Cold Burn of Magic (13 page)

We weren't the only kids here, and we passed more than a few who belonged to the other Families, ready to have a good time now that school was out for the summer. And they were all extremely interested in Devon and Poppy. More than a few of the kids whispered to each other, pulled out their phones, and snapped photos, before texting the juicy gossip about Devon and Poppy being seen together to their friends and everyone else in their Families.

I snorted. Sometimes, I thought the Families played more games with each other than there were in all of the Midway.

Poppy started talking to Felix, since his mouth was once again going a hundred miles an hour. Grant stuck his hands in his pockets and ambled along with them.

That left me to walk beside Devon. Every time he moved, I caught a whiff of his scent, that sharp, crisp tang of pine. Despite myself, I kept breathing it in, even though it was stupid of me.

“I'm sorry,” he said. “I imagine this isn't what you were expecting.”

“Watching you go out on some fake date with a girl from another Family?” I shrugged. “It's okay.”

Devon fell silent, and we wandered through the arcade for ten more minutes before Felix insisted that Poppy had to have ice cream. She giggled as he bowed and handed her the tall, sprinkle-covered, vanilla-swirled concoction. She took a bite out of it, turned around, and accidentally rammed straight into a guy behind her, smearing ice cream all over his red shirt—one emblazoned with the gold Draconi dragon crest.

The guy was built like a brick wall—tall and wide, with a body that was all solid muscle. He looked down at the ice cream and sprinkles dripping off his shirt, then slowly raised his head. The sun warmed his blond hair, but his brown eyes were as cold as chips of stone in his face.

I sucked in a breath, recognizing the guy the same way I had his sister.

Blake Draconi, Deah's older brother, the bruiser and second-in-command of the Draconi Family.

P
oppy's mouth opened and closed as she realized what she'd done—and to whom.

“Oh no,” she whispered.

But I had to hand it to her. She pulled herself together and held out a hand in apology.

“Blake! I'm so sorry! I didn't see you.”

At six feet, Blake towered over the petite, slender Poppy, and the twist of his lips told everyone how angry he was. And he wasn't alone. Five guys, all wearing red Draconi T-shirts and gold cuffs, and all with swords strapped to their waists, formed a semicircle behind him. And Deah was here, too, standing off to Blake's right, looking back and forth between her brother and Poppy.

Blake sneered at Poppy. “I didn't know that Itos were blind. I thought they were just deaf and dumb.”

Poppy gasped at the insult, but she still tried to smile in the face of his anger, although her expression quickly wilted.

“Leave her alone, Blake.” Devon stepped up beside her. “It was an accident.”

Blake sneered at him, too. “Oh, look. A Sinclair errand boy. Why don't you run home and cry like the rest of your pathetic loser Family does?”

Devon's hands clenched into fists, but Poppy put herself in between the two guys.

“I'm sorry, Blake,” she repeated. “I'll buy you another shirt.”

He smiled, although the expression was as predatory as any monster's. “Actually, sweet thing, why don't you give me the shirt off your back? Oops. I meant your whole dress, since you're not wearing a shirt. Now, that's something I'd
really
like to see. What about you, boys?”

He snickered, and his friends laughed with him. The only one who didn't join in his cruel fun was Deah, who gave her brother a guarded look.

Poppy's hands fisted in the folds of her sundress, but she lifted her chin. “Forget it,” she said in a disgusted voice.

She started to turn away, but Blake grabbed her arm and yanked her up against his body. Devon, Felix, and Grant all surged forward, but Blake's friends stepped up and drew their swords. Devon managed to dodge them, but the Draconis cornered Felix and Grant against the side of the ice cream shack, forcing Devon to pull up short of tackling Blake.

“What do you think you three losers are going to do?” Blake sneered. “Well? What
are
you going to do, Morales? Heal me to death?”

Blake and his friends snickered; Deah winced. So healing must be Felix's Talent. It was nothing to be embarrassed about, but Felix's lips pinched together in anger.

“Leave him alone, Blake,” Devon growled, his hands still clenched into fists.

“At least Morales has a Talent,” Blake said, still sneering. “Unlike you, you useless freak.”

Devon didn't have a Talent? No magic at all? Maybe that's why Claudia thought he needed a bodyguard.

Blake turned his venomous glare to Grant. “And you, I don't even know who you are.”

Grant's lips twisted much the same way Blake's had.

“Blake,” Deah said, a clear warning in her voice. “That's enough.”

He gave his sister the same wicked sneer. “It's enough when
I
say it's enough.”

Blake tightened his grip on Poppy's arm and dragged her even closer, so that she was plastered up against him. “Come on, now, sweet thing,” he drawled. “Why don't you show me what you've got on underneath that pretty little dress?”

I looked at Grant, since Claudia had sort of put him in charge of me this morning, but he shrugged back at me. Apparently, he thought there was nothing he could do against five guys with swords, especially when one of those swords was pointed at his throat. Anger burned through me. Well, if he wouldn't stop this, then I would.

“Let go of her,” I snapped, stepping forward so that I was standing directly in front of Blake, even closer to him than Devon stood.

Blake's cold brown gaze flicked up and down my body. “Don't worry. I'll give you a look, too.”

He started to turn back to Poppy, but I moved even closer to him, so close that I could smell the spicy cologne slathered over his skin.

“You want to pick on a girl?” I sneered. “Well, pick on
me
. C'mon. What are you afraid of, tough guy?”

I stepped back and held my hands out to my sides. Blake's eyes narrowed, and his gaze dropped to my sword. But when he realized I wasn't going to grab it, he gave me the same cruel grin he had Poppy.

Blake shoved her away and reached for me, but I was faster, and I grabbed his hand and bent it back as far as it would go. It was a simple wrist lock, one my mom had taught me years ago, but it was brutally effective. In this position, I could easily snap his wrist. Part of me wanted to go ahead and do it. Just because he was such a dick.

“How does that feel,
sweet thing
?” I drawled.

Blake let out a whimper between his gritted teeth. He tried to jerk his hand out of my grip, but I dug my nails into his skin and held on. He yanked back again, and a cold shot of magic spiked through my body. So Blake had a strength Talent, one that he was trying to use to break free. I let him struggle because the more he flailed around, the stronger he made
me,
and the more I tightened my grip on his wrist, until his eyes watered and he went down on one knee to try to alleviate some of the pressure.

Everyone around me sucked in a breath. Apparently, bringing Blake Draconi to the verge of tears was somewhat shocking.

If only they knew what I really wanted to do to him—and especially his dad.

My gaze flicked from one Draconi face to the next, daring anyone to make a move. Finally, I looked at Deah, who stared back at me with a mixture of horror and fascination—and the faintest bit of grudging respect.

“Lila,” Grant snapped. “That's enough. Let him go.”

I stared at Blake and bent his wrist back another tiny fraction, just to let him know how much more I could hurt him if I wanted to. Then I let go and stepped back.

Blake cradled his wrist in his hand. Then he snarled, staggered up to his feet, and started toward me, but Deah stepped in front of him and held her hands out wide.

“C'mon, Blake. They're not worth it.”

He tried to surge past her again.

“C'mon,” she repeated in a louder, colder voice. “Dad will be pissed if there's another . . . incident right now. Be smart. Look around. This isn't the time or the place.”

Our confrontation had attracted almost everyone's attention in the arcade. Most of the workers had stopped what they were doing to gape at us, and more than a few of the tourist rubes had their phones and cameras out, snapping photos, along with the kids from the other Families. Even Blake realized he couldn't get away with attacking me in front of so many witnesses. But that didn't stop him from threatening me.

“This isn't over,” Blake hissed.

“You bet it isn't,” I hissed right back at him.

He gave me one more hate-filled glare before turning, shoving through his own friends, and stomping away. The other five guys scurried after him, but Deah stayed behind.

“You just made a big mistake,” she said. “You have no idea what Blake is capable of.”

I probably knew a lot more about her big brother's cruelty than she did, but I shrugged. “It's not the first one I've ever made.”

Deah gave me a look that was almost pitying before shaking her head, turning, and following her brother and his friends.

 

Blake, Deah, and the rest of the Draconis rounded the corner and disappeared from view. The second they were gone, Grant whirled around and threw his hands up into the air.

“What was that?!” he demanded.

I shrugged again. “Just doing my job.”

Grant shook his head. “You have no idea how many problems you've just caused.”

Oh, I knew. I just didn't care. Not when it came to Blake Draconi.

Devon moved over to Poppy. “Are you okay?”

She stared at the ground and rubbed her arm. The spot where Blake had grabbed her was already starting to bruise. “Yeah, I'm fine. But I think I should leave now.”

“Okay,” Devon said in a gentle tone. “Why don't I walk you over to one of the Ito hotels?”

She nodded.

“I'll go with you,” Grant volunteered.

“What about Felix?” Poppy asked.

We all glanced around, but he wasn't anywhere in sight.

“I'm sure he's fine.” Devon turned to me. “Can you find Felix while I walk Poppy across the Midway? Grant and I will meet you guys back at the SUV.”

I looked at Grant, who nodded his approval.

“Sure,” I said. “I'll find him.”

Devon held his hand out, and Poppy stepped forward and took it. She looked at me.

“Thank you,” she said in a soft voice.

I nodded. “Anytime.”

The three of them headed toward the arcade exit. Devon glanced over his shoulder at me. At first, he looked utterly serious, but then, his face split into a wide, happy grin. He'd enjoyed seeing Blake get taken down a notch just as much as I had.

I grinned back at him, then headed off to search for Felix.

 

I moved from one section of the arcade to the next, my hand on my sword, looking at everything and everyone around me. Just because Blake, Deah, and their friends had left didn't mean they couldn't double-back and try to sneak up on me. If they did that and caught me by surprise, Blake would kill me.

Just like he'd killed before.

The memories rose up in my mind. A hot summer day. A small apartment. And blood—so much blood.

On the floor, on the walls, even spattered onto the ceiling. A few white stars flashed on and off in front of my eyes in warning, but I managed to blink them away, even if I couldn't quite block out the hoarse screams they left ringing in my head—my screams.

I kept moving through the arcade, and I finally spotted Felix standing behind a cotton-candy cart—with Deah.

Her arms were crossed over her chest, and a small red bag dangled from her wrist. She kept shaking her head, while Felix held his hands out to his sides, as if he was arguing with her.

My fingers curled around the hilt of my sword, and my eyes cut left and right, but I didn't see any of the other Draconis. Just Deah and Felix.

Deah spotted me and clamped her lips shut. She gave Felix a withering glare, spun around, and stormed away. Felix's head whipped around, but when he realized it was me, his body relaxed. I walked over to him, still keeping a watch out for Blake and the other Draconis.

“What are you doing here?” he snapped. “Were you following me?”

“Yeah,” I said. “Devon and Grant took Poppy back to one of the Ito hotels. They're going to meet us at the car. They sent me to find you.”

Felix deflated a little more. “Oh. Sorry.”

“What was that about? With Deah?”

He raked a hand through his black hair. “I was apologizing to her, trying to smooth things over.”

His explanation made sense, but something about seeing them together bothered me.

“You shouldn't have done that. Blake was being a total jackass. If anyone should be apologizing, it's him. Even though there's no excuse for how he treated Poppy.”

“You really don't know anything about how Family politics work, do you?” Felix said. “It's the Draconis on top, and then everyone else below them.”

“I know that's how it works. Believe me. But that doesn't make it right.”

Felix shrugged. “Anyway, Grant's right. We should leave before things get any worse. Come on.”

He stuck his hands in his pockets and walked past me. And I realized what I'd missed before.

Felix wasn't clutching his red gift bag anymore. When she'd left, Deah had been carrying it—and she'd had a red rose tucked into her long blond hair.