by Jane Cousins
His cousin Gigi, for Goddess sake, made candy and chocolate for a living. Utilising her skills of combining ingredients with emotion to create wonderful confectionary. It took Brodie to identify the fact that Gigi could tap into what people had already eaten and make a twist… poor cousin Tamara still looked green around the gills.
What Brodie was doing was impressive. She was taking the natural talents of each person and tailoring a style that would suit that individual. Sure, they still had to learn to block a blow and counter with an upward palm strike to the nose. Standard defence stuff. But then she’d work with each student to uniquely personalise the move.
Brodie’s mind worked in a decidedly scary way. Yes, she was abrupt. Had no patience for anyone who didn’t try. But the Valkyrie, despite her protests, was a brilliant teacher. Mainly because she saw a way to twist the simplest, most benign of magics, into a weapon. Scary, but kind of amazing.
Shit, and his attention had wandered yet again. Stop admiring the Valkyrie in the fitted white shorts and concentrate on catching the bad guy. Problem was, the information he had was so generic. Could these long haired, over muscled gits really be this shallow?
With volatile tempers they fought anyone and everyone. Had no particular affiliations, often hiring out their services as mercenaries or bodyguards. Supposedly there was a big demand for them amongst the Hollywood set.
Hmmm, bodyguards?
Maybe someone at Southern Royal Global would have more information on these guys. The family security and investigation company had worldwide concerns. If Vulcans were considered competitors, there would no doubt be a healthy file on them at Corporate Headquarters.
Fen had just hit the send button on an email requesting details when a sharp whistle returned his attention to the training ring. He had half a second to be confused by the sight of the defence trainees suddenly lined up, performing basic kata moves, before Elijah dropped into the seat next to him.
“Any idea when this nonsense will be over and I can have my arena back?”
“None. But feel free to ask.”
Elijah’s slate grey eyes darkened for a moment. “Do I look stupid? Bad enough with Gaia and all the tears, but now the Great-Greats are involved… they’d set the cats on me for sure if I annoyed them.”
Fen and Elijah both shared a shudder at the thought.
“I mean, it’s not like they’re going to set the world on fire or anything, is it?” Elijah’s gaze travelled slowly over the trainees, assessing their progress.
Fen, hid a frown. Brodie was still leading the group through some rote kicks and punches. A few minutes ago they’d been kicking ass magically, and now this limp show of progress? His Valkyrie was up to something. “I-”
Fen was on his feet, Elijah right beside him, somewhere close by something had just exploded. Three seconds later distant alarms could be heard.
“What was that?” Brodie suddenly stood next to the two of them, concern and eagerness equally present on her face.
“I’m not sure.” Fen palmed his pager, noting that Elijah was doing the same. “Shit, the gazebo.”
“Come on.” Elijah was already sprinting for the double doors and the Trans-Portal. “My office is closest.”
* * *
Brodie followed closely on Fen and Elijah’s heels as they exited the Council Liaison Building where Elijah had an office located on the first floor.
The Town Square was in chaos. Black smoke billowing upwards from the crater where the ornate gazebo had once been. People were lying injured, most already having been moved to the relative safety of the steps leading up to the gothic Town Council Building.
Police were already on the scene, several providing first aide to the wounded. Whilst others were trying to corral onlookers away from the inferno. Flames shooting high into the clear blue sky, the surrounding trees and greenery on fire, the flames eagerly spreading outwards in a hungry circle.
Brodie was torn as Fen and Elijah took off in different directions.
Fen, to start dealing with the fire until his colleagues could arrive. Elijah, heading for the largest group of onlookers, many of them appearing to be utilising their magic in some way to try and help… but she was guessing from the frustrated looks of the police, they were instead causing more problems.
As much as she liked a fight, fire was a little out of her field of expertise, her talents would be put to better use helping Elijah with crowd control. Sending one last look in the direction Fen had gone, she hurried after Elijah, calling Reaper and settling a fierce expression on her face as she ran.
Sweat was running down Fen’s face, he blinked constantly, trying to keep his eyes from drying out thanks to the searing heat. Shit, he sent out another wall of air to blanket the area, sending sparks and fiery, floating debris slamming back to the ground. Better than having any of the surrounding buildings catch fire.
He scrubbed at his forehead. He had managed to smother and suppress the spreading fire, the majority of what was left of the Square gardens blackened and smouldering. But he couldn’t seem to do anything about the inferno that had once been the gazebo and was now nothing but a large crater in the ground with sky high flames shooting out of it.
Where was his crew?
He’d barely had the thought when he heard the blessed sound of approaching sirens. Yes. His concentration not wavering for a split second until he sensed Troy step up beside him, pressurised hose in hand.
“Three, two…one!”
Fen released his air magic for a moment, as the hoses took over. Grunting his thanks as another colleague slipped up behind him, settling his helmet onto his head and strong arming him into his bright yellow protective jacket. As Troy blasted the water into the epicentre of the crater, Fen concentrated on channelling his air magic so that the water would hit where it was needed most.
The most pressing concern for the fire fighting team right now would be the location of the gas mains running under the Town Square. Fen didn’t doubt the Chief was already in discussions with the town planners pinning down that vital information and working on getting the supply cut off. What a fricking mess.
Brodie found her attention wandering, despite her best efforts she kept stopping to check on Fen’s status. He took too many risks. It required all of her will-power not to run over and drag him out of the danger zone. Determinedly she turned her back on the fire. Concentrating on helping to supervise the move of the last of the injured. Who were being ferried inside the Town Council Building and she presumed Portalled away to the hospital.
Elijah, deep in conversation with a petite, older brunette at the base of the steps, caught her attention. The expression on his face one of grim frustration and barely controlled anger.
Sidling closer she eavesdropped shamelessly.
“I know all you want to do is help Great-Aunt Annabeth, but throwing your ice magic into the mix will only-”
Annabeth, her blue eyes blazing, shook off Elijah’s hold on her arm. “Don’t be impertinent, Elijah. I would never do anything to worsen the situation.” She flung her left hand out, a large snowball, the size of basketball appeared in the air, racing towards the fiery crater.
“Oh, shit.” Elijah knew it was too late to call out a warning.
The snowball exploded as it came into contact with the superheated air radiating from the crater. There were cries of surprise and pain as what was left of the snowball hit the dirt hard, sending a spray of fiery hot earth showering over the fire crew.
“Oh.” Annabeth went bright red and then very pale. “Damn, my aim was off, I need my glasses.” She raised her hand again as if to try a second attempt.
“Annabeth.” Elijah growled, looking seconds away from picking up his relative and hauling her away.
Brodie stepped forward, shouldering him aside, getting right up in the older lady’s face. She bent down until their noses were almost touching. “Stop this foolishness right this second.”
Annabeth blinked in surprise t
o find a six foot Valkyrie, holding a sword, looming over her. “Why you-”
“I’m serious.” Brodie didn’t back off. “I will knock you unconscious if you so much as call up an ice cube.”
“Of all of the-”
“Stop wasting everyone’s time. All of us have better things to do than pander to your ego. Now stand back and let the trained professionals do their job.” Brodie watched Annabeth’s mouth clamp shut in a thin mutinous line as she finally allowed one of the hovering policemen to escort her up the steps of the Town Council Building.
“I hope you live to regret that.” Elijah gave her a tight, pained smile, before moving onto the next group of stubborn loiterers.
Brodie swung around to check on the progress of the fire crew… and so what if her eyes instantly went to Fen, he was an integral part of the team. The man looked overheated, his face glistening with sweat. He also looked sturdy and competent, working side by side with the team on the main hose, whilst a small group hurried in from his other side, dragging another hose. It was almost like watching a choreographed dance.
Slowly her eyes swept over the Square, the pretty park and garden was all but obliterated along with the gazebo. The majority of onlookers had been pushed back thanks to the efforts of the police and a few Enforcers. Whilst down on the bottom step of the Council Building, Elijah was conversing with the Fire Chief and what could only be the town planner, who was holding up a map the trio were studying intently.
Hmmmm, everyone’s focus appeared to be on the fire, but not on who had caused it. Instantly, Brodie looked up, squinting into the bright blue, cloudless sky. Why this fire? Now? Why the gazebo of all places? So central and open?
She’d never been there. Had caught a glimpse of it several days ago when Fen had first driven her to the Fitness Centre. Since then though, she’d been moving about via the Trans-Portal system, and spending her days in the highly secure training arena.
Oh shit, this was a trap to lure her out into the open.
Just her… or someone else too? In the past, the Firebug had targeted people that she’d spent time with, her gaze flicked to Fen, standing unprotected an oblivious, all his attention on the flames still shooting out of the large crater.
Was she being paranoid? Squinting once more she looked up, perfect day to launch a sneak attack. With the sun shining so brightly, no one would see it coming. Gripping her sword Reaper tightly, Brodie divided the sky mentally into quadrants, carefully studying each for any sign of movement.
No, nothing. Still nothing, wait, she heard it before she saw it, a black dot growing larger, hurtling downwards, fast. Not in her direction, no… she was already running, shouting out a useless warning. Between the roar of the fire, the thrum of the water hoses and the chatter of his team mates, Fen would never hear her in time.
Brodie dug down deep, she needed more power, had to get to Fen in time. But it still wouldn’t be enough, she knew it in her gut. Anger and fear clawing at her. Instinctively she swung her arm around, launching Reaper high into the air, even as she charged across those last few feet separating her from Fen.
Reaper smashed into the falling super-heated rock, knocking it slightly off course, sending a shower of sparks falling in a bright cascade. The ground crew only just starting to react as Brodie collided with Fen, her momentum sending the two of them flying through the air.
Fen had only a split second to respond, but that was what he’d spent years training to do. The sparks falling, Brodie suddenly running full tilt at him, and the sound suddenly registering of something falling, coming in hot and fast.
He didn’t flinch as Brodie hit him full tilt, her momentum lifting his feet off the ground. Instead his focus was on his friends and colleagues, everyone standing too close to him would be in the blast zone.
His arms swept out wide and he called as much power as he could, expelling it with brute force, no time for finesse or yelling out a warning. Everyone within the immediate vicinity was lifted up and blasted backwards by a wall of air. A millisecond later the rock hit, the ground heaving upwards, spraying dirt, pavement and debris. The shockwave following so close behind Fen’s air blast that the two melded.
Anyone caught up in the wave was helpless to control their trajectory and whilst they had been outside of the initial blast zone, thanks to Fen’s air magic intervention, they could do nothing about where and how they landed.
Fen glimpsed the pavement coming up fast, somewhere in all this he’d lost his helmet, his skull smacking hard, darkness and stars, followed by pain as Brodie’s weight landed on top of him, expelling all the oxygen from his lungs.
Shit. Fuck. Bloody Hell. They rolled, limbs dashed against the rough road surface.
Finally, they came to a stop. Fen lying on his back, Brodie resting on his chest, her arms still gripping his shoulders hard. He winced, coughed, and desperately sucked in air. Taking one brief selfish moment, he squeezed Brodie in thanks for her quick thinking and sheer relief that she was okay.
Gently, Fen rolled her off, sitting up. “Fuck. That was close.” He eyed the smaller crater that had erupted out of the ground some five feet from where he’d originally been standing. If Brodie hadn’t risked her life, thrown her sword, he’d probably be dead along with who knows how many of his crew.
Smoke billowed from the crater in black clouds, but no flames, though he could feel the radiant heat beating at his skin.
“Is everyone okay?” Brodie scanned the immediate area. Wincing as she moved, road rash, knicks, cuts and bruises were making themselves known.
Good question. Fen hauled himself upright, reaching up he absently wiped away blood oozing from a cut on his cheek. Enforcers were running to tend the fallen. Crap, Kristo had slammed into the fire hydrant and was lying next to it, coughing up blood. And Pryia was sprawled unconscious next to a parked car, a dent in the door signalling how her flight through the air had been halted.
Fuck, fuck. He waved away one of the Enforcers with a gesture to check on the rest whilst Brodie likewise stood next to him assessing the damage. The Chief was striding across the Square yelling out orders, his face red, his eyes blazing with anger.
“Stay here.” Fen ordered. “I need to get those hoses under control.”
Brodie scowled, with all the wounded why would… oh, she caught a glimpse of one of the unattended hoses snaking back and forth over the ground like an out of control whirling dervish. The other hose had been ripped from the hydrant during the blast and a torrent of water was shooting out over the smouldering wreckage of the park.
Watching Fen stride away, singed, hurt, and blood smeared, she couldn’t help the little spurt of pride that coursed through her. Her guy never flinched, never faltered, and never backed down from a challenge… just the sort of man… what? No, not her man. See! This was why she hadn’t wanted to hang around. She was getting too attached.
Okay, no more. She didn’t need Fen’s help to track down the Vulcan Firebug. In fact, nothing was stopping her from slipping away right now to begin her own hunt.
She would find a quiet refuge, tend her wounds, clean up, then take up her swords… oh, her stomach plummeted. Loss and pain clawed at her… Reaper… Reaper was gone.
She looked around for any remains of her sword but other than a few scattered blobs of melted metal splattered over the ground, there was nothing.
Freyja. She dropped heavily down next to a statue of a lion guarding the Liaison Building. Ah, Reaper. They’d had over a decade together. Good times. So many beheaded. So many slaughtered. She felt so… empty. Ah fallen comrade, she closed her eyes sending up a silent prayer.
“Is he hurt? Where is he?”
Brodie’s eyes snapped open as nails dug into her upper arms. Saffron was standing before her, makeup perfect, short, dark blue hair mussed just so, wearing a gauzy - just shy of outright see through - mint green dress.
“He’s fine. Look.”
“Oh, thank the Sacred Spring.” Saffron collapsed onto the
slab of stone next to Brodie, her hand clutched to her heart, her eyes fixed on Fen. “I came as soon as I heard. The thought of losing him…”
Brodie’s feelings of loss at Reaper were decimated by a roaring wave of jealousy. Saffron really did love Fen. The woman cooked. She was soft, feminine, was more than willing to cater to his every whim.
Saffron carried on talking, almost to herself. “I don’t know what I’d do… replacing him, Fireman, built, good family, impeccable lineage… it would be practically impossible.”
Brodie held back a snort. Saffron sounded as if she were describing the characteristics of a breeding stallion rather than the man himself. What about his courage? His stubborn insistence upon protecting everyone around him at the the risk of his own life? The way he laughed? The way he had of looking at you with those cerulean eyes so focused, as if your thoughts and opinions were of importance?
Saffron sighed heavily, unfettered breasts bouncing. “Our children are going to be so beautiful.”
“Excuse me?” Brodie shook her head. “Is that all Fen is to you, a breeding machine?”
Saffron smiled knowingly, her gaze remaining fixed on Fen. “Not just… we’re going to have such fun. And he’ll make a great Dad, don’t you think?”
“What about his vow to stay single? Attachment free?”
“Stubborn for the sake of being stubborn. The trick in life to getting what you want is to be tenacious.” Saffron stood, finally tearing her gaze from Fen to look at Brodie, assessing her bruises, cuts and torn clothes. A little moue of distaste causing her full lips to pout. “Well, I guess since you insist upon hanging around Fen like a bad smell, I’ll be seeing you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“At the family lunch, silly.” Saffron smiled smugly. “To celebrate Fen’s sister getting pregnant. What? You haven’t been invited? Oh, too bad.” Saffron looked far from sorry as she flounced away.
Brodie unclenched her jaw, there was something about that woman she didn’t like. Saffron had managed to slither her way into every aspect of Fen’s life, his home, turning up at his work with baked goods and now wrangling an invitation to his family luncheon. But Fen was a grown man; he could take care of himself.