The First Touch

by Alice Sweet

  The red head watched her change and smiled mischievously as he finished building what appeared to be a wall of energy. He formed them from thin air like bubbles that he plucked from the air. Now that she had her game face on she could see them, glowing fire lined squares that he carefully laid, one on top of the other. He finished by balling up his hand into a fist and then throwing a glowing ball at her, hitting her square in the chest. It hit her so hard that it knocked her across the room, slamming her back into the wall fifty feet behind her. Ivan was on his feet instantly although no one seemed to notice but Autumn.

  She stood and brushed the ash from her chest, “I wasn’t expecting that.” Ivan slowly sat back as Autumn smiled looking at the red head, “I mean I was expecting, burning pain or something.” Then she leaned down and picked up the energy ball and chucked it back at the red head. It narrowly missed his noggin and set the drapery behind him on fire.

  He turned and looked at the drapery, his eyes wide and then he smiled incredulously, “It doesn’t burn your hands?”

  She smiled and replied, “No it tingles a bit though, like holding something cold for too long.”

  His next ball was lightening fast and Autumn just barely missed it. Her skin grew colder and the next ball missed her by a greater distance this time. Then after dodging a few more behind his energy wall, she finally landed one on the side of his head and set his red hair aflame.

  Autumn closed the distance instantly, pulling her shirt from her body in one fluid movement. In the process of coming to his aid, she crashed though the energy wall as if it were tissue paper, sending gasps from the council. Then she tackled him putting his head out with her shirt. He stared at her gaping, the left side of his head covered in ash.

  He sat up on his elbows, looking at the knocked over energy wall, whistling. Slowly he looked at her and then down at her breasts, thankfully covered in a bra and smiled wildly saying, “Now I can see why Ivan is so smitten by you love.” Autumn smacked him playfully and stood up sliding her hand out to help him up.

  He took her hand without hesitation, brushing the ash from his hair as Autumn watched as his skin and hair grew back before her eyes. Then she asked, as he watched her put her ash covered shirt back on, “Do you all heal so quickly?” Flanagan smiled and nodded and Autumn turned towards the group. The blond was still wide-eyed like the others but she was also smiling. The red head said looking at his black eyed companion, “Drake you are up.”

  The blond halted him then, “I want to go next.”

  The red head huffed, “You will take all of the fun out of it Flora.”

  Flora replied, “But at least she will not be in any real danger.” He shrugged in response and took his seat again.

  Flora smiled and walked out to stand directly in front of Autumn Then she said sweetly, “I am going to sing you a song and I want you to try to resist it, alright?”

  Autumn shot back, “What do you mean resist?” Flora smiled and then it twisted a little causing Autumn’s body to react. She found herself stepping back a few steps and then Flora opened her mouth again and began to sing a sweet song. The melody was familiar somehow and she found herself smiling and humming along with the tune. Then Flora began to walk closer and sing a little louder, the melody continuing its natural progression. There upon, Flora’s voice began to echo amplified to concert level filling the entire room with the sound of her pure voice.

  Autumn stood her ground looking around assuming that if Flora were not going to attack then something else might. But nothing ever did, and eventually the song ended with a grand finish that dropped Flora to her knees shaking. Autumn walked over to Flora holding her hand out and said, “You have a beautiful voice. Was that it? I mean was it supposed to bring me joy or something?”

  Flora stared flabbergasted as the red head clapped with joy, then asked Autumn playfully, “So you have no desire to scream? Or kill yourself?”

  She looked puzzled and shook her head no then added, “Should I feel that way?”

  He replied playfully, “It sure made me want to.”

  Flora shot back, “Oh put a sock in it Flanagan.” Flora slid back into her seat glancing at her mate who exchanged a look with her. Then she looked at Drake and said, “Your turn.” Ivan moved to the edge of his seat with that declaration as Drake stood slowly and made his way to her. Autumn did not smile now and neither did Drake; all she could picture was Gregory screaming, his body aflame and him running from the room. The only way that you can kill a vessel is to behead it and burn it. Drake lit both of his hands at once and bent his knees readying himself for battle.

  Suddenly she doubted that Drake would have a problem, doing either or both. Autumn felt the flame in her chest being to blaze as she watched his hands tense with power and she touched her chest reassuring herself, “I am not going to die today.” He let the first one off at the same pace that he had thrown the stone earlier. It missed her, then the second and third where fast and then faster still.

  Autumn asked as she dodged the fourth, “Drake what do you think of when you flame on?”

  Drake replied without thinking, “Pain.”

  She replied, “Causing or receiving pain?”

  Drake replied, as he exerted himself throwing another fire ball, “Both.”

  Then she asked cautiously dodging another ball, “Do you heal quickly as well?”

  He seemed taken aback by her line of questioning, “Yes.”

  Autumn smiled at that and said, “But you are different, than the others.”

  Drake snapped back, throwing another, “Yes, that is why I am a council member.”

  Autumn replied, patting her chest, “No you are different; you have a fire in your chest like I do.”

  Drake stopped mid throw then asking, obviously distracted now, “What are you talking about?”

  “Your flame I can see it when I close my eyes, your chest is full of it.” Then she closed her eyes and watched as he threw a fireball straight at her chest. She raised her hand and caught it without opening them and then pushed it into her chest adding to her flame inside her body. Autumn heard gasps from the others and she smiled as her body shot a giant burst of blue flame back at him.

  When she opened her eyes again, and Drake was charging at her his eyes wild with rage, his clothes all aflame. Autumn ran towards the chairs and instantly Ivan was standing in between her and Drake. Flanagan was also standing watching Drake closely, “Drake I do believe your turn is over.”

  Drake gnarled back putting himself out, “I am not finished yet.” His voice sounded raw and distorted, she had hurt him and he wanted to repay the favor. Autumn slid past Ivan who put his hand on her shoulder restraining her momentarily. Finally she shrugged him off and stepped closer to Drake raising her hand and sliding it over his still smoldering skin. He flinched but he did not run or strike.

  Autumn spoke softly, “I am sorry I hurt you. I did not even know that I could do that. If you want to continue I will.” She whispered the last line with an intimacy that made Ivan’s skin crawl and Drake’s cool instantly.

  He stared at her looking deep into her eyes for a long moment and then he replied in defeat, “No I am finished.” He pulled away and Autumn stepped forward causing him to stop his retreat.

  Then she said softly in her mind, aiming it straight at Drake, “I am truly sorry I hurt you.” He twitched and then nodded and trotted back to his seat. He rested in his seat and pulled another stone from his pocket and began twirling it much the same as before. The skin on his face and hands almost completely healed, as was the rest of his body, evident in the many holes in his burnt clothing.

  Flanagan slowly sat, watching the exchange and then looked at Ivan who was standing tense behind them watching Autumn as well. His face was guarded, masking the pain hidden there. Autumn made her way back to the main floor glancing back over her shoulder at Ivan and smiling sweetly. Once she was safely out on the stage again he sat in his chair again, watching her unblinking.

>   Next up was Galen; he fluttered around Autumn like a bird, his body able to float off of the ground without apparent assistance. He took chunks from her skin, from time to time until Autumn realized that she, like all vessels, could do the same thing. Galen nearly lost his left arm when she figured that out. Sending him flying into the group, landing at Drake’s feet who smiled at him deviously.

  Immediately, he switched his tact and picked her up carrying her to the ceiling a hundred feet above their heads. Autumn sliced his hands off and then dropped onto the beam overhead. When his hands grew back, their battle continued on the balance beam high above, while all of the rest of them watched fascinated.

  It wasn’t until Galen hit her with a particularly savage blow across her neck that should have decapitated her that they all realized that she might actually be the eye. The wound cauterized instantly as she fell backwards off of the beam, the only proof that it had caused any damage was when she landed, on her feet, she cursed loudly. Then she pushed herself off of the ground re-disbursing the energy from the fall. The dust that blew out with the initial impact now drew up underneath her, into energy that she drew from, to jump back up to the beam again.

  Flannigan gave a whistle as she did that, speculating aloud, “Well she is definitely council member material.” Drake nodded in agreement as did flora. Ivan did not hear the conversation he was completely engrossed by the action high above. Galen finally tired of the game; his body finally exhausted by the hour long fight, went for blood and threw himself at her. It was a lunge of such veracity that it sent all of the members up the walls to stop the fight.

  Galen was shrieking in frustration by the time that Ivan reached them. Where he found, Autumn was already crouched over Galen singing softly, much as Flora had done earlier, “Galen calm down.” He laid back his breathing slowing to a natural fluttering before she backed off of him, allowing him to roll off the beam and into flight, swooping back down to his seat.

  He was now completely calm and whistling to himself happily as if it had never happened. They watched him cautiously slowly making their way back down to the main floor. Ivan on the other hand stood on the beam next to her unmoving, though still not looking at her, asking tightly, “You sang to him?”

  Autumn smiled and nodded then she slid her hand into his and breathed, “I want to try something.”

  He nodded curtly and stepped to the edge and looked over at the ground. She gripped his hand tightly anxious about her decision and counted, “One, two, and three.” Then they jumped from the beam and slowly floated down to the ground. The floor beneath them rattled as her energy pushed extra hard to support Ivan’s body weight as well.

  Ivan landed first and he released his grip from hers. She hovered for a moment sending reverberations throughout the wooden slats on the floor and then landed softly next to him. She smiled brightly to herself proud of her accomplishment and turned to the group, “Who is next?”

  Next

  The supper model replied wickedly, “I will go next.” She stood and crossed the distance quickly and then eyed Ivan as if he were a piece of meat before she turned and said, “I want you to kiss Ivan.”

  “Ok.”

  Ivan raised his hand to stop her, without looking at her again, and Flanagan seeing the issue interjected, “I think you should choose a tougher subject Helen, perhaps someone that she does not want to kiss.”

  Autumn stopped and smiled at Flanagan blushing slightly, as Helen rolled her eyes replying, “Alright then, I want you to kiss Drake.”

  She asked then confused, “What is the purpose of having me kiss Drake?”

  The smell of lavender a sweet sickening smell almost sent her to knees. Then Helen stepped closer and said, “I want you to kiss Drake.”

  Autumn felt the wave of nausea shoot through her and said, “My god, that is nauseating.” As she said that she looked at Helen with a look of utter disgust.

  Flanagan smiled and winked at Autumn’s wrinkled nose, asking, “What does it smell like?”

  She replied holding her stomach, “Like cheap perfume.” The smell increased and Autumn asked in disgust, “So you stink people out until they comply with your demands?”

  The smell grew stronger, and she repeated her request unsmiling, “I want you to kiss Drake.”

  To everyone’s surprise, Flora walked over to Drake and sat in his lap and began kissing him. Autumn giggled and pointed at Flora, groping Drake, and the big man quickly moved to pry Flora from him. Drake wiped his mouth and scowled at Helen as she demanded, “I want you to kiss Drake, Now!” Her voice echoed the same way that Flora’s had earlier and the smell became so bad that Autumn had to pinch her nose and breathe through her mouth to keep from vomiting. She realized then that if she had eaten something in the past…well damn how long had it been?

  Autumn was about to continue her teasing but then suddenly the room changed. Helen sent all of the bodies in the room towards Drake who was now headed towards Autumn in response. She stepped back and put her hands up in defense. Then she said to Helen after seeing their glazed looks, “They are like zombies.” Helen nodded seeming satisfied by their responses. Autumn jetted around the room avoiding Drake and the rest of them and finally asked twenty minutes later, “So we can stop whenever you are ready Helen. I think you’ve made your point.”

  Helen smiled deviously, “Once it has started it can not be stopped until it is carried out.”

  Autumn shot back over her shoulder, “Really?”

  Helen smiled broadly and replied, “Yes really.”

  Autumn grabbed Drake’s hand and jumped to the beam above again and kissed him. As she tried to pull back though he pushed her body against the rafter pinning her body and deepened the kiss. The fire began to come up from his belly and flow into her body through her mouth. The warmth was exquisite; it sent her hands up his chest, and through his thick black hair. Then she gripped handfuls of it, while his hands slid to her lower back and pressed her so tight that she felt his manhood stir between them. She gasped then and pushed him off, jumping down to the ground falling hard and leaving her bodies charred outline in the wooden floor boards below. Smoke rose up from her body as she shot Helen a dirty look and walked past her, “Not cool.”

  Helen smiled looking at her burnt outline on the floor, “I see.”

  The rest of them finally came to and made there way back down from the rafters again. Then the big man asked eyeing the floor, “So were you successful Helen?”

  She frowned and replied, “No, I had to trick her to get her to finish the task.”

  Autumn snapped then, “You mean I didn’t have to kiss him to end the zombie chase?”

  Helen smiled ruefully, “No.”

  Ivan shot Helen a look and she replied defensively, “It was just a small kiss Ivan.”

  Autumn nodded in agreement trying not to look guilty, while Ivan huffed taking his seat again. Then she finally looked at Drake who sat twirling his rock with a look of sleepy satisfaction on his face. Her flame jumped at that look and she quickly avoided eye contact with him.

  Autumn asked then, attempting to change the subject, “So what is left?”

  The large man replied, “We are finished for today. Grayton and Serena will return tomorrow.” Autumn nodded in response and stood still waiting for some instruction. Flora grabbed the large man pulling him from the room while Drake left quickly behind them as did Helen, who shot her a look, as she disappeared. Ivan paused momentarily but then looked at Galen and then turned and left the room out of a back door without even glancing at her.

  Galen took the opportunity to ask, “You sang to me?”

  She nodded and replied, “Just to calm you down.” He rose up from his chair nodding, and seeming to be lost in thought. Then without another word he jumped out the open window. Flanagan was the only one left in the room. He smiled wildly asking, “Are you tired?”

  Autumn smiled, “Nope.”

  He asked deviously, “You want to go have some fun?�
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  “Yes.”

  Flanagan gestured for her to follow, and they headed out the same side door that she had entered through earlier. The rude man and his men were waiting patiently outside of the room in the adjoining hallway. He stepped in front of Flanagan his eyes wide with the danger that he felt from acting so boldly. Flanagan did not seem pleased by his road block. The rude man spoke quickly, “Sir, I was told to take her to her chambers for the night.”

  Flanagan replied authoritatively, “I will take her there myself when I am done with her.” The man seemed to be weighing his words and then tired of waiting, Flanagan pushed past him dragging Autumn along with him. The men tried to speak again so Flanagan lit a ball of energy in his hands and growled, silencing him.

  Seeing the potential quarrel she interjected, “He will see to it that I make it back to my room.” Then she slid her other hand into Flanagan’s glowing hand extinguishing the light, as she smiled at him warmly, and contagiously he grinned back. She tugged him down the corridor and the rude man stood slack jawed staring back after them unmoving.

  Flanagan smiled at her with his devilishly handsome grin, taking the lead quickly once they were clear of the rude male. As they made their way out of the castle, he asked flirtatiously, “So you are full of surprises aren’t you little one?”

  Autumn smiled back at him happily, unable to help herself, “Yes, I guess I am.” Flanagan looked at her smiling, his head twisting to watch her closely then stopped at the last door. He reached his hand up and slid his finger across her jaw and watched as her eyes changed back to their human form.

  Then he said, concern entering his voice, “Your eyes are changing back.”

  Autumn nodded shyly shifting at his sudden closeness, and then she answered, “I am no longer in danger.”