Controlled Burn

Chapter 12: Not Adding Up

Lucian stood in the dimly lit hallway outside of Cade's containment cell, staring through the reinforced glass as the fire demon huddled against the far wall, trembling, a sheen of sweat glistening on his skin. He knew this wasn't an act; after all, the fire demon didn't know he was watching. Special Screens camouflaged the window, blending it into the rest of the concrete cell. How else could they monitor the demons inside? This though, was one of the worst things Lucian had observed in a long time. Something about this demon specifically twisted a blade in his stomach as he watched him suffer through the waves of his withdrawal. 

Cade's hands were clenched into fists, his head resting against his knees as though trying to physically hold himself together. Lucian watched as Cade fought an internal battle that only a fire demon could know—the desperate hunger for control over the flames that constantly threatened to consume him.

For a brief moment, something flickered in Lucian's chest, something he hadn't felt in years. Pity. He suppressed it quickly, locking it behind the same cold walls he always used to keep his emotions in check. Pity wasn't useful here, and it wouldn't help Cade. In fact, it would only make things worse. Fire demons didn't need pity—they needed control.

But still, Lucian couldn't shake the image of Cade in the cell, writhing in pain, his entire body trembling with the withdrawal. The fire demon had been so desperate when he'd asked for Accelerant. Begged for it, even. And despite knowing the dangers of the drug, despite understanding how it was destroying Cade's ability to control his flames, Lucian had felt the temptation to give in. To hand Cade the vial and let him have just a moment of relief.

Lucian took a slow, measured breath, forcing himself to remain still. He couldn't do it. He couldn't give Cade the Accelerant. Not now. He had made that mistake before with others—giving them what they thought they needed instead of what they really needed. And every time, it ended in disaster. But even now, watching Cade suffer, the thought gnawed at Lucian. What if Cade was right? What if he really did need it to survive?

The fire demon's words echoed in his mind, refusing to be silenced. "I didn't have a choice. I needed it to survive."

Lucian crossed his arms over his chest, his fingers digging into his skin through the thick fabric of his coat. He kept his expression cold and unreadable as one of his men approached, a young ice demon named Rael who had been part of Lucian's unit for years. Rael cast a glance through the glass at Cade, his face betraying only the slightest hint of concern before he schooled it into his usual stoic professionalism.

"What's the situation?" Rael asked, his voice low but steady.

Lucian didn't look away from Cade. "He's asking for Accelerant," he said, his tone as flat as the words themselves. "He's in withdrawal."

Rael nodded, though Lucian could sense the tension behind the gesture. Everyone knew what Accelerant did—how it twisted the connection between a fire demon and their flames, making control almost impossible in the long run. But for those who were already teetering on the edge, the temptation to rely on it was strong.

"You didn't give it to him," Rael stated, though it wasn't a question. Lucian rarely allowed indulgences, especially not with something as dangerous as Accelerant.

"No," Lucian replied, the weight of the decision still heavy in his chest. He hesitated, his eyes narrowing slightly as he added, "But something he said bothers me."

Rael raised an eyebrow. "What did he say?"

Lucian glanced over at his lieutenant, his voice barely above a whisper. "He said he needed it to survive. Not just to control the flames—but to survive."

The silence between them deepened, heavy with unspoken questions. Rael frowned, a flicker of unease crossing his usually composed expression. "Most fire demons say that when they're dependent on Accelerant. It feels like survival to them when they're that far in."

"I know," Lucian said, his voice sharp with frustration. "But this was different. There was something in the way he said it. Like it wasn't just about controlling his fire. Like it was about something more."

Rael didn't respond, but Lucian could see the same thought running through his mind. What had Cade meant? Lucian had dealt with enough fire demons over the years to know the difference between a lie born of desperation and a truth buried beneath layers of pain. And there had been something about the way Cade spoke, the rawness in his voice, that told Lucian there was more to this story than simple addiction.

Lucian straightened, pushing away the gnawing sense of uncertainty that had taken root in his mind. He had no time for speculation right now. He needed answers. And the only way to find them was to dig deeper into Cade's past.

"Keep an eye on him," Lucian said, his voice curt as he turned toward the door. "I'm going to look through the reports. Something's not adding up."

Rael nodded, his gaze lingering on Cade for a moment before he turned back to Lucian. "Understood, sir. If he escalates, we'll intervene."

Lucian didn't reply as he left the containment area, his mind already racing with the questions he needed answered. He moved quickly through the corridors of the DEA headquarters, the cold air swirling around him like a cloak as he reached his office. The door slid open with a soft hiss, and Lucian stepped inside, the familiar chill of the room easing some of the tension in his chest.

He sat at his desk, pulling up Cade's file on the large digital screen in front of him. The pages of reports flashed by, each one detailing Cade's various incidents, his fights in the underground circuit, his increasing instability. But it was all surface-level information—what the agency knew about him, not the full story.

Lucian narrowed his eyes, digging deeper into the database. He had access to more than just the usual reports—he had access to the archives. The dark corners where the real information was stored. The parts of a demon's history that didn't make it into the public record.

The screen flickered as Lucian pulled up a series of documents labeled with Cade's name. His eyes skimmed over them quickly, his mind working to piece together the fragments of Cade's life that had led him here. Underground fights, multiple reports of erratic behavior, escalating violence. But it was all tied to something deeper. Something Lucian could feel but couldn't quite grasp yet.

There were mentions of Cade's involvement in several unsanctioned fighting rings scattered across the city. Novum City was filled with those kinds of places—illegal, brutal, where demons fought for money, for power, for survival. And Cade had been a regular in those rings for years. The reports listed a string of injuries, accusations of violence, but nothing concrete enough to explain why Cade had spiraled so far.

Lucian's eyes narrowed further as he came across an older report—one that had been filed before Cade's record of underground fights began. It was brief, vague, almost like it had been purposefully buried. A note about an altercation with an ice demon. Lucian's heart skipped a beat, the word jumping out at him.

He leaned in, reading the report carefully. Cade had been involved in an incident with an ice demon several years ago, long before his descent into the fighting circuits. The details were scarce, but the implications were clear. Something had happened back then—something that might explain why Cade had started down this path in the first place. But the report cut off abruptly, as if whoever had filed it hadn't wanted to dig any deeper.

Lucian sat back in his chair, his mind spinning. Was this the key to Cade's desperation? The reason he was so dependent on Accelerant? There were too many missing pieces, too many unanswered questions. But one thing was clear: Cade wasn't just fighting for control over his fire. He was fighting something else. Something deeper.

Lucian exhaled, the frost spreading across his desk as he clenched his fists. He had to know more. He had to understand what had driven Cade to this point if he was going to help him—or stop him from burning himself alive.

For now, though, Cade would remain under watch. Lucian couldn't risk giving him Accelerant, not without knowing the full story. But as he sat there, staring at the cryptic report, one thought nagged at him:

What had Cade been trying to survive?