March 2014 AW Blog Chain

This month’s prompt: Lions and Lambs

Once again participating in AW’s monthly Blog Chain. I love this topic, it was just as fun as last month’s prompt. Choosing the pairing was a blast. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Strong language

#

“For real, kiss my ass. I can’t believe you roped me into babysitting that mousy little bitch for you,” I fume.

Like I don’t have better shit to do.

Elijah rolls his eyes and leans his hands on my desk. “Deal with it and shut the hell up, Arryn. She’s going to be here any minute and I have to go…For the record asshole, you’re not babysitting anyone, you’re training her so she can be what you need her to be. Try and remember that.”

“Whatever, I’m babysitting one of your little punch bunnies because she’s too damn weak to take care of herself. It’s a waste of my fucking time.”

“Do you think it would kill you to stop being a self-centered bitch?” Elijah asks and slides my Kaniga dagger into the slot hidden in his sleeve.

“It might, I’d rather not test the theory.”

“Shocking. I’ll be back later.” He teleports away before I can respond.

Prick. I turn my attention back to the grimoire I’m skimming and try to focus on my task.

A few minutes later, there’s a quiet tap on the study door and I fight the urge to twitch. Fuck, even her knock annoys me. I don’t bother turning around, I can feel her standing–cowering is probably a more accurate word–in the doorway. Her power–or rather, the power she could have if she’d just put her big girl panties on–pulses inside her.

My heart speeds up and my naturally hot blood begins to boil. My fingertips start to warm. The fire in me reaches out to touch the ice in her and it takes all my will to pull it back.

She sighs as my power retreats from hers. In a voice I can barely hear, Felice says, “Um–Arryn?” 

“What?” I snap and continue looking through the grimoire. I know the damn spell Hesandra needs is in here somewhere, I just can’t remember where.

“I…well, Elijah said…”

I wait, but she doesn’t continue. I toss the grimoire onto the desk and turn toward her. “Elijah said what? That you had to come here so I can watch you because–as we all know–you can’t do it your damn self?”

Felice’s eyes become moist and her lower lip trembles, “I’m sorry, Arryn.” She hangs her head as if she’s ashamed of herself.

She damn well should be ashamed. “Yeah, yeah, you’re always sorry. Haven’t we been over this before?”

She nods her head but doesn’t look up at me. I hear a sniffle and I want to whip one of my knives at her head.

“For the love of all that is unholy will you stop fucking crying? And sit down, you’re getting on my nerves standing over there.” Grudgingly I add, “Besides, the closer you are, the better. It’s less effort for me to pull back the fire.”

“Thank you for doing this,” she says, quiet as ever. I wonder if she knows how to speak above a whisper.

“You haven’t given me much of a choice, neither has Elijah for that matter.”

“I know,” she looks down at her lap. After a moment, “I wish I wasn’t a disappointment to you Arryn.”

I snort, “You and me both.  Felice, look at me.”

She lifts her head and the excitement in her eyes is undeniable. Hell, I’m excited too.

As our eyes meet, our powers collide and begin to wrap around each other. Ah Lords of Hell, if I could feel like this forever, I’d be satisfied. Best fucking high ever! The fire in me cools a little, but I can feel the strength of my power increase.

I pull my fire back so quickly Felice flinches. “Do you have any idea at all how bad it pisses me off that my counterpart–the one person in the world I’m supposed to be able to depend on to survive– is a spineless coward?”

“I…Arryn…” she takes a few deep breaths. “I’m not–”

“Shut up, I’m tired of hearing your excuses. Have you been using your ice every day like I told you?”

She nods her head fast, her eyes wide. “Elijah says I’m much better at controlling it.”

I snort laughter, “Elijah doesn’t know shit about our magic Felice, or your potential power, it doesn’t matter what he says.”

Her jaw clenches at my last comment, but she nods and just sits there staring at me as I stand and walk toward the balcony doors.

“Well, get off your ass and show me already.”

She jumps and squeaks, “Oh, right.”

Outside, we stand at opposite ends of the balcony. The night grows colder within seconds and frost covers the stone like a web of diamonds. Even my skin begins to cool and I allow the fire to creep toward the surface a little to warm me.

“If you’re really better at controlling it, then you should be able to do it anytime you want.”

She nods her head, but doesn’t say anything. Her face is a study in concentration.

“Do it without thinking about it, just like walking or talking.” Fire erupts from my fingertips and dances through the air as I continue, “You should be able to stand here talking to me and turn this entire place into an ice fortress.”

She pants cold breath, “I can’t–it’s too hard.”

I roll my eyes and send a lick of flame in her direction. She squeals, but freezes the fire before it touches her.

I shake my head. “You’re killing me, I hope you know that. I can feel you holding it back. You’re doing the opposite of what I need you to do. Let it go.” This time I send a handful of flames at her. She freezes all but one.

“I don’t know how to control it,” she whines.

Sweet Lucifer, that voice is like a knife in my skull.

I lunge across the balcony to her side, pulling one of my daggers out of the band on my bicep as I go. I place the tip of the dagger just under her earlobe. “Do it now or I’ll have myself a nice little carving party. It’ll be like Halloween.”

“Arryn, please…”

“I wonder how Elijah will feel about your pretty little face when I’m through with you.” Flame snakes from the tip of my finger, down the blade of the dagger, and sizzles against her skin.

Icy tears streak her face and her cold breath hitches with a sob.

“Last chance,” I say, and press the blade into the side of her neck until a trickle of blood flows down to her collarbone and crystallizes.

She whimpers and releases her power. I have to work hard to keep the fire in check as the air turns remarkably colder.

I remove the dagger from her neck and look at her. Streaks of white and blue highlight her hair, her nails look like icicles, and frost blooms on her fingertips. She extends her arm to the side, toward the balustrade framing the balcony, and a trail of ice spreads with her movement.

“That’s the kind of shit I want to see,” I laugh.

Felice’s hands shake, but I see excitement in her eyes again. There may be hope for her yet.

#

Check out the other participants of the March 2014 AW Blog Chain.

Participants:
orion_mk3 – http://nonexistentbooks.wordpress.com (link to post)
Ralph Pines – http://ralfast.wordpress.com (link to post)
Angyl78 – http://jelyzabeth.wordpress.com/ (link to post)
Sweetwheat – http://gomezkarla.blogspot.com/ (link to post)
Sneaky Devil – https://fantasywriterwannabe.wordpress.com/ (you are here)
Sixpence – http://orlawritesthings.com/ (link to post)
airship wreck – http://thedarlinggraveyard.wordpress.com/ (link to post)