Death Match (A Magic Bullet Novel Book 2)

by A. Blythe

  He tried to stick his foot over the threshold to keep the bathroom door from closing. "Those rosy cheeks tell a different story."

  I pulled out my yantok and tapped the end of Flynn's foot with it. "This is your final warning."

  The foot receded and I slammed the door closed and locked it. I wasn't sure why I bothered with the lock. If Flynn really wanted to, he could shift to mist and drift through the small gap underneath the door. He wouldn't do that, though. Even Flynn had standards.

  I turned on the water in the shower, desperate to scrub myself clean. As I stripped off my clothes, my thoughts turned back to Reed. His penetrating gaze. Those broad shoulders. Maybe I should have let him escort me back to my room.

  I shut my eyes and groaned in frustration. It had to be the venom messing with my mind. Hopefully, my lascivious thoughts would stop once the ointment worked its magic.

  To help matters along, I turned the water all the way to cold and stepped inside.

  20

  Pinky and Cyrus were holed up in a training room to practice spells while Reed and I accompanied Farah and Mix to the first match of the day. Thanks to Lana's miracle ointment, my leg was completely healed.

  I grimaced as a gang of Ghuls took center stage. Man, I hated Ghuls. The mere sight of them put me on edge. It didn't matter that they were dozens of yards away about to go head-to-head with a team of knuckle-crunching Hinns. Their cheering section was close to the action and I briefly wondered how so many Hinns were allowed to congregate in one place at the same time. It seemed like a recipe for a violent outbreak.

  "You sure you don't want to join your caste?" I nudged Farah. "I see a few lookers over there."

  "I want to see which team wins the match," she replied. "Then I'll decide which of the victorious Hinns I'm interested in."

  "Even if they win, they'll probably be too injured to be any fun for you." I knew what Farah's definition of fun was and I doubted these Hinns would be up for her level of acrobatics tonight.

  "You really underestimate my kind, you know that?" she said. "That big one in the far corner could take down all four Ghuls and still be raring to go afterward." She licked her lips. "In fact, the rush of adrenaline might keep him up all night."

  "If you're lucky," I added.

  "Too bad Rocco couldn't score a ticket," Mix said. "It might have saved us all from this conversation."

  "You'd think the crime syndicate could manage to sneak at least one of their key people into the games," Farah said. "It's really disappointing."

  I noticed a group of Ghuls take their seats in the section opposite us and my whole body stiffened.

  "You really don't like Ghuls, do you?" Reed whispered next to me.

  Who does? "How can you tell?"

  "Your body language isn't exactly subtle."

  Damn human form.

  "Too bad Detective Thompson isn't here to see these Ghuls get their asses kicked," I said.

  "She tried to get in," Reed said with a chuckle. "Pretended she was a Protector."

  I laughed at the thought of Detective Thompson as a Naphil. She was far too normal to be anything but human. "So what happened?"

  "Security wasn't fooled."

  I cast a sidelong glance at him. "How do you know?"

  He held up his phone. "She texted me. Used all caps."

  "It's for the best. A place like this is too dangerous for her, especially when supernatural tempers are flaring."

  The horn sounded and the match began. I was immediately struck by the precision of the Ghuls' movements. Neither Ghuls nor Hinns were the most organized of castes, but the Ghuls definitely seemed to have coordinated their efforts. It made me think of my recent run-ins with them. The whole thing was odd and out of character. Then again, maybe they'd been training for the games, except the one Thompson and I encountered specifically said they were here to watch.

  The Hinns didn't bother with pleasantries. They morphed straight into their preferred animal forms—a black panther, a Grizzly bear, a Bengal tiger, and a wolf. They weren't your standard versions of these animals, of course. Picture them bigger, angrier, and capable of intelligent thought.

  The Ghuls didn't appear fazed by the sudden menagerie in front of them. They fanned out in a semi-circle, grunting orders to each other. Despite their newfound organization, there didn't seem to be a clear leader. That was more typical for Ghuls.

  "Do you think they're doping?" I asked. Maybe the Dragon put some money on Ghuls too.

  "A drug that prevents Ghuls from behaving like disgusting monsters?" Farah mused. "I'd say get that sucker in mass distribution pronto."

  We'd only seen the impact of the drug on mages so far. What if the drug affected djinn differently?

  Mix appeared thoughtful. "It is possible. One of the guys in my IT group has a son with ADHD. Stuart says the meds calm him down and help him focus. Otherwise, the kid's a mess."

  "But why would they want to be calm and focused during a Colony Games match?" Farah asked. "This is their chance to shine with their bloodlust and general depravity."

  Farah was right. It didn't make sense. Even the Hinns on the field seemed momentarily confused by their opponents' behavior. The organization didn't last long, though.

  The animal forms scattered, with each Hinn targeting a corresponding Ghul. The Grizzly bear's deep growl reverberated throughout the stadium as it approached a Ghul and the breathless crowd stomped its feet in approval.

  They lunged for each other at the same time, colliding in mid-air. The impact didn't seem to have any effect. They grappled like two oversized wrestlers. Their sturdy, stubborn bodies made it difficult to do anything except dig in and hug the hell out of each other.

  "They're trying to out-squeeze each other," Reed said. "I don't think my strength would be enough. I'd have to use fire."

  I tried not to think about what would happen to me on the other end of that hug. My head popping off like a champagne cork, most likely. I had no chance in my human form.

  "Do me a favor and light a fire under his ass if he gets me in a hug like that," I said.

  His mouth quirked. "You would never let him get that close to you."

  He knew me so well.

  While the bear and Ghul hugged it out, the wolf and panther were having a better time intimidating their respective Ghuls. The wolf's fangs were bared and he snarled and snapped as the Ghul kept himself just out of reach. The black panther slowly and methodically circled its Ghul, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

  The crowd reacted as the Bengal tiger pounced, launching its powerful body at the nearest Ghul. They rolled across the field, droplets of blood flying in all directions. The Ghul's body evaporated as he shifted to mist and drifted away from the bloodthirsty Hinn.

  "Did the Ghul just run for cover instead of fight?" Farah asked in disbelief.

  "He sure did." It wasn't very Ghul-like to retreat and regroup. It was...smart.

  I started to get a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach. Ghuls were not complicated creatures. They didn't require psychological profiles or in-depth analysis. They were the djinn equivalent of cave men. Their needs and wants were simple and obvious. Food, shelter, survival. The flesh of humans, whether alive or dead. Didn't matter to them.

  As I continued to watch the action unfold in front of me, I knew something was amiss. These Ghuls had too much going on under the hood. It wasn't in their nature. I'd come up against more than my share of Ghuls as a Shadow Elite agent, but I'd yet to see the kind of cooperation and strategy that I was witnessing right now.

  All four Ghuls turned invisible at the same time and the Hinns stood in their animal forms, looking around with uncertainty. I knew they were trying to decide whether they should shift too. They probably assumed, like I did, the Ghuls would be a straightforward fight. No djinn tricks like the ones they might expect from Shaitans.

  Except the Ghuls were playing their own game.

  The Ghuls reformed at the far end of the field, jus
t inside the chalked boundary line. Except they didn't reform as four Ghuls. One enormous spider emerged from the mist.

  "Gods and stars," Mix said. "A Brazilian wandering spider."

  Now you wouldn't think a spider would be much of a threat when up against some of the deadliest mammals in the world. This, however, was no ordinary spider. The combined magic of all four Ghuls created a venomous spider the size of a house. Although the Hinns' mammals were larger than their non-djinn counterparts, they were nowhere near the size of this hairy, brown spider.

  "Well, they're still ugly," Farah said.

  In addition to its size, the spider had another advantage—its six legs. The Ghuls used the legs to their full potential, kicking and pushing the attacking Hinns. The wolf tried to wrap its jaws around the back leg and quickly found itself pressed against the ground under the weight of the overgrown spider. The crowd cheered when the wolf's neck snapped.

  My stomach turned. I had a feeling the death count would rise significantly today.

  The remaining Hinns swarmed the spider, choosing to remain in their animal forms. They probably weren't sure how to attack it. I was sure the Hinns hadn't practiced any kind of joint shift. It wasn't a typical move by any djinn. It would've taken hours of practice, especially for djinn that weren't accustomed to working in tandem. Once again, it was smart. Something was definitely rotten in Philadelphia.

  The large spider reared up, raising its two front legs, and revealed the bright red hair surrounding its fangs.

  "Ugh, the hair is the same color as mine," Farah said with a shiver.

  "I'd be worried about that pose," Mix said. "It's ready to attack."

  Attack it did. One leg jutted out and kicked the panther clear across the field. A mass of black fur spun around in the air and landed in a heap, alive but clearly injured. The Grizzly bear was next. It lunged at the front leg and attempted to break it by squeezing with all its strength.

  "Not the front leg," I yelled.

  It was a tactical error. While the bear's arms were wrapped around the leg, the spider took the opportunity to test its fangs. They sank into the brown fur, skewering the Hinn. There wasn't even enough time for the toxins to reach the bloodstream before the Hinn died. The bear's body dissolved and a collective boo reverberated in the stands. The Hinn population was not pleased.

  The remaining Hinn regarded the spider from a safe distance, still in its Bengal tiger form. Hinns were a proud caste and I knew this tiger was torn between survival and pride. He couldn't win this one, though. There was no shame in admitting defeat.

  The Hinn seemed to reach the same conclusion. I watched, gripping the edge of my seat, as the powerful tiger shifted back to the Hinn's human form and sank to his knees.

  The match was over.

  I sat with Reed and members of the Enclave during dinner, chewing my grilled chicken in contemplative silence. Everyone was talking about the later matches, but my mind was still on the morning match. The Ghuls' success was still bothering me.

  "Why are you so worried about the Ghuls?" Reed asked, nudging me gently with his elbow.

  "Are you rummaging around in my head again?" I asked. I'd told him umpteen times that my mind was a dangerous place and he entered at his own risk. Umpteen times he failed to heed the warning. Funny, I didn't associate the Nephilim with stubborn.

  "I don't need to," he replied. "It's written all over your face."

  "How do you know it's the Ghuls on my mind and not the match?" Any sane person would worry more about her impending death.

  "Because you're insane."

  I slapped his thigh hard under the table. "I knew you were poking around in there."

  He laughed and rubbed away the sting. "I wasn't, I swear. It was just that moment."

  I took another small bite of chicken. I needed my protein if I expected to keep up with the supernaturals. Okay, technically I needed magic if I expected to keep up, but I'd take all the vitamins and nutrients my human body could get.

  "Think of it this way," Reed said. "The sooner the games finish, the sooner the Ghuls leave town, right?"

  I took a satisfying bite of cornbread and shook my head. "Under normal circumstances, I'd agree with you, but this reeks of a bigger plan."

  "Since when do Ghuls plan?" Gina asked, reaching across the table to refill her wine glass. Must be nice to indulge on libations when you don't need to compete the next day.

  "They don't, not in any forward-thinking way," I said. "Usually their plans involve stalking the Badlands at night for victims."

  "Or looking for freshly dug graves," Reed added.

  "I hope they steer clear of mage graves," Gina said. "Unfortunately, we have quite a few new ones they could plunder."

  Fresh graves. Not just from the games or X-caliber, but also The Night Owl. The cornbread stuck in my throat.

  "Out of curiosity," I said carefully, "has anyone seen an albino Chinese mage compete in any of the mage matches? Shocking white hair, tough as leather?" Maybe she competed when I was in Lana's care or in my hotel room.

  Everyone looked blank.

  "We've seen all the groups compete at least once, right? There isn't any group left we haven't seen?"

  Oscar shook his head. "Some of the teams might have a second string, in case one of their members can't compete at the last minute."

  Dragon Mage couldn't possibly be second string. She was practically a one-woman show.

  "What are you thinking?" Reed asked.

  I stared at my remaining pieces of chicken. My appetite was officially gone. "I don't know. Whatever it is, it isn't good."

  "A toast," Oscar declared, tapping his fork against the wine glass and rising to his feet. "To a great match tomorrow. May our team prevail."

  "Or die trying," Gina added with a mischievous wink.

  A few people laughed, like it was a joke. Not me. I gritted my teeth and tried not to punch her in the face.

  "Easy now," Reed said quietly. His hand rested on my thigh. I knew it was there because he didn't want to draw attention to my ire, but the feel of his hand somewhere it didn't belong...Let's just say there was an internal debate about my response. One of them involved throwing him onto the table and having my way with him. The other involved jamming my lone dagger into the back of his hand. It seemed I was becoming more like Farah every day.

  Pinky blushed into her glass of iced tea. "I'm only eighteen. I'd prefer to put off death for a few more years at least."

  It was enough to silence the laughter.

  Oscar tapped his foot uncomfortably. "The Enclave is proud of our members and those new friends who have chosen to join our team and lead us to victory. Victores in aeternum."

  The other mages raised their glasses and repeated, "Victores in aeternum."

  I wasn't big on group efforts, but I had to admit, there was a nice vibe at the table. Apart from Gina and her shit-eating grin, most of the mages seemed heartfelt in their desire to bring honor to the Enclave. I had brief memories of moments like this, back at the Academy. Team building exercises and friendly competitions. I was always focused on winning, though, no matter the cost. It was one of the qualities Flynn had found insanely attractive about me. That alone should've told me to run in the opposite direction.

  When I joined the Shadow Elite, Jamie and I had a conversation about my 'drive' (his words, not mine), when he was assigned to be my handler. It was our first in-person meeting. I thought I'd show off my skills, throw a little Marid power and attitude around the place, but Jamie deftly smacked down my ego with a combination of grace and compassion. There was a reason he'd been assigned to me.

  We'd met in Washington D.C., where I was still living after graduating from the Academy. I didn't know how far Jamie had come to see me. We never talked about his life outside the agency. It was unlikely he even had one.

  I'd shifted into a hot blonde. Tall, sexy. Think Charlize Theron in a fragrance commercial. I'd strutted through the Smithsonian like I was on the catwalk during
New York Fashion Week. I don't know what the point of turning those heads had been. Arrogance was the most likely culprit. Look how I can command attention. Look at me manipulate the hearts and minds of humans with my killer body and megawatt smile.

  Jamie had been waiting for me over by the Neanderthal display. It was in a quiet section of the museum. He held two coffees in his hand and offered me one when I approached. I waved it away.

  "How did you know it was me?" I'd asked. "Maybe I was just a beautiful woman interested in chatting with you."

  He chuckled. "Look at this ugly mug. Beautiful women don't seek me out."

  It was patently untrue. Jamie's self-deprecation was part of his charm. In actual fact, he was a distinguished-looking man. He reminded me of a European banker, a wealthy man with language skills and social connections. I never knew why he'd chosen to be a handler. He didn't seem the type.

  "Shift," he said simply. "I'm here to get to know Alyse Winters."

  "I'm Alyse Winters in any form."

  "I'd like to meet you in your most comfortable state. Which form would that be?"

  I shifted to my usual human form. The one I was currently trapped in.

  "That's better," he said and smiled. "We're a team now, Alyse. You and I are going to have to learn to trust each other."

  "I was taught never to trust anyone," I said, taking a seat beside him. "Anyone can betray me at any time."

  "Let's pretend for a moment that I'm different," Jamie said. "Set aside your trust issues and treat me like you'd treat Farah or Jeremy."

  At the mention of my friends' names, I bristled. "Why would I do that?"

  "Because, for better or worse, I'm your family now," he said. "Your prince went ballistic when he found out. I doubt you're welcome there. I mean, who needs a royal leader in this day and age anyway. Am I right?"

  He was.

  "You and I are going to make a difference in this world," he said. "Like Batman and Robin."

  I smiled at the image of him in Robin's unflattering tights. "Can I drive a car as cool as the Batmobile?"

  He bobbed his head. "I'll have you a set of wheels in half an hour if that's what you want, but I get the feeling you're motivated by more than flashy cars and spending money." He took a huge swallow of coffee. "So color me curious. Why'd you choose to join us?"