He'd left me and now thought he was going to publicly kick my ass? I didn't think so.
We began to circle each other again. This time I was going to really concentrate, block out everything but him.
"Try to use your legs. Your upper body can't compete with me, but your legs might."
I didn't speak or tell him to shut up and fight. I was going to remain calm and concentrated. No more blurry man moves taking me by surprise.
And then I was on my back. Again. I sucked wind for a minute, waiting for the air to inflate my lungs back up. If I didn't know how quickly I'd heal, I might be a bit concerned over the ache I was already feeling. This time, he didn't bother offering me his hand. I got to my feet again, although a bit slower.
I didn't bother wiping the snow off, considering I might be back in it in another second. When I turned to get a lock on Cormac's position, I cringed. We'd gained an even greater audience.
I'd worked hard to keep control of this place when he'd left. I'd earned respect. Even the ones that didn't like me, and there were a lot, still gave me my due. I wasn't going to get my ass kicked in front of everyone. I needed to change tactics. Waiting for the blows to come and counter attacking wasn't working. I needed to go on the offensive.
"You ready?" he asked.
I nodded but before he had the chance to attack, I moved in as quickly as I could push myself. And I caught big fat air. He dodged my swing as if I were a child fighting Goliath.
"Time!" Burrom called from the side. "Need to speak to my fighter."
"Time? What?" Cormac yelled back.
"I said time!"
"This isn't a boxing match."
Burrom ignored him and yelled for someone to get him a stool. I walked over to him where he stood surrounded by the ever increasing crowd. A stool was plunked down in front of me and I gratefully sat.
He handed me a water bottle right before he laid into me. "What are you doing out there?"
"Getting my ass kicked?"
I looked over to where Cormac waited, now with Dodd and Dark. Traitors.
"You are magic."
I shook my head. "He is, too. And right now, I'm closer to pummeled raw meat."
"He might have some magic, but you've got more. Start channeling it. You're so in your head that you aren't letting it flow. You're lost before you even swing. Stop being the old Jo and be the woman I've seen you become in the last three months. Stop thinking. Trust me, it's doing you absolutely no good."
As far as pep talks, I'd heard better; given better, I think. But I'd give it a try. I nodded, and stood up. When I walked back into the clearing, now lined with people, I knew this was it. I was either going to show him, and the crowd, I was someone to be reckoned with, or I'd lose all the respect I'd built.
I took a long slow breath and focused on letting it all go, the panic, the preconceptions of failure, not being good enough, everything. I reached out around me to every ounce of magic I could. Anybody looking might mistake it as my frozen breath on the air but I felt it flowing to me. I was trying to absorb it and channel it. And I could feel it working.
Cormac stood ten feet away, waiting. I nodded I was ready and then so did he. The second his head moved, I let the magic burst through me. I didn't know what it would do, what I could do. I was just acting and reacting.
I was operating on sheer instinct and I was fucking amazing. I leapt into the air a split second before I reached Cormac, did a twist to evade his hands and planted my foot on his chest. I sent him sprawling as I landed softly and untouched behind him.
I whipped around as he was getting to his feet, surprise on his face, and I thought maybe a hint of pride?
"I told you about that look," I halfheartedly warned him.
"I'm sure I have no idea what you are talking about." He was smiling as he said it. He was impressed.
"You ready to go again?" It felt good to be the one standing, waiting for him to signal he'd recouped enough to continue.
I was bouncing from foot to foot, pulling as much energy as I could to me, feeling almost high from it.
"You under control?" Cormac asked, his stare turning from impressed to slightly suspicious.
"You trying to stall?"
He waved his hand in a bring-it-on motion. This little demonstration had just taken on a new life. A look around showed even more people, perhaps half the castle, stood watching, hanging on our every movement. They stood as close as they could without risking direct participation.
And were they betting? I'll be damned if I didn't hear wagers being called out.
I turned back to Cormac and it was clear this practice had just turned serious for him. Where he was soft pedaling before, I could see the changes in him, and he looked like he was happy about it. I realized he was excited for a real challenge. It made sense. He probably didn't get one often and I was feeling pumped up that I was the one bringing it to him.
I didn't think about what I was going to do. I just trusted my body and the magic streaming through me to handle the details.
We circled each other like two well-paired combatants. When he came for me again, instead of the blur he'd been before, I could see him with perfect clarity. The overload of magic pumping through me was heightening my senses. As he neared, I jumped into the air and did a back flip, landing easily out of reach.
He turned to my new position. His face full of questions. A single silent question on his lips. How?
I smiled in response, offering no insight, as I pulled as much magic to me as I possibly could. And that's when I looked around and realized it was everywhere.
I'd felt the magic for a while, but I was actually seeing it, waves in different colors, layering through the air. I lifted my hand right where a swell of purple mist was and pulled at it. I could see my body absorbing it as it flowed right into my hand.
"Jo?" Cormac asked as I seemed to drift off into my own world.
"I'm ready," I said as I gave him back my full attention.
I moved a couple of steps to my left as he moved with me, both of us looking for an opening. Suddenly, in a burst of movement, even quicker than the first time he came at me, he attacked with a swift kick designed to take my legs out. But I jumped into the air, flipped over him and caught him with a sidekick to the back rib area.
I was on fire.
And suddenly, I wasn't feeling so hot.
He spun around, seemingly undaunted by a kick I knew would've cracked a lesser man's ribs. He was hopping from foot to foot now looking invigorated. The guy could take a beating with style.
Then the expression on his face changed. He dropped his fighter stance and walked toward me.
"Jo? You okay?" He stood only inches away from me.
"I'm not sure," I said in an equally hushed voice. I looked at him, asking without words to end this somehow without alerting everyone watching that was something was amiss as my gaze scanned the crowd
He did a single nod. "You might not like how I achieve your exit."
He closed the last of the distance between us, one arm circled my back while the other moved to the back of my head.
I made it easy for him as my mouth gaped open, surprised with the way he'd decided to accomplish his goal. His lips covered mine softly, and I felt his tongue trace my own. "You didn't think it would be free, did you?" his lips whispered, still so close.
He leaned his head back, but kept an arm around me as I was snug to him. "Fight’s over!" he yelled to the crowd.
He leaned back down and whispered in my ear, "Can you walk?"
"Not sure."
I was trying to keep up appearances but my hands were shaking, my gaze on him.
He swept me up in his arms, leaning down and kissing me before he started to walk.
"Get a room," I heard Burrom yell in the background as we left.
Chapter Twelve
We've All Got Our Kryptonite
"Jo!"
I woke up to Cormac repeating my name. I was laid out on
the couch in the penthouse. Oh no, I must have actually passed out on the way up here.
"I'm awake. There's no reason to keep shaking so vigorously," I said as Cormac's hands gripped my shoulders.
"How do you feel?" He stopped the movement but his hands remained in a tight grip on my shoulders.
"Like I drank too much." I pushed myself up and he finally loosened his hold. I looked around, expecting to find more eyes on me but it was only Cormac and Burrom in the room.
Cormac turned on Burrom. "What the hell did you do to her?"
"I didn't do this! And you better watch who you're talking to like that, because I'm the one that had her back when you disappeared."
"Yeah, I heard about that. And just so you know, I don't care what the hell you are, you start to lose your usefulness and I'll take you out. Watch your step."
"Just try it."
The two of them had an odd relationship. I didn't know quite how long they'd known each other, but I was guessing it was decades. I knew they wouldn't actually hurt each other. And even though I didn't think either one would ever admit it, they liked each other. It wasn't a bromance exactly, but more of a "deep down you're not so bad and I won't kill you kind of way."
"Guys, when you're done bickering with each other, I think I might have an idea what actually happened."
They both whipped around back to me. "What?" they said in unison.
"I could see it." I was amazed myself thinking back. I'd felt almost high at the time and I didn't think I could truly describe the beauty or the heady feeling I'd gotten from it.
"See what?" Cormac asked.
"The magic." I looked at Burrom. "You know how you thought I was a sort of vessel or divining rod for the magic? When we closed the holes, especially the one in New York, I pulled energy from the other Keepers. Well, when I was fighting tonight, I tried to pull it to me from the atmosphere and it worked."
Feeling better, the excitement of what had just happened poured through me. I stood, and paced the room unable to sit still. They both watched me as the pieces fell into place in my mind. "It was crazy. After a certain point, I could see it. The magic, I could actually see its brilliant colors, swirling in the air. I could watch it enter my body."
"But what happened? Why did you collapse?" Cormac asked. He grabbed a napkin from the bar area. Walking over to where I was walking in circles. "Hold still."
"What?"
He tilted my head and pressed the napkin near my ear. When he pulled it back, there was blood on it and he looked like he wanted to punch Burrom again.
"A couple drops of blood aren't a big deal." I grabbed the bloodied napkin and tossed it in the trash. "I just overloaded. I didn't know there was a limit to how much I could pull in. I'll go lighter next time."
"Maybe you just need to get used to it?" Burrom asked, focusing more on the potential as I was than the ramifications.
"Or maybe it will kill her next time." Cormac shoved Burrom on the shoulder. It wasn't hard enough to push him over, but a warning none the less.
"But it might not." Burrom moved a hand to shove Cormac back but then paused it mid air before dropping it, leaving Cormac untouched.
"You've got more blood coming from your ears," Cormac said.
I reached my hand up and lowered it to find my fingers were red.
"Don't you get it? You're still bleeding. This isn't something to play around with." His fingers cupped my chin as his eyes roved over my face.
I pulled away from him and the concern I saw. "But who knows what I could do? The senator is coming. We can't leave anything on the table." I walked as far as I could away from Cormac before I uttered my next words. "I sent him a message, telling him I want a meeting. He's expecting me in five days."
"To the senator? When did you do that?" I knew what Cormac was really thinking though. How did I get it past his spies?
"Right after I told everyone I wanted a meeting."
"I can't believe you did that. What about the 'this is a democracy' speech? I guess that only pertained to me?"
I'd known he was going to be pissed but he'd get over it. What choice did he have? I hadn't left him with any.
"Who'd you send?"
"It doesn't matter," I said, evading the question.
He turned to a too-quiet Burrom. "You delivered it."
"I thought it was a sound idea."
"Yes, because you don't give a shit if she dies."
"No, I'm just a pragmatist. Of course I care if she dies. It might be my ass on the line with her."
Cormac stared at him with such anger I wasn't surprised when Burrom made an excuse of wanting to stay out of our fight and left the penthouse.
"I'm going with you," Cormac said.
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"Why?"
"It's just a hunch, but the entire time you were gone, there seemed to be a certain amiable peace between me and the senator. I think this recent turmoil has something to do with you coming back."
"Then he won't know I'm there. You aren't going in alone."
I knew I wasn't going to be able to deter and I didn't want to. This is what I'd been angling for the entire time.
"Fine. We’ll get a group together. You handle the intel and I'll be the distraction."
Chapter Thirteen
Awkward Exits
"I don't like this." Cormac punched the stone of the wall as he paced the room. He'd been periodically punching things all day and I'd been graciously not commenting on it.
"I've got to go." I ducked just as a chip of stone came flying my way.
He didn't say anything else but he was pacing. I hated when he paced. It made me nervous, surprisingly more than the punching of random items.
He paused and crossed his arms, and just when I thought he was going to start in with a new tirade of why I shouldn't, he surprised me and said, "I know."
That was easier than I'd expected. I looked back down at the maps on the table I was studying. Unfortunately, just because a monster was preparing for war on us, it didn't mean we could stop daily functions. Well, technically we could stop but we'd also not eat and that wasn't getting a lot of votes.
But it was really hard to focus with everything going on and Cormac pacing around like a powder keg with a lit fuse. Every one of my senses was attuned to him. I knew the instant his path changed from where he'd been wearing holes in the floor to across the room where I was standing at the table I liked to use as my desk.
I tried my darnedest to ignore him, but when his features softened from frustration to a new emotion, it was pretty difficult.
"I warned you about those looks," I said as I could see the pride in his eyes.
"How long do you plan on sleeping on the couch?"
He took a step closer and picked up a lock of my hair in his hands, splaying it in his fingers and then running it down the length of my arm. I'd wished I’d thrown on a sweatshirt instead of the tank top but the fireplace didn't come with a thermostat and I'd added too many logs again.
I wanted to pull back but that would mean he was affecting me. He was, but I could pretend.
"Depends. How long do you plan on occupying the bed while you pretend to sleep? And could you fake snore a little more quietly?"
His deep laughter filled the penthouse and the masculine sound sent a shiver through me.
He leaned a hip on the table as he perused me.
It was getting harder to fake nonchalance when I saw the look in his eyes change from pride to something a lot hotter. His stare was so intense that if he kept it up, I didn't think he'd have to do much more than that and I'd be hopping into bed with him. As it was, every day that passed I started to forget why I was even mad.
"I'm really impressed with the way you stepped up."
"Thank you." I instantly thought of the rules I'd made up in my head for Cormac management. Don't smile. You do not need his approval. Do not encourage speaking when he is looking at you like that. There were other rul
es, but I couldn't seem to remember them anymore.
"How long do you think it's going to take for you to get past being angry at me for leaving?"
"I'm not angry." Don't engage. Don't admit to anger.
His left hand moved deeper into my hair and started to massage the back of my head. Then it moved down to my neck to do the same. Contact made. We were about to hit def con five.
"Liar," he said teasingly.
Resist the dimples. Do not look at the dimples. They are defects. Shit, must ignore the dents.
"Think what you want." I was trying to keep myself so concentrated on the maps in front of me I didn't see his next move coming until I was pulled in between his legs.
"I need to work," I said, turning my head to the side, not thinking of the clear opening I was providing until I felt his lips skimming along my collar bone, working a slow path across.
"Then work," he whispered, his hands roving along my back, massaging all the strength from my body. "Go ahead." His mouth moved up to my jaw line as I realized his grip was anything but tight. I could have easily removed myself from his embrace.
"Sure. Until I try to move." Did either of us believe what I'd just said? His hands were barely a feather on me now, gliding up and down my arms and then down my back, feather light over my hips.
Both his hands moved into my hair as he turned my face to meet his. "Pretend whatever you want." The words feathered against my lips just before he kissed me.
Three long months without this and getting a taste of him brought it all back. I knew contact was going to be my undoing. I wrapped my arms tightly around him, pulling him closer, and a tsunami of need unleashed between us.
An arm wrapped around my waist as his other hand pulled my leg up to wrap around him. My hands gripped his hair, bringing his mouth to mine.
My head fell back as his hand grabbed my ass and fitted me perfectly to him.
Then the door slammed shut.
"Shit. I didn't lock the door."
"Whoa, sorry," Dark said as he stepped in the doorway to the living room before we'd even separated.
I jumped back quickly, putting a healthy distance between him and me.
Redemption: Alchemy Series Book #4 Page 11
