Immortal Fire - Book One

There were five hell hounds, and they were circling the crowd with acid drool dripping to the floor, fangs bared. Hayden held me close and slowly we tried to make our way to the door. Everyone was turning in their seats watching the hounds with terror on their faces.

One of the hounds jumped in the crowd and the rest followed. Screams erupted and blood was shed. I could not peel my eyes away from the horror that was taking place before me. Hayden rushed us out of the room. Glancing outside of the windows by the exhibits, I saw that a storm had come up. A green vortex was forming with its ominous glow in the distance, and it spiraled down to the earth. When it struck, a sonic boom sounded and blasted all the glass windows and exhibits casings into shattered shards of glass. Hayden and I both dropped to the floor and covered our heads.

My ears were ringing, and I felt dazed. Looking up at Hayden, I saw that he was alright and shouting something at me. I could not hear him through the ringing in my ears that was caused by the blast. Glass littered the floor, and I felt a warm trickling down my face. Reaching my hand to it, I found blood there. Glass from the blast had cut me on my forehead. The ringing started to subside, and I could hear Hayden. Only a few seconds had passed but it felt like minutes.

“…out of here now!” Hayden was yanking me to my feet, and I could hear the screaming and growling hounds in the other room and looked back at him. Standing up, he started to lead me quickly back to the door we had used to sneak in.

We were just past the painting of me and about to leave when all the exhibits burst into flames.

“Shit!” Hayden shouted and stepped away from the door he was about to open when that too, set alight into a blazing inferno.

“We have to get out of here!” Hayden was examining the room in an almost military manner.

“There is another door down there. Come on.”

Smoke filled the room as the art burned and the heat was becoming unbearable. I could hardly see where we were going as Hayden led me across the room, glass crunching beneath our feet. I had barely noticed that the other room had grown silent. I did not want to think about how all those people had been ripped apart by the hounds. We were almost to the door that I could start to see through the smoke when a tugging sensation crawled over the handprint Hunter had scarred me with across my stomach…

“Well, well, well, what do we have here? An angel and her pet dragon... It’s lovely to see you again, Frater.” Brother. Hayden and I stopped.

Dread filled my being as I heard the words leave Hunter’s mouth and Hayden was tensing uncontrollably beside me. Out of the smoke strode Hunter, as if stepping out of a nightmare. “What, didn’t you miss me?” he all but growled at Hayden.

The brothers glowered at each other and sweat made its way down my back. The heat from the fire was becoming excruciating and I did not doubt that if we stood here much longer, we would all die a fiery death.

“Aria, go!” shouted Hayden and then shoved me through the open doorway, slamming it closed behind me. What was he thinking!

“Hayden!” I screamed, trying to open the door. It had locked automatically when he slammed it shut. I heard a fight on the other side of the door and panicked about what Hunter might do to Hayden, which brought me into hysterics.

“Hayden! Open the door!” I screamed through the tears that had started to stream down my face as I banged on the door. It had grown silent on the other side, and I did not want to think of what had happened.

Stepping back and wiping angrily at my tears, I took off the goddamned heels and concentrated on the door. If I could not get it open, I would make a damn door of my own! I started to feel the electric surge and fire flow within me in the familiar way it did when I called upon angel fire.

Stretching my open hand in the direction of the door, I recited the ancient Latin verse rapidly. The mark on my palm began to glow and the fire blasted from my hand ripped apart the door and reduced it to nothing but ash. Yeah, being livid was better than being scared in this current situation.

As soon as I peered outside the door, my heart fell, and my anger began to dissipate. Dread was wrapping itself around me. Where were they? The room was empty except for the flames that still burned in spots around the room. It was eerily quiet as I stepped out. Glass littered the floor and cut at my bare feet, but I did not register the pain as I walked silently looking around.

My heartbeat was racing rapidly in my chest. A flash of something caught my eye. I started forward faster than I had time to think this through, I saw that there was a long corridor. Sounds of a fight lay at the end of it.

“Hayden,” I whispered and started down the corridor at a slight jog, now unsure of myself. I did not want them to hear me coming. There was no glass here, thank God, but my feet left bloody footprints as I went. A growl behind me stopped me. Out of all the things, I had forgotten about the hell hounds. Stupid!

Turning very slowly, I almost had a heart attack on the spot. All five of them were a few feet behind me. Two of them were licking at my bloody footprints whilst the other three stared me down as if I was their next meal.

“Nice doggies…” I tried lamely while I took a step back. They stepped forward and growled, noticing my movement. Forgetting all logic that was telling me to stand still, I turned and started sprinting down the corridor. The blood from my feet made it difficult and I slipped on the tiled floor. Falling and pressing my back into the wall. The hounds surrounded me; their hot, rotten breath blowing in my face.

I sent a silent prayer that they would at least kill me quickly. Something in the back of my mind was telling me that I could finish them off myself, but the fear took over, and with it, all rational thought. The hounds launched themselves at me…