Breathing Fire (Heretic Daughters #1)

Chapter Eight: Renaissance Fair

As it turned out, Christian was available, so we went to the Renaissance Fair together. He picked me up at the house, tossing me a pink T-shirt when I opened the door. I curled my lip at him. "Huh?"

He grinned, shrugging. "I had it made after last year's fair. I thought it would be cute. Nice hair, by the way, Barney."

"Thanks, candy ass. So, what are you gonna give me to wear this?"

"Look at it before you reject it out of hand."

I unfolded it. I couldn't keep an embarrassingly girlish giggle from escaping my lips. It had black lettering above an obnoxious cartoon. It looked like a blond, shirtless, anime version of Christian. The lettering read, 'Dragon slayers have giant swords.'

"No way." I threw it at him. He flipped it, showing me the back. It read 'Dragon slayers do it dragon style.'

I raised a brow at him. "You must have some present for me, if you think you can bribe me into wearing that."

He bent down, flipping up his pant leg. He unlatched an extremely badass looking ankle sheath. "It's been blessed by a holy druid. It grows hot against your skin when evil draws near. And the knife hilt is studded with rubies. I know how you and Lynn like your jewels."

I took it from him, studying it closely. It was beautifully made, and I did love gems. "I've been called evil myself, but it's not hot against my skin now."

"Rather, someone that means to do evil to you." He flipped open his button-up shirt. Underneath, he wore his own pink T-shirt. Hot pink. He was secure, I supposed. It had the same cartoon as mine, but his had a hot blonde anime chick kneeling at his feet. Me? I threw up a little in my throat. It read, 'Level 140 Dragon slayer = Hot Chick Magnet.' I looked from his shirt to the knife. I really, really liked the knife. I had a weakness for ankle sheaths and he knew it. I already had a small gun strapped to the inside of my left ankle. My jeans hid it completely, as they would this knife. "I bet you got that knife at the same time you got those T-shirts made. You've been planning this for a year?"

He nodded, grinning. He knew I couldn't resist the treasure. Which was more than a little alarming, if I thought about it.

I grabbed the shirt out of his hands, glaring at him. I whipped off my navy T-shirt, right in front of him. I wasn't, by nature, immodest. I just couldn't have cared less if Christian saw me in my bra. I pulled the pink shirt over my chest with difficulty. "You get me kid-sized?" I grouched, as I struggled into the shirt.

He nodded. He had no shame. "That I did."

I finally got it on. It didn't even cover my belly button. I felt ridiculous, but I held out my hand for the knife. "I like the video game reference. Level 140, huh? Nerd."

He shrugged. "I'm a renaissance man. Nerd is a title people wear proudly these days. You can't deny you've clocked in a little MMO time yourself." He stuck his tongue out at me.

I sucker punched him in the stomach as I walked by. He grunted, winded. "Let's go, candy ass," I ordered.

The Renaissance Fair took up all of Sunset Park this year. It had grown significantly since the last time we'd been. I swear it got a little freakier every year, too. I wasn't exactly into the fair, but I liked to come and laugh at it, and people watch, of course. A lot of the antics going on were just good comedy.

I understood a lot of the 'authentic' costumes so many of the Ren enthusiasts were wearing. But just as many of the costumes made no sense to me. Like why was there a flock of kids dressed up for Hogwarts? And why were random people in the crowd dressed up like superheroes? And what was with the fat dude dressed up like a hostess cupcake? And why the hell was Lynn dressed as a dominatrix? I'd have to ask her, if we found her tent in the huge gathering.