one of the mages, but the second one went down, another crowded into the room.
Then I heard a shout, and the mass of bad guys turned to face the hallway, as if a new threat had emerged.
I glanced at Helix and Fin. They both nodded once, preparing for the next wave as we moved bodies to make it easier to fight if needed.
But the next voice I heard made me sink down to brace my hands on my knees in relief.