Page 60 of Hybrid Heroics

The fires licked at my cheeks and tickled across my feet... And when I looked down at my legs, I realized I was covered in blue flames. It felt so… Right. As if this was how I was supposed to be. Like this was a higher level, the best of me beginning to blossom.

“This is new,” I yelled down to Palmer.

He frantically nodded, shouting back, “That’s new.”

“That’s what I said.”

"What's wrong with your head?"

I pulled the flames into my hands, feeling the tingle of heat race through my veins. As I flew toward the mage, he narrowed his eyes. I landed smoothly on human feet, my wings folding into my back as my horns shrank.

“Why aren’t you hot?” Palmer asked, touching my arm.

“What?” I replied. “I’m almost offended by that question.”

He rolled his stormy eyes. “You don’t feel hot to me.”

“I’m—Well…” I glanced at my arms, then placed my palms on my cheeks. “I don’t fucking know. Maybe after burning to death, you’re now fire retardant.”

“Try me,” he suddenly said, taking three steps backward.

I snorted. “Fuck off.”

“Light me on fire,” the mage demanded.

“You have lost your fucking mind.”

“No. Really.” He motioned to his chest. “Do it.”

“Absolutely not,” I snapped.

He hung his head and huffed. “If it burns me, Vaughn can put the fire out. Just do it.”

“Someone tell him no,” I told the guys. “He’s lost the fucking plot.”

Vaughn grimaced. “It’s not an awful idea. I can heal him.”

“It’s a horrible idea,” Murph barked, striding closer. “After everything that happened, you want to burn again? What if Sloane wakes up while Vaughn is trying to heal you? How pissed will she be?”

“She’d kick all of our asses for watching them,” Novak stated. “And then she’d be pissed as fuck at those three for actively participating. I can’t even guess how she’d react to it beyond that.”

“Fine,” Palmer dramatically whined. “Just my hand then.”

I scrubbed my face, aggravated with every one of them. “This isn’t a negotiation.”

“I’m telling you… I’ll be fine. You didn’t hurt me yesterday,” he explained. “The flames burned my skin, but I could feel it healing before Vaughn stepped in.”

I stopped arguing to think back. He hadn’t flinched or acted like the burns had hurt him at all. In fact, he had been eager to get Vaughn away from him and onto Sloane.

Did I want to throw hellish flames on him?

Fuck no.

But I was a curious creature… And I was enjoying the more playful side of my power…

So, fuck it.

“You’re sure?” I asked, needing clarification.