“Again,” Maggie panted, wiping sweat from her brow.
Xander hurled another plasma ball at her, this one at her feet, and she leaped to the side, tumbling, rolling, coming up with a ball of Angelfire already palmed and ready to launch just as they’d coached her. Xander vanished a split second before it would have set his hair on fire. He reappeared a foot away and made to kick her in the face, but she flung herself backward, rolled and shot to her feet, lobbing another ball of Angelfire on the fly.
This one left a scorch mark on Xander’s forearm. But he wasn’t done. He continued to attack, disappear and attack again, until Gideon finally called out, “Okay, that’s enough.”
Maggie had to give him credit. Though he’d flat out refused to stay away from practice—and he hadn’t been able to bring himself to play the role of her attacker—Gideon hadn’t argued this time when Xander had stepped into the role. And he’d kept his promise to not interfere once practice started.
He’d lasted much longer than she’d thought he would. Although, his lower lip looked nearly chewed to pieces, and he had bluish marks on his arms where his fingers had dug in to keep from leaping to her defense.
He’d given her far more today than she could ever thank him for. He’d given her the tools to protect herself. And he’d bolstered her self-confidence. Supported her, encouraged her even though allowing her to continually put herself in dangerous confrontations clearly went against every belief he held dear.
Xander acknowledged Gideon’s dictate by extinguishing the flaming ball in the palm of his hand and straightening. “Your aim is improving. But shoot for the chest. It’s a bigger target. You’ve done well,” he told her before stepping back to make room for Gideon. Maggie beamed under the praise. And high praise it was indeed, considering the source.
Gideon stepped in front of her. He began touching her, turning her this way and that, obviously checking for injuries. His fingers skimmed a fresh bruise on her shoulder where she’d rolled over a rock. Maggie flinched before she caught herself. His expression turned thunderous.
“Don’t,” she warned, poking him in the chest. “I’m fine.”
Gideon pinched his lips together. He didn’t like it. Not one bloody bit. But he remained silent and he nodded. Pleased, Maggie went up on tiptoe and pecked a kiss on his lips. As she settled back on her feet, he grabbed her up and planted another kiss on her, one designed to knock her socks off.
Mission accomplished, she thought fuzzily when he finally released her, leaving her swaying on her feet. Apparently satisfied at venting his thwarted frustration, he stalked off to confer with Xander. Shaking her head, a small grin tugging at her lips, she decided to let him off the hook for good behavior.
Maggie swiped more sweat from her brow and plucked her damp T-shirt away from her body. Flapping it in the air to cool off, she watched Kyanna slip from Xander’s arms. The stunning, leggy blonde snatched a bottle of water from a cooler filled with ice near the fountain and crossed to her side. Maggie tried not to be self-conscious, tried really hard. Usually, her weight was a nonissue for her. A take it or leave it kind of thing. What you see is what you get. She was very pragmatic that way. But her ego took a hit nonetheless. How could it not? Short, pudgy plain her next to a woman who looked like Kyanna Hughes.
Oh, not that Kyanna had done anything to warrant this sudden attack of body envy. Quite the contrary. Kyanna had gone out of her way to be friendly and welcoming. The only shortcoming, Maggie was certain, was solely in her own mind.
“You’ve impressed Xander,” Kyanna said as she offered Maggie the bottle.
Maggie eyed the tall warrior demon in question as she drained half the bottle in one long guzzle. “He’s not holding back?” she asked, leaning a sore hip against the aged stone.
“Maybe just a little,” Kyanna admitted, grinning as she plopped down beside her. “I don’t think he wants to give Gideon a coronary, not just yet anyway. But Xander wouldn’t tell you that you were doing well if he didn’t truly mean it.”
Maggie grunted and finished the rest of the water. Kyanna held out her hand for the bottle. Then, turning, she called, “Hey, baby?” As Xander glanced over, a dark brow arched, Kyanna tossed the empty bottle into the air. The bottle vanished. “Thank you,” Kyanna chirped.
“You’re welcome,” Xander responded dutifully, earning a blinding smile from his wife.
Xander vanished without warning, and reappeared directly in front of Kyanna. He swept her up into his arms and straight into a blazing hot, toe curling kiss. Maggie fought the urge to giggle and averted her gaze.
Laughing, Gideon joined them, his humor apparently improving now that Maggie was no longer a target for Xander’s potentially lethal attacks.