“No. I figured if she started to burn me, I’d just choke her out,” the guy said congenially, as if chatting with a friend. “So. Do we have a deal or not?”
Theo paused, as if considering.
Ginny gasped. “Seriously? You’re honestly thinking of making a deal?” Her voice came out a little squeaky. Soot marred her forehead, and a bruise was already forming on her left cheekbone where the asshole had hit her. “Theo?”
“Where’s the file you stole from me?” he asked, stopping three feet away from the duo.
Her eyes bugged. “Are you jesting?”
He lifted a shoulder.
Sirens sounded in the distance.
The guy blanched. “Hey, we have to get out of here. Fast.”
Theo nodded. “Seriously, Ginny. Can’t you fight at all?”
“I hit you in the eye,” she said, a little color filling her face. “It’s been a long day.” Her lips trembled, and she renewed her struggles, pushing back and obviously trying to toss the guy over her head. It wasn’t even close as a contest. Strength-wise, she appeared tapped.
“What’s wrong with you?” Theo murmured. Even though the guy was much larger, she was a witch and should at least have some moves. But she appeared as helpless as a human female. Would she really push her charade of helplessness in a situation like this? His gut churned. Either she was that dishonest…or there was something wrong with her. “Fight him.”
“I’m trying.” Tears filled her eyes, and damn if they didn’t look real.
Men’s shouts echoed up from the stairwell.
“They’re coming. We have to go and meet my secondary team on floor two.” The guy started dragging her toward the door. “I have two more men waiting for us, and they’ll head this way if we don’t hurry. Let’s get out of here.”
Theo nodded. “Okay. I’ll take point.” He ignored Ginny’s gasp and started for the door, turning at the last second and punching the guy in the temple.
The guy fell back, and Theo followed him, nailing him directly in the throat.
Ginny sagged against the wall.
Theo grabbed her hand and her suitcase. “I hope you’re as good in that dress as you act. We’re taking the fire escape.” All but dragging her, he hustled through the disaster of the hotel room for the far windows.
She grasped her laptop bag on the way, stumbling next to him. One of her sparkly shoes fell off, and she kept going, kicking off the other one. They looked slippery, so it was probably a good call. “We’re eight floors up,” she gasped through the smoke and streaming water.
“I know,” he said grimly. “You can explain what the fuck is going on with you on the way down.” If the humans or the other witches didn’t catch them first.
* * * *
Ginny gathered her skirts the best she could and followed Theo down the hard metal fire escape. Snow and ice covered the metal, and a cold December wind blew hard against them. He’d gone first, no doubt preparing to catch her if she fell. The man had no clue how close she was to actually fainting.Reallyfainting. Her ears rang, and her entire body ached from her attempts to fight.
Tears gathered in her eyes from the damn unfairness of it all, and she angrily batted them away.
“Hurry, honey,” Theo said from below her, gracefully going backward down the zillion steps.
Honey. He’d called her honey. And he’d kicked some serious witch butt when defending her. The idea warmed her entire chest, and she tried to ignore the feeling. They were enemies, and she had to remember that fact. If he won, she lost. So she’d have to figure a way out of this mess.
Once they were on the ground.
She swallowed and looked straight ahead at the worn brick. Staying at old and seedy hotels had advantages…mainly outdoor fire escapes. Her foot missed a rung, and she slipped. “Theo,” she gasped, just as she fell.
He caught her around the waist on a landing. “Damn it.” Grabbing her skirt, he ripped it across the bottom, leaving her legs bare from the knees down. “There. That should—” He paused and looked down at her ankle. “What the hell?”
“No time.” She grabbed a rung and started heading down, ignoring the diamond and gold spiked ankle bracelet. The sirens sounded closer, and blue and red swirling lights cut through the darkness of the night. A firetruck rolled by the main street, and shouting voices echoed from up above.
Adrenaline gave her strength, and without the skirt hampering her, she quickly made it to the litter-covered street.
