Untitled: Chapter 6

Aubrey 1

I stepped out of the hot shower, wrapping a thick black towel around my waist. I moved in front of the mirror and saw the water droplets already freezing on my skin. The steam from the hot water started solidifying into icy beads. 2

I laughed as I tousled my hair, ice sifting to the floor. “Cold as death,” I muttered, leaving the room. I quietly appeared into the white-walled, black-decorated room Lily was asleep in, smiling as she turned over.3

Her brow furrowed as she pursed her full lips. Her white feet kicked their way out from under the covers and she turned on her side, her right hand fluttering to her heart. She looked so beautiful. I dropped the towel and slid my boxers and jeans on.4

I felt a tremble under my feet and glanced over at Lily. Her face was smooth and cold, but her lips were pressed tightly together. I tugged my tee-shirt on and eased down beside her. I moved to touch her but stopped about a foot away from her face. Her entire body radiated an intense heat.5

I vaguely remembered the way the noon sun felt beating on my back as I worked. The heat she exuded was millions of times hotter than that. I gnashed my teeth together and reached through the heat wave to touch her face. Her eyes fluttered open and beads of sweat formed on her forehead.6

“Lily…” I said soothingly, stroking her face. Something was wrong with her, and it jabbed at my heart.7

“It’s fine, Aubrey,” she said groggily, turning on her side. “Nothing’s wrong. It’s always like this.”8

“I think it’s more than you not being fully converted,” I said softly, but she was already back asleep, moving restlessly under her comforter and robe. I waved my hand over the blanket and it flew to the floor.9

Gingerly, I removed her robe. The satin nightie was sticking to her body in places that sent my mind racing with erotic images. I shook it off and threw the robe across the room. I called in a thin, lightweight cover and laid it over her body. She turned, her face toward me, and reached out blindly.10

I caught her hand and kissed it. She smiled in her sleep and pulled her hand back to her heart. I caught myself as I began leaning down to kiss her and stood up.11

The extreme heat she gave off reminded me of something from the Old Days. I shook my head and went to where she had told me the library was days ago. I entered the room and was assaulted by the smell of that mold that grows in old books. How she could stand that smell was beyond me.12

I moved toward a few ancient texts and stopped. A fire-red book sat atop a small table. Open notebooks, pens, binders and more books surrounded the thick tome. I shuffled through the largest notebook and sat it down again. It was full of notes, cover to cover. I pulled back the chair and sat, reaching between the piles of free paper to grasp the volume.13

It was heavy, but I lifted it with ease. Mythological Creatures. I bit back a laugh as I opened it to the first marked page. Vampires.14

I noticed another marked page and opened it. Phoenix. “Hmm…” I mumbled.15

Phoenix:16

A magnificent, swan-sized, crimson bird with a long multi-colored tail, talons, and a beak. Legends state that the phoenix regenerates as its body begins to fail, bursting into flames and then being reborn as a chick in its ashes. Few legends say much on the song of the phoenix, but all agree that their song is hypnotic. Some legends, lesser known, attribute healing properties to a phoenix’s tears.17

Even more clandestine tales speak of a rare occurrence: a phoenix being born as a human.18

I saw a small note scribbled into the margin and closed the book, reaching for a binder with butterflies drawn on the front. I flipped through the pages and found one marked ‘Symptoms¬’.19

I squinted at the small writing. 20

ONE: It seems that radiating an intense heat points into the direction of the phoenix, but the strong thirst for human blood says vampire. Is it possible for one almost full vampire to possess the soul of the phoenix? As a human, yes, but as a vampire?21

TWO: There seems to be more signs of the phoenix: the intense heat emitted during sleep, the tears healing otherwise mortal wounds, the spontaneous fires that erupt under my fingers…22

THREE: It appears that the legends are true. After consulting a specialist on the touchy subject of mythological creatures, I have come to the conclusion that it is entirely possible for a phoenix to be born as a human, and still be a phoenix after undergoing the change into vampire.23

I shut the binder, sat it down, and sighed, glancing over at a large grandfather clock. I had been away from Lily for two hours. I waved my hands and let the materials set themselves, leaving the room quickly.24

I appeared in Lily’s room and saw her still tossing under the thinner blanket I had put over her. I moved toward the bed and was met by a continuous wave of rolling heat that surrounded the perimeter of the bed. I grated my teeth and stepped into the wall of heat, moving to her.25

She was panting on her back, her night gown sticking to her curves in the most tormenting of ways. “Lily,” I said touching her arm. She shivered and opened her eyes.26

“Aubrey,” she whispered hoarsely, “It’s so very hot.”27

I met her gaze and blinked in astonishment. Her smoke-grey eyes were gold with scarlet flecks that burned through me. “Lily,” I said, “You know what this is, rising inside you.”28

She nodded, a tear rolling down her cheek and sizzling on her skin. “I know what I am,” she said lowly.29

“You can control it, Lily,” I soothed, stroking her searing skin. I felt the pads of my fingertips being burned by her skin, but I continued to caress her cheek. “You can leash the fire.”30

She continued sobbing, her tears evaporating the second they touched her skin. “Just breathe,” I said, running my fingers through her tangled curls.31

She tried, shakily inhaling and exhaling. I felt the heat rescinding as she breathed, becoming the normal warmth for a human. “You’re hurt,” she muttered, catching my hand and looking at my fingers.32

My fingertips were red and blistered, tender from her scorching flesh. “As long as you’re not,” I said, relaxing.33

She kissed the tender spots gently and I felt the skin healing beneath her lips. “And now you aren’t,” she replied. “How did you know?”34

“I read your notes,” I said softly, keeping my voice low. She tried to prop herself up on her elbows, grimacing as I eased her up.35

“Stop helping me,” she growled, trying to shove my hands off.36

I huffed and continued to ease her into a sitting position. “I’m not giving you any chances to hold not helping against me,” I joked.37

She stuck her tongue out and grabbed my wrists as I let her go. “Please, my skin still burns,” she whispered, looking up at me. Her eyes were back to normal, beautiful and smoke-grey with blue and green flecks.38

“You don’t have to say please,” I pointed out, climbing behind her. I pulled off my shirt and she leaned against my chest, shuddering.39

I wrapped my arms around her tightly and felt her shudder again. “That’s so amazingly soothing,” she murmured, tipping her head back onto my shoulder.40

“I’m happy I’m good for something,” I teased.41

“You’re good for a lot more,” she said sweetly, “But you know that.”42

“I do,” I agreed, kissing her temple. “When did you…?”43

“Find out?” she finished. I nodded. “My last Moon was supposed to be three years ago. The night I was going to die…something strange happened. A fire consumed me and I woke up in the morning, naked and covered in black soot. It felt like I was…reborn…into my body…just a stronger version.”44

“Like the phoenix,” I whispered.45

“I started doing some research, visiting some mythology experts, saying I was researching for a story or a school project. I figured out that while my human body is changing, the phoenix in me would change as well,” she continued, “I never could figure out what would happen to me in the process, though. I just know that I can complete the conversion.”46

“Is that why you’ve waited so long?” I asked, watching her flex her hands before her eyes.47

“No. There’s something else…But I’ve always known about this. I didn’t have to try and understand. It was the phoenix that I knew nothing about,” she murmured.48

“What else is there?” I asked, smiling.49

“I can shift shape into a tiger,” she whispered. “I don’t want to loose that by becoming a vampire.”50

“Can I show you something?” I asked lowly, her hands flexing once more.51

“Yes,” she said, leaning forward to let me out from behind her. I got off the bed and stripped, throwing my clothes to her.52

“Hold those for me,” I said, smiling impishly.53

She returned the naughty smile and folded my clothes quickly. “Will do,” she said with a mock salute.54

I flexed my hands and felt the monster in me clawing to the surface. I succumbed to the natural instincts, falling to my knees. Muscles rippled as soft fur appeared on my skin. I felt my claws digging into the carpet beneath me and was suddenly, and intensely, aware of Lily’s heartbeat and smell.55

She eased herself off of the bed and dropped to her knees, eyes wide. I moved toward her, my paws making no sound on the soft floor. She smiled as I touched my muzzle to her palm. “You are amazingly beautiful, Aubrey,” she said lowly, knowing I could hear her.56

She placed her hand on my head, her skin rough against my fur. My clothes, I said, reaching out to brush her mind with mine.57

She jumped up, most likely from the feel of tiger’s mind against hers, and grabbed my neatly folded clothes, smoothing wrinkles away nervously. I shifted back and was kneeling in front of her. She sat back on her bottom and smiled, appraising my body. She handed me my shirt, closing her eyes modestly as I stretched to pull it on. “The tiger will stay with you,” I said, reaching for my underwear and jeans. “Because it is part of you.”58

She smiled up at me and I saw tears in her eyes. She waited until I had pulled my pants on. I reached down and offered her a hand., which she took. I pulled her to her feet quickly, looking down at her.59

She was so short compared to me, clocking in at only 5’6”. “I am a perfectly normal height for a woman my age, Aubrey,” she said, tossing her curls.60

“What four hundred and seventeen?” I teased, jumping out of her way as she swiped forward.61

“Don’t make me bite you,” she said, utterly serious.62

The way she said it sent a sexual shock down my spine. “I’m wondering what kind of bite it would be,” I said truthfully.63

She smirked. “Men,” she muttered disdainfully.64

“Guilty as charged,” I said, pulling her to me. “Now where would that bite be?”65

She smiled mischievously, backing me into the bed. She pushed me gently, and I fell back onto the silk, smiling as she moved to straddle me. I held her thighs and her nightie slid up slightly. Her eyes held a fire in them that captivated me even as a wicked gleam appeared. I didn’t have to ask where that bite would be.