Touch of Fire

Dancing With The Devil

Nina smiled at me as soon as she saw me. She smirked at my outfit and I found myself grinning right back.

" Kaz certainly has taste doesn't he?" Nina stated as she led us out of the club into the busy afternoon streets of Ketterdam

" He does, I do feel bad for needing to have borrowed his clothes. Maybe we can shop after we speak with Inej?"I asked Nina

Her smile grew as she winked at me," I'd love to, we won't have a hard time spending Kaz's money. I know alot of great shops. We could even get you some nice lingerie. I'm sure Kaz won't be upset if we indulge ourselves a little. We deserve it for putting up with the guys in the first place. "

I grinned at her suggestion and I found that I was actually rather looking forward to it.

" Sounds like fun.  I haven't shopped in years, I'm excited to see the new designs." I said excitedly ," But first let's get through this meeting. "

Nina's smile dimmed as she nodded and led me down a narrow corridor. We were away from the hustle and bustle of the pedestrian traffic here and it was eerily quiet. Our footsteps echoing off the cobblestone.

We had walked in comfortable silence for a few minutes before I felt the hair on my arms rise, something was off.  I glanced over to Nina and she seemed to sense it too. Her eyes were darting around us. Her hands clenched at her sides.

"Nina we're not alone. " I whispered not slowing my pace. I reached down to pull my blade free and clenched it firmly in my hand.

" It's at least five people." Nina said solemnly," We need to get out of here. Come this way. "

I let Nina tug my arm as she pulled us down another path. The sense of being followed didn't lessen. Nina was anxious as she pulled me along more pathways.

When we ended up at a dead end Nina cursed.  " Saints this shouldn't be here.  I know these streets well and this wall is new Amira. We were led t
his way on purpose. It's a trap. "

I growled readying myself to confront whatever was coming.  I put my back to the wall and faced the empty street in front of me.

Nina mirrored me on my left side. Her hands up ready to strike.

Five figures eventually moved to block our path.

They were laughing at us as they came closer.

Nina raised her voice to be heard over their blustering," Who are you and what do you want? Do you know who I am?"

The five figures went quiet. The tall one in the middle took another step towards us. The big man laughed and I felt my blood chill. I knew that laugh. It was Carlson. We were in trouble.

" Nina Zenik I know you well. You haven't met me yet so let me introduce myself properly. My name is Carlson Fordham. Pleasure to meet you."He made a show of bowing to her.

When he looked at me the playful demeanor vanished and the real monster frowned at me. " Amira you've caused me alot of trouble. Don't worry we will discuss that more in private."

" I am not going anywhere with you Carlson. You don't control me." I seethed.

He quirked a brow and threw back his head to laugh. It was disturbing.

He grinned and it wasn't kind as he said menacingly." I own you and you will come back with me. I don't want to hurt you but I will if I need to."

My heart was racing as I knew he wasn't going to honor any agreement to meet with Kaz. He must have had people watching the Crow Club and they had reported to Carlson when they saw us leaving earlier.

" Do you know what I can do to you Carlson?" Nina asked him cheerily, " She said she isn't going with you and you don't own her, besides she's a crow and we protect our own."

Carlson smirked over to Nina and we both frowned. He wasn't showing any caution for Nina's power. Something was very off.

"Ladies please I'm a gentleman, we don't need to fight. Besides I don't like breaking my things." Carlson nodded at the others and they started moving towards us.

"Nina" I called out to her and we moved closer together.

The first man approached me. He was a large man.The man was moving oddly and I noticed his eyes were glazed.

" What the fuck is this?" I cursed .

" It's Jurda Parem, they're Grisha Amira we need to get out of here." Nina yelled over at me.

I glanced over to find Nina struggling  with the man in front of her. He had moved so swiftly that she hadnt been able to use her powers on him. The man was fighting Nina to place a power nullifying shackle onto her wrist. I watched as Nina smashed his face with her elbow.He grunted as the shackle fell from his hand and Nina was able to twist out of his grasp to throw her hands out at the man. crumpled to his knees. Blood spilling from his mouth as he choked on his own blood.

The man in front of me lunged at me  and I narrowly avoid his grasp, I shifted back a step and thrust my blade up into the meaty flesh of his forearm. The blade pierced straight through to the other side of his forearm.

The man flinched and pulled his arm back raking my blade straight down his arm to his wrist bone.

My hand was coated in his blood and as he pulled away from me I lost my grip on my blade.

He retreated a few steps and I watched as he glanced at my blade protruding from his wrist.With a grunt he yanked my blade free from his wrist and tossed my blade aside.

I watched with dismay as my favorite weapon bounced off the cobblestone away from me.

I saw then in my perifials when my second attacker lunged at me from the side. The two of us started to struggle. My hands were slick with blood so he couldn't get a good grasp on me.

I kicked the man hard in the groin and shoved him back from me.

I swiftly pulled Kaz's gift from its sheath and gripped it in my bloodied hand.

I heard Nina gasp, she was suddenly knocked hard into the wall by a gust of wind. I watched her collapse onto the ground unconscious.

" Noooo !" I screamed as I pivoted and plunged my blade between the shoulder blades of the Grisha who had hurt Nina. I raked my blade down hard. Delighted by the pained scream. Leaving him with a fatal wound. He collapsed to his knees.

The first brute advanced towards me again and with his good arm he swung wide with a heavy fist.

I ducked under his fist and plunged the smaller blade into the man's upper rib with teo quick jabs.

I made sure to grip the blade tight as as man pulled away and hunched over trying to staunch the bleeding.

His entire front was coated with his blood enough that it began to drip in a puddle around his booted feet.

The other man who id kicked  earlier yelled at me "You bitch" and he furiously charged towards me again.

I dropped low and swept his feet from under him causing him to land viciously on his back winding him.

As I recovered from the maneuver and I glanced up to see a large shadow looming over me. Carlson fell upon me pinning me under him. With two heavy fists he dazed me.I lost my grip on my smaller blade.

I felt as he heaved me onto his shoulder and I heard his command to the other man to grab Nina.

My vision was swimming and I drifted in and out of consciousness as I was carried out of the alley.

I saw the big man I had attacked hobbling along the wall before he finally collapsed and was still.

The last thing I heard before I fell unconscious was Carlson mutter," Leave them."