Page 25 of Heart Shaped Wreckage
“All I can tell you is that I am more than what I appear, ok? I am not evil or in league with the devil. I’m just me, now.”
“Now?”
“Yes.” I crossed my arms and hoped that would be the end of it.
“Boy, do I have questions.” He threw his hands up in the air and giggled. It was beautifully musical and made me smile. “But I will let it rest for now.” He wrapped his hands around his bare arms. “You’re right. It’s getting cold.”
“Keep those fire fingers handy. We might need them,” I chuckled, trying to make light of our very bad situation. I would be fine. I could shift if I needed to, and shifters always ran hot, anyway. But he would not.
“I think we’re going to be just fine.” He smiled wanly. “So, where are we going?”
I peered around and saw what looked like a cave in the distance. “Over there. Get that fire finger ready. I’ll try to collect anything we can burn along the way.”
It was further away than it looked. Aren’t most things in the desert – fucking mirages, but as I walked, I thought about all the reasons that Aurelius might be trying to kill me. There were too many to count. All of the broken promises between us, as I chose the other side.
Why did the angels have to hold grudges for so long?
11
LANDON
My teeth were banging so hard together, I was afraid they’d fall out. I thought the desert would be hot. I mean, it’s a desert, right? But no… When the sun goes down, it gets fucking cold. Maybe I knew this when I actually knew things, but over the last twenty-four hours, even though I still had no clue about who or what I was, I remembered the things that came with common sense. Apparently, I knew nothing about the desert. I was not from Arizona.
Did I own a house? Was I homeless? Did I do something so bad to someone that they cursed me? Was it a curse, or did I just have mental issues? At this point, I felt like I had mental issues. I mean, talking cats and angels descending from the sky. I should be locked up.
Too many questions and no answers.
But I remembered the prophecy. That was a weird thing to remember word for word.
‘Wings that beat no more – awakes the beast within.’ I had no idea what the hell that meant. ‘A foolish witch who seeks himself – tears will be the key.’ I had to be the foolish witch. I mean, firecame from my finger, and I smelled like magic to Heath, so… Maybe I just needed a good cry, and this could all be solved?
‘Legion leader, once a friend – now a foe but closely kin – seeking stones – swirling pool – blood makes everyone a fool. To find what you seek, the blood must leak. Forms shift to and fro; a hollow shaft will heal. But by the end, you must lose to ever hope to win. A last gasp and the choice is made – fate is done, and it’s too late. A choice to make for a lost mate.’
What the actual fuck did any of that mean? I guess angels were a part of the legion of God. I know I read a bible because I knew enough to know I did. But… the rest of it was just gross. Blood, a last gasp, a lost mate? I had no idea, but I did not like the sound of any of it.
There was that part about shifting form. Heath was a shifter, so maybe? Whatever… The prophecy was about both of us if I was right. But to be part of a prophecy from a very weird and terrifying witch was… I mean, damn!
Why was it so fucking cold!
I tried to rub my arms and fingers as fast as I could to cause some friction and blood flow. I had not been able to shoot fire from my finger on all of the kindling that Heath had gathered. That was humbling. I must be a verycrappywitch.
If I could just remember how…
GOD! I hated being cold. Heath had decided to go out to see if he could find us anything to eat. Hopefully, he would find some flint so we could start the fucking fire and warm up. He said he’d try. I trusted him. I had no idea why, but I did.
He was also making my libido bounce around so hard that I was getting heathmatized. Jesus, he was really fucking hot. I was definitely gay. Check off one more thing that I know about myself.
I wish there were more.
I wish I knew how to start the fucking fire. This was stupid!
I slammed my hands down on the ground, and my finger flared. I quickly brought it over to the kindling, but before I could get it on the wood, it went out.
I sucked!
If I were a witch, I wished I could remember the things that would help me. I mean, who thought about creating fire? Witches… I guess. Part of me knew that not all witches could do that. How did I know that, and why could I remember something like that but almost nothing else? It was aggravating and annoying and… I was just pissed off!
It started in my feet. And soon my entire body was tingling. I took a deep breath, made a fist, and punched the air. Flames danced across my fingers, and I threw them down into the kindling, which erupted. I took my hand out and shook it.
