Soul Slam, Soul Warriors Book 1

Chapter Six A

Fear filtered through my veins like an inferno melting the earlier shivers away. Tut's possession was a curse, not a gift. A curse that could cause havoc to me and those around me.

My body burned with intense heat. My skin felt scorching to the touch. And I thought for mere minutes I was special. Only to find out I was only special in a cursed way. I wanted the ground to reach up and swallow me whole, to disappear, to die. Ending my life might be better for everyone.

No.

Determination surged inside me like the will of a king. My lungs burned, blazing with air like a fire backdraft. I refused to give in to the Society or the curse. I had people depending on me. I couldn't give up.

"I didn't know the power could burn out. That it was a curse." Xander whispered. His wide eyes showed his surprise. "We have to find out more."

I swallowed, trying to cool the heat inside. I'd never had a real ally before. Fitch didn't count because he was more like a boss.

I tightened down on my delight. Suspicion nibbled like flames at the edge of a fire. Why did he want to help? There was always a cost. Of course, Xander needed to escape from the Society and running away was a skill I could teach. I could show him how to run and hide and he could tell me all he knows about the Society, their plans, and the powers I had inside me.

Xander continued, "Find out all that you can do."

His emphasis on the word you knocked out the delight from the we he'd used earlier. Like wearing a hat on a good hair day, all my comfort smushed. Maybe his interest was in the power and how he could control it, control me. Either way, I was the one in danger, not Xander. Whether he helped or not, this was still about me.

The man with the golden rope announced in a loud voice, "We must find the girl."

Case in point.

Another society member said, "We must monitor any weather anomalies."

"What do they mean?" I whispered to Xander.

"You have the powers of the sun." He spoke in a way that made it clear he thought his words should tell me everything I needed to know.

But they didn't. I knew very little about King Tut and his life.

The man with the golden rope raised his hands. "And get rid of Xander."

I stilled. The man's words cut across my chest like he'd slayed me with a sword.

Xander slumped away from the rock. His skin turned white under his natural olive tone. He bit down on his lower lip as if he was trying to stop himself from crying out.

Did they mean kill? The burning intensified, lighting up my throat and nostrils. If they wanted to kill Xander for not hosting Tut's soul, what did they want to do to me? The person who'd stolen the soul.

Unable to hold the intense burning inside any longer, I gasped. Red hot flames shot out of my mouth.

My eyes grew so big I thought they'd explode. Fire scorched the rock in front of me. Staggering back, I snapped my mouth shut and touched my lips. They didn't feel hot or sore or crispy burnt. I swallowed. No taste of fire or ash in my mouth.

I. Breathed. Fire.

My anger had come out in flames. A scream started deep in my belly, scratched up my chest and wallowed in my throat. I held the screech back, afraid another flame would burst forth.

Xander fell on his butt. "What the—"

The men turned toward us. "What was that? I saw a flash over there."

The man with the gold rope jerked his head. "Find the source."

"Run!" Xander yelled before scrambling to his feet and taking off.

Still shocked by what I'd done, I hesitated.

The robed men lunged at the bushes beside us. An arm reached in and pudgy fingers with hangnails came within inches of my face. I leaned back and then to the left, tumbling to the ground. My back scraped against a tree. The raw pain shot adrenaline through me. I jerked up, got to my feet, and ran.

Not caring about making noise, I hauled butt trying to follow Xander's path. I sprinted into the trees under my own power—not Tut's. All the while, thoughts kept repeating in my head. I'd been on fire. Flames had shot out of my mouth.

Panting, I ran, trying to keep my mouth shut. I could possibly light the forest on fire. Or burn myself.

From. The. Inside.

The men from the Society crashed through the trees behind me. Their white robes glinted off the moonlight. They called to each other, dividing up.

Xander weaved around trees and I tried to follow. His strong legs carried him forward. His white sheet also glowed in the dark like a friendly ghost.

Maybe it would be better if I took off in my own direction. In my black attire it would be easier to hide among the trees. Unless my mouth decided to flare up again.

The unfriendly Society ghosts gained ground. Their pants echoed my own while their shouts told us their plans.

I dashed to the right and then left, trying to throw the Society off my path. My side ached. I'd already sprinted across part of the park while Tut controlled my feet. Now he didn't want to help.

Tut uninterested in the chase was a good thing. Right now, I controlled my body. I think. He was just an unwanted guest. What if he decided to stop my feet and give me to those robed renegades? A tremble traced my body as I continued to run. I sucked in air through my nose. It's hard to run with your mouth closed.

Crashing in the woods to my left alerted me to trouble. The Society had surrounded us like cowboys herding cattle. I dove to my right and kept moving.

The sudden change of direction helped because soon I didn't hear any stomping feet behind. I dared to open my mouth and sucked in air. I stopped at the edge of a small clearing and bent over at the waist, trying to catch my breath.

A skeletal gazebo stood out in a misty fog clinging to the wet grass. The white wooden structure shimmered in front of a calm lake.

Too calm. Because it contrasted with the turmoil inside of me. I couldn't see the Society, but they were out there. I couldn't feel the fire, but it burned inside. I couldn't hear Tut, but I knew he was in there, too.