Ignite [Book Three In The "Fire And Lightning" Series]

Chapter Twenty-Seven- First Flight

June 1, 2018. 15:30

Denver

~~Emma~~

I took sharp breaths in and out, not wanting the knife to cut my throat on accident and send Willow into a bloodthirsty rage.

"Wildfire, don't listen to a word he says. Just get Prickpoint out of here." I told her.

Willow had fire in her eyes, hearing what I was saying, but not listening. "Sir, behind me, now." She commanded forcefully, but making no move to make an escape.

"Y-yes ma'am." Since Mercy's gun was now aimed at me, Prickpoint was free to meekly scamper behind Willow, his horrified secretary following his lead.

Willow's voice was a low, dangerous growl, no longer fun-and-games acting. "Luthor, don't push me."

"You know what she can do, Luthor." I said in a hard tone, feeling around in my bag for my other eskrima stick. My first one lay on the ground by Mercy's feet, too far out of my reach. Succeeding, I made my move.

"...And what I can do!" I whacked Luthor's wrist holding the knife with my stick and dug my heel into Luthor's shoe. At least those shoes were good for something.

I crouched on the floor, away from Luthor and his creepy lady bodyguard and felt something warm and sticky running down my neck. Blood

In his haste to retreat from the wound and to get me away from him, Luthor had cut me across the collarbone. It wasn't too deep, but it did draw enough blood to make Prickpoint's secretary look faint. I instinctively covered the wound with my hand, blood spilling through my fingers.

Willow was furious.

"Coward!" She screamed, the flames in her hands stretching out into katanas. People shouted and cried in surprise, only just now noticing the fire monster growing over by Luthor. Luthor was backed up into a corner by the windows, and the intense, growing heat made the glass shatter everywhere.

I turned to Willow, heart dropping. Her eyes glowed red, and the black streak burned red, turning her hair back to it's honey-brown color. Flames licked up her sides, burning away her business suit and replacing it with her uniform. Her back arched, and two gorgeous, brightly-colored wings appeared, unfurling in a stupendous and terrifying display of flames.

Luthor seemed both pleased and terrified at the moment, but I had no idea what to say. She had wings now!? I remembered when she fought Aqualad, back when Artemis "died", but those were just flames. These had feathers, and they looked more real.

Willow ignored the astonished looks, advancing on Luthor without even noticing the wings. "You will not take anyone else from this Earth!" she screamed, her wings spreading out to their full, terrifying span. Her feathers grew white-hot, with hints of dark red, almost looking like a tudor rose. She lunged at Luthor with her twin fire katanas, seemingly unaware of the terrified screams of the guests and Prickpoint.

Willow swept me aside gently, yet firmly, still focused on Luthor. They sure felt real. I noticed that while the wings felt pleasantly warm to me, Luthor was sweating from the intense heat.

Above the cacophony, I heard a frazzled guest shouting into her phone. "Yes, I need the police. Bring help! There's some kind of crazy monster attacking Mr. Luthor! "

That's when I realized we had to get out of here. Willow couldn't be recognized as a monster again, and Prickpoint needed to get out of here and away from Luthor before he fainted.

I ran around the tip of Willow's wing, standing between her and Luthor again. "Willow, stop, Now!" I shouted at her, grabbing for her hand. "Calm down!"