Flame and Fury

by Lisa Gail Green

  Aedan’s hand flew to the right and flame shot right over her head. “Get to Toby! He’ll get you out of here.”

  “Out of here? Are you kidding me? I’m the one that belongs here!”

  “Toby!” Aedan’s voice registered impatience. Well, she’d already told him she was high maintenance.

  “Come on, Maya – get out of the line of fire. So to speak,” Toby said, jogging over to haul her out of the way.

  “What is with you?” she asked, pulling away from his grip. They were far enough now. But Aedan was no match for the others on his own. “I think Kari dropped you on your head one too many times or something.”

  “Listen,” Toby said, dropping his voice. “If hurting you is what will bring Aedan down, you have to get out of here. Now. Okay?”

  Maya stared into the same brown eyes she’d known her whole life and saw something different. But she couldn’t break away. And suddenly leaving sounded like the best idea she’d ever heard.

  “Okay. But not without Aedan.”

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Aedan

  Aedan unleashed the fire inside. An incredible sense of freedom flooded through him. Pure pleasure. Unadulterated power. And Sergey’s water met him exactly halfway as he rose from the pool. The center of the fifteen-foot expanse between them erupted in a geyser of steam, which obscured the sky from view and trickled down enveloping them both in a cloud of boiling gas.

  “Fuck!” Sergey screamed as it blistered his skin. Aedan, however, found it invigorating. And the moment Sergey’s energy was divided, as he halted the assault in mid-air, Aedan’s fire sprung forward. In seconds, the entire backyard was a blazing inferno. Anything that could catch fire did. The cushions, the plants, even the others’ clothing.

  Kari ran screaming forward, smoke issuing from her singed hair. She hurled her wind at the flames that licked the back of the building, sending them cowering backward. But Aedan stepped in front of her, his body engulfed in blue flame.

  “Damn you are one creepy son of a bitch,” she said.

  “Do you think Dr. Frankenstein said that to his monster after he created him?” Aedan asked.

  “Don’t you dare blame me for this!” Kari screamed. “You think I asked for it? I’m just trying to do the best I can with what I’ve got. I thought maybe you would be smart enough to do the same, but apparently, I wasn’t enough for you.”

  That’s when the water hit him from behind. Stars burst before his eyes, his fire died, and he sunk to his knees before Kari’s feet. She just looked down at him, her expression unreadable as sparks sizzled along his arms shorting out beneath the suffocating flow.

  The whole thing hardened. Ice encased him from head to foot, and it was the most disturbing sensation he’d ever experienced. He wasn’t even consciously aware of the fire pooling closer, the flames outside bending to his will even across the inflammable expanse of concrete.

  Kari saw it coming. She waved a hand, and Sergey was thrown out of the way as Aedan’s frozen body was blanketed in fire. He emerged with a shout of rage and lashed out toward the house.

  “Aedan! Stop, Aedan! Please don’t lose it.” Maya’s voice penetrated the chaos of the battleground, and Aedan complied. Pulled everything back inside. He swayed, surveying the scene for a clue to Maya’s whereabouts. Thank God Sam was finally safe at home.

  Then he saw her. She was standing at the corner of the house looking so perfect – too perfect, and his heart melted. He knew she was okay the moment Toby’s face surfaced next to hers. Merlin was certainly agreeing with him. He looked kind of like a nerdy superhero, but then again anything was an improvement over naked, bruised, and bloody.

  Kari screamed, “Impossible! You’re already dead!”

  Toby’s expression should have alerted him then. Maybe he and Maya had been glued to each other, oblivious. In either case, Kari and Sergey took their opportunity and launched a full hurricane, not toward him, but directly at Toby.

  Aedan hadn’t released the fire yet when Toby threw out both arms in front of him, and the entire tempest hesitated. Toby’s face filled with concentration, and he twisted his wrists. The water separated from the wind and flew at the opposite Elemental. Kari was washed to the ground while Sergey was blown back into the once again empty pool.

  “Come on, Aedan. We have to go. Now!” Toby called, stumbling a little.

  Maya’s mouth hung open as Aedan scrambled to his feet and scooped her into his arms. He buried his face in her hair as they raced toward the side gate.

  “Where’s Morgana?” The words had barely left his mouth when she appeared, stepping before them with a creepy kind of calm. Toby thrust a hand out, herding them behind him. Aedan swallowed hard. The others would be up in seconds. How the hell were they all going to get out of this?

  “How adorable,” Morgana said. “This young boy thinks he can protect you both? Doesn’t he know what you are, Aedan? I’m surprised he hasn’t tried to kill you yet.”

  “Always blind to the truth,” Toby said, shaking his head. “I would have hoped all those years would have given you a fresh perspective, Gana.”

  No one spoke for what felt like an eternity. Morgana’s eyes grew so wide Aedan thought they might pop out of her head. Finally, it was Maya that spoke.

  “What’s he doing?” she asked.

  “You’ve been busy, Aedan,” Morgana said without lifting her gaze from Toby’s. “But you shouldn’t play with things you don’t understand. I suppose you think you can trust him?” She laughed, and it was a bitter sound. Aedan glanced around as the power inside of him tugged. He knew time was running short. That the others were close at hand, possibly ready to strike. He didn’t know what to do, where he should focus his attention. And the panic only fed the flames.

  “Just because we’re Circle doesn’t mean we’d kill an innocent man!” Maya yelled, pushing away from Aedan’s arms and shoving Toby’s hand aside as well. Normally Aedan appreciated her fierce attitude, but right now probably wasn’t the best time.

  “I tried to warn you, Maya,” Morgana said. “You cared for this boy, I assume.”

  “Speak English would you,” Maya said. “This boy is still here. I care for him. As in present tense. And that’s not going to change.”

  Uh oh. Aedan was more confused than ever. What if Maya freaked? Of course, she was going to freak. She was Maya.

  “It may be his body,” Morgana said, savoring it. “But the man inside…”

  Understanding dawned on her face before Morgana said the words. And it was hurt that registered, aimed not at Toby, or Morgana, but at Aedan. Blame. He’d stolen her brother. Again. Except… he hadn’t.

  “I’m still here,” Toby said, redirecting Maya’s attention. “We both are. And I’m glad Aedan did it. He saved my life, May. And Merlin.” He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. “Merlin!”

  “How do I know it’s really you?” Maya’s voice was so soft – like she was afraid to say it out loud.

  Before Toby could answer chaos descended on the yard.

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Maya

  The first thing that registered was Kari’s piercing screech. Still Maya couldn’t tear her eyes from the face that wasn’t really Toby’s anymore. She’d thought Aedan betrayed her once already, when he claimed to have killed Toby on that mountain. But it hurt too much, and when he explained, she’d believed. And he had been telling the truth.

  Fool me once, Maya thought. She swallowed. All around her the battle sounded, still she and Toby remained locked together. His face stayed steady and strong, but his eyes begged her to understand. The trouble was, they weren’t his eyes. They were Merlin’s.

  “I’d be dead right now and you know it,” he said. His voice so low, she was shocked she could hear it over the tumult all around.

  Maya’s throat swelled as she fought the tears. “You still are.”

  He recoiled, mouth ajar, and lip trembling slightly. Then his gaze flickered over her shoulder. “Lo
ok out!” he shouted. But before she could so much as turn, he’d flung out his hand.

  Heat seared across the right side of her face as a fountain of flame stretched from Toby’s palm to the unseen threat. Maya folded to her left, rolling out of the line of fire, and coming up in a crouching position, ready. She’d have to sort it out later. Right now was about the fight. Who knew? Maybe there wouldn’t even be a later to worry about.

  The yard was populated by not just Morgana and her Elementals, but by four new Circle Operatives, including her own parents. Four. One for each bad guy. That is if Aedan was to be considered a bad guy.

  She scanned the grounds. Debris and water swirled everywhere, distorting her view. And the thick gray haze of smoke was adding to the screen of confusion. The sounds of screams assaulted her ears, even above the howl of the wind, and her nose registered the stinging scent of fire.

  This was all so wrong. This was supposed to be her fight. When did she lose control? When you fell for an Elemental. Now focus!

  A dark shape loomed from within the melee. Maya tensed. Her breath came heavy. Her fingers flexed, itching to pull out a weapon she no longer possessed. The face that appeared made her straighten up, and relax, but only slightly.

  “Father.”

  He was bloody, and the side of his face was shiny and pink. Had Aedan done that? What had he done to Aedan? She swallowed back her rising heartbeat and squeezed her hand into a fist at her side.

  “You are all right,” he said, drawing close.

  “You need to leave.”

  His ever-impassive face faltered. “You would rather die than face disgrace.” His eyes pierced like jade daggers.

  “There is no disgrace in doing what’s right,” Maya said, squaring her shoulders. “Aedan is not evil. We don’t kill innocent people, remember?”

  The man before her laughed, coughing a bit in the end from the thickening smoke. “An Elemental cannot be innocent, Maya. His soul is tainted by darkness.”

  Maya shook her head. Squeezed her hand tighter to control the trembling. “We’re supposed to be the good guys. What happened to letting people choose?”

  “Now isn’t the time for this discussion.” He grasped her open hand, folding it around the handle of his rapier. A new weapon seemed to materialize in his hand. A machete. “Let’s see you redeem yourself, daughter.”

  “Why have you come?” Maya shouted as he turned toward the fight. He paused, but continued on, disappearing into the swirling mass.

  “I called them.” Toby stepped out from her right, looking winded, but full of energy. Maya winced. “Before Aedan came with Merlin. I used the last of my strength to contact them.”

  “But the laptop-”

  “Aedan retrieved it for me before burning the apartment.”

  “If he’d known you were going to turn him in-”

  “I told them in the message. I explained that he wasn’t what we thought. What we’d trained for.”

  “You mean you didn’t KNOW they’d react like this? They’re going to kill him!” Maya screamed.

  Shit. She’d not only taken Aedan’s side again, she’d taken it for granted this man was actually Toby. Or at least that he was still in there.

  “AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHH!” Maya bolted into the madness, brandishing her rapier like a broadsword. Reason fled, but the physical release was so good, she didn’t try to stop it.

  The first group she came upon was Kari and a Circle Operative no older than her. Tanya. The name surfaced in her mind from some meeting long ago. And she wasn’t doing too well as Kari hurtled shards of broken pottery at her from all sides, forcing her to contort her body in a life or death dance.

  “Bitch!” Maya screamed, and she vaulted into the air, slashing downward with her sword at Kari’s shoulder. Kari swung at the last second, blowing Maya to the ground. But it was all Tanya needed. She was on Kari’s back in a heartbeat.

  “Maya!” Aedan rushed to her side, and nearly smothered her with a hug. “You’re okay,” He said. But unlike her father, the emotion was clear. Relief.

  “You had to do it,” she said, trying to convince herself because it felt too good to be in his arms again. “He was as good as dead.”

  “You mean Toby? Yes. But it was also the only way I could save you.”

  “Aedan.” She grasped his face in her hands, holding him firm. “You can’t do that. You can’t make wrong choices because of me. Do you understand?”

  “Maya, I-”

  “I’m serious, Aedan! Please don’t turn dark, please.” Maya squeezed him hard, determined to show him the gravity of the situation.

  But the look in his eyes… She’d hurt him.

  “We have to get out of here. I don’t know who these people are but-” Aedan started.

  “They’re Circle, Aedan. My parents and two others. Toby contacted them before you… before.”

  “But that doesn’t make sense,” he said, pulling her out of the way of a burst of water from somewhere to the right. “Why are they attacking me?” His voice crept higher with each word, more urgent.

  Maya could only shake her head.

  “They’re still after me because I’m an Elemental,” he said, straightening, and looking off into the fog of debris. When Maya reached up to touch him, he shrugged away. After a moment, his shoulders fell. “Maybe they’re right.”

  “Aedan, no!”

  “I’ve always seen the darkness inside of myself,” he said, still unable to look at her. “Just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. I guess it was easy to believe when Edy and Sam kept telling me none of it was my fault.”

  “Aedan.” Maya nearly choked on the tears. She couldn’t bear to see him in this kind of pain. A Scimitar wouldn’t feel that.

  Aedan looked at her suddenly. His eyes glistened in the limited light, warm golden suns. Maya’s heart caught in her throat. “I’m going to help them whether they like it or not,” he said. And before Maya could register the words, he’d turned and disappeared back into the fray.

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  Aedan

  Aedan knew what he had to do. Task number one? Protect Maya and Toby. Task number two? Help the Circle take out the others. He’d killed before, he could do it again. Especially when he knew he was protecting the world. It couldn’t be that hard. Task number three? Turn himself in and hope they made it quick.

  He didn’t really want to dwell on that last checkbox. It would be easier to deal with if he focused on the other things first. So he closed his eyes. It wasn’t like he could exactly see more than a foot in front of him anyway. And this way it was easier to feel what was around him. Everything had a heat signature. Even the unnerving cold he registered from Sergey could be pinpointed. In fact, Sergey’s signature was the only one he recognized with confidence, and right then the other Elemental was spraying the cold out toward two warm bodies.

  Aedan shot a jet of flame out, slicing through the middle of the stream and the targets. He rushed forward, bathing the cold in fire before Sergey had a chance to adjust.

  “Hold, Vivian! He’s fighting the other.” Aedan was vaguely aware of the two Circle members struggling with each other behind him. He had to focus, if he let up for even a second, Sergey would take advantage of it.

  It was working. Sergey writhed on the ground before him, screaming as the blaze engulfed him. Aedan’s hands trembled. Pictures of Megan swam before him, screaming… on fire. The tortured body before him no longer had an identity. It was pain, and pain alone. Agony that Aedan was the source of.

  Sergey fought. He pushed against the burn with all his power, but the flames still licked his skin and clothes. Aedan had him, he could finish him in seconds with one more thrust.

  But…

  But…

  Aedan let the fire fade. His arms dropped uselessly to his sides. Sergey shook with exertion and pain. His eyes locked on Aedan, and a wicked smile smeared across his face. Loser, it said. Pathetic wuss. There was no remorse, no u
nderstanding, no gratitude.

  Sergey was everything Aedan feared about himself.

  Something hard hit the back of Aedan’s head, and he fell forward to the ground as Sergey rolled out of the way.

  “Stop!” Maya’s voice.

  Aedan struggled to turn over and see. She was standing over him, poised between him and the threat. “No,” he said, but it was weak. Just like him.

  “Didn’t you see that? What the hell is wrong with you people?” Maya demanded. “He saved your lives!”

  “He stopped, Daughter. He reconsidered.” A woman’s voice. Vivian?

  “Move aside, you are confused.” A man. The one who stopped the woman earlier.

  “No you are,” Maya said. “He didn’t stop because he reconsidered. He stopped because he couldn’t kill. Don’t you get it?”

  So she’d been watching too. What would she have done if he’d gone through with it? Aedan squeezed his eyes shut to try and stop the world from spinning. Something warm and sticky was flowing over his ear.

  “Family squabble, Maya?” Morgana appeared out of the smoke. Was she really glowing? Or was it Aedan’s messed up head?

  “We agree on one thing,” Maya said. “You have to be stopped.”

  Morgana flicked a finger toward Maya, and Aedan panicked. The fire inside flared, but it was too late. Maya’s father saw it though. And he was fast. He leaped forward with a cry, brandishing his machete that Aedan saw it was tipped with blood. Morgana’s spell hit the weapon and sent it flying out of reach.

  “No!” Maya screamed. And that’s when Aedan realized that whatever was going on between Maya and her parents, they were still her parents. And he knew how he felt about Sam and Edy, biological attachment or not.

  These people were only trying to protect their daughter. From him. Well, maybe he could help. Aedan summoned every bit of energy he had left and blew. Blue fire shot from his mouth, which even he had to admit was kind of cool and coiled into a wall between Morgana and the rest of them.