Death Match (A Magic Bullet Novel Book 2) by A. Blythe Read Free Book Online

impression secured his slot in the games. I've never seen a mage do that."
    Pinky blew out the candle and looked at me. "Edward who?"
    I waved her off. "Forget it." Although my human form appeared to be mid-twenties, my djinni form had been around a lot longer than that. For better or worse, I'd absorbed decades of American pop culture.
    She uncrossed her legs and reached toward her ankles to stretch her back. "I've never seen Kieran shoot lasers. His specialty was curses."
    Mix nudged me in the ribs. "You two had something in common."
    Pinky rolled her eyes and stood. "Not those kinds of curses. He could make people itch all over, go blind for a few minutes. Stuff like that."
    I plopped down on the sofa. "So how did he suddenly develop extraordinary laser powers?"
    "Dr. Josie suggested we have Kieran's brain studied, but Oscar said no. He thinks the stress of training for the games triggered the psychotic break."
    "The Enclave has neurologists on retainer?"
    "There are more than a few doctors in the Enclave," Pinky said. "We're all humans, you know. We need to have jobs and, like, normal lives."
    I gave her a pointed look. "Not all of you, apparently."
    She stuck out her tongue in response.
    Something about Kieran's story wasn't sitting right with me. I was pretty sure the trigger for his psychotic break wasn't due to stress, mainly because stress doesn't give you powers you didn't have the day before.

    I lingered outside the PTF office, waiting for Detective Thompson to finish interviewing Oscar. I knew she wouldn't be invited to visit the Enclave Headquarters because its location was a secret and she wouldn't risk losing their cooperation by insisting on a visit. Diplomacy was a necessary skill for someone in Thompson's position.
    I ducked behind a telephone pole when Oscar emerged from the building. Gods above, I missed my ability to veil myself.
    He slid on his sunglasses and disappeared into a curbside sedan. His movement was sluggish and I wondered whether it was from a lengthy interrogation or lack of sleep. Things couldn't be rosy at Enclave HQ right now.
    Once the car joined the line of traffic, I headed into the building. Security was fairly heavy with a metal detector and armed guards near the front entrance. I was smart enough to have left my weapons at home.
    I approached the desk and gave the older man a smile, not so wide that I looked happy to be at the precinct. It may also have been because Flynn once told me my wide smile made me look deranged. So I aimed for just pleasant enough to suggest a decent human being had arrived for a visit.
    "I'm here to see Detective Thompson," I said.
    The older man grinned back at me. "Nice guy. He's in vice, right?"
    Wrong. "Detective Kenya Thompson. About five feet four." I lined up my hand with my chest. "She always wears a black top." Her PTF uniform top. I couldn't say she was in PTF because it was doubtful Ye Olde Timer was clued in to its existence.
    He scratched his chin, thinking. Oh, the invisibility of the middle-aged woman, even in her own workplace. If I didn't manage to get my cuffs off, that would be me in another twenty years or so. No thank you.
    "Thompson, you say?"
    "I do say."
    "You sure it's not Thomas?"
    "Why? Do you have a Detective Kenya Thomas in your system?"
    The older man cleared his throat. "Not that I can see." He peered over the top of his glasses and checked his computer screen. "Hmm."
    I gave an exasperated sigh and pulled out my phone. I tapped the screen and scrolled down to Detective Thompson's entry. "I have her number right here. Shall I give it to you or would you rather I do the honors?" I shook the phone next to my ear.
    "I'll do it," he said, unamused. I showed him the screen and he dialed the number from his landline. "What's your name?"
    "Alyse Winters."
    "Ma'am, I have an Alyse Winters here to see you." He paused to listen, then glanced up at me. "She wants to know if you have an appointment."
    I bit my tongue. I could practically