The Balavans

Chapter 9: All My Heart

The last 6 months have seemed to passed quickly. Police had declared Malachi dead, unable to find a body, Cox healed for the most part and is now in the permanent ward of the prison hospital.

Our friends hadn't had any other control issues except for Jasper who for a full day wasn't able to solidify his body and was stuck in a cloud form. With Trey's and Percy's help, though, we managed to get him turned back. This was about three months ago, but everything seemed fine now.

As for me and Dominic, we were good. We were still going strong, happy. With every passing day I spent with him, my love for him just grew stronger and stronger, still burning as bright as any flame I could conjure.

As of today, though, Dominic and I were currently in Doncaster visiting my family. I hadn't seen them in way too long, only once since the rescue, and that had been when they came to visit three weeks after I'd gotten out of the hospital. They knew of my ability, at least my mother and brother knew for sure, though I wasn't sure if they'd told my father.

They knew Dominic and I were together, considering that Mum had walked into our house to find us asleep and cuddling on the couch. She'd taken several pictures before waking us up, and I wasn't ashamed to say I'd taken one or two of them and now had one as my home screen on my phone.

At this moment, my brother Marcel and I were sitting in the living room watching some TV while Dominic helped my mum in the kitchen. I'd tried to help but both Mum and Dominic had told me to sit and chill with my brother, which is just weird but it was going alright.

"So, fire," Marcel said casually and I stiffened, nodding slowly. "Yeah, and?" I asked defensively and he raised an eyebrow at me. "Can I see something?" he asked finally and I shrugged, shifting in my seat and looking at him.

"What exactly would you like to see?" I asked and he thought for a second before saying, "Can you make a shape with flames in the air?" I shrugged, scoffing in my head. Amateur shite. I lifted my hand and coated my hands with the flames, the perfect mould lifting off and into the air. I controlled the flames with my physical hand, forming a hand with a middle finger at my brother.

He laughed, shaking his head. "You are not the same little brother I remember," he said and I shrugged. "Being held captive does that to a person, especially when your friends and boyfriend are there too," I said a little flatly and his laugh died off slowly.

"I can tell you right now you're stronger than I am. I would have broke a week in," he said and I sighed. "It came close a couple times, actually, but, I remembered Dominic. I needed to protect him to the best of my abilities, and if that meant more pain for me, I could handle it. Then all my other friends I saved, they are so much younger than me. I mean, Trey is only 21, just barely starting life, he didn't deserve that," I said quietly and he gave me a sad smile.

"You didn't deserve that either, Pax. You know that right?" he said and I shrugged again, not very convinced. He shook his head and said a little firmer, "You did not deserve that. None of you did. Just because you're born with something extra doesn't mean shite. You're my little brother, you annoy me, you irritate me to no end, but you're still family. You did not deserve that."

I gave him a smile, not even forced this time. "Pax! Marcel! Dinner!" Mum called from the kitchen and in unison we shouted, "Coming Mum!" We smirked at each other, the heavy atmosphere from a minute ago lightened and we, as we did as kids, raced each other to the kitchen.

"Ha! Beat you again," I said victoriously to Marcel and he rolled his eyes. "Your chair was closer to the door, shut it," he groaned and I laughed, sitting next to Dominic and leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek. He beamed at me and leaned over to whisper, "Your mum gave me the boyfriend talk. Should she know she's already too late?"