Singing Fire

by T. L. Martin

  My mind enveloped the space around me, blank as a clean sheet of paper and yet fully in tune to this state of serenity. The feeling was rapturous, like I had transported the both of us to an entirely different state.

  Finally, when the moment started to fade away and my mind settled back into the confines of my body, I opened my eyes. Pixie, who was watching me closely, gently withdrew her hands from mine and nodded her head toward the space between us. I quickly looked down and was startled to find the puppy’s fluffy body curled over my right leg. His strong tail was wagging wildly from side to side, and a sloppy tongue hung out of his open mouth.

  A relieved laugh bubbled out. I embraced the small animal in a brief hug, when I caught sight of my skin and froze. I set the puppy down, barely noticing as he clumsily wandered off and attempted to snag a stubborn vine on the wall. Fanning my hands out before my eyes, I watched as they all but shimmered in their soft glow. Did my entire body look like this?

  Priscilla came into view and offered me and Pixie her hands. She pulled us both to our feet, and I glanced from her to Pixie.

  “That was...” I began, fumbling for a word to describe such an experience. “Incredible.”

  Priscilla smiled and gestured to the chipper animal. “I quite agree.”

  Pixie was beaming as she gave my hand a squeeze. “That was almost just how I remember it when I healed you. But it was even more amazing this time.”

  The corner of my lip turned up. “Guess it makes a difference when I’m actually conscious.”

  Pixie chuckled. “Seriously though, Charlie. Your gift is unbelievable.” She stressed each word emphatically, using her hands for added emphasis as though her words did not do it justice. “It was like this wild energy just consumed you, and I was able to feel it running inside of me. I mean, you were literally glowing. A healing process is usually so draining, so exhausting for me. But this was like...like I practically snapped my fingers, and he was healed.” She lifted her hand and snapped her fingers in demonstration. “Voila.”

  I shook my head incredulously, hardly able to believe it myself. But, as sure as the beating of my own heart, I finally felt it this time, flowing through my veins like a fire that could not be tamed. I could no longer question whether something was there, inside of me—something powerful, something beautiful, and, as much as it terrified me to admit it, something alarmingly dangerous.

  “How do you feel, dear?” Priscilla was studying me.

  “It came a lot easier than I thought it would,” I answered. “I feel amazing.”

  Priscilla smiled.

  “But...I don’t know.” I fidgeted with the strands of my hair. I never expected to feel more overwhelmed, more afraid, now than before I’d begun my training.

  Pixie glanced at Priscilla for a moment, then reached down and gently scooped up the puppy at her feet.

  “Well, I’ve got to get this little guy back to his family. But, hey. You did great.” She looked back at the tiny face watching her and scratched his ears. “Didn’t she, pumpkin?”

  The puppy licked her face and kicked his feet as if in response. I smiled at them, and Pixie cheerfully turned and disappeared through the wall.

  Priscilla ambled over to two wooden chairs beside the fireplace and motioned for me to sit with her. “Tell me, Charlie, what’s on your mind?”

  I took a seat and leaned forward in grim consideration, my elbows resting on my thighs.

  “What am I going to do when the wrong person gets ahold of me?” I asked, finally meeting Priscilla’s eyes. “What if I help someone do awful things? What if I don’t have a choice?”

  Slowly, Priscilla nodded her head. Her words came out carefully when she spoke, taking her time in answering. “Where there is light, darkness lurks. Where there is darkness, light prevails. There are no pure extremes of black and white within our souls, Charlie—only the shades between. You will come face to face with evil, as do we all. But it will be up to you to look beneath what meets the eye, to find and appeal to the goodness within. Just as it will be up to you to make a choice. And there is always a choice.”

  I looked at her doubtfully. I had never lacked confidence in myself like this before—but I had never faced anything of such magnitude, either.

  “Charlie.” Priscilla was facing me intently now. “Let me ask you something. When you first learned of all this—the supernatural, your gift—did you ever think you would understand it as much as you do right now, at this moment?”

  I reflected on my naivety of the world around me just a couple of weeks ago compared to where I stood at this point and inhaled sharply.

  “Not even close.”

  She squeezed my hand reassuringly. “Exactly. Imagine how you will feel one month from now. Two weeks? Even one week. All I’m asking is for you to have a little faith in yourself until then.”

  Faith. I let out another breath. That was something I could stand to work on.

  “I can try,” I replied as I stood. “When can I train next?”

  “We will need to take it on a gradient, for now. Keep it limited to a half-hour session every other day. By next week, we should be able to extend that to an hour or two daily depending on how you are feeling. And, Charlie?” Priscilla rose from her seat, her tone serious. “We are always the first to underestimate ourselves. Don’t ever doubt your strength.”

  She reached for my hand as I pondered her words and led me to the door. I paused in the middle of the doorway.

  “Priscilla?”

  “Yes, dear?”

  “Thank you.”

  She smiled, and I made my way to the other end of the closet, closing the door behind me. Matt was heading toward the register as a customer scanned the menu.

  “Hey, Matt,” I called. “Where’s Quinn?”

  “She had to go take care of something. Should be back soon.”

  He waved goodbye as I exited, and a rush of brisk air welcomed me outside. The days seemed to be growing shorter in recent weeks, with dark shadows often filling the sky and bursts of rain falling in sporadic fits. I quickly became aware of Desmond through the sensation in my back, and I sped up my pace.

  He was back.

  Locking the door behind me, a red light flashing on the answering machine caught my eye. I pressed play, and my aunt’s chipper voice rang through.

  “Charlie, it’s me. I forgot to charge my cell again, so you won’t be able to reach me on there until I get back. But I’m so looking forward to our ‘Netflix and chill’ night.” I raised one eyebrow. Pretty sure she did not know the meaning of that phrase. “Oh, crap!” The noise cut out, and her voice sounded muffled as she shuffled the phone around. “Damn it. I spilled coffee all over the gorgeous Steve Madden shoes Steph lent me. Shoot, shoot, shoot. Okay, I’ll try you again tomorrow. If she hasn’t killed me by then. Oh, and there’s some extra cash in my nightstand if you need it. Love you.”

  There was another moment of shuffling, then the line went dead. I couldn’t help but miss her. The machine beeped again, and I sighed in relief at the welcome voice.

  “Charlie? You there? I hate these things. Can you hear me?” I chuckled as I poured a glass of water, grateful to be listening to the discontented sound of Ray’s voice. “Well, anyway. I’m at the hospital. I got your messages. No need to worry; I’m doing just fine. I keep telling them I’m fine, but the darn nurses insisted on holding me here. They say I get to go home soon, though. So I guess that’s something.”

  He let out his signature grunt and mumbled something I couldn’t quite make out, but it sounded like a disgruntled goodbye.

  A cool shudder shimmying up my spine reminded me, yet again, I was not alone. I glanced out the window, despite knowing a vampire like Desmond would only be seen if he chose to be seen, and crossed my arms in attempt to warm up my prickling skin.

  One final beep from the machine and a nervous, male voice came through.

  “Uh, yeah...Stacy? It’s me—Joe. Just, uh, hadn’t heard from you in a
while. Wanted to make sure you’re doing all right.” He paused to clear his throat. “Miss seeing your face around here. Anyway. All right. Talk to you soon. I hope.”

  Joe really was a sweet guy. Making a mental note to remind Stacy to call him, I scrolled through my cell phone contacts. Diana would be able to tell me what’s happening with Ray and provide me with the room details. The phone rang a few times before forwarding to her voicemail. Luckily, she’d cleared her mailbox since the last time.

  “Hey. It’s Charlie. I just heard from Ray, but he didn’t leave a room number. Could you call me when you get this? Thanks.” I was about to hang up when I remembered the notes. “Oh, and Diana...thanks for giving Ray my messages.”

  I pulled a pair of running shoes out of the closet. I didn’t know if I’d be able to find Ray without his room number, but it was worth a shot. It would feel great to stretch my legs again, too. My only hesitation was in knowing that Desmond would be tagging along. Not just because of what I’d witnessed last night but even more so because of Quinn’s sentiments—both of which had etched themselves into the front of my mind. There was her retelling, chilling enough in itself, and, of course, her piercing warning.

  If it was true, if every detail about him was designed to lure me in, then it meant I couldn’t even trust myself when I was with him. How would I know if any look he sent me, any word he uttered, was real? The only thing I could think to do until I knew more was to keep my distance as much as possible.

  I peeked around inconspicuously after locking up but, as expected, found no trace of him. The increasing chill in my spine told me he was nearer than I’d initially thought.

  Picking up my pace to a jog, I made my way around the corner. It was a pretty straight shot to get to the hospital if I stayed on 11th Street. My shoes softly pounded against the uneven road, and I found myself approaching the hospital entrance within twenty minutes.

  I noticed the strange, warm breeze as it brushed against my earlobe before spotting the woman behind the reception desk. She greeted me with a genial smile, twirling purple streaks of her short bob with a brightly tattooed hand.

  Here I was, face to face with a demon for the first time of my knowledge, with no idea how to proceed.

  “¿Qué más?” An amused look crossed her eye as she took in my hesitation. “What can I do for you?”

  In spite of my tensing nerves, I held my composure. “I’m looking for a patient. He would have checked in about three days ago.”

  “Hmm. Room number?” The roll of her tongue and curl in her r’s were thick, even when speaking English.

  “Actually, I’m not really sure...” I replied.

  The demon gazed at me with a quirky tilt of her head, and I found myself second guessing my close proximity to the curious creature. The sudden realization hit me that my lack of knowledge about demons could really get me in trouble. I had never met one before, nor had the others told me much about them. My palms were starting to sweat. Maybe I could come back another time...with educated company.

  “Sorry, I’ll just come back when I know exactly where he’s staying. Thanks anyway.”

  A flicker of interest sparked in the demon’s bright eyes—a marveling combination of blues and greens—as she leaned forward and spoke in a daring voice.

  “Just slip me the name, and I can find out where he is for you.”

  “It’s okay,” I answered, trying to keep my voice casual. “I should probably just let him rest anyway.”

  Maybe I was being a coward. But I’d already underestimated a vampire, and I didn’t want to do the same for a demon, especially one who had easy access to my dearest friend.

  The woman frowned and squinted her eyes doubtfully, cocking her head to the other side to reveal another sleeve of colorful tattoos dancing along her radiant, caramel skin tone.

  “Are you sure, parcera?” she asked.

  Something about the way she spoke made me uneasy. And her eyes...it were as though she could see straight into my mind.

  “Never second guess your footsteps,” the woman said quietly. “More often than not, you’ll find that you are just where you should be...” Her voice trailed off, and her eyes wandered vaguely into the distance. “Ay. Where did I leave that pen?”

  She abruptly stopped talking and began rifling through a disorganized stack of papers piled before her, muttering something in her native language.

  “Um. Well, thanks...for your help,” I finally said, unsure of how to respond.

  But she didn’t pause from her intense search and, in fact, seemed to have forgotten I was ever there at all.

  Bemused at the puzzling interaction, I turned and exited the building. My steps were slow this time as I headed back home.The first half of the walk was relatively noisy, with a steady stream of cars whistling by and residents buzzing past me. But the nearer I got to the steady sound of ocean waves, the more I began to relax.

  “Not what you were expecting?” a low, attractive voice quietly asked.

  I jumped slightly, having forgotten that I wasn’t alone, and hugged my sweater more snugly around my chest to hide my shiver.

  “What?” I asked, pretending I didn’t know what Desmond was referring to. I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of him monitoring my conversations. And regardless, I had already taken a mental oath to keep my distance from him.

  “Catalina Acosta,” he replied. His movements were as agile as ever as he strolled fluidly beside me. “One of the few younger demons you’ll meet who can hold down a job.”

  I looked up at him, furrowing my brows. “You know her?”

  “I knew her brother very well. They moved to the states from Colombia some time ago.”

  I pondered briefly over the way he’d said knew, as opposed to know, and pushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear so I could see him better. I shouldn’t have been speaking to him. I knew this. But if he could tell me anything about the demon working so closely to Ray, I would be foolish not to listen.

  “I guess I just didn’t know what to expect,” I said. “I mean, I’m still just barely learning about witches. And vampires...” I added, glancing skeptically at his tall figure. “But demons, I know the least about.”

  Desmond slid a black coat from his shoulders and smoothly draped it over me. My initial reaction was to shove it right off, but the immediate warmth made me think twice. I eyed him suspiciously, wondering if even such a simple gesture as this one was just another part of the facade.

  “Unpredictable, easily distracted, a knack for stirring up trouble,” he replied. “But they’re always brilliant and deeply intuitive.”

  “And surprisingly philosophical?” I added, thinking back to her last comment.

  We were close enough to see Ray’s house now. It didn’t look right without the front window propped open, the way he always had it when he was home. Hopefully Diana would call me back soon, not only with the room number but also for some reassurance that he was okay.

  “So, Catalina,” I began, hesitantly. “Is she...”

  A crooked smile snuck onto his otherwise solemn face. “If you’re wondering if she’s dangerous, the answer is no. She’s a demon, Charlie. Not a—”

  “Vampire?” I interrupted. Keeping my eyes forward, I didn’t catch his reaction to my slight—though I thought I saw his body stiffen from the corner of my eye.

  Desmond was standing close to me when we approached my door. He tucked a hand into the pocket of his pants and withdrew something small.

  “You asked me before,” he said. “About a necklace.”

  My fingers wrapped themselves over the cool, metallic chain as he gently laid the necklace onto my palm. I tried feebly to still my hands from their quivering. A part of me had already known he had a hand in it being taken. But this—actually seeing him place the object in my hands—was confirmation I wasn’t prepared for.

  The amount of things stacking against him in such a short period of time was enough to make me severely question my own
judgement. It took everything I had to bring myself to look at him, and when I did, my stomach churned.

  “Charlie—”

  “Don’t,” I whispered. The rush of emotions flowing through me had more to do with the sudden reminder of my mother, at a time when I so desperately needed her, than anything else. And I would not cry in front of him. “Don’t try to explain or whatever it is you’re about to do. It doesn’t matter.”

  I shrugged his coat off my shoulders, handed it to him, and quickly turned away before my eyes could betray me. The door closed softly behind me. Bolting the locks, I squeezed the necklace in my hands as I trudged up the stairs. Stacy would be home in a few short hours, and I owed her an evening of lighthearted fun with her niece, a feat which suddenly seemed more challenging than syncing magic, chatting with a demon, or walking home with a vampire.

  CHAPTER TEN: NETFLIX AND CHILL

  The house filled with the aroma of buttery popcorn and cheesy homemade pizza as I pulled up the Hemlock Grove series on Netflix. The sofa had been rearranged theater-style and covered in fluffy pillows, and a thick blanket sat folded at its foot, ready to go.

  A scuffle from the porch notified me of her arrival, and I quietly crept behind the front door. It opened slowly. Stacy shuffled in with her hands full, two large suitcases dragging behind her.

  “Yoo-hoo,” she bellowed. “I’m ho—”

  My voice was hardly more than a whisper. “Boo.”

  Bags flew from her hands, and she instinctively clutched her chest. Her startled scream quickly shifted to relieved laughter at the sight of me.