How to Lose Your Dragon (The Immortality Curse Book 1) by Peter Glenn (beach read TXT) 📕

I put the key in the door and turned it.

“Well I can’t believe you fell for that dog and pony show so easily!”

Heat rose to my cheeks, and I balled my fist to wag it at him when I felt something hard slam into me from behind.

The breath was forced out of my lungs as I slammed against the car door, then the ground came up to meet me, and I fell to the ground in a slump. Stars swam in my vision for just a moment as I struggled to turn over and face my attacker just in time for a long, dark object to crash into my stomach.

Pain racked my body again and I felt like I was going to throw up. Not that I had much left in my stomach to vomit. My lungs heaved as breath returned to them and I coughed it out while I rocked back and forth.

The dark object came at me again and it was all I could do to roll away just in time to dodge the next attack.

11

As quickly as I was able, I stood, spinning to get some distance from my would-be attacker. Once I was upright, I took in the situation as best I could.

On my side of the car were about five people. It was hard to make them out in the dark, but they had bluish paint on their faces, clearly marking them as Boudicca’s men. They had a rather large wolfhound with them, gnashing its teeth and looking ominous. Why it hadn’t attacked yet, I couldn’t fathom.

Well that explained the odd scent from earlier. It was the failinis turning water into wine again. At least they had one useful talent.

On the other side of the car stood Rick, jaw open, mesmerized by the whole deal. He’d done something similar the last time someone had attacked us, so I kind of expected it.

“Rick!” I shouted, hoping he’d hear me. “Run for it! Save yourself!”

He did nothing, though, just kept standing there staring into space.

Damn. I’d have to come up with some other way to save him. These thugs wouldn’t let him sit idly by for long.

The big man with the long, dark object - I could see it more clearly now, it looked like an aluminum bat - lunged at me then, swinging his bat like his life depended on it. In a way, it kind of did.

I ducked to avoid the blow as the bat whooshed through the empty air over my head. In the same moment, I slammed forward with an open palm, aiming for Bat Boy’s sternum.

My attack had better luck than his, and it was Bat Boy’s turn to have the wind knocked out of him as he staggered backward, smacking into his buddies. A tangled mess of arms and legs flew everywhere as the mass of bodies stumbled and fell to the ground, screaming and mewling as they went.

I took advantage of their struggling to rush over to Rick. I took his frame in both hands and shook hard until I saw his eyes blink a few times.

“Rick!” I shouted again.

This time, he looked at me. There was still a hint of confusion in his eyes, but also signs of life. Good. He was coherent enough to listen.

“Run for it, buddy! Get out of here before these guys kill you!”

Rick stared at me for several seconds before doing anything, then nodded. I let go of him, and he took off down the street, arms and legs flailing like he was doing one of those new wave dance moves more than running. It was mildly amusing to watch.

Part of me wondered if that was how he ran when his life wasn’t in danger, too. But that didn’t matter. He’d be safe if he made it far enough, fast enough. That was what mattered.

Me? I’d probably die. But I was okay with that. There were worse ways to go than a glorious death in battle when you were outnumbered. My family would honor my memory.

If there was any world left to honor it in after the dragons and Boudicca tore it apart.

That thought got the blood pumping again. I needed to save Mei. Death could wait until she was safe and sound.

I turned to face the mess of Celtic warriors right as they were getting back to their feet. I could make each of them out better now, and the effect was even more menacing than before.

Lanky Guy and Half-Naked Guy were there in the back, near the failinis. Bat Boy was at the fore, and next to him was a dude with a lead pipe and, of all things, a wiry little female. She looked every bit as deadly as the others.

“Looks like I’ve got my work cut out for me,” I said, flashing them all a toothy grin. As I spoke, I fumbled around in my pocket for a small, triangular-shaped object.

Bat Boy returned the grin. I could see he was missing a few teeth, which wasn’t a flattering look for him.

They lurched forward.

“Wait!” I cried. “You’re not going to attack me one on one, keep the odds even? How rude!”

The smiles of my enemies got bigger, and they kept closing the distance.

Heh. So much for chivalry.

I shifted my feet a little, taking up a tiger stance. Like any good Chinese boy in the 18th century, I’d learned several forms of martial arts, so I wasn’t incompetent without a bladed weapon. Still, five on one - six with the dog - was not good odds.

Bat Boy came for me first, swinging his weapon in a wide arc. I shifted and dodged to the side, smacking his weapon arm right at the wrist with a closed fist.

I heard a grunt as the bat clanged on the ground. Bat Boy kept coming, though, his weapon soon forgotten in the scuffle. He ducked low and lunged at me like he was trying to grapple me to the ground, and I feinted backward