Modern Sorcery: A Jonathan Shade Novel Read Online Free PDF Page B

arms or she’d be able to blast him again.   I also knew he had incredible speed and the only way he could attack me right now was to kick me when I came close enough.   I figured I’d catch the kick and slice open his femoral artery.   Hey, it was a plan.   It wasn’t a practical plan and certainly not a plan I ever got to put into action.
     
    He didn’t kick me.
     
    Instead, he threw Naomi at me.
     
    She hit me like a battering ram, and I crashed backward into the flat-panel television.   Mr. Metallica might have thought the energy flowing from her hands would hurt me.   It would probably have killed a normal person.   While in most respects I am a normal person, I do have one advantage when dealing with wizards: magic doesn’t affect me.   It’s the reason I can handle cases such as Naomi’s.
     
    The warrior grabbed Naomi by the leg and tossed her aside as if she weighed no more than a pillow.   She crashed into a silver lamp beside the sofa.   I didn’t see her land because by that time, the guy had grabbed me and hurled me through the front window.   Magic can’t hurt me, but glass sure can and so can a hard landing.
     
    I hit the ground in the front yard as the pizza boy walked up the driveway with his red oven bag in one hand.
     
    “Holy shit!” the pizza boy said.   He took a step back.
     
    About that time, I heard another energy blast, and the warrior flew backward out the window, landing a few yards past me.   I couldn’t catch my breath or move, but he rolled right to his feet and reached into his trench coat.   He pulled out a sword, a katana like the one David used to kill Kathy.
     
    “Holy shit,” the pizza boy repeated, doing his best John Belushi.
     
    The warrior ignored the boy and stepped over me as he stormed back to the house.   Another blast of energy sent him reeling over me again, and I looked up to see Naomi jump through the window, hands glowing.
     
    “You’ve really pissed me off now,” Naomi said and blasted the warrior again.   He rolled right to his feet as if he were simply performing a choreographed dance and started toward her again.
     
    Only now Naomi’s hands weren’t glowing and she looked ready to pass out.
     
    I lost track of the pizza boy, but I suspect he started toward his car.   Meanwhile, the warrior moved to step over me, but now I had my breath back, and I launched a solid kick up into his testicles.
     
    It only knocked him back a few steps.   He looked down at his crotch then over at me as Naomi helped me to my feet.
     
    “Nice kick,” he said.   “I almost felt that one.”
     
    Almost?   We were facing a eunuch?   Wonderful.
     
    He started toward us again, sword in hand.
     
    “Plan?” Naomi asked.
     
    “Run,” I said.
     
    Naomi and I ran toward the driveway.   I figured if we could put her car between him and us, we’d have a chance.   We bolted around the BMW.   I saw the pizza guy trying to start his Ford Escort on the street.
     
    The warrior leaped over the BMW.   So much for that idea.
     
    The pizza guy pushed open his passenger door.   “Get in!” he yelled.
     
    Naomi and I raced toward the Escort, warrior behind us.
     
    Naomi jumped into the car.   I made a sudden stop, planted, and side-kicked the warrior.   It was like trying to kick a freight train, but it did stop him.
     
    “Go!” I yelled to the pizza guy.   “Get her out of here!”
     
    “Very noble,” said the warrior.
     
    I faced him, ready to fight as the Escort tore off down the street.
     
    “But as I said, I’m not here for you.”
     
    He swatted me aside like an annoying insect and took off running after the car.   There was no way he could catch them, of course.   I ran toward my car.   Every step sent pain stabbing through my ribs, but Naomi was safe and that’s all that mattered.
     
    I climbed into my car.   Then I saw the Escort’s brake lights flare.
     
    “Just run the stop sign, you moron,” I said.
     
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