by LeAnn Mason
Pulling out my trusty zippo, I flicked the ignitor, coaxing a small flame into existence. Hovering my left hand over the lighter, I pulled the flame to my palm then rotated so that the now circular flame hovered above instead of below, I closed the lighter and stowed it back in my pocket. Then I went to work pulling the flames between both hands as if it were taffy being lengthened.
When the golden, heat-laden blaze resembled a shoestring far more than fire, I pulled a hand away and mentally aimed the loose end through the narrow slit in another gray locker. Mel could be the brunt of some elemental play for once.
Not being able to create fire from nothing, I’d become rather adept at making an existing flame do just about anything. It was almost like it became a part of me, an extension that I could control with a thought. I could see it even if it were behind a metal panel. The tendril zoomed around the black space, showing me exactly what lay within the darkened confines without needing to see it for myself.
Noticing several notebooks, I bypassed the usual, skimming… there. The black, leatherbound book was perfect. Mel wouldn’t be able to function, let alone cast disparaging spells, without her grimoire. “Stupid Witch,” I laughed low. “Burn, burn.” When the unassuming book was charred and blackened, every page disfigured, I snuffed the flame from existence, thanking it for a job well done before walking off with a new spring in my step.
Thankfully, the school day went by quickly. Its highlight being just after First Period, in which I had Supernatural History, when Mel and the Witch crew stopped by her locker. I meandered toward where Sasha stood gaping at her now spotless cabinet, fingers fluttering along her books that were again free of any evidence of Mel’s cruelty. When I reached her side, an agonized scream rent the space, echoing and amplified through the hallway. The sound was only dampened by the number of bodies wandering through the space. I couldn’t keep the satisfied smile from my face at the sound.
Success.
“What happened?” Sasha asked, brow furrowed, vibrant green eyes hunting for a cause.
“I have no idea,” I returned, a lipstick-laden smile affixed brightly to my face.
She didn’t believe me but, looking back at her own locker, quickly switched gears. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do this for me.”
“What are you talking about? That’s what friends are for, right? Gotta help my girl out.”
“No one wants to be my friend. Why do you?”
The poor girl. We had a lot in common, whether she realized it or not. We hadn’t ever really voiced our reasons before; maybe they needed to be said. “I’m still considered an outsider in Grimm Hollow. I’ve been here for years, but I wasn’t born here. To them, I’m less than. Add in the fact that I can’t create my own fire, it gives them more ammunition. I feel a connection to you.” Watching the younger girl’s expression, I wondered if maybe I’d said too much. Maybe she didn’t feel the same. I started to backpedal. “Anyway, you don’t deserve what they do to you. I could make it better for you, at least a little bit, so I did.”
“How dare you!” A shrill voice shrieked. Mel marched toward where we stood, her heeled boots thumping as she shoved away anyone she came across. Seeing the rage in her eyes and not wanting poor Sasha to take the brunt, I again broke out my trusty lighter and sparked it up.
“What’s the matter?” I held the building fireball in my palm, keeping my body loose, ready, just in case Mel decided she did, in fact, want to escalate the issue.
Deciding she didn’t want all the attention we were garnering, Mel, still spitting mad, clenched her fists. Her face was turning purple with the effort of containing herself. I didn’t relinquish eye contact, making sure my fireball was well within sight. I wouldn’t let her retaliate against Sasha. “Just wait until we get back to the Coven House,” she threatened.
Well, shit. I couldn’t let Sasha catch more hell for something that I did. “It wasn’t her.”
“You?”
“Well, it was a fire, wasn’t it?” I asked with fake concern, making sure to bat my dark lashes. I felt the heat of the flame I held invigorate me, flushing my body with a renewed sense of strength. It always felt like that with fire. It was strange that it bolstered me so much, that I could sense it so clearly. That it never hurt me, no matter the intensity. I felt the fire even in my eyes at times. Like this one. Mel must have too because she backed off, eyes narrowed. Smoothing her hands down the front of her tight tee, she gathered herself again. Looking around me to where I felt Sasha still at my back, Mel spit her own proverbial fire.
“Watch your back.” Then she and the brat pack tramped past, making sure to bump my shoulder on the way out. Overwhelmed by her heavily applied floral perfume, I smiled at the childishness of the act.
Until Sasha’s heavy sigh broke through my high. I extinguished my fireball, turning back to the girl. “What’s wrong?” I asked. The rest of the onlooking students had begun dispersing once Mel’s crew left without a fight, giving us some space.
Defeated. She looked defeated. That was exactly the opposite of what I wanted for her. “They will have some horrible task or spell for me at the house. She can’t let this, whatever it is, stand. She won’t.”
“But you didn’t do anything. I did.” This was not at all what I wanted. Mel was supposed to leave the girl alone now, not get worse. What had I done?
“It doesn’t matter. You did it for me, and I’m an easy target. They love an easy target. It makes them feel superior.” There was a spark of defiance in those large emerald eyes.
“Then don’t be an easy target, Sasha,” I pleaded. I wanted the girl to realize she was worth more. We all needed to realize our own worth.
“You don’t understand,” she said, eyes dropping to the floor, all of that momentary confidence fleeing from her. But I’d seen it. It was there. We could pull it out, in time. I decided then and there that I was going to make sure Sasha knew exactly what she was made of. My new school mission was to pull it out of her. This girl would be great, and I would help her realize that.
CHAPTER 6
“S o, how was school today, Firebird?” Selik chirped in his usual, upbeat manner when I pushed through the back door of the diner and into the confines of the humid, odiferous kitchen. Shuttling to grab my half apron and the red tee that made up my “work” uniform, I shrugged noncommittally as I shut myself in the bathroom to change.
“Don’t you remember? Nick’s coming by tonight. She has a date,” Emest’s gravelly voice seemed too jovial as it filtered through the door’s flimsy barricade. The stuffy room filled with chuckles as I emerged, fit for duty, at least physically. Mentally, they had just reminded me that Nick was, in fact, supposed to swing by…
“Now you’ve done it. She’s already started sweating,” Rune worried.
“And it has nothing to do with the heat of the kitchen,” Isaac yawned. They all laughed again.
“You guys suck, you know that?” I groused with a wild blush and pushed out into the dining room. This was the first time a boy had shown any interest in me romantically, and I was getting a glimpse of what their attitudes would be. I could have sworn that I heard a kissing noise, probably from Stein, as I fled.
Luckily, I knew the menu by heart and didn’t need to spend time memorizing any specials, meaning less time with the guys. Still, every time I hustled through the doors or pinned an order, jokes and smooching sounds assailed my ears. “Aren’t you guys, like, old? You’re not teenage boys; you’re seasoned men. Sheesh.” I couldn’t believe that they were having so much fun with this. I’d been worried that they would get all protective, threatening harm to any guy who approached.
They were very protective… normally.
“I feel like this is the Twilight Zone.”
“How do you even know about that?”
“Yeah, it’s much older than you are, B.” They all agreed with Tabbart’s assessment, nodding all the way around. I just shook my head and left them to it again. There was still a
bout an hour until the dinner rush, so I had to give myself plenty of things to do so that I didn’t spend much time in the back. I couldn’t deal with them all night and not let my own jitters overwhelm my functionality.
I wiped down tables and refilled salt and pepper shakers, napkin dispensers, and ketchup bottles until there were no more. Looking around, I tried to find another random chore I could do in between customers. But I was being too efficient. I’d run out of things to distract me. A quick peek toward the kitchen showed that the dwarfs’ ears, and eyes, were still perked in my direction. “There are plenty of dishes to wash back here, Firebird!” Rune called when he caught my stare.
“You too, Bruté?” Rune was usually the one I could count on to be on my side but he only laughed at my furrowed brow and pinched mouth.
Luckily, the ding of the door announced the arrival of new diners, and I was spared from having to do the dishes while enduring the embarrassment of my guardians for at least another few moments. “Sorry. Guests,” I called merrily to the smirking lot before going to meet the small group that Jenny, our hostess, had seated. The group heralded the beginning of the dinner rush, and I was saved from having too much downtime as I hurried to keep everyone fed, watered, and as happy as I could make them during their brief-ish time with me. Faking the cheer was easy tonight as I couldn’t help the giddiness that bubbled below the surface.
No matter how embarrassed the dwarfs made me, they were right. I was excited to see Nick tonight. I was going to get what I wanted. What I thought would never happen.
“A date, squee!”
“What’s that, Bianca?” Jesse, the bartender, asked as he scooped ice from the nearby bin, obviously having heard my girly squeal. A blush burned hot on my skin as I dipped my head in embarrassment. I shook him off, placing the newly full water glasses on my tray and hurrying off to escape having to explain and further my mortification. According to the clock, it was seven. Another two hours until I would be free… to embarrass myself in front of a new audience: Nick.
“Evening. Hope you’re having—”
“I’m early,” a deep voice I knew well rumbled with a tint of humor. Freezing, pencil poised on pad, my eyes drifted toward where Nick sat on the bench. His arms were spread along the back, a huge grin splitting his handsome face as he took in my harried countenance. “Don’t worry. I know you’re not available yet, but I figured I could get a meal out of the way so that my bear wasn’t grumpy on our date.”
I nearly choked at his candor. “Date? So, it is a date you wanted?”
His beautiful chocolate eyes clouded, his brow wrinkling and smile faltering. “Is that… is that not what you wanted?”
My gosh, he actually looks worried!
“No. Wait, I didn’t mean no, I meant I didn’t, I mean I wasn’t sure that’s what you wanted.” Oh, man, I’d bet my cheeks were as red as my lips, only they wouldn’t look good with the color.
“Oh? Why wouldn’t I?” His affable demeanor returned upon hearing that I wasn’t shutting him down.
I didn’t know anyone who was crazy enough to do that. Nick was a catch. A strong, sweet Sentinel who was more than easy on the eyes? Yep. A catch.
And he wanted to take me on a date. Me. The awkward, average Mage who wasn’t even a Grimm Hollow native.
Oh, man. I was going to faint. “Excuse me a second. Want a strawberry shake?” At his agreement, I nodded and fled, hoping my cheeks would return to their normal color before the shake was ready.
“That the guy?” Jesse asked cheekily, bumping my shoulder when I rounded the bar to get the shake prepared.
“Geez, guys, why not just announce it over the speakers, huh?” I rounded on the gawking hoverers in the kitchen peeking without shame at the dining room. Exasperated, I flapped my arms in defeat, feeling my cheeks heat again to the sound of resounding laughter. “You all suck.” I started the blender so that I could drown out the sound. Too soon, I was heading back toward where Nick sat, nearly lounging he sprawled so much. I wasn’t sure which was worse, the embarrassment of fumbling my words in front of him or listening to the dwarfs all razz me about his presence…
“Sorry about that. Here’s your shake. What else can I get you tonight?” I tried to look at him for at least a few moments before darting my eyes back to my notepad when I’d delivered his treat.
“Well, we’re starving tonight. Been running the forest all day. Allya and Hunter gave me as much crap as you seem to be getting here,” Nick said, jutting his chin.
I turned to glare at the gaggle of nosey men watching my every move, flicking my hand in a shooing motion, hoping they’d take the hint. I didn’t expect that they would but was still disappointed when they ignored me. “Yeah, they’re definitely having fun.”
“I’ll take a double bacon cheeseburger, a basket of fries, and some ranch.” He looked away from the menu he was reading to shoot me another glorious, slightly mischievous smile I couldn’t help but return.
“Looks like you may have a new ‘usual’.”
“Is that the same thing I got last time?” he asked with what looked like pinked cheeks of his own. “Well, my compliments to the chef; it’s fantastic.”
I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my own face. He was just too sweet, and Emest would get a kick out of it, probably think it was meant sarcastically and come out to give the giant bear Shifter an earful. “I’ll tell him and get your order in. Be back in a few. I should probably make the rounds…”
“Definitely can’t ignore your other customers even if I’d like to keep you to myself.”
Dang it, the blush was never going to leave my cheeks if he kept this up. Ducking my head and nodding quickly, I hurried away from where he sat all glorious, sprawled and lounging, without a care in the world, across the bright red vinyl seats that only enhancing his dark good looks.
Like the hours at school, the remaining time at the diner seemed to fly by. I didn’t strain to keep my lips tipped up, to sound cheerful. This must be what it was like to be an outgoing optimist. My tips were even better than usual, telling me I didn’t necessarily succeed on my “fake it” nights.
Whoops.
CHAPTER 7
“R emember, cub, she’s to be through the door no later than eleven. She’s got work in the morning.”
“Yes, sir,” Nick replied dutifully when we came to the kitchen to retrieve my backpack. Fearing what might be said while I changed, I decided not to risk it and only shed the half apron, sacrificing cuteness to keep the guardian grilling to the minimum possible.
“Okay, guys, back to work. There’s things to cook and plenty to clean. I’ll be home by eleven. Bye!” I tried pushing Nick toward the back door, but he was so heavy I was positive he didn’t feel compelled by my strength. Fortunately, he followed my lead and allowed me to nudge him –us– to freedom, the overlapping chatter of seven parental figures abruptly cutting off with the slam of the heavy door.
“So, what’s the plan, Stan?” I asked, turning toward Nick, my hands gripping the shoulder straps of my backpack as if my life depended on it. My nerves had returned full-force now that we were free of additional eyes, and my fingers didn’t seem to want to uncurl. It was a safe place to put them. It kept them from making excuses to touch him constantly. Which I wouldn’t mind doing… if I were braver.
With a trademarked grin in place, he swung an exaggerated step away from the diner, away from me.
Is he leaving?
“Hey, now, you planning to ditch me, sir?” I jogged to catch up, swatting his huge biceps when I pulled alongside the grinning jerk. “Not cool.”
With a chuckle, he reached out an arm to wrap around my shoulders and pulled me bodily to his side, forcing me to wrap an arm around his waist to regain a sense of balance. His grin grew even wider, and his chocolate eyes flashed gold, his bear rising for at least a moment. I hoped his animal liked me. I assumed he did. Otherwise, Nick wouldn’t either. At least, I didn’t think so, but I didn’t know e
verything about Shifters. Their relationships with their animals were complex and varying.
Rory was the perfect example. The guy and his lion had an extremely rocky relationship, though it seemed like Mae helped him. I hoped they figured out their situation. They were good for each other, clearly, and it wasn’t fair that his mother tried to dictate his life.
“So, are you ever going to tell me what we’re doing?” I tried again.
“We’re almost there,” he answered, pulling me over the grassy embankment and toward the forest encircling Grimm Hollow.
“You’re taking me to the woods? Should I be worried?” I joked, only half-kidding. What did he have planned?
“Just a little farther,” he explained. Leaves and twigs littered the ground from the trees shedding their foliage for the colder months, and each step crunched beneath our feet.
With the streetlamps no longer providing ample light, it was very hard to see, though not for Nick. He just plowed on ahead as if the sun were at its apex and every little thing glinted in the light. He slowed. “Watch out, there’s a fallen log here. Upsy-daisy.”
I squeaked when strong hands closed around my waist, grabbing his arms as he lifted me from the ground and presumably– over the obstacle. My eyes collided briefly with his, which were the eerie ghostly green one saw reflected at them when a predator stared back from the depths of darkness.
A little unnerving to look at, at least, I now understood exactly how he was seeing so well.
Leaves crunched as my feet again met the ground, but Nick’s hands didn’t leave my waist. In the dark, all I could make out was his large outline and green reflecting eyes staring down at me. “Thank you,” I breathed before dropping my hands. I wasn’t some simpering damsel, and the eyes were kind of cool, the longer I looked.
