Zaphira's Flame's

Fire and debris flying everywhere. Standing up; there’s flames all around us, I can hear people shouting; but I can’t see anyone.

“Raphe! Raphe where are you?” I started shouting, someone is coughing close to me, covering my eyes, I made my way towards them. Raphe is pinned down, by a piece of a car. “God Raphe!” I started lifting it off of him. “Alright Raphe, on the count of three, pull yourself out. One. Two. Three. And pull!” I lifted, it off him, and helped him out. “Can you walk?” “No. Just go. Get out of here!” “No! I am not leaving you!”

Grabbing his jacket, I pulled him towards the exit.

I still have my bag over my shoulder, once I have him out I pulled my phone out hoping that it won’t be broken.

“Alex. You have to get down here, there’s been an explosion. I got Raphe out, but I don’t know if anyone else was in there.” “I’ll be right there.” We hung up just as fire and EMS got to the scene. “Ma’am are you hurt?” One asked running up to us. “I’m fine, but he’s not.” I said pointing to Raphe. “No! Look after her first.” “Don’t listen to him, I’m fine.” as I said it, I started coughing.

“We’ll look at the both of you.” Two others came up to us, two with Raphe and one with me. She gave me oxygen, and checked me for other injuries. My fire demon has heeled anything that was internal.

Shouting made me look towards the ambulance. “Zaphira thank god!” “Sir you can’t be here. You have to leave.” “No! Let him through. Alex.” I said pulling him into my arms.

“What happened?” “I don’t know. We were walking to the car, I heard, I don’t know what; and then there was an explosion. And Raphe got pinned, I managed to get him out. Please go check on him.” He nodded, giving me a kiss and walked off, leaving me with the paramedic.

“I need to wrap your hands, there lightly burned.” “Okay. Was anyone else hurt?” She nodded. “A few were. But none life threatening. They have the fire out. I think it’s safe to say that you’ll have a few days off.” Laughing. “Not really. I do most of my work from home.”

She laughed. “That sucks. Okay I think you’re done here. Just keep an eye on your breathing; and you should be fine.” “Thank you, very much.”

I walked off towards Alex and Raphe, Raphe is lying on a stretcher with a mask over his face.

“You okay?” He asked his voice a little raspy. “I’m fine. I’m just worried about you. I was so scared when I couldn’t find you.”

Taking my hand, he squeezed it tight. I haven’t had this for so long, a family; now I have it and I don’t want to lose it; and today I almost did. “Hey come back.” Alex said putting an arm around my shoulder.

“Sorry. What happened here? Do we have any idea who did this?” “I know who did this. We have a call it in, we have double the search out there looking for them. We will find them, and all this will end.” He said as he started coughing. “Good. Raphe are going to the hospital?” He nodded. “They want to run some more tests. I should be out by tomorrow. Alex take her home, she needs to rest.”

Shaking my head. “No. I am going to the hospital with you. I have to know you’re alright.” “I know. But right now you have to go home with Alex and rest. Nick will be at the house waiting for you. Now go on.”

As he was put in the ambulance, Alex dragged me to the car; I tried to fight him the entire way, but it was no use.

Alex quickly drove to the house, pulling me inside locking the door. “The house is protected, you’ll be safe until we get back.” “Wait. Where are you going?” “To the hospital.” “But what about me?” He was about to say something, but a voice behind us. “I’ll keep you safe.” Turning around Nick is standing there, arms folding against his chest. “Take good care of her. I’ll be back soon.” He gave me a kiss and walked out the door locking it behind him.

Turning back to Nick, he smiled.

“Let’s go see what kind of trouble we can get into. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.” He called over his shoulder.

Stepping into the kitchen Nick threw some food together for us, sitting at the counter, he set a plate of pasta in front of me. Sitting next to me; he took a bite, motioning for me to dig in.

“So what went on out there?” “A bomb went off at the office. Raphe was injured, but I think he’ll be okay.” Sighing, I took a bite of my food.

We lapsed into silence while we ate, the whole time all I can think about is Raphe lying in a hospital bed, in pain. “Hey don’t worry. Our Raphe is tough bird, he’ll be back on his feet in no time.” I nodded, staring at the wall.

I can’t lose him, I can’t lose any of them.

Ever since I learned about this world, I started feeling like I finally belonged somewhere, and now all of that is in jeopardy because of some jerk vamps. They won’t win this, I will not let them win; they will lose, every single last one of them will pay for what they just did to Raphael.

Washing my plate, I walked out of the kitchen, with Nick right behind me.

“How what are we going to do until they get back?” “I was just thinking about grabbing a book. What do you have in mind?” “We could go downstairs and train. I heard you’ve gotten pretty good. Care to test that theory?”

Giving him a look, he really wants to do this, smiling, I nodded; took him to a closet and pulled out a black and red suit for him. “Put this on, it will keep you safe if you get hit by a fire ball.” I said forming a small ball of flames in my hands.

“Hurry up. I will be waiting for you.”

Leaving him standing there. I made a stop at my room, changed my clothes, pulling on my suit, and went down to the door to the cellar.

“So let’s do this.” Setting down my book, Nick is standing there. “Let’s go.” I said opening the door, heading down to the basement.