Flame (Fireborn) (49 page)
Authors: Mari Arden
"Magic."
I'm frustrated with
his answer. "How come you always leave me when I need you the
most?" My voice breaks.
"Sometimes the
choices we make are not always the right ones, but they are the
necessary ones for right now."
"
Necessary?
Imprisoning me is necessary? Letting someone
hurt
me
is necessary?" I ask, shattered.
"I have to."
His confession sounds pained. He grips my shoulders hard. "I
feel everything you feel when you hurt, Kenna. I
feel
it. In here," he points to his head. "And in here." He
points to his heart.
"Then leave and
come with me!"
"I can't."
For the first time he sounds angry with me. "There are things
that are bigger than us. Everyone has a part, and I have to play
mine."
"What is my
part then?" I snap back. "Tell me. I'll do it. Anything for
this nightmare to be over."
His lips clench
together. "You're already doing your part."
I stare at him,
livid, and sad at the same time. He's looking at me, too, and it's
like we're each trying to stare the other down. Neither one of us
wants to give in, but the fatigue in his eyes hurts my heart so I
look away.
"Are you always
going to stay with me in my head?" I ask quietly, staring ahead
into the white nothingness.
"Only until
you're part is done."
I want to screech at
him, to tell him to stop playing these dangerous games. I want to
shout at him be with
me
.
Choose
me
. But I don't
get a chance to say those things.
The second I turn to
him, his lips crush mine. It's a forceful kiss, a kiss filled with
frustration, anger, and injustice. He hurts me when his teeth nip my
lips, but I want more. I crave the pain because it means he's real.
It means he's just as shattered as I am.
I bury my fingers in
his hair, reveling in how close I can pull him. When my whole body is
pushed against his, I wrap my legs around his waist, forcing him to
carry me the way my heart had been carrying him since the moment he
saw me.
We pull away because
the light is dimming around us. I know what he's going to say before
he says it.
"Yes," I
answer. "I'll survive. I'm a survivor," I echo his words.
He clutches me hard.
"You need to believe it. Now is not the time for you to die."
Shadows cover us,
slowly rising like mists. They get to him first, but before they can
pull him away, he grabs my hands, touching my birthmark.
"This is who
you are." His eyes stay on me until the last possible second.
When the blackness
starts to pull me back, I'm afraid it's the last time I'll ever see
him again.
Jerking awake, I
sputter, coughing hard. Something wet is rolling down from my mouth.
"What
is
that? What did you do?" I accuse, pushing Kaiden's hand away.
"Medicine."
"Are you sure?
Because it tastes more like roots and bark," I say, wiping my
mouth with my hands.
"That's because it
is." Abruptly, I want to vomit. "Keep it in. You're getting
a fever and you need it in your body."
"Ugh." I try
to stand but I'm wobbly. His strong arms pull me up.
"We need to get
you to a doctor. We're heading into the city now," he says.
Cheering considerably
at his words, I brighten. "Where are we?"
"This facility's
in Wisconsin. We're almost to Milwaukee." My face breaks into a
huge grin.
I'm almost home!
"Nymphora and
Chloris are supposed to meet us there." If possible, my smile
grows even wider. We made it. We're actually going to make it out
alive. Then I think about whether anyone else has survived and I feel
my smile slip, disappearing beneath my worry.
Kaiden notices and he
squeezes my hand. The sky is getting lighter. I tell him we need to
go. "I want to see the sun rise over the city," I breathe.
I'm so excited I don't allow Kaiden to carry me, choosing to have him
half drag me instead. I suddenly feel stronger. Kaiden points out
smugly it's probably the medicine, but I know it's because my heart
senses it's almost home.
We move in
companionable silence, listening to the leaves rustle and the insects
calling. Eventually the pain gets to me and Kaiden sweeps me in his
arms. It's become such a familiar habit for me I know right where to
put my head, and how to grasp his neck.
"When we get back
I'm getting two Chipotle burritos," Kaiden says, breaking the
amiable silence.
"I'm getting a Big
Mac."
"I'm drinking a
liter of coke," he continues.
"I'm eating ramen
noodles."
He stops. "Really?
That's not cool."
I shrug. "It
reminds me of home."
We're slowly going up a
slope. "Do you still want to see a sunrise?" he asks me. I
smile radiantly at him. He bounces me in his arms, happy at my
excitement.
"It'll be nice to
see something man made," I say, thinking about our skyscrapers.
"Something that
doesn't crumble."
Brightness flickers up
ahead, and it can only be the sun making its way up. I vow to never
take it for granted again. My heart is pounding with exhilaration.
When we're close, I tell Kaiden to put me down. He obeys, laughing at
my childish joy. We're on a hill overlooking the city.
I limp forward,
desperate to see the city lights, dimming beneath a rising sun. When
I finally get to the top, I halt. What I see brings me to my knees.
The city is in ruins.
Burning.
End
of Book One
Jerking awake, I
sputter, coughing hard. Something wet is rolling down from my mouth.
"What
is
that? What did you do?" I accuse, pushing Kaiden's hand away.
"Medicine."
"Are you sure?
Because it tastes more like roots and bark," I say, wiping my
mouth with my hands.
"That's because it
is." Abruptly, I want to vomit. "Keep it in. You're getting
a fever and you need it in your body."
"Ugh." I try
to stand but I'm wobbly. His strong arms pull me up.
"We need to get
you to a doctor. We're heading into the city now," he says.
Cheering considerably
at his words, I brighten. "Where are we?"
"This facility's
in Wisconsin. We're almost to Milwaukee." My face breaks into a
huge grin.
I'm almost home!
"Nymphora and
Chloris are supposed to meet us there." If possible, my smile
grows even wider. We made it. We're actually going to make it out
alive. Then I think about whether anyone else has survived and I feel
my smile slip, disappearing beneath my worry.
Kaiden notices and he
squeezes my hand. The sky is getting lighter. I tell him we need to
go. "I want to see the sun rise over the city," I breathe.
I'm so excited I don't allow Kaiden to carry me, choosing to have him
half drag me instead. I suddenly feel stronger. Kaiden points out
smugly it's probably the medicine, but I know it's because my heart
senses it's almost home.
We move in
companionable silence, listening to the leaves rustle and the insects
calling. Eventually the pain gets to me and Kaiden sweeps me in his
arms. It's become such a familiar habit for me I know right where to
put my head, and how to grasp his neck.
"When we get back
I'm getting two Chipotle burritos," Kaiden says, breaking the
amiable silence.
"I'm getting a Big
Mac."
"I'm drinking a
liter of coke," he continues.
"I'm eating ramen
noodles."
He stops. "Really?
That's not cool."
I shrug. "It
reminds me of home."
We're slowly going up a
slope. "Do you still want to see a sunrise?" he asks me. I
smile radiantly at him. He bounces me in his arms, happy at my
excitement.
"It'll be nice to
see something man made," I say, thinking about our skyscrapers.
"Something that
doesn't crumble."
Brightness flickers up
ahead, and it can only be the sun making its way up. I vow to never
take it for granted again. My heart is pounding with exhilaration.
When we're close, I tell Kaiden to put me down. He obeys, laughing at
my childish joy. We're on a hill overlooking the city.
I limp forward,
desperate to see the city lights, dimming beneath a rising sun. When
I finally get to the top, I halt. What I see brings me to my knees.
The city is in ruins.
Burning.
End
of Book One
To my parents who
support me in everything I do. You both have taught me what it's like
to love unconditionally and strive for my dreams. I'm forever
grateful to be your daughter!
To Amanda and
Samantha- a girl can't ask for better sisters. Amanda, thanks for
always making time in your busy day to listen to me talk for "five
minutes" and not complain when it turns into twenty. Samantha,
thanks for reading all my drafts and supporting this double life I've
started. You're the best! I love you both to infinity and beyond!
To Molly and Amy-
the best cheerleaders! Molly, thanks for reading my story and making
time to give me feedback. This book is what it is because of YOU!
Amy, thanks for always being there and having my back when I need you
the most. You two rock!
To TX: Thank you
for giving me the push I needed to start writing.
To my personal
life- I've missed you. We'll see each other soon. Maybe.
To Regina Wamba
for creating a gorgeous cover. Is there anything you CAN'T do?
To all the amazing
bloggers and fans out there who support indie authors. You're
appreciated, adored, and thanked a thousand times over. You're
awesome beyond words. Thank you!
Last, but not
least, to YOU for picking up this book. You make the lack of sleep,
stress, and hard work all worth it. Thank you for starting this
journey with me. I promise there will be many more to come.
To my parents who
support me in everything I do. You both have taught me what it's like
to love unconditionally and strive for my dreams. I'm forever
grateful to be your daughter!
To Amanda and
Samantha- a girl can't ask for better sisters. Amanda, thanks for
always making time in your busy day to listen to me talk for "five
minutes" and not complain when it turns into twenty. Samantha,
thanks for reading all my drafts and supporting this double life I've
started. You're the best! I love you both to infinity and beyond!
To Molly and Amy-
the best cheerleaders! Molly, thanks for reading my story and making
time to give me feedback. This book is what it is because of YOU!
Amy, thanks for always being there and having my back when I need you
the most. You two rock!
To TX: Thank you
for giving me the push I needed to start writing.
To my personal
life- I've missed you. We'll see each other soon. Maybe.
To Regina Wamba
for creating a gorgeous cover. Is there anything you CAN'T do?
To all the amazing
bloggers and fans out there who support indie authors. You're
appreciated, adored, and thanked a thousand times over. You're
awesome beyond words. Thank you!
Last, but not
least, to YOU for picking up this book. You make the lack of sleep,
stress, and hard work all worth it. Thank you for starting this
journey with me. I promise there will be many more to come.
My name is Mari
Arden (Mari- rhymes with safari). Teacher by day, author by night. I
love my double life. You can also catch me at the gym attempting to
sweat out all the sweets I eat when I write. Key word: TRY. I love
sushi and Chipotle burritos, and wouldn't it be paradise if they
could be combined somehow? Well on second thought, maybe not.
Adventurous?
Come join my double life!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mari-Arden-author/493749174011347
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6897452.Mari_Arden
My name is Mari
Arden (Mari- rhymes with safari). Teacher by day, author by night. I
love my double life. You can also catch me at the gym attempting to
sweat out all the sweets I eat when I write. Key word: TRY. I love
sushi and Chipotle burritos, and wouldn't it be paradise if they
could be combined somehow? Well on second thought, maybe not.
Adventurous?
Come join my double life!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mari-Arden-author/493749174011347
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6897452.Mari_Arden
Micalea
Smeltzer
Coming
Soon
C H A
P T E R O N E
Years.
I had waited years for
this moment.
For this one perfect
moment that was supposed to somehow complete me.
Now, that it was here,
I found that it was lacking something. The royal blue graduation gown
was rough against my skin and kept making this weird swooshing sound
anytime I moved. I was itching like crazy in this heat. I wanted to
fan myself but I was sure that Ms. Jones, the Assistant Principal,
would cut off my arms if I attempted to. Matthew Pierson, who sat
next to me, kept wiggling and trying to talk to Eddie Ralston on my
other side. Ms. Jones shot daggers at Matthew while Mr. Taylor droned
on and on about our futures.
Sweat trickled down my
brow and into my eye, stinging it.
I’m on fire in more
ways than one now; I thought glumly.
Wasn’t graduation
supposed to be this amazing day? Our lives tied up and shipped off to
various colleges and universities? Parties? Fun?
