I slid my knife gently against my forearm and activated my ward as the blood welled. The parking lot lit up in purple and gold. The dark-as-night spell was still active, shielding us from the view of any bystanders, but the dim light from my ward at least allowed us to see.
“Evie?” I turned, scanning desperately.
My feet left the ground as someone slammed into me. I gasped uselessly for air, winded from the bad landing as we rolled. We came to a stop with the guy straddling me.
Purple light gleamed off a blade as he raised his hand. I stabbed my Mark II into the asshole’s abdomen and he screamed. But it didn’t slow him down as his knife arched toward my throat.
My power roared up without warning, throwing him off me. He flew twenty feet and slammed into the side of my apartment, crumpling to the ground.
Neato.
“Dani!”
I whirled. Across the parking lot, a tall, bearded man was attempted to pull Evie into the back of a black SUV. She slid on the ground, kicking out at him desperately. I charged toward them, my legs pumping.
Evie lifted her hands and his shirt caught on fire, but he simply pulled it off with one hand. He swung his other hand, the crack echoing through the dome of my ward as he slapped her.
This time I reached for my Colt. Evie could be trusted to hit the ground when I aimed for him.
Movement in the corner of my eye.
I ducked as a meaty fist slid inches from my face. If he’d connected, it would’ve put me me down for good. His other hand hit my inner elbow and my arm went instantly numb.
My gun flew from my hand, landing several feet away.
I buried my other fist into his gut, then immediately darted back out of his reach. He didn’t even grunt.
He probably had a hundred pounds on me, and he was fast. I bobbed and weaved as he advanced, keeping my gaze on his shoulders. They telegraphed his movements before his eyes, which were so dark they appeared black.
Who the fuck were these guys, and why did they want my sister?
I ducked again and this time Black-Eyes kicked out, almost making contact. I ground my teeth. My ward was keeping the darkness at bay, but whatever spell they’d used was strong. I was unused to using my power for more than a few seconds while keeping a ward up, and I could feel it sapping my strength.
If I dropped the ward, Evie would be in the dark. And I’d bet these guys could see through whatever spell they’d used.
So no magic.
Fine.
The next time he swung, I dodged left. My mind was across the parking lot, but I had to trust Evie to look after herself.
Black-eyes snarled, pulling a blade. “Kill you, cunt.”
I faked a yawn. “Get on with it.”
Two people fighting with knives usually meant two idiots were about to end up dead.
My hand itched for my Colt, which was lying on the ground behind him, waiting for me. If I could get to it, I could end this quick. But Black-eyes wasn’t exactly going to let me tip-toe past him and shoot him in the back.
My new utility belt had five of my throwing knives lined up in individual sheaths along my hip. They wouldn’t kill him. It was unlikely I’d even be able to seriously hurt him. But I could piss him off.
I threw the first knife and he lunged to the side, giving me a second to throw a quick glance behind me at Evie.
She was still on the ground, kicking out at her attacker, but even from here I could see she was using the movement to cover the way she reached for her knife.
Time slowed down, until everything came into startling focus. The bearded guy snapped something at Evie, reaching for her wrist again.
She allowed him to take it, and he pulled her up from the ground. My ward glinted off her blade as she used the momentum to bury her knife in his thigh.
