Les Femmes Fatales [2]

▪ Twenty-Three

The first attack was Aili's. The whip of fire left her hands at an amazing speed, and Karina thought everything was over, that the fight had ended before it had even started, but before her surprised eyes, he actually managed to duck in time and she hardly had time to blink when he cast his own attack.

A car parked nearby bolted straight towards them and Karina instinctively ducked, barely registering Stella's call for Arvinda when a bright red force field engulfed all of them. The car slammed on it, its front getting burnt and Branka let a small smirk grace her lips as she forced the force field to get bigger and bigger, completely destroying the car and leading it closer and closer to Psion. Time seemed to pass in slow motion as he took out something from his suit and Karina's eyebrows furrowed as she watched it.

"Is that a grenade?"

He threw it at the force field and she instantly got her answer as it exploded. The force field crumbled to the ground and Branka let out a pained groan, as if she had felt the hit somehow. However, they didn't have time to ponder over it. Karina saw the area around them getting darker and exchanged a look with Qara beside her. It was her turn.

She turned invisible and ran to her target, tackling him to the ground. He was hardly any taller than her but despite that, she was a lot stronger. She had no difficulty holding him down despite his struggling. "Nefertiti! Circe! I'm holding him down!"

He seemed to struggle more at that as Karina heard footsteps behind her coming closer. He gritted his teeth, looked elsewhere but she didn't allow herself to look anywhere but him. Losing her focus wasn't something she wanted to happen.

"Never thought you'd be so strong," he gasped, eyes turning to face her once more and beside the dark around them, she could still make out the glint in his light eyes and the smirk on his lips. "Colour me impressed, Karina."

Her eyes widened instinctively and her hold loosened on him just for a second but it was enough. He kicked her away and before she had the chance to attack again, something slammed into her side with so much force it knocked her against a building.

"Shadow!" Qara called out as she didn't move, growling as she looked at Psion, the lamp post he had taken off the ground and hit Karina with hovering in mid-air beside him.

"Well," he smirked over at them, "one is down. Who's next?"

Amadi pursed her lips, eyes never leaving his own and she did nothing but feel. It was hard finding his own feelings when she was standing with a group of people who were desperate and afraid after watching Karina's injury, but in the end, she managed. Her concentration never faltered for one second and that was why she saw the lamp post moving towards her when it was too late.

She could only brace herself for the impact but it never happened. Instead, she was tackled to the ground and looking up, she noticed Qara gritting her teeth as she looked up, eyes widening as she cried out, "Arvinda!"

Branka hardly had time to react as a car slammed onto her back, sending her flying to the pavement and left her there, much like it had Karina, unmoving. Stella glared with all of her might at him but he only smirked.

"Challenging someone is never a wise option. But I must admit, I'm going to have fun making a fool out of your team."

Aili's growl was instantaneous. In a second, fire had engulfed him and before anyone could say anything, she had jumped through the fire in front of him. She charged at him but he moved out of the way, and she did it again but he did the same, and with a frustrated sound she jumped on him, tackling him to the ground. The fire around them gathered in her hands and she placed one directly above his chest. Her gloves started glowing, and for the first time that night, his eyes shone with pure fear - fear Amadi could have so easily used to her advantage if only she had been paying attention to his feelings and not the way Aili's eyes were almost glowing, her hair almost sparkling as she gathered her gift to the palm of her hand, ready to burn him until only ashes were left of him.