"Am I the only one who has hope that nothing is gonna happen?" Kira asks all of us. We finished helping Argent set up detectors all around the building and have everyone hiding in the back, but if people break in, the ones who can fight will need to.
"I'm hoping so too, even though I know there's only a slight chance," I reply. I snap my fingers, creating a flickering flame and examine my hand.
If this is my ability, how can I use it to help my friends besides lighting birthday candles? Is there any way that I can make it bigger?
Grow bigger, I say in my mind, staring at my hand. Nothing happens and I frown in frustration.
How do I do this? Is there some kind of Phoenix manual when I can self teach myself or are there classes? At least Liam had Scott when he was learning about being a werewolf, and Scott had Derek. I have no one. The only Phoenix I know is Fawkes from Harry Potter and he's, one, a bird, and two, not even real. I feel like Rin Okumura from Blue Exorcist trying to control his flames for the first time, but he had trouble keeping them under control while I can't make mine do anything.
I focus on the flame on my finger again. Grow, I will it. Nothing happens. I take a deep breath and fix my stare at my hand. I imagine the flame igniting my whole hand as if it was covered in gasoline. I imagine the flames licking my skin , but it doesn't burn me. Suddenly the flame on my hand starts to grow. I gasp in surprise and it goes out. I purse my lips and try again. The flame grows to cover my whole index finger, then half my hand ignites. I stare open mouthed at my hand which is completely covered in orange flames.
"Hey, Li- holy crap!" I look up to see Scott gaping at me. "What did you just do?"
"I'm trying to figure out what I can do," I say, focusing on my hand again. Scott watches me as I make the fire grow. I hold my palm up and will it into the shape of a ball. It forms a little sun, and I flick my hand, hurling it at a cement wall. The little ball of light flys across the room and hits the wall with a bang and burst of light. "Woah," I breathe.
"How did you do that?" He asks me, staring at the burn mark on the wall.
"I don't know," I reply in wonder as Argent and Kira run in with their weapons raised.
"What happened? What was that noise?" Argent demands, aiming his gun around the room.
"I'm sorry, that was me," I explain. "I- um..." I look over to Scott, trying to explain what I did.
"She shot a fireball across the room," Scott shrugs.
"What?" Argent lowers his gun, looking between Scott and me.
"I kinda um..." I mumble. "Here just watch." I hold up my hand igniting the flame. I focus all my concentration on the fire as I face my palm toward the ceiling. The little sun forms again, and I flick my hand toward the wall again. There's another flash of light and a bang as it hits the wall again.
"Woah!" Kira exclaims. "That's new."
"When did you learn that?" Argent asks.
"Just now," I reply. Just then, we all hear a sensor trigger.
"They're here," Scott says in a whisper. We shuffle back to where Satomi's pack is hiding. Everyone old enough to fight is getting ready to as we walk in while the three kids, Lori included, are hidden in the corner. I see Brett kneeling down in front of her so he can talk. I don't really think I should eavesdrop, but my curiosity is my greatest flaw.
"Just please stay here with Courtney and Shawn, okay? You need to be the one to protect them," he's telling her. "If something happens get yourselves out."
"But Brett," she complains. "What about you?"
"Don't worry about me, I just want you to be safe," he adds, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you, munchkin. Be careful."
I stop listening, my heart wrenching at the pain in his voice. Luckily, I see Scott walking towards me so I can get my mind off the brunette boy across the room.
"Stay with the kids," Scott tells me as he grabs my shoulder so I look at him.
"I can fight," I retort.
"I know," he replies. "That's why you're our last defense. Look, you are just discovering what you can do, but we need everyone we can get. If something goes wrong and Argent, Kira or I can't defend them, you have to."
I bite my lip and nod. I don't want anything bad to happen to those kids. "I'll make sure no one gets to them."
"Thank you," Scott says. He walks back over to Kira and they head towards the front of the warehouse, Argent and some werewolves following them.
I feel someone grab my arm from behind me. I jump and whip around, summoning a ball of flame to see Brett.
I lower my hand and extinguish the ball of light in my palm. He grabs my other arm so i am directly facing him. I look up at him and our eyes meet.
"Make sure she's safe, please," he begs. His crystal blue eyes are wide and pleading. "And please be careful, okay? I know you hate me, but I don't want anything bad happening to you."
"Brett, I-" but he cuts me off, leaning down and pressing his lips to mine. I freeze up in shock. The kiss is short. He breaks away when we hear gun fire.
"Be safe," he says in a whisper and runs through a gap in the curtains toward the fight.
I don't hate you.
I didn't get to tell him. He thinks I hate him, but I don't. I wish I did.
I can't. I can't hate him. I don't know what it is, but even with what he's said and done, I can't.
I make my way over to the kids shaking my head to clear it. I can't focus on Brett right now. I need to make sure these kids stay safe. "How are you kids doing?" I ask them, kneeling down while keeping an eye on the curtains.
"I told you he likes you," Lori pipes up.
I ignore her comment still too shocked to talk about it. "So it's Courtney and Shawn?" I ask the two other kids. They nod. Courtney looks about eight, and Shawn, who looks like Courtney's brother, looks no older than five.
These poor kids. They deserve to be kissed goodnight by their parents when they go to bed not be hunted for money.
I hear gun shots crack the air and whip around, a ball of flame in each of my hands and my jaw set. Bullets tear through the plastic curtain and hit the dry wall near us.
"Get down!" I yell, throwing my arms wide as to shield the kids.
I hear Courtney scream behind me. Through the bullet holes I can see glimpses of the chaos. A flash of a claw or a gun. I hear yelling and growling. The sharp sound of gunfire and the ripping of flesh.
It feels like hours that I'm just standing there waiting for someone to walk in, but I know it has only been minutes. Suddenly, a dark mass runs through the curtains. It's a hunter. He doesn't see me at first, but he soon turns to notice me standing there in from of the three kids and aims his gun. I throw a fireball at him, and it hits his gun, knocking it out of his hands. He jumps to retrieve it, but someone leaps into view, tackling him to the ground.
"Lily, get them out!" Brett yells, pinning the man to the ground.
"Brett!" Lori shouts. "Watch out!"
I look to what Lori is shouting about to see another hunter pointing a gun at Brett who is too focused on the hunter he has pinned to the ground to see.
A wave of fury comes over me. "Don't touch him!" I scream as my hands come together to form a tennis ball size ball of fire, and I hurl it with all my might at the hunter. She shrieks in pain as it hits her in the shoulder, sending her flying backward.
Brett hits the guy underneath him, knocking him out, and stands up, looking over at me. "Lily! You're on fire!" He gasps, gaping at me.
"That was only one guy," I reply in confusion. "I wouldn't say I'm on fire."
"No, you're literally on fire!" Brett tells me.
I furrow my eyebrows and look down at my clothes. Flames are licking my skin and singeing the edges of my sweatshirt and jeans. "Woah!" I exclaim watching as the flames slowly fade and die, leaving only the smell of burned cotton.
I look back up at Brett, who is staring at me. "You're eyes are orange."
"They do that," I reply. I see a hunter flash behind Brett. "Duck!" I yell. He drops to the ground and I throw a fireball at the hunter. It hits his gun, burning his hands. He yelps and runs off.
"Thanks," he breathes, standing up again.
"No problem," I say, as I hear the phone of the hunter that Brett knocked out, buzzing. I reach in his pocket and pull it out.
It's from the Benefactor.
ALL CONTACTS TERMINATED
I hold it up for Brett to see, and that's when I notice that the gunfire has stopped.
"Is it over?" He asks, incredulous.
"It's over," I confirm.
~•*•~
Yes Brily is back and baking in the oven almost done! I hope you guys are liking my story. Just a warning, it's almost done. Sorry. I just hate stories that drag on too long and since it only takes place during one season, it's not gonna be that long.
Also Brett kissed her again whoo hoo!
Hope you have a great day!
Catherine