Hellfire

Chapter Fifty-Four

I woke on fire, my bones creaking, lungs stuffed full of ash, and summer heat boiling the air around me. I couldn't really think or take in anything around me. I couldn't. I was being threatened; Lucius was. I felt it everywhere. My home wasn't safe anymore. Something was stalking it, something devastating. I couldn't see anything as I dove forward, flames gushing from my mouth and a desire to burn taking me over. I was releasing the ice that coated my soul, knowing I needed every shred of heat to take this thing down. I needed it all.

I was going to burn it.

But something was resisting me. The lock remained tightly bound, despite Lucius usually letting me use it all freely, and a hand was snatching at my wrist. Arms were caging me, moulding me against a wall of ice and refusing to let me go, no matter how I burned. I tried to wriggle, to get out, I had to.

I needed to burn that fucking monster before it got to Lucius!

Then I heard roars and a knew threat was coming, distant and muffled by the hellfire in my ears, rough words I couldn't quite make out. A new threat was coming. For a moment, I saw Lucius' room. I felt his arm locked about me, his body tight with wild strength as he kept me against his chest and his hand outstretched, his winter crashing out to ensnare as Alistair rushed into existence, his teeth bared, eyes dulled yet fixed only on me with the intent to kill.

Ice lanced into my head with a vicious command, dragging me from the flames surrounding me, and I found I could finally see clearly and think. I was in the foyer of the house, my bare feet sinking into snow that poured from the ceiling above, caressing me and cooling me. My breath was frantic, hot ash and flames drifting from my mouth, every inch of me trembling slightly.

'Daddy says to calm down.'

I glanced and spied Little One crouched down and scooping up snow frantically, before she scuttled forward to press it against my arm, but I was stepping away. Tension was thrumming though me, the sense of danger raking down my back and making my chest swell with flame. Something had wanted me dead. Something awful, thick with cruelty and a desire to destroy me, and it was still in my fucking house!

'I can't. He's in danger. Everyone is.' I said and tore myself away, locking my gaze onto the entryway.

'Susan!' Little One called frantically, trying to catch up to me. 'Calm! Daddy said so!'

But I was set on protecting him. I flung myself at the door, intending to just leave the dreamscape and dive back into my body, blazing with fury and burning whatever was stalking my home, but a powerful hand slapped against the door, refusing to let it open. I whirled to face Lucius looming over me, forcing me to tilt my head back ever so slightly to find his stern face. His gaze was hard with ice and shadowed by his trilby, his extended eye-teeth flashing with dangerous intent.

'Leave, Little One.' Lucius ordered without looking from me.

Little One glanced between us frantically, her brow furrowed with worry, but she turned and melted into snow, vanishing from sight.

'You're to back down, Susan.' He informed me with a hard tone clipped with icy authority. 'Stop trying to kill Morrigan.'

I tensed up and breathed out sparks, my hellfire coiling in my gut. 'I'm not trying to kill Morrigan, I'm trying to stop whatever is going to hurt you. It took me, tried to kill me, and it's still there! I can feel it!'

Lucius thundered and ducked his head, his mouth claiming mine in a rough, deep kiss. I tried to squirm, instincts burning to protect him, but he slid his fingers about the nape of my neck, tilting my head back so his tongue could deepen the kiss, coaxing me to respond with that velvet heat I found so addictive.