Page 8 of His Blazing Witch (The Silver City #3)

I am drenched on the wooden floor, but at least, I'm now very much... awake. I take a few seconds to come back to my senses, the icy water is quite efficient for that. The club emptied in a matter of seconds around us, the last people squeezing themselves through the doors to get out. Someone stopped the music and those horrible flashing lights too, and now a normal white light is on.

It allows me to see the woman standing above me, looking absolutely furious. She's tall and beautiful, with perfect body proportions, making me feel like a worm under her. The one thing I'm mesmerized about is her... aura. It's a strange feeling, something invisible yet very palpable to me. It gives off a warm yet oppressive feeling... Is this the famous Alpha aura that Bonnie told me about?

"Ben, go close all the doors," she says, ignoring my question.

I hear someone's steps, but I'm still on the floor and a bit confused. I struggle to sit up, shivering a bit. Damn, that water was cold... and I'm soaked. More importantly, I suddenly realize my wrist is painful as hell. I gasp and look down, to find it's at a weird angle. Is it broken? That woman's moves were so smooth, I barely realized what was going on before she violently threw me over her shoulder.

"You–" I start, but she yells at me first.

"What the hell were you thinking?! Didn't we tell you to not use your fire? The first time we let you out, and you try to fucking kill someone? You damn witch, I shouldn't have listened to your sister!"

"Babe..." calls a gentle male voice behind her.

"Shut up, Danny. I'm not done with this witch. She is going back to where she–"

"I didn't do it on purpose!" I yell. "That guy hurt me, and I just... reacted. I wasn't myself."

She rolls her eyes, putting her hands on her hips. I realize she effortlessly kicked my butt while wearing some sexy slim jeans and high heels. The werewolf Alphas really are on another level of strength...

"You weren't yourself? You don't control yourself, you mean! Someone bumps into you, and you light your damn fire right away? You could have burnt the whole building down, killing people! Do you think we need a second time?"

I go white. No, not a second time. I suddenly realize what happened, and remember Amy's words. My fire has already killed people before. I mean, we are not sure if it was actually my fault, but... I can't ignore it. Selena is right. What were those voices? For a few seconds, I really wasn't myself anymore. As if something dark had taken control inside, and was pushing me down that line. It was really dangerous. If Selena hadn't stopped me...

"I... I'm sorry," I mutter.

"Sorry? Sorry, you could have killed people, or sorry you can't control yourself? I decided to trust you because Bonnie said I could, but now, I feel like you belong back in that damn hospital!"

"No!"

I struggle to get back on my feet, holding my injured wrist, but I need to face her properly. I need to tell her she's wrong, that I can be outside. I'm not going back inside that hospital again.

I try to look for words, and while staring at her, I notice the guy behind her, a blonde guy that looks a lot like Ben. Is that their older brother, Daniel? He's scrawny, wearing a white shirt, and looking a bit worried while staring at me. Does he think I'm a freak too?

"It won't happen again," I say. "I came here because I wanted to meet you, to get some answers. I don't want to hurt anyone, I just... I just don't know anything about myself! I have no past, no clue of who I am. How can I control myself if I don't know the first thing about being a witch? No one has told me a thing, and I heard you knew about the previous witches..."

Selena is still glaring at me, but at least, she seems to be considering my words, hesitating. Next to her, the blond guy sighs, putting his hands in his pants pockets and swaying back and forth.

"You know a thing or two about looking for your past, babe..." he whispers.

"Daniel, shut up," she retorts, annoyed.

What are they talking about? Is he saying that to help me? If he's Ben and Bonnie's older brother, he might give me a chance too, right? Though, that means he also lost his older brother to another witch... Selena growls, surprising me. Damn, this is scary... Her eyes are even glowing.

"I'm so done with witches," she hisses. "As if we didn't have enough trouble with the humans already!"

What about humans? And what happened with the witches, didn't she like them? I was told she was friends with one of them! But Selena turns to Ben, ignoring me once again.

"And you! Weren't you supposed to watch her?!"

"She kind of ran into the crowd... It was hard to follow, the club was crowded..."

"I'm really starting to question your Beta gene, Ben. Next time I'm having you watch the pups!"

He makes a sour face. Whatever she is referring to, Ben is probably not fond of it. I don't really care to know about their werewolf thing though. I have a hundred questions, and finally, the right person to ask.

"What did you mean, about the witches? I am the only one, right?" I say.

"Thank the Moon Goddess you are! You're already enough of a handful as it is!"

"Will you stop yelling at me?!" I explode. "I'm a handful for myself too!"

She raises an eyebrow, surprised to hear me shout back, but not impressed. I can tell she isn't scared of me one bit, unlike everyone else I've met so far. Either it's because of her knowledge of witches, or her self-confidence, I can't tell. However, I need her to listen to me for just a minute, whether she likes it or not!

"I've had people concealing information from me for weeks! About my family, my accident, my power, the witches, everything about me! I don't care about your werewolf thing or the humans, you guys locked me up in a hospital room for weeks and no one gave a damn about me! I'm tired of all the secrets, I already had to fight my sister to let me know what happened and let me out, you can't simply throw me back there without at least talking to me!"

I'm so furious, I'm panting after that rant. I needed to get it out, once and for all, and for her to hear it. Selena Whitewood might be the Luna or the Alpha to all these werewolves, but to me, she's just a woman hiding things from me. I desperately need answers this time.

She crosses her arms, shaking her head.

"Fine! You want to ask questions, ask. However, I don't trust you. I don't trust a witch who can't control herself."

"I can't control myself when I'm angry!" I retort.

"Why would I answer a witch who can't control herself, then? If I give you an answer you don't like, will you burn me?"

I open my mouth to answer, but there isn't much to explain. I close my mouth, looking for something else to say. The truth is, I'm not sure when those voices will come back. They were too strong. I forgot who I was for a few minutes and yielded to them. I wasn't myself anymore, as if something stronger had taken control.

"I... Something triggered me," I say. "There was this guy..."

I try to remember what happened. Those voices came up the minute I saw that guy's back. Why him? Why that man in particular? Is he linked to my past? It was as if something had been unlocked in my mind, and all my senses were guiding me to him. Yet, I didn't even get to see his face, he disappeared...

I keep frowning, trying to remember until I realize they are still staring at me. Selena is making an annoyed expression, while her friend next to her frowns. He steps forward.

"Babe, maybe you should let her talk," he says. "It's true you haven't been able to meet her once since we found her..."

"You can blame her older sister for that," she sighs.

"Amy said you were close to the previous witch!"

She turns to me again. I blurted that out without thinking, but that was my last resort.

"I wasn't exactly close to Sylviana," she says, "but yes, I knew her well. She was a powerful witch and the only reason you are still here right now. Otherwise, I would have kicked your butt out of Silver City."

Sylviana. So that was the name that everyone avoided saying until now. It doesn't ring a bell at all, as expected... I thought that if I heard it, I may have some sort of revelation, but nothing.

"She... She was on the werewolves' side, in that war, right?"

Selena looks annoyed by my questions, as if answering was painful for her.

"She was, and she died protecting us. She left Silver City witch-less, and honestly, I was fine with that until you appeared."

"Well, I'm here now," I retorted. "If you accepted Sylviana, why can't you accept me?"

"Because you are not Sylviana."

She steps forward, and I feel the pressure of her aura on me. I can't help but retreat a bit. What was I thinking? That because a Luna sounded like a gentle werewolf mom, she would be nice to me or something? Well, I was wrong. Selena isn't even giving me much space to explain myself at all. I gulp as she keeps glaring, and that pressure grows stronger.

"You are not in control of anything. Sylviana defended people. She healed, protected, but you are nothing like that, Clarissa Garnett. You're dangerous, reckless, and, apparently, not even in control of yourself. You don't remind me of Sylviana, you remind me of Nephera."

Behind her, Daniel and Ben suddenly exchange a shocked glance, as if she had just insulted me, or said something horrible. I don't get it. Who is Nephera?

"Babe, that's a bit..."

However, Selena ignores them.

"Nephera was self-centered, untamed, and dangerous. She killed one of my best friends and many, many people here."

"You're talking about... the Dark Witch?" I gasp.

Her eyes get a little bit darker, but the golden shimmer in them is still just as menacing.

"That's right. Just like you, she only cared about herself and what she wanted. She had no training and used her power left and right until she did something she couldn't repair. She became a Dark Witch and attacked us, trying to destroy Silver City. What makes me believe you won't become like that? Can you protect anyone in this state?"

I am utterly shocked. She compared me to the Dark Witch, the one they all loathe. Is that all I am in their eyes? A dangerous witch, another threat?

"You don't know me," I say. "You know nothing about me, you don't even try to. It's true I don’t know anything about Silver City, and I can't control my power... well. However, how am I supposed to learn if no one helps me? None of you have tried to help me! All you did was lock me up as if I was going to disappear if you ignored me!"

"I authorized you to leave your hospital room and stay on my territory," growls Selena. "What else was I supposed to do? The humans are just waiting for a reason to jump at our throats already, do you think I have time to supervise a young witch?!"

"Then what am I supposed to do? There is no witch left to train me, is there? I don't want to hurt anyone, but these powers are growing inside of me, and I have no idea how I'll be able to keep them in check the next time an idiot bumps into me or grabs me! Do werewolves learn to shape-shift in the blink of an eye? Do you learn to fight in one day? Well, lucky you, because I'm not like that! I have no memories to rely on, and no one either! You're afraid I'm going to hurt somebody? I am even more terrified than you are!"

I'm tearing up because of the anger and from yelling so much. I'm tired too, my wrist hurts like hell, and I am done with all this crap! I thought I could finally get some answers, someone who could tell me about witches, who I am, where I should go next, but all this woman did was yell and get mad at me! No one is willing to help me, they just try to keep me contained, and this isn't going well so far! I almost killed a guy just now, and I'm afraid of what I'll do next that I might regret if no one stops me!

I don't want to go back to that damn hospital, but I'm starting to realize those voices in my head are going to be a real issue unless I find someone who can tell me how to tame them. There is no witch left in Silver City but me, and those who do know something about witches like Selena won't trust me. The truth is, after what just happened, I don't trust myself either, but I can't give up now!

"Mara..."

I feel Kelsi gently pat my back. I feel a tear running down my cheek, but I wipe it away, still more angry than I am upset. To my surprise, Selena frowns.

"That name, Mara... Where does it come from?"

I raise an eyebrow.

"Bonnie didn't tell you?"

"As far as I know, your name is Clarissa. Mara isn't a nickname for Clarissa, is it? Why is your friend calling you that?"

Kelsi and I exchange a glance, a bit surprised. Why is she getting riled up about that name all of a sudden?

"I don't know," I confess. "When I woke up, I thought that was my name. Mara, not Clarissa. I don't like being called Clarissa, I'm sure Mara is my right name. It's been like that since I woke up... Why?"

She seems hesitant for a few seconds and finally shakes her head.

"I don't know... It felt familiar, as if I had heard it somewhere before. ...Nevermind."

Nevermind? She is the first one to react to that name, no one until now seemed to know anything about "Mara"! However, before I can ask more, Selena suddenly takes off her high heels. What is she doing...? Barefooted, she hands her shoes to her friend Daniel, and from the glances they exchange, I know they are mind-linking.

She faces me and stretches her arms.

"Fine. You said your fire gets out of control when you are angry, right?"

"Yes..."

"Then you can get mad at me. Try to kill me, use your fire."

What is that woman saying? Is she crazy?! Selena snickers.

"Come on, little witch. You want to learn to control it, don't you? You can train yourself on me. We are in a closed building, and I have a bit of time. Try to control your fire to beat me."

"I'm going to kill you!" I protest.

Selena chuckles, getting into a fighting position.

"You can try. ...Don't underestimate a Luna."

I've never fought before. At least, not that I remember. All I’ve done so far was get mad and light fires I could barely control, so how am I supposed to fight a Luna? Selena seems sure of herself, but behind her, Daniel is giving her looks. I look down at my injured wrist. I can't tell if it's broken or not, but it's still damn painful.

"Wait... You broke my damn wrist and now you want us to fight?"

She rolls her eyes.

"Don't be such a baby. Firstly, you'd be crying in pain if it was broken. Secondly, you're a witch. You should be able to at least heal yourself."

Heal myself? I look down at my painful wrist, but nothing has changed. How can she be so sure? Did the previous witches heal themselves? If so, how? My scars are still there, though they are indeed disappearing slowly. I have an idea, but... it seems a bit crazy. Oh, well.

I light my fire, the one I can control. I can't help but glance toward Selena to see if she will stop me, but she doesn't and is watching me do this without even looking surprised. I guess she is not against experimenting a little... I bring the fire close to my wrist. As usual, the red, pinkish flames are hot, but it's bearable. Nothing like a real fire I could burn myself with. I bring it against my wrist, applying it to my injury as much as I can, though it feels a bit odd. Holy crap... I feel that warmth spread throughout my wrist and the pain lessens. This is awesome, I'm really healing myself! I chuckle, excited. I wait until the pain is completely gone, and make my fire disappear. I try to move my arm around.

"Boo, that's awesome!" squeals Kelsi.

I nod, feeling a bit proud. This is completely unexpected, but it's nice to also discover I'm not just good at destroying things! I can actually heal myself too. Selena smiles, finally giving me something other than a glare.

"That's one witch power you can use. However, don't try it on others until we are sure you won't burn them."

She's right, I don't want to risk burning anyone. Still, that is pretty awesome.

"Alright, you ready, little witch?"

I don't like the nickname, but Selena is already back in her fighting stance, and I'm guessing I don't have time to protest. I feel her aura grow bigger. Crap, is she going to fight me for real? I try to find a fighting position, but let's face it, I have no idea what to do and I am just mimicking her.

How can I fight a Luna? I'm just going to get a beating!

"Try to go easy on her, babe," says Daniel. "She isn't a werewolf..."

Selena snickers and I think she is about to answer him but suddenly, her fist comes right for my stomach. I take the hit, hard. It hurts... I fall back, out of breath. What the heck, she didn't even give me a go signal or anything!

"Get up."

I can't help glaring at her, but I still get up. As if I'm going to let her beat me without doing anything! I light that fire in my hands. She must expect that much, right? However, I'm still a bit afraid I will hurt her. I see Ben pulling Kelsi back and away from me and Selena. He's probably just making sure she won't get hurt by accident. Like, get a burn or a bite...

The next second, Selena moves again, but this time, I'm ready. I try to predict her move, but she shifts her position at the last minute, so fast I can't react, and I get a furious kick. I groan, but I manage to absorb most of the shock by curving my arm and turning. This time, I saw it coming, but I couldn't move fast enough. How the hell is she so fast? Her moves are a mix of martial arts and boxing, it's fluid yet unpredictable! How can I fight that when I'm a complete novice?

"Hold your ground," warns Ben.

I raise my arm, just in time to protect my shoulder from a new kick. I'm sent flying across the dance floor, but this one isn't as painful. I jump back on my feet before she resumes her attack. Selena isn't done with me, but she left me enough time to get up and ready before she runs toward me, a devilish smile on her lips. I squint my eyes, trying to predict her next move. I block one of her punches just in time, but she sends the other one flying right into my jaw. I feel the pain resonate throughout my skull, and I spit some blood.

"Come on, Mara!" Kelsi shouts to encourage me.

I nod and light my fire in both hands. She wants a fight? She's going to get one! Selena smirks, not impressed by my fire. I don't care, this woman asked for it! I get closer, and this time, she's the one to retreat. I need to win this, or else I'm going back to the hospital! I can't send the flames away, but I can hurt her if she approaches me again!

...Or so I thought. I miscalculated that my fire was contained to my hands, while Selena could hit my whole body. Indeed, she quickly approaches me, and I raise my hands, ready to block a hit with my flames, but she suddenly disappears. What the–

Her leg suddenly swipes me off my feet, and I fall on my butt, my flames disappearing right away as I lose focus.

"Interesting... It looks like you need to concentrate some more, little witch."

"Stop calling me that!" I protest, jumping back on my feet and lighting them again.

This time, my butt hurts and I'm really annoyed! I decide to take the initiative and step forward, pushing my hands and flames forward like some fireball. Selena jumps back to avoid me, but I'm still aiming for her. I follow her, trying to focus on my fire at the same time.

"Come on, little witch, I don't have all day," she chuckles.

Is she doing this on purpose to annoy me? I frown and take a deep breath. Then, I expand my arms, close my eyes, and grow my fire all of a sudden. I can feel this energy burning inside, begging to be used. I expand my flames wider and out of my hands, until they almost reach my shoulders. My arms are on fire, and I see Ben, Kelsi, and Daniel step farther away, leaving a large circle around me. Selena whistles.

"Now we are getting serious. Come on, come get me!"

If she wants to play, I can play! I run forward, ready to use my fist. I'm locked in on her position, aiming at her no matter what. She dodges my first move, but the second one catches a strand of her hair before she retreats. I almost got her!

Kill that Luna!

I jump back, surprised by the voice. No, no, leave me alone! I ignore it and try to focus on Selena. She squints her eyes. She knows something happened, but she won't ask. I'm somewhat glad she doesn't, but this fight isn't over. I need to get ready as her next attack doesn't wait. I barely see her fist coming and try to block it with my arm.

"Too slow."

Just as she says that, she suddenly spins and changes her position, hitting my back instead of my arm. I'm pushed forward, in a stupid stumble, and I end up on all fours, my fire gone again. Oh, for fuck's sake...

I groan and get back up, igniting it again. How the heck is she so fast?!

Kill that woman! I'll help you...

No, I won't, and I don't need you! Now, I clearly hear this other voice in my head, bugging me and crawling like a shadow around my mind. I try to focus on Selena, on her aura and the fight. That aura thing is rather weird. It's not something I clearly see, more like an impression. As if I had an extra layer in front of my eyes that is superimposed with the Luna's image. Maybe I can use that...?

I inhale and get ready for the next attack. As expected, she felt no need to give me room to breathe, and runs at me again. Instead of getting all riled up for the voices to react, I wait, trying to stay calm and focus on that aura of hers.

I feel a gush of wind past my left cheek. I move by mere reflex to avoid the hit, but actually, Selena's fist only arrives one second later. I dodged it! However, I don't have time to celebrate as she throws her elbow in my face right after. Damn it... I feel my nose take the hit, hard, and my own blood is dripping down into my mouth. Oh, gross.

"Holy shit, Mara, you okay?" asks Kelsi from where she stands.

"Yeah..."

"You dodged my move," says Selena, squinting her eyes with interest.

"It doesn't look like it," mutters Ben, looking sorry for me.

"No, my punch. You moved right before I tried to punch you, at the right timing too."

I nod, trying to stop my nosebleed. Seeing that Selena has stopped her attack, Kelsi runs to me, handing me a handkerchief to help with that. It takes a few seconds to slow down the bleeding. It's a bit painful but my self-esteem took the hardest hit.

"Yeah... I think I felt it coming."

"Oh, foreseeing," comments Daniel. "That's interesting..."

"Yeah, let's do that again," says Selena. "Maybe it will come to you again. Moreover, you controlled yourself just fine before, didn't you?"

"But she's bleeding..."

Kelsi’s weak protest is ignored by the werewolves, but I also confirm I'm fine. Strangely, that fight sort of woke me up. I feel... alive. Like something in me opened up again.

"Thank you, Kelsi, but I want to continue. I'm good."

"Are you sure...?"

I nod. I'm really fine, and I want to continue this fight. I glance at Selena, waiting for me on the side with her arms crossed. I don't really care if I get a beating, I'm not looking to win. I need to learn to control myself, or else next time, I might do something I'll regret to someone I care about.

Once I feel better and my nose is clear, I give Kelsi her handkerchief back and get into a fighting position.