Page 57 of Ice

But I need to play with something.

I’m so pent up that if I don’t unleash somehow, I’ll end up exploding and burning the entire station to the ground.

I take a sip.

It’s rancid.

I throw the glass at the wall and watch the liquid drip down as the shards drop to the floor.

I walk through them, feel them crunch underfoot, grab my jacket and storm out of the station. As I leave, Jake calls something after me but I don’t listen to him.

It’s better for everyone if I get this out of my system.

I take the patrol car to the lake. Or, at least, as close as I can get.

I stride through the woods as if I’m on a pilgrimage. In a way, maybe I am. Returning to the place where Nova became her true self. Where she appeared like an angel of fire above us and gave us her power.

When I reach the water’s edge, I inhale deeply. My lungs swell against my ribs. Every part of me aches, and I know it’s because I’m not close to her.

I’m pissed at Sam because he had the option to leave.

If I leave, bad shit will happen to Phoenix Falls and I can’t be responsible for that. So, I’m stuck. Powerless. While Nova’s going through hell knows what in some vampire nest.

Not just any vampire either; the one Kole told us about. The Queen.

Vicious, sadistic, and strong.

Plus, she was in love with Kole. So, she’s hardly likely to be Nova’s biggest fan.

I take out my phone and try to call Tanner again. I get his voicemail. It better be because they’re out hunting for Nova.

Pulling fire into my palm, I watch it curl and flicker and grow.

Since we drank from her, we’ve all been pretty supercharged. Although I’ve noticed it’s faded since I’ve been apart from her.

The fire grows paler, whiter, hotter.

I make it bigger.

I send it into the air and watch it hang there for a moment, suspended, swirling. A vortex of flame and power.

Then I hurl it into the water.

It lands like an asteroid, sending water up into the air and making the surface bubble with heat.

Then I send another.

And another.

The next one skims across the lake and takes out a tree.

Two more.

I am sweating and panting, my shirt ringing wet and clinging to my back. My arms are shaking, and my brain pounds hard inside my skull.

“Luther?”

I turn to see Nico shifting back from hellhound to human. My name sounds twisted and strange on his lips. But when they’re back to being fully human, he says, “Are you all right?” and this time it sounds normal.