Demons (Darkness #4)(18)

Calling Tim a mongrel wouldn’t win him any votes at the moment. “Especially if Tim and his…”

She should just stick a knife in his ribs now; it’d be easier. “Especially if the Mata are around.”

Surprisingly, she laughed. “Wow, that was tough, huh? Being nice? You’re as bad as Jonas.”

“Jonas lost a parent in that…situation, too.”

Her face fell. She nodded.

After they partially dressed they walked back to the mansion in silence, her little hand in his. Finally, he gave in. “I’m not one to…talk about…feelings.” He grimaced. “But I’ll try to fill you in on…issues, okay? For you, I’ll try.”

And he’d hate every minute of it.

She laughed again, hugging him close. “Men. You bitch and moan about being sick or having a papercut, but tell your significant other about a legitimate problem? Oh my, no, it’s more fun to let them worry and fret.”

“And then bitch.”

“Absolutely we have to bitch! When it’s your fault, we have to give a little back.”

Chuckling, he swept her up into his arms. As he climbed the stairs, her head lulling on his shoulder, he just hoped he could maintain control for what came. Losing his leadership, and having Dominicous try to rip his arms off, was nothing compared to what he’d suffer if he gave in to fear and it got her killed. He just wished he knew an easy way to navigate through his past. He wished the stakes weren’t as high.

Chapter 6

A week after the little demon incident, I stood outside in the failing light with Adnan and his opponent, Claudia. It was the duel I’d initiated before we left to deal with the demon; either Adnan had to beat her fighting-wise, or I had to admit he wasn’t as good as I made him out to be.

God, I hoped he was as good as I made him out to be…

Charles stood off to the side, a smirk on his face. He loved watching people fight—because he was an idiot guy—and he loved when I was in a pinch that didn’t affect him in any way. This pretty much made his night.

Jonas was off to the other side, totally over this scene, but knowing this needed to happen because I was a loudmouth and made stupid promises. My dallying wasn’t improving his mood any, and being that he’d scared a kid on the way out here with just a glance, that wasn’t good news.

“Okay, Adnan, here’s the deal.” I looked him square in the eyes. Young eyes. Belonging to a guy still in school. Who was about to go against a woman who’d been fighting for as long as Adnan had been alive. “You’ve got to beat her ass so she knows I’m wise and all-knowing, or I have to admit I was wrong. And I hate admitting I’m wrong.”

A grin ghosted his lips before uncertainty crept back in. “She’s in the Watch, Sasha. She’s at her peak.”

“You’re freaking great at fighting, Adnan. Great.” I shook his shoulders a little. “You’ll kick her ass, I know it. It’s not often I tell a guy to kick a chick’s ass, but…give her a bitch-slap if you can.”

“You better not get all excited he won and put him in the Watch,” Charles said with crossed arms, watching the sneering Claudia as she eyed Adnan. “I’m the youngest brought on. I don’t want to give up that title.”

“I thought you hated that title?” I shot back.

“Yeah, I do, but with that title, everybody knows I’m the shit.”

I scoffed. “Or at least a huge turd.”

“Get a move on, human, we have things to see to,” Jonas rasped, eyeing the trees like they might come alive and try to stab him.

“No one ever talks to Stefan like this,” I muttered to myself.

“He’d rip our limbs off and beat us with them. You’ll just shock us,” Charles countered.

“In just a minute, yeah. So you have that to look forward to.” I honed back in on Adnan. “Okay, ready to kick some butt?”

He flexed his fingers and cocked his head, warming up his neck. Anyone that had ever fought against him usually took a step back at that action. Adnan wasn’t super strong in magic, but in fighting, the kid could wipe a smirk off someone’s face in a hurry.

I hoped this would hold true for Claudia. She needed to get taken down a peg.

“We have to hit the West Nine after this,” Jonas said in boredom as Adnan strolled toward Claudia.

She waited with her hands loosely at her sides, knees slightly bent, and completely relaxed. I had learned that this was the ready position of anyone worth their salt in the fighting arena. Adnan wasn’t perturbed.

“Why?” I asked to Jonas as my hands started to tingle in anticipation. I really needed Adnan to win this one. “I thought that was a pretty barren place.”

“You’re thinking of the East Nine beyond the city. The West Nine is by Jefferson Park. I gave you the map to study…”

“Yes, Jonas, but Toa gave me a giant scroll on linking. A scroll Jonas. He thinks that if I study a five-hundred-year-old document, I’ll figure something out. Spoiler alert: I haven’t. You know what else I haven’t had time for? Geography lessons. Just tell me Jefferson Park if you want me to know what you’re talking about.”

Charles whistled. “Someone’s on shark week.”

Jonas and I both shot a scowling glance at the meddlesome dummy. Charles shrugged, “On the rag. Aunt Flo’s visiting. Out of commission—take your pick. Although, in extreme situations, and a shower, I don’t mind getting a little dirty in the trenches…”