Wild Fire

by Heather Glidewell

CHAPTER FOUR

  Thump Thump

  I leaned against the wall of an old building in downtown Harrisville. I was trying to catch my breath after running from the unexplained creature that was sniffing around after dark. It had seen me for only a second before taking off in a dead sprint towards my location.

  So this is what Helen considers fun?

  I could see her walking towards me with her wings unfolded ready to take to the sky. Krista skipping along behind her humming the Battle Hymn of the Republic! Both of these girls are crazy. I rolled my eyes and felt the hilt of the sword behind my back and a slow comfort crossed my flesh. I would give anything to be sitting on the couch in the lush living room playing Halo with Adam right about now. Not chasing odd four legged creatures around an old town.

  The wind picked up and the earth shook, the creature turned its head. Fierce violet eyes and sharp pointed teeth, another experiment gone wrong. I heard a growl rumble from its lips. I pulled my mother's broadsword from my back and set the blade on fire. A soothing blue and white flame emitting from the steel. I sighed, this was it. I took a step away from the wall. Turning the corner I was face to face with the monster.

  "Here kitty kitty." I said a wicked smile playing on my lips.

  The creature, a mixture of cat and warlock, had been stalking the Harrisville downtown after dark for several weeks now. No reported deaths only the stories of the townsfolk that swore they saw the creature late at night walking the streets looking for something. The warlock was an unknown man as well. He moved into town at the same time as the creature so the assumptions we had were pretty clear that the beast before us was the warlock transformed. Now here I was standing in the middle of Main Street staring down at this monster.

  We weren't sure if he was an ally or not. None of us had been able to get close enough to him to find out. Maybe he feared us, then again who is going to be scared of three girls? The way he stared at Krista though was downright creepy. I wasn’t sure if he was marveling at the work of a resurrected being or if he was just enamored by her beauty.

  I felt the air around me move again as my two winged companions let their feet hit the ground. I heard Krista pull her whip from her back and then the clang of Helen's pitchfork on the road. I rolled my eyes at the sound. Don't ask me why the woman chose a pitchfork as a weapon. I think she just thought it was funny until my mother threw one at her and told her to attack.

  "I wish he would just turn back into human form." Helen said perturbed. I glanced over at her as her wings tucked safely into their imaginary pouch.

  "He's not going to." Krista's melodic voice chimed in.

  I had grown used to her voice and the way it sing-songed its way into your mind. After we resurrected her from Purgatory it took her several weeks to be able to do anything without causing the weather to change. I still don't know how many times the allies in their tents had to reset their camps because their homes fell over due to one of Krista's mini tornados.

  "Naw I think he will. Look how scared he is right now. He's not going to attack." I said keeping my eyes locked with the creatures as he back slowly away from the three of us.

  There was a noticeable shift in the shoulders and the cat’s eyes turned green, slowly the body changed into that of a young man. I say young but I'm sure he is far from that. Probably frozen in time as some of the other unfortunates that were inhabiting our backyard. He put his hands up and cleared his throat.

  "Here's the deal magic man." I started flipping the flaming sword in my hand. "We need to know what side you are on. If you are with us welcome." I said cheery. "If you are against us, and I do mean this with respect to your magic, then I'm going to have to kill you." I smiled at him again and watched him shudder for a moment. I found myself hoping for the latter.

  "No, no need for death. I'm with you I say." He stumbled over his words as he stepped towards us.

  "What's up with all the stalking going on around here?" Krista asked wrapping the cracker of her bull whip around her arm and securing the handle behind her back.

  "I can't help it." He pouted. "I have tried all sorts of magic to slow the transition but sometimes I just cannot control what my body does."

  "Hey, that sounds like Dawn on a good day." Helen teased and I shot her a glare.

  "How do I know that I can trust you?" I asked popping my neck.

  "If I were a spy do you think I would leave these people here alive? All I do is look for food, not for a human snack." He said his eyes were pleading.

  "Fine. I will believe you." I sighed pulling the fire from the sword back into my fingertips as Minerva had taught me. “Just so you know though I have no qualms with killing you if for any reason I feel you are lying to me.”

  “Is she always this feisty?” He asked glancing at Krista who instantly blushed.

  “You have no idea.” Helen said dully.

  “What are you guys, the teenage musketeers?” He had to be joking me.

  “No.” Helen groaned.

  Technically Krista was the oldest but because of her preservation in Purgatory she returned to an eighteen year old body. This put Helen as being the oldest, but not wisest, of us all.

  “No, really what are you?” The warlock asked his lips curving in a smirk. It was nice to see he was getting comfortable around us.

  “We are the Wardens.” Helen answered and Krista broke out into laughter both of us turning to look at her. The blonde glanced at us through her eye lids and shut up. I cracked a smile getting what she was laughing about.

  “I’m Dawn, the brunette is Helen, and the blonde is Krista.” I put my hand on the warlocks shoulder. “We are not super heroes as Helen would have you believe.” He let out a chuckle and look at Krista again from the corner of his eye.

  “I know about the Wardens.” He said as we walked down the road towards the awaiting SUV.

  “Does everyone in the world know about Wardens? Because just six months ago I had no clue who or what they were.” I said hanging my head.

  It seemed all the allies knew what I was before I could tell them. For several nights I was treated to stories about the previous women put in charge of protecting the first elements. I, apparently, was nothing like the last one.

  “It’s pretty common knowledge in the Underground.” The Warlock said looking at me and smiling.

  “I’m starting to learn that.” I grumbled as I opened the back door to the SUV. “Just so you know there is one more step to the test. You will learn it when we get to the manor.” I said as he climbed inside and the door was secured behind him.