Page 73 of Fallout
What the heck? Is this guy insane?
“I don’t need rescuing,” I tell him, knowing that Parker will feel my increased heart rate. He will know I’m in trouble and he’ll get here. I just need to keep him talking for a few more seconds.
As if the phoenix knows what I’m thinking, he steps forward and grabs my arm. I try to fight him off, but before I can even lift my hand to strike out, there is alone blinding light. One moment, I am in the spare bedroom in Parker’s house, the next I am somewhere else.
I have no idea what building I’m in. Maybe an old warehouse? But it’s clean. I’m in the loft, standing in the middle of a bedroom. There is a large bed, a dresser, a TV, and a couple of doors. One wall is brick with a window, but the window is covered with bars. Two walls are made from drywall. The rest of the room is open, with bars barring the room off like a balcony, and some stairs lead down to the rest of the building.
I quickly swing my gaze to the phoenix. “Do you really think you can keep me here? I’m a phoenix too. I’ll teleport back the second you let me go.”
He grins. “You figured out that you’re a phoenix? Well done, Serephina.”
I flinch at the name of Serephina. I know from what my dad told me that it was my birth name. Dad changed my name because he didn’t want my birth parents to come back for me. I’m not sure how this phoenix knows that.
“My name is Henley,” I say, through gritted teeth.
“Your name is Serephina.” He stands up straighter. “I am Blaze.”
His name is Blaze?
“Do phoenixes have a thing for naming their children after fire?” I cross my arms over my chest.
I should be teleporting, not making conversation. But as I try to call forth my powers, nothing happens. I can’t teleport.
Blaze ignores my question and grins. “I was raised around phoenixes—a whole community of them. And I know things that history has forgotten about us. Like how to block a phoenix’s power.” He spreads his arms wide. “This is your new home.”
“You mean my prison,” I say, through gritted teeth.
“Call it what you like.” He grins widely. “But this is where you will be staying until I know I can trust you. Once I can assure myself that you won’t teleport away, I will take you home.”
“You’ll take me back to pack land?” I look at him, feeling hope for the first time since he teleported me here.
His face turns red. “That isn’t your home, Serephina. You belong with other phoenixes. Together, you and I can rule the world.”
All hope that I had evaporates with his words.
He doesn’t intend to ever let me go home. And I don’t intend to ever go with him to meet the other phoenixes. I don’t know enough about my race to know if it’s safe. What if the other phoenixes are like him?
“Blaze, my soulmate is a wolf shifter. Surely you don’t intend to keep me away from him.” I put a hand to the base of my throat as I study the guy. He’s young—probably only eighteen, like me. But his eyes are hard and as he looks at me, I can see the truth.
He will never let me go. No matter what happens.
I’m going to have to find my own way out of this situation.
I raise my hand to slap him, but Blaze moves out of the way. He backs up the staircase. I reach out to shove him backward, but my hand hits an invisible barrier. I pull my hand back as an electric shock goes through my arm. I shake out my hand.
“Ouch.”
“I’ll give you time to get used to your surroundings, Serephina.”
My stomach drops as I realize that there is no way out of this. I’m trapped.
But just as quickly as the panic sets in, I realize that Parker will come for me. He will find me. He’s my soulmate. There is no way that Blaze will be able to hide me from Parker, no matter how hard he tries.
But where am I? For all I know, he could’ve teleported us to the other side of the world.
No matter, Parker will come for me. He will find me. And when he does, Blaze will regret taking me.
I glance down at the ring on my left hand, my heart pounding faster at the sight.