Chapter Becoming the Fire （Callum）
Becoming the Fire
Callum
She looks at me like I’m a light, not darkness.
It’s been four days since I killed Father.
Four days since I took the life of the person who created me.
With the way he treated me my whole life, I’ve thought about killing him before.
I’ve killed others for doing less. Still, I can’t shake off the heaviness that lingers in my chest. I did the right thing—it was him or me.
It was only a matter of time before the other Highers followed his lead.
Everything could’ve ended differently. Now that I’ve done it, The Society won’t see me as anyone else.
My dangerous brand has been severely tarnished.
We’re still at the cottage. Harriet used to hide here from her sons and always brought her grandchildren. She created a safe space for them here. That’s exactly what it’s proven to be.
The more time we spend here, the more it feels like we are hiding. I don’t mind the escape, but in a way, it just builds on what’s to come.
My mind flashes back to my father, lying on the ground, surrounded by his own blood. I can’t help but wonder how my mom reacted when she found out. I wonder who told her and how they phrased it.
Mom tried to call me a few times, but I have nothing to say to her.
She knows that her comfortable lifestyle will remain and not much will change in her day-to-day.
I think about Vanessa and her reaction to the sight of Scarlett at the altar.
Guilt eats away at me. One of the first things I need to do is make sure that Vanessa is safe.
We haven’t talked much about it, but with the way her mom looked, I think she needs our help now more than ever.
I lie in the small double bed, my arm under her head, supporting her like a pillow.
I love how easily she sleeps, it almost makes me want to shut my eyes as well.
But I can’t, not when the monsters in my life are reality.
I used to sleep to escape my demons, but they’ve since embroidered my soul.
Soon, I’ll need to fight them. She rolls over and clings to me, her warm hands on my chest.
My phone vibrates. I assume it’s Mom again, or someone sending their condolences. I pick it up off the floor to see a missed call and a text message from Deluca, and a couple of messages from Leo.
Deluca: You can only hide for so long, Callum. Come back and deal with the consequences before this goes too far.
He doesn’t scare me.
His words replay in my head, “before this goes too far.” I let out a deep exhale and open Leo’s message. I haven’t thanked him yet for letting us go at the temple. I know he’s always been on my side, and he reinforced that when he shot Deluca.
Leo: We need to talk.
Leo: Call me.
Deluca can wait. I slowly pull my arm out from under Scarlett. I hate to leave her, but I don’t want to wake her. I also don’t want her to hear what Leo has to say, since I’m expecting the worst.
I crawl out of bed and pick my clothes up from the floor. I pull my dark Henley over my head, slide the deck door open, and step outside. The refreshing air welcomes me as I call Leo.
“Callum.” He answers on the first ring.
“Leo.” My tone matches his.
“Things are changing. We need to meet. I don’t want to talk about this over the phone, I don’t know who’s listening or watching.” He hesitates. “You should be careful too.”
I’ve lived this life longer than anyone knows—hidden meetings and bugged phone lines aren’t new to me.
“Where do you want to meet?” I ask.
“I’ll send you the location,” he says. I know he wants to keep details limited.
“Okay.”
“I’ll see you soon, Callum. Stay safe.” There’s a softness in his voice I’ve never heard before.
Before I walk to the kitchen, I turn to the sight of Scarlett through the sliding door, lying in bed. Stirling is already awake. He sits at the kitchen table and sips on a coffee. When he sees me by the balcony door, he gets up and lets me in.
“It was Leo.”
He looks at me with hesitancy.
“Where’s Harrison?” I ask him. Although I trust Leo, I can’t see him alone. I will have to bring Harrison and Stirling.
“What is it?” Harrison’s raspy voice asks from behind me.
I turn to look at him. His knee is healing well—the antibiotics we had in the bathroom cupboard paired with rest must have sped up the process. He’s able to walk on his own again.
“Leo wants to meet with us.” Stirling doesn’t miss a beat.
“Can we trust him?”
“Absolutely, he is one of us, Harr.” I answer without hesitancy. Harrison needs to trust him, especially now.
My phone buzzes with a text from Leo. I look at the location, and another text comes in.
Leo: 9pm. Tonight.
“He wants us to meet him at one of the old industrial warehouse buildings just on the outskirts of town. The one by the water, not far from the Burger Bar,” I say.
We all look at each other.
“I’m not ready to fight, Callum. I’m not strong enough yet,” Harrison pleas.
“There won’t be a fight Harrison, not yet.”
Silence fills the room.
“Who’s fighting?” Scarlett’s face pokes around the corner. Her hair is piled on top of her head in a bun, and she wears my boxers and an old t-shirt. If we weren’t plotting against The Society right now, I’d take her back to the room and show her just how much pleasure pain can bring.
“No one is fighting.” I roll my eyes at Harrison.
We spend the day around the cottage. There’s more small talk than I’d like, followed by a few card games.
Later, Sophia and Scarlett prepare dinner from what they find in the cupboard, while we pretend there’s some normalcy in our routine.
Just after we all clean the kitchen like a well-rehearsed dance, Harrison, Stirling, and I get ready to leave.
Although I don’t want to leave the girls alone, I can’t take a chance by bringing Scarlett.
I know she’ll be safe out here, and we’ll be watching them from our phones.
Scarlett walks me out to the car. I pull her close and inhale, taking in the scent of her. I know this goodbye is only temporary.
“I’ll be back later.” I kiss her forehead as Stirling gets in the driver’s side and Harrison gets in the back.
“Don’t do anything stupid Callum,” she says. I give her a shit eating grin, she knows that I can’t help it.
“Always, Angel.” She holds onto my hand as I step toward the car. Our fingers linger for a moment before she lets go. Sophia’s head pokes out from the front door and she waves at us. She walks out of the house and wraps her arm around Scarlett’s waist.
I don’t want to look back as Stirling shifts the car into drive, but I do anyway—either I’m a masochist or I fucking love her too much. I watch Scarlett get smaller and smaller as we drive away.
At ten minutes to nine, we arrive at the location that Leo sent. A dark SUV pulls into the lot across from us—it’s Leo. I can tell he’s not alone, but I can’t make out who is with him through his tinted windows. As Leo climbs out, all four doors of his SUV open.
Leo and three other pledges walk over to us. Leading the group, Leo is the only Higher.
We form a circle and Leo steps forward. He greets us with a nod.
“Callum. Harrison. Stirling. I’m going to get right to it; we don’t have much time.
” He looks at each of us and stops on me.
“There’s obvious uproar within The Society.
Victor and Archer don’t want to let this go.
Victor wants you all dead, while Archer doesn’t want to side against his sons—rightfully so.
But he won’t just let you all go free. He’s going to expect something.
I don’t know what that is yet, but it will be a high price. ”
He motions to the pledges. “We all want change. The Society isn’t what it used to be, it’s no longer a place where the powerful seek refuge. It’s turned into something that doesn’t align with how it started. I feel that together, we can shift things.”
There’s never been talk of an uprising. If one were to play out, it would be shut down immediately, with those involved silenced by the bullets through their heads.
It sounds like Leo has been thinking about this for a while.
He wants revenge. I can’t help but wonder what The Society has done to Leo, or what they’ve taken from him.
“What do you need us to do?” I ask.
“We need to bring The Society down from the inside out. We need intel on all the drops, and we need to control the buyers. But be careful in who you trust. This stays between us.” He’s not wrong to be so hesitant with everyone.
That’s what The Society does, the rats will come to the surface quickly. We’ll find out who we can trust.
“I have a few conditions.” I speak up. Leo frowns.
“You’re in no position to be naming requests, Callum.”
“They aren’t requests.” I silence him. “Vanessa gets out, and I want her out now, not when things get settled. I need to take her to a rehab facility.” It’s the least I can do.
“That can be arranged.” He waits for the next item.
“I don’t want Scarlett involved at all. And if it comes down to me or her.” I take a step toward him. “You always pick her.”
“I know what you’re asking, Callum. Are you sure?” He wants to make sure I’m ready to die for her, for love.
“There’s no other option.” My father’s last words echo in my head. No, she is the only option.
“Well, I think we all know what we must do. We need all the information we can get. Everyone plays an important role. This isn’t going to happen overnight, and we must remain patient and wait until every piece comes together,” Leo says.
Stirling looks at Harrison, and Harrison turns back to me. Leo glances over at them, unsure what the future will bring. All eyes are on me.
“The Society will never change. If we can’t tame the fire, we’ll become it.”