FIRE DEMON

chapter 18

"Zaphira it is wonderful to see you." Rolf said jumping off the counter, and pulled me into a massive wolf hug. Inhaling his scent, I have never been able to smell him like this before.

Is it a fire demon thing, or a vampire thing? He smells of wolf and beer, it's wired; but I like the smell on him.

Rolf let go of me, looking me over. "You look amazing darling. I never would have thought that you would be a fire demon. But it looks good on you." "Thank you, I think. It's good to see you Rolf. I've missed being here." Holding onto the crest of the fire demon, we all sat at a large table in the bar. Rolf got us each a beer and settled down next to me, and Alex is on my other side. I can feel the look that Alex is giving Rolf right now, and I think he's jealous, but I have no idea why; he has nothing to worry about, just like with him, Rolf and I are just friends. "So what have you learned Rolf?"

Raphe asked, after taking a sip of his beer. He motioned to another, who set a rather large file on the table before backing up towards the bar. "We disposed of half a dozen vamps yesterday. We still have the bodies, but I can assure you there dead. There's photos in there, I learned their names as well, there also in there. Now it doesn't seem to matter how many we take down, more just try to move in. we can't keep up with it. We don't know what to do here." Before anyone else can take it, I grabbed the file flipping through the photos.

Taking a look at the bodies, there's not much left of them, but you can still tell which are male and which are female. I handed it to Alex, and took a swig from my bottle.

"Since this all started, how many vampires have been taken down?" "I'm sorry Z but I have no idea. But I can tell you that it is a rather large number."

Raphe stood, pacing around the room.

"We have tried to get someone in there, but they move on the regular basis, we can't get close to them, I have some people on this, but so far there are no leads."

Standing I looked down at Rolf.

"I want to see the bodies, I know you all killed them, but since I was a cop for a while, and perhaps I can see some-thing you haven't." He gave me a look. "You said you were a cop, as in 'past tense' what happened?" Shrugging. "It's this whole becoming a fire demon thing. I don't have total control over my ability. It was for the best, I had to get away from it all."

"I'm sorry Z. But you seem to be in control now." I nodded. "I know. But most humans don't know about us, and now with everything that is happening; I want to keep them in the dark for as long as possible. So no I don't want to be there right now."

He nodded. "I understand that. Can I see?" "See what?" "What you can do. I have always been so impressed by you, and now you are even more powerful then you can possibly imagine, show us what you can do."

Looking at Raphe, he shrugged finishing off his drink, so I nodded, and moved away from them, so I won't burn them.

"I must warn you, I don't have total control over this. But I will keep it small. Here.... We..... Go."

Calling to my fire, it started to rise. Raising my hand, a fire ball formed, hovering just above my hand. Slowly the ball started to get larger and larger, until I closed my hand and it dissolved.

Suddenly fire surged through me; covering my body in flames, everyone but Raphe ducked for cover; crumpling to the floor, the flames receded leaving me drained, and all I can do is stay there on the floor; the cool feeling against my skin.

Arms wrapping around me lifting me off the floor, some-ones voice close nearby. "Put her in here, she needs to rest." I tried to say something, but nothings coming out, everything around me is spinning, I don't know where I am, or who is carrying me.

"She had better me alright! If she isn't then you will have to deal with me." I know its Alex talking, but I can't say anything to him. Everything around me goes dark, then there's nothing.