by A. L. Knorr
"Completely," Chad said, without even thinking. He blinked for a moment at the utter truth of that statement.
"Bring her, then."
Just then, a fire alarm sounded and the sprinkler above their heads went off, showering them with cold water.
Chapter 10
Chad and Basil dashed out of the room and into the hall. The sprinklers were going off in the hall as well, and soggy patrons jogged toward the stairs holding handbags and catalogues over their heads. Sounds of distress filled the manor.
Basil and Chad looked at each other.
"Did we do that?" Basil asked above the din.
Chad winced. "That might have been me." His smoke must have finally found another alarm.
Basil rolled his eyes upward and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's like daycare," he said under his breath. His curling brown hair lost its bounce and was now plastered to his head.
"I'd better find Angelica," Chad said.
A man in a uniform appeared behind them. "Outside, gents. Take the stairs please." He repeated this to people passing. "Elevators shut down when there's a fire alarm, sorry about the water. Outside, please."
Chad made his way through the crowd, forgetting about Basil in his focus to find Angelica. He took the main stairway, which was wide and carpeted. The carpet squished with water as footprints tracked over it. As he was passing a large window on one of the landings, Chad thought he heard a woman's cry in between the fire alarm pulses. He stopped and listened. It was definitely a scream, maybe not of terror, but of frustration? He peered out the window, which looked down into a service bay. Water ran down the glass, blurring the view, but Chad made out two people—one a big hulking dark shape and the other a slender, feminine reed. A blur of blond hair came through.
"Angelica," he said, and put a hand against the wet glass. A large brick archway yawned from across the bay, and beside it, a gray metal door. Straight across from Chad and up from the metal door was another window. Figures marched by the window—more guests leaving. Chad bolted down the stairs and down the hallway, skipping around soggy patrons and distressed employees. At the next stairwell, he descended, past the foyer landing where people were trailing out the front door and down another level.
He burst out the gray metal door and into the service bay. "Angelica?" he yelled. Her name bounced off the brick.
"Chad!"
He heard her answer through the dark archway. He ran across the service bay and through the arch. He passed several dumpsters and three vehicles with 'Patty's Catering Service' stamped on the side. He rounded a corner and nearly ran into the back of a white van.
"Pickett!" Chad yelled, shocked nearly out of his boots.
The giant boxer was standing beside the van. Mickey had a woman's bag—Angelica’s bag—clutched in his bear paw hands.
Angelica stood a few feet away facing him, her face red and thunderous.
Chad's eyes darted from Mickey to Angelica and fear clutched at his heart. The fire blew up in his guts like a giant bellows had breathed fresh oxygen into his furnace. "What's going on here?"
"He's snatched my bag. A real gentleman," Angelica snarled. She turned flashing eyes on Chad. Her voice softened, "Where were you? I was getting worried. You're soaked!"
"Sprinklers. I got detained," Chad spluttered. She was getting worried? She was the one in trouble.
"I didn't snatch her bag," Mickey growled. "Well, I did. But only as a hostage."
"What?" Chad blinked at Mickey.
"This thug," Angelica jerked her head toward Mickey, who looked both righteously upset and embarrassed at the same time, "lured me back here with the promise that he had the Damascus blade's sheath and he was willing to sell it to me." She shot a steely look at Mickey. "How did you even know I'd be here?"
"You were flashing your cards about in the pub, weren't you. Wasn't hard to figure out." Mickey almost looked proud of himself for this little bit of sleuthing success.
"Why did you follow him out back?" Chad cried. "I could have told you not to trust him."
"He played on my good nature." Angelica narrowed her eyes. "Said he was too embarrassed to show his face among the likes of these people. That he'd be more comfortable if I met him outside, and it would only take a minute."
"It will only take a minute," Mickey growled. "All I want is what is owed me."
"What are you talking about?" Angelica said.
"Give the lady back her bag," Chad said, stepping up to Angelica's side.
"Not until she pays me what the blade is worth," Mickey said. "I made a couple phone calls after you were so eager to buy my grandad's blade in the pub," he bristled. "You gave me less than half of what it's worth."
"Whose fault is that?" Angelica cried. "You were willing to sell and you were happy with our deal. You can't go doing your homework after the deal has been done. That's not how business works."
"Yeah, but I did. And you swindled me out of the blade," Mickey said. "And I keep this here bag, until you agree to top me up."
"I didn't swindle—there was no swindling!" Angelica sputtered, her face growing pinker. "We made a deal, fair and square, in front of witnesses," she said, stoutly, then turned to Chad. "Didn't we?"
"You did," agreed Chad. "Come on, Pickett. This is foolish. Give her back her bag, don't make me take it from you."
Mickey looked down at Chad. "Like you could."
Chad was much smaller than Mickey, but he flexed his knuckles and the fire licked up his spine. "Since you're not willing to honor your deal with Angelica, how about a wager with me? We'll settle this for good."
Mickey's face darkened.
"The odds are in your favor," Chad said, palms out.
"What wager?"
"Go a round with me," Chad said. "I win, you give Angelica back her bag and go away forever."
"And if I win?" Mickey's eyes sparked.
"You get the blade back," Chad said. "You can re-negotiate with Angelica, or sell it to someone else. Whatever you see fit."
"Chad!" Angelica turned to him, incredulous. "The blade is mine."
"And it'll stay that way," Chad said, keeping his eyes on Mickey. He lowered his chin and gave Mickey a smug smile. He knew Mickey. The guy couldn't say no to a bet like this. The man was a 230-pound slab and unbeatable.
"Deal," Mickey growled.
Angelica grabbed Chad's jacket and they turned away from Mickey so they could speak without being overheard. "What are you doing? You're going to get yourself killed. All for my blade?" She lowered her voice to a hiss. "It's not that important. I'll give the damn thing back to him if it'll save your neck."
"Do you trust me?" Chad asked, looking down into her eyes.
Her big blue eyes blinked up at him and he saw the truth before she even said it. "I do," she said quietly. "But I also don't want to see you get hurt."
"I might get a little hurt," he said quietly. "But I'm not going to lose."
Understanding dawned in her face. She covered her mouth and said, "But that's cheating. I mean," her eyes darted to Mickey and back to Chad, "isn't it cheating?"
Chad shrugged as he took off his dad's leather jacket. "It's no different than how you got the blade in the first place. You just knew more than him and you benefited from it. Same story."
Angelica took his jacket. "I don't think I can watch this."
"You can." Chad stretched his neck, rolled his shoulders, and turned to face his opponent.
Chapter 11
Chad made the mistake of thinking that they'd circle each other first, size one another up, maybe discuss the rules. But he'd no sooner turned away from Angelica when Mickey crossed the pavement in two giant steps and sent his ham-sized fist into Chad's jaw. Angelica gave a stifled shriek.
Chad went spinning down to one knee. Pain exploded through his face and his vision went orange and then white, and then black, before it cleared to a haze.
How could Mickey be as big as a train car and as fast as a snake at the same time
? Chad's saving grace was that he was already turning in the direction the punch had sent him.
"So, no rules then?" Chad gritted out, flexing his jaw. As always, the pain made the fire flare in his belly, licking up the inside of his ribcage.
Chad stood. The sky darkened and a few raindrops spattered on the pavement.
"Nawp," Mickey said, the crinkles at the corners of his eyes betraying just how much he was enjoying this. "Don't hit a man when he's down. That's it." He had his ham-fists up in front of his face. He spat a stream off to the side.
Mickey flew at Chad and Chad detonated in his shoulder and elbow, sending an fist flying at Mickey's chin. Mickey was too fast. The blow hit his collarbone, and the impact jarred Chad's wrist. Mickey grunted and bear-hugged Chad. The men staggered across the pavement together.
Pulling back, Mickey ducked under another hit. His fist caught Chad in the mouth, splitting his lip. Sharp pain exploded in his nose and upper jaw. Something small and hard got caught between his lip and gum and Chad spit, running his tongue through his numb mouth.
Mickey got him in another bear hug and squeezed. All the air wheezed out of Chad. He tried to detonate in both shoulders, throwing his arms outward to break Mickey's grip, but the explosion was awkward and badly placed. A flash filled the bay. Mickey grunted and blinked.
Misfire. Chad winced at the pain as dry heat flared in his upper back. Smoke wisped from Chad's mouth. Movement caught his eye as the men tussled for control.
Basil was leaning against the corner of the arch, one toe crossed over the other, his cane resting against the wall beside him. They made eye contact, and Basil raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest.
The men broke. Mickey's eyes darted around, a film of sweat shone on his forehead. "What’s that flash? Your girlfriend taking pictures?"
Chad turned to the side and sent a heel into Mickey's chest, detonating in his hip. Chad thought of the fire, of willing it to stay inside. But still there was a flash of light.
Mickey flew back and hit the brick wall between two plastic dumpsters. Both bins went flying. The big man scrambled up, breathing hard and looking surprised.
Chad grit his teeth, wondering if internalization was something only advanced fire mages could do.
Angelica had gone to stand by Basil, clutching Chad's coat up in front of her face, afraid to look. Basil said something to her.
While Chad was trying to listen to what Basil and Angelica were saying to each other, Mickey's shoulder hit him in the gut and lifted him off the ground. The two of them hit the pavement, Chad landing on his back with all of Mickey's weight on top of him. The air left his lungs and stars popped in front of his face as he gasped.
Two fists found their marks in his ribs and Chad winced as pain blossomed on his right side. He put his hand into Mickey's face and sent the fire into his palm. Mickey yelped and jerked his head back.
Mickey scrambled off him, eyes wide. "What is this?" he growled. "What are you playing at?"
Chad grinned and huffed, getting to his feet. "You're the one who said 'no rules.'"
Mickey charged.
Chad only had time for one thought. Many joints.
He willed the fire into every joint in his body and rushed forward, sending an uppercut into Mickey's jaw. Detonations went off inside Chad's body like fireworks. Not all at once, but rapid-fire and successively starting in his toes and ankles, then up his legs, into his hips, and up his spine. The last joints to detonate were the knuckles of his fist as it hit Mickey's chin.
The giant flew back as though hit in the face with a cannonball. His body smacked into the side of the van, leaving a serious dent. He landed in a heap on the pavement.
For a breath, the rain was the only sound. Chad's heart thumped in his ears and he stared at the still form of Mickey, processing what had just happened within his own body. A few whispered words returned to Chad. You could blind someone...
Chad spun around, panicked. "Angelica!"
"What!" she squeaked, jumping in the air. "You killed him, Chad!"
"Can you see?" Chad cried.
"What?"
He rushed to her and took her face in his hands, looking back and forth into her eyes. She blinked at him, confused, frightened. "You can see? There was no flash?"
Her wet hair hung in ropes and her clothes were damp. She nodded. "Yes, I can see. I'm fine. Mickey’s not fine, though. I think you killed him."
Her words sank in and Chad turned back to the giant heap of a man. His heart went into his throat. He hadn't meant to kill him. He went to the body and knelt down, feeling at his neck for a pulse.
"Well?" Angelica said, hovering behind him.
"He's alive." Chad sighed with relief.
To prove it, Mickey groaned and his eyes fluttered open. He turned his head to the side and spat three teeth onto the pavement. "Wha happened?" he slurred. Already, bruises were blossoming on his chin and up his left jaw.
"Sorry, Mickey." Chad grimaced. "Maybe stay down for a minute." Chad looked around for Basil. "Where did Mr. Chaplin go?"
"He just left. Right after you knocked Mickey out, he said you'd learned what he needed to teach you for now." She handed him a business card. "He left you this. Very strange fellow, come to think of it."
Chad took the card and pocketed it.
Mickey groaned and sat up slowly, rubbing his neck and jaw. "So that's what a knockout feels like," he muttered through a cotton-filled mouth. He shot Chad a suspicious look. "I never saw you in or out of a ring. How'd you learn to hit like that?"
Chad helped him up. "Street scraps," was all he could think of to say.
Angelica picked up her bag from the pavement and put it over her shoulder. Her teeth chattered. She looked at Mickey, whose face was swelling up. "Can we consider this matter closed now?" she asked.
Mickey nodded, winced, and stretched his neck. "The bloody blade is yours." He looked at Chad. "Could we..."
"Keep this between us?" Chad finished. "Sure."
Mickey's reputation as an unbeatable bare-knuckle fighter was all he had.
Mickey nodded and got into the van, stiff as an old man.
"Your lips are turning blue. Come on." Chad opened his jacket and put it around Angelica's shoulders. "Let's go."
"I guess they're not going to let us inside. Probably not for the rest of the day. They'll have a mess to clean up." Angelica huddled under his jacket and arm as they left the bay and walked toward her car.
Chad stoked the fire and pushed his body temperature up several notches.
Angelica melted into him. "Oh, that's so nice."
"Sorry today didn't go how you thought it would," Chad said.
"That's all right. It might actually work in our favor," she said, spotting the crowd of patrons standing under umbrellas in the driveway. "Excuse me." She put a hand up and waved at a woman in a Copperwaite jacket. "Can you tell us what's happening?"
"It's a mess at the moment," the other woman said. "Sprinklers went off on the fourth floor. Staff are assessing the damage, but I'm afraid the auction will have to be postponed."
"Do you know for how long? I've come all the way from Canada," Angelica said.
The lady nodded. "There's plenty of folks who've come from farther away than you, miss. My best guess is it'll be a few days to a week. They won't want to delay too long. Did you register with a local address?"
Angelica nodded. "The King's Arms in Sedgley."
The lady said, "Then we'll send you a letter there in the next few days with new dates and times."
"And another opportunity to make a viewing appointments?" Angelica asked, her face hopeful.
"I can't say for sure. Not my department, but it’s likely. If you'll excuse me," the woman said as another staff member beckoned her.
Angelica backed herself under Chad's arm and jacket again, shivering. "That's that, then. I guess I've got a few days to kill." She sighed against his heat with pleasure. "Your first lesson was a bit of a mess
-up, but were you finding it interesting so far?"
"Pretty interesting," Chad said with a crooked smile.
"He chipped your front tooth," Angelica said. She put a finger to his lips. "All for me and my stupid blade. That was really dumb."
"But heroic?" He cocked an eyebrow.
She smiled. "Maybe a little." She shivered again and pressed against him. "You're so deliciously warm. You know, I could really use a guy like you."
"Oh yeah?" He flared the fire and sent it down the arm that curled around her shoulders. "For antiquing? Or for staying warm?"
"Both. You interested?" She grinned up at him.
"Maybe." He looked down at her through half-hooded eyes as they approached her rented Mini. It was more than a maybe. It was a definite yes, and they both knew it.
<<<<>>>>
Afterword
Well hello there, fancy meeting you here! Thank you for joining me for another frolicking adventure of the fire folk. These two stories were a blast to write and I’ve got more cooking (pun intended) where they came from. I’m sure you can sense that I’m setting up for the next full-length Saxony novel. If you’d like to receive notifications of release dates and upcoming projects, please join my newsletter list. You can sign up on my website at www.alknorrbooks.com.
Thank you to my Editor Teresa Hull, my beta team of readers, my supportive network of fans and friends who never fail to send me words of encouragement and read everything I write. Most of all, thank you to you precious reader, for without you I wouldn’t have my dream career!
About the Author
A.L. Knorr is a Canadian who writes fast-paced fantasy fiction and travels abroad when the temperature of home drops into brain-numbing freezing temperatures. She’s an avid mountain biker, is fascinated by nautical history, shipwrecks, pirates, and marine biology. She enjoys reading Stephen King (even though she’s too chicken to read his horror novels), JK Rowling, Stieg Larsson, Kelley Armstrong, and Ken Follett among many others. Abby loves hearing from readers and encourages you to get in touch any time with any feedback or questions.
