“Yep,” the skinny one in baggy jeans replied as his hand dipped into his pocket.
I widened my stance. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. In fact, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll go back to the street and keep walking.”
The four of them looked between each other and then laughed. Baggy Jeans’ hand remained in his pocket.
“Has that worked before?” Hoodie Guy asked. He took a step closer, the other three following while the smallest in the group scurried toward the wall and into the shadows.
“Hey, get back out here!” Hoodie Guy snarled at Small One.
With his or her head down, they shuffled forward. “Sorry.”
“You don’t fucking hide!” Hoodie Guy barked.
Small One’s fast-moving nod had my hackles rising. Given the tone of the one word Small One had uttered, I was pretty sure he was a boy, and just a kid given his size.
I seethed. “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size, asshole?”
Hoodie Guy whipped back to me just as Baggy Jeans extracted a knife from his pocket.
Oh, for the love of the Gods. I’m seriously going to have to fight these douchebags.
“You want me to pick on you, then?” Hoodie Guy swaggered another step my way. We were now only a yard apart from each other. He eyed my purse then looked me up and down. “How about you hand over your bag, and this will be your lucky day? I won’t show you what happens when someone your size needs to be put in their place.”
I tapped my purse and brought it closer to my side. “Thanks, but I’ll pass. I happen to like this purse.”
Shocked silence surrounded the entire group for a mere moment before the other two behind Hoodie Guy pulled out switchblades too. Now, three had knives. Wonderful. Although, knives were easier to deal with than guns. But seriously, switchblades? It was like something straight out of West Side Story.
I arched an eyebrow. “Is this where I’m also supposed to pull out my knife and we all dance around each other while singing ballads?” Even though potions were still strapped to my waist, I didn’t reach for any. Instead, I bent my knees slightly and let my magic swim through my veins, heightening my senses and reflexes. “But since I don’t have any weapons, I guess you’ll just have to take me as I am. And sorry if I don’t sing. I’m not the best at staying in tune.”
Hoodie Guy growled and lunged for me. “Give me your fucking purse!”
I dodged to the side as the whoosh of his knife flew inches from my forearm.
He went flying past me, my move so fast that he hadn’t been expecting it. He lost his footing in his forward momentum, so had no chance when I kicked his knees out from behind. In the next second, he was sprawling on the ground.
I quickly changed my position, so the alley wall was to my back again, and let my magic ready my reflexes once more.
With a groan, Hoodie Guy pushed up from the pavement, as his three friends and Small One all took a big step back.
Hoodie Guy staggered to his feet. “Bitch!” he seethed and came at me swinging again.
His movements were fast but uncoordinated. I kept a close eye on his blade as my magic begged me to let it loose. I kept a tight hold on it, though, because if I didn’t, then I would have five humans witnessing my power. The last thing I needed was to haul the SF into this unfortunate run-in so the sorcerers could wipe this group’s memories clean of witnessing my magic. Something told me that would not help my cause if I ended up needing them for Tessa’s rescue.
I jumped back when Hoodie Guy swung again just as he snarled at his friends, “Cut this bitch!”
All four of them came at me at once.
Double shit. Sweat broke out along my forehead as I dipped, kicked, and bobbed. Knives flew, arms arced, legs swiped. All of us moved in a swirling dance, me in the center, and even though my magic hummed inside me and my senses were sharp and tuned, air whooshed past me much too close for my liking. Three times I was almost cut, and fuck, they were keeping me surrounded.
Hoodie Guy lashed out at my purse again. His knife grazed the strap, cutting into the leather but not severing it. The other three swung, too, and it took all of my skills to keep from getting sliced open.
“Why don’t you all fuck off?” I hissed, anger scorching through me as I swiped and kicked when the openings between my defensive blocks allowed it.
I let more of my magic out, some of my movements blurring as I spun, punched, and jabbed. So close. I was so close to stepping into territory that would require their memories to be wiped clean of witnessing my power.
Hoodie Guy howled when my fist connected with his jaw. His head snapped back, blood flying from his split lip. Small One whimpered and took a step away before ducking down to the ground and covering his ears.
“Get the fuck up and help, you shit bag!” Hoodie Guy yelled to Small One. He kicked, landing a blow to Small One’s ribs, which got a cry of pain from the kid.
Fury rose inside me, and I let a slight flare of magic shoot down my arm to my right hand. “Leave him alone!” I swung hard and let my magic connect with my hit.
Telekinetic power flowed out of me, sending Hoodie Guy sailing across the alleyway to crash against the opposite wall.
“Whoa, what the fuck, man?” Baggy Jeans took a step back just as I rounded on the remaining three.
Hoodie Guy moaned, clutching his stomach as he lay bent over on the asphalt.
“I told you all to fuck off!” I yelled just as a blur of movement appeared in my peripheral vision.
Before I could process what was happening, the Fire Wolf was beside me. He landed a solid punch on Baggy Jeans, knocking him to the ground before rounding on the other two.
“Get lost. Now!” he roared. Raw potent energy surrounded the hunter, flooding the alleyway.
Baggy Jeans staggered to his feet as he and the other two scurried back, nearly climbing over each other in their hurry to get away.
When the Fire Wolf took another menacing step toward them, they all turned and ran. And even though I was slightly offended that they hadn’t responded to me in such a way, I could see why they had to the hunter. A terrifying scowl twisted his features, and his huge fists pumped at his sides. He looked scary as fuck.
In seconds, the alleyway had cleared save for Hoodie Guy and Small One. The latter was still sitting on the ground, hands to his ears as he rocked back and forth.
A low growl rumbled in the Fire Wolf’s chest. He prowled toward Hoodie Guy who made a move to stand, but the hunter beat him to it.
He grabbed him by his clothing and hauled him up hard against the alley wall until his feet were dangling off the ground.
“I know you. You squat half a mile away under the bridge.”
Hoodie Guy’s eyes widened. “Fuck man, I don’t—”
The Fire Wolf slammed him against the wall again. “If I see you in this part of town again, I’m coming for you.”
Hoodie Guy gave a strangled cry, sounding so pathetic that for a moment I felt sorry for him, until I heard another whimper from Small One.
I hurried to the kid and crouched down as the hunter said in a deadly quiet voice to Hoodie Guy, “If I ever catch you on my turf again, you’re dead. Got it?”
Hoodie Guy made another pitiful cry as the sound of dribbling liquid splattered onto the pavement. He was wetting himself.
This time, pity did fill me. Who knew what kind of life Hoodie Guy’d had that had made him turn out to be so vicious and cruel.
The Fire Wolf released him, and Hoodie Guy tipped forward before righting himself and fleeing in the direction of where the other three had bolted.