“From here you can either let go and run, or drop to your knees into the rib cage with your full body weight. That should crack, if not break, a few ribs.” Shin helped me up. “Pair up and make sure you practice taking the person down in both directions.”
“How do you pick a direction?” Miu asked as she stood in front of Sasha.
“The terrain,” Shin said. “If there is a wall on one side of you, you’ll need to go the other way. I know it seems easy in here, but done hard and fast, your opponent will hit the ground with a lot of force and hopefully be stunned for a few seconds.”
“Kayin doesn’t have any hair to grab,” Taliesin said.
“Dig your fingers into his scalp, or reach around and grab an ear. If you need to make sure he won’t be an issue again, reach around the head and grab him by the eye socket.” Shin turned to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. Most days Anali joined us so Shin could watch and correct everyone while we were paired off. I guess I got lucky today.
I stared at his chin for a second took a deep breath and stepped back with my right foot. My right hand went to his chin, and my left reached around, and grabbed his long bangs, as the rest was cut too short to hold.
“Very nice, but which way are you twisting me?”
“This way,” I said moving his head and realizing my feet were all wrong. Always, my feet were always wrong.
“Deep breath, and do it again.”
Nodding, I repeated the move. Shin allowed me to move his body with the slightest pressure. And I had him on the floor.
He hopped up. “Good. Again.”
I did it ten times to the left. Each time Shin would be a little bit harder to move.
“Okay, other side.”
My mind went blank. What did he mean other side? I was supposed to twist him to the right? What? How? Where would my hands go?
“Sapphire, calm down. Start slow.” His arms wrapped around me.
I reached up with my right hand wrapping it in his hair, my left palm on his chin, and stepped back first with my left foot, then changing to my right and tried to twist him to the left.
“Other way,” he chuckled.
Seriously, why did changing directions short circuit my brain? I got Shin on the ground because he let me.
“Again.”
After ten good moves. Shin went to help the others.
“I have a question,” Miu said. “What happens if they are too tall to grab easily?”
Shin grinned. “Then you loosen them up first. Cup your hands and slam them over their ears, shove a finger in their eye. But, honestly, if someone big was going to grab you they would just pick you up.” Shin scooped her up, her belly over his shoulder. “How would you get away?”
Miu hung limp. “Um. I could put my hands on the back of your head and slam my knee into your face?”
“Yes, you could, but what about this? Take your hand around my head and grab my chin then flip over the back of me. Throw all your weight into it and don’t let go of my chin until your feet touch the ground. You risk him falling on you, but once your toes touch, do a forward roll and you should get away.”
Miu bit her lip and nodded as she reached around, tucked her head, and flung her legs over Shin’s shoulder. His head and shoulders came up, and he began to fall. Miu curled into a somersault and stood several feet away from Shin, who was lying on the floor.
“Perfect. You probably knocked the wind out of him and maybe even wrenched his neck,” Shin said, getting up.
Kayin cleared his throat. “What if they have your arms pinned?”
“Ah, a volunteer for our next move.”
Kayin stood in-front of Shin. “Grab me.” Kayin’s long arms wrapped around Shin pinning Shin’s arms to his body.
“Any ideas?” Shin asked.
“A head butt,” Sasha said.
“Yes, to loosen him up if needed but you risk getting cut by his teeth. You twist your hands so your thumbs are pointed towards your opponent, stick your thumbs out, and jam them into him.” Kayin squealed and jumped back his hands covering his manhood.
Shin pressed his lips together trying to stifle a laugh. “If you're really lucky, that happens. The thumbs hit on either side of the pubic bone where the tendons run. This will hurt both men and women. They will jump away from you, then you ram your knee right between their legs.”
Sasha, Kayin, and Taliesin all cringed and stepped away from Shin.
“Now if the person grabbing you is a professional, they might be wearing a cup. So after the knee strike, you’re going to slam the heel of your foot onto their instep, hopefully crushing tendons and breaking bones. Their face will come forward, you will head butt them—aim for the nose if possible. Their head and shoulders will go back. Swing your arm under their shoulder, locking your hand over it. Step in front of them, put your hip into their stomach, and flip them over you. If necessary after the hand lock, go into a forward roll. This is good for those who still have their balance or if they’re much bigger than you.”
I blinked. Okay that was vicious, and I think I forgot a few steps already.
“Okay pair off and kill each other,” Shin said.
Miu grabbed my arm. “I don’t want to practice this one with the boys.”
I nodded and turned to grab her.
“I guess you're stuck with me, Kayin,” Shin said.
While I moved with Miu’s gentle attack, I watched Kayin. He swallowed as he gazed down at Shin, he seemed frozen. Poor Kayin, he was confused enough already.
Shin licked his lips. “Kayin, you need to try and get away from me.”
I held my breath for a second then Kayin began to move.
“Well, this isn’t full of homo-erotic angst, is it?” Miu whispered.
I laughed. “I can’t decide if I should try and rescue Kayin or hope this helps him make a decision.”
Miu wrapped her arms around me. “He’ll be fine. Now jab your thumbs into my crotch.”
Chapter Four
“You are a lifesaver,” Melusine said, smoothing her turquoise wool skirt as she stood. “When the other band canceled on me, something about the flu, anyway I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. Then my personal assistant Miss Thurston heard you play in the pub last night, and now my problems have been solved. It would have been a disaster. I have royalty coming to this gala for the Marine Conservation Society. As it is, I need more items for the silent auction.”
Ramsey laid his cello on the floor. “This is an amazing opportunity. Thank you for letting us audition. If you need more art pieces, I have friends who are artists. I can contact them if you like. What are the terms?”
Melusine walked over to him, adjusting a pale green silk scarf in her long dark hair. The silver sequins along the ends glittered in the light. Her lean curvaceous body swayed as she walked towards him. A smile curled her thin pink lips. Ramsey’s eyes glazed over. She released a gentle wisp of power, and he shivered. “Are they like us? I feel an obligation to help our kind of people as much as possible. I will buy the pieces I like. I prefer an ocean theme.” Reaching up, she touched the three ropes of pearls that hung around her neck. “I am also willing to have the artists at the cocktail hour, before the dinner to talk to people.”
“That’s good of you, and, yes, I can get you in touch with those like us.” Ramsey said, his black eyes fixed on her sea-blue ones. “We would be willing to auction off a performance.” His band mate huffed.
Melusine handed him a business card. “Wonderful. You are obviously my good luck charm. Please have them contact me. Email is fine, and if they send pictures of their work, that will make everything go much faster. Speaking of which, I have so much to do. Collins will show you out when you’re done.”
“Okay, and thanks again, Melusine,” Ramsey said, shaking his head as she walked away from him.
Melusine’s heels clicked on the parquet floor, and her personal assistant met her outside the doorway.
“Miss Thornton, you are a
genius. They will be perfect for the gala, and they are quite powerful. I should be able to get a lot of magic out of them.”
“Excellent. I have several gnomes for you to practice on.”
“Shall we try the ritual again now? I am tired of being tied to that megalomaniac Cartazonon. I believe I have the incantation worked out.”
“They are ready when you are,” Miss Thornton said, checking her phone. “And you have two hours before your hair appointment.”
“Perfect.” Melusine walked up the stairs and into her bedroom, through her walk-in closet and into her ritual room. Kicking off her heels, she walked over to an old oak table and opened an iron cage. She grabbed one of the gnomes, tuning out their screams and cries as she went over the ritual in her mind.
“Shush,” she said, sending a pulse of power into the small man. He stilled as she cradled him to her chest. Sitting in the center of a black pentacle painted on the floor, she began to chant in ancient Gaelic. Power built, crackling along her skin, and swirled around the whimpering gnome. She pulled him closer and began to rock to sooth him as she increased her chanting.
Melusine ignored the high pitched cries for mercy from the other gnomes. She didn’t want his life, only his magic. She followed the ribbons of energy as they seeped into the gnome. There—in his heart a glowing ball which sent out ribbons of golden magic that wove through his body. Grasping the ball she tugged. The gnome kicked and clawed as she removed his magic.
“Hush, little one. It’ll be over soon,” Melusine cooed.
Magic filled her palm, hot and alive. Holding the gnome in one arm she brought the magic to her lips. She drank it, feeling it flow to her root chakra. Stolen warmth and power pulsed and swirled, then began to move up her chakras. It would take hours before the first drops of magic reached her crown and began to spread to her nervous system where her body would absorb it. Then she’d be able to use it.
Standing, she put the gnome back in the iron cage. The other gnomes held their now magic-depleted friend. His comatose body twitched, and whimpers escaped his chapped lips.
“Miss Thornton, please make sure they get food and water,” Melusine said, her hands shaking.
Miss Thornton stepped into the room. “Of course.”
“And I want to know how long he stays alive. I can’t imagine a wholly magical being can survive without his magic for long. After all, removing the little bit of Phoenix magic from that singer last week caused her to become extremely ill.”
“I did check on her,” Miss Thornton said as she dumped apple slices into the cage. “She’s depressed, not physically ill.”
“How interesting. Keep tabs on her for me.”
“I will. I put the paperwork for the new gallery on your desk. You should have enough time to go over it before Salvador arrives to do your hair.”
Melusine smiled. “You are a gem; I couldn’t survive without you, Miss Thornton.”
“You’re too kind. I also have a cappuccino waiting for you on your desk.”
“Now you’re spoiling me.” Melusine walked back through the closet, her heart pounding at her success. After a thousand years of being bound in servitude in exchange for immortality, her freedom was within her grasp. Cartazonon was such a fool, he had little faith in Earth-based magic. Knowing she collected such ‘archaic things’ he’d even sent her the book of magic which would gain her freedom from him. He might be the leader of the Sons of Belial, but she was no longer following him. Her email chimed as she sat. Ramsey had been a busy boy—three emails already. Oh, yes, her freedom was very close indeed.
Chapter Five
My muscles quivered as I stretched after the power yoga/conditioning class taught by Michael, the manager/ringmaster for Cirque du Feu Magique. He might have gray mixed in his short brown hair and a receding hairline, but his stocky frame was pure muscle.
“Your dad is evil,” I said.
Nyota laughed and unwrapped her dreadlocks from an orange cotton scarf. “I hear that a lot.”
Kayin snorted as he rested his head against his shins, stretching out the backs of his legs.
“Saturday is our first performance,” Michael announced, as he mopped the sweat off his golden skin with a towel. “If you need anything from me, help with choreography, costumes, makeup, or anything else, please let me know.”
Michael said that every time we went to a new place. It made me smile. He’s a great manager. Once he finished talking, the audience we’d attracted moved in. I was surprised at the number of people who watched. We were just working out this morning, nothing fancy.
“Hey, quick question. Do you guys feel anything when you're in the dampening field?” Nyota asked, twisting to get a deep stretch in her back. Her eyebrow ring glinted against her milk chocolate skin.
As our tech wizard, she had developed a way to block our Phoenix powers from being detected through some vibrational frequency thingy I didn’t understand. I did know the field worked best when we weren’t using our powers. In the past, it had prevented walk-ins and kept some of Cartazonon’s generals from finding us.
“What do you mean?” Kayin asked, turning to face us as a group came closer. I wasn’t sure if he’d done that on purpose, but I carefully avoided eye contact with them until we were done talking.
She sucked on her lip piercing while she thought. Sweat beaded on her skin. She didn’t perform in the show, so I didn’t know why she put herself through this hell. Groaning, I sat up. She looked right at me. I did my best to stay relaxed. Her eyes were so pale gray-blue they looked almost clear, and I always felt as if she could see right through me.
“Well, I’m a bit worried about how the dampening field might affect Anali or the baby. Do you feel more tired while in it? Do you get headaches? Loss of appetite?”
“I have never felt bad while in the field,” Kayin answered.
“Nyota, you’ve asked all this before, and I do remember the stern lecture to tell you if I ever felt off in any way so you could make sure it wasn’t the field,” I said.
She sighed, and her shoulders relaxed. “Yes, I know. I’m just worried. It’s a new technology and with the baby …”
“I have an idea.” I looked around the room. Circus performers mixed with dancers in a multitude of styles. None of the little kids were here yet, so who were all these people? School was still in session, so they had to be older. Sasha was basking in the attention of several women, if his puffed-out chest was anything to go by.
Taliesin leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. He was talking to the women and men around him. Taliesin smiled and tilted his head forward, allowing his white braid to fall over his shoulder. He looked at one of the women through his lashes and grinned. Another woman reached out and touched his arm to get his attention, and his body become rigid and tight. Okay, time to earn some good karma points. “Sasha, Taliesin, do you two have a moment?”
“Yes,” Taliesin said walking away. The girls pouted, but their pique soon faded when they watched his butt as he walked towards us.
Sasha said goodbye and walked more calmly towards us, his bottom also under close inspection.
Once they were seated, I talked to them about the dampener. “Sasha, Nyota is worried about the effects the field might have on the baby. Would you try to Dream about it?”
“Da, but why don’t do you ask? I know you dream of Akasha, too.”
I shrugged. “I do sometimes, but your Phoenix gift is Dreaming, you remember so much more than I do.”
He nodded, and his red-streaked, honey-brown hair covered his gray eyes. “Sure. I will try to focus on the baby and the field.”
Nyota smiled. “Thank you. That will put my mind at ease. I’ll see you guys later. My roommates are busy chatting with some guys, which means I can get into the shower first.” She wove her way through the crowd, disappearing into the hallway.
“Sapphire, I did have a Dream last night,” Sasha said. “It looked like a large castle doorway standing on a hill in a big
field. No castle, no door, just the doorway. I wasn’t going to mention it since I don’t know any more than that, but since we were talking about Dreams . . .”
“Is it a portal?” Taliesin asked.
“I don’t think so, but maybe it leads to the portal. There might be some connection,” Sasha said.
“Have you tried using the crystal?” I asked, remembering how he found the faerie village in Peru by holding a crystal on a silver chain over a map.
“No, not yet,” Sasha answered.
“Is there anything else?” I asked.
Sasha’s thick brows pulled together as he frowned. “You are supposed to talk to a tree. But not any tree. That part isn’t very clear.”
Well, that’s helpful. I’ll start walking around talking to trees and see what happens. “It always takes a few nights in a new city before you settle enough for your Dreams to become clear again. Don’t stress about it, just let me know when you find out something more.”
Sasha nodded and smiled. “Da, you’re right.”
“Did you need me for something?” Taliesin asked.
Smiling, I shook my head. “No, I just thought you needed rescuing.”
Kayin and Sasha chuckled.
“I don’t mind answering questions, or even receiving compliments, but once they start touching me. . .” He shivered.
“I’m sorry.” Being part unicorn, Taliesin was very sensitive to people’s,—well, aura— for lack of a better word. He sees and feels how pure you are, and the less pure the more irritating that feels to him. He once described it like listening to a child play an out of tune violin. “I’ll try and keep you away from them.”
“Thanks,” he said his tone was cold, but I felt his relief. Taliesin, our beautiful ice prince.
“I’m headed back to the hotel, want to come along?” I asked.
“Yes.” Taliesin jumped up and held out his hand.
Okay, odd. I took it, and he didn’t let go. Ah, I see: protection from the fangirls. I felt disappointment bouncing off my shields as we walked through the crowd.
Calls of goodbye and see you later to Taliesin, Sasha, and Kayin echoed as we bundled up and left. We huddled together, as if standing closer and hunching over would protect us from the icy drizzle.
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