“We need to get out of here. Get cleaned up and get some rest,” I say. Even Bangs, the dark brown rabbit, has turned a darker hue. I looked down at Bombs and find his light silver fur is now a dull lead color.
The only thing we have on our side is the mass of people lingering around. But I sense eyes on us, someone waiting in the shadows, waiting for their moment to pounce.
The twins are trying to get to Red again, but I won’t let them.
Thankfully my phone remains in my back pocket. I pull it out and call a car service to pick us up. The black sedan shows up in no time. Per my instructions, they drive right to where we stand on the sidewalk, forcing people to move.
A young driver pops out in a uniform that doesn’t quite fit his bony frame right. For a kid his age, his dark brown skin is exceedingly smooth. I’d half expect him to be riddled in pimples. Last time I saw him, he still wore braces.
The kid can’t hide his surprise at the spectacle of both the burning building and his passengers. Still, he helps load Red into the car, even as he gives the tiny fluff bomb in her arms a dubious look.
“I tip well,” I say, clapping him on the shoulder with my free hand.
The driver eases his stance but eyes the bunny in my arms before meeting my gaze. “I’m aware, sir. Glad to see you again.”
“Thanks. . . ” I search my smoke charred mind to find the name. “. . . Tom. Tom Thumb, right?”
He gives me the thumbs up with a grin then shuts the door after me.
“Sir?” Red asks in disbelief.
I ignore her prodding. We let the rabbits sit on our laps as Tom pulls away from the curb.
Tom already knows the way to our destination. During the day, it would take twenty minutes with traffic. But in the dead of night, it will only be a blessed ten. We are both in desperate need of a shower and water. But until we get to the safe house, my every cell is alert, on the lookout for danger.
Red’s head drops off to the side as she dozes. I’m not sure if it’s the smoke inhalation or her adrenaline wearing off, but the girl is exhausted. Her test is today, and this isn’t going to help her concentration. At least her finals aren’t until the afternoon. She might stand a chance of recovery.
The car jerks to a halt after only a couple of minutes. My hackles rise, and my fangs elongate. I’m careful to keep my claws in with the rabbit in my lap.
“Uh, sir?” the kid says. I look over his shoulder to see a car pulled out in the road, blocking the path. A short, heavyset man stands in front of it. Against his walnut-colored skin, his eyes glow red.
“Stay here,” I order everyone, gently setting Bombs on the seat.
Before Red can get her protest out, I slam the door shut on them.
The fire mage looks like he should be at home, after a day at the office, eating the dinner his wife made for him and ignoring her needs. The bottom button on his plaid shirt looks ready to shoot off his generous belly. His khakis are held on his hips by a tightly cinched belt only further exaggerating his rotund top to the straight line of his legs.
Hansel and Gretel sent him. I can smell the incompetence of a paid hand, now that I have a nose for it. His magic smells like burning death and that offends me even more.
“It is not a good night to fuck with me,” I announce to the man without any preamble as I unfasten my jeans and shove them down my legs, baring myself. I have no patience left in me right now. “Your idiocy killed two people.”
“Give me the girl and you can go,” the fire mage announces in a thick Indian accent, not even acknowledging the damage he caused. Fire lights up in both of his palms.
I don’t wait for another invitation. I charge at him, my bones cracking and rearranging. Fur sprouts along my body mid-leap as my clawed paws reach for him.
The man throws a firebolt just before his eyes widen in fear, realizing his fate. I’m too fast, and his fireball goes wide at the last second. But I have no problem hitting my mark. I land on his chest. His eyes blaze as he prepares to unleash more fire on me, but I activate the talent I so very much wanted to use on Hunter when he had me pinned against the wall.
I release the ball of force inside me. For a second, everything goes quiet, as if someone hit the mute button.
The fire dies in the man's eyes, leaving them muddy and bloodshot. The acidity of his panic spikes in my nose, but the smell of death has dissipated. I nulled his magic like an electromagnetic blast takes out any nearby electronic. It doesn’t work on other fae creatures, but I can nullify any mage’s magic if they are in close range.
Yet another secret of my fae race that keeps us safe from outside forces.
My powerful jaws clamp onto the mage’s neck. Blood spurts into my mouth as I take my rage and aggression out on this stupid man.
How dare he? How dare he put Red in danger? The imbecile’s incompetence is dangerous. He killed innocent people to lure her out into the open.
I wriggle and flop his body until I’m satisfied. The stench of magic is gone. After I’m done, I trot to the car, blood matting the fur on my face and chest.
