Rivals (21 page)

Ethan motioned to her and zipped his lips shut.
She won’t talk.
He displayed a final snotty head toss to finish.

Danato pointed at him, made an alligator hand movement, and pointed to Cori.
You talk to her.

Ethan pointed to himself. He pointed at Cori. He made a strangling motion.

Judging by the scowl on his face, Danato didn’t like that gesture one bit. Given their history it was a bit brash.

Ethan waved his hand to erase the gesture. He motioned to her, and pulled his hands to his chest.
She needs to come to me.

Danato shook his head. He pointed at Ethan and then pressed his hand on his chest. He leaned in for a response and mouthed
Do you love her?

He nodded
. Yes.

Danato pointed to her, then him, then his heart.

Ethan shrugged in response to what he thought was a question of her love.

Danato shook his head. He pointed to himself, his head, her, his heart, and then Ethan.
I know she loves you.
He pointed to Ethan with one hand, he pointed to Cori with the other, and then he brought his hands together in the middle.

Ethan nodded. Danato waved him passage to her before getting up and heading to his bedroom.

Ethan gulped down the last of his wine, and Danato’s, before taking the empty glasses to the sink. Cori scrubbed her dishes with her back to him.

He came up behind her slowly and placed the wine glasses in her dirty side. She jumped. He braced his hands on either side of the sink, encapsulating her in a touch-less embrace.

“Hi,” he said softly behind her ear.

“Hi,” she said. “I got this, don’t worry about it.”

“You did well on your test?” he asked.

“Yup,” she said as she washed the wine glasses.

“Smart girl.” He moved his left hand to tuck a piece of her soft hair behind her ear. “You cut your hair for the test, didn’t you?”

“Yup.” She nodded, pushing the same piece of hair behind her ear.

“That’s smart too,” he said, putting his hand back on the sink. He moved just slightly forward so it was no longer a touch-less embrace. He kissed the back of her head. He wanted to kiss her neck. He wanted to pull her head back and kiss her lips, but he didn’t. He kissed the back of her head.

“I guess.”

“I like your haircut.” She didn’t say anything. “Getting back to the conversation you had with Daniel…” Her hands slowed, until they finally gave up washing completely. “You are smart, cocky, stubborn, argumentative, beautiful, a pain in my ass, and sexy as hell.” She didn’t say anything, but he felt her body tense. “Did you hear me?” She nodded. He butted heads with her. “What did I say?”

“You said I’m a stubborn pain in your ass.”

“Yes, and what else did I say.”

“You said I’m not ugly.”

“Say it,” he growled in her ear.

“You said I’m beautiful... and sexy,” she whispered.

“Damn straight you are. From here on out, you are not allowed in a room alone with Daniel, understand?”

“Gladly.”

“Now turn around and give me a hug, you stubborn pain in my ass. Damn if I didn’t miss you.” Cori turned and tucked her hands under his arms. He enveloped her body and rested his head on hers. He closed his eyes and drank in the smell of her apple shampoo. He could tell he was squeezing a little too hard, but he didn’t want her to try to pull away too soon.

Even as he pulled her closer, she latched on that much tighter to his back. He couldn’t help but feel the heat in her body tempting the heat in his. He was painfully aware of how their last heartfelt embrace had ended. As much as he wanted to relive that tender electric kiss, he wanted to stick to the plan. Until Cori acknowledged her feelings to him or at the very least instigated an electric kiss herself, he wasn’t going to do anything.

When he opened his eyes and prepared to disengage, he saw a dark gray blob hanging on her back. “Holy crap.” The blob unfurled and hissed lazily at him. His rat-like features were far less frightening than the girth of his belly. “Cori.” Ethan pulled back and looked at her.

“I know; he’s huge.” Her face was fraught with embarrassment.

“What have you been feeding him?” he asked, examining the dip in her shoulder. “Please tell me I’m not the cause for all that.”

“Not exactly,” she groaned.

“Come on.” Ethan took her hand, led her into the living room, and sat her on the couch. He sat on the armrest and started to massage the sunken shoulder. She hissed as his hands found the source of strain on her muscles. After a little more pressure, she relaxed into his grip. He had had so few opportunities to touch her body freely. He couldn’t help but think about other ways he wanted to touch her. “What is making him so fat?”

“First it was you. Then there was the rejection of my application for warden. Then there were the elementals, then you again.” She took in a deep breath and cracked her neck. She exhaled an appreciative sigh. “There. I think I needed that.”

Ethan eased the pressure on his hands and came to a good stopping point. He didn’t want to stop, but he needed to. He slipped down between her and the arm of the couch. He sat behind her, hoping she might lean back against him, which she did.

“Why didn’t you come back to see me after the elemental escape?” She shifted so she could look back at him.

He debated what to tell her, but he decided he needed to be honest. “Fear. Fear that you would be the same, and I would be the same. I may not have a sorrow demon on my shoulder to prove it, but it hurt like hell leaving the first time. I didn’t want to do it again.”

“What about now? What happens when you leave this time?”

“I’m still afraid, but I couldn’t miss this. I wanted to see you kick dragon ass.”

“Maybe you wouldn’t have to go again. Maybe you could just stay. You can be my Belus.”

Ethan smiled. He reached for her hand, but stopped himself. “As much as I would like that, I’m kind of stuck. I’ve unfortunately paid the price for my loyalty. I have enough assignments to last me another six months. I don’t exactly think I can quit and come back. Not unless that dragon gets the best of you tomorrow.” Cori looked a little confused, but she nodded. “Oh, I almost forgot. I brought you something.”

“What?”

“A gift.”

A smile perked to her lips. “You got me a present?”

“Why don’t you check my coat pocket?” He winked at her and nodded to the coat rack by the door.

She ran to the coat rack like a child to a Christmas tree and started digging through his pockets. He could have told her which pocket it was in, but he preferred to watch her scavenge. From his inside pocket she drew out a long blue hinged box, the type one finds necklaces in.

“Is this it?” He nodded. She walked back over and sat on the coffee table in front of him. Danato would have objected, but he wasn’t there.

He repositioned himself to watch her open it, but she didn’t. She stared at the box. “Aren’t you going to open it?”

“I haven’t gotten a present in…” She lost her smile, but only for a second. “Thank you.”

“You’re more thrilled with receiving the gift than the actual gift. Come on, you’re making me antsy.”

Cori bit her lower lip and opened the box. Nine brightly polished gold rings lined the box. Her smile faded and her shoulders dropped. She looked up at him.

He grimaced. “I’m sorry, Cori, I thought they would be right up your alley. You don’t have to wear them.”

“They’re perfect,” she said, regaining her smile.

“Are you sure? I had them made from that wizard’s medallion necklace I… stole.”

“Why only nine? Did they run out?” she asked.

“No, I have the tenth. I just didn’t want to presume you wouldn’t want to wear your original one.” Ethan nodded to the old gold ring on her thumb. She took all nine gold rings from the box and placed them on her fingers. “I debated on size, but I can always get them fitted.”

“They’re perfect, Ethan. I can’t believe you did this. I can’t believe you thought of this, or even remembered…” She shook her head.

“So did I take a little snack away from that sorrow demon?”

She nodded. “You took a whole meal away.” She paused, looking him over. “I really missed you.”

“Well, of course. I’m the guy who brings you jewelry,” he jibed.

“No,” she said firmly. “I really missed you.”

He nodded. It wasn’t an admission of love by any means, but it was a step in the right direction. “That’s good to hear, Cori. I really missed you too.”

“Can I show them to Danato?”

“Yeah, but don’t tell him what they’re made out of.” Cori kissed him on the cheek and ran off to show Danato her nine little gifts.    

40

As the morning went by, dignitaries arrived in groups of two and three. Cori greeted them all in the main foyer before the guards escorted each one to the gym. Each one was introduced to her as if she were royalty, and they her loyal servants.

The gym had been transformed from a giant pseudo airplane hangar with a tiny little workout area, to a giant pseudo airplane hangar with a tiny little bleacher area. The hard, cold metal seating seemed inappropriate for the caliber of people arriving, but it was either that or stay standing.

Aside from a lack of snacks and beverages, the gym had started to look like a cocktail party. A low murmur of multiple languages spread over the room of fifty men and women.

Once everyone had arrived, Cori stood off to one side looking the part of a wallflower. Only, instead of being shy and introverted with a preference for small intimate gatherings, she was terrified and antisocial with a preference for running like hell before the dragon arrived.

She was starting to wonder if everyone had come there purely out of bloodlust. She’d had only eight months to train for this test and there was a distinct possibility that she might die. Given the caliber of her competition, failure could mean being his lunch. 

She looked around the room at all the smiling faces dressed in their Sunday best. They didn’t seem concerned about the ensuing bloodbath of A-negative that would be staining their designer clothes. Her Saturday worst—a pair of cargo pants and a “Bite Me” t-shirt—looked out of place. She had found great amusement in the t-shirt that morning, but as time went on, the humor waned.

“Don’t,” Danato said as he came to join her on the sidelines. He was also in his Sunday best, which turned out to be a good look for him: Gray slacks and matching button-up shirt with a black sweater vest. He was even clean-shaven, which was a rare concession.

She looked up at him trying to find the source of his objection.

“Don’t psych yourself out. These people have nothing to do with today.”

“They are but mere observers to the untimely death of a stupid, stubborn girl,” she quipped.

“I would normally object to the description of stupid,” Danato said with a shrug, “but you are about to fight a dragon just so you can spend the remainder of your life trying to safeguard prisoners that at any moment could kill you.”

Cori nodded. “I’m actually more concerned about the paperwork aspect,” she deadpanned.

“As you should be,” Danato retorted.

Cori waved to Ethan as he came in the door. She was relieved to see him in jeans and a t-shirt. Instead of his usual skintight black t-shirt, he wore a bright hot pink t-shirt with big words on the front that said, “
YES I AM.
” Cori smiled at the audacious shirt that already answered the question that it begged: “
You’re wearing that?
” Suddenly her own t-shirt didn’t seem so out of place.

Danato gave Ethan a once over as he came in. Ethan smiled broadly at him, and propped his hands on his hips and nodded. “Was there something you wanted to ask me, Danato?” Ethan’s head bobbed as if he were daring the big man to bite on the joke.

Danato shook his head and looked away, not willing to participate in the game. “You’re as bad as she is.”
Ethan smirked over at her and she stretched her t-shirt out to show her style for the day. “Funny and slightly masochistic,” he joked. 

Cori smiled, pleased to offer someone amusement for her efforts, but she couldn’t keep it long. She was starting to feel sick with nerves. This entire situation was a masochistic endeavor and she was the star. A star that was about to fall. 

“Belus,” Ethan interrupted Belus’s approach to Danato. “What do you think of my homage to Cori?”

Belus paused to look over the hot pink atrocity. A small smile played at the corner of his mouth. “I don’t think that means what you think it does, kid.” As Ethan re-examined his shirt, Belus turned to Danato. “They’re ready.”

“Okay.” Danato nodded and glanced over at her. “Let’s give a few more minutes.”

Belus nodded and moved back into the crowd.

Ethan looked over the bustling room. “What’s with all the stiffs?”

“Observers, board members, and judges,” Danato answered.