"I would think less of you if you didn't try," he said in a quiet voice.
She turned, her body tense and her large green eyes swimming with fear and dread. Her flawless face was flushed, her breathing quick. He held her gaze, struck by the aura of power around her. He'd seen it from across the pub. Only standing within its midst did he understand just how strong she was.
"This can go one of two ways," he said. "You can come with me quietly, or I can drag you out of here."
"I'm not going with you."
"Then take the first hit." He slung his arms open, giving her a huge target. With magic or without, he'd won every brawl he'd ever been in, and he definitely wasn't afraid to fight a girl.
The woman took a step back. He wasn't surprised when she whirled and ran. He snatched her arm, and she took a swing at him. He ducked her blow and grunted at the elbow that found his midsection. He hadn't expected her to know how to fight.
An arcing kick forced him to release her. He blocked it and the next two blows and then snatched a fist headed for his face, twisted her arm, and spun her. He wrapped her arm around her throat as he pulled her into his body and held her there with an arm across her chest.
"Please, please don't make me do this," she gasped. "I don't wanna kill anyone!"
"C'mon, sweetheart. We're gonna have a little talk, then we'll see who gets to kill who." He chuckled. She wasn't going anywhere in her position, and her body shook from cold. If he thought she wouldn't run or try to kick him again, he'd let her go fetch her coat.
"I am so sorry," she whispered.
A blast of cold tore through him as she directed her magic into him. His teeth rattled at the raw energy coursing within his body. He wasn't sure what her gift was or what she was trying to do, but he'd never met a Natural with her unique combination of power and strength. The magic faded, and she tried to pull away.
"You done?" he asked.
"You're not a rock."
Fed up with the cold and rain again, he spun her and slung her over his shoulder.
"You're not a rock," she said again, stunned.
"I'm probably immune to whatever it is you tried to do," he said. "Don't feel bad. You probably would've killed a normal human." He strode toward the end of the alley, wanting out of the rain as much as he wanted to talk to the intriguing woman over his shoulder.