Magic Dark Magic Divine Page 2

  I could try to outrun the Jigori, but it would follow my scent until it got me.

  The Jigori gnashed its teeth and prepared to pounce at me when the Fire Conjurer groaned and recaptured its attention. In seconds it had the man pinned.

  He screamed as his magic burst from his body, violently cleaved from his soul by the Jigori, who swallowed it just as it’d done the Suniksu. I couldn’t stand by and watch the Jigori kill him.

  So I did the only thing I could think of. I body-slammed the Jigori.

  We rolled, and the world was blacked out as I was engulfed in the Jigori’s nightmarish shadows.

  Its claws raked down my arm and I resisted screaming because I didn’t want any part of this creature sucked inside me. Its scorching hot breath felt like it was melting my skin as it snapped a little too close to my neck for comfort.

  I disentangled myself as quickly as I could, but now the Jigori turned its full attention on me. I was between it and the Fire Conjurer, and I had no idea if he was still alive, but then again, I had no idea if I’d still be alive in a few minutes. The Jigori wasn’t going to leave until it ate my magic, and I had no Divine power to stop it.

  Then I realized there might be a solution out of this after all.

  With the Suniksu gone, the smoke had started to dissipate and I realized we were near the edge of the park, beyond which was the Hudson River.

  Time for the Jigori to go for a dive.

  I picked up a large rock and hurled it at the Jigori, who nimbly dodged it. I hadn’t been aiming to wound it, though, just get it moving.

  I continued picking things up and throwing them at it.

  It backed up for a while, then got tired of the game and charged at me. I made a wide circle and ran toward the edge of the grounds. There were a couple of metal poles in the grass, so I picked them up, quickly Shaped the ends to points, and launched them at the Jigori. One landed in its left hind leg, and the other buried itself in its chest. But I might as well have tickled it for all it did to slow it down.

  I’d maneuvered myself so I was standing with my back to the edge of the cliff. The Jigori ran toward me, but I held still and released a breath, trying to ground myself. The Jigori screeched and jumped, its writhing shadows, sharp claws, and open jowls filling my vision.

  At the last second, I dropped down, brought my legs up, and put as much power as I could into kicking it over my head and off the edge. I quickly rolled over and exhaled in relief when I saw it tumble off. I crawled forward and looked down, but saw no trace of it.

  Whether it had gone under or used the shadows in the cliffside to escape, I didn’t know, but what mattered was that it was gone. I should make myself scarce, too, in case it returned.

  I stood up, taking stock of my injuries.

  I was plenty bruised, and the side of my right arm stung from the Jigori’s claws, but the cuts didn’t feel too deep. My dress with the pretty geometric pattern was a lost cause, but I had to give it credit for not getting completely shredded.

  I retreated, and it wasn’t long before I located the Fire Conjurer. He was surrounded by EMTs, so I couldn’t get close, but I didn’t get the feeling he was still alive.

  There was nothing I could do for him. I wished I could find out who he was and where he’d come from. I didn’t know how to begin processing that I’d come across another magic user when no one had been born with magic in three hundred years.

  Had he taken a trip through time like me? Or had he somehow been born with magic?

  But the bigger question was, why hadn’t he been in control of his magic?

  Elemental constructs weren’t inherently violent, they behaved in accordance to the Conjurer controlling them. The Suniksu had raged because the Conjurer’s control had been compromised.

  I was going to give myself a headache trying to puzzle this out. But for the time being, I had to find…

  “Penn!” I turned to see Gideon and Toji running toward me. They looked disheveled and shocked, but thankfully unhurt. Gideon flung his arms around me, then pulled back and held me by my shoulders. “What the hell was that!”

  “A Suniksu,” I said. “Created by a Fire Conjurer…”

  “Yeah, I kind of figured that. Which is both incredible and horrifying and we need to talk about it at length later…but I meant what the hell were you thinking taking off toward it?”

  “I wanted to help.”

  “Oh? Because you’re a karate instructor, that means you can take on a rampaging fire creature?”

  I swallowed down my desire to yell that taking care of dangerous people and creatures was exactly what I did. Or had done. When I was a warrior and bounty hunter. I didn’t live in that world anymore, but I was still the same person. And that was the problem.

  “Did you see how many people got badly burned by that thing?” Gideon ranted. “One of them could have been you! We have been looking for you everywhere and you traipse back covered in bruises and…is your arm bleeding? Really, Penn…”

  “Gi, stop,” Toji said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Take a breath. Penn is still alive and she was just trying to help in her own way.”

  Gideon exhaled loudly, still glaring at me. “Fine.”

  “Sorry I worried you.” I gave him an apologetic smile.

  “Hmph.” But he hugged me again. “How did you stop it, anyway?”

  “I knocked the guy unconscious, which broke his connection to the Suniksu, but something wasn’t right with him. His magic was out of control. I’m not sure he’s going to be okay.” I didn’t mention the Jigori because I didn’t want to freak them out more. Gideon was trembling slightly, and his eyes were too wide. As deeply fascinated as he was with the magic-era, I couldn’t imagine how he felt about experiencing magic in such a destructive way.

  “A lot of people were hurt,” Toji said. “I tried to help some of them until the paramedics arrived.” Toji was an RN, so he was more used to stressful situations, but his face still looked haunted. I gave him a hug, too.

  “Let’s get out of here.” My stomach was in knots thinking about the Jigori coming back.

  “We need to buy wine before we get home,” Gideon said to Toji as we walked away. “A lot of wine.”

  Chapter Two

  I blocked a jab from my opponent by ducking low, sweeping my leg out, and landing him flat on his back.

  I stood up quickly and danced back, my arms up in guard, knowing he wouldn’t be down for long. I rotated my body as he was coming with a hook strike, slipped past it, and caught him with a cross jab that I followed through with a side kick that sent him down again.

  “Very good!” A man in his sixties, dressed in a white karategi with a black belt around his waist, stepped forward. “Thank you, Pennrae and Jamil for your demonstration.” Sensei Takahara turned to the crowd that had been watching us. “I will tell you about some of the moves they performed…”

  Jamil flipped up to his feet and tossed his waist-length locs over his shoulder. “Some power behind that kick. Did you forget this was a demonstration?”

  “Doesn’t mean we had to phone it in.” I took a deep breath, letting the tension of the fight ease from my body.

  I hadn’t slept well, and the events of the previous day were still with me. I felt okay physically, at least. As a magic user I had accelerated healing, and I’d also made poultices and balms my Tamer sister, Kinari, had taught me during my magic-era lifetime. They’d done wonders for the cut on my arm and all the bruising. An hour-long yoga session before breakfast had also helped stretch my muscles.

  Jamil and I moved to the side where the other instructors were lined up, while a couple students bowed, then walked onto the mat.

  Through sheer bad luck, the instructor I ended up standing next to was Callan, whose lips were twisted in a smirk.

  “Not bad,” he commented. “But you missed an
opportunity to land a palm strike that would have been really impressive. The leg sweep was a bit crooked, too. And you rely on side strikes a bit too much.”

  “And you can shove a Bo up your ass,” I muttered.

  He’d been working at the dojo for only a few months but had already gotten on all my bad sides. I gave him a sidelong glance.

  When I’d first met him, I’d given him eye-candy points; a bit over six feet, a lean but muscled physique, a head of tight curls that he kept longer on top with the sides faded, brown skin a few shades darker than mine that seemed allergic to any kind of blemish, and long-lashed gray eyes. Then he’d opened his mouth and I’d just wanted to kick his teeth in.

  “If you need touch-up training, I’m happy to help,” he said. He was saved from my biting response by the fact that Sensei Takahara called him to the mat next.

  I was proud of the self-control I showed not to trip him. Why did he get under my skin so easily? I took a deep breath and tried to ease the frown from my face as Callan retrieved two Tonfa staffs from the weapons table, then walked to the middle of the mat.

  After bowing, he performed a series of offensive and defensive moves with the Tonfa, while incorporating kicks and spins. The icing on the cake was when his black belt, which should be immovably secure, unraveled. His robe flapped opened, revealing enough of his chest and abs to bring an audible gasp from some members of the audience.

  I did a slow blink, then rolled my eyes. Sensei Takahara did not look pleased, but didn’t call for him to stop. Callan deftly shrugged out of his robe and continued his demonstration completely bare chested, with the impressive tattoo that curled over the left side of his chest and upper arm adding to the shirtless appeal.

  “Why do I feel like I’ve suddenly stepped into an anime?” Jamil whispered, almost causing a bark of laughter to escape.

  “Blatant fan service,” I said.

  “I didn’t know we could be topless,” another instructor, Mei, said. “I can’t wait until it’s my turn.” The rest of us snickered.

  When Callan’s demonstration was over, he received an enthusiastic round of applause as he walked back over.

  “Saw something you like?” he asked, grinning.

  I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, a couple throwing stars your chest would have made good target practice for.”

  After the last instructor bowed and walked off the mat, Sensei gave his usual speech for beginners interested in joining, and we instructors dispersed into the crowd to chat and answer questions. More people sought Callan’s attention than any of the rest of us. Why yes, train with us and you too can turn into a pompous jerk with a nice set of abs.

  About an hour later, everyone had left and just the instructors and students remained to get the training room in order again.

  “Showcase day is always fun, but I’m glad it’s over,” Jamil said, folding up the table the weapons had been displayed on. It was the last thing to carry out of the room. “Back to business as usual tomorrow. See ya.”

  I said goodbye, then realized Callan and I were the only ones left in the room. Well, now seemed like a good time for me to exit as well, so I headed toward the locker room.

  “Spar with me, Penn.”

  I turned and raised an eyebrow at Callan, who was standing on the mat with his arms folded across his chest. “Pass, but thanks.”

  “Afraid you can’t handle me?”

  “I’d wipe the floor with you.” If he only knew the kind of weapons and combat training I’d had, he wouldn’t be so cocky. Fighting disciplines that were around today were well and good, but they still paled in comparison to what I’d learned a long, long time ago.

  “I didn’t hear much confidence behind that,” he teased.

  “You’re really determined to lose, huh?”

  “Never said that,” he said with a laugh. “I’ve sparred with everyone else and beat them. You’re the last for my win column.”

  He was baiting me, I knew that, but I really wanted to wipe that full-of-himself grin off his face. So I took a deep, calming breath, smoothed my robe, and made sure my belt was secure. Then I started to do a series of light stretches.

  “Fine,” I said, watching a smile curl Callan’s lips. I was going to relish seeing that smile turn into shock.

  Callan started bouncing on his toes, watching me as I approached.

  I stopped a few feet away from him and we bowed, then we both snapped into a guard stance and started to circle each other. We’d see what he had to say about my techniques after I was done with him.

  He started with a jab. Easy enough to parry away from.

  I threw out a front kick, which he blocked, then came at me with an elbow strike that grazed my ribs. I put my arms up in guard and danced back as he tried to land various punches. I let them bounce off my guard, then dropped and did a sweeping kick, hoping to knock his legs out from under him. He moved out of the way in time, though, and caught me with a cross punch to the shoulder.

  “That all you got?”

  I didn’t reply, just got back into a guard stance and started circling him.

  As we alternated between punching, blocking, guarding, and parrying, it wasn’t long before I was sweating and my lungs felt the slight burn of exertion. The more we fought, I realized I was enjoying it because of how evenly matched we were.

  As I was distracted with that thought, he swept my legs out from under me and I landed hard on my back. The air whooshed out of me and I lay there stunned for a moment before Callan was looming over me.

  “Now, I could kick you while you were down,” he said. “But I think…”

  I didn’t let him finish the sentence. I took in a breath and flipped to my feet, causing him to jump back quickly. Heat flushed through my body. He thought he had me with one sweeping kick? Callan’s smirk was back and so was my annoyance. I spied the wall behind him and inhaled slowly.

  I ran past Callan, did a run halfway up the wall, kicked off, and swung my legs around his neck. I locked my legs and dropped my body back, using the momentum to flip Callan over my head once my palms hit the floor. He hit the mat hard, with me on top of him in a straddle position. I snapped one hand around his throat and reared my other fist back.

  “This is how this move ends,” I said. But of course I wasn’t going to punch his lights out while I had him in a chokehold. Even though it was tempting.

  Our eyes locked, and I expected to see him raging that I had him pinned, but instead, he was looking at me in…wonder?

  The dojo was suddenly deathly quiet, the only sound our labored breathing as we stared at each other, and I became more and more aware of the fact that I was straddling his waist.

  The look in his eyes was intense, and not in his usual, cocky way. I eased my hand off his throat and moved off him, taking a few steps back as he stood up.

  “That was incredible. A move like that…” He didn’t seem to know how to finish the sentence.

  “Right.” I cleared my throat. “Good fight.” I executed a hurried bow and turned to make my exit.

  “Do you…want to go grab a drink?” he called after me.

  I stopped and did a slow, dramatic turn. “Say what now?”

  “Drinks. With me,” he said. “Do you want to…”

  I released a bark of laughter. I couldn’t help it. “Callan, most of our conversations since we’ve met have been…acidic, let’s say. And now I impress you with some over-the-top move and you wanna grab drinks? I kick your butt and now you like me? Give me a break.”

  “That’s not it,” he said, shaking his head. “That was a great fight…a really great fight. And yeah, I know we mostly bicker, but we’ve also never spent time around each other outside the dojo. Maybe we could be friends if we got to know each other.”

  “Um…” I found myself unable to form a single sentence.

  “One
drink,” he said, flashing a smile. “Maybe two. My treat, even, for your win.”

  “Fine, we can grab drinks.” I wasn’t sure why the hell I had agreed, but the words had been said. His smile widened.

  “Meet you outside in ten, then,” he said before jogging over to the men’s locker room.

  I stared after him, then shook my head and headed to the locker room, freshening up and swapping my gi for denim cutoffs and a striped, sleeveless blouse.

  I had wiped the floor with him like I’d said I would, so I could at least get a buzz and gloat about it at his expense.

  …

  The dojo was near Union Square, so Callan and I walked a short distance to St. Marks and ended up at a basement dive bar called Down Yer Gullet.

  Colorful light danced over us from the bulbs that crisscrossed the ceiling. Bassy music made conversation at a normal level almost impossible, so Callan had to lean close to ask what I wanted to drink. I caught a whiff of his cologne and his cheek brushed mine as he pulled away to get the bartender’s attention. Well, he smelled good, I had to admit.

  As I took in the sleeveless hooded tank, dark jeans, and flip-flop sandals he wore, I realized it was maybe the first time I’d seen him in anything other than his karategi.

  Callan found success and came over with a Dark and Stormy for me and beer for himself.

  He held his drink up and I rolled my eyes but smiled as I knocked my glass against his bottle. “Cheers to your win.”

  “You know, I gotta say, I’m surprised you accepted your defeat with such humility,” I said, taking a sip of my drink. “Just don’t come back and say you lost because you were so wiped out from flashing your chest around during the showcase.” It felt a bit strange to be hanging out with Callan as opposed to trading barbs at the dojo, but I was starting to relax.

  He laughed. “Sensei Takahara really wasn’t pleased. He gave me a piece of his mind and then some. And took me off the schedule for the rest of the week.”

  “A punishment for you and a treat for the rest of us,” I teased. “Was your little stunt worth it?”