Nephilum

Chapter 22

The demons all jumped up and drew wicked looking weapons seemingly out of nowhere. Then I froze. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. There, five feet away, was the one person I never thought I'd see again. The man who has spent as long as I can remember in prison. Ethan's dad.

He looked way less shocked than I did. Almost like he was expecting me. The rest of the demons were already fighting James and Devin, each of them fighting two. Ethan's dad, Jeremy, slowly walked toward me. He didn't look the least bit worried.

"You know, I thought you'd come earlier. To be honest, I'm underwhelmed. I expected more. I guess the rumors of the great Elizabeth Millington. You're famous here you know? How's my son doing? As you know, I haven't seen him in quite a while."

"Don't you dare talk about Ethan." I told him in a hard tone.

"I liked you Elizabeth." he continued, as if I hadn't said anything. "I really did. You were my son's best friend. You beat up anyone who talked bad about him. Too bad I have to kill you." He paused, a wistful expression crrossing his face. "Unless you joined us. If you joined us no one you love would get hurt. If you don't, well...let's just say it wouldn't end well for little Alex, or Ethan, or even your parents. But they aren't really your parents, now are they?"

"Shut up."

Sounds of the battle between James and Devin and the demons were as loud as ever, but the only thing I could bring myself to focus on was Jeremy. I didn't even notice, but at some point, I had started shaking. From rage or from nervousness, I wasn't sure.

I balled my hands, but it did nothing to end the tremors running through me. On some subconcious level, I knew I needed to clalm down. But unfortunately,rational thinking was long past gone.

My skin started to glow and I knew there was nothing I could do to stop it. Familiar fire pumped through me. Instead of getting scared, or even hesitant, Jeremy only seemed to get more cocky. He smirked.

"If you joined us, we could teach you to embrace it. To harness your power. You could be the strongest thing-living or dead-on this planet."

"I said shut up!"I shouted.

He carried on, ignoring my outburst. "You could rule the world; Heaven or Hell. Both if you wanted to."

I didn't bother to tell him to shut up again, I just closed my eyes. I felt one with the flame running wild in my body. It felt as natural as my own skin. I didn't even notice the lava rolling over my body. I felt powerful-like I could do anything.

This was the most in control I felt of my power since I learned I had it.

My eyes still closed, I envisioned the inferno doing as I asked it to. It was like it understood me. I felt the tingly sensation as it flowed through my hands and toward the target. Jeremy.

I opened my eyes just as it was going to hit him. Bright glue light danced accross my vision. Everyone had stopped-angel and demon alike-to stare at me. Even Alex stared at me with wide, fearful eyes. If it weren't for the tape on his mouth it would surely hang open.

For the first time since discovering my power, I focused it on one thing. The thing that hurt me most. Tremors racked my body as Jeremy's screams of agony reached my ears. Somewhere inside me, I felt horrible for what I was doing, but at the time, I loved it. It fueled me.

"Lizzie." I whipped my head around to James. I probably looked terrifying right now. He looked desperate, sad, guilty.

"Lizzie, you have to stop!" he shouted. Pain laced through his voice painstakingly obvious.

I didn't stop.

"That's my girl." My father's sudden voice didn't startle or annoy me this time. I welcomed it. He sounded so proud. Just like I would have imagined my adopted father to sound.

"Lizzie!" I turned back to James. "Think about Alex! He's terrified! He's your little brother! He thinks you're the best thing that ever happened to him!"

"Except he isn't really your little brother, is he?" My father's voice was back. I thought for a moment.

"You were the person he'd go to if he had a bad dream!" James continued. "You were the person who kissed his bandaid when he got hurt!"

"James stop!" I screamed at him. Part of me didn't want to hear what he was saying, but a bigger part of me didn't want him to get any closer in fear of me hurting him.

My outburst had no effect on James though. He kept slowly walking towards me. Jeremy was long past dead and I was mainly thrusting lava at the spot where he used to stand.

"Lizzie, come on. Stop this. You don't want to hurt anybody." James' voice was so sincere.

"Oh but you do. You feel it, don't you? The euphoria you get. The pure high."

"Shut up!" I screamed, but this time at my father. I didn't know what to do. My head was throbbing, along with every inch of my body. I couldn't even think. If I tried, a whole new wave of pain encased my body.

"Lizzie if you don't do it for Alex, do it for me." James walked faster then. Closer to the spot where Jeremy had stood. Closer to the spot that I was currently torching.

His face was determined. He wore the expression he wore when he had an idea. His eye brows furrowed slightly.

"James, stop!" I yelled. He kept walking. He was only a few yards away. The effects of being so near to the blaze was finally affecting him. He was walking slower. He kept blinking, like he was fighting to stay awake.

"James." I pleaded. Tears ran down my face freely. He was going to die if he got any closer.

After another few seconds, I came to a conclusion. I couldn't have James die. He couldn't die and I certainly couldn't be the one to kill him.

"I'll stop!" I screamed. He turned his head in my direction, locking eyes with me. His steps didn't falter. I looked deep into his hazel orbs and somehow lost myself in them.

I slowly felt the tingly sensation inside me and all around me subside. Slowly but surely I was stopping. But I didn't remove my eyes from James'. He looked so relieved. There was an emotion I couldn't place, dancing around his eyes. It was a soft emotion. Not one of hate. But one of...love?