Duality

part five

She came to consciousness without opening her eyes. Someone hovered above her: Anna? Mila's chest ached, each breath painful. Trying not to raise suspicion, her hand crept upward, pressing into her ribs. Something wooden started to slip off her side, and her fingers trapped it.

The person above her hadn't moved, and Mila now remembered what had happened. The horned man had found her, as Anna predicted, and shot her.

Her hand clutched the arrow shot at her heart.

Knowing who stood over her, Mila sat up with more force than necessary, swinging her hand with the arrow wide and raising her free arm to form a fist.

"Wait a second," the horned man said as he wisely stepped away from her. After deciding he'd backed away far enough, Mila inspected herself for injuries. Dried blood trickled down her chest before trailing to the ground, the only sign the arrow had hit.

Face flaming, Mila realized if she could see blood, that meant she could see skin... Flowers sprouted, vines curling all the way down to her wrists, providing protection from his gaze.

Oh, how it felt to understand her powers again.

She glanced to the sky, noted the luminous sun cresting the horizon, and then returned her gaze to the horned man. He looked exactly the same from earlier. With all the pressing matters settled—the sun, her powers, covering up—she dealt with the threat at hand. "You shot me," she accused, hand closing over where she imagined the wound would be.

"And you killed me earlier. We're even."

Fury sang through her veins, a welcome warmth. "Even?" she asked, sizing him up. He might look like he could tear her in half, but with her powers back, she had little interest in that. He'd never touch her.

He read her intentions before she moved. "Don't try anything," he warned. "We just—"

"There is no 'we'!" Mila said, letting her temper take over. The barren earth he stood on became a startlingly green, the new sprouts snaking their way around his legs. The foliage kept going, twisting to restrain him up until his neck.

"Adorable," the horned man said, dark gaze watching a flower blooming on his upper arm. When his gaze turned to her, it felt icy. "Haven't you figured out this won't work?"

She did know they'd tried to kill each other twice to no avail, but she didn't see the harm in trying again while she had him defenseless. "Stay there," Mila said, spinning on the spot to search for a weapon. Should she use the arrow still clutched in her hand? Or maybe a rock off to the right?

"I'll make myself comfortable," the horned man said dryly.

Mila never minded being wrapped in a cocoon of foliage, but imagined being trapped did feel stifling. With that in mind she settled on the arrow in her hand, hoping to end this quickly. It's what she would want, in his situation.

His eyes narrowed at her approach, but he showed no signs of fear. Even when she held out the arrow, directed for his neck, he kept his cool.

"Brave girl," he praised, the attention making her feel too aware of what she intended to do. "Here, I'll help." He tilted his head back against the hold of the plants—which maybe wasn't as strong as she'd suspected—and exposed his neck further. This close, she could see his Adam's apple, hear his loud pulse against his stretched skin.

Long moments passed, and he rolled his head so he could meet her gaze. Whatever he saw there made him smile tightly. "You don't hunt."

It wasn't a question, but she felt compelled to answer. "No." She tensed her arm, prepared to give it a second try, and still couldn't seem to puncture his neck.