“Please hear my voice Max. Please calm down,” she pleaded again. She adjusted her grip, as I burned even hotter. Sam ran from us as I began to explode with reddish flames all over. I watched as they engulfed Asia. She stood still and strong. It terrified me but it was too late. I couldn’t stop now even if I wanted to.
“Asia!” I screamed, scared for her safety. She quickly shoved her full weight into me and my flames. Her hands filled with white light as the first stab of electricity sliced through me. It felt like ice in my chest.
“I gotcha baby,” Asia concentrated. The storm awoke above us again. Her electric force pushed its way into my brain, making me numb for a moment.
“Ouch,” I gasped. Numbness turned to pain as her hands shoved into me harder and my chest began to pop. Was she getting stronger? This made my flames instinctively try to fight back. They pushed back with much more force. I felt my control completely gone now. She pushed another wave into me, cracking a few of my ribs instantly. My flames fell away like a melting candle but I tried in vain to power back up. Pathetically, I made one last effort to pull away from her. My body washed over in pain from another pulse of her powers. Lightning cracked against the pavement and I folded my arms across my breaking chest. Instinctively my body wanted to protect itself and I began to fill with curling fire again when Asia pushed once more.
“Ugh,” I gasped again. My voice fell much quieter though. Lightning slithered into my veins, bringing complete pain. This time I fell to my knees in a split second. I was dazed in an agony filled with blackness. I couldn’t breathe right. Air staggered into my lungs, tripping on the blood that was filling them. Stars started spinning before the blackness. They were bright and beautiful. Just like Asia’s eyes. From the ground I started shivering uncontrollably.
“Damn it!” she cursed herself. She slid down next to me in a panic. She hadn’t realized how hard she was pushing until it was too late. Her hands felt soothing along the undeniable pain that seemed to be everywhere.
“Sorry Max,” she whispered, as I folded and broke inside her arms.
“I think…you broke…me,” I coughed up blood. It stained my teeth in a dark crimson. Her hands quickly wiped away the excess blood.
“I know baby,” she comforted.
Asia slowly helped me to my feet and into the truck. Sam was right next to us. She looked so upset with me…so scared. It helped to center my thoughts and gain control of my temper. I hurt all over and it was obvious I had no healing ability left. Even the flicker of flames I still had deep down inside of me couldn’t help anymore. I was in agony. Asia was so absolute now with her abilities. I should have been terrified by that thought but it turned out to be the opposite. My inferno missed her even more.
“Madison?” Sam asked calmly as she positioned herself beside me in the truck. Asia started the engine and drove away as I passed out. In the dark I saw my sisters young face. Mia in her perfect little pigtails. She smiled at me before turning away from my sight. Then Madison appeared and reached for me with her tiny healing hands. I started to cry in my dream.
“Please don’t let me lose her too…not again…please…” I begged the darkness.
Rest In Pieces - 31
~I Can’t Make You Love Me: Bonnie Raitt~
1:11 p.m.
I awoke from my bed to the spinning blades of my ceiling fan gently humming above me. The light from outside my bedroom window hurt my fuzzy eyes. It was one of the few windows in the house that survived my inferno when I lost control the night before. It took a minute to focus my vision but when I finally did, I was rewarded. Sam sat above me, next to my broken torso with her soft touch caressing my head. I was safe at home again and it became obvious that I was in bad condition.
I tried to speak but found the pain inside me radiated everywhere. I could taste the blood in my throat and mouth. It hurt to exhale even a shriveling breath. I didn’t want Sam to see me like this. The crazy thing was that even though I was in the most physical and emotional pain of my life, I still felt content with her by my side.
“Hey hot stuff…how you feeling?” she teased, with a brush of her hand through her hair. I tried to sit up but found the pain too great and quickly gave up on the idea. As I gasped, she laughed lightly at how pathetic I was. It brought a soft smile to my face.
“That good huh,” she said sadder now. The weight of our situation shown through her beautiful features.
“I’ll live,” I hoped. Her mouth filled with a frown.
“I miss Madison.” She started to cry. I bit down on my teeth and forced my body up. I hated when she cried. I wanted to do whatever it took to stop her tears.
“Me too. We’ll get her back. I’ll get her back,” I swore. She kissed me softly and the agony faded for a second. We fell into a familiar comfort.
“What did they say on the phone earlier?” She asked, trying to hide her tears. Her fingers slid along the length of my bangs, twisting themselves at the very end.
“They told me to go to Hana at 6, and to come alone,” I said raspy. I wasn’t too familiar with the city but it didn’t matter, I would walk through Hell and back for my daughter.
“We should tell the police Max,” her nerves grew.
“It won’t matter Sam, they want me. That’s what they’ll get. It’s my fault they took her in the first place. My powers, my curse,” I grumbled, and the thunder outside the house agreed.
“This is not your fault,” she countered. Her face flashed with annoyance at the surrounding thunder.
“Yes it is. All I seem to do is hurt you and now my daughter too.” I felt dizzy from my pain. She leaned in closer and held my shoulders in her soft hands.
“That’s not true. Madi needs you. She loves you…” her words drifted a little. I felt my broken chest tighten.
“I love you,” she said, more with her eyes than her words.
“Sam…”
“No matter what Max.” Her lips found mine again. Thunder rolled over the house slow and ominous as we kissed. It announced Asia as she stepped into the room. Her cold eyes fell to the floor, filling her with pain. She drew in a long breath before she spoke.
“Max can I talk to you for a moment?” she sounded defeated but under control. Sam stood up and nodded that she was fine with it. As she walked out of my room and into the hall, Asia watched her closely. My arms ached as I used my last bit of strength to pull myself from my bed. Asia watched me from across the room with a look of guilt across her face. She looked as if she wanted to reach for me but never let her guard down. She was so stubborn.
“Alright,” I coughed.
I sat down on the backyard bench with a small blanket around my shoulders. Asia scooted up next to me. A light mist peppered the back yard, as the sky grew grey with more rain clouds. We both sat there silently for a few minutes before she reached over and moved the blanket from my chest.
“How are the ribs?” she asked coldly, but her touch was anything but. My core heated and reached for her from under my clothes. She could feel my fires react to her and it settled her emotions for a brief second.
“Fine,” I lied. I was surprised that I was still angry that she hurt me so easily. She snapped my ribs like toothpicks. I was lying to myself again too. What truly upset me was that no matter how much I loved Sam, there was still a part of me that yearned for Asia. That would always be the way it is.
“I didn’t mean too…” she started, but I began to pout.
“I’m fine,” I snapped, and tasted blood on my tongue. Her eyes fell cold as ice. Thunder grew above us. My face flushed over in red with pain and embarrassment.
“Well, I’m not!” Her beautiful face tightened. The wind picked up and blew her long dark curls past her breaking eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I reluctantly asked. I didn’t think I really wanted to hear her answer.
“I’m losing you aren’t I?” she asked painfully. Lightning flashed behind us. It lit her stunning features. I felt my breath fade from m
e.
“Asia…” I shook in a whisper.
“I can feel it and I hate it.” She stared through me, waiting. I was stunned. I didn’t know what to say. She waited for another painful minute while I shrunk in my misery.
“I’ll help you get Madison back and then I’m leaving. For good this time,” she threatened in a soft tone.
“Asia you don’t need to leave.” My insides fell cold. The pain in my ribs doubled.
“Why should I stay? So I can watch you pull farther and farther away from me. I already lost you once and it almost killed me. I cannot go through that again!” She stood up above me with fresh tears in her eyes. It killed me when she cried. Her face was so beautiful, even in the middle of her heart breaking.
“This time you’re losing me. At least that’s what I’ll tell myself,” she cried, as her hand found the necklace that I had given her. She looked as if she were going to rip it from her chest but didn’t. Her fist closed around it tightly. I had no idea what to say. I sat there with the world spinning from the pain all over my body, and now the ache in my heart. We were over and it was Sam’s turn now, but I still felt as if I was dying a little. She waited for me to speak, to say anything but I couldn’t. I was drowning. When I didn’t respond soon enough, her eyes broke. She turned and walked inside.
“I’m sorry Asia,” I whispered up to the sky, as the rain filled my vision with fat cold drops.
Sam was finishing up a long shower when she heard the kitchen door slam close. She slid on her robe and twisted her half wet hair up in a sloppy bun that barely stayed in place. Asia stormed past her with tears in her eyes. It scared Sam at first.
"I hate this part!" Asia cursed under her breath as she stopped dead in her tracks. Sam walked up behind her slowly. Asia caught her from the corner of her eye. She was extremely emotional and pulled from her.
"What?" Sam asked cautious.
"Nothing!" Asia snapped. Sam looked out the broken kitchen window for me and then back to Asia. She filled with a nervous fear.
"Where’s Max?"
Asia whipped around and scolded, "With you!"
"What?" Sam gasped, confused. Asia’s eyes burned into hers with hate before folding under their own weight. Her body leaned against the wall. It was the first time Sam ever saw her this way. It quickly confused her.
"I don't think his fire burns for me anymore." It almost choked Asia to say the words. Her throat tightened as if the room had lost all its oxygen. She watched Sam carefully. Slow and cautiously she walked up to her. Sam stood her ground, unsure what to say.
"You and Madison have a part of him that I don't," Asia gave in.
"Asia you're not making much sense."
“I never stood a chance.” Her fading blue eyes looked back toward the kitchen patio.
“What are you talking about?” Sam asked.
"I thought I had healed him. I thought my love was enough…” Asia drifted off.
“I don’t understand,” Sam began to speak.
“I thought our vows were enough," Asia spoke in a robotic trance. Her hand slid across the matching tattoo on her shoulder. Sam panicked.
"Vows?" her voice filled with a deep growl. Her nerves made her start to tremble.
"Yes," Asia nodded as her hand squeezed the artwork. Sam glanced quickly at the tattoo. The red lines of the ink slid along Asia’s tone shoulder perfectly.
"What vows!" Sam lost her calm. Asia looked deeply into her eyes. Finally she let down her steel walls.
"We are kinda married," Asia said softly, ignoring Sam’s bubbling anger. She snapped and grabbed Asia’s other arm. Lightning flashed at the windows with a dull hum.
"What?" As she asked the question her eyes followed the lines of the tattoo. Her mind raced as she realized that we had the same one. Exactly the same.
“In Australia, while we were in the outback we embraced their customs. All of them,” Asia said soft.
“I don’t under…” Sam tried to say but Asia continued.
“How they hunted. The way they lived. The way they…loved," Asia whispered. Sam gasped. Her head filled with a mind-numbing buzz.
“How?” Sam raged.
"It was an ancient ceremony, very sacred. We spent a day and a half fasting, a night without speaking and finally the morning in each other’s arms. We watched the dawn paint our naked bodies as we received our armbands," Asia tried to continue but Sam had heard enough.
"You’re married!" She finally snapped. Her heart pounded from under her robe as she began to taste her lunch in her throat. Asia took a small amount of satisfaction at how upset Sam had become.
"Not in the traditional sense, no signed papers or courts. But as we received our ink we were sworn to one another by royalty." Asia began to cry and the rain fell hard over the house. Sam started to shake and sat down on the nearest chair.
"Sworn together," Sam drifted off in disgust.
"Until we die or the tattoos are removed. At least that's what I thought," Asia cried out loud now. Her blue eyes came alive again with pain.
"Max is married!" Sam tried to convince herself over and over again. The room started spinning.
"Don’t worry, it doesn't matter now. He's chosen you," Asia accused and stormed off to my bedroom. With a slam of the door the storm outside intensified. It shook against my house with a dull vengeance. Sam took a moment to settle her rage before wiping her eyes and walking outside to find me.
I had just managed to find the strength to stand up and make my way toward the kitchen door before I drowned in the new torrent of emotional rain. My body throbbed all over in agony. Sam’s five-foot frame stopped me in my tracks as the door flew open and she stepped out.
"Sam," I smiled even though I felt dizzy from my wounds.
"Max, we need to talk." Her face was scared. Her big green eyes searched mine nervously. I didn’t like this at all. Something was coming. Something bad.
"Okay…what's up?" I coughed lightly. I wasn’t ready for what was coming.
"I’ve been thinking and I think things are happening too fast…" she almost stuttered. Her famous confidence was nowhere to be seen. A dull hum crept inside of my ears.
"I don't understand?" My head began to pound.
"After we get Madi I think we should take some time." The first tears revealed themselves along her cheeks.
"Time? But I thought…" I spit out, scared of where this talk was headed but she tightened her robe around her and looked up at me.
"You can see Madi whenever you want. Spend as much time with her as possible but…" she cried in the rain. I felt my legs giving out.
"Sam I don't understand."
"But I need time to think. I need to be alone," she cried louder. I began to shiver in the pouring rain.
"No! I don't want that!" I pouted in confusion.
"That's the way it has to be right now!" she cursed pulling away from me. I reached for her and felt my lower ribs snap, causing me to see stars again. I was sure I would pass out.
"But I love you Sam," I begged. She walked inside the door and looked back at me. Her face looked broken.
"Sometimes that's just not enough." She ran inside. I tried to stop her but fell to my knees in blinding pain instead. She ran through the house and into Frank’s bedroom and slammed the door. Behind the thin door she wailed in hysterics until she fell asleep.
"Damn it!" I broke down in my backyard. I had to fight for my daughter in a few hours and I couldn't even move now. I was done. Finished. Sam and Asia had devastated me with their emotional wrecking balls.
"Why can't I be happy? Why do I hurt everyone I love?" I asked the falling rain. I coughed up more blood into my drenched palms. My inner fires receded and left me alone as I crumbled. I felt cold inside as my heart completely broke.
After what felt like an hour, I collected every piece of me and walked inside and passed out on the living room couch. Oz jumped up cautiously with his tender paw and lay next to me with a soft whine in his throat that
never seemed to go away. Even my little bodyguard couldn’t protect me from the overwhelming truth.
I was done. I was in pieces.
Awakening - 32
~Bulletproof: Kerli~
6:01 p.m.
Every breath was excruciating, and the taste of blood was constant in my mouth now. It was almost two minutes after six and I pushed the pain to the back of my mind. As I stood waiting for any sign of Madi and her capturers, my fears began to crush me.
Sam and Asia watched from a safe distance. They hadn't spoken a word to me or each other since this afternoon but I knew they were anxiously watching my every step. The thunder rolled over me, hiding the fading sunlight. I grew colder with each passing second.
"Where are you Madi?" I spoke. Across the city skyline a long black shadow of an unmarked SUV appeared and made my eyes strain under their focus. I stepped forward into the street as it drove slowly closer. It stopped thirty yards from me. I held my painful breath.
Lightning flickered through the clouds. It set the tone, as the back door swung open. A tall man in a long black coat stepped out with a smile and a cigarette. The same mystery man that had been stalking me with a camera. His eyes covered in shiny sunglasses, hiding his true identity. I wanted to smash that smile off of his face.
"Mr. Valentine."
"I want Madison!" I said, deadly. He stepped closer.
"I know," he laughed under his breath. My fists curled up.
"I’m warning you, and this will be the only one," I promised. I started to steam in the cool wind and he removed his sunglasses in excitement. His brown eyes were dead and focused on my emerging fires.
"Look at you Mr. Valentine…you're even more amazing up close," he chuckled. I growled and my fists ignited into swirling dark red and black flames. I hadn’t even realized they had burst with fire at first. Dark rolls of smoke twirled before my eyes and fat chunks of fire dripped to the street. The man smiled even bigger and stepped closer to me.