Fire Proof

Chapter Eight

Kiara leads me outside — Bryce helps with pushing my chair — to what I think will be our transportation. It's a long, sleek black thing with windows and doors. It sits on wheels and is growling like an oversized dog.

Suddenly, a man pops out of nowhere and opens one of the back doors. He helps me out of the chair and Bryce gently lifts me into the machine. My face heats up like a ball of fire and my stomach does backflips.

Kiara climbs in after us and sits down in a plush seat across from me. I blush even harder as I realize Bryce had chosen to stay immediately to my left. I try not to dwell on that fact and instead look around at the contraption we're in.

There's a row of seats on each side, and I estimate they can fit about three people. Darkened windows line the wall above. That's where we're sitting; Bryce and me on one side, and Kiara across the tiny aisle.

On the far ends of the narrow room are two more seats. Neither have windows above them, but on the left side of me, the seats back up against a half-wall and I can see the man who opened the door now sitting on the other side, facing the front.

Kiara giggles and I snap my attention to her. "Have you never been in a car before?" I shake my head. I didn't even know that's what it was called! "Well, this is a Limo, it's bigger and nicer than most cars. We prefer to travel this way; it's more comfortable." I nod, not sure what to say.

Kiara slides down her bench of seats, reaching for the wall at the end. She flips a tiny switch and colored lights dance across the ceiling. My mouth forms an O shape and my eyes brighten. Kiara giggles again.

And then we move. I gasp, not expecting that. It's not a jerking motion, however. Instead, it's a nice smooth transition. I glance to the front and realize the man from before is controlling the car. That would make him the Driver.

I lean back in my seat and stare at the lights above me. A sudden question pops into my mind, but I don't want to ask it. They'll think I'm incredibly stupid. Which I guess I am in a sense. I know next to nothing about the world I've been tossed into.

An elbow nudge from my left makes me blink up at Bryce.

"What's on your mind?" He asks softly. "Don't be afraid to speak your thoughts. We're here to help in any way we can."

I glance at Kiara and she gives me a smile and a nod. I sigh as I hesitate. "What's. . . Shopping?"

Kiara gasps dramatically and her brother widens his forest-green eyes. I blush furiously and duck my head, hiding behind a fiery curtain of hair.

"Sorry," Kiara says, getting me to glance up at her. "It's just, you don't know what shopping is?"

I shrug, and my face probably matches my hair at this point. "I've never done it."

Kiara grasps my hands in hers, balancing on the edge of her seat. "Well, it's only like, one of the best things in the world!" I smile at her enthusiasm, even if it's kind of scaring me a little. "It's like where you can go to get whatever you need, for money of course, but that's not an issue in our Pack. I like going for clothes the most, but you can get accessories, clothes, makeup, and even food."

I almost miss the last sentence. She blatantly said they're in a Pack. Does she know I'm not supposed to know?

"Anyway, Jasmin said you needed things of your own, so clothes will be our main priority today. We can always come back just for fun some other time, though!"

"But let us know if you get hungry, there'll always be time to pause and get something to eat." Bryce added. Kiara rolled her eyes at him, but said to me: "Right, of course."

She pauses for a second before randomly blurting out, "Where did your mom come up with your name? It's so unique!"

"Kiara!" Bryce warns, but she ignores him.

An image of when I last saw my mother forms in my head and I have to blink back tears before I can answer. "I'm not sure. But everyone in the Caves have names that wouldn't be so common to you guys."

"The Caves?" Kiara asks and I stretch my eyes wide, running over the sentence in my head.

I'd mentioned the Caves. I realize. I didn't mean to, it just slipped out. It took me a second to recognize why I'd said it so blatantly.

Trust. I trust them. Wolves! I can't believe I'm trusting wolves. Especially ones I met just today. But the strange thing is, I don't regret it. Not one bit.

I like these two. I probably shouldn't yet, but I do. And surprisingly, I'm not afraid of that.

This probably isn't the smartest idea, but this step might as well become a leap.

"That's what we called our home." I barely pause before saying, "Hey, this is going to sound strange, but is there somewhere open we could stop before. . . Shopping? I'd rather not get pushed around in a wheel chair."

Kiara and Bryce stare at me. I don't think they were expecting that many words to come out of my mouth. Kiara gets over it first and gives her head a tiny shake.

"Uh, yeah I think so. Why does it have to be open?"

I decide to be vague now. "It's better if you see for yourself." I really don't want to show them this part of me yet, but I need to heal myself. I don't know how much longer I can handle the wheel chair and cast thing. "Oh, and no trees or anything too flammable."

Kiara blinks at me. "Okay. . ." She leans over to the half wall and says something to the driver. He nods.

Bryce continues to stare at me with mixed emotions. With barely a glance, I can see wonder, astonishment, and confusion written all over his face.

A few moments later, the vehicle we're in slows down to a stop. I look outside the window to see wide area of nothing but dirt, grass, and rock. The road we are on seems pretty vacant of other cars. "Perfectus."

Kiara suddenly looks nervous as the driver opens the door. "You aren't planning on like, killing us or anything, right?"

I blink at her. "No! I'm going to heal."

"Heal?" Bryce asks, coming to his senses and helping me out of the car.

I nod, hobbling on one foot a few feet away. I turn to look back at them. "Please don't hate me after this, I'd never intentionally hurt you after all the hospitality you guys have shown." They give me confused looks. "And if you figure things out, please don't lock me up right away. . . I'll explain everything if you want me to." I cringe at my own promise. Aislee would be disappointed in me.

"Azari, what are you talking about?" Kiara whispers, and I almost don't catch it over the wind.

"Please. I can't be broken anymore."

They both give me a timid nod. And I take a deep breath, hopping farther away. I don't want to risk burning them alive.

Kenna! I call into the depths of my mind. We can heal. I hear her gasp excitedly as she pushes her way to the surface. I know my eyes must be glowing now, so I continue facing away from my new friends. I inhale sharply, and then I erupt into flames.