Burning Hearts

by Melanie Matthews

  Burning Hearts

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

  Copyright 2014 Melanie Matthews

  Cover Photograph Courtesy of Morgue File

  Burning Hearts is a work of fiction.

  Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  About Burning Hearts

  Jenna Love, a seventeen-year-old who’s the target of nasty rumors and insults by her former beau and friends, finds out there are far worse baddies in the world. They’re the Jinn, proud members of Team Evil. And Jenna’s the lucky gal chosen for demon disposal, burning them to ashes. So it makes perfect sense for her to fall in love with one, right?

  Malcolm King, a half-human, half-Jinni from Egypt, is different. Seeking to start a new life in Oasis, Arizona, he acts more like an angel than a demon, keeping his bad half under lock and key. Jenna’s off the hook from killing him, which is great because he’s the best boyfriend she’s ever had.

  So what could go wrong? Oh, how about the arrival of Malcolm’s ex-girlfriend, a demon with abandonment issues? With her crafty ways, she’s trying to lure him back. Half-human, he’s susceptible to her suggestion; half-demon, his dark side yearns to be reunited with hers. Jenna knows she’s up against a powerful rival, but she won’t back down until the demon ex is in her line of fire.

  Flame on.

  1 DAYDREAMING ABOUT DEATH

  2 THE MERRY MISFITS

  3 STRANGE HEIRLOOMS

  4 THE NEW GUY

  5 RESCUED

  6 SHOW AND TELL

  7 KISS AND KILL

  8 SHATTERED GLASS

  9 WHAT GOES AROUND

  10 RESCUED, AGAIN

  11 REUNION

  12 SHAKY GROUND

  13 KISMET

  14 TWIST AND SHOUT

  15 SCORCHED EARTH

  16 EXPOSURE

  17 SINISTER SIBLINGS

  18 FIRE BURN AND CAULDRON BUBBLE

  19 HOW TO SAVE A LIFE

  20 SUMMONS

  21 THE DEVIL COULDN’T MAKE IT

  22 BURN, BABY, BURN

  23 THE END AND THE BEGINNING

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  DAYDREAMING ABOUT DEATH

  He doesn’t want to die.

  Too bad he doesn’t have a choice in the matter.

  The slayer raises her knife. His fiery eyes burn with fear and hatred, staring at his executioner, gripping the instrument of his ruin. They move at the same time: his arm shooting up to block her attack, while she thrusts the bronze blade toward his heart. She’s quicker. The knife goes deep, down to the cedar hilt. He screams. She twists the blade, and he screams again. Then she wrenches it free, blood-soaked, and watches as he burns from the inside out, the roaring flames muffling his whimpers.

  Death finally arrives, reducing him to a pile of ashes.

  There’ll be no place of rest for him. No urn. No marker. No stone with engraved identification. He doesn’t deserve to be remembered, to be mourned.

  A villain isn’t honored.

  She takes her shoe and desecrates his remains, smearing his ashes into the dirt. And then she walks away, head held high, eyes on the horizon.

  Jenna Love has no doubt that she’s a hero.

  “What’re you staring at, loser?”

  No wait, she was wrong.

  Jenna knew that vile, deceptive voice. She could pick out his nails-on-a-scratchboard tone from a crowd of thousands.

  Well, he didn’t sound that bad, but it was only proper for a girl who’d been dumped to think her ex-boyfriend was the scum of the earth.

  Jenna had been in a trance during the middle of class, thinking about killing. It’d happened once that morning while she was eating breakfast at home. Well, tried to eat. The daydream or waking nightmare was so terrifying that she’d puked up all her cereal.

  And it’d happened again during Mr. Orin Graves’ senior history class—but thankfully without the puking part. The students were in groups of four, working together to answer questions from the textbook’s chapter on the Crusades. Apparently, Mr. Graves thought it was better for the students to teach themselves while he sat at his desk, circling low-rent apartment vacancies in Phoenix.

  Jenna looked away from the bane of her existence, Valentine Lockhart. She hadn’t been staring at him, per se, but more at his chest—clothed in a faded yellow T-shirt with OASIS HIGH SCHOOL in red chipped lettering above the school’s mascot—a half-peeled red scorpion iron-on with its stinger still perfectly intact, poised to strike.

  She hated that Mr. Graves had put her with three of the seven people who she hated. None of her friends were in history with her. No wonder she was close to failing. Not to mention Mr. Graves’ subpar approach to education.

  It was Jenna’s last year. She had senioritis even when she was a freshman. Back then, she’d been friends with the Stuck-Ups. They used to talk about the joys of graduation—which meant freedom. Jenna still cared about graduation, but it had more to do with never seeing the Stuck-Ups again.

  She looked over at Mr. Graves, still circling prospective places to run away to. Despite his don’t-give-a-damn demeanor, she wished him luck on his quest to flee from the quiet town of Oasis, Arizona where nothing really happened.

  Well, nothing exciting anyway.

  The biggest news of the year was when local deputy Harris “Tiny” Harrison won the hotdog eating contest in Scottsdale, and then died a day later from a heart attack. Mayor Grahame Goode had put up a grand statue of Tiny on Main Street. For either a tribute or an insensitive and thoughtless gesture, the town had served free hotdogs to all attendees.

  Despite the ridiculousness, Jenna had gone to the ceremony. No one passes up free food.

  “Don’t even talk to her. Don’t even acknowledge her.”

  Jenna turned away from Mr. Graves’ hopes for a better life and stared at her former friend, Sadie Pierce. She was platinum blond and beautiful in her tight tee and jeans. She was sitting next to Val, whose golden blond hair was a sexy wild mess. Sadie’s boyfriend, Kit Cavanaugh, rounded out the rotten trio, scratching at his brown beard that was fuller than the buzz cut on his head. He’d never said anything mean but Jenna still hated him; he was guilty by association.

  Jenna gave Sadie a false smile. “I see someone’s been paying attention in English. ‘Acknowledge.’ Such a big word for you, Sadie. Go home and tell your parents. I bet they’ll be so proud!”

  Jenna didn’t used to be so sarcastic. She used to cry all the time. But when the Misfits—an insult her four friends proudly accepted—had taken her in and treated her as a true friend, she got some gumption back.

  Val chuckled at Jenna’s uppercut to Sadie’s ego.

  “Don’t encourage her!” she scolded Val.

  Val just shrugged.

  “And you!” She turned her fury to Kit, who was still scratching his soon-to-be hobo beard. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

  Kit turned to Jenna, his supposedly number one enemy, looking lost. “Uh…”

  “Ugh!” Sadie groaned. “Just move your desks away from her! We can do this assignment all on our own!”

  Their desks were already two feet away, but Val and Kit obliged Sadie, and moved another two feet. Alone, in the middle of the classroom, Jenna was
a boat without a paddle in a sea of unfriendly or indifferent ships. No one seemed to notice she was adrift. Not even Mr. Graves, who’d finished circling and was now dozing off with drool running down his salt-and-pepper stubbly chin.

  Jenna almost wished that she’d go into another trance. Even if she saw herself killing another person, it was worth it to escape her tormenters. No matter how much sass she spilled, how many feelings she hurt, or how much she showed their taunts didn’t matter, at the end of the day, lying awake in bed at night, there was a part of her that still mourned for the life she once had—for the boyfriend she once had.

  In the beginning, he’d seemed perfect as all handsome guys do. He’d been nice and sweet until she’d said no. He’d asked again. And she’d still said no. He’d asked a third time, not so nice and sweet. She’d wavered, thinking, but then said “no.” Refusing to have sex with Valentine Lockhart had cost Jenna all her friends. He’d been enraged, calling her a “tease,” and through some sort of wicked persuasion, had convinced all her friends to disown her. Jenna didn’t think he could be so cruel, and her friends could be so malleable.

  To ease her suffering, she’d remembered her late grandpa’s words of wisdom:

  It takes a strong person to successfully deceive. But it takes an even stronger person to successfully resist.

  Point was: Don’t be weak.

  Her former friends were clearly weak, believing every lie and half-truth about her.

  But Jenna was weak too.

  She’d resolved to never show her wounds, pretending like they weren’t there, but in reality, they were just hidden with a flimsy bandage. She wanted to be strong, to heed her grandpa’s advice, but at seventeen with a past life destroyed, a present life with no direction, and a future of no promise, well, that’s just a great big recipe for weakness.

  The bell finally rang, announcing lunch. The students scattered out and Mr. Graves woke up from his nap. Jenna thought that she was the last to leave, but Val caught her by the arm as she exited the classroom. Sadie and Kit were ahead in the hall, looking on, confused—just as Jenna was.

  “You should’ve said ‘yes’.”

  Jenna jerked her arm from his grasp. “Why? ’Cause you’re so great?”

  He gave her a malicious smile. “You’ve gotten fat. If you were still with me, I would’ve kept you looking good.”

  No girl likes to be called “fat,” but she kept her cool, throwing an insult back at him. “If I would’ve stayed with you, I would’ve got a venereal disease.” She pushed past him. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to find my friends.”

  She walked casually by Sadie and Kit as if their presences weren’t toxic.

  Sadie kept quiet, but wrinkled her nose at Jenna as if she smelled. Kit kept scratching at his beard.

  Val easily caught up and blocked her exit. “You’re such a loser, Jenna.”

  Passing students cupped their ears in rapt attention.

  Jenna smiled, showing how strong she could be. “Yes, I was a loser—when I went out with you—but not anymore. I’ve gotten over it. Apparently, you haven’t.”

  She wasn’t being entirely truthful. Valentine Lockhart was beyond gorgeous with fairy tale golden locks and Tahitian blue eyes. A part of her still swooned every time she saw him. But the memories of their relationship and how it’d ended brought her back from the brink of insanity where she almost believed that he was her soul mate.

  “Why do you think I broke up with you, you idiot? I’m over you.”

  Jenna shrugged. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

  She found a space in the crowd and moved around Val, casually walking away—but she really wanted to run.

  “I sleep fine!” His voice carried down the hall. “You’re the one tossing and turning over me! No wonder you come to school looking like a freaking zombie!”

  He was throwing insults like curveballs, but Jenna kept catching them in her it-doesn’t-bother-me glove as she walked down the hall.

  Sadie came up behind Jenna, giggling. Kit, at his girlfriend’s side, kept silent as usual.

  “More like a vampire,” Sadie suggested loudly. “She’s so pale. And that fiery red hair? Yeah, she’s a vampire. She’s always sucked.”

  Jenna lost her glove. She was incensed—ready to blow—ready to murder. Her heartbeat was striking against her chest like a jackhammer, threatening to burst out.

  The cafeteria doors opened. Hungry students went in. Noise filtered out, along with the smell of processed meat. It was a distraction. It was also the knowledge that her true friends were nearby, waiting on her. Jenna calmed instantly; her heartbeat returned to normal; her chest remained unbroken.

  There’d be no killing today. Val, Sadie, and even Kit were off the hook.

  But for how long, Jenna didn’t know.

  THE MERRY MISFITS

  “I dunno what I’d do without y’all!”

  Jenna sat with her true friends at a cafeteria table. She took out her bagged lunch of a sandwich, snack-size chips, and a diet soda. Val was wrong. She wasn’t fat. She wasn’t necessarily thin, and her clothes were a little snug around her average five-foot-five frame, but she wasn’t about to bust a button on her jeans.

  “Were they giving out happy pills in last period?” asked Riddick Sharpe.

  He looked badass with his black-haired Mohawk and all-black attire, but he wasn’t a stereotypical silent loner, often making quips, and always had a smile for her. He wrote poetry in secret, but it wasn’t grounds for an investigation.

  Jenna chewed up and swallowed a bite of her cold cut turkey sandwich; it was still nice and fresh from lying against the ice pack in her lunch satchel.

  “Nope. I’m just glad to see y’all.”

  Kylie Vale leaned forward. She had long brown hair, chopped haphazardly, and was the liveliest of the group. “Oh, my goodness!” She slapped a hand over her heart. “Did you meet a guy?” She smiled. “That’s why you’re grinning like an idiot! You’ve met someone! Who is he?”

  Jenna rolled her eyes. “Puh-lease. I’m never dating again.”

  “Never say never,” Caleb Dasher advised with a smile.

  He had curly sandy blond hair that fell over his eyes. His dimples were Code Red on the Cute Radar and he never said a bad word about anyone despite having the excuse to hate all society. At twelve, he got into a car accident with a drugged-out teenage girl, and lost his lower legs. He went everywhere in his trusty wheelchair, tricked out with spinners.

  “Trust me,” said Jenna. “I’m gonna be single for the rest of my life. I’m gonna be one of those old ladies who’s got a bunch of cats, and when kids lose their toys in my front yard, I’ll shake my fist at ‘em and yell, ‘Get outta here you damn bunch of hooligans,’ and keep all their stuff in my basement.”

  Riddick chuckled. “You’ve really thought this through.”

  Jenna nodded. “I have a lotta free time on my hands.”

  “Well, you’re depressing” Kylie commented. “We all need to do something fun this weekend.”

  “I was gonna light bugs on fire with a magnifying glass,” Riddick said in a serious tone. “You know as a tribute to the way things were before the age of digital oppression.”

  Prudence de Winter—or “Pru” as everyone called her—gave a slight smile. She was mostly quiet, but nice. She had a sleek black bob with blunt bangs and always smeared her full pout with red lipstick.

  Jenna thought her and Riddick would be perfect together, and Kylie and Caleb. But she wasn’t going to play matchmaker. She was the last person to give others advice on love and relationships.

  Caleb chuckled. “And is this after you stakeout trees, shooting down birds with rocks and a slingshot?”

  Riddick snapped his fingers. “I totally forgot about the birds! Horrible things! Tweeting all the time! Crapping on cars!” He banged his fist on the table. “They need to be stopped!”

  Kylie placed a hand over her heart. “I hope you’re not serious.”
<
br />   Riddick shook his head; his gelled Mohawk stayed perfectly in place. “Kylie, how long have you known me? I’d never hurt any animal…unless it’s cute. I hate cute animals. They’re plotting to take over the world, you know?”

  Pru nodded. “He’s right.” She’d finally spoken up. “Forget robots. Forget zombies. It’s kittens, puppies, and baby birds. The enemy.”

  Caleb lightly smacked his palm against his forehead. “Why didn’t I see it before?!” he exclaimed dramatically.

  Jenna laughed. “Ah, I love y’all.”

  Riddick looked deeply into her eyes. “Seriously, are you high? And where can I get some?”

  “I’m not—”

  Jenna was cut off from the nearby noise of a girl laughing. She turned to see the Stuck-Ups—her former friends—sitting three tables over. Sadie was giggling like a hyena at something or someone. She kept looking over at Jenna’s table, pointing, urging Kit to look and condemn too; he preferred to keep stabbing a plastic Spork at his food.

  Jenna turned back to her Misfits. “There’s your cuz,” she reminded Kylie with a half smile.

  Kylie rolled her eyes. “Don’t remind me I’m related to that sorry excuse for a human being.”

  Sadie Pierce and Kylie Vale were unfortunate cousins. When they were kids, they used to be close, but as the years passed, they drifted apart; it was all Sadie’s doing. Apparently, the Pierces were the upstanding folk of Oasis, whereas the Vales were a bunch of “drunks, bastards, and convicts,” if you believed Sadie’s gossip.

  “Freak!” yelled another one of the Stuck-Ups.

  Jenna knew that voice and turned to focus on Daniela Ross. Her long brown hair was in a braid at the side of her head. It was the new style going around and Daniela had boarded the Conformity Train. She sat on the lap of her boyfriend, Barrie Novak, who used to flirt with Jenna. He had long auburn hair that was slowly turning brown. He seemed more interested in Daniela’s body than staring at Jenna.