target. Her chin trembled as Matt stalked toward her, a fiendish smirk on his face. She grabbed a metal trophy off her desk and held the award like a baseball player at the plate, ready to strike when he neared her. Her palms were clammy and her legs weak. When he was close enough, she swung.
And missed.
Matt’s dagger entered her left side. Kayla dropped the trophy with a scream as blood poured from her body. He grabbed her arms and flung her onto the floor. Kayla sobbed, both at the burning pain in her stomach and the fear coursing through her veins. She held her hands out in front of her, praying she would die before her mother’s boyfriend raped her.
Warm, awkward tingles ran from the tips of her toes into her palms, like her body had been asleep but was now waking up. Matt stood near her feet, unbuckling his belt. Kayla sobbed, begging God for help. Then, without warning, Matt went up in flames.
I ripped my hand out of Tabbi’s and jumped from my chair like I’d sat on something sharp. My shaking hands raked through my hair, and I paced around the room, my heart pounding in my ears. The room blurred. I wanted to drag Matt out of Hell and kill him again. At least he’d gotten what he deserved.
“Daniel?” Tabbi asked.
“Give me a moment.” I took a deep breath and tried to slow my pulse.
“She really did produce those flames, didn’t she? I hadn’t felt it before, but this time, it was like it came from inside her,” Tabbi said.
I nodded. Kayla
had
set fire to her attacker. She was telling Dr. Malcolm the truth.
Something lurched in my chest. Kayla needed to know she wasn’t crazy. Staying away from her now was going to be even more impossible than before.
I never should’ve taken Tabbi’s hand.
amantha was waiting for me when I returned to my flat. She sat on the sofa and, as usual, watched
Judge Judy
. She idolized that woman a little too much sometimes.
“Make yourself at home,” I said.
Her head whipped around at the sound of my voice. “Where have you been?”
I grabbed a Coke out of the fridge before responding. “Visiting Kayla.”
Samantha turned off the TV. “You need to be careful, Daniel. If anyone were to find out you were there alone and outside of her sleeping pattern, they might—”
“No one’s going to find out, Sam. And besides, Kayla doesn’t know I’m there.”
“Fine. I was only trying to help. Giovanni has spies everywhere. Why
are
you so interested in her, anyway?”
I glared at her, already angry with myself for developing unwanted feelings. She didn’t need to judge me, too.
Samantha held her hands up in defeat. “Whatever. Tabbi’s replacement is Hendrik, by the way. Thought I’d warn you.”
I groaned on the inside. Hendrik was a wanker, and he was one of Giovanni’s favorites. The two of them
had
to have been lovers. Giovanni’s preference for men was no secret.
“Thanks for the heads up,” I said.
“Yeah.” Samantha walked to the door to leave. “Oh, it’s your turn to report in to Giovanni. Tomorrow morning, he’ll expect to see you in Rome.”
I let her leave without saying another word.
At exactly nine o’clock, I showed up in Kayla’s room to do my job. Samantha, Seth and Hendrik were already there. Kayla twisted her hair into a ponytail and flipped off the light. I must’ve missed the nurse coming in to give her medicine. She crawled under her bed sheets, lay on her back and closed her eyes.
“I hope you protect me better than you protected your last Weaver,” Hendrik said to me.
I gripped one of the daggers on my belt. “Keep talking and see what happens when my blade misses.”
Samantha glared at me. Seth coughed to hide his chuckle. I fought the smirk that wanted to show, especially when Hendrik’s face turned red.
Before Hendrik could reply, Kayla’s breathing slowed. “Better get to work, mate,” I said, waving Hendrik away.
Hendrik’s face turned a brighter shade of red, then he positioned himself over
And missed.
Matt’s dagger entered her left side. Kayla dropped the trophy with a scream as blood poured from her body. He grabbed her arms and flung her onto the floor. Kayla sobbed, both at the burning pain in her stomach and the fear coursing through her veins. She held her hands out in front of her, praying she would die before her mother’s boyfriend raped her.
Warm, awkward tingles ran from the tips of her toes into her palms, like her body had been asleep but was now waking up. Matt stood near her feet, unbuckling his belt. Kayla sobbed, begging God for help. Then, without warning, Matt went up in flames.
I ripped my hand out of Tabbi’s and jumped from my chair like I’d sat on something sharp. My shaking hands raked through my hair, and I paced around the room, my heart pounding in my ears. The room blurred. I wanted to drag Matt out of Hell and kill him again. At least he’d gotten what he deserved.
“Daniel?” Tabbi asked.
“Give me a moment.” I took a deep breath and tried to slow my pulse.
“She really did produce those flames, didn’t she? I hadn’t felt it before, but this time, it was like it came from inside her,” Tabbi said.
I nodded. Kayla
had
set fire to her attacker. She was telling Dr. Malcolm the truth.
Something lurched in my chest. Kayla needed to know she wasn’t crazy. Staying away from her now was going to be even more impossible than before.
I never should’ve taken Tabbi’s hand.
amantha was waiting for me when I returned to my flat. She sat on the sofa and, as usual, watched
Judge Judy
. She idolized that woman a little too much sometimes.
“Make yourself at home,” I said.
Her head whipped around at the sound of my voice. “Where have you been?”
I grabbed a Coke out of the fridge before responding. “Visiting Kayla.”
Samantha turned off the TV. “You need to be careful, Daniel. If anyone were to find out you were there alone and outside of her sleeping pattern, they might—”
“No one’s going to find out, Sam. And besides, Kayla doesn’t know I’m there.”
“Fine. I was only trying to help. Giovanni has spies everywhere. Why
are
you so interested in her, anyway?”
I glared at her, already angry with myself for developing unwanted feelings. She didn’t need to judge me, too.
Samantha held her hands up in defeat. “Whatever. Tabbi’s replacement is Hendrik, by the way. Thought I’d warn you.”
I groaned on the inside. Hendrik was a wanker, and he was one of Giovanni’s favorites. The two of them
had
to have been lovers. Giovanni’s preference for men was no secret.
“Thanks for the heads up,” I said.
“Yeah.” Samantha walked to the door to leave. “Oh, it’s your turn to report in to Giovanni. Tomorrow morning, he’ll expect to see you in Rome.”
I let her leave without saying another word.
At exactly nine o’clock, I showed up in Kayla’s room to do my job. Samantha, Seth and Hendrik were already there. Kayla twisted her hair into a ponytail and flipped off the light. I must’ve missed the nurse coming in to give her medicine. She crawled under her bed sheets, lay on her back and closed her eyes.
“I hope you protect me better than you protected your last Weaver,” Hendrik said to me.
I gripped one of the daggers on my belt. “Keep talking and see what happens when my blade misses.”
Samantha glared at me. Seth coughed to hide his chuckle. I fought the smirk that wanted to show, especially when Hendrik’s face turned red.
Before Hendrik could reply, Kayla’s breathing slowed. “Better get to work, mate,” I said, waving Hendrik away.
Hendrik’s face turned a brighter shade of red, then he positioned himself over
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