Elemental Assassin 02 - Web of Lies

the black leather scars on my palms itch. Flames spewed out from between collar around her neck tinkled together like wind chimes. Jake’s clenched fingers, traveling up and settling on the The skulls matched the ones on her black T-shirt. knife. The blade glowed red-orange from the sudden “You take right,” I murmured. “I’ve got left.”
    burst of heat.
    Sophia grunted and moved to the other end of the Well, well, well, Jake the robber was just full of surcounter, where the second woman had been thrown. prises. Because in addition to being a petty thief, Jake the Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 4-5
    12/17/09 9:32 PM
    6 JENNIFER ESTEP
    Web of Lies 7
    half giant was also an elemental—someone who could So I held up my hands in a placating gesture and kept control one of the four elements. Fire, in his case. the cold, calm violence out of my gray eyes as best I could. My smile grew a little harder, a little tighter. Jake “I’m the owner. Gin Blanco. I don’t want any trouble. Let wasn’t the only one here who was an elemental—or very, the girl go, and I’ll open the cash register for you. I won’t very dangerous. I cocked my head, reaching out with my even call the police after you leave.”
    Stone magic. All around me, the battered brick of the Mainly because it wouldn’t do me any good. The cops Pork Pit murmured with unease, sensing the emotional in the southern metropolis of Ashland were as crooked as upheaval that had already taken place inside and my dark forks of lightning. The esteemed members of the po-po intentions now.
    barely bothered to respond to robberies, especially in
    “I said nobody fucking move .”
    this borderline Southtown neighborhood, much less do Jake’s earlier scream dropped to a hoarse whisper. His something useful, like catch the perps after the fact. eyes were completely red now, as though someone had set Jake snorted. “Go ahead. The police can’t touch me, two flickering rubies into his baby-fat face. A rivulet of bitch. Do you know who my father is?”
    sweat dripped down his temple, and his head bobbed in In addition to being a Fire elemental, Jake was also time to some music only he could hear. Jake was high on a name-dropping prima donna. A wonder he’d survived something—alcohol, drugs, blood, his own magic, maybe this long.
    all of the above. Didn’t much matter. He was going to be
    “Don’t tell them that !” Lance hissed. dead in another minute. Two, tops.
    Jake snorted and turned his red eyes to his buddy. “I’ll The red glow in Jake’s eyes brightened as he reached tell them whatever I want. So shut your sniveling mouth.”
    for his magic again. The flames flashing on the silver
    “Just let the girl go, and I’ll open the cash register,” I blade flared hotter and higher, until they licked at the repeated in a firm voice, hoping my words would pengirl’s neck, threatening to burn her. Tears streamed down etrate Jake’s magic high and sink into his thick skull. her heart-shaped face, and her breath came in short, His red eyes narrowed to slits. “You’ll open the cash choked sobs, but she didn’t move. Smart girl. register, or the girl dies—and you along with her.”
    My eyes narrowed. It was one thing to try to rob the Pork He jerked the girl back against him, and the flames Pit, my barbecue restaurant, my gin joint. Down-on-theircoating the knife burned even brighter, taking on an luck elementals, vampire hookers, and other bums strung orange-yellow hue. The silverstone scars on my palms—out on their own magic and jonesing for more could be the ones shaped like spider runes—itched at the influx of excused that stupidity. But nobody— nobody —threatened magic. I tensed, afraid he was going to do the girl right my paying customers. I was going to enjoy taking care of here, right now. I could kill him—easily—but probably this lowlife. As soon as I got him away from the girl. not before he hurt the girl with his magic. I didn’t want Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 6-7
    12/17/09 9:32 PM
    8 JENNIFER ESTEP
    Web of Lies 9
    that to happen. It wasn’t going to happen. Not in my like Jake weren’t above leaving their friends twisting in the restaurant. Not now, not again.
    wind—or stuck on the edge of my blade.
    “Jake, calm down,” Lance pleaded with his friend. Jake licked his thick, chapped lips. “How much? How
    “No one’s making any trouble. It’s going just like you much is there?”
    said it would. Quick and easy.