Pinehurst

by Nicole Grane

  Chapter 16

  A hysterical laugh broke the tension. We looked toward the source. I’d forgotten we weren’t alone.

  “You’ve got to be kidding!” Havoc squealed. “You just planted a life altering kiss on her, and now you expect her to just let you go off into the fiery flames of Hell? Never to be seen again! Please. No man is that stupid.”

  “This does not concern you,” Antonio said firmly. His arms were still wound tightly around me.

  “Sure. I’m just the one who will have to listen to her blubbering the whole way back. But you’re right. It doesn’t concern me.” Havoc rolled her eyes.

  “Evie will be fine. She understands. There is nothing to be done. We have to get her father back and this is the only way.” He spoke to Havoc, but his words were surely meant for me. Antonio was trying to convince me that any plan I might try to concoct to counter this was futile.

  “Yeah, right.” Havoc jumped up, and dusted her skirt off. “Well, since nothing monumental is going to happen here, I think we’d better press on. The swamp is just over that hill.”

  A feeling of dread came over me. I could feel it in my bones. Even my knees were shaking. Some fearless slayer I was.

  “Can I have the staff back?” I asked.

  I half expected Antonio to say no. Maybe even hell no! But he placed it in my hand. “Remember to hold it away from you this time.”

  I stared at it apprehensively—debating whether or not I should even be holding it.

  “Come,” he held his hand out to me. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  I nodded, and laced my fingers with his. I knew he couldn’t keep that promise, but the very idea of it was comforting. I felt safer already.

  “How sweet. Too bad you won’t be able to offer her such comfort on the return trip.”

  “Damn it, Havoc, will you shut-up!” It was the first time I’d seen Antonio snap. I mean, really snap. His grip tightened around my hand.

  I hadn’t thought about the return trip. I’d assumed he’d be with me. It didn’t matter. I’d have my dad and somehow, I’d find a way to bring Antonio back with us too.

  “Evie . . .”

  “You think we might have a few minutes to practice?” I extended my arm and held out my staff, hoping to distract Antonio from anything he was about to say. I pressed the button. The blades shot out from both ends causing me to jump—again.

  His lips curled up, his smile touching his eyes. I loved that smile—he didn’t do it nearly enough.

  “I suppose we could spare a few minutes,” Antonio agreed, as he pulled his staff out from his pants waist and pushed the button—he didn’t even flinch. “Ready?” He lunged at me.

  Clank, clank, clank! His blade met mine again and again . . . so much for easing into it, I was already panting.

  “We don’t have the luxury of ‘easing into it,’” Antonio breathed, swinging the end of his staff into mine again. I met the blow, staggered back, and landed on my butt.

  Havoc, the witch, laughed, “Oh Child of Light, you look ridiculous!”

  She should talk. I wasn’t the one dressed like Barbie and wearing an entirely too large hair clip on my head.

  Antonio sheathed his staff, and then reached out to help me up.

  I narrowed my eyes at him. I wasn’t sure if he was laughing at me, or with me. I took his hand.

  “With you. Always,” he chuckled under his breath before he moved behind me. His arms came around my middle, pulling my body back into his. His hands met mine on the handle of my staff. “Move like this.” The words were ordinary but he made them sound sensual. My body moved with his as we whirled around, stabbing the air with the deadly points of the blade. I hoped my brain was paying attention because my heart was all a flutter from our close proximity. It was times like these that I forgot we were on a rescue mission.

  “Now!” Antonio sprung away from me; his staff out once more as he came at me.

  I blocked him as best I could. Sadly, my best wasn’t very good. I stumbled over my feet several times, nearly impaling myself. I’d only hoped I wouldn’t have a need to use this thing in battle—I sucked!

  “It’s not something you can learn overnight,” Antonio addressed my inner thoughts. “Try, Evie. Concentrate. Block me.” He swung at me again, bringing the blade far too close to my neck. I cringed away. “You think the Daimonas will be careful with you?”

  I thought about that. “No.” But was it too much to expect a little chivalry? I was a girl after all, and I couldn’t help but think Antonio swung a little too hard.

  Antonio stopped abruptly. His staff once again aimed at my head. His eyes were wide with shock. “Chivalry? Are you kidding?” He lowered his staff.

  I shrugged. Part of me, a big part in fact, figured the moment I took the first swing with the staff that it might be in everyone’s best interest that I just step behind Antonio and let him do his guy thing.

  “My ‘guy thing’? Whatever happened to you taking charge? You invited me here remember?”

  “Well . . .” I looked down at me feet, kicking the loose dirt around them. I was feeling truly inadequate. The staff had been harder to use than I’d thought. I realized that I wasn’t going to be an asset after all. The extent of my Slayer training thus far, hadn’t prepared me for any of this. I’d probably get us killed!

  “Evie.” Antonio’s expression softened. Although, he didn’t seem opposed to the idea of me taking a back seat. “You are more of an asset than you know. You’re wicked-good with magic, and that is a valuable weapon indeed.”

  Magic defensively? I didn’t know if I’d be an asset there either. I never had to use magic for fighting—aside from the few little tussles I had with Antonio and the pranks I played on Stacy.

  “Evie.” He sheathed his staff once again and stepped closer to me. His fingers gently lifted my chin—I had nowhere to look, except into those endless pools of chocolate . . . “This takes years to learn. I only gave you the staff to make you feel stronger. I never expected you to really have to use it. Not very much anyway,” he added, as an afterthought.

  He placed his finger over my mouth, silencing me. The look in his eyes was pure determination. “I’ll protect you.” He leaned toward me, his lips brushing softly against mine.

  Surprised, I found that my arms were wrapping themselves around his neck. His hands were on my waist again, gripping it firmly. My lips met kiss after blissful kiss. I never wanted it to end. I wanted everything around us to fade away. I wanted—

  “Uh guys? You think you might want to wrap this up. We’re burning daylight here.”

  I wanted Havoc to SHUT-UP!

  I could feel Antonio’s lips smiling against mine now. “Come. The troll awaits.”