Phoenix Burning Read online

  Phoenix sighed as she brought herself back to reality. Pretending something wasn’t real wouldn’t make it go away, but it didn’t hurt to dream. From reliable information they’d received, the majority of the enemy forces were stationed in the east, far away from them. The enemy, of course, had camps throughout America, with smaller units strategically placed, but their strongest hold was in what used to be Washington, D.C. They’d taken over the White House and Pentagon, overthrown major cities. They’d decided to conquer the highest levels first then, like a disease invading the rest of the country, round up the stragglers.

  The elders heard there were many teams of rebels fighting against the enemy and winning battles. Americans hadn’t been taken down easily, they discovered. The elders wanted to attack the enemy’s military bases, get their supplies, and build fortresses. A shudder ran through Phoenix at what had to be done. If the enemy learned of their plans, they’d be destroyed before they came close to accomplishing their ambitious goals.

  These small battles were only a scratch against an impossibly large force. But enough scratches would eventually take down even the strongest foes.

  As Phoenix sat on the jagged rock the sun continued rising, making it impossible to ignore time was up. Soon, everyone else would be waking, and they’d quickly find she’d snuck out. Her body hurt as she stood. She hadn’t realized how long she’d been outside, but it was long enough to cause stiffness. Taking a moment longer, she slowly stretched her muscles. She wasn’t ready to go inside yet. She couldn’t seem to outrun her concerns, but she could, at least, breathe fresh air for a few more minutes.

  Sadie was most likely awake, and her first stop would be Phoenix’s room. Phoenix had left her a note, and she knew Sadie wouldn’t rat her out. Sadie was her rock, and Phoenix couldn’t get through the endless days without her.

  She wandered aimlessly next to the outside wall of the caves for about ten minutes before turning herself around. She had to get inside to the dining hall for breakfast and then attend her classes. Routine was good — it gave her a sense of normalcy in her far-from-normal existence. Since the battles had started, they weren’t attending school as much, but the elders wanted to keep some level of consistency in their lives and insisted on regular schedules.

  Phoenix would much prefer to pick food outdoors or socialize with her friends. She could hardly pay attention in classes since her own thoughts refused to slow down long enough to focus. She thought about Jayden most of the time and what she was going to do about their situation. With as much time as she’d spent thinking about it, she should’ve had an answer by now.

  At least her boxing class was fun, and she could take out her aggression and feelings of helplessness on some unsuspecting student. Several of the kids already refused to spar with her. None of the girls would do it, but that was okay with her, because she got a thrill from defeating the much stronger guys. She grinned at the thought.

  Phoenix made it back to the entrance of the cave, glad no one was there, waiting. She was running late; she was sure to get lectured. Life could certainly be worse. She could be locked in the caves, day and night, instead of being allowed fresh air and sunlight. Plus, they had plenty of food, unlike so many of the stragglers who were nothing but skin and bones when they showed up.

  They were also lucky, in the middle of their chaotic world, to still be together. Phoenix had her mother, father, and brother, along with her best friend and her family. She felt a pang of sorrow as she thought about her grandparents. Her grandmother had died when Phoenix was too young to remember her, but Phoenix and her grandfather had been close. They’d shared a bond that not even death could sever. She had to believe in an existence beyond death. Otherwise, what was the purpose of loving another human being so much? If she didn’t think she’d one day see her grandpa again, she couldn’t bear the agony of his loss.

  He’d always smelled like cigars and mint. He smoked until the day he’d passed, and whenever she saw a tobacco pipe, it brought a smile to her face. He would suck on Lifesaver mints, trying to mask the odor, though he wasn’t fooling anyone. She was grateful he’d passed before the war started. When he did pass, she hadn’t been grateful — she’d mourned his loss for months, wishing she’d had at least one more day with him.

  She was nine years old on his last day. They’d gone to church, and he’d slipped chocolates to her throughout the sermon. She’d tried to be a good girl and listen, but it had been so boring. She couldn’t understand how the preacher kept saying the same thing every single week, and all the people acted as if he was bestowing great words of wisdom on them. She had loved the music at the beginning, though, and had felt such pride watching John playing guitar in the church band. He’d been good when they’d had to go into hiding. He was now exceptional. Their dad had made sure to bring his guitars to the caves.

  They had concerts in the cave once in a while. It wasn’t too often, as they tended to get loud and the elders feared the enemy would come close and hear them, though they’d have to be right at the entrance to hear a sound from inside. The cave walls were thick and soundproof.

  Phoenix carefully made her way along the narrow corridors of the cave as her mind drifted in a sea of memories from the past. She hugged the walls, jumping at every little sound, anxious about getting caught. Once she got to a corner and peeked around, she let out a relieved breath when she saw that no one was blocking her path. So far so good, she thought with a broad smile. Strange how proud she was for successfully sneaking in and out of the cave. What a silly thing to feel accomplished about.

  Phoenix made it all the way back to her room undetected, or so she thought. She sighed in relief as she leaned against her door. She’d done it. She looked at her dresser and saw the note she’d left Sadie and picked it up. She knew Sadie had been there because she’d left her happy face on the bottom. Sadie would distract John and the others, giving Phoenix time to make it to their table. They were used to Phoenix running late anyway. If she didn’t hurry, though, John would hunt her down.

  She quickly changed clothes, stashing her dirty ones in the corner. She grumbled to herself when she realized she’d have to do laundry that afternoon. Laundry was a pain. It made her appreciate the conveniences they used to have at home. Her mother had started teaching her how to wash her own clothes before they’d gone into hiding. She thought about how stupid she was to have complained about loading her clothes into a machine that did all the work. She’d been so spoiled without even realizing it. She knew her parents would still love to spoil her, and they did the best they could, considering their circumstances.

  Although Phoenix knew she needed to go to breakfast, she sat on her bed, delaying entering the crowded dining hall. As she was about to get up, she heard a familiar scratching noise on her door, and her face lit up. Patches was there to see her. She was surprised, considering all the food in the dining room with lots of scraps to be had, but she gladly opened the door and Patches strolled in, immediately jumping on her bed, wagging his tail in greeting. She didn’t get to see him much, since all the kids vied for his attention.

  “How are you doing, precious?” she asked as she scratched him behind the ears. A quick swipe of his tongue along her cheek was his reply. Patches always made her giggle and she felt her last remaining tension float away. She missed her old life, the carefree days when she’d been comfortable, happy, and naive, but as she held the dog, she appreciated what she had in the caves. Patches had a way about him that made everything feel right.

  She kept snacks for his visits, so she got up and retrieved a couple of pieces of jerky from her hiding place. Patches knew what was in that dresser drawer and sat up, his tongue hanging out, patiently waiting. He never went without food, though he acted as if he did. She thought maybe it was because of the time he was lost and starving in the vast forest. Those memories probably never faded, even for a dog.

  “Shake,” she said. Phoenix had been working on tricks with him since
he was a puppy. She’d taught him to shake, speak, and roll over. The younger kids got a kick out of it and were constantly giving Patches treats so he’d do tricks over and over again for them. He was quite the ham and ate up the attention. “That’s a good boy,” she said, giving him the rest of the treat and scratching him behind the ears. “We better get to breakfast,” she said with a sigh.

  Patches cocked his head as if he understood and was sympathetic to her plight. She smiled at his lovable face before heading out the door. Patches was close on her heels, wagging his tail.

  Phoenix walked toward the dining room, dragging her feet. She heard laughter and voices coming from the room before she stepped inside. Her heart sped up as she turned the corner and spotted Jayden. Had he been watching the doorway the entire time or somehow sensed her there? Their eyes locked together and she froze, unable to move forward. She didn’t know what to say to him. She hoped if she buried her head in the sand long enough, her problems would disappear. She panicked over joining Jayden and her friends at their usual table, but she couldn’t sit anywhere else. That would be too weird and cause questions she didn’t want to answer.

  “Hurry up and get your food, Phoenix. You’re really late,” Sadie called, breaking the uncomfortable moment. Patches nudged her leg and Phoenix went to the counter. There wasn’t a line for food, so she quickly collected her tray and made her way to the table. There was a spot open right next to Jayden, but she nudged Brian out of the way and sat by Sadie, too nervous to sit by Jayden. No one seemed to notice except Jayden, who stared her down. She glanced at him and then looked away. She didn’t notice the narrowing of his eyes or the determined glint within them.

  Chapter Two

  Jayden breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Phoenix entering the room. He knew she’d gone outside because she needed time alone. Even though he’d detected no danger near Phoenix, he felt better with her indoors. No enemy soldiers were near the caves, and security was tighter than ever. She thought she was sneaky, but guards kept an eye on her every second she was outside. That would’ve infuriated her to know.

  He’d allowed her several days to pull herself together, but he was determined to speak to her now. He couldn’t let her dwell on what had happened for too long or it might end their relationship. That couldn’t happen. She was now a part of him, and he couldn’t picture existing without her. He didn’t know what he was going to do about her mortality, but he’d worry about that later. He couldn’t think that far in the future without feeling great pain. He shook off the thoughts, trying to gain control of himself.

  Their eyes connected in what seemed like an endless moment as she stood frozen in the doorway. She, like no other, had the ability to cripple him and had no clue of the impressive power she wielded over him — over a lot of people for that matter. He had to earn her forgiveness; there was no other option. She slowly made her way to the table.

  He sighed when she ignored the place he’d kept open for her and instead scooted people over so she could sit next to Sadie. He should’ve known she wouldn’t sit by him, even if it was the only available seat. He felt his temper rising slightly — not at Phoenix, but at the situation. It was time they talked; he wasn’t going to stand for the silent treatment any longer.

  “You’re later than usual,” John mumbled between bites of food. Jayden knew John would be furious if he found out Phoenix had been wandering outside for the last couple of hours.

  “Yeah, sorry,” Phoenix said, not making eye contact. She wouldn’t openly lie, but she didn’t want him to question her further.

  “You know Phoenix isn’t going to speak to us for at least another thirty minutes,” Sadie said with a huge grin. Phoenix gratefully nudged Sadie’s knee with her own, thankful Sadie had taken the pressure off her to participate in the conversation.

  “Yeah, we all know how pleasant Phoenix is . . . in the morning,” Jessica grumbled. Jessica was in her usual bitter mood. She’d been unhappy since Jayden had shown up and ignored her, and then to top it off, Brian had hooked up with Sadie. The guys were all getting into serious relationships and Jessica was alone. It wasn’t by choice. Phoenix almost felt bad for the girl. She would if Jessica weren’t so spiteful and rude all the time, wandering the caves, pouting or complaining. It was no wonder she was still single.

  Phoenix glanced at Jayden, their eyes connecting again. He obviously wasn’t happy with her. She knew she was going to have to break down and talk to him. She really didn’t want to give him up but was afraid she wouldn’t be able to accept who or what he was.

  Phoenix felt her cheeks grow warm as her blushing skin gave away her nervousness. With Jayden watching her every move, she worried he was able to read her thoughts. She didn’t think that was one of his abilities, but she wasn’t positive. She would’ve bet her life he would never have light shooting from his fingers . . .

  The reality was that she couldn’t imagine herself with anyone other than him, and she loved how she felt in Jayden’s presence. Maybe she could forget about seeing him performing magic, and they could go back to being two normal teenagers — simply young and falling in love.

  Phoenix lost her appetite as stress consumed her again. She drank her tea, grateful for the warmth of the soothing liquid traveling down her throat. It took the edge off the ever-present cold of the enclosed caves and eased her nausea. She took her time finishing her drink, knowing the minute she got up, Jayden was going to drag her away. She tried to think of an excuse to delay their conversation for one more day, even though she didn’t hold much hope of avoiding him — not with his relentless eyes following her every move.

  “I should find my dad and see if he needs me for anything,” Phoenix said.

  “I’ll walk you,” Jayden told her, quickly rising from his seat. Her shoulders tensed but she didn’t attempt to stop him. She tried to catch Sadie’s gaze, hoping her friend would come with them. Sadie purposefully avoided Phoenix’s eyes, taking a huge interest in her cooling breakfast. So much for friendship, Phoenix thought cattily, but immediately felt bad. Sadie had never let her down — she just didn’t want to get in the middle of things with Jayden. Phoenix understood and wouldn’t want to be in the middle if Brian and Sadie needed to deal with a problem.

  They quietly walked from the dining hall. Usually several people traipsed up and down the halls, but Jayden had lucked out and no one was about. He steered Phoenix toward the car cavern. She willingly followed. She hoped her stomach would settle after they spoke. Her parents had always told her to confront problems head on and not run from them.

  They stepped into the spacious, car-filled cavern and kept moving to what Phoenix considered their truck. They’d shared many kisses sitting on the bed of the rusted Ford. Her stomach tightened, thinking of his lips on hers. He’d brought feelings to her body unlike anything she’d ever experienced before.

  Jayden lifted her onto the tailgate of the truck, causing a shiver to run down her spine. He hadn’t touched her in days, and she’d missed his gentle caress. She’d been the one avoiding him but his simple touch on her hips made her wonder why. It didn’t take long for reality to crash back to the forefront of her mind; she’d never forget that night and how he’d transformed.

  He climbed up next to her and they sat silently for a few moments in the dimly lit cave, both unsure where to begin. She knew they needed to talk, but she wasn’t sure what exactly to say. Hey, what’s up with light shooting from your fingers, and are you planning on killing me now that I know you aren’t the typical, average teenage boy? It didn’t seem like a great conversation starter.

  “You can ask me anything,” Jayden finally said, his voice so low she almost couldn’t hear him.

  “I don’t know what to ask or how to even start,” Phoenix answered after a short pause.

  “I know this has been upsetting for you. I’ve been trying to figure out where to start, what exactly to tell you, anything to reassure you,” he said with a weary sigh. Pho
enix glanced at him. He was looking at his hands, his hair falling forward, covering his face. He was stunning, but that didn’t mean he was a great guy. She shook her head at the thought. He’d never shown her anything but kindness, loyalty, and love. He deserved the chance to explain what had happened.

  “I’ve never been so scared in my life, and that’s saying a lot, considering what we’ve been through over the last few years,” she finally said. He looked up and their eyes connected.

  “I’ll start from the beginning. Please let me finish my story and then you can ask me all the questions you like,” he said, keeping his eyes locked on hers.

  “Okay,” Phoenix whispered, barely able to get sound past her tight throat. She was terrified, yet unable to turn away. She needed to know.

  “I’m not a mortal anymore. But that’s exactly how I started, just like you and Sadie. It’s hard to explain, but my power comes from a star, as all magic comes from the heavens. I have flesh and blood, and I can die, but not easily, and not from a human’s hand. I have emotions, desires, and needs, everything you feel, but magnified by a thousand. It’s both a curse and a blessing,” he said. Each word he spoke made her eyes widen a bit more. She wanted to interrupt, but held to her promise. She kept her mouth closed and nodded for him to go on.

  “I was cast from the light when I sided with Vyco, the demon you saw the other night. There was a battle between light and dark forces, and I thought Vyco was in the right. I made the wrong decision; I knew almost from the start, but it’s too late — it’s been too late for a very long time. I can’t change what’s been done. There’s so much in your world — your universe — that you believe is right that isn’t. All those monsters lurking in the dark your parents warned you about are real, but they’re on a tight leash. They do what they want at times, but for the most part, darkness stays in the shadows and doesn’t mess with mortals,” he said. “It isn’t because they don’t want to, it’s because good magic — light magic — is so much more powerful than dark magic.”