Summary: Dez likes fire. It's hot and passionate and alluring. She eats it up like life support. What she never realized was that it could also be murderous and evil. Consuming. It killed her family and everything she held dear, but she soon learns that she has no choice but to embrace the scorching flames the continue to keep her trapped. Meanwhile there's a war to the death going on between the witches and the wizards...and Dez has the last power needed to save or destroy all life. For her own protection she is sent to Archeron were she is to learn all about her power and why all it can do is destroy, but while she's burning she's also getting stung, literally. His name is Jacob Knight and though he can be terrifying he is nothing compared to his power. Dez couldn't catch her self as she fell for him, but every time they touch he shocks her, and though she tried to ignore the stinging sensation his hands always cause her she can't even start to imagaine how she can be with someone who always causes her pain. Even though, it's nothing compared to the flames.

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Chapter 1

I am not crazy!

Damn, how many times did I have to say it before somebody finally believed me? How many more therapy sessions did I have to go through before they realize that they're the nuts? I mean, you predict one death and suddenly you're listed in the phonebook as the city's number one freak! Next thing you know they'll be signing me up for shock therapy…

I shuddered at the thought.

"Dez, are you even listening to me?" My best friend Faye asked exasperatedly.

I closed my locker door and sighed. "No," I said bluntly turning around so that my back was against my locker, "I wasn't."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, let me start over then. Yesterday Jonah was all 'I want to do it' and I was all 'well too bad' and then he was all 'why not' and then I was all 'because' and then he was all 'because of what' and then I was all-."

"Faye," I said interrupting her ridiculous babble, "get to the point."

She smiled apologetically. "Anyways, I said no and this morning I waited for him to pick me up like he always did, but instead I ended up having to drive myself. So I started to think that something might have happened to him and just as I'm about to start calling the hospital I look over the lot and see him all stupid for that little BF stealer Paige."

"So what did you do?" I asked pretending to be interested.

"I started witch slapping."

"Him?"

"No her," she said simply shrugging her shoulders.

I felt my jaw drop involuntarily and I let out one shocked but amused chuckle. You can always count on Faye to hit the girl instead.

Faye tossed her golden hair over her shoulders and sighed. "I don't know what to do about Jonah. I never thought he was like that. I mean, what if I'd actually slept with him like he wanted? Would he still have been in that parking lot drooling over the queen witch like the dog he is?" I could hear the bitterness in her voice toward the last part.

"Well, it's a good thing you didn't," I said proudly.

"Thanks, now enough about me and my problems. What's up with you girl?" she asked immediately switching moods. "Did you see a new credit card in your future…?" she asked mockingly zipping up her pink hoodie.

"That's not funny," I told her laughing anyway. "Nobody will let that go. It was once and probably just some kind of freak coincidence, but people are treating me like I'm some kind of alien or something. I had this nightmare last night were I was being poked and probed like I was some kind of lab experiment. It was terrible." I said while I tried my best ignore the shy glances and little whispers which I knew were all about me.

"Really? I haven't noticed anything." She said dumbfounded.

I smirked and rolled my eyes. "Faye, you wouldn't notice if the world ended."

"True," she admitted. "But what about your aunt and uncle- what do they think about all this?"

"Uncle Ricky thinks it's a fluke."

"And what about your Aunt Val?" she asked as the bell rung.

I threw my bag over my shoulders and started to walk toward the door. "I could care less about what Val thinks," I said sighing nonchalantly.

Faye pushed the door open. "What's with you and your aunt? I mean, you act like she's your worst frenemy or something."

Val hates me because she thinks it's my fault my parents died. As if I was the one to light the damn match in the first place. In fact, I barely remember what happened. I was only ten years old.

Somehow I was saved though. It seems like Val resents me for surviving when they didn't. Sometimes I even wonder if she wishes that I would have died instead. She sure acts like she does.

I forgot that Faye was still waiting for an answer to her question. "She's just a bitter old witch." I said dismissing the subject.

We stopped at my car. "Do you want me to take you home?" I asked and we both looked over to where Jonah's car was parked and then over to Jonah who was as Faye had put it "drooling over the queen witch."

Faye sighed and nodded. As we drove past Jonah and Paige I childishly slipped Jonah the finger and mouthed the words "ten cents" to Paige and she gasped dramatically.

I leaned back in my seat just glowing with satisfaction. I glanced at Faye. She was sitting up with her arms crossed trying to fake a glare. "What?" I asked innocently.

Faye laughed and then mouthed "priceless."

***

After I dropped Faye off at her house on one side of the city I started to drive back to the other side where my aunt and uncle live. Where, unfortunately enough, I live.

It was about ten minutes after four and that was way too early for anybody in my situation to get home. I decided to buy some time by stopping at a gas station. After I spent forty bucks filling up my tank I went inside to snack on some pizza, candy, chips, ice cream, nachos, onion rings, and an icy.

When I finally felt full I looked down at my watch. It was a quarter after five. I yawned and decided to head on home, but not without buying a soda first. I picked out a coke for me and an iced tea for Ricky. Val could thirst for all I care.

At the check out line I picked out a yellow lighter and handed to the cashier along with the drinks. I threw in a pack of gum too.

"What brand?" the dark haired woman asked me reaching her hand out toward the back wall.

"Huh?"

Lynn, as her name tag labeled her, furrowed her bushy eyebrows. "What brand of cigarettes?" she clarified.

"Oh," I said chuckling. "I don't smoke." Yuck, like I really wanted to die of lung cancer.

She looked at me like I was an idiot or something. "Then what do you need the lighter for?" she asked pronouncing the words slower than was necessary- like I actually was dumb.

What the heck is it to you? "Because I wanted one. I like fire. You got a problem or something?" I said in a surprisingly calm voice.

She seemed wary at first, but she shut her face and started to ring up my stuff. As she handed me my bag and receipt she had this look on her face like she wanted to say something but was afraid to.

"What?" I said annoyed.

"Nothing," she said slightly defensive and then she sighed. "I'm sorry but I feel like I've seen you somewhere."

I shrugged. "You must have me confused with somebody else," I said tiredly.

"Do you mind telling me your name?" she said just as I was about to leave. Clearly, she wasn't gonna let this go. I mean, what did she think I was going to do, drop the thing near a leaking tank or something?

I stopped shy of the doorway. "Dez."

"Dez," she repeated trying to recall a time when she had heard that name before, as though it was on the tip of her tongue. I could see the light bulb flickering in her head. Then finally realization found her face. "You're her, you're Dezember Marx."

Confusion. "Yeah," I said reluctantly. "How did you know?"

"You're that girl who knew that woman was going to die in a fire last week." She said excitedly and I began to wonder if she was going to ask me for my autograph or something.

I took a deep breath and forced a smile. "No," I said pleasantly shaking my head. "You've got me confused. Bye," I said and then quickly left the store.

I walked with my head down to my car, kicking a pebble on my way. How embarrassing. It was bad enough that everybody knew about it, but did they have to let me know that they knew about it? My life would be so much easier if everybody just kept their traps shut, especially Val. "Oh, did you hear everybody? My niece is psychic! Little freak."

When I opened my car door my receipt slipped out of my hand. At first I was planning on leaving it there, but it seemed like there was enough litter on the ground; I didn't need to add to it. Besides my mom, being the environmentalist she is-was, wouldn't approve.

I bent down to pick it up. When I got back up something seemed different about the scene. Without looking at it, I leaned over to drop the receipt in the trash. Thinking there was something wrong with my eyes, (which, by the way, are a perfect twenty twenty) I blinked and looked up at the sky.

It seemed darker somehow. Not like night, but just a shade or two darker and it was cold. I zipped up my lime green hoodie and pulled at my sleeves folding my arms.

Oh get a grip, Dez, its just daylight savings. Then again it was only three minutes after five…so what gives?

I pondered some more as I climbed into my black hybrid SUV and started my seemingly getting darker by the second drive home. I started to shiver so I turned my heater on. It didn't help, I kept turning the knob again and again until it wouldn't move anymore.

"Are you kidding me," I whispered. I put both hands back on the steering wheel. Why was I so cold? It was like I was an ice cube that just wouldn't melt. Maybe my heater is broken.

I was about ten minutes away from my house and it was basically pitch black outside. Of course, Imperia Falls would forget to put out some frickin street lights. I can barely see where I'm going. I could turn off a bridge and not know until I hit the water and drowned.

I leaned forward trying to see as best as I could when suddenly something hit me. Well, not literally, but it was like this empty, hollow feeling, like I wasn't breathing. Plus, it didn't help that I was practically frozen.

I started hyperventilating, as if I was having some sort of asthma attack and I haven't had asthma since I was eight.

"What….the…heck…?" I managed to get out.

Oh my gosh, I'm going to die. I feel like I'm already dead, like I'm suffocating in my own body or something.

I coughed a hoarse dry cough...and then I ran over my uncle.

He just popped out of nowhere, his eyes bloodshot, looking like he was some kind of zombie or something. As I hit him his blood splattered all over the front of my car, and not being able to see I swerved around to a stop.

I choked out a sob and fell over on the passenger seat, wrapping my arms around my waist, and trying to catch my breath. I gulped once trying to hold back vomit and a terrified scream.

Then I remembered. "Uncle Ricky!" I jumped out of the car onto the pavement, stumbling forward and falling on my hands.

Ignoring the possible scars I had I got up and ran to the spot.

He wasn't there.

There was no body. The decapitated, mangled corpse I had imagined wasn't there. I rested my shaking hand on the hood of my car; there was no blood. What was even weirder was that I felt perfectly fine now. My breathing had slowed and I was warming up. Though, I know what I saw.

At least, I think I know what I saw.

I noticed the headlights of a approaching car and I backed out of it's path. The driver stopped and winded his window down. He was young, probably no more than nineteen. He had dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. If I wasn't so freaked right now I'd be flirting like crazy. "Are you okay Miss?"

"Um," I hesitated, "yeah, I'm fine." I nodded smiling weakly.

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I could drive you home if you wanted."

YES! PLEASE! "No, that's okay I'll be fine, promise."

He looked me over. "At least let me take you someplace to get warmed up; you look like your freezing." He urged. Boy was he observant.

I shook my head.

He sighed. "Okay, see you around" he greeted me goodbye. I turned back to my car.

"Hey," he called.

"Yeah?" I said turning back.

"What is your name?" he asked.

I bit my lip. "You tell me first."

He smiled. "Knight."

"Dezember," I said wondering why I used my full name. My nickname just sounded so unimpressive compared to his.

"Well, It was very nice to meet you Dez," he replied guessing my pet name.

***

I've narrowed it down to two possible explanations for what happened tonight…or today. Possibility number 1: I had a panic attack and started to have hallucinations. I mean, I don't really know exactly what brought on or what exactly I was panicking over. I guess, the whole "I'm a freak and I'm never going to be normal ever again" thing kind of got me a little worked up, but not enough to totally wig out.

So I guess that leaves me with possibility number two: I fell asleep at the steering wheel. It makes perfect sense; it was all a dream, a really vivid dream. I mean, I was lying on the passenger seat when I thought I'd hit my uncle. Like seriously, be logical, what would Ricky be doing standing out in the middle of the road waiting to get hit?

Val on the other hand…

I pulled into the driveway of my uncle's little, two bedroom suburban townhouse. Two out of the three windows you first saw where Ricky and Val's room and Ricky's home office.

My room is in the attic. Or course people ask me why I didn't just ask to stay in the extra bedroom instead, but the truth is I actually like the attic. It feels like my own apartment. You know, without all the extra stuff. Most of all I like it because it feels like it's my own; like I have total independence from the rest of the house and Val for that matter.

When I got inside things were quiet. I mean, the television was on, but there was nobody there watching it. "Ricky?" I called out. "Val?"

I purposely stomped loudly up the stairs so that they'd know that I was home. They couldn't be asleep already. I stopped on the top step; what if they were doing something else… I grimaced walking past their room and up the stairs to mind.

As I passed Ricky's office I noticed that he was actually in it. He was sitting at his desk facing the wall. "Knock knock," I said as I entered. "Guess what happened to me at the gas station today."

When he didn't respond I rolled my eyes. He probably fell asleep at the computer again. Then my expression became one of confusion. Ricky's computer wasn't even on. In fact it looked like the screen was cracked or something.

"Uncle Ricky, is everything okay? What happened with your computer?"

No answer.

I walked slowly towards him, not knowing why I felt so reluctant to do so. "Uncle Ricky," I said once again. I put my hand on his shoulder and gently shook it.

I gasped he was as cold as ice. I shook harder. "Uncle Ricky!" When he didn't answer I took his chair and spun it around so that he was facing me.

I collapsed onto the floor.

He was dead. His eyes were open and bloodshot, and his whole shirt was stained scarlet red with blood as it continued to trickle down from his nose and mouth.

I couldn't move. I stayed frozen on that spot of the floor. I could really do was scream and you better believe I did. I screamed at the top of my lungs sometimes stopping to sob. I continued to do so until a sudden hand clamped my mouth shut.

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