Magical Collision

by Jaliza A. Burwell

  “Come at me,” Rowan said, moving into a fighter’s stance. “Use power to increase your speed and attack me as fast as you can.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked and grinned, wanting to draw a smile from the stoic man. “I wouldn’t want to hurt you.”

  “Attack,” he replied, his expression never changing. The glow in his eyes flared as I did what he suggested. I pushed power into my feet and then took off.

  Within a blink, I was in front of him, faster than even I had expected. I didn’t let my surprise slow me down, and I swung at him. He stepped back just as quickly, blocking my hit. I threw more hits, using as much speed as I could comfortably muster and not lose control.

  Rowan dodged every single one of my hits. He was in position to dodge my hits before I even knew I was lifting my arm to punch.

  “Okay,” I said, gasping. “Okay. How are you doing that?”

  “Notice something?” Atasha asked, moving up to Rowan. She tapped at the side of his head.

  “He has pretty headlights?”

  Atasha smiled. “Exactly.”

  I frowned and said, “I don’t get it.”

  Rowan turned to Rhett.

  “Rhett, attack Rowan.”

  Rhett didn’t hesitate and did just that. He was faster than I could follow. Being on the outside made it easier to see it, the way Rowan adjusted himself before Rhett blinked out of existence and then was in place when Rhett was back in sight, in front of Rowan. Rhett’s arm would be extended, but Rowan wasn’t there to meet it. They kept up like that, Rhett attacking, and Rowan moving ahead of time to avoid it before Rhett had a chance to move.

  The fact that Rowan was able to keep up with Rhett was impressive. Rhett had his vampire speed, and he was faster than most vampires. Plus, he knew how to fight. That made me reconsider who Rowan was. I looked him over slowly. He was tall, lean, and moved with a deadly grace. Rowan looked like he had more experience than Rhett did.

  After a few more attempts, Rhett pulled back, dropping his arms and ending the fight. His chest rose and fell as he caught his breath, something I hadn’t seen Rhett needing to do before.

  “It is a complicated use of power,” Atasha explained, drawing my attention. “But with the right training, extremely effective. Vampires are fast and they are strong. Without having natural speed enhancements, they are a hard opponent for us to face. So we have to slow them down. We have to anticipate their moves so we can be where they are not.”

  “I still don’t get it.”

  “You will because we are going to show you. We are going to train your eyes to see. It is an intricate spell that allows you to process what you see faster than it takes a vampire to move. The spell allows your eyes to pick up what is to happen and for your mind to understand that future right away.”

  “You’re going to teach her to see the future?” Rhett asked, looking just as lost as me.

  “In a way, yes.” Atasha reached for my hand, her touch firm but gentle. “If she is in danger of the vampires, then she needs to learn.” She tugged me closer to her. “Laila, I want you to feel what I do. Close your eyes and just open yourself up to me.”

  I did as she said and blocked everyone out. Slowly, all the sounds melted away. We were in my backyard, and the noise I was beginning to become familiar with melted away. All the sounds melted away, including the bitter wind as it whipped through the backyard, or the rustling of grass as the others moved around. The scratching sound of the tree against my house disappeared. It was just me and the feel of Atasha’s hand in mine.

  “Feel for my power,” she said in a soothing voice.

  I did as she said and gasped. Energy felt like electricity dancing across my skin, playing with the little hairs on my body. Atasha’s power felt like that but deeper. Oh, Goddess, so much deeper. Her energy seeped into all my pores, reached for my bones and drilled itself into me. It was intense and it was vast.

  How did she keep that away from me so easily?

  “Now pay very close attention. I’m going to use the power to do what Rowan did.”

  “Okay.”

  The power through her shifted. It had flowed in one direction, a strong current. Once she began using her powers as she said she would, it had paused and then shifted. It no longer went in one direction. The original flow was still there, going through her body, but there was a branch off as some of it made its way up to her head. Up there, it wrapped around the eyes and her brain formed a tether until it solidified into a direct connection.

  “This is what Rowan did, what we will teach you to do,” Atasha said. She released her power and let go of my hand, stepping away from me. I opened my eyes and blinked a few times as the sun felt brighter than it should have on a cloudy day.

  “Can all elementalists do that?” Rhett asked.

  Atasha shook her head. “No. It’s something the protectors learn to do.”

  “But you can do it?” I said, pointing out the obvious.

  “I can do it, but I cannot implement it. My fighting skills are abysmal. Before I stepped away from my old role in the community, I had a protector who had taught me the trick. I taught Rowan.”

  “You had a protector? Why don’t you have one now?” I asked.

  “I lost my protectors when I decided I did not want to be a part of their games. When I moved into my current home, as a punishment for daring to go against their wishes, they took my protectors away.” Atasha looked sad as she spoke, and despite not being a hugger, I found myself wanting to give her one.

  “How many did you have?” I asked.

  “Three.”

  I raised an eyebrow. I didn’t have a complete understanding of their dynamics, but three had to be a lot, right? Too curious for my own good, I asked, “If I were in the community, how many would I have?”

  Amused, she replied, “Three easily.” She glanced at Rhett before focusing back on me. “I think I am glad you are not in the community, because instead of the three, you have a lot more around now.”

  My face heated with embarrassment at that and she giggled. She pulled me away from Rowan and Rhett, as they eyed each other. It didn’t take them long to spar with each other. Rhett went after Rowan, and they clashed in blurry movements of controlled chaos as they tried to punch the other’s face in.

  “My offer still stands,” Atasha said.

  “Huh?” I tried to rack my brain, thinking I missed something she said. Watching Rhett fight was impossible to turn away from.

  “About the binding ceremony.”

  “Really?” I smiled. “That would be perfect.”

  She nodded. “Really. Let me do this for you when you are ready. It is the least I can do after not being around while you grew up.”

  “That isn’t your fault.”

  “I should have known.”

  I shook my head. “Atasha, my past is not your fault. If there is anyone to blame, it is the woman who birthed me, but it is definitely not your fault.”

  “That may be so, but it still hurts to think of everything I missed.” She looked so broken, and the need to hug her overwhelmed me. This time, I caved and reached over, wrapping one arm around her shoulders. We were about the same height so it wasn’t too awkward when she leaned into me, taking the comfort I was willing to give. Who knew? She may never get another Laila hug again.

  “Is that smoke?” Rhett asked, breaking our moment. Rhett’s nose flared, and then he was running.

  “Shit.” I took off after him. Knowing where he was going made it easier to track him. Instead of chasing him, I ran toward the smoke. The closer I got, the more I could hear the roar of the flames and the screams of those near it.

  With Atasha and Rowan on my heels, we turned a corner, and I came to a halt to gape at what was going on. A building was up in flames, and without having to get closer, I already knew the structure wasn’t going to survive. Most of it had already collapsed.

  People threw magic at the fire, trying to get it under control. The fire was stu
bborn, and the green tinge to it told me it wasn’t a natural fire. It was magically fueled. It ate up anything thrown at it, making it worse. Bright, intense flames licked at the sky, desperate for more fuel.

  Atasha stepped in front of me and raised her hand. Power shot out of her and slammed into the fire. I watched as her power and the fire tumbled around. The green tinge slowly disappeared until there was nothing left but the reds, yellows, and oranges of a normal fire.

  After that, the fire was quickly put out. The crowd was thick with spectators, people wondering what happened, how it happened, and if anyone was hurt. Rhett appeared in front of us, and I did my best to act like he hadn’t just scared me with his disappearing and appearing act.

  “So?” I asked.

  His lips were pressed together as he finished typing something on his phone and then tucking it away in his pocket.

  “Rhett? What happened?”

  “It’s another attack. A group fire-bombed the building. The shifters were meeting here, hoping since it wasn’t a well-known location they’d be safe.”

  “And that wasn’t the case.” I looked at the building and at the surrounding people. Were they there now, taking in the destruction they created?

  “Shifters are the most paranoid of the species. The attackers forgot that so everyone was able to escape through a secret tunnel. Only one critical, a guard who had been too close to the blast and didn’t escape fast enough.”

  “This is bad isn’t,” I whispered.

  “Very bad. They should not have known about this location.”

  “So someone is squealing.”

  Rhett nodded. “If they are ever found, they’ll be killed painfully for sharing shifter secrets.”

  As Rhett kept talking, my attention was grabbed by a familiar man storming toward us. His eyes were completely his wolf’s, and his energy was vengeful as it snapped out at anyone who could sense it.

  The low timbre of Rhett’s voice died off as he noticed what I had. “Mr. Reynards,” he said in a cold voice.

  “I thought I recognized you.” Venni’s brother looked at me and we had a moment of a stare-off that had him growling low. Rhett stepped between us, forcing us to break eye contact.

  “Where is my little brother?” Reynards asked.

  “Working.”

  Reynards’ lip quirked up into a sneer. “That’s all he does all the time. Work for you. He needs to come home.”

  Rhett’s eyes narrowed, and if Reynards was smart, he’d shut up. “I suggest you run along back to your Alpha so you can finish kissing his ass, pup. And remember, Venni belongs to Biomystic. Try to force him away, and we will hunt you down, and we will tear you apart.”

  Seeing the absolute truth in Rhett’s expression, Reynards growled before stalking away, shoving through the crowd.

  “Come on, let us get out of here before we attract the wrong kind of attention,” Atasha said, touching my arm.

  I nodded. “Okay.” I let Atasha lead me away with Rhett and Rowan walking behind us like the attentive guards that they were. I worried at my lip, hating the direction the shifters were going. They were agitated and hostile. All that was left was that last little spark that was going to set them off, then there was no telling what was going to happen.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The blocked off streets were packed with pedestrians. Floating bubbles migrated through the air above our heads, acting as heaters to keep the cold away. Stalls lined the sidewalks, visitors perusing the displays and products. Kids laughed as they went from one vendor to another, letting their innocence turn the trip into a grand adventure of treasure hunts.

  “I never knew about this,” Davies said with a huge grin. His head whipped back and forth as he tried to take everything in at once.

  I smiled back as we began our date. Once Rhett dropped me off, I had a short time to get ready to pick up Davies. At least our date proved to be a great distraction from my whirling thoughts of suicidal shifters and a war breaking out in the city.

  Davies had a way of making my fears disappear as he forced me to enjoy the now rather than worry over the later.

  “Oh look!” Davies pointed to a man drawing on the ground.

  The artist managed to claim a huge spot of real estate between the blood drink stand and a hamburger stand. From our perspective, it was a tall, disproportionate man with extra-long legs and arms standing at a ledge ready to fall forward, the image skewed weirdly. We noticed the crowd behind him. Davies led the way to see what everyone was looking at.

  “Holy fuck.” Davies’ mouth dropped down.

  Mine nearly did the same as we took in the piece of work. From this perspective, the man truly did look like he was teetering on the ledge, about to fall down the black hole. I felt like if I stepped forward, I would fall too. It was so realistic.

  “Damn, I wish I could draw now,” Davies whispered.

  I snickered. “Can you imagine scaring people at Biomystic by making them think they were about to drop into a pit?”

  We both laughed over that and it worsened when we imagined tricking Venni or maybe Ami. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and we continued to poke around at all the vendors.

  “Oh, this is cool,” Davies said and lifted up a piece of dark leather, about an inch wide and a hand-width long. One end was tied to a cloth pouch. “It says it’s a charm to keep the troublesome pixies away. The evil ones are mean.”

  I laughed. “Scared of a foot tall creature?”

  “When they’re on the dark side, yes. Haven’t you heard the story? They have a way of luring children into the woods and they’re lost for eternity.”

  “I guess every faction has their rogues, but what you’re looking at is superstition aimed at the gullible.”

  Faking a gasp, Davies said, “Dr. Laila Porter, are you calling me gullible?” He put the charm back down and frowned at me playfully.

  “Yes.” I gave a sharp nod, keeping my expression serious, as if I really believed it. “Very much so.”

  His eyes widened. “Holy shit, you really do think that. What the fuck did I do to make you think that of me?”

  “Well, you enjoy all your holidays, you know of all these fairytales, and when you talk about them, a light of excitement brightens your eyes. You’re always going on about movies based off of old stories, but never the dark ones. You love telling me about the ones with true love and happily ever afters.”

  Davies looked absolutely mortified as I went on. Unable to hold it back, my lips twitched, and then I snorted. Realization dawned on him a moment later, and I burst out laughing.

  “Fuck you. That was not cool.”

  I wiped underneath my eyes to brush away the tears. “Your expression. Holy shit.” I chuckled.

  As revenge, Davies pulled me into a hug and squeezed me tight.

  I hit his shoulder. “You’re suffocating me.”

  “No. You take your punishment.”

  “Aw, did I hurt your feelings?”

  “You almost made me believe you!”

  “Why the hell would you believe me over something about yourself?”

  “I don’t know.” He let me go and stalked away.

  I laughed and caught up with him, grabbing his hand.

  “Don’t touch me, I hate you right now.” He tried to yank out of my grip.

  Squeezing his hand, I said, “No, you don’t.”

  “You’re right, I don’t.” He finally flashed me a smile before chuckling. Not a moment later, he was distracted by shiny crystals meant to reveal your future. Another gimmick of course, but this time, I let him have his hope.

  We spent more time looking at what the vendors were selling until we hit the last stall in the lineup.

  “Walk around?” Davies asked.

  I leaned into him, wanting more time. “Yes.”

  That drew a goofy grin out of him, and he was more than happy to walk around. There was no reason behind the directions we took. We didn’t think about where it was g
oing to lead us. My life was about having answers, but just for this simple walk, I didn’t have that information. And it was nice.

  “Laila?”

  “Hmm?” I tore my eyes away from a purple and white flower growing just behind a fence. It was in someone’s garden. We were in a residential area now as the sun worked its way down past the horizon. In another hour or so, it was going to be full dark.

  “Would you like to meet my sister?”

  His question froze me and I stared. Vulnerability slipped into his expression and he shuffled his feet as he waited for my brain to work again.

  “Your baby sister? Piper?” I asked. “The one you’re overprotective about. The same one who can make you drop everything you’re doing and go flying out the door because she broke a nail?”

  “I thought she’d chopped it off,” he grumbled.

  “Piper broke a nail. She said so. Your older protective brother ears chose to make it worse than it was.”

  “She was bleeding.” He tried so hard to defend himself.

  I laughed. “She only needed a Band-Aid.”

  “Piper is a delicate little angel. She could have bled out.” He was determined to stand by his words.

  “Right.”

  “So?”

  “Yes, I’ll meet your sister.” I rubbed my hands together. “I’m all about corrupting the young. How old is she now?”

  “No. No corrupting.”

  I did some calculating in my head and then broke out in a wide smile. “She should have turned eighteen recently.”

  “So?”

  “Human laws. She’s an adult. She can be as corrupted as she wants to be and you don’t have any rights over her.”

  His expression hardened as his older brother instincts kicked into gear. “That isn’t fucking funny.”

  “Davies,” I said in a soft voice. “You can’t always be there for her.”

  “I can.”

  “You can’t. Be realistic. You know you can’t. She’s going to date, want to get married, have kids of her own. She’s going to have to make her own mistakes.”