Monica waved her hand in a vague gesture to our surroundings, saying, “We’re an extremely conservative bunch actually, and we prefer to have more clothes on than less. Nothing against dressing sexy, but it’s not just our thing – despite what others may think about us. Dion understands this, and that’s why he’s opened smaller clubs like TVF where we’re only expected to sing and entertain guests and nothing else.”
“That woman, on the other hand—-” The siren tapped on the photo I was holding and gave me an apologetic smile. “She seems more human than siren to me, if you know what I mean?”
I did, unfortunately, and I found myself mulling over the siren’s words as I stepped out of The Voice Factor and pulled the hood of my jacket back up. I had never thought of comparing humans to supernaturals and immortals before, but if I did or if I had to, I knew my opinion wouldn’t be any different from Monica’s. My life itself before training as a witch in Silver Mist taught me that. Humans were all about the material trappings, and some of them were willing to go to appalling lengths for it. Could my Jane Doe be the same? Was all this for the money – even if it meant putting so many innocent lives at risk?
I knew I was being naïvely disappointed about all of this, but I couldn’t help it. Roseanne could get annoying at times, but it didn’t make her evil. All the other supernaturals and immortals I had met were nice or at least honorable, and none of the cases I had to handle for CSI involved anything more serious than petty theft.
I heaved a great sigh as I rounded the corner, miserable at the thought of having to capture a supernatural criminal motivated purely by something as basic as greed. It just wasn’t right –
A zigzag-shaped thunderbolt suddenly flashed in the sky, its razor sharp tip heading dangerously close to me.
Aaaah!
I jumped out of the way as the bolt struck the ground with a terrifyingly loud zap. A short distance away – no, above me – I heard several frantic voices yelling in the midst of more zapping thunderbolts and the unmistakable whizzing of brooms flying overhead.
Agents, I realized faintly. One of the last things I had heard from Iris’ broadcast was of CIA agents using spells to attract most of the thunderbolts towards our town. Silver Mist we had more homes that were magically protected and lower human populations. Our chances of surviving were a lot better compared to other places—-
The ground suddenly started to tremble, distracting me from my thoughts. An earthquake? I slowly turned around, and that was when my gaze fell on the thunderbolt that had nearly struck me. It was vibrating so hard it seemed about to burst into pieces –what on Gaea was happening?
The thunderbolt suddenly ripped itself free, and I could only watch in horrified silence as it froze mid-air before bending forward like a bull about to charge – towards me.
I broke into a run even as my mind struggled to regain its grasp on reality. Not once, in the hundred or so books I had read on Greek myths, had it been mentioned that Zeus’ thunderboltscould function as precision-guided missiles that seemed as bloodthirsty and unshakable as one of Ramsay Snow’s human-eating hounds.
My lungs felt fit to burst as the shouts overhead became more frantic. Lightning flashed, too close for comfort, and I looked over my shoulder just in time to see the thunderbolt gaining ground –
I jumped out of its way as the bolt made a frightening lunge towards me. A groan escaped my lips as my back hit the wet, hard ground, and I cried out when I saw my wand slip out of my pocket, leaving me completely defenseless.
My body started to roll down the sloping road – fast. I caught a blur of images as pain threatened to take over my consciousness: the thunderbolt once again trying to shake itself free from the earth, the battle-scarred skies, with agents on brooms swooping in all directions as they chased stray bolts. I started to close my eyes when my gaze accidentally clashed with another stray bolt.
It jerked to a stop, and my breath caught.
The thunderbolt bent towards me, and I thought sickly,Gaea help me.
So that was how it chose its target.
Everything happened so fast after that, and in the last few seconds I could only seem to absorb snatches of reality: the unstoppable slide of my body as the wet road continued its downward plunge towards the intersection, my hands and knees scraping against the rough asphalt as I tried to change course, my heart thudding against my chest as I realized that I waspositioned dead center in the thunderbolt’s crosshairs – and finally, the heat.
Like a white-hot sun reaching towards you for an electrifying kiss, so hot that I felt it singe the tips of my hair. My lips parted in a scream as I wondered if this was truly the end.
And then – darkness, and I opened my eyes to see a shadow eclipsing my view. A moment later, the darkness glided back and I gasped just as the sound of screaming metal rang in my ears.
My blurred gaze helplessly followed his every movement: I watched him break the flaming bolt into half with his bare hands, watched the way the thunderbolt’s fiery glow died flickering to its last ember in its hold, and finally, just as my injured body stiffened in anticipation and an awful twinge pinched my heart, I watched the way he turned towards me, his own eyes blazing a bright hazel.
Paul.
Chapter Nine
“I MADE YOU TEA.” THEYwere not the first words that I had expected Paul to speak, but I was relieved all the same. It was so much better than ‘I told you so’, which I knew I deserved.
Less than an hour had passed since Paul had driven me back home. I was now ensconced in my own couch, a thick blanket around my shoulders, and feeling warm and cozy after my hot shower.
I watched him pour tea into two porcelain cups, every inch the consummate gentleman. He had changed into another suit after his shower, making me wonder just how many of those dark-colored ensembles he had stored in his car. As he turned towards me, I saw the way the slightly wet locks of his hair shone like golden rays under the fluorescent lighting. It was a dazzling sight, and my senses quivered.
Mr. Handsome. Home. Shower.
It was much too intimate a thought, and I hastily shoved it aside as Paul handed me a steaming cup of chamomile tea. “T-Thanks.” I tried to lift the cup to my lips, but it was impossible. My hands had suddenly started shaking, and I stared at them in consternation. I thought I was okay. I should be okay, so why –
I heard Paul sigh, and I stiffened when I saw him rise to his feet. “It’s fine,” I said immediately. “I can—-”
