The Elementals: Raven's Fire

Chapter 9

"Mister Drake! What are you doing out here?" Hawthorne boomed so loud that the glass on the door shook. The poor kid looked like he was going to cry or shit himself. He looked down at his hands and started picking at the skin around one of his fingers before he stammered out,

"Um, well I don't really know. I was walking to class, and something pulled me here. It was like someone needed me. Needed my help. I am sorry if I am interrupting." He looked up at Blaze and I, and something deep within our souls touched. He pushed Darius out of the way with such a force that he stumbled into the bookshelf next to the door. Ashton gets to Blaze and I, then falls to his knees on the floor. He puts his hands out palm up one to each of us and just sits there. SLAM!! We jump straight up in the air as Darius slams his door, again placing soundproofing on the room.

"Oh, he is your familiar...Darius starts to explain. It is his job to get things for you and watch over you both while you are sleeping. Every duo gets one. And only one. Mr. Drake is yours. Reach down and grab his hand, one for each of you." Blaze and I are looking at each other in disbelief. Like seriously can this day get any weirder.

We do as we are told; I grab one hand. Blaze the other. Just as our hand form the connection Ashton speaks.

"I hereby swear allegiance to the Fire and vow my life and soul to you. I will be there always." As gold, red, and black tendrils swirl around and up our arms.

"What the hell?!" I exclaim, pulling my hand away breaking the connection. Ashton looks at me, Blaze and Darius and says something along the lines of he always knew he was bound for greatness. We all just laughed. We swore him to secrecy and sent him on to class. I look back to Darius and tell him,

"OK! Darius if that is all, I am late for...SECOND PERIOD!!!" How did I miss all of first period already? Ugh! Can this day be any stranger? Well, yes apparently it can.

"No, you kids are good to go. See you soon though!" Darius exclaimed as we walked hand and hand out of his office. Blaze walks me straight up to my second period class and gives me a giant kiss in the doorway. I hear the shrillness of Yasmin's voice coming out of the room as he pats my butt and sends me in the door. I don't think my face could be any redder than it was. I handed the teacher my slip from Darius and walked to the back of the room where my chair was. Still smiling from that kiss.

Just knowing that Yasmin was seething from what just happened between Blaze and I made my day. But I was not prepared for the amount of gossip that had begun about the eight of us.

I walked, no, more like floated out of my second period class. I walked down the hall to my locker and ran into Addi. She looked heartbroken, almost crushed. I ran to her, my heart in my stomach, fearful of what I was going to hear.

"Addi, what's wrong sweetie?" I exclaimed wrapping my arms around her. She stood there in my arms, shaking her head. It felt like an eternity had gone by when she lifted her head to look at me. She slowly started to speak, by this time the other girls had gathered at our lockers. I had a feeling that Blaze would try to join us, but I cautioned him to stay away.

"Well," she started. "I was coming out of second period and saw...I saw..." she started to cry.

"I swear to god if Parker did anything to you I will..." I started but she put her hand up to stop me.

"Guys it was horrible, so freaking scary. I was walking out of 2nd period, and I felt like all the joy had been sucked out of my life. Then I saw it. It was this mist, almost opaque but not quite. And in the middle of the mist were two black eyes. All I could hear around me was a hissing sound, like a cat but much, much bigger." She sobbed.