Page 27 of Transfiguration
Luca had never cared much for being special. They sat in silence a few minutes longer, Luca feeling relief sink into his bones as the pain faded. Time, he’d never really thought of it as precious before. Now he knew better.
“How are you feeling?” Max asked.
“Better. Not like I have glass shards in my veins.” But Luca wasn’t stupid. He knew it wouldn’t last. “Thank you. I’ll talk to the guys today. And we will all probably have questions.”
Max nodded. Luca made his way out, trying to hold on to hope. He was in the elevator when he got a second ping about the fights. Level four was actually higher than he usually fought. It meant witches and magic and high-level shifters. But the tiny edges of red still lingered around his sight. Maybe if he burned it off?
He sent a reply to the fight master that he was on his way and got a confirmation back fairly quickly. He had twenty minutes to get there and be ready to kick the shit out of someone. With Hart’s blood rolling through him, he felt stronger.
Luca hurried down to his bike and wove around the early morning empty streets. The warehouse was mere blocks from the high-rise living spaces. That was the nice thing about downtown living. Even with all the people and the noise, everything was close. He left his bike in the VIP lot and made his way inside, skin crawling. That was new. Maybe because he hadn’t had his father’s blood in so long?
They waved him through to the locker room, where he hurried to change into clothing he didn’t care if he ruined. There was always blood in these matches. And the spelled cages that were required for witch fights hurt like a bitch. But he always worried because Sam was half witch, and Con a witch, that witches would come for them. He didn’t have magic, only his fists, so he had to learn how to work around spells.
Luca stuffed his regular clothes into a locker as someone came in he recognized, but it took a few seconds to place him. “Hey, you’re the I&R guy,” Luca said. “Work with Con, right?”
The blond nodded. “Nate.” He offered his hand, which Luca shook.
“Luca. One of Con’s lovers.”
Nate’s eyes widened. “Son of the big dog, too, right? Heard of you, but he keeps you out of the press. Uses Sam for everything.”
“Yes,” Luca agreed, though he thought he earned his own recognition. Not being a vampire or a witch always made him feel like an outsider. It was why he had a simple time kicking their asses. Not being accepted always fed his anger. He never begrudged Sam for being chosen as a poster child for the vampires. Sam was a lot of things that made people hesitate, not only powerful, but his minority status as a gay Asian man, who also was best buddies with the Pillar of Earth.
“Constantine is one of the four field agents I manage. No one has a brain like Con. That guy solves puzzles like everything is a video game.”
“How’s that?” Luca asked.
“He tries twice to unravel the puzzle and if that doesn’t work, he smashes his way through.” Nate grinned wide. “I have to say it’s effective, and honestly, he solves the puzzles the first time, more often than not. He’s like one of those chess whiz kids who can see eighteen moves ahead.”
“He is very smart,” Luca agreed.
“Powerful too, for a witch.” Nate waved toward the area they could hear a fight going on. “Never seen him down here. He doesn’t fight?”
“Not in a cage.” There were lots of reasons for that. Part that Con cared little to use his fists, and part that he didn’t enjoy revealing how powerful he was to anyone. “This is mostly a thing Sam and I do to blow off steam. Vampires need the violence, even if I’m not full vampire.”
“Sam… now there’s a badass in a cage fight. It’s hard to find folks to fight him these days. The whole siphon/amplifier thing really freaks people out.”
“He’s a fire witch too,” Luca pointed out.
“Yeah, but spells to prevent flames or bounce them back are easy. Using someone’s own power against them? That’s hardcore.” Nate turned toward the door. “Haven’t seen you down here for the witch fights before.”
“I rarely fight witches. I’m not even technically a vampire.” Luca admitted. He held up his hands. “No magic. Just vampire strength and speed.”
“You face off with witches without magic? That’s pretty hardcore, too. Guess it makes sense why you three are a trio, eh?”
Luca smiled, thinking of his guys.
“You ready for a fight? I’m your first challenger,” Nate said.
Luca blinked. “Really? What’s your power?”
“I’m a witch. Didn’t I say that?”
Luca followed him to the door. “But do you have an element?”
“Not one the Dominion acknowledges.”
Luca thought about that. Con knew more about the nuances of magic than Luca ever would. “Like dark magic? There are no zombies allowed in the ring, right?”