A Vampire's Charm

Subtle flame

Claire's POV

It had only felt like five minutes when I felt a searing heat in my chest. I doubled over for a second, shock consuming me. Then I snapped out of whatever shock I was in, and focused what Atticus wanted me to focus on. The poor animal.

Now, Atticus is true to his word. He returned about ten minutes later to the field bearing gifts. And by gifts, I mean such lovely deer. It made me feel guilty for what they were asking me to do.

"Now Claire, all you have to do is channel that heat into the creature. Muster as much anger and frustration as you can, and give it a go." Merlin explained to me once more, seeing as I couldn't do it the first few tries. I sighed and placed two fingers on my temple. I was getting real sick of trying to get a flame out of me.

Sensing my reluctance to harming the animal, Valdus held up a beer bottle.
"Want to take your mind off of it?" He asked, grinning at me. I groaned in annoyance.

"No, I need to focus." I said, a bit snippy. I felt bad almost immediately as Valdus frowned. I set my gaze to Merlin.

"I don't want to burn any living things." I complained, not wanting to harm any innocent fury woodland creatures. I almost felt like a monster, just staring at my victim. Was this how vampires felt when feeding?

The deer was frozen by Merlin's magic, a frost layer coating its fur. It's innocent wide black eyes seemed to harbor pain. I felt as though this was animal abuse, but apparently every 'top notch elemental' practices on innocence. Either an animal or, a baby. Is it bad that I preferred the baby? I'm a sucker when it comes to animals. I'm horrible.

"Look, that poor creature is in a world of pain right now. All you have to do it produce a subtle flame and melt the ice. You will be saving him by making fire." Merlin reassured, his serious expression never wavering. I glanced at Atticus, to only see him rubbing his jaw and biting his lip casually. I can almost say that it struck a nerve. A hormonal nerve.

"You can do it." He smiled as me, a dimple appearing in his sharp manly features. I sighed in reluctance and once again focused my stare on the innocent deer. He looked sort of petrified, which only encouraged me even more.

I let my thoughts wander off to all of my questions that were never answered. All of them, even the questions from before I was introduced to this magical world. Years of frustration and difficulty built up in a searing hot pain. I was already familiar with it, but this time it was different. This time, the fire spread.

I felt it spread within my chest area, to my thighs, to even the tiniest things such as my nose and my finger tips. I was on fire. Well, that's what it felt like anyway. My insides were churning uncomfortably, and it felt like my soul was burning to a crisp.

                    My eyes never left the deer, but I could feel everyone's eyes on me. And then it happened.

Blue flames erupted from the ground and swallowed the deer's frozen body, leaving only ashes in its departure. I froze, feeling panic seep into my bones. I set the deer on fire. He's dead.

But that's not what had everyone stop moving and hold their breath. It's the fact that the flames were blue instead of red. I don't know anything about the other realm, really. But I can already tell that blue flames are a no go. I tensed, waiting for scolding or anything really.

Merlin whistled to himself and I turned to look him in the eyes. He seemed to watch me in fascination.

"Well that was unexpected." He laughed to himself, wrinkles in the corner of his eyes making an appearance. Valdus was frozen, beer to his lips and eyes on me. The last person I looked at was Atticus, and there was a reason for this. I didn't want to see him disappointed in me.