by Leia Shaw
She dodged the second ball but they were coming too fast to continue dodging while also concentrating on a Shield.
“I’m gonna kill you for this!” she said as another struck her other thigh.
“Not if you can’t block as well as you can Bolt. Focus.”
She dodged the next three then turned around to plead with James, but he was looking down at his phone. Another ball pelted her in the ass. The shocking sting was the final straw. She inhaled a sharp breath and faced the ball machine with a determined glare.
I am so done with this!
The next ball that came barreling towards her bounced away as if it hit an invisible force field around her.
“That’s it, Sage,” James encouraged.
The next several balls glanced off her and bounced to the ground. She’d finally made a Shield. Pride radiated from James behind her.
Then things started getting a little weird. As she focused her mind on creating a Shield, the next ball that flew out of the machine slowed, almost to a stop, halfway to her body. It reminded her of the part in The Matrix where Neo watched the bullet whizz by in slow motion.
Mouth hanging wide open, she plucked the ball from the air then looked at James. His phone had dropped to the ground as he watched her with wide eyes.
Her gaze flipped from the machine to the ball and back again. Painful welts formed on her legs and the urge to make James pay raced to her head, making her dizzy.
She grinned. The ball in her hand bounced to the ground with a small thud as the next one left the machine. She thrust out a palm like a stop sign as it hurtled toward her. The ball stopped.
James had moved behind the machine, she guessed to switch it off. But she had other plans.
She focused on the rage rising inside her, letting the power flow through her veins. The ball reversed its motion. It soared straight back into the exit of the machine. Then, to her amazement, the ball machine popped and sizzled, throwing sparks into the air.
James stumbled back several steps. The machine stopped and silence ensued. He opened his mouth to speak but then an explosion of sparks brought the machine to life again, ending in what looked like a small fireworks display. It quieted down, hissing and smoking.
“That. Was. Awesome,” she said to no one in particular.
Her grin was wiped away when her gaze settled on James’ face. He looked murderous.
A moment of panic fluttered in her chest when he stomped toward her. She eyed the door to the cage and, with a wave of her hand, sent a small Bolt to melt the lock shut.
James rattled the door, his furious gaze fixed on her. “Sage, open this door before you do something dangerous.”
“Me do something dangerous? You’re the one who looks like you’re going to kill me.”
“I’m not going to kill you. Although I should after you broke that machine. You know I’m going to have to pay for that, yeah?”
“You should’ve thought about that before you threw me into this cage to fend for my life. I’m going to have bruises up and down my body!”
His jaw tightened. “Open the door. Now.”
She grinned. “No. I’m not going anywhere. I rather like this power switch.”
“This isn’t a game. I’m going to ask you one more time to open the door or –”
“Or what? You’re at my mercy now, wizard boy.”
Eyebrows raised at the challenge, he wrapped two large hands around the metal posts of the door without ever taking his eyes off of her. It creaked and moaned then the whole thing came off the hinges and crashed to the ground.
“Oh shit,” she said backing up a step. Then James was inches in front of her. Damn, he was fast.
He grabbed her wrists and pinned them behind her back. “It would be wise for you to realize sooner rather than later that you can’t get rid of me that easily.” He escorted her out of the batting area like a criminal.
“You can let me go. I’m not stupid enough to fight you right now.” She struggled against his hold but he tightened his grip.
“Not a chance.” On the way out, he shouted to his friend at the front desk that he would replace anything damaged. When they got to the car, he shoved her in the passenger seat and growled, “Sit on your hands.”
“What?”
“Sit – on – your – hands.” He enunciated each word through clenched teeth.
She flinched. “Okay. Geez. I told you I wouldn’t fight you.” She tucked her hands under her thighs and James slammed the car door shut.
He’d told her earlier that sorcerers needed the use of their hands to conjure magic. Handcuffs stopped the flow of power, rendering a sorcerer useless. She guessed if he’d owned a pair, she’d be wearing them often.
Without a word, he climbed into the driver’s seat, reached across her and buckled her seat belt.
“Look. I’m sorry, okay?” she said when he started the car. “I didn’t know I could do all that. I got a little…power hungry.”
He gave her a biting look. “That’s an understatement.”
She braced herself for an onslaught of insults, lectures, rage, anything. But nothing came. After a few minutes, she couldn’t take it any longer. “Aren’t you going to say something?”
He looked at her briefly before bringing his gaze back to the road. “I’m thinking.”
“About what?”
***
About dumping your arse on the curb and walking away from this while I can.
James sped down the darkening roads. The hum of the engine as he shifted to fourth gear, then fifth, calmed the chaos in his mind. He was hyperaware of her presence in his car. How could he not be? She smelled like a fucking wet dream.
Sage had more natural power than any sorcerer he’d ever known. Manipulating time to slow down the ball? Holy hell. He hadn’t seen that kind of power in centuries.
Maybe he was in over his head with this girl. He’d thought he was strong enough to handle her – he’d never had this problem before. But Sage was on a whole different level.
“I’m thinking about what to do with you,” he finally answered.
She slammed her head back against the headrest. “You should let me go.”
She was right. If he was smart he would hand her over to the Counsel to deal with. Why should he care if they stripped her of her powers? He’d only started training her to save his homeland from another attack from the Underworld.
James had been picturing the day he would kill Cadmael for a very long time. He’d imagined it happening so many different ways. His preference was to do it as painfully as possible. And Sage could be the key to making that dream come true. If she could learn. And that was a big if. But he wasn’t ready to give up yet.
“No. You’re staying,” he told her. “I’m not giving up on you.”
He thought he heard her mumble, “Then you’ll be the first.”
The pull for revenge was stronger than any other part of him. But lately he’d noticed another side growing that shook him to the core. It was small, but disturbing. He didn’t know if it was instinct speaking – or maybe Sage just knew how to pull at his heartstrings – but part of him fought to keep Sage away from Cadmael entirely. Something in the back of his mind nudged at him, urging him to keep her safe – to protect and provide. But she wasn’t…his. The feeling was so contrary to his plans that he wanted to be cruel to her just for confusing him. And just to prove that she didn’t matter beyond what she could do as a sorceress.
The clicking of chattering teeth pulled him from his warring thoughts. He looked at Sage. She was shivering.
“Are you cold?” he snapped, sounding harsher than he’d meant to.
She nodded.
“Where’s your coat?”
“I don’t have one.”
His hands tightened on the wheel and a grumble started in his chest. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Suffering because of something as insignificant as a coat?
She shrugged. “I was planning to buy one
…soon-ish. Sorry my shivering is making you uncomfortable.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” He sighed. “You could have told me you needed a coat. I said I would take care of you.” Now why in the hell did he like the sound of that?
She ignored him.
“Well? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I can afford it myself. It’s just a little hard getting to the store when you have me on this military-inspired training schedule.”
James had enough money to buy Sage anything she could ever want in a lifetime and yet she’d been suffering for weeks. Because of a goddamn coat! He blamed himself. All the effort he’d been exerting to convince her she could trust him then he went and let her freeze. He would buy her a coat – hell, he would buy her a thousand coats – first thing the next morning.
He should have known Sage would be too prideful to ask for help. But why didn’t she have a coat of her own? Suddenly he realized he didn’t know much about her at all. She’d hinted at having grown up in foster care, but for how long? Did she have any family?
In order to train Sage, he needed to refine her. And to refine her, he needed to understand her.
When he pulled into his driveway, he shifted into neutral and kept the engine running, heat at full blast. “Where are you from?” he asked her. “And where’s your family?”
Her eyes widened before her hand flew to the door handle. He knew she was aching for a quick getaway, but James wasn’t going to let her off that easy. He reached over her and put his own hand over the door handle, blocking her exit. She looked like she was ready to chew his arm off.
“You really don’t have any boundaries, do you?” she snapped.
He placed his hand on top her hers, now sitting in her lap. “I need to understand you, Sage. For me to train you, I need to understand who you are and where you’re from.”
“I’m from New York and I’m going to be really pissed off if you don’t let me get some sleep.”
The palm that rested on Sage’s hand suddenly felt as if he were holding it to a flame. He pulled back and inspected it. There was no burn mark and it cooled as soon as he’d broken contact.
He looked at Sage, who gave him a sly smile. “Learned that from the sorcery book.” She reached for the door handle, stopping to see what he would do.
He let her go. They would revisit the conversation later.
“Sage,” he called when she stepped out of the car.
She stooped down to meet his gaze.
“We’ll get you some warm clothes tomorrow.”
She cocked her head to the side. “What are the terms?”
“Terms to what?”
“Buying me clothes. What do I have to do?”
“Nothing. I told you I’d take care of you while you were in my care. Clothing you appropriately falls under that category.”
She kept her suspicious gaze on him several seconds longer then mumbled a quick “thanks” and shut the door.
Chapter 7
Three loud bangs startled Sage awake. What the hell? Someone was pounding on her door.
“What?” she moaned.
“Get up,” came an unwelcome voice from the other side of the door.
She peeled her eyes open and looked at the clock on the desk. Seven in the morning? She was going to murder his blackened Welsh soul.
Fisting the covers, she threw them over her head. The banging grew louder.
“Sage. Get up. We have a lot to do today.”
She ignored him and the pounding ceased. Her eyes fluttered closed as she drifted in and out of drowsy consciousness.
What felt like seconds later James said, in that quiet, unsettling voice, “Sage, you have five minutes before I kick down the door, throw you over my shoulder, and drop you in a cold shower.”
She rolled her eyes and cursed under her breath. “Alright, alright. I’m getting up.”
She threw the covers off and scanned the clothing strewn around the room. Neatness had never been her strength. She pulled on black yoga pants and a green fitted t-shirt before heading to the kitchen for breakfast.
James sat at the table, reading a newspaper. A news anchor’s lulling voice filled the background. Sage grabbed a box of cereal and a bowl and set them on the counter.
“Who watches the news on TV and reads the newspaper at the same time?” she asked. “Don’t you find that redundant?”
The twitch of his lips was the extent of his response.
“Hello,” said a new voice from across the counter.
Sage looked up and met two brown eyes, a mop head full of dark hair, and a friendly smile.
She glanced at James. “Another student?”
The stranger put out his hand. “Sage, right? I’m Maddox. Nice to meet you too.” He pretended to shake a hand in the air.
With his American accent and charming boyish looks, he was the kind of guy a girl would like to take home to her parents. Take away the smile, pump up the intensity in his eyes and he’d be as wickedly handsome as James. Was abnormal attractiveness some sort of survival strategy engineered so women would put up with sorcerers’ arrogant, domineering attitudes? Darwinism at its finest?
“I’m afraid to ask what he’s doing here,” she said to James.
“You should be afraid.”
“She’s not very friendly, is she?” Maddox asked.
James shook his head and turned a page of the paper. She lifted a brow but continued to make her breakfast then filled the largest mug she could find with coffee. She had a feeling she’d need it today.
“What’s with the fuck off vibes, anwylyd?” Maddox asked her, pronouncing the one Welsh word with the same accent as James.
“Oh, that she’s got in spades,” James said.
Fuck off vibes? Was she releasing some sort of people-repellent hormones? No wonder she was going through a dry spell.
She stared at James. “Okay, seriously. Who is this guy?”
“He’s a good friend of mine. He’s come to help you train.”
With a mouthful of frosted flakes she muttered, “Lucky you.”
Maddox and James spoke little while she finished her breakfast. She was learning James was a man of few words, though the ones he said tended to be consequential, if a bit annoying.
“So,” she addressed Maddox, “what’s he got on you that brings you here at this ungodly hour?”
James rose from the table before Maddox could answer. “He’s loyal and he trusts me.”
She nodded. “That bad, huh?”
Maddox laughed. “No, he’s right. I trust him with my life.” He whispered conspiratorially, “He’s not so bad once you get past the hard shell.”
“Oh yeah, he’s a teddy bear.”
James placed a hand on her shoulder. “You could learn a thing or two from him. Distrust is like heart disease. Gradually, it weakens you. And while you wither away from its poison, you miss out on all the opportunities for friendship.” His gaze was intense, like he was touching her very soul. “Trust is the ultimate risk. But it’s the only salve that will heal your wounds, anwylyd.”
She stared at his hand still resting on her shoulder. Warmth slid down her arm. His fingers scorched her skin through her shirt. With a shake of her shoulder, his hand fell away. Who the hell was he to lecture her about trust and friendship? He hadn’t acquired the right to either.
“Touchy little thing, isn’t she?” Maddox said with a wide smile. She gave him her creepiest grin and his smile faded. “Damn, James. I’m not sure I like this idea.”
“Don’t worry,” he said, keeping his heated gaze on her. “She’s promised to be cooperative and obedient. Haven’t you?”
After a seven o’clock wake-up call? She fixed her grin on him. “Of course.”
***
Sage’s head slammed against the hard ground. They’d had a freeze the night before so the slight cushion of the muddy grass was gone. And now she’d have a headache to go along with her bruised ass.
“Ag
ain,” James ordered.
She’d already been jolted off her feet over a dozen times. The man was a sadist. Since producing the Shield a few days ago in the batting cage, she hadn’t been able to repeat it. The point of today’s lesson was to learn how to spar. James had told her it wasn’t always appropriate to counter a Bolt with a full-voltage one. Sometimes it was necessary just to stun an opponent, especially during practice. His instructions were to block Maddox’s Bolt then throw one back at a low level of power. An hour later, she hadn’t even managed to block one.
“Again!” he shouted.
“Holy hell!” She glared at him. “Will you let me get up first?” Rising to her feet was getting harder and harder. “You’re a bastard, do you know that?”
“I have to be. It’s the only way to mold you into the best sorceress you can be.”
She scoffed. “Maybe I don’t want to be molded. Maybe I’m better off without you and your pretentious, snobby sorcerers.”
“Snobby?”
“And self-righteous.”
Maddox roared with laughter.
James shot him a sharp look then stalked toward her. “If I didn’t intervene a couple weeks ago, you’d be in jail right now. You could show your gratitude with some respect.”
Covered with a cough, she muttered, “Self-righteous.”
His eyes widened and he looked like he was about to have a stroke. She choked on a laugh
“Hey!” Maddox yelled from the other side of the yard. “Either fuck each other or kill each other but get on with it already!”
“I wasn’t –”
“ – She was –”
They started then stopped at the same time. James made an impatient sound then closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. A ray of sun caught his hair at an angle that made the reddish tint flare like fire. With the small stubble he’d grown in the last two days and his sleek muscular build, he could have crawled out of a GQ magazine. She let her gaze roam leisurely across the planes of his chest and down his narrow hips.
Fuck, indeed.
When he finally opened his eyes, the stark blue orbs were filled with concern. “Do you understand that if the Counsel finds out about you, they will take away your power?”
