"They're better than Vincent and Jeremy," I suggested.
"Probably," said Renea. "But we can't count on it."
"Andrea, would I have beaten you eventually?"
"I don't know," she said. "Maybe. I'm fighting at the edge of my limits already. This is like fighting an insanely fast opponent but with poor technique." She paused. "Sorry."
"No, you're right. I'm outclassed," I said. "And not enough time to fix it. Petra could easily beat you with this advantage?"
"Oh yes," Andrea said. "No contest."
I walked away and started to quietly cry. I got it out of my system. They let me. I turned back.
"If Vincent weren't a fucking pansy," I said. "This would be easy. I could go for less lethal blows, and I know I can land those. It's that I have to make it a single killing blow that is hampering me."
They looked at me. "You're going for one-shot kills?" asked Petra.
"We all know if I get the upper hand, he'll just leave. We can't prevent that."
"I wonder what his men will think if he runs from a girl," Andrea said. "Honey, try to beat me slowly."
"You fight your hardest," I told her. "If you let me win, I'll know."
"That would be dishonest," she said. "And dangerous. I promise I will do everything I can to beat you."
Renea and I consulted. "This is going to take too long. Petra will be on you."
"I'll pull you back to help with Petra," she said. "I held both of them off for fifteen seconds, I'll last against any swordsman long enough to pull you back, and you won't be expected.
I nodded.
The scarf dropped. I popped and Renea put me behind Andrea. I did a hamstring shot that landed. I instantly popped away and was in front of her. I got a slash on her off hand. I popped away and was immediately across the field from Andrea. I didn't even look, I just did a spinning slash and barely pulled it before nearly taking off Petra's head. "You're dead, Petra," I said. I popped and barely missed a swing from Andrea, but the next pop took her sword arm.
"Did you let me win?"
"No. I didn't even let your landed blows affect me. That hamstring would have been the end of the fight with real steel. If you go for small blows, you will kick his ass."
We all consulted. "Was that a fluke?"
"I don't think so," said Andrea. Neither did Renea.
We did it three more times. The details were different, but Renea and I won easily each time.
"What if they both concentrate on me?" I asked.
They kicked my ass. Andrea managed to parry my first slash, and when I popped the second time, they both got me in a one-two.
I walked back to Renea. "When I pop, if they are both still standing together, then I expect to show up with an opponent on my right. Put me to the left. After that pop me around, always trying for a flank."
I never landed a blow. Andrea got in a glancing shot on my second pop, Petra on my third, and they both got me solid on the fourth. Both were bruises. I dropped my sword and hissed.
"I'm sorry," said Petra.
"No," I said. "Help me with the tunic and heal this, please."
Petra healed my bruises for me then we consulted. "If they're even halfway good, they'll kick my ass. I'm just not strong enough a swordswoman even with the advantage."
"Sorry, honey," Petra said.
I walked over to Kelly and grabbed a water she was holding. I poured it over my head. She offered a wane smile.
"I'm not letting you die!" I told her.
"I know," she said.
I collected Renea. "If they wait for us, we advance together. Throw me past them on Petra's far flank, our right side, as soon as I pop, and attack Andrea. I'll draw Petra off. Can you beat Vincent?"
"Probably. I don't know about Andrea."
"If I pull Petra off, can you bring me back behind Andrea?"
"Yes, just once. Yell loudly before you pop out, I won't be watching you."
I waved to Kelly. She dropped the scarf. Andrea and Petra waited for us. We approached cautiously.
Just outside of lunging range, I popped and began a hamstring swing. I popped in. Petra managed to block it, but she was off balance. So was I, but I retreated from her and she followed after me. I retreated faster, barely putting enough distance between us, then yelled, "Now" and popped. Renea put me behind Andrea. I readily took her sword arm, pulling the blow.
"Damn," said Andrea. "That hurt." It was her turn to get a healing from Petra.
We consulted. Andrea said, "If you can split them, then double team one of them and you win." Petra agreed. "If you can't split them, then it comes down to whether they're as good as Petra and me."
"Vincent doesn't want to kill me. He wants to beat me. He wants to kill Renea. Jeremy, on the other hand, wants to kill me. They'll split up. Jeremy is a hothead, and he won't like it when I start taunting him." I turned to Petra. "My smart little mouth is going to win this for us."
I thought about it. "Again. The two of you act like you think Vincent and Jeremy will."
We went back to our sides and I told Renea, "Split up right away, I'll take Petra's side and I'm going to immediately start taunting her. If they follow you, just lead them around. The idea is to get Petra-Jeremy pissed enough to come after me while we're not in range they can charge either of us."
She nodded.
Kelly dropped the scarf. I went right, Renea went left towards Kelly. Andrea and Petra looked at each other, then started working towards Renea.
"Hey small dick!" I yelled. "Yeah, Mr. Pyramid. Get beat by a little girl lately?"
Andrea and Petra both stopped and looked at me. "Seriously?" Petra said.
I grinned. "I'm right here, dickless. Just a little girl who beat you once. I can beat you again."
Andrea and Petra turned towards Renea again. I kept up my insults for Jeremy. Petra went into character and started arguing with Andrea. Eventually she turned and started stalking me. Renea let Andrea close the distance and I yelled "Now" and popped. Renea kept me waiting for about two seconds, then pulled me back. I didn't see Andrea, so I began a spinning slice and pulled it just before I sliced across her middle.
"Well?" I asked after a moment.
They all grinned.
"One more," I said. "Don't let me get to you this time, Petra." She nodded.
I stepped back to Renea. "If they don't split, put me right in between them. Right between them. I'll either slice or push, whichever seems like the best chance."
The scarf dropped. Petra ignored my taunts. The two of them stalked Renea. "Now," I yelled and popped away. Renea put me right between the two, and I was facing Andrea. I got a good raking slice down her entire side and popped away. Renea pulled me back next to her. We consulted.
"I don't know what to do after that," I admitted.
"With real steel," Andrea said, "you would have opened me up. Vincent down. Two on one, you win readily."
I turned to Renea. "Vincent is the target. We take him down and we take him out. Jeremy won't defend him, so whatever it takes, Vincent dies. We don't let him leave. Engage Jeremy if you need to and I'll finish Vincent. Or if you have a clean shot, take it."
We decided we'd done enough for the night.
We practiced every night through Friday. Andrea and Petra stopped telling us what strategy they were going to use. Renea and I won most of the time. The ones Andrea and Petra won, they stated, "It took everything we had. They won't win if they aren't as good as both of us."
"What if they're better?"
"We've seen all your strategies," Andrea said, "And you're still winning."
"You're not throwing them?"
"No," said Petra. She paused. "This isn't about making you feel good, Felicia. This is about making sure you win. We are trying to beat you."
"What if Vincent can throw Jeremy?"
Andrea and I switched sides. Petra threw me at Renea and Renea threw Andrea at Petra. It became a one-on-one swordfight, as Petra was able to keep Andrea busy and
Renea beat me easily, then with Renea helping Andrea, Petra was easy to beat.
Andrea said, "If Renea is better than Jeremy, and you can keep Vincent occupied, we win."
"How long would I live if I'm purely defensive and retreat?"
"Less than a minute," said Petra. "If Vincent is as good as Andrea or I. Much less if he gets lucky."
By Friday we decided we had covered all the scenarios we could think of.
* * *
I demanded a date for Saturday. "Please take me somewhere special," I told Petra. "Make me know you love me."
She took me to a restaurant where they had dancing, but it was all slow music. We ate and danced for hours, then she took me home. We exchanged orgasms, then she smiled, ported to her tower, pulled me after her, then used her magic to make me scream her name, over and over, until I could do nothing but quiver.
Erika picked the Sunday movie. "Rocky."
"You bitch," I told her.
"I love you, Felicia," she told me. I cried.
* * *
Monday was the big day. With any luck, Bindi had purchased a cottage somewhere. We waited until the evening. The entire gang collected in Andrea's tower. Kelly tried a fast port to and from Earth. She looked squeamish when she returned. "Oh god," she said. "If we waited any longer, I wouldn't make it."
Andrea hugged and kissed her.
Kelly turned to me. "Go get your comforter."
"You're supposed to take Renea's," I said.
"You can port back and forth and be communications," she said. "I'm not going to be able to."
I hugged her, then popped home and got the comforter. She took it from me and turned to Andrea. "All of you have to go to your house. Your bedroom. I'll pop in and immediately pop out, if I can. Then everyone come back here." She turned to me. "If I'm not here, it means I'm there. Give me a solid five minutes, then try to join me."
Andrea invited Petra and I to her house on Earth. We all popped over there and walked up to the bedroom. After a minute, Kelly appeared.
"Here we go," she said. And she stood there. And stood there. And stood there.
In front of my eyes I watched her growing weaker.
Then she disappeared.
We all looked at each other. Andrea was quietly crying. Petra hugged her and we all popped back to Andrea's tower. Renea was waiting for her. Kelly wasn't there. Andrea walked over to Renea.
"If Kelly dies from this," she said, "then on Friday you are throwing everyone in your control to Vincent. He dies. You understand me. If Kelly dies, he dies."
Renea nodded. We waited five minutes and I ported home then concentrated on my comforter. I thought long and hard about it, then pulled.
And I found myself in a tiny cottage. The light was bad. I looked around. Bindi was holding the only lamp. Standing next to him, crying, was Kelly.
"We did it," she said, still crying.
I walked over and hugged her. "Why are you crying?"
"I could feel myself dying," she said. "I can't go back. I don't think I can even do a hop back, but if I did, I don't think I'd make it back here again. I can't see my parents. I had hoped to see them once more."
I held her.
"Renea gave me permission to tell them about Siriena. Andrea and Petra came and helped them to explain. They didn't believe at first, but I popped in and out a few times. They still didn't believe. So I told Andrea to go to her tower and be ready to heal me. Before anyone could say anything, I slammed a knife through my hand, made sure they saw it was real, then popped to Andrea to heal it. I was back five minutes later without a mark. Then they believed. We said our goodbyes after that. Now I send letters with Andrea. She mails them for me or calls them." She was still crying. "I wanted to see them once more, even for one last hug, but I can't."
I pulled away and looked at her. "But we did it."
I turned to Bindi and hugged him. "Thank you," I said.
He hugged me back. "Bindi help."
I pulled away and said, "Yes, Bindi help. Thank you."
I turned to Kelly. "The house is yours?"
"Yes. You and all my friends are welcome here."
I nodded. "I'll be right back." I got a good feel for the cottage, then popped back and forth a few times. To make sure it wasn't the comforter, I gathered it up and asked Bindi to take it outside for a few minutes. I popped back and forth and was fine.
Kelly told me, "Please bring Andrea here first."
I nodded and collected the comforter. I popped home, leaving it there. I returned to Andrea's tower.
"She's fine," were the first words out of my mouth. "But she isn't coming back. Not that way. It's a tiny little cottage." I looked at Andrea. "She's asking for you first. She's fine, but she really needs a hug."
She nodded and gathered the comforter from the bed in the tower. "One minute head start should be enough," I said. I double-ported. Kelly hugged the comforter for a moment before we spread it out.
We waited a few minutes and Andrea appeared, kneeling on the comforter. Kelly ran to her and threw her arms around her. They swayed back and forth for a few minutes, then Kelly told her, "This is now a new home for us, My Love."
Andrea nodded, gathered the comforter, and popped back and forth.
"I'll get Renea next," I said.
When I got Andrea's tower, she had a bunch of her things waiting for me. "Please bring them all," she said. "I want a lot to latch onto. I haven't ported anywhere in five years."
I nodded. It took me three trips to bring everything. I shoved them all into Andrea's hands and returned for more. Then I popped back to Renea. "Where are you porting from?"
"That's a good question," she said. "I hadn't thought about it." She looked away then smiled. She walked up to me. "Felicia, my very very good friend, you are welcome in all my properties on earth." Then she pushed me to Earth.
I could hear the ocean. I was in a small but beautiful home staring out at a beach and blue-green waters. The sun was just rising. I got a good feel and popped back.
"Oh my god!" I said. "Where is that?"
Renea smiled. "I own a little island in the South Pacific. Did you like it?"
"I loved it!"
Renea turned to Petra. "Do you know how much easier that would have been if we'd known we could push people like that?"
"That island is not easy to get to," Petra said. "I'm jealous."
"Renea, is everyone welcome there?"
"Yes," she said. "All of you." She looked around and named her entire troop, inviting all of them to her homes. "I am transferring ownership of them, anyway, but for now, I can invite you." Then, one by one she pushed everyone to the beach house. It was just down to us.
"Renea," I said. "This is going to be hard. You have to really think about where you're going."
She nodded and hugged me.
She popped to the beach house and I followed her. I saw an old, old lady with Petra and Karen supporting her. Then she disappeared.
I followed. She was in the cottage, and it was getting crowded. "Yes!" I yelled. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"
She turned to me. "That was not easy, but now I will be fine." She turned to Kelly.
Kelly told her, "Renea, you are forever welcome in this new home."
Renea popped out and back just once. She walked over to Kelly and hugged her. Then, one by one, the rest of Renea's brood arrived at the house. Kelly welcomed each of them.
* * *
My home town was Des Moines, Iowa. I'd been there at Christmas and introduced Petra to my parents. They'd been cold, but polite. Petra told me not to worry about it, but I was pissed they weren't happy for me. Relations with them had been strained in the two months since.
I took a flight down. It was driving distance, but I didn't want to waste the time especially for the return trip. I would have ported straight to my own bedroom in Des Moines; it was still mine. But I hadn't wanted to explain that to my parents. Mom picked me up at the airport.
We hugged. "Your father is work
ing," she said. "But will be home for dinner. He had appointments with building inspectors and couldn't change them." My dad was a foreman for a construction company. He built the house I grew up in and my parents still lived in, but the company he worked for built schools and office complexes. I was very proud of him.
In the car, she said, "I am a little surprised you can come visit in the middle of the week like this," she said. "Did you have vacation?"
"I've been working very hard. When I told Andrea that things had been strained at Christmas, she suggested I come down."
"What do you mean, strained?"
"Come on, Mom," I told her. "Neither you nor Dad were happy to meet Petra. But I'm not here to talk about that. I don't want to fight, and if we talk about it, we're going to fight. Please."
Neither of us said anything in the car the rest of the way home. I took my bag to my room and mom said, "I want to take you to lunch. Dinner is here. Tomorrow night your father wants to go out."
"Will you let me cook tonight?" I asked.
She raised an eyebrow.
"I've been learning. I'm not as good as you, but I'm not horrible either. I brought a few meal plans and you can pick one you and Dad would like."
"Honey," she said. "That would be lovely. Do you think we could cook together?"
I hugged her.
Over lunch she asked about Beth and Erika. She had a hard time believing Beth would move to Minneapolis from California. "That girl always hated winter here," Mom said. "And Minneapolis is a lot colder."
"I know," I said. "But she's thriving. We live in the same apartment building and we're constantly in each other's apartments. I don't think she's ever been happier." I paused. "I want to tell you something, but you can't tell Erika's parents. If you can't keep this secret, I can't tell you."
"I promise," Mom said. "You know I'm not a gossip."
"Erika is dating a cop. It's been going on for a few weeks, and she's head over heels in love."
"Is he a good man?" Mom asked.
"No, Mom. She is the cop who helped me that night someone broke into my apartment." I stressed the "she". "And she is a wonderful person. She treats Erika exceedingly well, and we would all trust her with our lives."
Pulled to the Dark (The Siriena Series) Page 28