by A. S. Oren
My hands shake as I push only some of the magma back down into the ground and reseal it. "I don't know if I can do a ball yet. How do I get it to come together again and form a ball?"
Paden presses his chest into my back. My head rests just under his heart as his hands slid down my arms to grasp my hands. A shiver travels down my spine. He makes it so hard to concentrate and make sure that I don't set the woods surrounding us on fire.
"Like this. Focus, and I'll help move your hands." I refocus my magic, and he moves my arms wide. His magic tingles as it seeps into my skin. He isn't controlling the metal, but I'm sure his body can't help it when he makes the movements with me. His touch fills me with a warmth. If I was in pain, it would be gone right now. Because of him and Maverick, I haven't been in pain for a long time. It makes life so much easier.
The magma pulls up off the ground in a giant blob of flesh melting scariness.
"Cup your hands, as if you're holding the ball."
I do, and he brings them together. The magma shrinks to half its size, no bigger than a golf ball. He moves my hands around each other until a sphere forms.
"Now picture the magma getting cold, like I taught you."
I nod and do as he says. The ball darkens until it becomes black and falls to the ground. I grin. I may not have done it all on my own, but I've always wanted to sculpt something out of metal like he does.
"Thank you for helping me." I turn around and wrap my arms around his waist.
Leaning down, he gives me a small kiss on the lips. "It's my pleasure to help you learn something new. I find it incredibly hot that you can use metal like me, along with the other elements. I have my own Supergirl to fawn over."
I grin. "Should I strap on a red cape and fly around looking for cats stuck in trees? Would that turn you on? Because I would totally do it."
He laughs. "Gold, you just have to breathe in order to turn me on."
The evidence of his words presses into my stomach through his slack. I push myself into him more. "Oh yeah?"
He leans down to kiss me again, and I close my eyes. I do need a good shag right now.
"Avalon!" Amr calls my name. Paden pulls back to glance over his shoulder, as I peer around his side.
I frown. Why does he sound panicked? "What? I'm over here."
Footfalls rush through the woods towards us before he comes to a stop just on the edge of our clearing. "You have to come back with me. Lusk and Bullock are fighting."
All blood rushes out of my face. Bullock can have quite the temper due to the autism. I've been reading up on it but still don't know near as much as I want to. I let go of Paden and take off at a sprint around Amr.
He follows. "I tried to call you, but you didn't pick up."
The one day I leave my phone in the house. "I didn't bring it with me. I figured I wouldn't need it so close to the house." We leave the woods, and the house comes into view.
"What happened? I'm guessing the fighting got bad, because you sought me out?"
"You know the Fold connection will have a calming effect on them. Lusk made a comment about Bullock's mother and then said something about how you're a bitch, and Bullock just lost it. I haven't seen the guy say more than a few words to us, but he didn't like that."
"My session with Mirren didn't go too well yesterday morning with us both being hung over, words were said. He's probably still angry over it. He didn't show up to our session today." I rip open the screen door and rush into the house toward the kitchen where the crescendo of crashes against wood echo in the house. Amr and Paden both follow behind me. Why haven't the others tried to break them up?
The others stand near the door. "What the fuck guys? Move!" They turn to look at me as I move through them.
Maverick stops me. His nose drips with blood, and a black eye has begun to form on his cheek. I glance at Rian next to him, who has a cut lip and holds his wrist with his other hand. Maverick winces as Mirren flies through one of the floor to ceiling windows, shattering the glass and grid panels.
I look to Bullock; he heaves next to a broken kitchen table. His hands and arms transformed with mother of pearl scales and talons. His glasses aren't on his face.
Mirren comes rushing back through the broken window, hands ignited with a flaming swords.
"They're going to destroy this place. We tried to stop them, but neither hear us. I think all they are seeing is red right now. Don't try to stop them, I don't want them hurting you."
Maverick puts his hand on my shoulder.
I swallow hard. I can't let them destroy the house Edgar worked so hard to build for us. It would break his heart, and we don't exactly have a ton of money lying around to repair all this damage.
Bullock forms a bow and arrow with grey air. He pulls the string back, getting ready to pierce Mirren with it.
I have to do something; I have to calm them both down at once. I could use the Fold's pull, but in the books I've read, they've said I had to be touching the person to have it work.
"Stop it! Both of you!" I scream. My pull would be stronger if I was emotionally closer to them. Sealing our bonds would be the only thing that could give me the oomph I need right now.
Neither even glance in my direction. Mirren screams and rushes at Bullock with the sword. Bullock releases the arrow. They're going to kill each other, in my house. I have no choice. I have to force my magic on them.
I close my eyes focusing my angel powers. My wings unfurl down my back. I open eyes, white light encompasses my sight. With my arms wide, I focus a white ball between my hands. "I said stop it!" Shooting the light away from me, it crashes into them before either attack can make contact. It shatters two more windows.
At the same moment, Minos enters my mind, seeing threw my eyes. I can feel him here, as if he's standing right beside me.
Both men fall down on their ass and blink as they come to their senses.
I continue to focus my angel powers, keeping them going at the strongest level I can. "Hear me now, all of you. No member of my Fold is allowed to kill another of my Fold. My words today empress upon all of you my will. You can disagree, hate each other even, but you cannot kill each other! Gods make my words so!"
Beyond the broken kitchen windows, dark clouds roll over the land. Rain crashes down like a tidal wave. Lighting dances overhead, whilst thunder cracks.
"We understand." The members of my Fold echo to me.
Only one other angel has been documented impressing their will on their Fold, but she abused the power. I don't ever want to do this again. I just don’t want them dying at the hands of each other.
I want to fall over as my angel powers fade from overuse. I keep standing though, wings limp on my back.
Bullock and Lusk look around, as if just now seeing the damage they've caused.
I scan the floor for Bullock's black frames. They lie next to the island, while the rain still pours outside, some water comes in through the broken windows. Picking up his glasses, I go to Bullock and hand them to him. "Now, tell me what happened to set you off? Amr said Mirren insulted your mother and me?"
Bullock puts his glasses back on and rubs at his cheek with his knuckles. "He didn't say anything about my mother. He was insulting you, and I couldn't stand it anymore, I got angry and told him to stop."
Mirren rises from the floor and pulls a shard of glass out of his arm, blood streams down from the wound. "I didn't say anything to you. You threw your plate at me! I defended myself."
Did Bullock go into a rage and just think he was talking?
I turn to the others. "Who’s telling the truth here?"
Jakki steps forward and flips his hair over his shoulder. "Lusk is. Bullock just got up and threw his plate. Next thing I know, all hell has broken loose in our kitchen."
Rian and Maverick nod. "That's what happened. Then, we tried to break them up, and they attacked us.
I sigh and rub at my eyes. Aches that haven't bothered me in years settle back into my bones. "This ca
n't happen anymore. Look at this place. I don't even know how we're going to repair it. What's Edgar going to think? He spent his hard earned money building it and making sure if felt like a home to us."
Minos's presence fades.
Bullock stands now. "I'm sorry. I'll have a better grasp on my emotions from now on, I swear I'll try.” He rubs at his face. His hand and arm bleed where glass has cut him. His shirt is scorched at the chest and his skin blisters.
I take his hand, stopping him from continuing the tick. I don't remember him having it when we were younger, but he could've developed it over time and I never paid enough attention to notice. I run my hand over his wounds, healing them in an instant; for my Fold, I’ll use every last bit of power I can muster from the depths of my soul.
Peering at Mirren, I know I should heal him, even if he is a dick. I take a step toward him.
"I'm sorry he's an Outcast freak." Mirren wipes his hand over his face, smearing his blood over the scars.
I stop in my tracks. "Bleed to death for all I care, you worthless scum. Get out! You can insult me every which way, but I won't allow that bigoted behaviour in my house!"
"Like I want to be around a cunt like you." Lusk goes to a wall and places his hand on it. A Void opens up and he leaves.
I huff. "Fuck it all! Goddamnit!" My Fold will never be complete. Why can't the two of us just filter our thoughts?
Bullock returns to rubbing his face. "I'm sorry."
I shake my head and look to the others. The disappointment is evident in Maverick and Paden's eyes. I let them down. "None of that was your fault. Why don't we go to the library and take a breather?"
Why can’t we all just learn to be civil? Why does he have to say such hurtful things? I need to collect my thoughts just as much as Bullock needs to decompress.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Day Eight
After getting up and ready, I descend the stairs. I went back to bed after transforming back for the day. Neither Paden nor Maverick came to my room. Either they're mad at me, or think I need my space. After the fight with Mirren, I don't expect them to be happy with me.
The vastness of the kitchen becomes apparent with the table missing. Now, we only have the kitchen nook to sit at, and it can't hold more than two or three people at time. Or, I guess there’s the island, still not enough for everyone. Blue plastic tarps hang over where the windows stood before they were shattered to bits. Bullock apologised all night for it; I finally got him to calm down by having him focus on reading to me about the quantum physics of time travel. In an odd way, the incident brought us closer together. He even let me lay my head on his shoulder while we read.
I rub at my temple. I need something: caffeine, a good fuck. I just need the conga dancers in my skull to still their movements. Amr sits at the island with a bowl of cereal. Jakki and Horace sit on either side of him. Jakki sips at some orange juice, and Horace types on his laptop.
Amr glances at me. "Morning. How'd you sleep?"
I wince as my hip tries to give out on me; I catch myself on the corner of the island. Last thing I need is to face plant into the tile. "Okay. You?" Using my angel powers to the point that I did yesterday wiped all traces of pain relief from my body.
He nods. "I slept very well."
Horace grins at his computer screen. It must've been his night with Amr last night.
I lean across the island to grab the frosted flakes in front of Amr. The vodka scent coming off Jakki's orange juice takes me by surprise. It's not even noon, and he's already drinking?
I glance at Amr. He doesn't seem to have any kind of reaction to it. Does he not smell it, or is he turning a blind eye?
Getting a bowl down and some soymilk, I look at the three of them. The kitchen definitely doesn't feel as lively as it normally does at this time in the morning. "Have you seen the others?"
Amr shakes his head. "I think Rian's doing something outside. Den and Maverick haven't come down yet, I haven't seen Bullock since yesterday when he disappeared with you, and I haven't seen Lusk at all."
The heavy silence crashes down on the room like a ton of bricks. Well, it didn't take long for the events of yesterday to be brought up. I sigh and shake the frosted flakes into my bowl, making sure to fill it up more than I normally do. I need the comfort of sugary sweetness. "I know I fucked up yesterday, okay? But I don't want someone bigoted like him to be in my home."
Amr puts down his spoon. "He's part of your Fold, Avalon, you can't be chasing him off."
I put the lid back on the soy milk and slam it down onto the counter. Jakki jumps. I huff. "I'm well aware of that, Amr. It's not my fault the Fates decided to make one of my Fold members someone I can't stand and have nothing in common with!"
Amr rubs at his eyes. "You haven't even tried to get to know him, so how would you know if you two have something in common or not?"
I toss my bowl in the sink; the glass gives a satisfying shatter. "You're always defending him. If you like him so much, you go fuck him. Get it out of your system!" My head pounds harder.
Jakki's mouth hangs open. Horace pushes his glasses up onto his nose, but he has stopped typing.
Amr just stares at the ring he gave me. It hangs around my neck still after all these years. "You don't mean that."
I go to the sink and pick up the shards of glass. "Don't tell me what I mean and don't mean.” I toss the pieces into my left palm, ignoring the nicks that cover my fingertips, and toss the broken bowl in the trash. "Great, I wasted all this food." I push the uneaten cereal down the drain and turn on the garbage disposal.
The doorbell rings throughout the house. "I'll get it." I walk from the room. At least it's giving me a reason not to have to continue this discussion. I can't believe I said that to him. Why did I have to get our father's temper? Amr still has the calm rationality of our mother.
I open the door. A man in jeans and a t-shirt with the logo for Mikes Furniture Warehouse stands on the other side. He holds a pen and clipboard in his hand whilst staring up at our large house. I clear my throat, and he looks to me. "Is this the Radcliffe residence?"
I nod. "Yes. Why are you here?"
He holds the pen and clipboard out to me. "Please sign. We're here to deliver some furniture. If you can show me your kitchen or where you want it, I'll open a Void there, and we can get started."
I blink at him in confusion. "I didn't order any furniture from you. I don't have that kind of money right now, and as far as I know, no one else in this house does either."
He pulls the clipboard back to him and looks at it. "A Mr. Lusk Mirren ordered the furniture ma'am. Now if you could sign, I would like to begin this shipment, you're not the only house we have today. "
I take the clipboard from him and read it for myself. There it is, his name in black and white. What the hell? Where did he get the money for something like this?
"Please sign ma'am." He hands the pen to me; I take it and sign my name to the line. I have a feeling he wouldn't have gone away if I told him to.
Another man comes through a Void as I'm giving the clipboard back. This one wears a different uniform, Yazael's Windows and Sealing.
The furniture guy takes a yellow copy from the clipboard. "Your receipt. Now, if you could show me where you're wanting the furniture?"
The window man walks up to us. "Is this the Radcliffe residence? I have an order to install new windows."
I frown. "Did a Mr. Mirren order it from you?"
He looks at his clipboard. "Yes, Ma'am, that's who I have down as the buyer. If you could sign here and show me where the window needs to be put in, I'll have my men start on it."
My heart beats faster. I can't believe Mirren did all this. He's fixing the kitchen, but why?
I sign the paper. I'd be stupid to turn this down; we need new windows in the kitchen. The weather can change on a dime in Colorado. But this also means I need to suck up my pride and find Mirren, so I can talk to him like an adult. Even more guilt fills my chest over
yesterday. "Follow me, you both need to be in the same place."
I lead them back toward the kitchen. Amr, Jakki, and Horace haven’t moved. Paden and Maverick have joined them. Paden looks up from frying some bacon. "What's going on?"
I fold my arms over my chest as the window guy goes to where the tarp hangs over the windows, and the furniture guy makes a Void and leaves. "Apparently Mirren has ordered new windows and replacement furniture for the kitchen."
Maverick's mouth falls open. "No fucking way."
I nod.
Dragonfly like wings appear on the man's back, and he flies up to the top of the window. My eyes widen. He must be a fae of some kind, that's the only thing that could explain those types of wings. He drops a tape measure down to the bottom of the floor. "Sixteen feet long." He notes aloud.