Chapter Seven
She returned to the lounge after calming herself down and taking many long and deep breathes. Hunter and Relic looked up when she entered. Curtis had left.
"Take a seat Blake," Relic said with a smile. "We're just going to ask you a few questions."
She complied silently and waited for the inquisition to begin.
"Firstly," Hunter began with a smile that was probably meant to be reassuring. "What do you know about the Wild Powers?"
Blake took a breath. She knew the answer to this one. "There's meant to be four of them and they have a kind of magic blue fire. When the millenium comes, they're the only ones that can hope to save the human world. We're down three out of four to the Daybreakers. The fourth is still currently unknown."
Hunter nodded. He was pleased. "You're right. So it's imperative that we find this fourth Wild Power before the damned Daybreakers do." A scowl lit his face as he spat out the name of the organization that she belonged to.
"Curtis is leading the Elite team that's hunting for the fourth. Relic here seems to think you'd make a good addition." Relic nodded encouragingly.
Blake allowed herself a small smile. "I'd like to give it a go."
Hunter nodded again. "Excellent. Right then. Curtis has headed down to the gym for a quick work out. I thought it would be a good idea if all of us went down there and you could spar against the pro himself."
"The pro?" Blake repeated before she realized.
"Curtis," Relic replied. "He's a regular spitfire."
Hunter had a proud fatherly type smile plastered to his lips. "Oh," Blake replied. "Uh, sure. Yeah, I can do that."
Relic and Hunter got to their feet. "You know where the Blackenthorn is don't you Blake?" Relic asked. "Shall we meet you there in about ten minutes?"
Blake swallowed and stood as well. "Ten minutes is fine," she nodded.
"Come on then," Relic said. There was a hint of impatience in his tone as she didn't move.
Blake nodded and headed for the door. Once she had waved to the two other men as they drove off, she paused in her car to take a breath.
All she had to do was fight Curtis. One fight was all it was going to take and she would be in. But this gave Curtis the perfect opportunity to keep her out of the Elite. If he kicked her ass, she was well and truly a goner. She would have to skulk back to the Daybreak mansion and admit that she'd failed once again.
The answer was simple then, she told herself. She just had to win against Curtis. She had to win and then she'd be part of the Elite. She'd be one step closer to her goal.
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"What do you mean I have to fight her?" Curtis snapped irritably. He had left Relic's for the gym where he was now unloading all his frustrations on a punching bag. The poor guy that was bracing the bag for him was wincing as every blow landed.
Hunter and Relic were watching this from where they stood at Curtis' side, waiting for Blake to arrive. "You only have to have a quick spar with the girl so I can get a look at her fighting skills," Hunter answered, his eyes narrowing at a particularly violent punch.
"I don't want to." Curtis replied tersely between gasping breaths.
"For God's sake Curtis, grow up." Hunter snapped. "You're doing it and that's it."
He spun on his heel and turned away. Relic followed after another glance at Curtis' fist work. He continued battering the bag for all he was worth. Instead of his anger leaving him, it was just rising the more he punched.
Images of Blake were invading his head. He could see her eyes, that intoxicating mixture of blue green that flashed at him angrily. Her long raven hair swirled around her as the wind lifted it. A lock had touched on his face and he had smelled the scent of apple shampoo. Her figure in those fitting jeans, the heaving of her chest as she yelled at him.
And lastly, her words. You don't understand me.
He stopped and used his forearm to wipe the sweat from his brow. Alright, he would fight her. He would fight her and he would win. Blake Starling would be denied the right to enter the Elite and he would never, ever have to see her again.
He went to the sparring mats and began to stretch. And to wait.