Blaze (29 page)

"So that's that," Luke slapped his hands
together, jolting Kira out of her thoughts, "they have nothing, no
argument that makes any plausible sense against you."

"I'm just nervous, I guess." She
shrugged.

"The Flaming Tomato is nervous? I'm
shocked!"

Kira smiled. "I haven't heard that one in a
while. I was sort of hoping you had somehow forgotten about
it…"

"Forget The Flaming Tomato? You can't just
forget The Flaming Tomato—it's too good." Kira raised her eyebrows
in his direction and he responded by raising his hands up. "What?
I'm just saying…"

"So I have Demon Witch and Flaming Tomato? I
seriously need some new nicknames… or some new friends," Kira
muttered the last part.

"Would you prefer something more normal
like… Kiki?" Luke asked, his face a blanket of innocence.

"Call me that again and I may kill you…"
Kira sent over her best death stare.

"See, that might have actually scared me
when your name was Demon Witch, but with Kiki it's just not nearly
as menacing." He folded his lips together to keep from
grinning.

Kira launched herself across the room, going
right for his ribcage with her hands. The benefit of being best
friends was Kira knew all of his vulnerable spots and it took about
two seconds to have him rolling around on the floor begging for
mercy.

Tickling—it was totally underrated.

"Kiki… come on… I can't breathe," Luke
gasped between giggle fits. Kira pushed even harder.

He grabbed her by the wrists, finally using
his strength and size to overcome her. Without her hands to ground
her, Kira's balance slipped and she landed on his chest with an
oomph. When she opened her eyes, the laugh had disappeared from
Luke's face and in an instant the air felt thicker. She licked her
lips, unable to look away.

"Ahem."

Kira rolled off of Luke immediately, jumping
at the sound of an unfamiliar voice in the doorway. She looked up
to see a well-dressed blond man who she remembered seeing around
Sonnyville before.

"The Punisher Council has arrived. We
request your presence at the Council dais immediately."

"Thanks," Luke muttered while he stood up
and brushed his clothes off.

"I'll meet you there in a minute," Kira
said, looking back at the still unmoving Tristan. Luke nodded and
dragged the protesting Protector from the room.

Kira walked back to the corner of the
hospital room where she had left her handbag and took out the
shabbily wrapped present resting inside. Hastily, she scrawled a
note on the blank card.

"Dear Tristan, I'm sorry I won't be here
when you wake up again. Remember what I said and please try to stay
calm. Here's a history book I think you'll like—it'll get you
caught up on everything you've missed. And there's a little extra
too. I couldn't find the charcoal you like, so I got some soft
graphite pencils instead. I know how much drawing relaxes you.
Please don't worry, I'll be back soon. Love always," she erased
that, "yours truly," she erased it again, "your friend, Kira."

Kira left the package at the foot of his bed
and walked out of the room, hoping she could keep them both safe
from the Punishers now waiting just a short walk down the
street.

###

About the Author

Kaitlyn Davis graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Johns
Hopkins University with a B.A. in Writing Seminars. She's been
writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed
to finally share her work with the world. She currently lives in
New York City and dreams of having a cockapoo puppy of her own.

Connect with the Author Online
:

Blog
:
http://kaitlyndavisbooks.blogspot.com/

Facebook
:
http://www.facebook.com/KaitlynDavisBooks

Twitter
:
http://twitter.com/DavisKaitlyn

Tumblr
:
http://kaitlyndavisbooks.tumblr.com/

Wattpad
:
http://wattpad.com/KaitlynDavisBooks

Goodreads
:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5276341.Kaitlyn_Davis