Like Fire

The door to Aunt Ellen's lakeside home nearly flew off its hinges with a mighty slam. It was quickly followed by a rampant storm rushing through in the form of a raging brunette in a cobalt jacket. Quick to follow were her teammates, one looking rather anxious and the other bouncing with excitement.

"I can't believe you kissed a boy! This is so exciting! First Iris and Nathaniel, now you and-"

"I DID NOT KISS A BOY!" Talia whipped around so fast Auriana choked on what she was about to say, quickly opting to hide behind the freckled princess by her side.

"Come on, Talia. It couldn't have been that bad." Iris offered an apologetic smile as she cradled Amaru in her arms.

"Yeah! At least he's cute!" Auriana offered, earning a harsh glare.

"There is nothing cute about that...that creature!" Talia nearly screeched, stomping out of the room. Iris and Auriana shared looks of concern before following her upstairs.

"Talia, Mephisto is more or less not a creature." Iris giggled, amused as Talia fell face first into her bed.

"He's a homicidal maniac from space that hisses when he's mad. He's a creature of the worst possible types imaginable." Talia groaned, not bothering to look up at her friends.

She had never felt so humiliated! Not when she reached her Shanila! Sure, it was an accident, but she honestly wished it had never happened.

Their battle with the twins was going rather decently, with Auriana taking on the monster the twins had conjured up. Iris and Mephisto were battling it out in the arena while she had fought Praxina. Everything was in balance; everything was business as usual. Until Iris caught Mephisto with a Crystalempactus spell. The sorcerer was sent flying across the arena with a scream, making a crash landing into the body of the unsuspecting Xerin princess.

The impact sent pain raging through her back, but she was much more distracted by the warmth pressing against her. Her eyes widened when she realized the foreign lips pressed into her own and the way Mephisto's body rested between her legs. The boy's bright green eyes widened as they opened, and the two jerked away from each other in horror. The arena grew quiet as even the monster stared in mortified wonder. Mephisto let out a squeak as he sat up, staring down at her with an accusatory stare. She gaped at him, unsure of what to do or how to react. It was Praxina's haunting laughter that snapped them out of their bewildered state and Mephisto reddened as he scrambled away from her.

"Shut up! That wasn't funny, Praxina!" Mephisto shouted, glaring at his sister, who was floating above him in a laughing fit. The girls quickly recovered to come assist Talia as the twins argued.

"I can't believe you kissed the Xerin!" Praxina cackled, pointing at her brother with an amused grin.

"I did not!"

"Are you okay?" Auriana asked with a goofy grin on her face.

"Let's take them out. Now." Talia gritted out, a dark glare pointed at the violet haired teen. He was too caught up in arguing with his sister that the twins failed to notice the Crystal Luxtra headed their way. The monster was destroyed in the blinding magic and the twins were ejected from the arena by its power.

"Woo! Great job, girls!" Iris grinned, picking up Amaru.

"I can't believe you kissed Mephisto!" Auriana blurted out, going into a giggling fit.

"I did not kiss Mephisto! He fell on me! It doesn't count!" Talia argued, crossing her arms.

"Did your lips touch?" Iris grinned with a raise of an eyebrow.