Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Silver Flash

Hey!  You're back for Silver Flash #4!


Come on in, and get flashed. . .
This week's prompt is, "I've got a bad feeling about it this time."

Brody and Marek's story continue . . .



Broken Promise, IV
The sun had been down for an hour. Greyson was outside, standing guard. Julian was checking the black-bladed knives strapped across his chest.
“You can hardly see those,” Brody said.
Julian glanced up at him. “Can’t see them at all in the dark.”
There was an amused glint in Julian’s eyes that said he wanted to scare Brody. But after watching Greyson tote in enough weapons to start a private war, Brody was beyond scared. “Why do you need knives no one can see?” he said.
“Night work,” Julian said quietly, adjusting knives that could cut down a man in seconds.
“Come,” Marek held out a harness to Brody. “Help me.”
“You’re letting a human arm you for battle?” Julian was at his brother’s side in an instant. “No.”
Marek stood up to his full height, his hard eyes boring into Julian. “Stand aside. It’s time my mate learned our ways.”
Brody, who thought Julian had a point, said, “I don’t know anything about knives.”
“I’ll teach you.”
Marek guided Brody through buckling the complicated harness under his arms, across his back, and over his chest. With each guiding of the heavy duty leather around his big body, Marek stole quick kisses, caressed Brody, soothed away his fear.
“Julian will be angry with me for losing his knives,” Marek said.
 “They wouldn’t get lost if you didn’t throw them away.” Julian was going through the black duffel bag Greyson had brought in from the car.  “Here. Try to hold onto them.”
“Take them, Brody,” Marek said.
After a moment’s hesitation, Brody let Julian fill his hands with small, neatly packed throwing knives. Marek slid them into his harness, criss-crossing his broad chest with metal teeth. When he was done, he took Brody’s shaking hands and kissed his palms. “My sword is in the bag. Bring it to me.”
Brody, who’d never handled so many weapons in his life, brought the thick short sword, but he balked when Marek turned his back. “What if I don’t get it in the sheath right?”
“Then I could get injured or die,” Marek said. “All of our lives depend on each other tonight.”
“Just slide it in real slow,” Julian said, “watch your fingers.”
Brody could hear in Julian’s voice how badly he itched to arm his brother himself, the way he’d probably done for centuries. This was Julian’s way of accepting him into the family clan of warriors.
His hands shaking, Brody slid the heavy sword into the sheath, sure he would either gut Marek from behind or cut off his own fingers, or both. But the sword slid into the worn leather with a whisper.
“Time for us to be on the move.” Marek took Brody’s hand. “If anything happens to me, go with my brother.”
“But - -”
“Don’t worry,” Julian said with a slow wink. “I take care of stuff I inherit.” He shrugged into his heavy leather duster and caught Marek’s eye. "I've got a bad feeling about it this time.”
“You always have bad feelings before battle.” Marek slipped thin gloves over his big hands. “And your mercenaries always win.”
“Something’s not right.”
Marek gathered the duffle bag from the floor. Metal clanked heavily inside. “You may be right for once,” he said. “Their scouts should be close by now.”
From just beyond the door, there came the sound of low snarls, then a body thudding to the floor, then a groan of pain. Greyson opened the door as calmly as if he were bringing room service. His face was smeared with blood. “If we’re going,” he said. “Now’s a good time.”

Silver Flashers on stage today are . . .  
Leave a comment, feed a writer.
 Just kidding about the feeding part. . . sort of.

6 comments:

  1. ummm... how long are we waiting for the rest?

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  2. The bad thing about doing it this way is having to wait for the next one lol

    I like this a lot, can't wait to see more!

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  3. Dang and now we wait until next Wednesday... *sigh* :D

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  4. @Sui Lynn -- Don't worry, it goes by fast!
    @Julie - - I know right, waiting's tough
    @LB -- only a week. Thanks for stopping by!

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  5. I like this. I hadn't read the previous installments before today so I got extra helpings. LOL Can't wait till next week.

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  6. Pender, extra helpings on your first day? Watch out!

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