Taste Of Fire

Chapter Seven

  Someone in the back of the crowd claps their hands. "Alright, show is over. Please return to class or whatever you were doing." The teens listen to the voice, filing out until four people are left, three boys and a girl. I trace my teeth with my tongue, studying them. It seems to me we've gained the attention of some High Circle students.
  The girl is gorgeous, I'll give her that. She's about five foot seven with a lean build, her body like someone who dances. She has clear emerald eyes, and waist length platinum blonde hair, with pink, full lips and a slightly round nose and a soft jaw. She's wearing a blue bikini top and a flowing blue skirt that stops just at her bare feet. She has a small stuff in her nose and is wearing gold bangles on both of her arms. A Siren. The pull I feel to her is undeniably strong. She smiles at me and I swear my heart stops, my stomach now home to stampeding elephants.
  Despite my bodies reaction, my mind remains clear. I dip my head in acknowledgment, and respect lightens her eyes, along with interest. She turns her attention to my twin, and my attraction to her leaves. Rydel doesn't seem to react to her at all, only releases my hand and wraps his arm around my waist. I expect no less though, mental games are his thing after all. Unlike me he doesn't acknowledge her, and the girl starts to become confused. I can't help the small smirk on my face as I lean in and brush a kiss on my brother's cheek.
  "That was quite the performance you gave." One of the boys says. My eyes drift to him. Red eyes and fangs brandish him as a vampire who has recently fed. His hair is a dark blue, the sides shaves, with a black streak through his bangs that cover his left eye. He has Carmel skin and stands around five foot ten with an average build. He's dressed in all black, a black t-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and to my surprise a black choker around his neck. But his spicy scent tells me he's not pure vampire. "Was that the legendary Ritual of Darkness?" I meet his amused gaze. When I do his eyes trail over me slowly, and Rydel tightens his hold on me. I turn into him, placing a gentle hand on his chest. Rydel normally isn't one for jealousy, but today seems to be the exception. "And if it was?" I ask casually.
  "Rituals on campus without authorization are against school rules and have heavy penalties." Another of the boys answers. Someone behind us snorts. Sin. My smirk is back as I look over the boy. Completely black eyes, shoulder length silver hair, small fangs, grey leathery wings. Sharp, blood laced scent. His six foot body laced lightly with muscle. He's wearing a tight white t-shirt, blue jeans with rips at the knees, and timberlands. "Well, that's too bad." I purr. Sin growls and is immediately moving forward. However, one glance from Rydel has him moving to my other side instead of attacking. I fold both my wings so he can press against my back. He moves my hair to the side and does just that, ignoring Rydels arm and burying his face in my neck.
  "Quite the harem-, oh?" As the other boy speaks Liza comes forward to Rydels other side, hugging his arm and leaning her head on his shoulder as if she knew what the boy was about to say. Rydel meets the boys eyes before turning his head and kissing her forehead. Tank and Devi follow her lead, Tank positioning himself behind us and Devi slightly infront to our right. To my surprise Cor mirrors him to the left, and a glance back shows Eve and Rose flanking Tank, and Amber moves closer but stays separate as if unsure if she should stand with us. However, fire dances in her eyes as she regards the group opposite of us, and I muse that she might be stronger than I gave her credit for. My eyes turn back to the boy.
  Off the bat I know he's Iron Fae by his metallic fangs when he smiles. His eyes are a clear blue, hair matching the crystal like color. His frame is thin, and ears slightly pointed. He doesn't have his wings showing, but I imagine that's because of the red Gucci shirt he's wearing, along with faded blue jeans and red and white Jordans. "Cor." He greets. "I wondered what kept you from class this time. Why not introduce us to your new friends?" From his tone I gather the two don't get along. Cor glances at me and I nod. "Princess, this is Angelina Steel, Hunter Rome, Liam Redburn, and Sam Castle." His tone has a different tone from the last time he called me princess. With no hesitation I reach for the bond I formed with his, opening the channel slightly before shutting it completely. Poor boy.
  "Y'all, this is some of the Ember Clan, as well as Eve, Rose, and Amber. The Ember Twins, Rykel and Rydel in the middle, Devi in the front, Liza to the left, and Tank in the back. Rose and Eve are the ones flanking Tank, with Amber in the back." At this Amber moves forward, as if being part of the introduction solidified her resolve. "The Ember Twins? Not the same Ember Twins that are the heirs of the Ember Clan, it's lands, and fortune?" Hunter asks, interest now dancing in his eyes. Angelina rolls her eyes. "Of course that would interest you. Not the fact that the whole Clan has evaded the Counsel for years, or the amount of energy they each have pouring out of them, or even their looks." He smirks at her.
  "Oh, all of that interests me, but these two are now possibly the richest kids in school and they're dressed so...normal." Sins chest vibrates against my wings with his silent chuckle and I purr, my eyes closing at the shocks of pleasure the dealing causes. I cut off the purr quickly and give a low snarl. Which only makes him laugh aloud this time. While I'm able to contain my reaction, I can't contain the heat pooling in my stomach that causes me to start giving off pheromones. Immediately all eyes in the room are trained on me. My face and neck heat in embarrassment. Which is a feat in and of itself as I am not easily flustered. Sins hands grip my sides and Rydels arm tightens. I bury my face in his chest. I hear the door close. "Think of dead puppies." Angelina suggests gently. "Or killing Hunters." Devi adds. Which was the wrong thing to say because as soon as I imagine my hands coated in blood my arousal flairs. "Of course our Princess enjoys murder." Tank growls softly. I feel Rydel shift then let me go altogether. I keep my eyes closed, knowing what he's about to do.
  "Make it a good one, yeah?" I ask, covering my face as Sin begins nibbling on my neck. "Are you about to stab her?" Hunter asks just before I feel a blade thrusting through my chest. My hands clench and fall, my jaw locking so I don't scream out in pain and my eyes snap open. I look into my brothers eyes who have a regretful look in them. "Better?" He asks quietly. I take a slow breath, feeling the stinging pain of the metal that's between my fourth and fifth rib, angling slightly left. I give his a tight smile. "You grazed my lung again." His body relaxes and he snorts before he releases the hilt of the dagger and staggers over the the couch, slumping down. Putting his elbows on his knees he drops his face into his hands.
  "Sin, Liza, open all the windows, would you?" I say carefully. They move without questioning it. I glance around and see everyone outside of my friends looking between my brother and I with varying degrees of shock, anger, and worry. I look each in the eyes before grasping the hilt of the dagger in one hand, and taking a slow breath pull it out quickly. Carelessly tausing it to Cor I motion Tank to me. Without asking he comes and starts removing my shirt. I hiss out a quiet breath and he smirks. "Are we just going to gloss over the fact that he just stabbed her?" Amber's voice is shrill and there's panic in her eyes. I nod to Devi who moves to her side and leads her to a couch and sits her down before going to the kitchen area. He comes back with a glass of water.
  Liza and Sin come back out. "Okay." Tank says stepping back with my tattered and bloody shirt. "Now explain." I hold up a finger to tell him to wait, then focus on my injury. Drawing a decent amount of energy to that spot I accelerate my healing. "Holy shit." Eve mutters, taking a step. But Cor beats her to it, in front of me in a second and probing the spot carefully. I roll my eyes. "I have really, really strong pheromones. And in this form I can't control them, nor during my heat." I flush as I say the word.
  "We discovered the second time that Hunters attacked us that wounding her is the fastest way to stop it. Believe me, I do not enjoy stabbing my sister." Rydel doesn't lift his head and Liza goes to sit next to him, rubbing his back. "Unfortunately, if I'm left unchecked, not only will I sends every female within a two yard radius of me, we measured, into heat, human or not, but it will also cause males to..." I trail off. "Be controlled by lust." Rydel finally lifts his head to smirk at me. I flip him off, aware I probably can't get any redder. "There are other ways to stop it of course." I continue.
  "Like having sex." Rydel cuts in. I bare my fangs at him. "One more word and I'm going to puncture your lung on purpose." I snarl, flexing my hands. He raises his hands in mock surrender. "As well as ice baths, swimming, and flying." He finishes. "But those things take to long. So he stabs me. The stronger the scent, the deeper the blade has to go or my survival instinct won't activate." I complete the explanation. "How often do you go into heat?" Cor asks, and I register that he hasn't moved back yet. I tilt my head to the side slightly, studying him. "Don't worry, it's in my school files so administrators know I'll be absent from school at those times. The official cover story is we travel for religious reasons, but I'm sure our social worker told the headmaster the real reason as I was instructed to see him as soon as..." Realization hits me.
  "You arrive?" Rydel finishes, a teasing note in his voice. I close my eyes and bring a hand to my face, rubbing my forehead. "Yup." I sigh. "We really need to work on that." He says, and I drop my hand to look at him blankly. "I get it from dad." My tone is flat. "Well, I can take you now?" Cor volunteers. "It might be better a girl take her." Angelina steps forward, raising an eyebrow in challenge at Cor. "Then we can do it." Rose bounces on the balls of her feet. "Don't both of you have a class soon?" Both of them narrow their eyes at her but the smile never leaves her face. I hold my hand out to Rydel and he comes to me immediately, taking off his shirt.
   "Yours is ripped too." I remind him. He looks at it a moment then to the sports bra I'm wearing and sighs, tossing it on the couch. "Fine. But don't get used to it." He laces his fingers in mine. "Who do you want to take you?" Cor asked. I loosely grab my twins arm with my free hand, leaning into him. "My brother will escort me." All three frown.
  "But how will you find it? It's only your first day." Angelina asks. But Cor gets a look of understanding. "Oh." He says softly. "I've been to the headmasters office a few times." I nod, and Sam snorts. "Yeah. Most of us in this room have." He gives a pointed look to Eve, Rose, and Amber. "She went through my mind, before I forced her to make a bond with me." He shoots back, and the four of them look shocked.  "You're bonded to her?" Hunter asks, looking between us. "Prove it." Sam says.
  "Ry drinking blood right now might not be the best of ideas." Devi says. I look over to him. "Why not if she already has?" Liam challenges. None of us answer. "Oh, is it an Ember Clan thing?" Rose asks with nothing but curiosity. "More like an Ember family thing." Tank supplies after a pause. "What's gonna happen? She'll go all monster on us?" Sam says, his voice mocking.
  "That's exactly it." A voice says from the door. My body tightens. I didn't even hear it open. Rose literally jumps. "Headmaster." Cor says. I look to the door. And break into a smile. I can't help it. "Dumbledore!" I squeel. Rydel sighs, but the man chuckles. The man is maybe five foot seven with long greying hair and a matching beard, and is wearing red robes. His eyes are a soft grey, and skin wrinkles and slightly pale. "Yes, I was told by your provider you're a fan so I thought to surprise you." My smile widens despite myself. "You get twenty cool points from me." I give him two thumbs up.
  "I came as soon as I heard you arrived and didn't come to my office. I see there were things that otherwise occupied your attention." He raises his eyebrows and looks around. Amber bows her head. "But to the topic you were discussing, no, Rykel here may not drink blood right now if she already has. As these students are now your peers, I think they should know you and your brothers...situation to better understand you. Of course, I will not force you if you don't wish to share." My smile falls as he speaks, and instead I look to my brother. Rydel meets my eyes, and he shrugs. "You're the Princess." I sigh.
  "Well, everyone sit down." I speak after a few moments. "This one is not a short story. I watch as everyone moves deeper into the room, some sitting on the floor others on the couches. The headmaster closes the door and moves to the kitchen, bringing out a chair and sitting. Rydel and I remain standing where we are. He raps an arm around my waist. I take a deep breath, reminding myself that I'm going to be here awhile and they'll find out sooner or later. And I begin. "The Ember family is cursed."

2546 words. I think I'm making the chapters too long😭