Page 4 of Before We Burn

“I checked the shipment. It was fine.” He reaches over me, pushing the door shut, causing a slam to echo through the hall. I turn to him quickly, my hand instinctively wrapping around his throat, my fangs showing.

I don’t care to keep up appearances with Alexander—at least not when I don’t need something. But right now, I do need something. I can’t act so carelessly.

“I’m sorry,” I say, stepping back and taking a deep breath. “Old habits die hard. Don’t reach over me like that again. Who knows, next time I might have a knife to put to your throat.” It was a silent threat decorated with a bow.

His eyes narrow, something accusing in his gaze. “Be careful, Marzana. I would hate for anything to happen to you.” He checks his watch, and with a snarl, he disappears down the hall.

I close my eyes for a moment, taking another breath to steady myself.

It’s not everyday I have a lapse in control. It’s also not every day Marissa pops up at the school and asks for help.

When I open my eyes, I jump back, because the girl I had been searching for—the one I found staring out the window in the library—is standing in front of me. Her eyes are wide, and her body is just as still as when I saw her before.

“Uh—” I stammer. “Uh—hello. Do you need some help?”

I’ve never been snuck up on before, my gifts making it nearly impossible to be surprised. The older I get, and the more control I gain, allows me to learn how to silence the thoughts, but I’m not attempting to do that now.

“No, but you will.” Her voice is a whisper—small and harmless, but laced with something I can’t figure out.

I take a step toward her and relax a bit. “What would I need help with?” This is my first time interacting with someone whose thoughts I can’t hear, so gauging the conversation is going to be unnatural for me.

“I can’t tell you that.” She looks away, her once-emotionless face filled with shame as she lets out a sigh. “Bad things always happen when I tell.”

That catches my attention.

“What bad things?” Another door slams, and a loud scream tears through the castle. My eyes go wide, and I turn in the direction of the scream.

My mind moves faster than my body as I mentally begin the search for Marissa. When I find her, she’s still in the closet—anxious but safe. I turn around to ask the girl what she meant again, but she’s gone, and I’m left standing there with chills wracking my body.

There was something about her that’s unnerving, and something about this school has begun to feel heavy and unnatural.

Vampires have a sense for oncoming disasters—natural or man mad—but this feels like both. Like the earth is screaming for the slate to be wiped clean, but humans are fighting mother nature for control.

I can’t think about it too long, or I will stand in this spot for days, unable to stop. I push open the door and move straight for the back right corner. I know the roots will be there, because that’s where I instructed them to be put.

This plant is temperamental. If it's too cold, the roots shrivel up and hold no more use. If it's too warm, the roots shrivel up and have no use. So, I created a corner that is dark, moist, and temperature-controlled to a perfect seventy-two degrees.

I grab the roots, putting them into a transportation bag. I rush from the room and straight to Marissa without another problem. The scream must’ve distracted everyone, since the halls are clear.

When I open the closet door, I find Marissa hiding in a corner, her face twisted in fear. I shut the door behind me and pull her up.

“Take this and go. You know how to store it?” I ask her sternly, the complete chaos of earlier grinding on my nerves.

She shakes her head. “Yes. But Marz, what was that scream? It sounded awful.”

I haven’t had time to think of it. “I’ll take care of it. You need to get out of here. Can you shift?” She nods before bringing the roots to her chest. I can tell how grateful she is, but we don’t have time for this. “Go, Marissa. And don’t come back.” She wants to say something else, but I cut her off. “Go!”

She doesn’t hesitate this time. Suddenly the air inside the room feels thick, and she disappears into what I can only describe as a small vortex.

I quickly make myself appear like I am searching for something, as Alexander is back to look for me. His thoughts are always the first I’m able to pull out of a crowd. He is loud and arrogant, even when no one is listening.

He whips open the door, thinking he’s going to have an ‘A-ha!’ moment. Instead, he found me reaching for a pack of tissue paper on the top shelf.

“Oh, thank goodness,” I chime. “Do you think you can reach those for me?” I smile at him, and he’s instantly hesitant.

I don’t need him, but he loves any opportunity to tell someone he helped them. He moves into the room, the door closing behind him. I watch as he stretches over me, his blue eyes fixated on my face as he pulls the tissue down.

I gently take them and smile. “Thanks.” I know better than to think he’ll just let me leave, but wishful thinking had me hoping.