Ashes

Bottling (Chapter 9)

"Why am I upset? I practically have a target inked onto my face for any and all supernaturals! Why don't you just paint, 'Hey everyone I'm the Phoenix, come and kill me' on my shirt!"

"We will figure something out," he says softly. The fight suddenly draining from his voice. "Listen, Em. Can we please not fight. I'm sorry alright. I know you want to go out, but I just lost you and I don't want it to happen again. You died Em. Died! Yes, you came back, but only just," he finishes in a whisper.

"Baby bro, I'm sorry," I say softly. Never having realised how much all of this would be affecting him. He's practically been through hell and back looking after me for all these years.

"Hey, what did I say about calling me a baby?" He chuckles lightly.

"Whatever piss pants, you'll always be a big baby to me!"

"Snot face!" He shoots back before getting me in a head lock and messing up my already tangled hair.

"Jesse!" I whine. "It's going to take me hours to brush out my hair!"

"Or you could just cut it all off," he suggests.

"No!" I yell, holding my arms up in front of my hair as protection, afraid of what he might do to it. I don't care much about my appearance, but no one. I repeat no one, touches my hair.

"Calm down ya spaz I was joking. Now back to bed," he exclaims dramatically while ushering me back to the bedroom.

"No, seriously Jesse I'm begging you! Please don't make me go back, I'm going stir crazy in that room!" I say frantically. "Listen I'll go back to bed if you let me go for a run first! I'll only be about two hours, but I need to stretch my legs!"

"You only have to stay in bed a few mor-"

"Jesse," I growl getting annoyed quickly. "I have Tasha in my head twenty four, seven now. You can't possibly imagine what it's like. I need to get out," I finish desperately.

His face pales slightly at the idea of having Tasha in his head. He knows exactly how annoyingly persistent she can be when she puts her mind to it.

"Ok fine, lets go," he sighs.

"Oh no, this is me time. I mean, I love you an all... But you're starting to get on my nerves."

"And you're completely delusional if you think I'm letting you go out by yourself. I'm your guardian Ember, I have to guard you!"

"Jesse," I say in a low warning voice. "Please don't make me use my Alpha voice on my own family. Now that we're officially in a pack, I can mind-link you if I'm in trouble."

"But Ember,"

"I won't even leave the territory. Hell, I'll come running back if I even smell anything unusual."

He lets out a defeated sigh before reluctantly agreeing, but not before he give me an hour long lecture on stranger danger. I mean seriously, how old does he think I am? Six?

"Yep, love you too bro!" I yell as I run out of the house after what feels like hours of waiting and into the forest.

"Remember, only two hours!" He yells after my retreating form, his voice already lost in the wind.

I gasp, as the warm tingling sensation of my soul switching from one form to another takes over my body, wrapping me in its warm embrace.

I pause to sniff the earth, savouring the many things it tells be about the creatures that call this place home. A doe and her young had passed through earlier. The rich foliage emanated purity. It washes away the remnants of the city and it's obnoxious sounds and odors.