Page 78 of Fire Bound

“And I warned you even as a child what would happen if you turned on me.” Sterling’s response is cold and disconnected. “Get him off the ground,” he orders William.

These two men, both of which I’m related to by blood, have shown me no mercy or decency and I’m about to return the favor.

William steps forward to follow his father’s orders. Just as his fingers brush against the material of my shirt, I’m turning into a cloud of smoke. Reappearing behind him, I lock eyes with Sterling as I place my hands around William’s skull. “I warned you,” I repeat slowly.

Power burns in my palms as I push hellfire into my half brother’s body. The air around me begins to hum and my chest rattles as the power grows strong inside of me. Stronger than I’ve ever felt it before. I feel like the sun is inside of my chest, expanding my ribs and burning me.

William screams as he’s taken over by hellfire. My arms and hands tremble as waves and waves of power shoot out of them. It’s like a seal has been broken and I’m tapping into a power source I didn’t know that I had. William’s body begins to shake and convulse. When he drops to his knees, I keep my hands firmly planted on him.

A faint light, like an ember coming to life starts to form on my palms. Similar to a single spark setting off a wildfire, a single ember is all it takes before the flames return.

William’s cries fall silent, but he still shakes as the fire speeds through his bloodstream and nerves. He begins to turn bright red like he’s been sunburned and cracks form in his skin. In the lines are more embers. Like the cracks in lava.

He’s heated from the inside out to a temperature I’ve never been able to achieve before. William makes a gurgling sound in his throat a few times before blood pours out of his mouth and nose.

His skin bubbles and blisters before all but melting off his body. It’s not a pretty sight, but it’s one that I revel in. William is finally paying the price for the roles he played.

When the body finally completely catches fire, I stay put and allow the flames to build around me. They don’t hurt me but they immediately burn the ground around us before spreading out.

Dropping the remains of his son, I raise my hands to be sure he can see what’s happening. Like torches had been lit on my hands, flames shoot out of my palms and fingers. “You wanted me to control the flames of hell,” I remind him. “Looks like you’ve finally gotten your wish.”

With a roar, I let go of everything and let the anger take over. Like an explosion going off, flames explode from my body. It takes less than a second for the surrounding area to go up in flames. Like a virus, it spreads through the forest, setting tree after tree aflame. The ground is alive with fire as it eats through everything without remorse. Nothing is safe in its path of destruction, just like no one is safe in mine.

Smoke billows in the air around us as the world burns. It blocks out any of the light coming from the moon or stars. The bright orange flames light my way now.

Spreading my arms wide, I manipulate and push the flames until my enemy stands in the middle of a circle with me. Flames eight feet tall surround us and lock us inside together. I want Sterling to know he has nowhere to run.

I want him to know that he’s trapped with no way out. Just like he’s made so many other people feel.

Any other person would be cowering and searching for a way out, but not Sterling. He’s too proud to allow his worry or concern show on his face. He may not show it, but beneath the scent of smoke, I can smell the faint tinge of his fear.

I grin at this because right now, Sterling is learning what I’ve always known. His creations, his ideas of perfection aren’t the things that are going to save him. They’re the things that are going to destroy him.

“Look at what you’ve created,” I roar above the sound of flames. “Are you proud of me now, Sterling? Am I stillspecial?”

Sterling’s torn lips pull in an evil grin. His remaining eye begins to glow as his own wolf pushes forward. His fangs elongate, one is more prominent due to the missing portion of his mouth. “I should have killed you when I killed your mother, but I’ll settle for doing it now.”

His wolf rips from his skin with an angry howl.

Just like his human side, the wolf is equally as burned and mangled. The burns cover half of the large wolf’s body. The flesh on the right side of his muzzle is nonexistent. All of his sharp teeth are exposed. Drool drips from his mouth onto the ground as he lowers his head and growls at me.

I grin to myself because Sterling is about to meet another one of his creations and this one is more vicious than I’ll ever be. My wolf’s ruthlessness is exactly what I need right now. His blind range and unwavering bloodlust will finally be something I don’t look at with contempt.

I laugh darkly as I embrace my wolf and allow him to take over. I willingly and happily take the back seat and give him all the control. I won’t remember what happens, but the next time I’m conscious Sterling will be dead, or I’ll be reunited with Remington.

Both options are acceptable.

The sun is warm on my skin and the breeze blows softly across my face. My eyes are closed, but there are birds chirping and leaves rustle in the trees as the wind blow through them. The ground that I lay on is soft and the hand that runs through my hair is comforting.

It’s peaceful here.

I feel safe and warm, like everything is going to be okay.

A stark contrast to what I felt as I fell from the cliff. I didn’t mean to scream. I wanted to be strong, but it tore from my chest before I could stop it. Poor Jax, he shouldn’t have had to watch that.

I didn’t feel anything as I hit the ground. I was falling and then I was here, in this warm paradise where everything feels like it’s going to be okay. My eyes stay closed because I’m afraid the second I open them, the feeling of being at peace will be ripped away. I just want a minute longer to feel this instead of the pain I know will come when I finally accept what’s happened.

I left Jax behind.

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