CHAPTER 8
"What do you mean, a *game*?" Orchid stared at Julian suspiciously, startled and somewhat offended by his sudden and dramatic mood swing.
"What do you think? If you win, you can keep the ring and I'll go away and leave you alone forever."
Orchid could feel the frustration explode in her head. She wanted to grab Julian and just shake him! "So let me get this straight...." she muttered, trying to keep her voice calm. "You've been harassing me all this time to get your ring back, and now you're willing to risk it all for a- a *game*?"
"It's not much of a risk," Julian said with a slight smile, his arrogant voice restored. "I usually win."
Orchid snorted. "Oh, please. Jenny beat you three times in a row and she was a mortal."
Something flashed in Julian's eyes. "That was different." Orchid could detect a trace of a growl in his voice.
*So,* thought Orchid, *hit a pressure point, have we?* "But then, that's why you want to do it in the first place, isn't it?" she continued. "You want to prove to yourself that you haven't lost your touch. After all, it would be a pretty sad thing if a great Shadow Man couldn't even win his own games."
Julian was angry now. He wasn't frowning or clenching his fists, but Orchid could see it in his eyes. Something dark and sinister was rippling underneath his cool composure. If she pressed on, Orchid thought he might even hit her. She just dared him to hit her. He would get himself killed with the mood she was in now.
For a few moments Julian only glared at her in silence. "Well," he finally said crisply. "If that's the way you want to be, I won't even give you a chance to keep it." He held out his hand. Orchid stared at him warily. If she had a tragic flaw, it was not being able to turn down a challenge, even if it was a tremendously pointless and stupid challenge. *Put the ring in his hand and leave!* a voice in the back of her head was screaming. Her fingers tightened around the gold band. "What kind of game?" she asked softly.
"What do you mean, a *game*?" Orchid stared at Julian suspiciously, startled and somewhat offended by his sudden and dramatic mood swing.
"What do you think? If you win, you can keep the ring and I'll go away and leave you alone forever."
Orchid could feel the frustration explode in her head. She wanted to grab Julian and just shake him! "So let me get this straight...." she muttered, trying to keep her voice calm. "You've been harassing me all this time to get your ring back, and now you're willing to risk it all for a- a *game*?"
"It's not much of a risk," Julian said with a slight smile, his arrogant voice restored. "I usually win."
Orchid snorted. "Oh, please. Jenny beat you three times in a row and she was a mortal."
Something flashed in Julian's eyes. "That was different." Orchid could detect a trace of a growl in his voice.
*So,* thought Orchid, *hit a pressure point, have we?* "But then, that's why you want to do it in the first place, isn't it?" she continued. "You want to prove to yourself that you haven't lost your touch. After all, it would be a pretty sad thing if a great Shadow Man couldn't even win his own games."
Julian was angry now. He wasn't frowning or clenching his fists, but Orchid could see it in his eyes. Something dark and sinister was rippling underneath his cool composure. If she pressed on, Orchid thought he might even hit her. She just dared him to hit her. He would get himself killed with the mood she was in now.
For a few moments Julian only glared at her in silence. "Well," he finally said crisply. "If that's the way you want to be, I won't even give you a chance to keep it." He held out his hand. Orchid stared at him warily. If she had a tragic flaw, it was not being able to turn down a challenge, even if it was a tremendously pointless and stupid challenge. *Put the ring in his hand and leave!* a voice in the back of her head was screaming. Her fingers tightened around the gold band. "What kind of game?" she asked softly.
