Dark Flames

“What are you?” Ren asked, puzzled that he couldn’t feel any power at all from the newbie.

The young man smirked, “To the demons… I’m the boogey man.”

“This is one of our allies from the other side.” Storm answered. “Kamui and his… brothers will be staying on the third floor.”

“I thought the third floor was sealed off.” Trevor questioned. “How can they get up there?”

The young man levitated off the floor by several feet and winked at the shapeshifter.

“A kid who can fly… great,” Trevor shook his head dismissively, “that will be a lot of help.”

Kamui smirked, “I’m older than the first of your kind. We weren’t thrown into that rift against our will… we went willingly, knowing exactly what we were getting into. And there were more demons on that side than there were here. We kept our side from being breeched… how’d you do?”

Ren cocked an eyebrow deciding he liked this boy already. He had to cough into his hand to keep from laughing out loud at Trevor, though he shouldn’t have bothered because several others were laughing without sympathy.

“Most of the demons have now scattered throughout the city and are hiding,” Zachary offered wanting to get the attention focused back on the meeting. “The ones who pose the most danger of being seen or attacking humans are the wraiths that were summoned.”

“I hate those things,” Trevor growled unable to suppress the shiver. “They hurt like hell when they pass through you.”

Zachary nodded, “They’re pretty much hanging out in every graveyard in the city and that’s a real danger to the humans. Hunter can kill them but only one at a time.” He paused in thought, “Actually, killing isn’t even the right word.”

“I’d like to kick their asses, but I can’t freaking touch them,” Trevor complained.

“You would be angry too if your rest was interrupted by a demon who wanted to bring you back only to be a servant.” A young woman with long silver hair stated. “They’re only expressing that anger… it’s not personal.”

“Tiara,” Storm said her name for the people in the room who hadn’t had a chance to meet her yet. “I’m glad you have come, and I’m sorry about your mother.”

“Thank you,” Tiara replied but her gaze was on Trevor. “You attract them because you have the lives of so many animals within you.” She stepped in front of him and pulled a dagger from her belt making Trevor flinch at the quick action. She smiled softly, “Here, you can use this to protect yourself from them.”

“Will it kill them?” Trevor carefully took the dagger from her and held it up looking it over.

“They are already dead.” Tiara said calmly as if talking to a child. “This is a tool used for releasing… not killing.”

Trevor frowned but didn’t give the dagger back. He knew what those things were capable of and he would take all the help he could get. “Thanks,” he slid it into his belt and covered the hilt over with his shirt.

“Tiara, are you sure you’re ready for this?” Storm asked not really wanting to put any pressure on her knowing this would be her first time. “Vampires and wraiths aren’t the only things out there… zombies are being sighted all over the place. That’s not including master demons and the things we don’t have a name for… we don’t know what else is out there.”

“I’m ready,” Tiara answered with a slight defiant tilt of her chin. She tried to keep in mind that Storm thought she had only gained her power through her mother’s death and that was true in a way. She’d just inherited Myra’s powers but she’d been able to see ghosts since the day she was born.

Zachary pushed away from the desk in confusion as something dawned on him. “Are you saying this will be her first time using her powers?”

“Yes, the gift of necromancy can only be passed down when the parent with the gift dies… Tiara has only had the power a couple weeks,” Storm explained

Tiara looked up at Zachary… this time locking eyes with him fearlessly. If he had a problem with her then she wanted it out in the open now instead of leaving it hanging over her head later. If fingers were going to be pointed then she’d rather him go ahead and do it.

“And you’re going to send her out there all by herself?” Zachary suddenly didn’t like this idea. Her mother had been using necromancy for years and had a team of fighters with her. And as Storm had just pointed out… she’d still died at the hands of a demon only a couple weeks ago.

“I’ll go,” Trevor smiled laying his palm against the hilt of the dagger. “As long as this thing does what Tiara says it will, I don’t have a problem keeping an eye on her.”

Zachary looked at Trevor thinking about the way the shapeshifter had been so distracted with Envy lately. He wasn’t a good choice as far as the fire starter was concerned.

“Until Tiara chooses her own team, I propose that for starters, Trevor and Zachary accompany her. Zachary will be in charge of the team and he can also be back up in case someone witnesses her restoring the graveyards. He can easily erase the memory from them,” Storm announced.

Tiara’s eyes widened a fraction hearing that Zachary was in charge of her team. Myra had told her a long time ago about Zachary seeing her with Deth… that he’d kept her secret all these years. Myra had also pointed Zachary out to her a couple times over the years, but it had only caused a childish fear and awe to grow within her for the man who knew her mother’s secret.

Zachary relaxed some now that he knew Tiara wouldn’t be alone out there tonight. It surprised him at how much better it made him feel knowing he’d be right beside her if anything happened.

“I’ll join them,” Guy announced.

Tiara felt a flutter of unease knowing Guy’s true reason for wanting to come. Without looking at Guy she turned to Storm, “I only need three on my team for now, and one of them needs to be powerless.”

Guy’s expression darkened at Tiara’s refusal to let him join her team…. She was lying.

Zachary noticed the silent exchange between them and frowned. He wasn’t sure what Guy’s motive was for suddenly wanting to be placed on another team so soon… but then again, it wasn’t like they could take a bereavement leave. If that happened, no one would show up for work.

Storm nodded, getting the hint that Guy was not invited, “Then I have just the powerless man for the job.”

“Who,” Trevor asked suspiciously. He liked Guy and had seen his magic in action. It was a little disappointing that he wouldn’t be joining them.

“Jason.” Storm swung his hand toward the man hanging out at the back of the group.

“Oh hell no!” Jason exclaimed with a wide-eyed expression. “I’m not going out to chase dead things. If you ask me… it’s smarter to run from them.”

Zachary shrugged, “Okay, have it your way. But you know the alternative.”

Jason stumbled backwards, bumping into the young man with purplish hair as Zachary approached him with his hand raised toward Jason’s forehead.

“All right, all right,” Jason said while holding up both hands to ward off Zachary. “I’ll go. Put… the hand… down.”

Zachary smirked and clamped his hand firmly down on Jason’s shoulder, acting like that’s what he was going to do all along. “I knew you wouldn’t let us down.”

“Go to hell,” Jason grumbled making Kamui snort in amusement.

Chapter 3

“We need to wait until dusk,” Tiara said, as she looked out the window unable to face Guy’s angry disappointment or Zachary’s authority over her. She was nervous enough as it was.

“Why wait?” Jason asked, not liking the idea of going out in the dark after demons or ghosts or whatever it was this girl wanted to go after.

“Good question,” Trevor said. “I’m all for going out after these things but going when it starts to get dark is like walking around carrying a big neon sign that says ‘Free Dinner’.”

“Because that is when the dead begin to wake,” Tiara answered. “They are at their weakest because of the sunlight counteracting their darkness. That weakness has not faded… much like how weak you feel when you first awaken for the day. It is the same for them except they are nocturnal.”

Trevor smirked, thinking of his mornings with Envy. “I’m not weak in the mornings. Whoever told you that has their information backwards.”

“What’s wrong, are your x-girlfriends spreading rumors again?” Zachary asked with an arched eyebrow causing a few people in the room to grin and Trevor to glare at him.

It was good to hear that most of the PIT members still had their sense of humor. “As for the other teams,” Storm continued while glancing up at the huge map. “I’m sure you can find something to do.”

Everyone looked from one to the other, knowing what his or her individual jobs were. The door opened and Kamui was the first to leave the meeting not bothering to shut the door behind him.

It was the sign some of the more curious PIT members were looking for and they rushed out to see if they could find out how the newcomer got up to the third floor. It was quickly becoming a betting match on what powers Kamui really had.

Storm chuckled when he heard someone growl about the new guy vanishing into thin air and money started exchanging hands. That growl was immediately followed by a loud, muffled crash upstairs and voices shouting, leaving the PIT teams looking up at the ceiling when the chandelier in the main room started to rock back and forth.

“KAMUI, YOU LITTLE BASTARD!” The angry voice echoed loudly within the castle.

Everyone’s attention was grabbed when light suddenly shone in through the front window rivaling the sunlight that was already streaming through. The PIT members ran outside just in time to see two streaks of light flying erratically above them and out toward the ocean before slowing down enough for the onlookers to really see them.

They’d been going so fast that it caused thunder to vibrate loudly in their wake as they broke the sound barrier. The young man from the meeting was actually flying backwards, his eyes wide with what looked like fright as he stared at the wet, angry silver-winged man chasing him.

“I swear Toya, I didn’t mean to pop into the shower with you in it!” Kamui tried to defuse his brother’s hot temper.

Toya’s long black, silver-streaked hair swayed around him as he followed Kamui’s movements and Kamui was doing his best to stay just out of reach.

“Yeah, right, you didn’t mean to!” Toya shouted when he noticed his brother’s lip twitch in mirth.

Trevor watched the two fly dizzying paths above them and spotted a third person out of the corner of his eye. Looking up toward the third floor terrace, he saw a man with long silver hair glaring at the other two with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Who’s that?” Trevor asked curiously.

“The current family patriarch… his name is Kyou.” Storm answered having come out to watch the amusing spectacle. “And the two putting on the show are Toya, the second oldest, and Kamui, the youngest.” He’d thought the brothers would stay to themselves but… the guardians had never been very predictable.

“They’re family?” Ren asked sensing the calming effect on his ability that he’d been siphoning was coming from Kyou. His right eyebrow rose noting that calm feeling was faltering at the moment but luckily, still kept a good measure of stability.

“They’re brothers, five of them to be accurate,” Storm answered.

The silver-haired man Storm had said was the older brother named Kyou looked down at the humans below him with a deep frown, as though the people milling around the grass were the ones responsible for this event.

“WOAH!” someone shouted as Toya punched Kamui in the stomach, sending his younger brother flying backwards… straight toward Kyou.

There were a few snickers, as Kamui slammed right into Kyou, knocking them both back inside and out of sight.

“YES!” Toya shouted and pumped his fist in the air as he hovered in front of the balcony. “I got a twofer.” With a smirk, he flew back inside the balcony doors and everything got extremely quiet.

“I guess it’s over,” Zachary said shrugging.

Storm smirked, “Wait for it…” Suddenly two windows on the third floor exploded on each side of the castle, Toya going in one direction and Kamui in the other. Storm couldn’t help but laugh knowing they were now fleeing Kyou’s wrath.

“Okay,” Jason said after a moment. “Remind me again how the hell I got mixed up with you guys.”

Trevor slapped his hand on Jason’s shoulder, “You would still be demon bait with a lovely tattoo on your ankle.”

“If I go out in a graveyard tonight, doesn’t that mean I’m still demon bait?” Jason demanded in more of a statement than a question.

“Yeah, I guess it does,” Trevor smiled as if he’d just been granted a wish. “And just think… I’ll be one of the people protecting you.”

“Oh goody!” Jason deadpanned then frowned, “You’re not still sore about losing Envy are you?”

Trevor’s smile faded and he took a step toward Jason but Storm to step between them. He flinched when he was suddenly standing in the parking lot of the police station.

“Chad needs some help getting this place under control,” Storm instructed. “Play nice with the other children.”

Storm left him there and reappeared back at the castle where Jason was still in the process of taking a step backwards.

Jason blinked when Trevor just snapped out of existence and Storm grinned at him.

“Where’d Trevor go?” Jason asked looking around.

“He’s under restriction,” Storm answered with a smirk.

Zachary looked back up at the terrace then down at the window below it. He could see Angelica standing at her window holding the curtain open. She had a grin on her face and Zachary knew she’d seen what transpired. She looked down at him and waved before closing the curtain.

Everyone began to filter back inside now that the show was over. Tiara paused and followed Zachary’s gaze to the pretty girl in the window. Feeling a strange disappointment, she tried to shake it off by being thankful he wasn’t as mean as she’d feared… he couldn’t be if he had such a sweet-looking girlfriend. Not wanting to go back inside yet, she looked out toward the ocean and wandered off toward the long path that led to the shoreline.

Guy narrowed his eyes on Tiara wanting to talk to her. She hadn't even given him a chance to tell her his idea. Seeing her separate from the others, he saw his chance and followed at a discreet distance.

“I got a question for you,” Zachary said looking down from Angelica’s window and turning his attention to Storm.

“You want to know about Angelica,” Storm responded having seen him staring up at her.

Zachary nodded, “We’ve been partners for a long time and I think I have a right to know why we’re not going to be together for this. Can’t we include Angelica on Tiara’s team?”

“Angelica's type of power is needed elsewhere, and she has a new partner… plain and simple,” Storm said seriously.

Zachary narrowed his eyes, “Who, Syn? That guy gives me the creeps and Angelica doesn’t think much of him either.”

“It is how it should be,” Storm looked Zachary straight in the eyes, “We have been keeping her safe for him… he’s here now.”

“She’s my best friend,” Zachary pointed out in case Storm had missed the memo.

“And you will probably always be her best friend,” Storm smiled reassuringly. “But Syn is her destiny and there’s no fighting that. As a matter of fact, I’d advise you not to even try. It may be the last thing you ever do.”

“You’re sure?” Zachary asked broodingly.

“You know that I am,” Storm answered laying his hand on Zachary’s shoulder. “Would it help if I told you that she’s going to be happier than she’s ever dreamed of being?”

Zachary inhaled deeply and slowly let it out as he felt heaviness settle over his chest. Hearing it from Storm sounded so final… probably because it was. He pressed his lips together as he tried to harden his heart and let Angelica go.

Changing the subject, Storm gestured toward Tiara who had almost made it to the cliff. “It’s because you protected Angelica so well that I feel safe enough to place Tiara under your care now.”

“What do you mean,” Zachary frowned tearing his gaze from Tiara and turning it on Storm, “It’s just for tonight… right?”

Storm shook his head feeling no sympathy, “No, it’s not just for tonight.”

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Zachary arched an eyebrow. He’d crossed necromancers off his list of teammates a long time ago.

“Tiara’s going to need you more than Angelica ever did,” Storm pointed out. “Myra trained her to use powers that the girl didn’t even have yet. She may have learned the spells and rituals, but she hasn’t learned how to control them.”

“Like a human child pretending to be a wizard?” Zachary supplied.

Storm nodded and shrugged at the same time, “And now, she’s only had those powers for a couple of weeks. To my knowledge, she has yet to actually use her necromancy. Do you remember how many fires you accidentally started when you were learning how to control your powers? Not to mention the fact that you made your own parents forget who you were.”

“Don’t remind me,” Zachary ran a hand through his hair and glanced back toward Tiara just as she disappeared down a set of steps leading to the beach.

“Tonight will be her first time and the job she faces isn’t just one zombie… it’s a city of monsters that will try to raise the dead faster than she can keep them down.” Storm insisted, “Everything she does from here on out will be a first for her.”

“Her mother made everything look so easy,” Zachary’s voice was a little harsher than he’d meant it to be. He tried to cover his anger up by asking, “Where’s her father?”

“He died before Tiara was born,” Storm repeated what Myra had always said.

“What you mean is that you don’t have a clue who Tiara’s father is because her mother slept with so many men,” Zachary mused darkly trying to block the disturbing flashback from resurfacing.

“That is a side effect of the necromancy,” Storm nodded.

Zachary frowned in confusion, “What do you mean… side effect?”

“The more a necromancer uses their power to control the dead, the more their soul craves life to keep itself from being pulled down by the dead into the next dimension,” Storm explained. “It was never Myra's fault that she craved sex after using her power… it’s an uncontrollable desire that has to be fulfilled.”

“So that’s why Myra did it?” Zachary whispered. If he was honest with himself… he’d had a crush on Myra all those years ago. But seeing her make love to the enemy had turned that crush into something closer to loathing.

“I thought you knew,” Storm admitted with a slightly shocked expression. “Necromancers are very sexual creatures for a reason… they want to live.”

Zachary made a face, “And because Myra never chose a mate, she opted to stay alive by being everyone’s one night stand.”

“She tried to fight the hunger at first, but the longer she would abstain… the weaker her body became. Necromancers have always fed off the life-force of sex… though most of them did choose a mate,” Storm confirmed.

“Why didn’t Myra pick just one lover?” Zachary asked but his attention was on Guy who was disappearing down the same path Tiara had taken only a few minutes before. The man might as well have been wearing a t-shirt with the word ‘Stalker’ printed across the front of it.

“Never mind, I’ll see you later,” Zachary said over his shoulder as he took off toward the ocean.

Storm smiled secretively... Zachary was not truly happy unless he was fighting to save someone from themselves. If Tiara was anything like her mother, Zachary would have a headache for a long, long time. He turned to go back inside but paused seeing Ren come back out the double doors.

Ren took out his cell phone and read the text. He smirked before going around to the side of the castle where the huge garage was located but paused when he felt something crunch under his feet. Looking down, Ren noticed the once-beautiful stained glass that had graced the upper windows of the castle was now lying shattered in the grass.

He frowned… they couldn’t very well have a castle with broken windows. He lifted his hand slightly and the glass that had fallen during Kamui and Toya’s flight slowly lifted from the grass, righting itself like a thousand piece puzzle. Pushing his hand upwards, Ren watched as the glittering glass rose up through the air, sliding back into place on the third floor.

Following Ren, Storm quirked an eyebrow when he saw a tow truck pulling out of the driveway and wondered if the driver had seen the sky show a few minutes ago. He smiled when he saw that it was Hunter in the driver’s seat and raised a hand when Hunter waved.

Entering the garage, Storm’s smile widened. Ren was walking around Trevor’s car looking it over with a critical eye. He also took note of the high-tech circuit board Ren had in his hand.

Ren glanced up at Storm's approach and noted his smile before turning his attention back to the car.

“What are you smiling about?” Ren asked.

“Sometimes it’s nice not to be able to see the future,” Storm said truthfully.

“What does that mean?” Ren questioned.

“It means that for now at least… I am walking my own timeline,” Storm stated.

Ren nodded deciding he wasn’t even going to try to process that brainteaser and continued to run his hand across the edge of the car as though feeling it out.

“What are you planning to do with that?” Storm asked nodding toward the computer.

“I’m going to upgrade Trevor’s car,” Ren answered.

Storm leaned back against one of the other cars, “I’ll bite, why are you upgrading Trevor’s car?”

“Because I’m bored,” Ren shrugged but the look on his face said he was going to enjoy this. “And because I need an outlet for some of this power before I drown in it.”

“I got to see this,” Storm laughed.

Ren smirked as he placed the circuit board on the windshield and stepped back so he was facing the front of the car. He raised his palms toward the car and took a deep breath. The headlights suddenly flashed on and wires snaked out from the edge of the ruined hood, latching onto the circuit board and pulling it inside.

The body began to creak and groan, reshaping itself and another color began to appear in little splotches. Dents straightened themselves out as the body streamlined. The tires repaired themselves and filled with air while the rims started to shift. The hood flipped open and Storm watched the engine rebuild itself… the old oil slowly vanishing and the original chrome color taking its place.

The splotches of color were growing and soon a beautiful black sheen covered the entire body. The windows darkened so it was near impossible to see inside and Storm whistled softly as he walked around it. It had the same appearance as a classic Mustang. Storm couldn’t help but smirk when he saw Ren’s name in a small chrome insignia on the back instead of a well-known car maker’s.

“At least you’re not egotistical,” Storm laughed.

Ren finally lowered his hands and smiled proudly at the new and improved car. “I give you… Evey.”

Storm looked up at Ren and arched an eyebrow. “Evey?”

Ren shrugged, “Stephen King has Christine, so I can have Evey. Plus, it’s the closest thing I could get to Envy without it actually being her name.”

Storm couldn’t help but laugh, “You are so bad.”

“I like to think so,” a sexy feminine voice said.

Storm looked down at the car. “It talks?”

“Of course I can,” Evey said and the car door slowly opened. “Want to ride me?”

Storm shook his head only trusting his own mode of transportation, “I’m sorry, as beautiful as you are… I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

Evey sighed, “Very well, but you will one day ride in my back seat.”

Storm stared at Ren, “She’s very… flirtatious.”

Ren shoved his hands in his pockets, “Talking cars are sexy.”