Hell Fire (Wild Fire: 2) (FINISHED)

7 - Crap.

"Ember?" an irate woman's voice echoed, throwing her out of her dreams. "What the hell is going on?"

Ember shot up from the bed in a panic, gazing at the door of her bedroom and finding Alice standing there, blue eyes blazing with anger.

When she looked down at the bed, she saw Max still there, staring at the door in boredom.

Alice stepped into the room, jaw locking.

Crap.

"What is he doing in your bed?" Alice growled, clearly pissed. "What did I tell you about letting people in the house?!"

Ember shot a look to Alice, something cold consuming her. "But-"

"No!" Alice yelled, making her wince. "I don't want to hear it, okay? You told me you stopped letting him in the house without my permission!"

"Alice!" Ember cried, trying to make her understand. "Wait-"

"NO!" she screamed, and Ember shrank back into herself. "Max," Alice said, eyes hardened as she stared down at the boy, "get out."

"Alice!" Ember argued.

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!" she shouted, moving her blazing eyes to her little sister. "Just because mom and dad are GONE, does NOT mean you can LIE YOUR WAY INTO THESE SITUATIONS! I am your guardian now, Ember! And you are NOT eighteen yet! YOU ARE STILL A MINOR!"

She shot a look to Max who had been silent this whole time. "Max, get the hell out of my house."

He immediately got up from the bed, not sparing either of them a glance and stepped from the room, completely quiet.

Ember tried to read his expression, but it was blank.

How could he always do this? How come she was never able to read him?

Alice slammed the bedroom door shut behind her, shooting a look down at Ember who winced at the noise. "You, missy, are grounded, hear?"

"Alice-" she tried to reason.

"NO!" she yelled again, making something hot stir inside Ember at her tone. "I don't need you to ARGUE! You're grounded for a MONTH!"

And she threw open the bedroom door, slamming it shut behind her seconds later.

Ember stared at the door, startled.

Why couldn't she let her explain? Max was protecting her!

Ember collapsed on her bed, expecting to feel tears burn her eyes.

But really... she was pissed.

She could tell by the heat spreading through her veins, though it was the familiar heat of anger, not the fire...

Yet.

She threw her hands over her face.

Why couldn't she listen?

But, honestly... Alice didn't know of this world yet...

She didn't know that Max was a fallen angel, didn't know that Ember was a phoenix. That all these people were after her; wanted her dead.

How could she explain to her sister all of these things? How could she make her understand?

The real answer...? She couldn't. Not without putting Alice in danger.

Elijah didn't know that Alice existed... only Mason did. And although Elijah and Mason were buddies, she hoped the information hadn't moved to Elijah yet.

She closed her eyes when a flash from two months ago burned through her vision.

Elijah... Max's werewolf... he almost killed her.

She could've died that night.

When they tied cinderblocks to her legs and threw her in the ocean...

If her fire powers hadn't activated that night? She probably would've been dead.

She had to burn through the wire they tied around her ankle.

Max told her that he'd protect her ever since then.

But how could he now...? When Alice was now on alert?

How could she survive this now...?

Her phone chimed, and she opened her eyes to stare down at the text message.

It was Max.

She opened her cell.

Meet me at the fountain at the park at two.

She rolled her eyes and responded, I'm grounded, Max. For a month.

So?

SO, I doubt Alice will let me leave the house.

Max... now her guard's up.

He was silent for a moment.

Then break the rules.

She shot up from the bed, responding, What?

Was he crazy?

She stared down as he typed, and the bubble popped up.

Sneak out.

She'll ground me WORSE when I come back! Ember argued.

Mmm... You're going to have to take the risk, won't you?

She closed her mouth and inhaled through her nose, not liking his word choice.

Max... she warned.

Take the risk, Ember. You can't play the "good girl" act forever, you know.

She drew back in shock. Excuse me? "PLAY"?

He was silent for a moment, and she could sense he was laughing.

Goddamn him. Did everything amuse him?

But a new text popped up.

Break the rules, Ember. Or I might barge in there myself and FORCE you to break it.

She shook her head, wondering why he was so insistent on meeting her at the park.

You're so mean, she told him.

I know.

Well, at least he acknowledged it.

She sighed, debating whether or not she could do this.

But she closed her eyes tightly, opening them seconds later, Fine. Two, got it.

Good girl.

She shook her head in disbelief, collapsing on the bed seconds later.

Why two specifically? It was like... ten in the morning.

What should I do in the meantime? she asked him then.

Figure out a way to escape without your sister catching you, that's how.

She gazed up to the ceiling then, thinking.