Death & Fire

by King Ellie

  “Asar,” Xáne said his name with venom dripping from his lips. “He will be in charge of you. You will continue where you left off before you walked out of here leaving everything behind like an irresponsible child.”

  At the mention of the word, child, I flinched, and Xáne noticed. Sorrow enveloped me, his emotions not mine, were flooding me and they were overwhelming. He glanced down, I followed where he was looking. I was happy that I wasn’t naked, but with the way he was gazing at me, I might as well be. I hope to God, he didn’t know what happened while I was away. I forced myself not to conjure up the memory, I didn’t want Xáne to know. I felt like this was my burden to bear alone.

  “What Captain Helson is saying, is that you are on lockdown,” the warrior bitch spoke up as if she was his mouthpiece. I rolled my eyes not even holding back. “You are to be with Asar at all times when you are not continuing your education. Seeing that you didn’t finish your sentinel program as per your kind, you will join level one again. You will be the oldest there as the others are in their early twenties and you are what? Thirty?”

  The fuck? Was she serious right now? I’m twenty-seven thank you very little. I gritted my teeth as I controlled my flames. If she were a dude, I’d punch her in the nuts. Hard. She probably still had nuts from the looks of it. Xáne and Asar coughed like a bunch of immature boys trying not to laugh. I forgot they were the only ones that were linked to me telepathically. Xáne as my mate and Asar as my protector.

  Asar’s hand lightly gripped my jaw, and he made me face him. He lightly shook his head although the amusement was written all over his face.

  “She’ll do that, and I’ll make sure of it,” Asar answered before I could tell all of them to kiss my ass.

  “Good,” Xáne answered and walked out without so much as a second glance my way, but my eyes always followed him. I don’t think they could ever stop doing so. Ever.

  Chapter 3

  Xánur

  The moment I watched Asar come in the room with a smile on his face, I knew I was having a Déja Vu moment. Level one trainees came in, this time in the training area that was too big for its own good. Each one walked behind the other, and when they stood side by side waiting for my instructions, my eyes found hers. Even now, with her black hair straight reaching her shoulders, her chocolate skin was glistening, and her body still filling that black jumpsuit well. I cleared my throat not wanting to concentrate on Cin, but it was hard especially with the way she looked at me. She gazed at me as if this was the first time she had laid eyes on me. She didn’t smile nor frown; Her emotions poured not only through the tether but the way she tilted her head staring at me. It was unnerving. I blinked shaking my head trying to concentrate on everyone else.

  I loudly clasped my hands together getting her attention, and she seemed to notice what she was doing. Cin looked away bashfully, I felt the tugging of my lips as a small smile appeared on my face.

  Is that a smile on your face dear cousin? It’s been so long.

  Asar spoke to me telepathically, I glared at him, scowling in the process.

  No.

  I answered him then shut him out for the time being.

  I watched each and every student that came in, there was about fifteen of them this time around. The schooling was over with, and now it was training time. There were only two levels, but each level had a different series of tests that they needed to pass with both skills and powers.

  “Alright, everyone. First off, welcome to Level one training. Now, if I could have you standing in with your kind,” I watched them as they each followed the rules.

  We had three vampires, three Lycans, five sirens, three humans, and then the oddball out, Cin. I sighed, she was the only one left of her kind, and that’s why Asar was her protector.

  “I, uh,” she spoke up. “I’m kinda short on a group here. Kinda awkward.” She did that nervous chuckle and tucked her hair behind her left ear.

  Asar as her protector decided to switch it up,

  “let’s do this, there’s us, three instructors,” I looked to where he was pointing to his left, and there Jaya stood. I hadn’t noticed she came in. “So, everyone pair up and as for you Cin, you go with the only person who can put out your flames, Xánur.

  Asar smirked as he winked my way. He walked off to the other trainees pairing them off as Cin made her way towards her. I watched as she purposefully walked in front of Jaya, swinging her hips in a dramatic fashion. I narrowed my eyes at her knowing what the hell she was doing. Jaya gritted her teeth as she tried to focus on anything else but Cin and as she stopped in front of me, Jaya screamed as a small flame appeared on her shoulder. She patted her shoulder putting it out in less than a second.

  I leaned down getting all up in Cin’s face,

  “Cut that shit out!” I harshly whispered.

  She scoffed.

  “I didn’t mean to do it,” she was playing coy with me.

  I narrowed my eyes not paying attention to those around us as I got even more into her space.

  “You’re so full of shit, and I know you well enough to know you enjoyed doing that.”

  Cin opened her mouth to respond, but we were interrupted by Asar giving the okay for us to begin our training. I grinned at her as my arms flew out gripping both her wrists twisting them behind her. She shrieked, and I ate it up. I kept her there for a moment as she struggled.

  “You’re cheating!” She accused me.

  I cocked an eyebrow letting her go abruptly causing her to fall on the floor that was covered with mats. I backed up a bit giving her space. I lifted my hand calling her over to me with my finger,

  “if you think I’m cheating, come over here and beat me. My size shouldn’t scare you.”

  Cin glared at me as she stood on her feet. She got in a fighting stance just like I taught her so long ago. My chest swelled with pride, my teachings helped her survive out there. She took this opportunity to charge first, and that was her biggest mistake, thinking that I didn’t know her well. But then again, if I knew her so well, wouldn’t I have known she was planning on leaving me?

  Fuck! I needed to let it go because I had moved on, hadn’t I?

  ****

  As we got into the rhythm of fighting, all else was lost to us. This was always Cin and my problem, when we were immersed in each other, we’d often forget about those around us. It wasn’t fair to them, but this was us except there wasn’t an us this time around. I didn’t even think as I grabbed her wrists again this time dropping with her to the mats.

  “This is so cheating!” Cin said as she tried to wiggle her legs from under the lock I put her entire body in.

  “Is it?” I questioned.

  “Uh yeah. It’s cause you’re bigger and you just had to go take your shirt off. You know that’s my weakness! The damn nerve of you to get your whole upper body tatted,” she rambled when she was nervous. “speaking of tattoos, that's sin one,” She gestured with her head.

  I growled as I got all up in her face,

  “what about it? You got a problem with it?”

  Cin’s eyes went cartoon character wide, it was comical, yet the heat that was coming from her body threw me off. No, her flames didn’t appear. This was her body heat wanting me to touch and caress her like I used to. I was enamored by her eyes as the flames appeared in them instead of her body, it was fascinating to witness.

  “When did that start?” I whispered.

  “What?” She breathlessly asked.

  “The flames in your eyes?”

  “Oh! After I lost our …” she stopped talking then. The flame disappeared from her eyes and tears fell from her eyes faster than anything else.

  I was caught off guard by them. I hadn’t seen her cry in so long that it tugged at my heart.

  “Please,” her voice cracked. “let me go. I have to go.”

  I ignored that. I wanted her to tell me what we had lost, I had to hear it from her mouth.

  “After we lost our what Lucinda
?”

  Her breath hitched. She knew when I called her name like that, it was usually in an intimate setting. Just her and I but I didn’t care right now. She was crying, and I itched to comfort her. The tether was a bitch at times, like now when it almost broke my resolve with the amount of sorrow and heartbreak that consumed me.

  Cin broke down now in serious tears,

  “please Xáne, let me go.”

  My anger came back full blown as I let her go standing with her. I masked all the other emotions that threatened to show themselves as I stared into her teary eyes,

  “I let you go already. You don’t ever have to beg me to do it twice.”

  I walked off after that as I heard her sobs getting louder haunting my every step out of that damn room and into the hallway.

  Why did it seem like I hurt her when I wasn’t the one who left?

  I heard footsteps behind me, they were heavy, and it was Asar.

  “I let her go back to my office. I’ll take her home. Don’t worry cousin, I’ll take care of her,” he assured me.

  I stared, concentrating on the empty hallway full of beige walls.

  “I don’t give a shit what you do with her,” I spoke through gritted teeth.

  “Yes, you do.” His words rang true, and I hated him for it.

  I spun to my left punching the wall knowing that it would leave a gigantic hole in it.

  “I would’ve done any and everything for her, so why did she fucking leave me?” I shouted facing my cousin with my right knuckle bleeding, it would heal in a moment. “Can you answer that Asar? Huh?”

  I know I must’ve appeared crazed, yet Asar remained calm. He didn’t say anything, or rather, he didn’t have an answer for that either.

  I scoffed,

  “I fucking thought so. Fuck her for breaking my heart, and yes, I’m man enough to say it. She took my fucking heart, and I will never forgive her for that… not ever!” I stormed off not giving a shit who heard me in the process.

  ****

  Lucinda

  She took my fucking heart, and I will never forgive her for that… I tossed and turned as I tried to sleep for the seventh night after training. Xáne refused to look at me in the eye as he trained me. He didn’t speak to me unless he was giving me instructions, and it hurt me much more than I wanted to admit. I sighed, rolling over to face the window in my room. He didn’t know how much I dreamt of him when I was out there all alone. He was the only reason why I kept going and didn’t give in. I could’ve just died, but I didn’t want to because I owed it to Xáne to come back. I should’ve known and should’ve realized that his anger would be different and much more untamed, but I was foolish.

  I shut my eyes thinking of the way he laughed when he thought something was funny. He was carefree around me, but now, he couldn’t stand the sight of me. I was repulsive to him. I wanted to accept that and move on, but who would I move on with? I shuddered calming my flames as the thought of him being with Jaya in the same bed came to mind.

  I hope he gets whiskey dick, so he can’t fuck her.

  I said to no one in particular, and I heard Asar laughing in the next room over.

  Oh, my darling Cin, I can guarantee you that the moment you sneaked back in, he can’t get it up for anyone else but you.

  I lightly chuckle.

  I freaking wish, but he hates me too much even to want to touch me during training.

  It was weird, through our telepathic communication, I could feel a smile when it appeared on Asar’s face.

  That’s called self-restraint and punishment. If you desire to be touched, my dear Cin, I can come cuddle with you.

  Before I could respond to Asar, Xáne broke through our communication.

  You fucking touch her, and you’re dead. Now, can you both shut up and Cin, stop tossing and turning. Go to sleep! Fuck!

  I giggled not able to help myself. I felt warmth envelop me like a blanket as I shut my eyes. Suddenly, I was feeling really sleepy.

  And just so you both know, I never get whiskey dick. Don’t disrespect me like that.

  I felt as Xáne flipped over in his bed in the same direction that I was in, as though he was there pulling me into his arms so that I could fall asleep and that was precisely what I did.

  ****

  I knew I was dreaming when someone screamed. I turned my head towards the noise, and automatically, I was back there again, on the other side of the world, the damaged and dying part. I tried to breathe through the noise and the pain of seeing how the humans died off. I walked along a metal fence and there was a human that was split in two. She looked up at me. Her eyes were dead, yet it was as if she was still breathing. I gasped putting my hand over my mouth not wanting anyone to hear me out here. I clutched my growing belly. Why had I left home to search for a family that was nowhere to be found?

  I searched for my parents everywhere, but it was a dead end. Now, here I was, pregnant as ever with no one to help in this difficult situation I put myself in. My heart ached, and I missed Xáne. I thought missing him would get easier, but it was months after, and I couldn’t shake it off. I loved this man with every fiber of my being. Why did I leave without telling him again? As I tried to think of the reason why a ringing sound erupted in my head. I clutched my head in both my hands screaming. The pain physically hurt as though someone took a bat or something swinging it making sure to crack my skull.

  My screeching caught the attention of the dying humans, but I didn’t care about them coming closer to me. I couldn’t do this anymore. This was too much. I wanted to give up, yet at the same time, I couldn’t do this to my child. I took a deep breath calling out my flames. They refused to obey me ever since I left my mate. I concentrated on my memories of Xáne, even if he couldn’t feel me reaching out to him, I wanted him to be the last person I saw before I died. As I thought of him, our last night together, our love, and what our love produced. Then, my flames erupted from my skin. This was the hottest I had ever had them. I opened my eyes remembering what he taught me. I noticed some that were sick were not only human but also supes. How did they get sick?

  There was a Lycan there who looked like he’d seen better days, but as he and his group of sick individuals approached me, green spit leaked from their mouths. I placed my hand on the ground forcing myself up as I held my other hand over my belly. No one would hurt a Helson. I was one and so was my unborn child.

  “She smells delicious, and she’s clean,” Dirty Lycan said. He couldn’t fully shift. He was stuck in half human, half Lycan form.

  “I’ll kill you before you touch me,” I threatened. This wasn’t the time to be terrified.

  As the Lycan charged me with his group, I lifted my arms to the side throwing my head back as my flames grew. I didn’t think I could do this, but when I faced the Lycan, he caught on fire. I was shocked, but I had no time to think about what I just did. My flames weren’t the bright orange and yellow anymore, no now, I was burning dark blue. I couldn’t think about anything else as I set the rest of them on fire. Then, I turned and ran for my life. I had to protect my baby. This baby was all that I had left of Xáne.

  Chapter 4

  Xánur

  My phone rang, and the sound was deafening. I turned to my left reaching out blindly for my phone on the nightstand. I answered without checking who it was, “Helson.”

  “Get over here!” Asar’s voice blared almost damaging my damn ear.

  This woke me up as I opened my eyes and sat up on the bed.

  “What is it?” I asked as I stood quickly slipping on a shirt and sweats.

  “It’s Cin,” her name stopped me in my tracks.

  I sighed running a hand through my hair. I shut my eyes trying to feel her through our tether, but something was wrong. Something was blocking it.

  “Where is she?” My heart was beating a mile a minute. “Don’t tell me, she left again.” My voice deflated, even though, I tried to mask the hurt.

  “No! You imbecile! Get over here.
She’s burning my entire house down, and I can’t get to her. It’s too hot. She’s different, and she won’t wake up!”

  I didn’t hear anything else past that as I made my way over to Asar’s house. I didn’t even think to take my car as I jumped out of my window letting my wings guide me to where she was.

  I can’t lose her, was all I could think about.

  ****

  When I got closer, no one could miss that fire. Asar’s entire house was on fire, yet it wasn’t burning. This wasn’t the normal color for flames. No, all of these ones were dark blue. Something changed her flames.

  I landed next to Asar who stood in front of his house with other sentinels trying to put it out, but nothing was working.

  “Stop!” I yelled. I glanced at Asar, “I can stop her. Don’t worry old man.” I gave him a reassuring smile. He looked like he had aged, and I knew it was because he was worried about Cin.

  I took a deep breath as I made my way into his house. Asar had a loft like I did. We both bought out a whole building helping each other construct it all. I walked through the first layer of flames shifting to my true form with each step that I took. I didn’t stop as I made my way up the stairs, going to the left towards the bedrooms. I stood right outside of her bedroom door. I turned the knob slowly opening the door and was met with an excruciating heat level. I didn’t let that stop me as I made my way in there. I saw Cin laying on the bed clutching her belly and her head. Her mouth was open, yet no sounds came out.

  “Cin?” I called out her name but nothing. “Cin,” I called it out once more making my way to her bed, and she still didn’t answer.

  I sighed as I got in the bed with her. I turned her to face me. Her eyes were open, yet she couldn’t see me. She was lost.

  “Lucinda!” I yelled her name out once, and then, one more time. “You had better come back to me. I’m not done being mad at you dammit! Snap out of it!” My voice hit an all-time low. One that shocked even me.

  Then, she blinked. Fuck. She blinked and came back into focus.

  “Xáne…” She called out to me, and I never knew just how much I needed to hear that.