“This isn’t over,” the demon spits out the next word, “Grace.” He backs off into the shadows, back to the running path.
“And tell your master to teach you some better parting clichés.” She cracks the whip again and he takes off. With a sigh, she folds up the whip, and passes her hands over her body, her skin being covered by a brown bomber jacket, tight blue jeans that hug all of her curves, and black hiking boots. Her wings have vanished, and as she passes her hands through her black hair, it changes to red and she ties it back simply, her horns gone as well. Her whip seems to have vanished into thin air as she reaches into her jacket pocket and takes out a pack of cigarettes, tapping one out and lighting it, taking a long drag before looking over at me. “So you need a ride home...” She smirks a bit. “Paladin?”
“What was that all about?”
She gives a slight laugh. “Things a little too old for you to worry about, kid. I’ve got it under control.”
I wipe the blade clean of the thing’s blood before sheathing my sword. “Yeah. Sure. Looked like that when I got here.” I shiver a little bit in the cold. “The offer stands, you know. If you want my protection, just ask.”
She gives me a look. “You claim to be a Paladin who works for Pan, and you’re offering me protection?”
I shrug. “Why not? You looked like you were in trouble and you’re not evil.”
“How do you know that?”
“You don’t give me a splitting headache.” And I’m sort of intrigued that she looks even better with clothes on than off.
She quirks a brow, and shakes her head a bit. “Thank you for the most gracious offer, good knight.” She even throws in a proper curtsey. “But--” A knife flies through where her head would have been had she not been so busy mocking me, hitting a tree with a solid thunk. I grab her arm and pull her into the woods, following some shortcuts to the other paths. Why hadn’t I felt that? Right. Too busy staring at her figure. I need more lessons in focus.
I keep my grip on her hand, running through the wet grass and snow at an increased pace as I can feel a subtle pain in the back of my skull. We need to get to a path where we won’t leave tracks.
“Seems like he’s taking this harder than I thought.” She doesn’t even sound like she’s running for her life, more like she’s fleeing a bad date and stiffing him with the check.
I keep dragging her along, pushing through the brush, my pants getting soaked, my muscles still not warmed up yet, the run sapping my energy. “Where’s your car?"
We stop on an asphalt path, one of the main thoroughfares for the park. One of the gates is a hundred yards away. “Parked in a garage in Destry Bay, I took the train.”
I stare at her in disbelief. “Then why the Hell did you offer me a ride home?”
“It’s a figure of speech!” She sounds exasperated.
“No, it’s--” I wince, feeling the pain starting to build. “Damn it, we’ll argue semantics later.” I pull her toward the gate. This is Allora. Near Tolon Park. Normally I’d just run like Hell for the Palace of Wisdom, but we’re on the wrong side of the park for that.
“You don’t have to yank me around, kid! Just tell me where we’re going!” I point toward the gate and she takes off. I follow after her, but she’s got speed. Then again, she’s immortal and supernatural, what does she have to slow her down? I can feel the pain orienting behind me, so I run harder, letting adrenaline do its work as I clutch the blade in my hand, not wanting it to fly out of its scabbard.
I reach the gate, getting winded, sprinting never having been my thing, but evil never seems to be in the mood for a five K. I can’t see her anywhere, and I figure that she wanted to split up to better our chances, rather than believing she’s ditched me and left me to slow down the pissed off thing that’s chasing us. Bitch.
I stop at the gate, turn, and draw my sword, seeing a dark shadow quickly approaching. Why did I have to put her under my protection? I’m locked into saving her ass now.
There’s a high-pitched horn behind me, on the street, and I look over my shoulder to see a black and very expensive looking sports car with the windows rolled down and her behind the wheel. “Get in!”
I run to the car, opening the door and jumping in the seat, tossing the sword in back. No sooner do I close the door than she peels out, tearing down Tolon Avenue, weaving through traffic with practiced ease. I check the mirrors, but I don’t see anything following us.
“I thought you said your car was in Destry Bay?”
She keeps her eyes on the road. “It is.”
“Please tell me I’m not an accomplice to grand theft auto.”
“The guy let me borrow it. Honest.”
I blink at her a few times, looking at the all leather interior, the six-speed transmission, the roar of what I know is a V-10 engine under the hood. “A guy just gave you an exotic sports car?”
“I flashed him. And I’m borrowing it.”
She zips through an intersection, barely beating the yellow light. She flicks the ceiling with her finger and gives a smile of triumph. We’ve gone about fifteen blocks.
“He let you borrow his car ‘cause you flashed him your breasts?”
She reaches down and zips up her jacket the rest of the way. “I have exquisite breasts.” |
